THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO – Bap-Tizum (1973-1998) RM | Atlantic Original Sound | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This was the Art Ensemble's breakthrough -- however short-lived -- onto a major U.S. label (Atlantic), as well as a document of the freewheeling band's first appearance at an American festival (the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival). With activist John Sinclair delivering the introduction, politics is in the air; the crowd is young and predisposed to radical ideas and the Art Ensemble holds back nothing in a chaotic, meandering, exasperating, outrageous -- and, thus, always fascinating -- performance. The band seems to be clearing its collective throat in the first half of the concert, opening with a battering all-percussion prelude. Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors go at it at length in a staggered, honking tenor sax/bass duet on "Unanka," and Mitchell ratchets up the gears into screeching overdrive on "Oouffnoon." Finally, after a mocking intro by Lester Bowie, the 15-minute "Ohnedaruth" puts the Art Ensemble on full, ultra-colorful, wailing, free-form display (complete with a few vocal obscenities) before signing off with the "relatively" straight-ahead "Odwalla." It is interesting that Atlantic would lease these way-out recordings to Koch at a time (1998) when it was simultaneously putting out new, safer-sounding releases by the current Art Ensemble and its members. Richard S. Ginell   
Tracklist :
1 Introduction 0:42
2 Immm 5:31
Don Moye
3 Nfamoudou-Boudougou 4:15
Roscoe Mitchell
4 Unanka 10:43
Malachi Favors
5 Oouffnoon 3:25
Roscoe Mitchell
6 Ohnedaruth 15:00
Joseph Jarman
7 Odwalla 5:42
Roscoe Mitchell
Recorded at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival at Otis Spann Memorial Field, Ann Arbor, Mich. on September 9, 1972.
Note : At two points during this performance, a stage hand toyed with the recording microphones for the bass, causing a small amount of static. To edit out these moments would destroy the continuity of this music. The minor disturbance should not detract from the full enjoyment of the music.
Credits:
Lester Bowie – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Kelphorn, Bass Drum, Percussion, Vocals, etc.
Roscoe Mitchell – Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass Saxophones, Clarinet, Drums, Percussion, Vocals, etc.
Joseph Jarman – Sopranino, Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass Saxophones, Alto Flute, Conga Drums, Vibes, Percussion, Vocals, etc.
Malachi Favors – Bass, Electric Bass, Gong, Log Drums, Whistle, Vocals, etc.
Famoudou Don Moye – Drums, Conga Drums, Bass Marimba, Gongs, Log Drums, Whistles, Percussion, Vocals, etc.