Record Reviews

PERELMAN / SHIPP / DICKEY / CLEAVER ~ ENIGMA LEO 683 (Barcode: 5024792068326) ~ BRAZIL ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is an album by Brazilian saxophonist / composer Ivo PerelmanFind albums by this artist, one of the most prolific figures on the contemporary Improvised Music scene, recorded with American improvisers: pianist Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist and drummers Whit DickeyFind albums by this artist and Gerald CleaverFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are co-credited to the members of the quartet. This lineup, which features two drummers playing in tandem, is not completely unheard off, neither in Jazz nor in Free Jazz / Improvised Jazz, but in the case of the latter, makes things, not surprisingly, even more complex and dense that usual. But anything related with complexity is of course the essence of Perelman’s modus operandi, and was bound to happen sooner or later. The resulting music is therefore even more intense and multi-layered that usual, but also displays new possibilities for Improvised Music. Unexpectedly, or perhaps not, Shipp’s contributions herein are the steady, leading, and coherent element, which makes it possible for the listener to follow the music somewhat more effortlessly. Shipp is of course almost a symbiotic twin in Perelman’s recorded legacy, present on the majority of his albums over the years. Perelman is considered as one of the most radical / uncompromising representatives of the Free Jazz / Improvised Music activists, and his vast recording legacy, which spans dozens of albums, is usually quite difficult and uninviting even to the most dedicated Improvising Music listeners. This is the reason why I write about his albums rather sparingly, despite the fact that I have many of his recordings in my collection. The album was released on the LeoFind albums on this label Records label, like most of Perelman’s output. The label was founded in 1979 by Leo FeiginFind albums by this artist, a Russian journalist and broadcaster, who emigrated to the UK and worked at the BBC. In its early years Leo Records released many albums by Russian Avant-Garde / Free Jazz artists, but later expanded the catalogue to include international improvisers, including some fifty albums by Perelman. The label ceased to release new material in 2019. Overall, this is a challenging and demanding piece of music, and yet definitely worth visiting for the open-minded and inquisitive listeners, which can definitely expand one’s aesthetic horizons. It might require more than one listening session, but once the depth of the music and the talents of the musicians is in plain sight, this might be quite a journey of discovery.

Updated: 11/05/2026Posted: 11/05/2026

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