THE ROSCOE MITCHELL ART ENSEMBLE — Congliptious (1968-2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Congliptious is a landmark recording of modern jazz, an extraordinarily strong and creative album and one that, among other things, perfectly encapsulates the ideals of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). One of the graduation requirements of students in the AACM was to be able to pull off a solo recital on whatever their instrument happened to be. In the late '60s, the idea of an evening-length solo performance on saxophone or drums, for example, was unheard of. The first three cuts on Congliptious are solos for bass, alto saxophone, and trumpet that not only stand on their own as powerful statements, but also mark out several of the conceptual territories near and dear to this organization's heart. In "Tutankhamen," bassist Malachi Favors pays homage to the deep past, his rich arco delving into a theme older than the blues, but always keeping the blues in mind. Roscoe Mitchell's "Tkhke" remains, more than three decades later, incredibly alive and corrosive, reaching the furthest limits of his instrument, harrowing yet tightly controlled. Only when it resolves into a placid near lullaby does the listener dare exhale. Humor was another constant element in the work of these Chicagoans, rarely better expressed than by the late Lester Bowie in his historic soliloquy, "Jazz Death?" Posing as both unctuous interviewer and sly interviewee, Bowie wends his way through virtually the entire history of jazz trumpet with affection, soulful beauty, and a sardonic glance or two. The side-long "Congliptious/Old" is a masterpiece in breadth of conception and execution, an exemplar of the newly drawn lines distinguishing chaos from order. The trio is joined by drummer Robert Crowder, who leads things off in march tempo before dissembling into a maelstrom of percussion and the "little instruments" beloved by these musicians. The piece ebbs and flows, traveling from thunderous explosions to childlike songs to abstract vocal exhortations (including the timely phrase, "Sock it to me!"), but always retaining a sense of the blues. That aura comes into sublime fruition in the closing section, "Old," where Mitchell has written a theme as timeless as its title, an utterly gorgeous tune with roots in New Orleans dirges and beyond, which the quartet takes out with gusto, aplomb, and -- again -- a devilish humor. As of 2002, Congliptious was only available on disc as part of a limited-edition five-CD box set on Nessa (The Art Ensemble 1967/68). However the listener gets hold of it, it is one of the single most vital recordings of the jazz avant-garde, and an album of unique beauty. Brian Olewnick
Tracklist :
1    Tutankhamen 6:38
Bass [Solo] – Malachi Favors
Composed By – Favors
2    TKHKE 7:32
Alto Saxophone [Solo] – Roscoe Mitchell
Composed By – Mitchell
3    Jazz Death? 7:20
Composed By – Bowie
Trumpet [Solo] – Lester Bowie
4    Carefree-Take 3 2:35
Composed By – Roscoe Mitchell
5    Tatas-Matoes 2:17
Composed By – Bowie
6    Congliptious / Old 19:30
Composed By – Mitchell
7    Carefree-Take 1    3:05
8    Carefree-Take 2    3:05
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Flute, Recorder, Gong, Performer [Little Instruments] – Roscoe Mitchell (tracks: 2, 4 to 8)
Bass, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Zither, Gong, Performer [Little Instruments] – Malachi Favors (tracks: 1, 4 to 8)
Drums, Gong – Robert Crowder (tracks: 4 to 8)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns [Steer Horn], Whistle [Bass Whistle], Bass Drum, Siren, Gong, Performer [Little Instruments] – Lester Bowie (tracks: 3 to 8)

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO — People in Sorrow (1969-1988) Serie The Finest Jazz On CD - The Golden Hits From EMI | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In 1969, the Art Ensemble of Chicago (which had recorded just one official record, Congliptious, as a group at that point in time), moved to Paris for two years and recorded eight albums during their first year overseas alone. This particular LP has the innovative band (which was then a quartet consisting of trumpeter Lester Bowie, bassist Malachi Favors, and both Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on multiple reeds) performing the 40-minute group original "People in Sorrow." The still-startling music, which uses space, dynamics, and a wide range of emotions expertly, is not for everyone's taste (the high-energy tenors of the mid-'60s are actually easier to get into), but worth the struggle. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    People In Sorrow (Part 1)    17:07
2    People In Sorrow (Part 2)    23:05
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bassoon, Percussion, Written-By – Joseph Jarman
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Percussion, Written-By – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass, Strings, Percussion, Written-By – Malachi Favors
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion, Written-By – Lester Bowie

ARCHIE SHEPP - Coral Rock (1970) lp | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Coral Rock features an absolutely monster free jazz lineup. Fans of other releases on America or the BYG Actuel series should be familiar with a number of these sidemen: Bobby Few, Clifford Thornton, Muhammad Ali, Joseph Jarman. Particularly of interest, though, might be the under-recorded Alan Shorter, who contributed the title track. This piece is especially reminiscent of "Mephistopheles," a tune that appeared (in different capacities) on his brother Wayne's similarly great Blue Note LP The All Seeing Eye and certain reissue pressings of the self-titled Marion Brown record on ESP. Like "Mephistopheles," "Coral Rock" features a lumbering, march-like bassline and incredibly dissonant head. "Coral Rock," however, is much looser and, for this reason, it would be difficult to imagine it on a Blue Note release of any kind. This is free jazz straight out of the late-'60s/early-'70s Paris scene. Very serious stuff. That having been said, the inclusion of the standard "I Should Care" may come as a surprise, but one should keep in mind that no matter how far out Archie Shepp got, his roots have always been firmly planted in the past. It is seemingly presented here more as a vehicle for pianist Bobby Few than anything else and, within Shepp's catalog, might be compared to the free blues of "Damn If I Know (The Stroller)" from his 1968 Impulse LP, The Way Ahead. This session was reissued in the States by Prestige. Brandon Burke
SIDE A     Coral Rock 21'35
Alan Shorter
SIDE B     I Should Care 14'05
Sammy Cahn / Axel Stordahl / Paul Weston
Credits :
Bass – Bob Reid
Congas [Conga Drums] – Djibrill
Drums – Mohamed Ali
Flugelhorn [Flugal Horn] – Alan Shorter
Percussion – Ostaine Blue Warner
Piano – Bobby Few
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor-Sax], Piano – Archie Shepp
Trumpet – Lester Bowie
Valve Trombone [Valve-Trombone] – Clifford Thornton

LESTER BOWIE - Works (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This 1980-1985 anthology includes Art Ensemble of Chicago, Brass Fantasy, Stanton Davis, Rasul Siddik, Vincent Chancey, Steve Turre, Frank Lacy, Phillip Wilson, and Bob Stewart.
Tracklist :
1    Charlie M 9'18
(Lester Bowie)
2    Rose Drop 7'28
(Lester Bowie)
3    B Funk 3'48
(Lester Bowie)
4    When The Spirit Returns 7'44
(Lester Bowie)
5    Deb Deb's Face 2'05
(Lester Bowie)
6    Monkey Waltz 1'35
(Lester Bowie)
7    Fradulent Fanfare 1'01
(Lester Bowie)
8    Almost Christmas 4'52
(Lester Bowie)
9    Let The Good Times Roll 6'49
(Lee Leonard)
Credits :
Lester Bowie - Trumpet
Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell - Reeds
Malachi Favors Maghostut, Fred Williams - Bass
Famoudou Don Moye - Drums, Percussion
Donald Smith - Celesta
Phillip Wilson - Drums
Stanton Davis,Bruce Purse, Malachi Thompson, Rasul Siddik - Trumpet
Steve Turre, Frank Lacy, Craig Harris - Trombone
Vincent Chancey - French Horn
Bob Stewart - Tuba
Ari Brown - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Art Matthews - Piano
Fontella Bass, David Peaston - Vocals

LESTER BOWIE - The Great Pretender (1981) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Lester Bowie's projects apart from the Art Ensemble of Chicago tread a high wire between challenging improvised music and R&B-pop. This seeming dichotomy purports a universally appealing sound close to selling out, but speaks more to the whimsy and farcical elements Bowie sees in the hypocrisy of life. The Great Pretender is a perfect title for this effort, a mix of funk and humor, gospel and jazz, with no small points of reference to Dizzy Gillespie, early doo wop, Mahalia Jackson, James Brown, and Sun Ra. The lengthy title track modernizes the Buck Ram hit on many levels, as Bowie's sly, ribald, and comedic trumpet playing hits every nerve over a head nodding church hued backbeat, accented by the ooh-ooh vocals of Fontella Bass and David Peaston. The band doubles the tempo in waltz time with Hamiet Bluiett's burly baritone sax leading a mellow charge, while Bowie takes more slapstick liberties, adding a vocal component directly copped from Daffy Duck. The other prime cut here is "Rios Negroes," an electrifying calypso where unending kinetic energy flows through the commanding trumpeter's part Don Juan caballero, part General George Patton lyricism -- his finest jam ever. The deep bass playing of Fred Williams and montuno piano of Donald Smith perfectly support the flashy Bowie in great depth and constraint with no bombs bursting. The band does a hilarious goofball version of "It's Howdy Doody Time" with bouncy bass and Phillip Wilson's New Orleans drumming. Bowie's not finished there, calling out spooky spirits with vocal hauntings through darkness and shadows on the foreboding "Oh, How the Ghost Sings," and questions "Doom?" in "When the Doom (Moon) Comes over the Mountain" by evoking wickedly fearsome growling and bleating through his horn over Smith's organ, the popping electric bass of Williams, and Wilson's pounding drumming. The Great Pretender falls just short of Bowie's magnum opus The 5th Power, but not by much in terms of sheer modernism. It's utterly enjoyable creative jazz, worthy of a space in your collection. Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1    The Great Pretender 16'50
(Buck Ram)
2    It's Howdy Doody Time 2'07
(Edward Kean)
3    When The Doom (Moon) Comes Over The Mountain: a) Doom? b) When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain 3'38
(Harry M. Woods)
4    Rios Negros 7'15
(Lester Bowie)
5    Rose Drop 7'25
(Lester Bowie)
6    Oh, How The Ghost Sings 5'50
(Lester Bowie, Fred Williams, Manfred Eicher, Phillip Wilson, Donald Smith)
Credits :
Lester Bowie - Trumpet
Hamiet Bluiett - Baritone Saxophone
Donald Smith - Piano, Organ
Fred Williams - Bass, Electric Bass
Phillip Wilson - Drums
Fontella Bass, David Peaston - Vocal

LESTER BOWIE - All the Magic! / The One and Only (1983) 2CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Two very different sessions are combined on this two-LP set. Trumpeter Lester Bowie and a quintet also including Ari Brown on tenor and soprano, pianist Art Matthews, bassist Fred Williams, and drummer Phillip Wilson, are often used to accompany the soulful and gospel-oriented vocals of Fontella Bass and David Peaston (in addition to taking colorful solos). The 12-minute "For Louie" and a suite that is dominated by an emotional version of "Everything Must Change" are highlights; also memorable is a brief version of Albert Ayler's "Ghosts." The second album is quite a bit different, a set of unaccompanied trumpet solos by Bowie that are often quite humorous. On "Miles Davis Meets Donald Duck," the meeting does seem to take place; "Thirsty?" is a funny joke, and some of the other pieces (including "Organic Echo," "Dunce Dance" and "Fraudulent Fanfare") are brief but effective wisecracks. All in all, this two-fer shows off both Lester Bowie's playing abilities and his sense of humor. Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1 :
1    For Louie 12'14
(Phillip Wilson)
2    Spacehead 6'47
(Lester Bowie)
3    Ghosts 3'09
(Albert Ayler)
Lester Bowie - Trans Traditional Suite
4    All The Magic!/Everything Must Change/T. Jam Blues 15'51
5    Let The Good Times Roll 6'47
(Lee Leonard)
Tracklist 2 :
1    Organic Echo 3'18
(Lester Bowie)
2    Dunce Dance 2'05
(Lester Bowie)
3    Charlie M. (Part II) 2'51
(Lester Bowie)
4    Thirsty? 3'31
(Lester Bowie)
5    Almost Christmas 4'52
(Lester Bowie)
6    Down Home 2'40
(Lester Bowie)
7    Okra Influence 4'39
(Lester Bowie)
8    Miles Davis Meets Donald Duck 1'38
(Lester Bowie)
9    Deb Deb's Face 2'05
(Lester Bowie)
10    Monkey Waltz 1'35
(Lester Bowie)
11    Fradulent Fanfare 1'01
(Lester Bowie)
12    Organic Echo (Part II) 5'31
(Lester Bowie)
Credits :
Lester Bowie - Trumpet
Ari Brown - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Art Matthews - Piano
Fred Williams - Bass
Phillip Wilson - Drums
Fontella Bass, David Peaston - Vocals  

LESTER BOWIE'S BRASS FANTASY - I Only Have Eyes for You (1985) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The debut by Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy (an octet consisting of four trumpets, both Craig Harris and Steve Turre on trombones, the French horn of Vincent Chancey, Bob Stewart on tuba and drummer Phillip Wilson) is one of their best recordings. Rather than playing their interpretations of pop tunes (which would be the direction Brass Fantasy would head in the future), this album finds the musicians performing originals by Bowie (including "When the Spirit Returns"), Stewart, trumpeters Bruce Purse and Malachi Thompson and the standard title cut. The music is both whimsical and explorative, making for a colorful set. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    I Only Have Eyes For You 10'26
(Harry Warren)
2    Think 1'35
(Bruce Purse)
3    Lament 13'47
(Malachi Thompson)
4    Coming Back, Jamaica 5'14
(Lester Bowie)
5    Nonet 14'25
(Bob Stewart)
6    When The Spirit Returns 7'44
(Lester Bowie)
Credits :
Lester Bowie - Trumpet
Stanton Davis - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Malachi Thompson, Bruce Purse - Trumpet
Craig Harris, Steve Turre - Trombone
Vincent Chancey - French Horn
Bob Stewart - Tuba
Phillip Wilson - Drums

LESTER BOWIE'S BRASS FANTASY - Avant Pop (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When Lester Bowie's first Brass Fantasy album I only have eyes for you was released, it received highest critical acclaim and once again proved the exceptional status of trumpeter Lester Bowie as a modern traditionalist on the jazz scene and pointed out how he is related to Duke Ellington's concept of integrating highly personal statements into complex arrangements. Bowie is thoroughly rooted in the black music tradition. His albums always resemble a journey into the heart of black culture, playful and humourous at times. He blends Ellington's "jungle feeling" with avant garde effects into the post free-jazz tradition. This allows him to shed new light on standard tunes and popular compositions. Parody never seems far away, but seriousness is never sacrificed.
Lester Bowie to Downbeat: "I'm liable to do anything in music that runs through my mind: I'll play anything, you dig? All's fair in love and war, and music's both". ecm
Tracklist :
1    The Emperor 10'29
(Steve Turre)
2    Saving All My Love For You 5'06
(Michael Masser, Gerald Goffin)
3    B Funk 3'48
(Lester Bowie)
4    Blueberry Hill 5'24
(Al Lewis, Vincent Rose, Larry Stock)
5    Crazy 5'23
(Willie Nelson)
6    Macho (Dedicated To Machito) 6'16
(Steve Turre)
7    No Shit 5'11
(Lester Bowie)
8    Oh, What A Night 5'23
(Marvin Junior, Johnny Funches)
Credits :
Lester Bowie - Trumpet
Stanton Davis - Trumpet
Malachi Thompson - Trumpet
Rasul Siddik - Trumpet
Steve Turre - Trombone
Frank Lacy - Trombone
Vincent Chancey - French Horn
Bob Stewart - Tuba
Phillip Wilson - Drums

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - A Jackson In Your House (1969-1978) lp [24-48] FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A Jackson in Your House was recorded while the Art Ensemble was on its initial sojourn in Paris with just a quartet -- Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, and Joseph Jarman -- because drummer Phillip Wilson had left to play with Muhal Richard Abrams and Foumoudou Don Moye wasn't in the house yet. So this, along with its companion LP, A Message to Our Folks, showcases the Art Ensemble at its bravest and most vulnerable. For those familiar with the earlier recordings on Nessa, such as People in Sorrow, A Jackson in Your House is shockingly formalist, though far from conventional in any way. Here the band was interested in being a gigging and recording "art ensemble" more than being a free jazz group. Hence, all sorts of theatrical elements are involved in the performances. The set opens with the title track, which sounds like a rent party with music playing both on the juke and in the living room. Given that this was 1969, a number of jazz critics misunderstood the New Orleans references in the music and took this to mean that the band had either sold out its experimental heritage (which is absurd), or they were poking fun at the founding fathers of the music known as jazz (which is absurd, too). If anything, by utilizing on the opening statement -- and indeed throughout the album -- the historical frames of jazz, the Art Ensemble revealed its deep empathy with Armstrong, W.C. Handy, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, etc. The freewheeling influence of Ornette Coleman is felt on "Get in Line," with its strident pacing, stop-on-a-dime changes, and stretched melodic and harmonic sensibilities -- check out Favors trying to keep the saxophones "lined up" in the middle of the tune since he's the only rhythm player. There are some things that don't translate well to a recording session, however, and the largely spoken theater of "Old Time Religion" is one of them. Near the end of the disc, on "Rock Out," the band proves it can funk and rock with the best and worst of them by using an electric guitar and a host of percussion instruments, taking a riff apart endlessly until it becomes just some funky detritus in the mix. A Jackson in Your House is not the finest or most revelatory recording by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, but it is one of their more entertaining and carefree outings and, as expected, the French ate it up.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
A1    A Jackson In Your House 5:50
Composed By – R. Mitchell
A2    Get In Line 4:45
Composed By – R. Mitchell
A3    The Waltz 1:16
Composed By – R. Mitchell
B1.a    Ericka
Composed By – J. Jarman
B1.b    Song For Charles 21:30
Composed By – R. Mitchell
Credits :
Bass, Electric Bass [Fender Bass], Banjo, Drums [Log], Sitar, Percussion – Malachi Favors
Flute, Clarinet, Gong, Congas, Cymbal, Bells, Steel Drums, Whistle, Siren, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone – Roscoe Mitchell
Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Marimba, Vibraphone, Gong, Congas, Bells, Whistle, Guitar, Siren, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns, Bass Drum – Lester Bowie

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Les Stances a Sophie (1970-2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In 1970, the members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago were living as expatriates in Paris. The group had only recently expanded to its permanent quintet status with the addition of drummer/percussionist Don Moye when they were asked by New Wave director Moshé Mizrahi to provide the soundtrack for his movie Les Stances a Sophie. The result was one of the landmark records of the burgeoning avant-garde of the time and, simply put, one of the greatest jazz albums ever. On two of the tracks, the Art Ensemble is joined by vocalist Fontella Bass, at the time the wife of trumpeter Lester Bowie and riding the success of her pop-soul hit "Rescue Me." She's featured most prominently on the opening number, "Theme de Yoyo," an astounding piece that has achieved legendary status as the finest fusion of funk and avant-garde jazz ever recorded. The mix is indeed seamless, with Moye and Favors laying down a throbbing, infectious groove, Bass singing the surreally erotic lyrics with enormous soul, and the horn players soloing with ecstatic abandon. The remaining pieces cover a wide range stylistically with no less beauty and imagination, including two variations on a theme by Monteverdi, intense free improvising, and soft, deeply probing sonic investigations. Their extensive knowledge of prior jazz styles, love of unusual sound sources (the so-called "little instruments), and fearless exploration of the furthest reaches of both instrumental and compositional possibilities came into full flower on this record. by Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1     Theme de Yoyo 9:10
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
2     Theme de Celine 3:04
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
3     Variations Sur un Theme de Monteverdi I 3:02
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
4     Variations Sur un Theme de Monteverdi II 1:50
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
5     Proverbes, No. 1 2:38
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
6     Theme Amour Universal 3:51
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
7     Theme Libre 8:49
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
8     Proverbes, No. 2 1:22
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
Credits :
Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass, Percussion – Malachi Favors
Drums – Don Moye
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Saxophone [Bass], Clarinet, Flute, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Percussion – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion – Lester Bowie
Vocals, Piano – Fontella Bass

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Art Ensemble Of Chicago With Fontella Bass (1972) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass was recorded in a Paris studio in 1970. The band had been gigging regularly in the city and this session offered an intimate view of the live material including "How Strange" which appeared later on Live in Paris. "How Strange" is part of a suite with "Ole Jed," comprising nearly 22 minutes. Bass, an R&B and gospel singer by trade and Lester Bowie's wife at the time, adds a wonderful theatrical and sonic dimension to the Art Ensemble's creative juggernaut. "How Strange" begins with an African chant by Joseph Jarman and Bass. As the instruments enter in earnest, one can hear traces of "Round Midnight" waft through the background and then the musical reality play is off an running. Bass sings, roars, growls, chants and spits poetry, becoming another fiery instrument in the band's arsenal. On "Horn, Webb," Don Moye kicks it with a trap drum solo. For nearly four minutes before the tack comes to a standstill and the horns of Jarman, Bowie and Roscoe Mitchell come in, blaring in unison before the work becomes a long, spacious textural study with many dynamic and colorful shifts along the way. Thirty-six years later, this piece still sounds fresh, new, full of inquiry and excitement. This set stands the test of time beautifully.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1    Part One: How Strange - Part Two: Ole Jed 21:57
Composed By – J. Jarman, L. Bowie, M. Favors, R. Mitchell
2    Horn Webb 19:39
Composed By – R. Mitchell
Credits :
Bass, Bass [Fender], Banjo, Drums [Log], Sitar [Cythar], Percussion – Malachi Favors
Drums, Marimba [Bass], Temple Block, Bells – Don Moye
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Cymbal, Gong, Congas, Percussion [Logs], Bells, Siren, Whistle, Steel Drums – Roscoe Mitchell
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Marimba, Vibraphone, Congas, Bells, Whistle, Gong, Siren, Guitar – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Bass Drum, Horns [Steerhorns] – Lester Bowie
Vocals – Fontella Bass

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Phase One (1971) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By 1971, the Art Ensemble of Chicago had become true denizens of the city of Paris and its environ. Regularly playing and recording, they were able to delve deeply into their Great Black Music aesthetic and explore not only the boundaries of free jazz, but also the intricate demands of African folk forms in improvisation. Dynamic, long a part of the AEC's M.O., had become a dominant methodology for the group, as had textural interplay, and nowhere are these more evident than on Phase One. Issued in 1971 on the French America Records imprint, this set has been reissued over a dozen times on LP and CD. Texture and dynamic are elegantly employed as a way of bringing the music from the quintet gradually, allowing it to unfold itself inside the framework of a composition as it does on the uncharacteristically hard swinging "Ohnedaruth." A long, slow spacious saxophone intro winds in the melodic themes before the three horns jump out and start the true head before it gives way to soloing and free improvisation. On "Lebert Aaly," (dedicated to the late Albert Ayler) a sparse, utterly gentle introduction gives way to utterly beguiling harmonic interplay between Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman. Malachi Favors' bowed bass offers the root to which all the players return and embark from as the band moves off into very free directions, all the while retaining an elemental sense of melodic engagement. Don Moye enters in earnest at about nine-minutes in and the entire proceeding takes on an even slower, random feel before the percussion disappears and the tonal inquiry reappears. It's gorgeous. This is one of the least well-known recordings by the AEC, but it is also one of their most enduring and a true high mark from their Paris period.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1     Ohnedaruth 21:28
The Art Ensemble of Chicago / Joseph Jarman
2     Lebert Aaly 21:00
The Art Ensemble of Chicago
Credits :
Double Bass, Bass [Fender], Banjo, Cittern [Cythar], Drum [Log], Percussion – Malachi Favors
Drums, Marimba [Bass], Temple Block, Bells – Don Moye
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle, Siren, Cymbal, Bells, Gong, Steel Drums, Congas [Conga Drums], Percussion [Logs] – Roscoe Mitchell
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Whistle, Siren, Guitar, Marimba, Vibraphone [Vibes], Bells, Gong, Congas [Conga Drums] – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Bass Drum, Horns [Steer Horns] – Lester Bowie

THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Fanfare for the Warriors (1974-1998) WV (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Art Ensemble of Chicago's first (and arguably most significant) period concluded with this high-quality studio session, Fanfare for the Warriors. The quintet (trumpeter Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on reeds, bassist Malachi Favors and drummer Don Moye) provides concise but adventurous performances. High points include Mitchell's "Nonnaah," Bowie's humorous "Barnyard Scuffel Shuffle" and "Tnoona," but all of the selections have their own musical personality. It's a fine showcase for this important avant-garde unit. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Illistrum 8:17
Malachi Favors
2     Barnyard Scuffel Shuffel 5:12
Lester Bowie
3     Nonaah 5:44
Roscoe Mitchell
4     Fanfare for the Warriors 7:58
Joseph Jarman
5     What's to Say 4:02
Joseph Jarman
6     Tnoona 6:25
Roscoe Mitchell
7     The Key 1:15
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Joseph Jarman
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Piccolo Flute – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass – Malachi Favors
Drums – Don Moye
Illustration [Cover] – Christian Piper
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Lester Bowie 

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Chi-Congo (1972-2005) APE (image+.cue), lossless

You either love or hate these guys. If you believe that jazz is the sound of surprise, then these fellows occupy a special place in your heart. If, like others, you believe jazz is to be taken seriously and played only by men in suits, then this record will drive you batty. True to form, the tunes here have the loose kinetic swing that drives their early records, Ornette-ish funk and Miles-ish bop fractured by the hoots of whistles and the occasional yelp. Beyond everything else, though, is the undeniable fact that these gentlemen are sterling musicians and everything is done for a purpose, exactly when they want it to happen. A wonderful record by a bunch of really great guys. by Rob Ferrier
Tracklist :
1    Chi-Congo    11:40
2    Enlorfe, Part One    6:41
3    Enlorfe, Part Two    7:56
4    Hippparippp    10:30
Credits :
Bass, Banjo, Percussion – Malachi Favors
Percussion – Famoudou Don Moye
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Guitar, Percussion – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns [Steer Horn], Bass Drum – Lester Bowie

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO — The Spiritual (1969-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Originally a double LP, this stunning 1974 album, THE SPIRITUAL, finds the Art Ensemble of Chicago at their artistic height. Reduced to an unusual drummerless quartet for this session (reedsmen Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell, horn player Lester Bowie and bassist/banjo player Malachi Favors all double on various types of percussion), the group explores one of the main stems of jazz, New Orleans gospel and second-line music, without sacrificing its freer sounds. Indeed, without a traditional drummer, the group is free to play at its most unrestrained, unfettered by conventions of tempo.
Yet somehow, there's a basic earthiness to this music, especially on the magnificent title track and the mysteriously beautiful "That the Evening Sky Fell Through the Glass Wall and We Stood Alone Somewhere?," which keeps the Art Ensemble grounded. Listening to THE SPIRITUAL is an experience akin to reading Ishmael Reed's vividly ironic lampoon of Western culture, MUMBO JUMBO. AllMusic
Tracklist :
1     Toro 8:30
Roscoe Mitchell
2     Lori Song 3:58
Joseph Jarman
3     That the Evening Sky Fell Through the Glass Wall 6:00
Lester Bowie / Joseph Jarman
4     The Spiritual 20:06
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle [Whistles], Siren, Bells, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Piano, Harpsichord, Guitar, Percussion – Joseph Jarman
Bass, Bass [Fender], Banjo, Zither [Cythar], Percussion – Malachi Favors
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns, Bass Drum – Lester Bowie

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Tutankhamun (1974-1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This landmark album is one of the most influential free jazz recordings in the '60s avant-garde canon. Beginning with the bizarre vocal stylings of bassist Malachi Favors, Tutankhamun's four lengthy tracks are filled with eccentric and eclectic horn arrangements, usually followed by extended improvisations. Creating a canvas of sound that swells from intense to distant, the Art Ensemble use rubato (non-tempo) musical statements with great tonal variety. What makes the Art Ensemble's music different from others writing free jazz during this period is their use of dynamic contrast. The highlight of Tutankhamun is "The Ninth Room," a piece that emphasizes the experimental soloing abilities of saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and trumpeter Lester Bowie. Drummer Joseph Jarman uses a variety of unconventional percussion instruments on this track, including various non-discernable metal and wooden objects. This album is for the jazz aficionado looking to explore new aural vistas. The music on Tutankhamun is more about texture than melody, harmony, or even rhythm and counterpoint. The beauty of this music, however, is that the notes we hear offer a compelling and thought-provoking journey into the possibilities of sound itself. by Rovi Staff  
Tracklist :
1     Tutankhamun 18:10
Malachi Favors
2     The Ninth Room 15:35
Roscoe Mitchell
3     Tthinitthedalen, Pt. 1 4:24
Malachi Favors / Roscoe Mitchell
4     Tthinitthedalen, Pt. 2 4:54
Malachi Favors / Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle, Siren, Bells, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Piano, Harpsichord, Guitar, Percussion – Joseph Jarman
Bass, Bass [Fender], Banjo, Sitar, Percussion – Malachi Favors
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns, Bass Drum – Lester Bowie

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Nice Gums (1979) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Nice Guys was the first Art Ensemble of Chicago album released after a five-year recording hiatus and the group's first for the ECM label. During those five years, the Art Ensemble toured Europe and continued to expand its compositional, improvisational, and theatrical jazz fundamentals, captured abundantly on Nice Guys. Broken up into six pieces, two each from Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman and one each from Lester Bowie and Don Moye, the album reveals how the AEC managed to turn individual compositions into a fully realized, surprisingly accessible, avant garde group collective. Nice Guys maintains its edge while incorporating reggae, New Orleans marches, and a wide use of space complemented by "little instruments" (car horn, whistles, etc.). The strongest portion of the disc is the finale "Dreaming of the Master," dedicated to Miles Davis and sounding not unlike Davis' mid-'60s quintet -- while maintaining the AEC edge. by Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1    Ja 8:39
Composed By – Bowie
2    Nice Guys 1:41
Composed By – Mitchell
3    Folkus 10:59
Composed By – Moye
4    597-59 6:43
Composed By – Jarman
5    Cyp 4:49
Composed By – Mitchell
6    Dreaming Of The Master 11:40
Composed By – Jarman
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Gong [Gongs] – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass, Percussion, Melodica – Malachi Favors Maghostus
Composed By – Art Ensemble Of Chicago
Design – Barbara Wojirsch
Percussion [Sun Percussion], Drums, Bells, Horn [Bike Horn], Congas, Timpani [Tympani], Marimba, Bongos, Chimes, Conch [Conch Shell], Whistle [Whistles], Wood Block [Woodblocks], Cowbell [Cowbells], Performer [Etc.] – Famoudou Don Moye
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Conch [Conch Shell], Vibraphone [Vibes], Gong [Gongs], Congas, Whistle [Whistles], Vocals [Vocal] – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Celesta [Celeste], Bass Drum – Lester Bowie

THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Urban Bushmen (1982) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded at a 1980 concert in Munich, Urban Bushmen not only provides an excellent summation of the Art Ensemble of Chicago's work since 1966, but also substantiates the group's reputation for putting on intense and inspired shows. The album centers around three extended pieces: reed player Joseph Jarmen's "Theme for SCO," the group's "Urban Magic," and reed player Roscoe Mitchell's "Uncle." Over the course of these multi-part "suites," the group effectively blurs the lines between jazz and free jazz, deftly working through New Orleans' marches, turbulent hard bop, highlife/reggae rhythms, and minimalist sound sculptures; while Jarmen, Mitchell, and trumpeter Lester Bowie come up with consistently varied and surprising solo/tandem contributions, drummer Don Moye and bassist Malachi Favors expand the sound with an array of percussion effects and humorous interjections (sirens, car horns, megaphone rants). Moye and Favors are also featured on the percussion vehicles "Promenade: Cote Bamako I & II," "Bush Magic," and "Sun Preconditions II." The set is balanced out by melancholic and sweet ballads by Bowie and Mitchell ("New York Is Full of Lonely People" and "Peter and Judith," respectively). This is one of the Art Ensemble's best recordings, but due to its intense breadth it might not be an ideal first purchase for newcomers. The best entry point into the group's catalog would be a studio record like Nice Guys (1978) or Third Decade (1984). by Stephen Cook  
Tracklist 1 :
1     Promenade: Cote Bamako I 4:11
Famoudou Don Moye
2     Bush Magic 5:05
Malachi Favors / Famoudou Don Moye
3     Urban Magic 15:45
Lester Bowie / Malachi Favors / Joseph Jarman / Roscoe Mitchell / Famoudou Don Moye
4     Sun Precondition Two/Theme for Sco 21:53
Joseph Jarman / Famoudou Don Moye     
Tracklist 2 :
1     New York Is Full of Lonely People 7:37
Lester Bowie
2     Ancestral Meditation 6:56
Lester Bowie / Malachi Favors / Joseph Jarman / Roscoe Mitchell / Famoudou Don Moye
3     Uncle 17:29
Roscoe Mitchell
4     Peter and Judith 2:39
Roscoe Mitchell
5     Promenade: Cote Bamako II 5:57
Famoudou Don Moye
6     Odwalla/Theme 5:14
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Bass, Percussion, Melodica, Vocals – Malachi Favors Maghostut
Design – Barbara Wojirsch
Percussion – Famoudou Don Moye
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Saxophone, Flute, Congas – Roscoe Mitchell
Saxophone, Vocals, Clarinet, Flute, Congas – Joseph Jarman
Trumpet, Bass Drum, Horn [Long Horn], Vocals – Lester Bowie

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - The Third Decade (1985) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Third Decade marked both the end of their relationship with the ECM label and the beginning of a more streamlined stretch of music making. The band would cut back on their once predominant, free-form explorations to make room for more bebop and crossover material, like "Funky AECO" and the Caribbean-tinged bop tune "Zero," straightforward genre pieces the band still undermine with playful "found sounds" (bike horns, sirens, chimes, etc.). Along these more traditional lines, the lovely, '20s-style jazz ballad "Walking in the Moonlight" is also included. The group stretches out on more open-ended pieces like Joseph Jarmen's dirge-like opener "Prayer for Jimbo Kwesi" and Mitchell's magisterial number "The Bell Piece," but even here the group's traditionally frenetic playing is kept in check. This is not necessarily bad, considering the Art Ensemble's consistently top-notch and provocative solo work, straight-ahead or otherwise. The band does end the album, though, with the decidedly frenetic and free "Third Decade," as if to say they are equally adept at a variety of styles and so should not be restricted to only one. The point is well taken with this varied yet cogent set. by Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1    Prayer For Jimbo Kwesi 9:47
Written-By – J. Jarman
2    Funky AECO 7:39
Written-By – Art Ensemble
3    Walking In The Moonlight 4:07
Written-By – R. Mitchell
4    The Bell Piece 6:02
Written-By – R. E. Mitchell
5    Zero 5:55
Written-By – L. Bowie
6    Third Decade 8:19
Written-By – F. D. Moye, Art Ensemble
Credits :
Bass [String Bass], Percussion, Melodica, Bass Drum [Bass Pan Drums], Electric Bass, Cymbal [Cymbals], Balafon [Belafon], Percussion [Cans] – Malachi Favors Maghostut
Design – Barbara Wojirsch
Percussion ["Sun Percussion"], Drums [Trap Drums], Bendir, Horns [Bike Horns], Whistle [Whistles], Congas, Djembe [Djimbe], Talking Drum [Djun-Djun], Talking Drum [Donno], Bongos, Timpani [Tympani], Shekere [Chekere], Conch [Conch Shell], Horns [Long Horn], Horns [Elephant Horn], Gong [Gongs], Cymbal [Cymbals], Chimes, Wood Block [Wood Blocks], Balafon [Belafon], Bass Drum [Bass Pan Drums] – Famoudou Don Moye
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet [Bb Clarinet], Piccolo Flute [Piccolo], Flute [Eb Flute], Flute [C Flute], Conch [Conch Shell], Gong [Gongs], Congas, Tom Tom [Tom-Tom Drums], Whistle [Whistles], Bells [Bell Rack], Siren, Horns [Bike Horns], Bass Drum [Bass Pan Drum], Synthesizer – Joseph Jarman
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Piccolo Flute [Piccolo], Flute [C Flute], Clarinet [Bb Clarinet], Bongos, Congas [Conga], Glockenspiel, Whistle [Whistles], Bells, Steel Drums [Pans], Horns [Bike Horns], Chimes [Dinner Chimes], Wood Block [Wood Blocks], Artwork [Cover Art] – Roscoe E. Mitchell
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Bass Drum, Cymbal [Cymbal Rack] – Lester Bowie

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO & LESTER BOWIE'S BRASS FANTASY - Live at the 6th Tokyo Music Joy (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Yobu-Sun 4:35
Written-By – Famoudou Don Moye
2    Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Ride The Line 3:56
Written-By – Malachi Favors
3    Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Song For Atala 2:49
Written-By – Roscoe Mitchell
4    Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    Night Time (Is The Right Time) 3:04
Arranged By [Arr. By] – Byron Bowie
Written-By – L.Hermann
5    Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    Good Morning Heartache 8:44
Arranged By [Arr.] – Earl McIntyre
Written-By – Billie Holiday
6    Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    Music Of The Night 7:13
Arranged By [Arr.] – Earl McIntyre
Written-By – Andrew Lloyd Weber
7    Art Ensemble Of Chicago & Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    The Emperor 13:45
Arranged By [Arr.], Written-By – Steve Turre
8    Art Ensemble Of Chicago & Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    Variations 9:07
Arranged By [Arr. By], Written-By – Roscoe Mitchell
9    Art Ensemble Of Chicago & Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    Jackson In Your House 4:50
Arranged By – E.J.Allen
Written-By – Roscoe Mitchell
10    Art Ensemble Of Chicago & Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy–    Great Pretender 3:10
Arranged By [Arr.] – Steve Turre
Written-By – Buck Ram
Credits :
Bass, Percussion – Malachi Favors Maghostut
Drums – Vinnie Johnson
Drums, Percussion – Famoudou Don Moye
French Horn – Vincent Chancey
Producer – Art Ensemble Of Chicago
Saxophone [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass], Clarinet, Flute, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Saxophone [Soprano, Alto, Tenor], Clarinet, Flute, Percussion, Synthesizer – Joseph Jarman
Trombone – Clifton Anderson
Trombone, Conch [Shell] – Steve Turre
Trumpet – E.J. Allen, Gerald Brazel
Trumpet, Percussion, Leader [Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy] – Lester Bowie
Trumpet, Trumpet [Piccolo] – Stanton Davis
Tuba – Bob Stewart