Martin Archer - Story Tellers (2016/2020)

"Martin Archer just released his most important record since "In Stereo Gravity". Actually, it might be the most important record of his career. "Story Tellers" is double CD with six 20+minute suites. Themes are interconnected, each of the six musicians gets a "persona". The flow of the album reminds me of Wadada's Ten Freedom Summers. And there are tributes herein to Wadada, Roscoe et Muhal, so you know where the roots of it are. A fantastic listen: complex, deep, yet elemental." - FRANCOIS COUTURE

First recording by a new sextet, and another release from Discus which follows through Martin's obsession with AACM innovations expressed via dynamic and creative composition twinned with top flight improvising.

A double CD of six long pieces, each thematically linked to make one long cycle which moves between completely notated and completely improvised passages, combinations of both elements, some electric Miles inspired grooves, and strange folk-like drums and drones.

The Story Tellers cycle is divided into six Books each containing five Chapters. Each Book begins with a version of the Story Tellers theme which is played by everyone. The second Chapter is drawn from a group of rhythm pieces. Each Story Teller has their own individual theme, performed as a solo third Chapter. These individual themes are also combined in different pairs with additional textural material and improvisation models to form more Chapters, heard fourth. Some Books end with a Shaman Drone; others have an individual coda as a fifth Chapter.

Most of the music here is heard exactly as played by the sextet in the studio with minimum post production edits and overdubs..