Strangely, Red Record’s 2025 remastered reissue of Bobby Watson’s Perpetual Groove omits the “Live in Europe” designation included in the 1984 release’s title. Perhaps it’s because one can tell from the first few notes that the set doesn’t take place in a studio – this is jazz meant to excite an audience with each musician’s spellbinding technique. With three Italian musicians (Attilio Zanchi – bass, Piero Bassini – piano, and Giampiero Prina – drums), saxophonist Watson tears it up on five tracks taken from two 1983 concert recordings. Though it’s certainly impressive to hear Kansas City, Kansas native Watson wail, some tracks fare better than others. More importantly, the quartet seems more focused on proving themselves, rather than creating memorable jazz.