muzycy:
Alvin Fielder – drums
David Dove – trombone
Jason Jackson – tenor and baritone saxophone
Damon Smith – double bass

Editor's info:
Albeit posthumously, we're thrilled to be able to release this amazing music into the world. Any remaining recordings of the late great Alvin Fielder deserve to be heard by a wider audience. The Very Cup of Trembling is the second release from the Alvin Fielder / David Dove / Jason Jackson / Damon Smith Quartet, following up on From-To-From (Balance Point Acoustics, 2014). A multi-generational approach to free improvisation that feels like a throwback to the good old days of FMP.
The recordings that make up The Very Cup of Trembling were recorded in 2016 and unfortunately sat dormant until after Fielder's passing, fortunately for us though they are now seeing the light of day. The quartet played a handful of shows between 2013 and 2016 leading up to these recordings and it is evident in their playing. Sounding more fiery than ever, with Fielder (and the young age of 80 at the time of these recordings) truly leading the younger players throughout. Whereas From-To-From was a beautiful first time meeting of different generations, The Very Cup of Trembling sounds like a working quartet.

Liner notes from Damon Smith:
“Often, when finding titles for improvised music I go through poetry that I feel might have some relation to the way the music turned out. I look for two or three word phrases that capture something related. I think of this as “consulting a professional” when it comes to titles. When it came time for these titles, I found myself reaching for Fred Moten’s fantastic book “The Feel Trio”. The idea came to just ask Fred himself for titles and he graciously agreed, and these beautiful titles are the result.

I met Fred after an incredible reading he did at the Eldorado BallRoom in Houston. A historic venue that Duke Ellington played at along with many other legends including a young Alvin Fielder who was in Houston for pharmacy school.”