Loose Tubes caused the big bang that gave birth to the wildly diverse jazz scene Britain enjoys today. When they first appeared it was as if every conceivable kind of music – not just jazz – had been piled into a large sack, shaken vigorously and upended in front of us. Unbelievably, that was in 1984. After six years, the band’s own sheer energy blew them apart, setting off further commotions all over the place. Now they have reassembled, not – to quote leading spirit Django Bates – “to be our own tribute band”, but to be as unpredictable as ever. Half this album comes live from their 1990 heyday, while the other half is brand new. And, yes, it’s explosive stuff.
