ANTHONY BRAXTON - Knitting Factory (Piano/Quartet) 1994, Vol. 2 (2000) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This two-CD set completes Knitting Factory (Piano\Quartet) 1994, Vol. 1 (Leo) and the four-CD set Piano Quartet, Yoshi's 1994 (Music & Arts) in documenting Braxton's 1994 quartet. This production stands aside Braxton's impressive body of work for two reasons: first, he sits at the piano; second, the quartet plays jazz standards instead of his own compositions. Actually, with this piano quartet, the saxophonist-turned-pianist took everybody to jazz school. Crossing -- no, transcending -- genre boundaries, Braxton moves from swing to cool to bebop and back, all the while never letting go of his love for free jazz. Essentially, Braxton puts every jazz influence that came his way during his musical upbringing in the boiler and distillates a powerful ersatz. The quartet's renditions can be very faithful at times, very mainstream. These moments are propelled by Marty Erlich's soulful saxophone (he's in his best shape on "I Remember Clifford") and Joe Fonda's bass (joyful solo on "Tadd's Delight"). Then again, this is Braxton and his subversive language is never quiet for very long. Every tune moves in and out of focus: Erlich might be stating the melody from Cole Porter's "I Love You" but then the piano accompaniment disintegrates, Pheeroan AkLaff starts working around the beat, and gradually the band follows into free jazz territory. When the tune comes out of group improvisation and back into focus, it might not be the same one after all, since these are continuous sets and the band sometimes moves from one piece to the next through musical osmosis. Knitting Factory (Piano\Quartet) 1994, Vol. 2 is a powerful jazz lesson from a master. François Couture 
Tracklist :
1-1    I Love You 9:24
Written-By – C. Porter
1-2    Little Niles 11:18
Written-By – R.Weston
1-3    I Remember Clifford 15:28
Written-By – B. Golson
1-4    Blue Bossa 12:56
Written-By – K. Dorham
1-5    Tadd's Delight 11:14
Written-By – T. Dameron
2-1    Reincarnation Of A Lovebird 17:01
Written-By – C. Mingus
2-2    For Heaven's Sake 13:12
Written-By – D.Meyer, E.Bretton, S. Edwards
2-3    Brilliant Corners 12:49
Written-By – T. Monk
2-4    Milestones 15:14
Written-By – M. Davis
2-5    Intro To When Sunny Gets Blue 2:37
Written-By – A. Braxton
2-6    When Sunny Gets Blue 13:21
Written-By – J.O. Segal, M.Fisher
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet – Marty Ehrlich
Bass – Joe Fonda
Drums – Pheeroan AkLaff
Piano – Anthony Braxton