Listen: Paul Lytton’s First Solo Album in 30 Years

For 50 years, the Von Schlippenbach Trio—Alexander Von Schlippenbach Trio, Evan Parker, and Paul Lovens—has been a radical monument of European free jazz, a powerhouse of imagination and energy. This year, at Big Ears 2019, they offer something a little different, with Paul Lytton taking over the drums. Likewise, for half a century, Lytton has been a key figure in international improvisation, whether working with Parker or Derek Bailey. Ever restless, he released his first solo album in 30 years—a surreal percussion-and-electronics wonder called “?””!”—in 2015. Give it a listen to prepare for the head-spinning Von Schlippenbach variation at Big Ears 2019.