MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS — Levels And Degrees Of Light (1968-1991) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Levels and Degrees of Light was the first recording under Muhal Richard Abrams' name and was a landmark album that launched the first in a long line of beautiful, musical salvos from the AACM toward the mainstream jazz world. The title track finds Abrams broadly tracing out some of the territory he would continue to explore in succeeding decades, an ethereal, mystic quality (evinced by Penelope Taylor's otherworldly vocalizing and Gordon Emmanuel's shimmering vibes) balanced by a harsh and earthy bluesiness set forth by the leader's piercing clarinet. "The Bird Song" begins with a fine, dark poetry recitation by David Moore (oh! for the days when one didn't approach a poem on a jazz album with great trepidation) before evanescing into a whirlwind of percussion, bird whistles, and violin (the latter by Leroy Jenkins in one of his first recorded appearances). When the band enters at full strength with Anthony Braxton (in his first recording session), the effect is explosive and liberating, as though Abrams' band had stood on the shoulders of Coltrane, Coleman, and Taylor and taken a massive, daring leap into the future. It's a historic performance. The final track offers several unaccompanied solo opportunities, spotlighting Abrams' sumptuous piano and the under-recognized bass abilities of Charles Clark. This is a milestone recording and belongs in the collection of any modern jazz fan. Brian Olewnick
Tracklist :
1    Levels And Degrees Of Light    10:33
2    The Bird Song    23:00
3    My Thoughts Are My Future—Now And Forever    9:43
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton (tracks: 2, 3)
Bass – Charles Clark (tracks: 2, 3), Leonard Jones (tracks: 2)
Composed By, Artwork [Cover Art] – Muhal Richard Abrams
Drums – Thurman Barker (tracks: 2, 3), Percussion – (tracks: 1)
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams (tracks: 3), Piano, Clarinet – (tracks: 2), Clarinet – (tracks: 1)
Tenor Saxophone – Maurice McIntyre (tracks: 3)
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Gordon Emmanuel (tracks: 1, 3)
Violin – Leroy Jenkins (tracks: 2)
Vocals – Penelope Taylor (tracks: 1, 3)
Voice [Poet] – David Moore (tracks: 2)

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Solo Bern 1984 (2024) Serie First Visit | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Composition 99B    4:21
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
2    Composition 77H    4:21
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
3    Alone Together    4:36
Composed By – Arthur Schwartz
4    Composition 170C    2:44
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
5    Composition 99Q    4:18
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
6    Composition 118F    3:39
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
7    Giant Steps    7:09
Composed By – John Coltrane
8    Composition 26B    5:02
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
9    Composition 77G    4:16
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
10    Composition 106R    3:12
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
11    Composition 106J    3:34
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
12    Composition 118Q    3:55
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
13    Composition 77D    3:01
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
14    Composition 118A    4:12
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
15    Naima    2:30
Composed By – John Coltrane
16    I Remember You    2:59
Composed By – Victor Schertzinger
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quintet [Tristano] 2014 (2016) 7CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1-1    Crosscurrent 9'09
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
1-2    Ice Cream Konitz 8'48
Written-By – Lee Konitz
1-3    Dreams 6'53
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
1-4    Two-Way (Duo) 2'00
Written-By – Lenny Popkin
1-5    Casino 8'49
Written-By – Warne Marsh
1-6    No Figs (Quartet) 8'18
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
1-7    East 32nd Street 7'26
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
1-8    Sound-Lee 11'16
Written-By – Lee Konitz
2-1    Dixie's Dilemma 10'55
Written-By – Warne Marsh
2-2    Palo Alto (Trio) 4'28
Written-By – Lee Konitz
2-3    Sax Of A Kind 8'28
Written-By – Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh
2-4    Starline (Quartet) 5'48
Written-By – Lenny Popkin
2-5    Marionette 3'30
Written-By – Billy Bauer
2-6    Lennie-Bird 9'48
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
2-7    Never Let Me Go 4'04
Written-By – Jay Livingston And Ray Evans
2-8    All About You (Version 1) 7'03
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
2-9    Background Music (Version 2) 6'05
Written-By – Warne Marsh
3-1    Hi Beck 9'38
Written-By – Lee Konitz
3-2    Quintet Improvisation 2 3'56
Music By [Collective Improvisation] – Andre Vida, Anthony Braxton, Eivind Opsvik, Jackson Moore, Mike Szekely
3-3    Back Home 6'04
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
3-4    C-Bop (Version 1) 9'00
Written-By – Billy Lester
3-5    Wow! (Quartet) 6'23
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
3-6    Quintet Improvisation 3 3'04
Music By [Collective Improvisation] – Andre Vida, Anthony Braxton, Eivind Opsvik, Jackson Moore, Mike Szekely
3-7    Two Not One 10'20
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
3-8    No Figs 10'31
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
3-9    Turkish Mambo (Quartet) 4'10
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
4-1    April 6'15
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
4-2    Jonquil 5'38
Written-By – Billy Bauer
4-3    Aretha 10'04
Written-By – Ronnie Ball
4-4    Smog Eyes 6'34
Written-By – Ted Brown
4-5    Deep Friendship (Quartet) 5'14
Written-By – Connie Crothers
4-6    Subconscious-Lee 8'40
Written-By – Lee Konitz
4-7    Leave Me 9'54
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
4-8    Feather Bed (Version 1) 7'08
Written-By – Ted Brown
5-1    A Family Song 10'47
Written-By – Sal Mosca
5-2    Palo Alto 10'40
Written-By – Lee Konitz
5-3    Piano And Drums Improvisation 1 4'09
Music By [Collective Improvisation] – Anthony Braxton, Mike Szekely
5-4    It's A Blue World 4'04
Written-By – George Forrest, Robert Wright
5-5    Victory Ball (Trio) 5'59
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
5-6    Crosscurrent (Quartet) 6'23
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
5-7    Lennie's Pennies 10'04
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
5-8    Tautology 5'56
Written-By – Lee Konitz
6-1    Marshmallow 12'51
Written-By – Warne Marsh
6-2    Piano And Bass Improvisation 3'56
Music By [Collective Improvisation] – Anthony Braxton, Eivind Opsvik
6-3    Progression 5'15
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
6-4    Jazz Of Two Cities 8'32
Written-By – Ted Brown
6-5    C-Bop (Version 2) 8'04
Written-By – Billy Lester
6-6    Quintet Improvisation 1 4'41
Music By [Collective Improvisation] – Andre Vida, Anthony Braxton, Eivind Opsvik, Jackson Moore, Mike Szekely
6-7    Ablution 9'11
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
6-8    Baby (Quartet) 4'41
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
7-1    Feather Bed (Version 2) 8'38
Written-By – Ted Brown
7-2    Ice Cream Konitz (Quartet) 6'25
Written-By – Lee Konitz
7-3    Piano And Drums Improvisation 2 2'56
Music By [Collective Improvisation] – Anthony Braxton, Mike Szekely
7-4    Long Gone 5'45
Written-By – Warne Marsh
7-5    Lennie-Bird (Trio) 5'31
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
7-6    Victory Ball 4'31
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
7-7    Background Music (Version 1) 9'39
Music By – Warne Marsh
7-8    All About You (Version 2) 7'34
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
7-9    You Go To My Head 2'55
Written-By – Gillespie, Coots
7-10    Wow! 6'19
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
7-11    Ice Cream Konitz (Trio) 5'18
Written-By – Lee Konitz
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Jackson Moore
Bass – Eivind Opsvik
Drums – Mike Szekely
Piano – Anthony Braxton
Producer [Produced By] – Anthony Braxton
Tenor Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone, C Melody Saxophone [C-Melody Saxophone] – Andre Vida

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quartet (Standards) 2020 (2021) 13CD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks), lossless

On June 18, 2021, the Tri-Centric Foundation and New Braxton House Records will release Anthony Braxton's "Quartet (Standards) 2020", a 13-CD deluxe box set documenting Braxton’s European tour in January last year. Armed with a songbook of over one hundred tunes, Braxton crossed the Atlantic and assembled a stellar ensemble of British musicians – Alexander Hawkins on piano, Neil Charles on bass and Stephen Davis on drums. The box set comprises sixty-seven tracks culled from nine evenings of performances in London, Warsaw and Wels representing decades of American music, from the Great American songbook to Paul Simon via music by jazz luminaries including Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, Andrew Hill, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, and many more.

Widely revered as one of the most original composers and conceptualists of the past fifty years, Braxton has also pursued his own idiosyncratic path through the jazz repertoire throughout his career, including his 1974 recording "What's New in the Tradition" and his more recently released eleven-album Charlie Parker tribute, “Sextet (Parker) 1993”. “Mid-way through his eighth decade, Braxton is doing the opposite of slowing down or resting on his laurels, and whereas the instantiation of a ‘standards quartet’ might elsewhere be taken as a retreat into comfortable, familiar traditionalism, Braxton’s history with standards thus far should lead us to expect nothing of the kind,” writes David Grundy in the liner notes for “Quartet (Standards) 2020”.

Indeed, in the hands of Braxton and his cohorts, the familiar is an entry point into the unknown. Take “Virgo” for example, on which the musicians liberally weave in Language Music, Braxton’s conducted improvisation system, as a backdrop behind Braxton’s playing. Braxton’s role as the interpreter in the ensemble is thus unified with his immense legacy as composer and creator of music systems by the next-generation musicians versed in his system. That kind of shared understanding by the musicians is palpable throughout the recording. Nestled among the more jazzier side of things are the familiar but unexpected selections from Simon & Garfunkel repertoire which highlight another dimension of the band.

The tour took place in January 2020, just as the world was starting to shut down. There were a slew of events scheduled to celebrate Anthony’s 75th birthday – including multi-day performances at the Big Ears Festival, an international conference on his work and another European tour – which never happened. As David Grundy writes, “Never buying into the myth of the old separated from the new or the new separated from the old, such music is palimpsestic. You can see through the layers to the music’s origins at virtually every point; but equally, you can see ahead to the future, what Braxton calls “the open space”. In a time at once of unmooring and of “shelter-in-place”, we need such approaches more than ever. This music can help us, all—in our individual, joined and separated ways—to know where we are.”  https://newbraxtonhouse.bandcamp.com
Tracklist :
1.1    Minority 12:20
Composed By – Gigi Gryce
1.2    Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West 11:25
Composed By – John Lewis
1.3    Desafinado 11:28
Composed By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
1.4    Why Shouldn't I? 9:41
Composed By – Cole Porter
1.5    Out Of Nowhere 7:05
Composed By – Johnny Green
2.1    Alfie 4:20
Composed By – Burt Bacharach
2.2    Too Marvelous For Words 6:37
Composed By – Richard Whiting
2.3    Pumpkin 13:22
Composed By – Andrew Hill
2.4    I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together 9:16
Composed By – Joe Hamilton
2.5    The Duke 10:32
Composed By – Dave Brubeck
3.1    Invitation 17:32
Composed By – Bronislaw Kaper
3.2    Take Ten 9:07
Composed By – Paul Desmond
3.3    Evidence 4:47
Composed By – Thelonious Monk
3.4    Straight Street 13:50
Composed By – John Coltrane
3.5    Old Friends 5:24
Composed By – Paul Simon
4.1    Along Came Betty 20:58
Composed By – Benny Golson
4.2    Embarcadero 13:59
Composed By – Paul Desmond
4.3    Alfred 8:21
Composed By – Andrew Hill
4.4    You Go To My Head 12:58
Composed By – J. Fred Coots
4.5    Do Not Forsake Me, O My Darlin (Theme From "High Noon") 7:26
Composed By – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington
5.1    Lullaby In Rhythm 11:06
Composed By – Benny Goodman
5.2    The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) 8:05
Composed By – Paul Simon
5.3    Impressions 9:01
Composed By – John Coltrane
5.4    Prelude To A Kiss 10:42
Composed By – Duke Ellington
5.5    I Remember You 16:56
Composed By – Victor Schertzinger
6.1    I Get A Kick Out Of You 22:02
Composed By – Cole Porter
6.2    Where Are You? 3:01
Composed By – Jimmy McHugh
6.3    The Inch Worm 9:12
Composed By – Frank Loesser
6.4    Four 12:50
Composed By – Miles Davis
6.5    Still Crazy After All These Years 8:32
Composed By – Paul Simon
7.1    Virgo 19:14
Composed By – Wayne Shorter
7.2    Bridge Over Troubled Water 9:48
Composed By – Paul Simon
7.3    Autumn In New York 8:43
Composed By – Vernon Duke
7.4    McNeil Island 5:41
Composed By – Andrew Hill
7.5    If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You 17:33
Composed By – Arthur Schwartz
8.1    Jinrikisha 9:20
Composed By – Joe Henderson
8.2    Sweet And Lovely 12:41
Composed By – Charles N. Daniels, Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias
8.3    The Song Is You 11:37
Composed By – Jerome Kern
8.4    Black Nile 3:48
Composed By – Wayne Shorter
8.5    Remember 10:05
Composed By – Irving Berlin
9.1    (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know 15:20
Composed By – Carolyn Leigh, Philip Springer
9.2    Double Clutching 14:25
Composed By – Chuck Israels
9.3    Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf? 8:44
Composed By – Frank Churchill
9.4    Sue's Changes 9:24
Composed By – Charles Mingus
9.5    Nardis 9:49
Composed By – Miles Davis
10.1    Like Sonny 15:58
Composed By – John Coltrane
10.2    Self-Portrait In Three Colors 8:01
Composed By – Charles Mingus
10.3    Off Minor 9:46
Composed By – Thelonious Monk
10.4    Equinox 7:26
Composed By – John Coltrane
10.5    Where The Blue Of The Night (Meets The Gold Of The Day) 5:51
Composed By – Bing Crosby, Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk
10.6    Moment's Notice 9:31
Composed By – John Coltrane
11.1    Groovin' High 11:38
Composed By – Dizzy Gillespie
11.2    Skating In Central Park 11:14
Composed By – John Lewis
11.3    When Joanna Loved Me 11:15
Composed By – Robert Wells
11.4    Pannonica 11:15
Composed By – Thelonious Monk
11.5    The Bridge 11:08
Composed By – Sonny Rollins
12.1    Have You Met Miss Jones? 15:54
Composed By – Richard Rodgers
12.2    Django 7:40
Composed By – John Lewis
12.3    Eronel 10:42
Composed By – Idrees Sulieman, Sadik Hakim, Thelonious Monk
12.4    Easy Living 10:28
Composed By – Ralph Rainger
12.5    Dee's Dilemma 8:48
Composed By – Mal Waldron
13.1    I'll Never Smile Again 9:06
Composed By – Ruth Lowe
13.2    Strange Meadowlark 8:48
Composed By – Dave Brubeck, Iola Brubeck
13.3    It's The Talk Of The Town 12:18
Composed By – Jerry Livingston
13.4    Thanks For The Memory 8:23
Composed By – Ralph Rainger
13.5    Way Out West 6:41
Composed By – Sonny Rollins
13.6    Peggy's Blue Skylight 14:43
Composed By – Charles Mingus
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Bass – Neil Charles
Drums – Stephen Davis
Piano – Alexander Hawkins

ANTHONY BRAXTON — 3 Compositions (EEMHM) 2011 (2017) 3CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

3 Compositions (EEMHM) 2011 features the first studio recordings of Braxton’s Echo Echo Mirror House Music—the latest conceptual innovation in Braxton’s five-decade career. With his Ghost Trance Music, Braxton created a framework for his musicians to freely explore his entire compositional output in each concert; with his Diamond Curtain Wall music, he brought his own interactive electronics into his improvisational palette. Now with Echo Echo Mirror House Music, Anthony Braxton brings these ideas to the next level. In this ensemble of longtime collaborators, all the musicians wield iPods in addition to their instruments, while navigating scores that combine cartography and evocative graphic notation, creating a musical tapestry combining live performance and sampled sound from Braxton’s extensive recorded discography.
Impeccably recorded at Firehouse 12’s state-of-the-art studio, the music is available in two formats: a traditional three-CD box set and a 5.1 Surround Sound audiophile Blu-ray disc. “As a culture, we are slowly moving away from target linear experiences that are framed as stationary constructs that don’t change on repeated listening, to a new world that constantly serves up fresh opportunities and interactive discourse,” Braxton says. “American people have made it clear that the new times will call for dynamic inter-action experiences.” https://firehouse12records.com
Tracklist :
1-1    Composition No. 372    57:54
2-1    Composition No. 373    59:26
3-1    Composition No. 377    58:14
Credits :
Artwork [All Images By] – Anthony Braxton
Bass, Bass Clarinet, Electronics [iPod] – Carl Testa
Composed By [All Compositions By] – Anthony Braxton
Cornet, Flugelhorn, Brass [Trumpbone], Electronics [iPod] – Taylor Ho Bynum
Guitar, Electronics [iPod] – Mary Halvorson
Percussion, Vibraphone [Vibes], Electronics [iPod] – Aaron Siegel
Producer [Produced By] – Anthony Braxton
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Electronics [iPod] – Anthony Braxton
Tuba, Electronics [iPod] – Jay Rozen
Viola, Violin, Electronics [iPod] – Jessica Pavone

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Trillium J (2016) 4CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trillium J : The Non-Unconfessionables - Composition No. 380    
CD1    Act I    57:45
CD2    Act II    36:51
CD3    Act III    54:04
CD4    Act IV    1:01:38
All Credits

ANTHONY BRAXTON - GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 1 - Set 1 & 2 (2012) 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 1 - Set 1
1    Composition No. 254    1:00:49
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 1
Flute – Nicole Mitchell
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone
GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 1 - Set 2
1    Composition No.322    1:04:48
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 2
Flute – Nicole Mitchell
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone
Violin – Caley Monahan-Ward

ANTHONY BRAXTON - GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 2 - Set 1 & 2 (2012) 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume ol. 2 Set 1
1    Composition No.255    1:04:02
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 1
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone, Stephanie Griffin
GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume Vol. 2 Set 2
1    Composition No.255    1:04:02
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 1
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Soprano Saxophone – Kyle Brenders
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone

ANTHONY BRAXTON - GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 4 - Set 1 & 2 (2012) 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume Vol. 4 Set 1
1    Composition No.266    1:04:05
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 1
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds – Matthew Welch
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone
GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume Vol. 4 Set 2
1    Composition No.348    59:12
Alto Saxophone – Eric Paul
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 2
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds – Anthony Braxton
Tenor Saxophone – Andre Marguetti
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone

ANTHONY BRAXTON - 3 Compositions of New Jazz (1968-1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While it is not as powerful or as revelatory as For Alto, Anthony Braxton's second album for Delmark, 3 Compositions of New Jazz is his debut as a leader and showcases just how visionary -- or out to lunch depending on your point of view -- he was from the very beginning. Recorded nine months after his debut with Muhal Richard Abrams on Levels and Degrees of Light, Braxton's compositional methodology and his sense of creating a band are in full flower. For one thing, there is no use of a traditional rhythm section, though drums and a piano are used. The band is comprised of Leroy Jenkins on violin and percussion, Braxton on everything from alto to accordion to mixer, Leo Smith on trumpet and bottles, and Abrams on piano (and alto clarinet on one track). All but one track -- "The Bell" -- are graphically titled, so there's no use mentioning titles because computers don't draw in the same way. There is a sonorous unity on all of these compositions, which Braxton would draw away from later. His use of Stockhausen is evident here, and he borrows heavily from the melodic precepts of Ornette Coleman. The use of Jenkins' violin as a melodic and lyric device frees the brass from following any kind of preset notion about what should be done. Abrams plays the piano like a percussion -- not a rhythm -- instrument, and colors the textural figures in, while Smith plays all around the open space trying hard not to fill it. This is a long and tough listen, but it's a light one in comparison to For Alto. And make no mistake: It is outrageously forward-thinking, if not -- arguably -- downright visionary. Braxton's 3 Compositions of New Jazz is an essential document of the beginning of the end.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    (840M) / Realize 44M / 44M 20:03
Composed By – Braxton
2    N / M488 / 44M / Z / 12:57
Composed By – Braxton
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams
3    The Bell 10:31
Composed By – Leo Smith
Piano, Cello, Alto Clarinet – Muhal Richard Abrams
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Clarinet, Flute, Musette, Accordion, Bells, Snare, Other [Mixer Etc.] – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet, Mellophone, Xylophone, Percussion [Bottles], Kazoo – Leo Smith
Violin, Viola, Harmonica, Bass Drum, Recorder, Cymbal [Cymbals], Slide Whistle – Leroy Jenkins

ANTHONY BRAXTON - B-X° / NO-I-47ᴬ (1969-2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anthony Braxton's first recording during his three-year stay in Europe is in some ways a continuation of his initial release, utilizing a similar personnel. The music performed by altoist Anthony Braxton (who also plays soprano, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, flute, "sound machine" and chimes), trumpeter Leo Smith, violinist Leroy Jenkins and drummer Steve McCall is very freely improvised, includes "little instruments" for their variety in sound, and contrast high-energy playing with space. This Affinity Lp will be difficult to find and the music (one composition apiece from Braxton, Smith and Jenkins) is far from accessible but is generally worth the struggle. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    The Light On The Dalta 10:06
Written-By, Arranged By – Leo Smith
2    Simple Like 9:26
Written-By, Arranged By – Leroy Jenkins
3    B-X° / NO-I-47ᴬ
Written-By, Arranged By – Anthony Braxton
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Flute, Performer [Sound Machine], Chimes, Liner Notes – Anthony Braxton
Drums, Goblet Drum [Darbouka], Percussion – Steve McCall
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns, Percussion [Logs], Siren – Leo Smith
Violin, Viola, Flute, Organ [Mouth], Organ [Hohner], Harmonica – Leroy Jenkins

ANTHONY BRAXTON - For Alto (1969-2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After issuing Anthony Braxton's Three Compositions of New Jazz in 1968, Chicago's Delmark Records took an enormous chance by issuing the first lengthy solo saxophone improvisation record in 1969 -- and as a double LP no less! And while it's true that hindsight is 20/20, For Alto is still, over 30 years later, a record that is ahead of its time. There is nothing tame or nostalgic about these blasts of jazz futurism from the young Braxton, who sounds here like he's trying to blow his way out of Chicago. Most of the pieces on this set are over nine minutes, and all are dedicated to various influences and friends in the saxophonist's circle. Perhaps the most frightening -- and enlightening -- improvisation here is "To Composer John Cage." Braxton attempts to literally change the entire tonal terrain on which the saxophone plays solo. His skittering skeins of cascading runs are interspersed with huge shouts and screeches all played at lightning speed with a deftness and angularity of approach that is far superior to most of his peers at the time, Messrs. Mitchell and Jarman included. Braxton was introducing tonal possibilities and deconstructions on this record; a solid listen to "Dedicated to Multi-Instrumentalist Leroy Jenkins," with its deep color palette and textural shifts and shapes, is enough to disorient one still. Also, the use of trills as interval markers in "To Artist Murray De Pillars" is remarkable -- especially now, as no one would follow this logic for such an extended period anymore. The reinvention of blues theory on this piece that becomes a kind of muted expressionism is truly remarkable. Many of the recordings from the magical period of the '60s and early-'70s creative movement sound dated now, quaint and diffuse from their original power. For Alto is not one of those records; it still has the literacy and vision to teach us about concentration, vision, emotional aesthetics, and even spiritual possibilities in the world of sound and how that world, that universe, interacts and dovetails with our lives. For Alto is one of the greatest solo saxophone records ever made, and maybe one of the greatest recordings ever issued, period.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Dedicated To Multi-Instrumentalist Jack Gell (8a)    0:37
2    To Composer John Cage (8f)    9:26
3    To Artist Murray De Pillars (8h)    4:12
4    To Pianist Cecil Taylor (8a/b)    5:13
5    Dedicated To Ann And Peter Allen (8d)    12:49
6    Dedicated To Susan Axelrod (8c)    10:19
7    To My Friend Kenny McKenny (8g)    10:01
8    Dedicated To Multi-Instrumentalist Leroy Jenkins (8b)    19:46
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Notas.
Reissue of a double LP originally released in 1969.
Recorded during the summer of 1969.
The distortion and other recorded imperfections are on the original master tapes. All has been done to offer the best sound quality possible.
The reference numbers in parenthesis refer to the listings from the Anthony Braxton Catalog of Works.

JOSEPH JARMAN | ANTHONY BRAXTON - Together Alone (1971-1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Together Alone
Composed By – Joseph Jarman
1    Together Alone    5:39
2    Dawn Dance One    13:46
3    Morning (Including Circles)    2:18
4    CK7 (GN) 436 6:10
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
5    SBN-A-1 66K 14:53
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Credits :
Contrabass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Piano, Flute, Voice – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 1 to 3)
Contrabass Clarinet, Mixed By – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 4, 5)
Soprano Saxophone – Joseph Jarman (pistas: 4, 5)
Supervised By [Supervision] – Anthony Braxton, Joseph Jarman
Synthesizer, Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Bells, Voice, Mixed By – Joseph Jarman (pistas: 1 to 3)

CIRCLE - Paris-Concert (1971-1990) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Of all of the recordings from the short-lived avant-garde quartet Circle, this double-LP is the most rewarding. Cut live in Paris, this set features pianist Chick Corea, the reeds of Anthony Braxton, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Barry Altschul playing a wide variety of fairly free explorations. Highlights include their reinterpretation of the standard "There Is No Greater Love," the playful "Toy Room - Q & A," Braxton's "73 Degrees Kelvin," and "Nefertiti." The music is often quite abstract but generally colorful and innovative; Chick Corea would soon break up the band for other musical adventures, but this set remains one of the high points of his productive career. Scott Yanow
Tracklist
1.1     Nefertitti 19:16
Wayne Shorter
1.2     Song For The Newborn 6:50
Dave Holland     
1.3     Duet 10:40
Anthony Braxton / Chick Corea
1.4     Lookout Farm/Kelvin 73° [Variation 3] 16:07
Barry Altschul / Anthony Braxton   
2.1     Toy Room/Q & A 24:43
Dave Holland
2.2     No Greater Love 17:38
Isham Jones / Marty Symes    
Credits :
Bass, Cello – David Holland
Percussion – Barry Altschul
Piano – Chick Corea
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Reeds, Percussion – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON & DEREK BAILEY - First Duo Concert : London 1974 (1996) APE (image+.cue), lossless

These twelve duets between African-American avant-gardist Anthony Braxton and Brit Derek Bailey are remarkable for several reasons, not the least of which is that this is the first recording of these two seminal figures performing in tandem. For this live concert, Braxton brought his array of horns: contrabass, soprano, and Bb clarinets, flute, and sopranino and alto saxophones, while Bailey alternated between amplified and acoustic 19-string guitars. Coming from entirely different traditions of free music, Braxton emits a more melodic, tonal approach, while Bailey exemplifies an atonal, abstract concept. The results are hugely successful, with the two meeting halfway. As an indication of Braxton's remarkable diversity, it is worth noting that he recorded his two mainstream In the Tradition albums for SteepleChase just the month before. The duo recorded here with Bailey is surprisingly accessible, and contrasts two complementary approaches within the free music genre. Steve Loewy
Tracklist :
1    The First Set - Area 1    8:22
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
2    The First Set - Area 2    3:12
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
3    The First Set - Area 3 (Open)    8:44
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
4    The First Set - Area 4 (Solo)    2:43
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
5    The First Set - Area 5    5:21
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
6    The First Set - Area 6    6:08
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
7    The Second Set - Area 7    6:48
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
8    The Second Set - Area 8    6:23
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
9    The Second Set - Area 9 (Solo)    5:56
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
10    The Second Set - Area 10    4:29
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
11    The Second Set - Area 11 (Open)    15:29
Derek Bailey / Anthony Braxton
12    The Second Set - Area 12    3:57
Credits :
Flute, Clarinet, Clarinet [Soprano], Clarinet [Contrabass], Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Guitar [Amplified], Guitar [19-string (approx)] – Derek Bailey

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Solo : Recital Paris 1971 (1971-2006) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Come Sunday (Dedicated To Johnny Hodges) 25:33
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Composed By – Duke Ellington
Recorded By – Alain Gandolfi
2    G N 6 (X' 70B) (Dedicated To David Tudor) 17:45
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Piano – Anthony Braxton
Recorded By – Pierre Guichon

CREATIVE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY - Creative Construction Company Vols. 1 & 2 (2021) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the early '70s, musicians from Chicago with origins in the AACM began to slowly migrate to New York City, sometimes with an intermediary stop in Europe. The Creative Construction Company, which consisted of violinist Leroy Jenkins, multi-reedist Anthony Braxton, trumpeter Leo Smith, and percussionist Steve McCall, had been based in Paris for several years and this concert signaled their U.S. return in a stunning sextet augmented by AACM co-founder Muhal Richard Abrams and legendary bassist Richard Davis. The two album-length compositions are both by Jenkins and showcase two of the "opposite" sides exemplified in the music of AACM outgrowth bands like the Art Ensemble of Chicago. "Muhal" is one of Jenkins' gorgeously heart-rending and plaintive ballad lines with an evocatively longing quality and deep romanticism, and Davis' bass counterpoint is a thing of singular beauty. It serves as a strong framework for some remarkable improvisations, especially that of the composer in rare pyrotechnic mode. But here, as on its companion piece, the emphasis is never on individual soloing but on group interaction; the underlying matrix is always kept full and busy by the use of various "little instruments" beloved by AACM alumni. The second piece, "No More White Gloves," lives up to its title. A furious, churning work, it encapsulates the high energy end of the spectrum as practiced by the late-'60s avant-garde and, among other highlights, features a tumultuous, screaming alto solo by Braxton that ranks with his best work. This live concert, happily captured on tape, provides a wonderful glimpse into what each of these musicians would go on to achieve in ensuing decades, but is also simply a stellar event in and of itself. Very highly recommended. Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1    Muhal (Part I)    19:20
2    Muhal (Part II) (Live Spiral)    17:22
3    No More White Gloves (With Sand Under Your Shoes Doing a Dance) (Part I)    17:31
4    No More White Gloves (With Sand Under Your Shoes Doing a Dance) (Part II)    16:59
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Contrabass Clarinet, Chimes – Anthony Braxton
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums, Percussion – Steve McCall
Piano, Cello, Clarinet – Muhal Richard Abrams
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, French Horn – Wadada Leo Smith
Violin, Viola – Leroy Jenkins

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Town Hall 1972 (2002) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

For those seeking the deep roots of Anthony Braxton's numbered series of compositions -- numbering close to 200 -- this 1972 concert is essential in that it features live recordings of "Composition 1" (for percussionist Jerome Cooper), "Composition 2" (for pianist Frederic Rzewski), and "Composition 3." This marks a return home, albeit a temporary one, for the composer and multi-instrumentalist -- Braxton left the United States for France in 1968, where he made a few recordings for European labels. Braxton showcases his work in a number of settings here -- in a pair of trios with bassist Dave Holland and drummers Phillip Wilson and Barry Altschul, and on "Composition 3" (for vocalist Jeanne Lee) saxophonist John Stubblefield and Lee herself become a part of the band. Also in the mix is in a wildly abstract but street-tough read of "All the Things You Are." On "Composition 1," Braxton, Holland, and Wilson establish early on what would be a trait in the composer's improvisations, which is the notion of a theme thoroughly stated, abstracted, deconstructed, and reconstructed into something wholly other while remaining recognizable. Critics have argued this, but those who deny it just don't listen closely enough. Here Braxton's first quotations from Warne Marsh make their way onto tape, and his manner of shifting pitch against chromatic and even whole-tone harmonics to create the appearance of diatonic abstraction comes into play as the body of the work. Holland plays away from it, moving toward Braxton's outer reach while Wilson moves inside the thematic construct, opening it up enough to keep Holland within reach of the subtle shifts some of the improvisation requires for articulation. On "Composition 2," the center moves outward with Altschul and Holland playing on the perimeter; Braxton's complex but nonetheless readily apparent lyric fragments keep them rooted to a space just within his reach improvisationally, inverting the traditional operation of a trio. Finally, on "Composition 3," Lee adds a kind of (a)tonal center as Braxton tries out six different reeds. Stubblefield offers a muscular counterpart to Braxton's more speculative tone, and offers a spatial figure for all things to exist in equally. Silence is an integral part of the dynamic in this quintet, where no player oversteps her or his placement within the construct of the whole. And while it is true, other than the cover tune, none of this "swings" per se; it doesn't reek of academia either. The playing here is soulful and engaging throughout it features some crack improvisation. This is a welcome reissue in Braxton's voluminous back catalog.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Composition I: Dedicated To Composer-Percussionist Jerome Cooper / Composition II: Dedicated To Composer-Pianist Frederic Rzewski    18:21
2    All The Things You Are    14:33
3    Composition III: Dedicated To The Vocalist Jeanne Lee    35:38
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Contrabass Clarinet, Clarinet, Percussion, Composed By, Producer [Concert] – Anthony Braxton
Double Bass – Dave Holland
Percussion, Marimba – Barry Altschul (pistas: 3)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Gong, Percussion – John Stubblefield (pistas: 3)
Voice – Jeanne Lee (pistas: 3)

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Trio and Duet (1974-2002) FLAC (tracks), lossless

 This is a well-rounded album that features the remarkable Anthony Braxton in two separate settings. Braxton (on clarinet, contrabass clarinet and percussion) interacts with trumpeter Leo Smith and Richard Teitelbaum's synthesizer on an abstract original for 19 minutes. The remainder of the program has Braxton (on alto) performing three standards ("The Song Is You," "Embraceable You" and "You Go To My Head") in duets with bassist Dave Holland; those successful interactions are superior to Braxton's earlier "In The Tradition" projects. Recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    HM 421 (RTS) 47 19:00
Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Chimes, Bass Drum – Anthony Braxton
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Synthesizer [Moog], Percussion – Richard Teitelbaum
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trumpet [Pocket], Percussion, Performer [Small Instruments] – Leo Smith
2    The Song Is You 12:00
Written-By – Jerome Kern And Oscar Hammerstein II
3    Embraceable You 5:39
Written-By – George And Ira Gershwin
4    You Go To My Head 8:33
Written-By – Haven Gillespie, Fred Coot
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 2 to 4)
Bass – Dave Holland (pistas: 2 to 4)

ANTHONY BRAXTON - New York, Fall 1974 (1975) lp | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Anthony Braxton, who switches here between alto, flute, clarinet, sopranino and contrabass clarinet, is heard interpreting six of his originals in a wide variety of settings. Most accessible are his three performances with a quartet also including trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jerome Cooper. Braxton also adds violinist Leroy Jenkins to the group on one piece and has a duet with Richard Teitelbaum's moog synthesizer. However, the most historic performance is by an unaccompanied saxophone quartet consisting of Braxton, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake and Hamiet Bluiett; this band (with David Murray in Braxton's place) would soon emerge as The World Saxophone Quartet. The wide amount of variety on this set makes this album a perfect introduction to Anthony Braxton's potentially forbidding but logical music. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
A1    Cut One 8:50
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Kenny Wheeler
A2    Cut Two 3:07
Flute – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet [Muted] – Kenny Wheeler
A3    Cut Three 7:03
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet – Kenny Wheeler
B1    Cut One 6:33
Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Synthesizer [Moog] – Richard Teitelbaum
B2    Cut Two 8:18
Alto Saxophone – Julius Hemphill
Baritone Saxophone – Hamiet Bluiett
Sopranino Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Tenor Saxophone – Oliver Lake
B3    Cut Three 5:29
Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Percussion – Jerome Cooper
Trumpet [Muted] – Kenny Wheeler
Violin – Leroy Jenkins