ANTHONY BRAXTON - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note (2011) RM | 8CD BOX SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Cam Jazz's Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note series rolls on with this set by Anthony Braxton, who cut eight full-lengths for then owner Giovanni Bondarini. The first of these is an excellent studio duet with Max Roach, entitled Rebirth, recorded in 1978; the final album in this box is a curiosity piece composed for a multimedia performance entitled Braxton: Compostion No. 173, recorded in 1996. While the bookends are compelling for Braxton's devotees, the real attraction to this budget-priced box lies in his quartet recordings. There are two with Marilyn Crispell, Gerry Hemingway, and Mark Dresser: Four Compositions (Quartet) 1983 and Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984. On Five Compositions (Quartet) 1986, David Rosenboom replaced Crispell. Six Monk Compositions 1987 is an entirely new band with Mal Waldron, bassist Buell Neidlinger, and drummer Bill Osborne holding the greatest appeal. The other two recordings are Ensemble Compositions 1992 (with Guy Klucevsek, Don Byron, and Marty Ehrlich as part of a larger group), and Eugene 1989 (where Braxton conducted the Northwest Creative Orchestra). It's easy to claim that anyone who would buy an Anthony Braxton box is a hardcore fan anyway, but in his case there are levels of that distinction. That said, this set is almost worth the purchase price just to have remastered versions of the two albums with the Crispell/Hemingway/Dresser group; these are standouts even in Braxton's vast catalog.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
CD1    Birth And Rebirth
CD2    Four Compositions (Quartet) 1983
CD3    Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984
CD4    Five Compositions (Quartet) 1986
CD5    Six Monk's Compositions (1987)
CD6    4 (Ensemble) Compositions 1992
CD7    Eugene (1989)
CD8    Composition No- 173 For 4 Actors, 14 Instrumentalists Constructed Environment And Video Projections    
All Tracks & Credits

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Four Compositions (Quartet) 1983 (1983) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Before getting to the music of this Anthony Braxton recording, the listener is confronted with a highly calculated methodology. The album bears the stark title Four Compositions (Quartet) 1983, and each song (itself merely a cataloged number) is accompanied by its own highly cryptic diagram. This sets up a struggle, whereby musical/emotional ends must be achieved through Braxton's analytical compositional means. For this 1983 session, Braxton selected materials from his collection of notebooks to provide the focus for quartet improvisations. The resulting performances lack a sense of continuity. Composed themes are tight, awkward structures delivered by the hornmen with mechanical precision. The improvised sections that follow bear little resemblance (in structure or mood) to any point of origin, rendering irrelevant the themes themselves. What saves Four Compositions is that the musicians are willing to see the composer's ideas through, employing every facility. Braxton gives everyone a great deal of freedom and space. John Lindberg lays down a wonderful bass solo on "Composition No. 69 M," speaking in tongues with clustered, rumbling notes. Elsewhere he adds undercurrents of throbbing, bowed tones. George Lewis has an equally strong grasp of the trombone's possibilities. On the vibrant theme to "No. 69 M," he holds the rhythmic pulses from which Braxton springs forth. Elsewhere, he disguises the horn's recognizable characteristics, opting for sheer sound. Avoiding scattered flurries of free rhythm, Gerry Hemingway dictates with spacious, careful percussion. On "Composition No. 69 Q," he even hints at a stiff, snare-led swing. Among these musicians, Braxton is an equal, stretching from vivid, Middle Eastern-flavored clarinet lines on "No. 69 M" to grittier tenor on "No. 69 Q." According to Braxton, the goal of Four Compositions was to select materials that would comprise a "creative and diversified" album. Yet while the musicians do seem largely free and highly expressive, the Four Compositions themselves feel unbalanced and oddly subdued. Maybe the composer's forethought established too much structure. It seems like there is always a set of imposed elements holding them back. Nathan Bush  
Tracklist :
1    Composition No. 105 A    19:58
2    Composition No. 69 M    7:14
3    Composition No. 69 O    8:45
4    Composition No. 69 Q    5:29
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Liner Notes – Anthony Braxton
Bass – John Lindberg
Percussion – Gerry Hemingway
Trombone – George Lewis

ANTHONY BRAXTON - ... If My Memory Serves Me Right (1987) Unofficial Release | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Despite the excellence of this performance by Mr. Braxton's quartet in 1987, with Mark Dresser, Gerry Hemingway, and pianist David Rosenbloom (who preceded Marilyn Crispell), the slim rating on this disc is given for it being on the infamous West Wind label, and is, more than likely, a pirated title. The information for its two selections, "Improvisation Alpha" and the title track, are, for instance, unnumbered! This is the first hint that something is amiss. Braxton's compositions, even if named, are always afforded numbers. The second is the dodgy sound balances in the right channel especially, where the drums are way too high in the stereo mix. Again, in releasing a recording of a live performance, Mr. Braxton is meticulous. Then there's the matter of the cover! Take a look and judge for yourself. Finally, it is painfully obvious that what transpires in both of these works is not complete -- they are excerpts of other pieces combined together on a compact disc. Despite the most interesting interplay between Rosenbloom and Braxton on soprano saxophone, and Dresser's ability to shore up the pianist when he begins to lose his way in Braxton's sound world, it is impossible to recommend this disc because of its slovenly presentation and dubious origins.  
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Improvisation Alpha    21:55
2    ...If My Memory Serves Me Right    18:36
Credits :
Bass – Mark Dresser
Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – David Rosenboom
Reeds – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Quartet (London) 1985 (1990) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This two-disc set, recorded in November 1985 during the London stop of a European tour, showcases an Anthony Braxton project that the composer/reedsman dubbed the "Forces of Motion Quartet," consisting of Braxton, pianist Marilyn Crispell, bassist Mark Dresser, and drummer Gerry Hemingway. The group's name derives from the philosophy behind the tour: the quartet begins playing one of Braxton's numbered compositions, until one of the four members breaks away and begins playing a part -- not necessarily one's own; so for example, Dresser might adapt one of Crispell's piano scores or even one of Hemingway's drum scores for bass -- from another composition entirely, at which point the other musicians follow that lead until another one decides to switch compositions. It sounds complicated in précis -- as always, Braxton's extensive liner notes detail the compositional and improvisational processes clearly and with only the barest minimum of jargon -- but the resulting music is completely fascinating. The first disc covers the night's first set (starting with "Composition 122"), which for Braxton sounds downright accessible, at times no more challenging than the average post-bop quartet's improvisations and climaxing, around the 50-minute mark, with a simply outstanding Crispell solo. The second set (building upon "Composition 105a") is much more minimalist, with an extended section starting less than 15 minutes into the set that features solos by Hemingway and Braxton that at times are little more than long periods of silence broken by barely perceptible riffs. Even when the full quartet returns, this set is generally placid until a fierce, squealing, and unaccompanied solo by Braxton starting at around 43 minutes punctures the quiet. This set was originally released in Europe as a limited-edition, three-LP box set. Stewart Mason
First Set    56:10
1-1.1    Composition 122 (+108A)
1-1.2    Composition 40(O)
1-1.3    Collage Form Structure
1-1.4    Composition 52
1-1.5    Composition 86 (+32 +96)
1-1.6    Piano Solo From Composition 30
1-1.7    Composition 115
Second Set    1:05:30
2-1.1    Composition 105A
2-1.2    Percussion Solo From Composition 96
2-1.3    Composition 40F
2-1.4    Composition 121
2-1.5    Composition 116
Credits :
Artwork – Ilona Medvedeva-Weber
Bass – Mark Dresser
Clarinet, Flute, Alto Saxophone, Saxophone [C-melody Saxophone], Sopranino Saxophone, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Percussion – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Quartet (Birmingham) 1985 (1991) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

(Birmingham) 1985 is probably the least essential of the four double-disc sets that Leo devoted to Anthony Braxton's November 1985 tour of Great Britain. Of course, the hardcore Braxton fans who this release is designed for will want it because this tour of Braxton's Forces of Motion Quartet (Marilyn Crispell on piano, Mark Dresser on bass, and Gerry Hemingway on percussion, with Braxton on reeds) looms fairly large in the composer's legend. However, in comparison to Quartet (London) 1985, which has the most exciting interplay between the four musicians, and (Coventry) 1985, which features an often fascinating hour's worth of interviews of Braxton by Graham Lock (who wrote the liner notes on all of these releases), (Birmingham) 1985 is the least essential of the lot. It does, however, feature a charming rarity on the second disc: an actual encore, the only one Braxton played on this tour. A brief run-through of "Composition 40(0)" led by a fleet spray-of-notes solo by Braxton and featuring some comping by Crispell in the manner of her hero Cecil Taylor, it's proof that avant-garde jazz needn't be difficult or forbidding. Stewart Mason  
1-1    First Set    45:10
1-1.1    Composition 69M (+10 +33 +96)
1-1.2    Composition 110A (+96 +108B)
1-1.3    Composition 60 (+96 +108C)
1-1.4    Composition 85 (+30 +108D)
2-1    Second Set    44:25
2-1.1    Composition 105B (+5 +32 +96)
2-1.2    Composition 87 (+108C)
2-1.3    Composition 23J
2-1.4    Composition 69H (+31 +96)
Encore   
2-2    Composition 40(O)    2:45
Credits :
Bass – Mark Dresser
Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Five Compositions (Quartet) 1986 (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anthony Braxton has spent his career plying a mostly inspired blend of complex compositions and free group improvisation, reserving choice spots in his works for the parade of talented jazz musicians he's employed. In the '70s, lean years for the avant-garde jazz set, his forbidding form of music forced him to make the occasional buck hustling chess games in New York's Washington Square Park. Fortunately, those days were short lived. Now Braxton is utilizing his considerable talents in the Wesleyan University music department as a professor. By the time of this mid-'80s quartet date, Braxton was just starting to get better compensated for his music and was also formalizing his heady compositional formula; this advance was helped along considerably by his stellar quartet, including pianist Marilyn Crispell, percussionist Gerry Hemingway, and bassist Mark Dresser. Five Compositions features this group minus Crispell (ably replaced by David Rosenboom). Things kick off with the relatively straightforward, Braxtonized bebop number "Composition No. 131," featuring a complex head statement followed by some swinging passages, albeit with plenty of gritty horn work by the leader. Some deliberate and mercurial chamber jazz follows on "Composition No. 88" and the livelier "Compostion No. 122," spotlighting Hemingway's incredibly intuitive and sophisticated drum work. Braxton loosens up a bit on the more free-form "Composition No. 124" and "Composition N. 101"; these last two feature Braxton's engaging soprano work and a distortion-riddled, bowed bass solo by Dresser. Knotty music to be sure, but some of Braxton's most rewarding. Stephen Cook 
Tracklist :
1    Composition No. 131    7:09
2    Composition No. 88 (+108C)    5:56
3    Composition No. 124 (+108D+96)    9:07
4    Composition No. 122 (+108+96)    9:33
5    Composition No. 101 (+31+86+30)    11:31
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Saxophone [C Melody Saxophone], Clarinet, Flute, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Bass – Mark Dresser
Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – David Rosenboom

ANTHONY BRAXTON | ROVA SAXOPHONE QUARTET — The Aggregate (1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Braxton had long been fond of working with improvising wind ensembles. In fact, the earliest incarnation of what would become the World Saxophone Quartet appeared on his landmark Arista album, New York, Fall, 1974. So his collaboration with the ROVA quartet, perhaps the most important practitioners of the form after the WSQ, came as no surprise. The tracks here were recorded at two live dates in 1986 and 1988, with Braxton sitting in on both occasions. Two pieces are by ROVA members, while one long work, "Composition 129 (+ 40F + 40O)," is by Braxton. The opening cut, Larry Ochs' "The Shopper," is an aggressive, rhythmic piece, with a staccato line forming a sold basis for solos by all members. Jon Raskin's title piece is more lush, with a relaxed counterpoint tossed back and forth beneath the solos and rich harmonies reminiscent of Julius Hemphill's beautiful arrangements for the World Saxophone Quartet. The composer does some very beautiful and rich baritone work on this piece, and the group improv sections are imaginative and compelling. The Braxton composition is knotty and compelling, filled with written passages having only a nodding acquaintance with jazz traditions but also including a couple of sections where faint glimmers of Ellington and a hint of march-time can be discerned. It's a testament to the musicianship of the ROVA band that they are capable of negotiating this intricate piece not only with mastery but humor as well. The Aggregate is a challenging recording, more so than most by more jazz-oriented saxophone quartets, but very rewarding on its own terms and an important document in Braxton's work for woodwind ensembles. Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1    The Shopper 11:16
Alto Saxophone [Alto] – Andrew Voigt
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone] – Jon Raskin
Bass Saxophone [Bass] – Anthony Braxton
Composed By – Larry Ochs
Soprano Saxophone [Soprano] – Bruce Ackley
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor] – Larry Ochs
2    The Aggregate 11:34
Alto Saxophone [Alto] – Andrew Voigt
Alto Saxophone [Lead Alto] – Anthony Braxton
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone] – Jon Raskin
Composed By – Jon Raskin
Soprano Saxophone [Soprano] – Bruce Ackley
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor] – Larry Ochs
3    Composition 129+ 46:13
Baritone Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Clarinet [Bb Clarinet] – Jon Raskin
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Contrabass Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet [Bb Clarinet] – Bruce Ackley
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Larry Ochs
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Flute – Andrew Voigt
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Illustration [Drawings] – Anthony Braxton
Contrabass – Joelle Léandre
Percussion, Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Trombone – George Lewis
Trumpet – Paul Smoker
Vibraphone – Bobby Naughton
Notas.
#1 + #3 recorded live at Koncepts Cultural Gallery, Oakland, Cal., July 30, 1988
#2 recorded live at PreEchoes 2 in San Francisco, California, on August 22, 1986
Mastered at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg, in August 1989

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Ensemble (Victoriaville) 1988 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded live at the Festival Musique de Actuel in Quebec, Anthony Braxton's Victoriaville 1988 features a star-studded, avant-garde jazz ensemble, including tenor saxophonist Evan Parker, trombonist George Lewis, trumpeter Paul Smoker, drummer Gerry Hemingway, vibraphonist Bobby Naughton, and bassist Joëlle Léandre. Braxton's lengthy "Composition No. 141 (+20+96+120D)" opens the set in Schoenbergian fashion, sporting knotty, expressionistic arrangements and plenty of inspired unison and solo improvisation for balance; in spite of its sprawling structure, the solid and empathetic rhythm section keeps the piece running smoothly. The other ensemble members make quality contributions as well, with Smoker's humorous, muted trumpet work and Lewis' fervid trombone solos standing out in particular. The shorter "Composition No. 142" closes the performance with an intriguing mix of frenetic and languid group improvisation. A top-notch Braxton release. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1    Composition No 141 (+20 +96 +120D)    40:41
2    Composition No 142    8:22
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Illustration [Drawings] – Anthony Braxton
Contrabass – Joelle Léandre
Percussion, Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker
Trombone – George Lewis
Trumpet – Paul Smoker
Vibraphone – Bobby Naughton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - (Victoriaville) 1992 (1993) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This is a live performance of Braxton's classic quartet of the '80s and '90s at the annual festival of new music held in Victoriaville, Canada. Unlike many of the other documented recordings of this group, the material, with the exception of the closing track, consisted entirely of (at the time) recently composed pieces. Since much of Braxton's writing in the early '90s involved the exploration of very fluid and expansive sound territories, there are none of his infectious, bop-derived numbers or any plaintively emotional ballads. Instead we have a series of fairly knotty compositions where the thematic elements are elusive, recurring melodies rare and regular meter almost non-existent. All of which makes for one of the more challenging recordings by this quartet, requiring of the listener an approach perhaps more suited to contemporary classical music than to jazz. In fact, in the excellent and detailed liner notes/interview by John Corbett, Braxton makes reference to his concept of "navigating through form" and to the music and graphic scores of the composer Earle Brown. One is advised, therefore, not to listen for the standard (even as that term applies to Braxton's music) theme/solos/theme format here; rather, one listens to the musicians, alone or in groups, investigating the rich, strange soundscape structure in which they find themselves immersed. Even so, there's a feeling of pent up energy waiting to be unleashed so when the band vaults into a raging version of Coltrane's "Impressions" as an encore, it's hardly surprising. Indeed, one detects a very human sense of relief as they step back into familiar territory. Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1    Composition No 159+ (131+30+147)    10:37
Written-By – Anthony Braxton
2    Composition No 148+ (108a+1319+147)    20:29
Written-By – Anthony Braxton
3    Composition No 161    12:52
Written-By – Anthony Braxton
4    Composition No 158+ (108c+147)    14:38
Written-By – Anthony Braxton
5    Impressions 6:12
Written-By – J. Coltrane
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone [E♭], Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Contrabass – Mark Dresser
Drums, Percussion, Vibraphone, Marimba – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Prag 1984 (Quartet Performance) (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Announcement    0:52
2    Composition 105A / Composition 110A / Composition 114 / Composition 69H    59:07
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, C Melody Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Anthony Braxton
Bass – John Lindberg
Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quartet (Santa Cruz) 1993 (1997) 2CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

In the waning days of the 1993 tour, and the soon after disbanding of his finest -- and longest standing -- band, this single concert of the seven nights played at Santa Cruz. This double CD documents with a finality just what the quartet had achieved in its eight years together. Braxton had realized within this group of musicians a goal he had previously thought unattainable: the ability to interchange any composition from any of his periods with any other -- and within each other -- in a small group setting. And given the far-reaching musical tenets each of these "sets of compositions" notated by tracks are, that is no mean feat. The first set takes the now legendary "159" and adds to it the rhythm section improvisation from "30," and the piano saxophone duet from "108a." Braxton and Crispell herald in "150," trading phrases and polytones as Dresser and Hemingway shift around trying to locate the two soloists in the framework they are playing. When they are heard and are given free passage into "30," they alight before moving each other into a counterpoint system that begs the re-entrance of Braxton and Crispell, who slip through the knots, "make it jazz," and hand it back through "108a" before Hemingway and Dresser take it out. And this goes like this throughout. Even where Braxton's designs are carried out within one composition, such as on "69f" or "161" or "172," where the new "Ghost Trances" -- pursued by a sextet after this group split -- period begins, the fluidity and harmonic languages created within the context of four musicians speaking through one another is ever present. For those who don't find Mr. Braxton's music "jazz" enough, or make it "too cerebral" in theory, the fact of the matter is, you're not listening. Find your way through Crispell's interaction with Dresser on "161" or Hemingway's with Braxton's flute on "40 (o)," and you will hear, in keeping with both the linear nature of jazz since the '60s and its more design-oriented functionality since the '80s -- which Braxton ushered in almost single-handedly for other improvisers -- the abstractions are obscured by the lyrical interplay coming from the bandstand. This is music projected from inside out toward an audience that doesn't have to think so much as emote what they hear. Braxton's systems are large and varied; the sheer psychic and physical energy the band has to endure in order to play this music is almost unimaginable. To listen and think this quickly is not mere communication -- it is telepathy. This is the quartet's farewell, and it is more than fitting; it's astonishing what they achieved in eight years. On the second CD's closer, "124+108c+147," you hear Crispell slinking through Hemingway's rimshots on "124" to solo with him as Braxton repeats a phrase that Dresser harmonically echoes in a trancelike fashion before exploding into "108c," where Braxton takes the lead and Crispell is shouting out long lines and tonal clusters to Hemingway like she's another drummer. Dresser takes these fragments and creates a series of chords for Braxton to improvise on the soprano before heading wildly into "147," one of this band's signature pieces. Here, all four members are given the opportunity to take the theme and deconstruct any or all of its parts within the safety of Braxton's harmonic system of improvisational intervals. That they all come near to each other before stopping on a dime should be no surprise -- though it does leave one breathless -- given the preceding wonder of the entire set. What a fitting finish for a truly legendary band.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1-1    Comp. 159 + (30 + 108a) / Comp. 40(o) / Comp. 69f / Comp. 173 / Comp. 69(o) / Comp. 52    1:16:06
2-1    Comp. 172 / Comp. 161 / Comp. 69m / Comp. 23c / Comp. 124 + (108c + 147)
Credits :
Bass – Mark Dresser
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Percussion, Marimba – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quartet (Coventry) 1985 (2002) RM | 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

A companion release to Quartet (London) 1985 and the other double-disc sets recorded during a November 1985 U.K. tour, Coventry (1985) documents two sets recorded on November 26, 1985 at Warwick University's Arts Center Studio by composer/saxophonist Braxton and the rest of his Forces of Motion quartet: Marilyn Crispell on piano, Mark Dresser on bass, and Gerry Hemingway on drums. The two sets are in the same style as the recordings on Quartet (London) 1985, with the four musicians switching from one composition to another one player at a time, from scores where all four players' parts were written to be interchangeable. What makes this two-disc set stand out above the others in the series of live reissues from this tour is that each disc includes a half-hour interview between Braxton and Graham Lock (who also wrote the album's liner notes), an enlightening, free-ranging discussion that covers Braxton's influences, concepts, and techniques. One particularly fascinating passage features Braxton's heated response to critics who feel that his cerebral, at times difficult music owes too little to jazz traditions and too much to European art music. Stewart Mason  
First Set    
1-1    Music    42:05
1-1.1    Composition 124 (+30+96)
1-1.2    Composition 88 (+108C+30+96)
1-1.3    Piano Solo From Composition 30
1-1.4    Composition 23G (+30+96)
1-1.5    Composition 40N
1-2    Interviews    31:52
Second Set    
2-1    Music    40:25
2-1.1    Composition 69C (+32+96)
2-1.2    Percussion Solo From Composition 96
2-1.3    Composition 69F
2-1.4    Composition 69B
2-1.5    Bass Solo From Composition 96
2-1.6    Composition 6A
2-2    Interviews    29:57
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, C Melody Saxophone [C-Melody Saxophone], Sopranino Saxophone, Clarinet, Composed By, Interviewee – Anthony Braxton
Bass – Mark Dresser
Percussion – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Willisau (Quartet) 1991 (1992) 4CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This mammoth document of the final year of the famous Anthony Braxton Quartet shows exactly why that group finally split: They had reached a creative apex as a group that -- arguably -- could not be furthered. The music on this collection features two live CDs and two studio CDs, and gives a completely different picture of the same band who recorded for Black Saint on the Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984 record.

The concert reveals the quartet able to execute any notion from Braxton's theoretical yet soulful music, almost instinctually. As the compositions get stacked up, such as "No. 67+147+96," it means that some element of each of those compositions enters into the playing of this piece, whether it be in Marilyn Crispell's piano solo or line, Mark Dresser's bassline or changes, or a particular shift in rhythm from drummer Gerry Hemingway. The empathy of the players saturates Braxton's music, and he appears, giant that he is, not so much as a soloist on his many saxophones and clarinets, but as another player in a band that spoke with multi-lingual possibilities, but with one voice. The interplay between Braxton and Crispell has reached a point in their relationship where, technically speaking, he is well aware that she is his equal as a technician of the sacred that is sound. His solos on "No. 34A," "No. 23G (+147+30)," and "107B (+96)" are evidence. Crispell's momentum to strike at the space inside the group improvisation is also to turn it ever inward to focus on how these micro and polytonal shifts, when combined with the overdriven yet ultimately sympathetic washes of percussion from Hemingway and Dresser's constant pulse as it sifts through changes, are, in effect, realizing the chameleon-like place of harmony better than Braxton himself could ever articulate. This group is all lightning and fire; there is no hesitation, nor is there any room for it. They challenge each other and their leader to the breaking point, and somehow ride the wave into yet another new territory, where the process begins again. The studio discs in this collection show another side of the band. Here, dynamic and harmonic possibility are the concern of Braxton -- each note is played, at least in the opening lines, and is carefully nuanced as if it were finding its own place in space. There is a freedom for the composer to seek out color and dexterity, texture and surface, as the band is all about making it anyway. They know what's needed in a composition such as "No. 160 (+5) 40J," where Crispell adds a piano solo that quotes the harmonic structure of "No. 5," and, along with Dresser, flows through his gorgeous bowed cello solo from "No. 40J" through the middle section, where Braxton and Crispell bring the proceedings back. In each new Braxton composition, the players are welcome to quote from earlier material in the catalog, find the interval it best fits, and explore it in this new context, thereby making a rich intertextuality whereby the current composition is extended dynamically and musically. Also on this studio session, which was recorded over two days, Braxton himself is looser, picking compositions that seldom are touched live in order to be finessed in the studio -- usually it's the other way around, but his exploration of shape, polytonality, and rhythmic architecture is relentless. Listen to "No. 67" (dedicated to the actress Bette Davis) to hear one of Braxton's "sound environment spirals." Here, material -- created by all four members of the quartet and variants thereof -- explore repetition as a "physical" material and a vibrational factor in the creation of further sonorous material. First they play repeated phrases until near exhaustion sets in (Philip Glass has nothing on this band), and then are offered numerous options for changing tempo and shape (Hemingway has a real party with this, trying to dodge his bandmates, but never quite succeeding). The result? What does it mean? Simple: No person can play the same phrase over and over and the same way without that eventual variation. Eventually, variation becomes the sole M.O., and each player drifts further apart from the rest until they become unstuck completely. Once in free space, the swirling flutes, cascading piano lines, and dense thick intervallic chords humming bass harmonics, as well as flutes, call the entire thing further out on a star until Braxton re-enters with the alto to call the exploration to order. He locks horns with Crispell, and then launches into "No. 140 (+147+139+135)." And so it goes. Braxton's quartet was easily the most creative band he played with, and his longest running. Since that time, in duet and solo performance, he has found the fire he needs to continue exploring the musical ground his mind conjures up on composition paper. But he has been lost in band settings. Since 1994 he has not found a group that has, member for member, this much musical talent or empathetic dexterity. With this band, he never had to assert himself as a leader because they could instinctively follow his cues. Since that time, he has had to assert himself more and more. And while the music he's writing has every bit of the wonder, awe, and irritation of his earlier work, it has never been played with this virtuosity. This set is a worthy companion to the Leo Records "Coventry Concerts" series. What a swan song.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Studio (June 4 & 5, 1991)    
1-1    No. 160 (+ 5) + 40J    11:26
1-2    No. 23M (+ 10)    15:03
1-3    No. 158 (+ 96) + 40L    17:04
1-4    No. 40A    8:24
1-5    No. 40B    12:13
2-1    No. 161    5:55
2-2    No. 159    12:47
2-3    No. 23C + 32 + 105B (+ 30)    23:48
2-4    No. 23M (+ 10)    10:28
2-5    No. 40M    12:03Concert Live (June 2, 1991) - No. 67 (+ 147 + 96) / No. 140 (+ 147 + 139 + 135) / No. 34A / No. 20 + 86 / No. 23G (+ 147 + 30)    
3-1a    Untitled    13:22
3-1b    Untitled    16:03
3-1c    Untitled    17:28
3-1d    Untitled    13:29
3-1e    Untitled    11:35

Concert Live (June 2, 1991) - No. 69 (O) + 135 / No. 69B / No. 107B (+ 96) / No. 101 / No. 23N (+ 112 + 108A + 33)    
4-1a    Untitled    17:23
4-1b    Untitled    17:04
4-1c    Untitled    9:10
4-1d    Untitled    13:46
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Flute, Sopranino Saxophone, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Artwork [Cover Art] – Niklaus Troxler
Bass – Mark Dresser
Drums, Marimba – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Twelve Compositions : Live At Yoshi's In Oakland, July 1993 (1994) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Of all of the avant-garde players of the past 30 years, Anthony Braxton has been perhaps the most diligent at documenting his work. The brilliant multireedist has been very fortunate to have a stable quartet for the past nine years with the frequently astounding pianist Marilyn Crispell, bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Gerry Hemingway doing justice to his very complex originals. This double-CD set features Braxton and his group on two continuous and complete live performances. Not only do the musicians tackle a dozen of Braxton's complicated originals, but during part of four of them, individual members are assigned the task of playing a different composition than the rest of the group. Obviously this is not music to be taken lightly or merely played in the background. However, listeners with the time and interest will find much to enjoy in the very lively explorations from these masterful musicians. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1-1    Composition No. 48    13:26
1-2    Composition No. 23M (+108C)    14:35
1-3    Composition No. 32    5:45
1-4    Composition No. 66 (+135)    10:06
1-5    Composition No. 160    10:52
1-6    Composition No. 158    6:15
1-7    Composition No. 140    14:32
2-1    Composition No. 69J (+30+108D)    14:05
2-2    Composition No. 20 + 86    10:11
2-3    Composition No. 171    19:20
2-4    Composition No. 23C    7:47
2-5    Composition No. 105B    9:56
Credits :
Bass – Mark Dresser
Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell
Woodwind [Woodwinds], Producer – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON QUARTET - The Coventry Concert (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The legendary Anthony Braxton Quartet, featuring pianist Marilyn Crispell, drummer Gerry Hemingway, and bassist Mark Dresser, recorded the music on this disc in 1980. The music on this disc should not, however, be confused with the same music plus plenty more that appear on the Leo label's multiple-CD package of The Coventry Concert. This partial version of the concert is a highly edited illegal pirate recording that both Mr. Braxton and Leo Feigin have thoroughly disavowed as such and have sought to have suppressed. Unfortunately, neither of them have the money to prosecute the German West Wind label. If this were only a bootleg it would be bad enough, but the substandard recording and stereo balance make this performance -- which is more than remarkable, it's revelatory -- not worth the substance it's printed on. It gives a warped picture of what the band played that night and reduces the continuity -- so central to any Braxton quartet performance -- to nil. Seek out the complete concert on Leo and forget this exists.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Composition 124    8:44
2    Composition 88    11:03
3    Piano Solo & Composition 239    16:33
4    Composition 69 F    5:09
5    Composition 40 N    9:35
Credits :
Bass – Mark Dresser
Drums – Gerry Hemingway
Piano – Marilyn Crispell
Reeds – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON | GERRY HEMINGWAY – Old Dogs (2007) 4xCD (2010) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1-1    Invention 8107AM    1:01:54
2-1    Invention 8107PM    59:31
3-1    Invention 8207AM    1:00:58
4-1    Invention 8207PM    1:01:42
Credits :
Drums, Marimba, Vibraphone, Steel Drums, Wood Block [Wood Blocks], Sampler [Triggered And Non-triggered Samplers], Harmonica, Voice, Percussion, Composed By, Producer – Gerry Hemingway
Sopranino Saxophone [Eb], Soprano Saxophone [Bb], Alto Saxophone [Eb], Saxophone [C Melody], Baritone Saxophone [Eb], Bass Saxophone [Bb], Contrabass Saxophone [Bb], Composed By – Anthony Braxton