Interview by Dan Warburton Paris, January 30th 2010

Even if you're not a regular reader of this magazine (Paris Transatlantic)l, tenor and soprano saxophonist Evan Parker should need no introduction (if he does try this). Incontestably one of free improvised music's MVPs, he's arguably one of the most important and influential musicians of the late 20th century – not to mention the beginning of the 21st. His longstanding trio with bassist Barry Guy and percussionist Paul Lytton stopped off in Paris for a couple of nights recently to play and record for Gérard Terronès's Futura Marge label at the Sunset, one of the French capital's famous cellar jazz clubs. It was just round the corner, at Le Baltard, that this conversation took place a couple of hours before the trio's second gig. Parker had been giving other interviews during the day, so I tried to surprise him by starting off with a question I was sure hadn't been asked earlier.-DW