AMINA CLAUDINE MYERS – Song for Mother E (1980-2022) FLAC (tracks), lossless

 Duets with percussionist Pheeroan Aklaff. Sounds like a bigger group. Excellent. Michael G. Nastos  Tracklist & Credits :

AMINA CLAUDINE MYERS – Salutes Bessie Smith (1980-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Vocal perfection and landmark recording for this keyboardist and singer. Desert island music. Michael G. Nastos   Tracklist & Credits :

EVAN PARKER | NED ROTHENBERG - Monkey Puzzle (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    For Ximenes    15:06
2    For Araucaria    5:04
3    For Bynthorne    7:06
4    For Afrit    2:52
5    For Dinmut    15:22
6    For Custos    3:34
7    For Rufus    4:08
8    For Chifonie    6:13
Credits :
Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Ned Rothenberg
Music By – Evan Parker, Ned Rothenberg
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker

EVAN PARKER - Synergetics : Phonomanie III (1996) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Wow! is the only word that can be used to adequately describe the listener's first reaction to this music, all recorded at the third Synergetics festival in 1993 under the direction of British free music and saxophone god Evan Parker. Parker used familiar partners such as American trombone legend George Lewis, Tuva vocal enigma Sainkho Namchylak, Marco "Bill" Vecchi, and Walter Prati on various electronics. But in addition he recruited the truly astonishing bass and vocal talents of Motoharu Yoshizawa. Carlos Mariani plays the luaaneddas, an instrument that sounds at first like the bagpipes is here enhanced by electronic looping, but is played by the use of circular breathing (in and out breath occur simultaneously). Add to this the percussion and African didgeridoo (called here an imbumbu) playing of Thebe Lipere and the komungo (a type of Vietnamese harp) played by Jin Hi Kim, and you have an idea of how exotic this group is. Then it must be stated that everything on these two CDs was performed live and unedited for CD. The basic strategy of all these musicians -- who did not rehearse -- was to have one player begin a segment with a solo (each was given two or three segments in a row to preside over), then to interact with one other player of her or his choosing in a duo enhanced by electronics, and finally to interact with all members of the group in various combinations except for trio and all at once. This may sound confusing, but it doesn't when listened to. Each combination, from the beginning, is something from out of time and space, a freely improvised music with trans-cultural implications; a music of surprise and delight to the musicians and obviously to those attending the festival. Here are sounds and combinations and fragments of sounds, heretofore un-uttered, perhaps not even conceptualized before the moment they occurred. Saxophones and voices and didgeridoos caressing the deep bass sub-sonics of Tuvan throat singing and graced by the hypnotic whirl of launeddas. Individual musicians who are the focus of each theme as it is introduced all but disappear into the textured world of sound and vibration. Perhaps more than anything, this recording is the best example of how universal the languages of music and free improvisation are. Is this music "outside"? Given that it is an Evan Parker project, the answer has to be yes. Is it "listenable"? No matter what your definition of that term is, the answer is yes. This set should be in the Top 100 of the best of "new" or "improvised" music. And it should be near the top. Life changing.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1-1    Synergetics #1 24:05
Composed By – C.Mariani, E.Parker, M.Vecchi, M.Yoshizawa, T.Lipere, W.Prati
1-2    Synergetics #2 4:55
Composed By – Jin Hi Kim
1-3    Synergetics #3 6:37
Composed By – E.Parker, Jin Hi Kim
1-4    Synergetics #4 6:24
Composed By – Jin Hi Kim, M.Yoshizawa
1-5    Synergetics #5 7:14
Composed By – E.Parker, Jin Hi Kim, M.Yoshizawa, T.Lipere
1-6    Synergetics #6 7:39
Composed By – E.Parker, George Lewis
1-7    Synergetics #7 2:18
Composed By – T. Lipere
1-8    Synergetics #8 3:53
Composed By – G.Lewis, T.Lipere
1-9    Synergetics #9 7:33
Composed By – M.Vecchi, S.Namchylak, T.Lipere, W.Prati
2-1    Synergetics #10
Composed By – G.Lewis, T.Lipere
2-2    Synergetics #11 4:41
Composed By – M.Yoshizawa
2-3    Synergetics #12 7:36
Composed By – G.Lewis, M.Yoshizawa
2-4    Synergetics #13 6:28
Composed By – S.Namchylak
2-5    Synergetics #14 5:27
Composed By – C.Mariani, S.Namchylak
2-6    Synergetics #15 6:46
Composed By – S.Namchylak, T.Lipere
2-7    Synergetics #16 8:35
Composed By – G.Lewis
2-8    Synergetics #17 6:29
Composed By – E.Parker, G.Lewis
2-9    Synergetics #18 7:23
Composed By – G.Lewis, M.Yoshizawa
2-10    Synergetics #19 17:22
Composed By – C.Mariani, E.Parker, G.Lewis, Jin Hi Kim, M.Yoshizawa, S,Namchylak, T.Lipere
Credits :
Bass, Voice – Motoharu Yoshizawa (pistas: 1-1, 1-4, 1-5, 2-2, 2-3, 2-9, 2-10)
Computer – George Lewis (pistas: 1-6, 1-8, 2-1, 2-3, 2-7 to 2-9)
Didgeridoo [Imbumbu], Percussion – Thebe Lipere (pistas: 1-1, 1-7 to 2-1, 2-6, 2-10)
Electronics – Marco "Bill" Vecchi (pistas: 1-1, 1-9), Walter Prati (pistas: 1-1, 1-9)
Geomungo [Komungo] – Jin Hi Kim (pistas: 1-2 to 1-5, 2-10)
Launeddas – Carlo Mariani (pistas: 1-1, 2-5, 2-10)
Painting [Front Cover Painting] – Karl Nömair
Tenor Saxophone [Uncredited], Soprano Saxophone [Uncredited] – Evan Parker (pistas: 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-6, 2-8, 2-10)
Trombone – George Lewis (pistas: 1-6, 2-1, 2-7, 2-9, 2-10)
Voice – Sainkho Namchylak (pistas: 1-9, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-10)

PARKER | GUY | LYTTON | SCHLIPPENBACH TRIO - 2 X 3 = 5 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The title refers to the two trios of Parker/Schlippenbach/Lovens and Parker/Guy/Lytton, each of which groupings has performed on innumerable occasions, and some of which are documented on some extraordinary albums. Here, the two trios are united for one long, live piece, and the results are as good as to be expected. Considering that the piece is nearly 80 minutes, it is remarkable that Parker and colleagues are able to continuously maintain the listener's interest. This is a meeting of five like-minded, fully compatible, yet highly individual musical mavens who are capable of reaching extraordinary heights on their instruments. The use of two drummers might imply a certain fierceness that is simply not found here. The two Pauls (Lovens and Lytton) are each delicate performers, artists who never step on one another's toes, and who spur the music to sophisticated levels. Pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach and bassist Barry Guy, outstanding practitioners on their instruments, are in perfect harmony, as Schlippenbach's fingers glide across the piano keys with alarming rapidity, and Guy's bass performs in ways that must be heard to be believed. Parker, of course, is frenetic, with his usual blend of tricks on tenor and soprano saxes. While it is true that there is no new ground broken, this wonderful recording of the quintet should thrill Parker's legion of fans, and introduce others to his uniquely splendid approach. Steve Loewy  
Tracklist :
1    2X3=5    1:17:07
Credits :
Bass – Barry Guy
Drums – Paul Lovens, Paul Lytton
Music By – A. Schlippenbach, B. Guy, E. Parker, P. Lovens, P. Lytton
Piano – Alex von Schlippenbach
Saxophone [Saxophones] – Evan Parker

PARKER | GUY | LYTTON and MARILYN CRISPELL - After Appleby (2000) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Evan Parker continues to record session after session of outstanding music. This two-CD set features a splendid quartet with Parker alternating between soprano and tenor saxophones, Barry Guy on bass, Marilyn Crispell on piano, and Paul Lytton on percussion. The first disc is taken from a studio recording just one day before the live club recording captured on the second disk. Lytton and Guy, in particular, are longtime collaborators with Parker, but the addition of the pianist is a welcome addition to the mix, giving the proceedings an extra depth. Crispell can spurt fleetingly across the keyboard with clusters of notes, but she also shows a lyrical side that displays considerable depth. The longer tracks feature the quartet, while the others alternate between different combinations of the musicians. All are in perfect form, and the clear recording quality and lengthy recording time (more than two hours) commend this double-disc set to admirers of Evan Parker and freely improvised music. Steve Loewy
Studio Recording    
1-1    Warp 3:38
Music By – Guy, Crispell
1-2    Blue Star Kachina 20:05
Music By – Guy, Parker, Crispell, Lytton
1-3    Wax 2:57
Music By – Crispell, Lytton
1-4    Falcon's Wing 2:54
Music By – Guy, Parker
1-5    Wane 3:10
Music By – Crispell, Lytton
1-6    Weft 2:32
Music By – Guy, Crispell
1-7    Where Heart Revive 25:14
Music By – Guy, Parker, Crispell, Lytton
1-8    Tchefit 3:05
Music By – Guy, Parker
Live Recording    
2-1    Capnomantic Vortex (For David Mossman) 51:36
Music By – Guy, Parker, Crispell, Lytton
2-2    Fond Farewell 15:59
Music By – Guy, Crispell, Lytton
2-3    (applause)    0:20
Credits :
Artwork [Front Cover Sculpture] – Neil Ferber
Bass – Barry Guy
Percussion – Paul Lytton
Piano – Marilyn Crispell
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker

EVAN PARKER | PATRICK SCHEYDER - Evan Parker / Patrick Scheyder (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With this fine studio recording, Evan Parker continues to expand his remarkable artistic concept ever so slightly. He is joined by French pianist Patrick Scheyder, who approaches free improvisation from the perspective of classical music. (In the liner notes, Philippe Renaud compares the combination to the imaginary "marriage between Coltrane and Chopin," a clever if somewhat stretched analogy.) Parker, whether on soprano or tenor, is in his usual good form, engaging Scheyder on the 30-minute show piece "Skrying in Mortlake," and blowing solo soprano with his uniquely astonishing, though by now well known, patented technique on "Other (As It Were) Optical Science." Scheyder has little trouble keeping up with his colleague, even if occasionally the two appear to be playing alongside, rather than with, one another. On "Dancing with Dr. Dee," some impressive synergy develops, and the pianist displays an intensity and prowess that belie his formal training. On the closing "Polyphonics," Parker flits passionately on tenor, while Scheyder keeps the pace. While it is good to see this largely successful meeting taking place, it is at least partially disappointing in that it does not break any new ground, nor does Parker meet the pianist halfway, as the joint improvisations take place virtually entirely on Parker's turf. Steve Loewy  
Tracklist :
1    Skrying In Mortlake    30:22
2    Dancing With Dr. Dee    13:47
3    Piano-Forte    5:40
4    Other (As It Were) Optical Science, For J.Z.    4:24
5    Polyphonics    10:36
Credits :
Music By – Evan Parker, Patrick Scheyder
Painting – Vladislav Makarov
Piano – Patrick Scheyder (pistas: 1 to 3, 5)
Saxophone [Saxophones] – Evan Parker (pistas: 1, 2, 4, 5)

PARKER | GUY | LYTTON and MARILYN CRISPELL - Natives and Aliens (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The billing is a bit misleading: rather than a duo album, Natives and Aliens features the Evan Parker Trio -- saxophonist Parker plus longtime collaborators Barry Guy on bass and Paul Lytton on drums and percussion -- working with avant-garde pianist Marilyn Crispell. Originally recorded in the early '80s and first released in a small vinyl edition before gaining a wider distribution on CD in 2001, these 11 tracks are fluid, small-group improvisations that slot Crispell neatly into the practiced interplay of Parker's trio. Crispell's playing blends the best characteristics of her two acknowledged inspirations, with Paul Bley's fluidity (best heard on the speedy, rippling cascades of notes that color "Sumach") and Cecil Taylor's percussive, rhythmically free attack (as on "Day of Small Truths," where the pianist interjects booming, sustained chords into a lyrical solo by Guy). The Evan Parker Trio, as always, play with the intuition and improvisatory grace that comes when skilled musicians are in tune with each other's idiosyncracies, giving Natives and Aliens a light -- almost swinging, in the old-school sense -- touch that's often missing in this brand of modern jazz. Stewart Mason  
Tracklist :
1    Stag's Horn    9:48
2    Sumach    6:35
3    Rhus    8:05
4    Friends From Above    6:35
5    Hirta    4:25
6    Sippenaeken Visitation    8:22
7    And The Tints    3:55
8    A Deeper Red    1:47
9    In Velvet    2:38
10    Day Of Small Truths    7:19guy
11    Natives And Aliens    10:21
Credits :
Double Bass, Bass [Piccolo Bass] – Barry Guy
Music By [All Ttiles Are Collective Works] – Barry Guy, Evan Parker, Marilyn Crispell, Paul Lytton
Percussion – Paul Lytton
Piano – Marilyn Crispell
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Evan Parker

EVAN PARKER AND SEPTEMBER WINDS - Alder Brook (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a beautiful album following up on two CD sets released on Creative Works. Evan Parker teams up again with the Swiss quartet September Winds, and the quintet delivers 71 minutes of delightful improvised music. September Winds is a slightly unusual group. Their approach blends together modern chamber music and jazz without generating the tug of war one can discern in Rova's music (although, it should be admitted, the same tug of war actually gives Rova's music its unique momentum). And the group is quite fond of the bigger members of the reed family: surrounding Hans Anliker's trombone one can sometimes find Reto Senn's bass clarinet and Peter A. Schmid's contrabass clarinet, plus the latter and Evan Parker give the tubax -- a contrabass saxophone built by Benedikt Eppelsheim -- a growling test drive. The music was recorded live in a very echoing venue (is it the same empty water cistern as on previous albums?), rendering each and every note bigger than life. In "Klappe!," the five improvisers play staccato notes, or should one say clicks, and the listener gets the impression of a 20-piece orchestra instead of only a quintet. When Anliker breaks free and bursts into a loud solo, the effect is downright scary. But the undisputed highlight is found in "Z'blau Wunder Us Jenins," which opens with a soprano sax solo from Parker (and in echoing venues like this, his circular breathing takes on a life of its own; please refer to the wonderful Lines Burnt in Light) before the other players softly creep in and slowly engulf him whole. For this priceless moment (and few extra good ones too!), Alder Brook deserves a recommendation. François Couture
Tracklist :
1    Poclabacla I    4:38
2    Seesicht    7:52
3    Sagstrio    7:21
4    Z'blau Wunder Us Jenins    11:22
5    Nepente Di Oliena    7:09
6    Cinghiali    5:41
7    Fletri    7:28
8    Pinot Gris    7:14
9    Klappe!    4:40
10    Garanoir    5:22
11    Poclabacla II    2:35
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jürg Solothurnmann
Bass Clarinet, Clarinet [Eb Clarinet], Contrabass Saxophone [Tubax], Tárogató [Tarogato] – Peter A. Schmid
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tárogató [Tarogato] – Reto Senn
Composed By – Evan Parker, Hans Anliker, Jürg Solothurnmann, Peter A. Schmid, Reto Senn
Cover [Front Cover], Photography By [Photo By] – Caroline Forbes
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone [Tubax] – Evan Parker
Trombone – Hans Anliker

EVAN PARKER AND SEPTEMBER WINDS - Short Stories (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Free improv neophytes are often impressed by the resourcefulness and invention necessary to carry a collective improvisation for 75 minutes straight. But seasoned fans of the genre know it is tougher to perform several short pieces than a single extended one, simply because the hardest aspect of free improvisation is how you begin and end. After two albums of rather long pieces, Evan Parker & September Winds deliberately opted for the hardest path. They entered the studio on October 3, 2004, meaning to keep it short. The result is a collection of 23 pieces, most of them under three minutes, a couple stretching over four. In order to make things more interesting -- that is, slightly easier and more stimulating -- the quintet used some preconceived materials. Sequences, words, and musical concepts often served as a first impulse for the music, although they remain largely hidden, except for the two "No MPs!," performed without mouth pieces. Short Stories is a lively album where intensity in conciseness is the main focus. A two-minute slot jump-starts interactions and keeps every one ultra-attentive to the cue that will close the proceedings. Alder Brook was full of large-scale group effects. This one thrives on vivid exchanges between Peter A. Schmid and Reto Senn, the combined fast action of Evan Parker and Jürg Solothurnmann, and Hans Anliker's aptitude to act as a pivot between these two pairs. Pieces like "Heavy Metal I-III," the two "Taragotic," and the two "Foghorns" all display endearing levels of playfulness. The "Anton au Gare" series, based on predetermined sequences of arrangements, provides an occasion for jazzier references, often verging on instant jazz composition (a distinct theme arises from "Anton au Gare [3]"). Short Stories may not be as gripping as the group's previous efforts, but it shows a desire for change, which is always healthy in this field. It also provides an easier entry point into the group's output. François Couture
Tracklist :
1    Anton Au Gare (1)    2:13
2    Anton Au Gare (2)    2:04
3    Horn Choir    2:18
4    Echoes & Shadows    3:16
5    Lower Westside    2:46
6    Moorhuhnjagd    1:10
7    No MPs! (1)    1:00
8    No MPs! (2)    2:24
9    Foghorns (1)    1:01
10    Foghorns (2)    1:08
11    Distant Voices    5:12
12    Insects (Part III)    2:04
13    Taragotic VI    2:56
14    Taragotic IV    3:11
15    Twelve    3:40
16    Ungeziefer    1:57
17    Woodbones I-IV    3:34
18    Blackbone    2:32
19    Heavy Metal I-III    4:39
20    Anton Au Gare (3)    1:44
21    Anton Au Gare (4)    1:38
22    Anton Au Gare (5)    1:32
23    Fresh Ending    0:44
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jürg Solothurnmann
Bass Clarinet, Clarinet [Eb Clarinet], Contrabass Saxophone [Tubax], Tárogató [Tarogato] – Peter A. Schmid
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tárogató [Tarogato] – Reto Senn
Composed By – Evan Parker, Hans Anliker, Jürg Solothurnmann, Peter A. Schmid, Reto Senn
Cover [Front Cover], Photography By [Photo By] – Caroline Forbes
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone [Tubax] – Evan Parker
Trombone – Hans Anliker

ANTHONY BRAXTON | STEWART GILLMOR DUO — 14 Compositions (Traditional) 1996 (1998) FLAC (tracks), lossless

It seemed that Anthony Braxton has done it all, but this recording of fourteen tunes from the first half of the century is a major addition to Braxton's remarkable discography. Here, he takes old standards, songs like "Ja Da," "Star Dust," and "Rosetta," and gives them new twists. The variety is astonishing, as Braxton and Gillmor try every variation imaginable. Thus, "Star Dust" has Braxton on alto sax with Gillmor in unison on French horn, while "Rosetta" finds Braxton romping through an energized variation with Gillmor playing it straight on piano. With Braxton alternating among soprano, alto, tenor, and bass saxophones, plus flute, clarinet, and contrabass clarinet, and Gillmor chiming in on piano, trumpet, and French horn, the combinations are endless. Often the melodies and solos are true to the era, though there are enough surprises to make this an entirely entertaining and fascinating collection. Steve Loewy
Tracklist :
1    Rosetta 4:20
Words By, Music By – Earl Hines, Henri Woode
2    Kansas City Man Blues 5:18
Words By, Music By – Clarence Johnson, Clarence Williams
3    Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans 3:30
Music By – Louis Alter
Words By – Eddie De Lange
4    Blue, Turning Grey Over You 3:50
Music By – Andy Razaf, Thomas Fats Waller
Words By – Andy Razaf
5    Skylark 6:15
Music By – Hoagy Carmichael
Words By – Johnny Mercer
6    Battle Cry 0:59
Words By, Music By – Clifford L. Waite
7    Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None Of This Jelly Roll 4:12
Music By – Clarence Williams
Words By – Spencer Williams
8    In A Sentimental Mood 4:11
Words By, Music By – Edward Kennedy Ellington
9    I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 4:29
Music By – Fred E. Ahlert
Words By – Joe J. Young
10    Star Dust 6:18
Music By – Hoagy Carmichael
11    The Memphis Blues 5:24
Words By, Music By – William Christopher Handy
12    Some Day You'll Be Sorry 6:19
Words By, Music By – Louis Armstrong
13    Blues My Naughty Sweetie Give To Me 6:57
Words By, Music By – Arthur Swanstone, Carey Morgan, Charles R. McCarron
14    Ja Da 1:56
Words By, Music By – Bob Carleton
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 2, 7, 10, 11, 13)
Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 13, 14)
Clarinet – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 5)
Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 3, 6)
Flute – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 4, 12)
French Horn – Stewart Gillmor (pistas: 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 14)
Piano – Stewart Gillmor (pistas: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13)
Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 1, 8, 9)
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 7)
Trumpet – Stewart Gillmor (pistas: 12, 13)

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 - 2 Compositions (Järvenpää) 1988, Ensemble Braxtonia (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

How will Anthony Braxton be regarded 50 years from now, after the polemicists of today are dead and/or no longer interested, when something like an objective and knowledgeable evaluation of his work becomes possible? For all his undeniable brilliance as a composer, Braxton's seeming indifference toward the craft of composition will undermine his reputation to a significant degree. Which might not be fair, actually. Perhaps Braxton's problem is that he suffers from a condition virtually unprecedented in the history of Western art music -- he writes music for a type of musician that does not exist. Braxton writes the most technically demanding music of any composer working in a jazz-related idiom. His written lines are often incredibly difficult to play; their serial-like contours do not fall naturally under the fingers. His rhythms are irregular in the extreme and presumably very elaborately notated. Braxton's music calls for players who can read and interpret the written note in a manner of the very finest classical players, yet who can also improvise in a free jazz vernacular on a very high level. Such players are very rare, to say the least; improvisers rarely read especially well, and good readers rarely improvise, so Braxton is inevitably required to strike a balance. For obvious reasons, he almost always leans toward the improvisers when forming his large groups. Occasionally, he catches lightning in a bottle, and manages to harness a team of good free improvisers who can also read down his difficult written passages. This album is a fairly good example of that. Recorded with a septet of Finnish musicians that manifests a pronounced affinity for his music, Braxton's Compositions No. 144 and 145 are given a vigorous, warm, and reasonably tight rendering, of a sort made difficult by the usual lack of rehearsal time and scarcity of appropriate collaborators. The soloists, including and especially the leader, are uniformly excellent, but most importantly, the written parts are realized in a way that does justice to the concept. That said, Braxton's command over large forms is uncertain. One might not always be convinced of the necessity for so many extended group improvisations, for example. Yet this is a work of striking and substantive originality that should not be underestimated. Chris Kelsey
Tracklist :
1    Composition N. 144 / Composition N. 145    1:10:21
Credits :
Artwork – Lora Denis
Bass, Cello – Teppo Hauta-aho
Drums – Jukka Wasama
Flute, Sopranino Saxophone [Sopranino Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Anthony Braxton
Flute, Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Pentti Lahti
Flute, Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax], Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Seppo Baron Paakkunainen
Flute, Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Bass Clarinet – Pepa Päivinen
Music By – Anthony Braxton
Trombone – Mircea Stan
Violin – Mikko-Ville Luolajan-Mikkola

ANTHONY BRAXTON - 9 Standards (Quartet) 1993 (1996) 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

This is Braxton's first solo piano album, finally recorded after years of woodshedding on the traditional jazz repertoire. That it doesn't sound like any other pianist as much as it sounds like Braxton the saxophonist should not surprise anyone. Braxton approaches standards on piano in much the same way he does on alto. He doesn't just go "out" on the structure; he uses the chords, but he doesn't play patterns or contrived licks over them in the way a bebop player would. Every time he approaches a piece, it's as if he's playing it for the first time, using his accumulated knowledge to decipher just that specific composition's secrets. Braxton doesn't use the tune as a whole. Rather, he dissects the component parts, using the separate elements as material for his improvisation as he makes his way through the piece. It's as if he's telling you about a trip that he's just taken, only instead of saying "I went to San Francisco," he tells you every detail of the trip just as it occurred. You don't know for certain his final destination until story's end; when it's revealed, it's a wonderful surprise made even more interesting by Braxton's discursive narrative. Chris Kelsey  
Tracklist 1 :
1-1    In Motion 14:00
Written-By – Fred Simmons
1-2    Cherokee 16:21
Written-By – R. Noble
1-3    You Go To My Head 14:18
Written-By – H. Gillespie, F. Coots
1-4    On Green Dolphin Street 11:41
Written-By – B. Kaper, N. Washington
1-5    All The Things You Are 9:27
Written-By – J. Kern / O. Hammerstein II
Tracklist 2 :
2-1    Mr. P.C. 13:34
Written-By – J. Coltrane
2-2    I Remember You 13:05
Written-By – J. Mercer, V. Schertzinger
2-3    What's New 14:26
Written-By – R. Haggart, J. Burke
2-4    Impressions 10:09
Written-By – J. Coltrane
Credits:
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Sopranino Saxophone [Sopranino Sax], Flute – Anthony Braxton
Artwork [Front Cover Collage] – Stephen Kroninger
Bass – Paul Brown
Drums – Leroy Williams
Piano – Fred Simmons

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Composition N.96 (1989-1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Composition No. 96 has loomed large in Braxton's oeuvre. He not only refers to it often as a key work, crucial to his own development, but it is also one of the most common "sound territories" to appear in recordings by various of his groups.The present recording is by a 37-piece student orchestra with only two ringers: clarinetist Bill Smith and trombonist Julian Priester. Composition No. 96, composed in 1979-1980, is structured in alternating blocks, one dense and turbulent, the other soft and serene. The style in the former is that of somewhat academic serial technique, which is to say there is no "straight" thematic material (certainly nothing remotely "jazz" oriented) and no set meter. The listener is jostled about as if in an instrumental sea. Sometimes the writing is a bit reminiscent of Ornette Coleman's symphonic work, The Skies of America, which Braxton is known to admire, but more often it sounds like a slightly freer version of much contemporary serialist composing since the '50s. The quieter sections are more consonant though still complex, forming a rich stasis, a raft to which the listener lost at sea may easily grasp. Braxton biographer Graham Lock offers highly detailed liner notes both on the structure of the piece as well as its philosophical foundations. For confirmed Braxaholics, Composition 96 is a must-have, if only for its historical significance in his career. Listeners familiar with his jazz work, however, may be put off by its relatively severe classical orientation, lack of improvisation, and absence of overt themes. Also, note that Braxton does not play on this recording, but only conducts. Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1    Composition N°.96    55:35
Credits:
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Denny Goodhew
Artwork – Lora Denis
Bass – Deborah De Loria, Scott Weaver
Bass Clarinet – Ray Downey
Bassoon – Marlene Weaver
Cello – Marjorie Parbington, Page Smith-Weaver, Scott Threlkold
Clarinet [Bb Clarinet] – Paul Pearse
Clarinet [Eb Clarinet] – Bill Smith
Composed, Conductor – Anthony Braxton
English Horn – Bob Davis
Flute [1st Flute] – Denise Pool
Flute [2nd Flute] – Rebecca Morgan
Flute [3rd Flute] – Nancy Hargerud
French Horn – Richard Reed
Harp – Motter Dean
Oboe [1st Oboe] – Aileen Munger
Oboe [2nd Oboe] – Laurri Uhlig
Orchestra – The Composers And Improvisors Orchestra
Percussion – Ed Hartman, Matt Kocmieroski
Trombone [1st Trombone] – Julian Priester
Trombone [2nd Trombone] – Scott Reeves
Trumpet [1st Trumpet] – Dave Scott
Trumpet [2nd Trumpet] – James Knapp
Tuba – Rick Byrnes
Viola – Beatrice Dolf, Betty Agent, Jean Word, Sam Williams
Violin [1st Violin] – Jeannine Davis, Julian Smedley, Libby Poole, Mathew Pederson
Violin [2nd Violin] – Becky Liverzey, Jeroen Van Tyn, Mary Jacobson, Sandra Guy
Notas.
For the 37-piece orchestra and four slide projectors. Recorded by the composers and improvisors [sic] orchestra and dedicated to the master composer Karlheinz Stockhausen
Recorded at the Cornish Institute, Seattle, Washington, May 30, 1981

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Composition No 174 (For Ten Percussionists, Slide Projections, Constructed Environment And Tape) (1994) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Without a doubt, this is Anthony Braxton at his most abstract. It's as if he's been able to put into reality, some of the theories in his "Tri Axiom" writings. This piece is a play with a text, though it is not performed (it's more of an "inspiration" to the performers). It has to do with, of all things, building a ski resort, skiing, and its impact on the environment. Yes, this is Braxton being "political." The ten percussionists are not playing any discernible rhythm; the narrator is spouting something like gibberish, though it probably made some sense to the ensemble performing it (and to Braxton himself, of course). For the listener, it is reminiscent of some of the radio plays John Cage did in the late '40s with poet Kenneth Patchen ("The City Wears a Slouch Hat"), or the early works of playwright Richard Foreman. But that doesn't make it compelling in any way. This work, though conceived by one of the most truly brilliant men of the 20th century, Composition No. 174 is proof that human beings are fallible. It may be art, but that doesn't make it enjoyable; it's duller than radio static.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Composition No. 174    44:55
Credits:
Directed By – Dr. J. B. Smith
Ensemble – Arizona State University Percussion Ensemble
Music By – Anthony Braxton
Other [Residency Assistant] – Sonja Branch
Percussion – Arnoldo Ruiz, Glen Ormiston, Justin Jackson, Kevin Fuhrman, Mark Timko, Paul Welter, Scott Werner, Sonja Branch, Steve Ridley, Steve Turner

ANTHONY BRAXTON | EVAN PARKER | PAUL RUTHERFORD — Trio (London) 1993 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The lack of liner notes on this otherwise rewarding CD sometimes makes it difficult to know exactly what is going on. The unusual trio (comprised of trombonist Paul Rutherford and multireedists Anthony Braxton and Evan Parker) perform five adventurous group improvisations that are surprisingly concise (all but one clocks in between six and eleven minutes) and largely self-sufficient despite the lack of any rhythm instruments. Still, this is not a release for the beginner and it is most highly recommended to collectors already quite familiar with Anthony Braxton's explorative music. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    The Honker    18:04
2    Arkanther    10:37
3    Axtarkrut    8:23
4    Vanuthrax    9:49
5    The Breaker    6:38
Credits:
Alto Saxophone [Uncredited], Sopranino Saxophone [Uncredited] – Anthony Braxton
Music By – A. Braxton, E. Parker, P. Rutherford
Tenor Saxophone [Uncredited], Soprano Saxophone [Uncredited] – Evan Parker
Trombone [Uncredited] – Paul Rutherford

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quintet (London) 2004 (Live At The Royal Festival Hall) (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

If you thought that Anthony Braxton's last great quartet -- with Marilyn Crispell, Gerry Hemingway, and Mark Dresser -- would be his final great band, it's time to rethink your position. As evidenced by this Leo documentation of the new Braxton quintet's performance in London during 2004, with a band he has kept together since that time, he's assembled another one. Performing an hourlong set made up of "Composition 343," this young band blew the ceiling off the joint. Braxton switches horns here a lot -- in addition to his spare, knotty soprano sax he also plays alto, tenor, and clarinet. The drummer in this band is the great Satoshi Takeishi. The trumpet chair is held by Taylor Ho Bynum, with Chris Dahlgren on bass and the truly amazing Mary Halvorson on guitar. The piece begins with Braxton's soprano, a lean yet crisp electric guitar, muted trumpet, double bass, and tom-tom-accented drums, all playing a series of stop-and-start motifs that act as a prolonged head on the work. The band returns to it numerous times in the 49-minute duration as different themes and improvisations are introduced. The engagement between players here is uncanny. Once the head falls away and the ordered improvisation takes its place, guitar and alto move toward one another and then engage in contrapuntal interplay. Then Ho Bynum's trumpet moves toward Braxton's guttural squealing on the alto -- where he uses his voice underneath to make angry, almost animal-like sounds à la Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders on Live in Seattle -- as the horn ceases to be expressive enough for his purposes. In long quiet segments where one, two, or three instruments speak to one another with large spaces between, the silence becomes a part of the work. Braxton blows the hell out of his tenor to bring it all back. The labyrinthine theme begins again, but is abandoned in favor of space once more. The drama and dynamic changes are breathtaking in places, and the tensions created are almost unbearable as Braxton has never shown a willingness to resolve them in his work. When it's done, the members of the audience are astonished at what they have witnessed (a feeling doubtless shared by anyone who takes this recording in with repeated listenings and an open mind), breathing a sigh of relief and greeting Braxton and company with a rowdy ovation. The second cut here, entitled "Composition 343, Pt. 2," is actually the band's encore and feels like a freely improvised work. It's playful, humorous, and musically exciting with great attention given to both Ho Bynum and Halvorson whirling around one another before the entire band joins the fun with verve and energy. Many do not recognize Braxton's wry sense of humor, which is full play here. At its end, "Composition 343" is a truly fine piece of the Braxton canon, played here by bandmembers who knew how to get to that place in his mind that only he really knows. Brilliant and highly recommended.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1     Composition 343, Pt. 1 49:18
Anthony Braxton
2     Composition 343, Pt. 2 10:52
Anthony Braxton    
Credits :
Bass – Chris Dahlgren
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Music By – Anthony Braxton
Percussion – Satoshi Takeishi
Reeds – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet – Taylor Ho Bynum

ABRAHAM ADZINYAH | ANTHONY BRAXTON - Duo (Wesleyan) 1994 (1995) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Another chapter in Leo Records' exhaustive documentation of Anthony Braxton's many-sided art, this two-disc set is comprised of improvised duos with the percussionist Abraham Adzinyah. Braxton is never better than when he allows himself the most freedom. Here, though he is reined in a bit by the regular beat of Adzinyah's Middle-Eastern drumming, the saxophonist is relatively unencumbered by formal concerns; this is the best possible framework in which to hear Braxton's improvising. He and Adzinyah concoct some very intense vamps. The percussionist is a subtle accompanist. His time isn't great, by jazz standards; the pulse wanders a bit, though in this context, it's hardly relevant. Adzinyah has a nice feel for changing timbres, within the limitations of his apparently minimal drum set-up. In contexts like this, Braxton is the most focused and intense of improvisors. It's evident, when listening to him play what is essentially "free" music, how little he really needs in the way of external organization. Braxton's greatest strength (his always intriguing and sometimes brilliant compositions notwithstanding) is as a creator of his own spontaneous structures. This set is a prime example of how transcendent an artist he can be, when left to his own devices. Chris Kelsey  
Tracklist :
1-1    Untitled    51:12
2-1    Untitled    49:48
Credits :
Music By – Abraham Adzinyah, Anthony Braxton
Painting [Front Cover Painting] – Boris Kopylov
Percussion – Abraham Adzinyah
Reeds – Anthony Braxton