Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. A gamelan orchestra. Arvo Pärt (Tabula Rasa in particular). Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Terry Riley’s Rainbow in Curved Air. Sufi mysticism.
As I sat listening to The Necks yesterday evening I was pondering about possible reference points and how on earth I could describe this music. I do not have the writing skills to write a review of this band. But after such an extraordinary set, it feels churlish not to mention that Stockholm was lucky enough to get a visit from Australia’s finest practitioners of improvised music.
They played one piece which lasted about an hour and then had a break came back and did another that was about 45 minutes long.
I thanked the bassist for an extraordinary concert and he commented: “We just open the door and somehow, from somewhere the music comes.”
Normally I would be sending a comment like that to Pseuds’ Corner. But having seen them play, it made perfect sense.
I’ve never seen a band play music quite like this before and never will again. They are a one-off.
In the words of Mike Scott: the Big Music.
If you are lucky enough to get the chance: go and see them!
http://theafterword.co.uk/the-necks/
Jack Dee
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