New trio consisting of bass player John Edwards, drummer Mark Sanders and sax player Michael Fischer celebrating the art of improvisation

It Is brings together three accomplished figures in international free improvisation--Austrian saxophonist Michael Fischer, British double bassist John Edwards and British drummer Mark Sanders--for an exploration of spontaneous musical creation, collective expression and the constantly evolving relationship between sound, thought and physical movement. Released by Klanggalerie, the album presents seven extended improvisational pieces that move beyond conventional jazz structures, predetermined compositions and traditional instrumental roles. Operating under the collective name MJM, the trio creates music entirely in the moment, drawing upon decades of experience in experimental jazz, electroacoustic improvisation and contemporary avant-garde performance. Fischer's distinctive approach to the saxophone, including his use of feedback and extended instrumental techniques, interacts with Edwards' intensely physical double bass playing and Sanders' responsive, highly inventive percussion. Rather than establishing a conventional hierarchy of soloist and accompanists, the musicians participate in a continuously shifting exchange of ideas, with each instrumental gesture capable of redirecting the entire performance. The result is an unpredictable and richly textured musical conversation in which rhythmic impulses, abstract sonic textures, melodic fragments, silence and spontaneous interaction become equally important components of the creative process. It Is reflects the trio's commitment to improvisation as an immediate and collaborative art form, where musical structure emerges through listening, response and the collective exploration of possibilities.

Michael Fischer is an Austrian saxophonist, composer, improviser and interdisciplinary artist whose work encompasses experimental music, sound art, performance and collaborations across artistic disciplines. Based in Vienna, Fischer has developed an international reputation for his explorations of acoustic and electroacoustic improvisation, particularly through his distinctive use of the feedback saxophone. By incorporating electronic feedback into his instrumental practice, he expands the saxophone's expressive possibilities beyond conventional pitch, tone and melodic phrasing, creating complex relationships between acoustic vibration, amplification and the physical environment. His artistic activities have included performances, installations and collaborative projects that investigate the connections between music, language, movement and spontaneous composition. John Edwards, born in London in 1964, is among the most prominent and widely recorded double bassists in contemporary European free improvisation. Emerging from London's experimental music community during the 1980s, Edwards developed an extraordinarily physical approach to the instrument, combining conventional pizzicato and bowed techniques with percussive attacks, unconventional string manipulation, harmonics and an expansive vocabulary of extended techniques. His collaborations have included performances and recordings with leading improvisers such as Evan Parker, Peter Brötzmann, Derek Bailey and numerous other figures associated with European free jazz and experimental music. Equally comfortable in intimate duos and larger ensembles, Edwards is particularly admired for his responsiveness, rhythmic imagination and ability to transform the double bass into a remarkably versatile source of melodic, percussive and textural expression.

Mark Sanders has established himself as one of Britain's most versatile and sought-after improvising drummers, developing a distinctive musical language through decades of work within jazz, experimental music and free improvisation. Active in the British improvised music scene since the 1980s, Sanders has collaborated extensively with leading musicians including Evan Parker, John Butcher, Paul Dunmall, Veryan Weston and numerous other international improvisers. His approach to percussion emphasizes texture, dynamics, rhythmic flexibility and close interaction with fellow performers, frequently moving beyond conventional timekeeping to explore the expressive possibilities of cymbals, drums, resonance and unconventional playing techniques. Sanders and Edwards have worked together extensively within the British improvisation community, developing a particularly responsive musical relationship characterized by rapid exchanges, subtle changes in texture and an instinctive understanding of collective musical development. The origins of MJM lie in the longstanding collaborations between Fischer and Edwards, whose previous performances included appearances at the Donaufestival in Krems, Austria, and London's influential Mopomoso concert series, a longstanding forum for free improvised music. The trio made its debut in 2009 at Madrid's Festival Internacional de Improvisación - Hurta Cordel, bringing together three musicians whose individual approaches share an emphasis on spontaneous composition, open musical dialogue and the exploration of unconventional instrumental possibilities. Their collective work rejects fixed leadership and predetermined structures, allowing each performance to develop through the constantly changing relationships between the three musicians and their instruments.

The conceptual framework surrounding It Is draws upon the idea of 'Anarchist Psychophysical Parallelism,' an approach that connects musical freedom with the relationship between mental intention and physical expression. The anarchist dimension rejects hierarchical organization and predetermined musical forms, emphasizing an equal exchange of impulses among the performers. Psychophysical parallelism introduces a philosophical consideration of the relationship between thought and bodily action, suggesting that conscious musical decisions and the physical vibrations produced by instruments can develop as simultaneous, interconnected processes. Within MJM's improvisations, these ideas become audible through overlapping musical gestures, independent lines of development and constantly shifting relationships between the players. The album's seven pieces--'It's in the Air - Poetry,' 'It's in the Shadows - Memory,' 'It's in the Sky - Love,' 'It's in the Cold - Past,' 'It's in the Heat - Future,' 'It's in the Light - Empathy' and 'It's in the Eternal - Dialogue'--suggest a progression through emotional, philosophical and temporal themes without imposing a conventional narrative upon the music. Each performance offers multiple simultaneous musical perspectives, inviting listeners to follow individual instrumental voices or experience the collective interaction as an evolving whole. Fischer's feedback saxophone introduces unusual tonal colors and electronic textures, Edwards' double bass contributes an extraordinary range of resonant, percussive and melodic possibilities, and Sanders' drums provide an agile, responsive framework that can shift between delicate sonic detail and forceful rhythmic expression. Released on CD by Klanggalerie, It Is documents the collaborative imagination of three established improvisers whose combined experience encompasses some of the most adventurous developments in contemporary European experimental music. For listeners interested in free jazz, electroacoustic improvisation, avant-garde composition and the creative possibilities of spontaneous musical interaction, the album offers an absorbing exploration of collective expression, instrumental innovation and the unpredictable poetry of sound.

Track Listing

• It's In The Air - Poetry
• It's In The Shadows - Memory
• It's In The Sky - Love
• It's In The Cold - Past
• It's In The Heat - Future
• It's In The Light - Empathy
• It's In The Eternal - Dialogue

Additional Details

Label: Klanggalerie

Genre: Jazz

Language: English

Run Time: 64:58 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 01/08/27

UPC: 5052571228920