First meeting of pianist Pat Thomas and drummer Paul Abbott. Abbott’s affective concerns find a perfect partner in Thomas and his signature smack-palm approach. Reminiscent of Milford Graves’ ‘Percussion Ensemble’ but replace the rather serious gong with jovial and dissonant piano. Take a deep breath because there aren't many moments to come up for air in here.  --- Paul Abbot / drums Pat Thomas / piano --- Tracklisting: 1. 28.4.16 - 31:30 --- Recorded by James Dunn on Thursday 28th of April 2016. Mixed & mastered by James Dunn. Plants by Hamish Dunbar.

This was part of Mdou Moctar’s first tour of Europe and recorded on what was originally scheduled as a night off.  The band had played a rousing set the night before to a packed house when it was discovered that they weren’t up to anything on this night and that OTO was only scheduled to open as a bar. Things were quickly put into place for a second show which promptly sold out and totally delivered the kind of spontaneous energy you’d hope for in this kind of situation.   “We’ve got a problem” said Carl, our erstwhile evening manager at the end of the night.  “Mdou has fallen in love” “ah…” “He’d like to take our amp with him” Of course, a deal was struck and off it went. It’s nice to know that there is a little bit of OTO tearing it up across the north of Africa!  --- Mdou Moctar / guitar, voiceAhmoudou Madassane / guitar, voiceMahmoud Ahmed Jabre / drums, voice Recorded by Shaun Crook at Cafe OTO on Friday 1 August 2014. Mixed by John Chantler.  Mastered by Rupert Clervaux, London. Photograph by Jonathan Crabb.

Available as 320k MP3 or 24 bit FLAC. 1. #1  12:342. #2  23:283. #3  11:10A recording of a rare duo performance by percussionist / composer Michael Zerang and guitarist / vocalist / banjo player Daniel Higgs conjuring densely interwoven improvisations that draw on traditional forms but take them in defiantly unexpected directions. Both musicians will be familiar to OTO regulars - Zerang as a member of Joe McPhee's Survival Unit III alongside Fred Lonberg-Holm, and his gracefully rolling approach to the drums has provided a welcome, beatific contrast to PNLs full-on assaults in Peter Brötzmann's Chicago Tentet. Daniel A.I.U Higgs has also been responsible for some singularly memorable performances here alongside the likes of Maya Dunietz and Jennifer Walshe and his transcendental ragas here reach an even higher level of hypnotism. --- Michael Zerang / percussionDaniel Higgs / voice, banjo --- Recorded live at Cafe OTO on 28 June 2014 by James Dunn. Mixed by James Dunn.  Mastered by Andreas [LUPO] Lubich at Calyx, Berlin. Photograph by Andrej Chudy.

Japanese experimental guitarist Taku Sugimoto sounds particularly contemplative in this pairing with Welsh violinist Angharad Davies. Exploring the textural and timbral elements of their instruments, the duo create a space for reflection amidst the ghostly echoes of Dalston's Kingsland Road. --- Angharad Davies / violin Taku Sugimoto / guitar --- Recorded by Shaun Crook on Monday 16th March 2015. Mixed by John Chantler. Mastered by James Dunn. Original photograph by Fabio Lugaro.