In 1968 American bassist Barre Phillips had recorded Journal Violone, which had the dual distinction of not only being the first jazz solo bass recording, but also the first album of solo free improvisation. By 1971 Phillips had joined John Surman and Stu Martin in The Trio (previous employers had ranged from Archie Shepp to Leonard Bernstein to Jimmy Giuffre). Meanwhile English bassist Dave Holland had ended his tenure with Miles Davis, hung up Read more on Last.fm