“To call Steve Beresford simply an improvising pianist is too scant a description,” writes Louise Gray in The Wire 446 reviewing Andy Hamilton’s “magisterial book of interviews”, Pianos, Toys, Music And Noise: Conversations With Steve Beresford. “In a career that stretches over 50 years,” Louise continues, “Beresford is the missing link between The Portsmouth Sinfonia, The Slits, Derek Bailey and Company, Alterations, Christian Marclay, and just about everyone on the free improvisation scene, from John Russell to Han Bennink to John Zorn, the creation of the LMC in 1975, and in the late 1990s, The London Improvisers Orchestra. Making an order of such collaborative work is no mean task.”

The following playlist was compiled and annotated by Steve Beresford himself, and features 11 examples of that collaborative work, as well as two solo tracks, covering the period 1975–2020. NB dates refer to the year of recording.

with Han Bennink
“Contradiction Please”
from Directly To Pyjamas
(nato, 1987)

Currently listening to Han with Sonny Rollins from 1967. 20 years later we played a ballad in New Cross, South London.

with Blanca Regina
“Celluloid”
from What Blue
(Unpredictable, 2019)

A duo with Blanca, who sings and plays various instruments. I took advantage of the wide range of vintage keyboards the studio had.

“Less Sun”
from Steve Beresford
(kabukikore, 2001)

Like me, Simon Williams is from Wellington, Shropshire, and kabukikore is his label. I think I recorded it all on a small multi-track cassette recorder. No idea what I did.

“Couleur Cafe”
from Great Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg
(Tzadik, 1997)

Another multi-tracked low-tech piece for an ongoing series on John Zorn’s label. I try to sing in French.

with Pat Thomas & Veryan Weston
“SPEedwell”
from 3 Pianos
(Emanem, 2001)

Opportunities to play with other piano players are rare, and to play with two of your favourite players on three grand pianos even rarer. Thanks Gateway Studios, Steve Lowe and Martin Davidson.

with Angharad Davies
“Datsain”
from Trwst
(No label, 2014)

We spent several days recording in Lle Celf Capel y Graig Artspace in Ffwrnais, Ceredigion, which has a very special acoustic. As a brilliant birthday surprise for me, on 6 March 2020 Angharad released a CD of the music.

with Nigel Coombes & Roger Smith
“Sea Of Mice”
from Three & Four Pullovers
(Emanem, 1975)

Nicely recorded by Martin Davidson at the Unity Theatre in Camden, North London and originally released on cassette by David Toop on his !Quartz label, with hand drawn pictures by Nigel Coombes.

with Tonie Marshall, David Toop & John Zorn
“Tallulah”
from Deadly Weapons
(nato, 1986)

One-off studio project with actress/film director Tonie Marshall, RIP, who sang this beautifully. Zorn was on clarinet. Elsewhere, Toop re-examines “Sitting In The Park” and we all think about movies.

with Alan Tomlinson & Roger Turner
“E2”
from Trap Street
(Emanem, 2002)

In the studio with superb and entertaining trombonist and drummer.

The Melody Four
“Les Vacances de M Hulot”
from Shopping For Melodies
(nato/Chabada, 1988)

The last record by this trio (with guest). We all love(d) Jacques Tati, so this was inevitable. Tiny spoken comment at the end by the inimitable Lol Coxhill, RIP.

with Evan Parker, John Edwards & Louis Moholo
“Toast Sweat”
from Foxes Fox
(Emanem, 1999)

First album of three by this group.

with Valentina Magaletti & Pierpaolo Martino
“A Clumsy Title”
from Frequency Disasters
(Confront, 2020)

Different sort of trio with two new companions.

Alterations
“Sunday Encore”
from Void Transactions
(Unpredictable, 2016)

With David Toop, Peter Cusack and Terry Day, at the wonderful and currently missed Cafe Oto.

Read Louise Gray’s review of Pianos, Toys, Music And Noise in The Wire 446. The hardback edition of the book is published by Bloomsbury; a paperback edition will be published in 2022.