Joseph Holbrooke was a legendary all-star ensemble from the mid Sixties dedicated to free improvisation. Comprising three of the most acclaimed virtuosos from the first generation of British improvisers—Bailey, Bryars, and Oxley—little has been released, but they briefly reformed in 1998 and the studio recordings from that period were made available in 2006 on Tzadik as “The Moat Recordings.” “Last Live 2001” is exactly that—their last live concert ever! Recorded in Antwerp in January of 2001, the ensemble is at their exploratory best in this newly discovered gem from the archives of composer/improviser maestro Gavin Bryars.
