At the Moers Jazz Festival in 1986, the quintet of Irène Schweizer, Maggie Nicols, George Lewis, Joelle Leandre and Guenter Sommer caused quite a commotion. The "Frankfurter Allgemeine" wrote: "a great moment of free improvised music; the listeners gave endless ovations, were stunned, moved, even happy just like the protagonist themselves, who lay in each others arms after the magic process of spontaneous interaction". The record with excerpts from the Moers concert as well as from the subsequent performance at the Zurich Taktlos Festival was awarded the German Record Crtics Price.

"Recorded during a period when Schweizer was still immersed in her intense slash & burn style, she leads a quintet comprised of an all-star roster of free improvisers: vocalist Maggie Nicols, trombonist George Lewis, bassist Joelle Leandre, and percussionist Günter Sommer. The results are near-perfect, with each musician given ample space to solo, and with tremendous, exciting interaction among the players. Three long pieces comprise the session, which was recorded at the International-New-Jazz-Festival-Moers to great fanfare. There are constantly expanding and contracting lines, producing quick changes, while the soloists jab and dart in and out. Schweizer is brilliant, one of the most underrated piano players of the late twentieth century. Her command of the keyboard is complete, and she uses it in its entirety with great taste and bravado. Maggie Nichols is another standout, as her mostly nonsense syllables complement the horns. George Lewis, too, is a wonder on trombone, his rapidly slinking blasts adding color and panache. In fact, there are no moments that lapse. Leandre and Sommer strike a solid chord throughout, with remarkable contributions from each." {4 * stars)
Steven Loewy, All-Music Guide to Jazz, U.S.A, August 2000

Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik 1988

Cover Art: Ruedi Wyss
Liner Notes: Michael Rieth
Fotos: Leonhard Mühlheim

«Now And Never» recorded Mai 18th, 1986 at the International-New-Jazz-Festival-Moers by Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), Köln. «The Storming of the Winter Palace» and «Living on the Edge» recorded March 25th, 1988 at the Taktlos-Festival, Rote Fabrik Zürich. Engineer: Peter Pfister. Mastered at Studio Peter Pfister, April 25th 1988 by Irène Schweizer and Patrik Landolt. Engineer: Peter Pfister.
First released on Intakt LP 003/1988. Executive Production: Patrik Landolt. Produced and published by Intakt Records