Rachel Musson's Skein - Flight Line

A heartfelt mix of structure and freedom, control and abandon � saxophonist Rachel Musson�s long-awaited first release. �Skein� is the brainchild of saxophonist Rachel Musson, the first release under her own name. With a background playing in groups led by drummer Sebastian Rochford (she was a member of the first incarnation of Polar Bear) and avant-saxophonist/composer Caroline Kraabel (the 20-strong, Buffalo Boot-wearing Mass Producers), as well as having recorded alongside the likes of Steve Buckley and NYC-based Federico Ughi (Ughi: The Space Within), Rachel leads a stellar group including acclaimed pianist Alcyona and improv drummer Javier Carmona through 10 original compositions and a one-track homage to her Welsh roots.Both the compositions and Rachel�s playing have a strong melodic sense reminiscent of the Loose Tubes-era musicians, enlivened by two drummers (Madrid-born free improv percussionist Javier Carmona and the jazzier Josh Morrison) and underpinned by Will Collier�s solid bass. Add to this the distinctive pianisms of Alcyona Mick, who effortlessly fuses elements of Monk, Bartok and gamelan music into her own unique style, and Rachel�s own improvisations revealing a new raw, vocalized edge borne of her increasing improv leanings, and you will hear a band where the unexpected can and does happen, where structure and freedom, control and abandon, do joyfully coexist.