What do you think of the cover of this album? The Hornweb logo is by Dom Raban, who also did a logo for me (if you're reading this in a browser, you can see it in your address bar in all its 16x16 pixel glory). There. My claim to fame-by-association #12.
I saw Hornweb play a handful of times round Sheffield at the time of this record. They probably didn't always play in a double bill with Wire Assembly; it just seemed like they did — the pairing of Hornweb's saxophone quartet with Wire Assembly's guitar trio became almost a mini-movement. In fact all of the latter trio play on one of the pieces on Sixteen.
However, while I was a keen fan of Wire Assembly — what chance of them reuniting for a Don't-Look-Back-style celebration, I wonder — I never got round to buying a Hornweb recording. This record was bequeathed to me by te via D (background), still in mint condition after all these years.
I should mention that Hornweb was the first recording gig (as far as I'm aware) of our old friend Martin Archer, and the lion's share of the compositions on this Arts-Council-supported release are his.
I've only played it a couple of times, but so far it's not really working for me. I understand Hornweb's first album featured them mostly as a more-or-less unadorned sax quartet, but on this one they're extended, cut down and reconfigured in so many ways that they seem to be anything but a sax quartet — more like a rehearsal for Archer's solo career.
Hornweb made one more album before going their separate ways. Then a few years back, the name was revived, in the manner of King Crimson (mostly different players, but same spirit), for a further album.
Buy from Discus | Entry for this album on Pete Stubley's European Free Improvisation site |
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