"To know the number of steps one has been allotted from the beginning. The number of heartbeats and breaths. The number of bites."
— Elias Canetti "The Secret Heart of the Clock"
The music presented here was recorded in one day. We worked in three blocks of time: the first session was with saxophone, bass and drums. Nine pieces were played. The second session was for the percussion interludes, the "breathers" of the titles — here we used orchestral percussion instruments , rattles, shakers and gongs in addition to Paul's usual kit. Around twenty short pieces were recorded. In the third session we again played the usual saxophone/bass/drums music of the trio. Without being aware of the number at the time, we recorded a further nine pieces. We were playing knowing that the sequencing of the material would be done later.
Editing, as a music studio term, often implies the cosmetic enhancement of performances by recording in short sequences and then, by careful selection and recombination, creating an apparently flawless master. This kind of editing is anathema to the spirit of improvisation and many would argue to the spirit of all music making. nevertheless, it is increasingly common for recordings of classical works to be compiled with an edit ever ten seconds.
The editing that has been employed in this work is more akin to film editing, perhaps better termed montage, where the sequencing of takes is arrived at in a process separate from the filming but where the integrity of each take is determined in real time. There is a formal symmetry to the sequence chosen which could be represented by the schema: 1A2B3C4D5E6F7F'6E'5D'4C'3B'2A'1.
However, since "breaths" and "heartbeats" have been pre-combined in compiling the sequence for CD, there are just 12 track numbers which limits (but does not prevent) the listener altering the overall form by programming a different running order — although to retain the intended alternation of "breaths" and "heartbeats' track 12 will always have to be last. This shaping of the final form, by decisions made after the playing is finished, is an inevitable part of recording and something which distinguishes it from pure performance. My usual approach is to present the pieces in the sequence they were played. This CD is different.
— Evan Parker
Evan Parker: soprano and tenor saxophones, percussion
Barry Guy: bass and piccolo bass, percussion
Paul Lytton: drums and percussion
1. Breath and Heartbeat 1 07:54
2. Breath and Heartbeat 2 07:19
3. Breath and Heartbeat 3 10:29
4. Breath and Heartbeat 4 02:19
5. Breath and Heartbeat 5 03:35
6. Breath and Heartbeat 6 04:44
7. Breath and Heartbeat 7 04:05
8. Breath and Heartbeat 8 03:30
9. Breath and Heartbeat 9 03:43
10. Breath and Heartbeat 10 03:53
11. Breath and Heartbeat 11 05:31
12. Breaths and Heartbeat 06:07
Recorded 3 December 1994 at Gateway Studios, London, England.
Engineer: Steve Lowe
Assistant engineer: Ray Matthews
Digital Mastering Dave Bernez
Production coordination: Maya Homburger
Executive producer: Gino Robair
Design: Lucija Kordic
All pieces © 1995 Parker/Guy/Lytton
