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

EVAN PARKER | TRANSATLANTIC ART ENSEMBLE - Boustrophedon (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Boustrophedon (In Six Furrows) was recorded in Munich during September of 2004 -- immediately following the night Roscoe Mitchell recorded Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2 & 3. What the two recordings have in common is that they were both created using a transatlantic group of musicians, some of whom played on both dates. This disc was conceived as its counterpart. The group here is an interesting one: it consists of Evan Parker and his longtime mates and partners in crime Paul Lytton, Barry Guy, Philipp Wachsmann, and John Rangecroft. It also features Mitchell and his brilliant Note Factory quartet with Craig Taborn, Tani Tabbal, and Jaribu Shahid, with other friends such as Anders Svanoe, Neil Metcalfe, Corey Wilkes, Nils Bultmann, and Marcio Mattos -- all told, a 14-piece orchestra. Parker, who composed this music and conducts, is featured here on soprano. Like Mitchell's offering, this is a music based on strategies, as the title would suggest. Boustrophedon is a Greek word meaning "turning like an ox while plowing" -- hence, the word "furrows" in the title. In fact, Parker quotes a beautiful passage from Samuel Beckett's The Expelled that offers its own explanation by trying to count stairs adequately first by climbing up and then again when walking down. The music here moves in much the same way, with vertical ascent and descent according to innate scalar challenges and horizontally in both directions as well. Textural elements, tonal colors by the different combinations of contrasting players on any given track, drama, dynamic, and (of course) the degree of improvisation held within this manner of working all present numerous challenges as well as opportunities. This music is not jazz -- free or otherwise -- nor is it merely classical formalism or improvisation deconstruction. Instead, Parker's compositions are scored with the idea of bringing together, through his very European outlook, the different ways region, distance, cultural difference, and discipline combine to make something else: a new work that maintains an identity that is transcultural and trans-aesthetic. This is one work divided into six sections for easy CD programming (on LP this would never happen). Parker is more restrained, much more patient to let his lines and chromatic changes occur as they begin to appear, enhancing them with spirited improvisation that nonetheless leaves its edges at the door. It is as compelling as Mitchell's album, although very different. It is an exercise in musical mystery, chance, and opaque textures that get inside the listener and stay there a bit before moving on toward the next plateau.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Boustrophedon (In Six Furrows)    
1    Overture    1:21
2    Furrow 1    8:09
3    Furrow 2    5:46
4    Furrow 3    11:07
5    Furrow 4    5:21
6    Furrow 5    8:20
7    Furrow 6    12:52
8    Finale    6:19
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Anders Svanoe
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Roscoe Mitchell
Cello – Marcio Mattos
Clarinet – John Rangecroft
Double Bass – Barry Guy, Jaribu Shahid
Drums, Percussion – Paul Lytton, Tani Tabbal
Ensemble – The Transatlantic Art Ensemble
Flute – Neil Metcalfe
Piano – Craig Taborn
Recorded By – Manfred Eicher, Stefano Amerio
Soprano Saxophone, Music By – Evan Parker
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Corey Wilkes
Viola – Nils Bultmann
Violin – Philipp Wachsmann

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Creative Orchestra Music 1976 (1987) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of Braxton's most interesting recordings. Six of his compositions are performed by groups ranging from 15-20 pieces and featuring such soloists as trumpeters Cecil Bridgewater, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler and Jon Faddis, baritonist Bruce Johnstone, trombonist George Lewis, reed player Roscoe Mitchell, bassist Dave Holland, pianist Muhal Richard Abrams and Braxton himself. There is a lot of variety on this set. One of the pieces finds Braxton combining free elements with a Sousa-type march while another one looks toward Ellington. There are quite a few memorable moments on this program. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Piece One 5:10
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton, Seldon Powell
Baritone Saxophone – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Trombone – Earl McIntyre
Conductor – Leo Smith
Drums – Warren Smith
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams
Tenor Saxophone – Ronald Bridgewater
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
2    Piece Two 7:36
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Clarinet – Ronald Bridgewater, Seldon Powell
Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Gong [Gongs], Percussion – Barry Altschul
Percussion – Philip Wilson
Piano – Frederic Rzewski, Muhal Richard Abrams
Soprano Saxophone – Roscoe Mitchell
Synthesizer – Richard Teitelbaum
Timpani, Bass Drum – Warren Smith
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
3    Piece Three 6:43
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Flute – Seldon Powell
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax], Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Drum – Frederic Rzewski
Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Cymbal [Marching Cymbals] – Philip Wilson
Glockenspiel – Karl Berger
Snare [Snare Drum] – Barry Altschul, Warren Smith
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Ronald Bridgewater
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Kenny Wheeler
Trumpet [Solo Trumpet], Conductor – Leo Smith
Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet – Jon Faddis
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
4    Piece Four 6:26
Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Bells, Percussion, Chimes [Orchestra] – Barry Altschul
Cello – Dave Holland
Clarinet – Ron Bridgewater
Drums, Percussion – Philip Wilson
Flute – Seldon Powell
Flute, Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Roscoe Mitchell
Flute, Contrabass Saxophone [Contrabass Sax] – Anthony Braxton
Marimba [Bass Marimba], Chimes [Orchestra] – Warren Smith
Piano – Frederic Rzewski, Muhal Richard Abrams
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Wadada Leo Smith
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
Vibraphone, Xylophone, Chimes [Orchestra] – Karl Berger
5    Piece Five 7:19
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Seldon Powell
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Contrabass Saxophone [Contrabass Sax] – Anthony Braxton
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Conductor – Leo Smith
Drums – Warren Smith
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Ron Bridgewater
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
Vibraphone – Karl Berger
6    Piece Six 6:40
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass Trombone – Earl McIntyre
Cello – Dave Holland
Clarinet – Ronald Bridgewater
Conductor – Muhal Richard Abrams
Flute – Seldon Powell
Sopranino Saxophone [Sopranino Sax], Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
Credits :
Composed By [All Music Composed By], Arranged By [All Music Arranged By] – Anthony Braxton

ROSCOE MITCHELL — Duets with Anthony Braxton (1978-2017) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Compositions By Roscoe Mitchell    
1    Five Twenty One Equals Eight    4:52
2    Line Fine Lyon Seven    1:15
3    Seven Behind Nine Ninety-Seven Sixteen Or Seven    2:37
4    Cards - Three And Open    10:52
Compositions By Anthony Braxton    
5    Composition 40Q    6:46
6    Composition 74B    6:35
7    Composition 74A    7:56
    Plus The Previously Unreleased    
8    Seven Behind Nine Ninety-Seven Sixteen Or Seven (Alternate)    2:59
Credits :
Composed By – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 5 to 7), Roscoe Mitchell (pistas: 1 to 4, 8)
Reeds [Left], Flute [Flutes, Left] – Anthony Braxton
Reeds [Right], Flute [Flutes, Right] – Roscoe Mitchell

ANTHONY BRAXTON - The Complete Arista Recordings Of Anthony Braxton (2008) 8xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Since he released the completely solo For Alto in 1968, the accepted image of Anthony Braxton has been that he is more a theoretician and art music composer than a jazz musician. Therefore, it might seem strange that Mosaic Records is giving his Complete Arista Recordings one of their fabled box set treatments. But Braxton is both -- and much more. This set -- as well as the original Arista recordings -- were produced by Michael Cuscuna, Mosaic/Blue Note label head. The sheer scope of these recordings is staggering. What we get in this amazingly detailed collection is the weightiest argument yet for Braxton's range and depth of field as a musical thinker and his role as a pillar of modern jazz. The individual albums -- New York, Fall 1974; Five Pieces, 1975; Creative Orchestra Music, 1976; Duets, 1976; For Trio; The Montreux/Berlin Concerts; Alto Saxophone Improvisations, 1979; For Four Orchestras; For Two Pianos -- showcase him in a rainbow of settings, from quintets and duets, to trios, quartets, and solo; as the leader of a big band, and as a playing conductor. The players are a who's who of the vanguard in both America and Europe: Muhal Richard Abrams, Leroy Jenkins, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland, Jerome Cooper, Leo Smith, Cecil Bridgewater, Roscoe Mitchell, George Lewis, Karl Berger, Ursula Oppens, Frederic Rzewski, Phillip Wilson, Henry Threadgill, and many more.

Given the wide variations in track times, sequencing this set to make it even remotely affordable must have been somewhat frustrating. Comparing the track list to the discographical notes, the full context of this is realized. The box is impeccably organized album by album to be sure, but not necessarily in the chronological order of release. An example: on discs one and two, the albums New York, Fall 1974, and its successor, Five Pieces, 1975 are successive, but then Duets, 1976 (with Abrams) was released after Creative Orchestra Music 1976. This is followed by the first four tracks from Alto Saxophone Improvisations, 1979, which continues and is completed on disc three, etc. That said, there is wonderful aesthetic and principled logic involved in the sound and dynamic of the organization of these discs. In other words, even if an original album is split by disc, it makes complete sense. For instance, while some records are split over various CDs, the decision to give For Four Orchestras its own disc (the final one) was a wise one. The package itself is typical Mosaic: high class presentation with an amazing track by track essay by Braxton's student and collaborator Mike Heffley, a brief reminiscence by Cuscuna, a boatload of killer session photographs, and exhaustive discographical and personnel information. The sound is literally pristine and full of warmth. One can hear no flaws from the source material even when A-B'ed against the original LPs; this is even true of the live Montreux/Berlin Concerts.

Most importantly, however, is that this music from Braxton sounds and feels so on time in the 21st century. This is not only true in its scope and vision, but also in what is realized in its execution. Where John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman expanded the possibilities for new colors and sounds in jazz, less (or no) credit is given to West Coast players like Jimmy Giuffre and Warne Marsh, except in Braxton's sound worlds. His investigations in using the jazz tradition in order to unmake it in terms of tonality, sound, and texture, while preserving its sense of inventive rhythm, melody, harmonic structures, and even swing (check Creative Orchestra Music, 1976), do not feel remotely academic all these decades later. One can hear humor and warmth in the deep paradoxes of a brilliant mind wrestling with the issues of jazz and new music, challenging his own and accepted notions of their accepted places in the world of sonic architecture. Also, in his most direct exercises, there lies the deep expressiveness of his incessant effort to assimilate his discoveries into an ever-expanding organizational system of sound. This is heard, whether it's in his playing of jazz standards or his original compositions. It's there in the process of conception as well as technical articulation. Nothing here feels quaint or nostalgic. Instead, it's revelatory and engaging, inviting and still provocative. The historic reissue of this material adds yet another level if we wish to deepen our understanding of the myriad ways Braxton has enhanced and expanded each of the traditions he's involved himself with.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
New York, Fall 1974    
1-1    Opus 23B    8:51
1-2    Opus 23C    3:11
1-3    Opus 23D    7:04
1-4    Opus 38A    6:27
1-5    Opus 37    8:17
1-6    Opus 23A    5:29
Five Pieces 1975    
1-7    Opus 23H    4:40
1-8    Opus 23G    8:13
1-9    Opus 23E    17:17
1-10    Opus 40M    3:23
2-1    You Stepped Out Of A Dream 7:11
Written-By – G. Khan, M. H. Brown
Duets 1976    
2-2    Miss Ann 4:09
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
2-3    Opus 60    9:19
2-4    Opus 40P    7:02
2-5    Maple Leaf Rag 3:37
Written-By – Scott Joplin
2-6    Opus 62    13:04
2-7    Nickie 3:15
Written-By – A. Braxton, M. R. Abrams
Alto Saxophone Improvisations 1979    
2-8    Opus 77A    7:35
2-9    Opus 77C    6:30
2-10    Red Top 6:15
Written-By – B. Kynard, L. Hampton
2-11    Opus 77D    7:25
3-1    Opus 77E    4:26
3-2    Opus 26F    6:22
3-3    Opus 77F    6:20
3-4    Opus 26B    6:58
3-5    Along Came Betty 8:00
Written-By – Benny Golson
3-6    Opus 77G    5:17
3-7    Opus 26E    6:17
3-8    Giant Steps 6:22
Written-By – John Coltrane
3-9    Opus 77H    7:05
For Trio    
3-10    Opus 76 (Version One) 20:10
Engineer – Jim Dolan
4-1    Opus 76 (Version Two) 21:28
Engineer – Jim Dolan
For Two Pianos    
4-2    Opus 95 For Two Pianos 49:28
Engineer – Carlo Martenet
Creative Orchestra Music 1976    
5-1    Opus 51    5:11
5-2    Opus 56    7:33
5-3    Opus 58    6:44
5-4    Opus 57    6:25
5-5    Opus 55    7:19
5-6    Opus 59    6:41
The Montreux / Berlin Concerts    
5-7    Opus 63    23:32
6-1    Opus 40N    7:48
6-2    Opus 23J    13:59
6-3    Opus 40    7:35
6-4    Opus 6F    8:17
6-5    Opus 40K    15:32
6-6    Opus 6C    10:00
For Four Orchestras    
7-1    Opus 82, Part One    54:04
8-1    Opus 82, Part Two    58:26
All Credits 

ROSCOE MITCHELL & MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS - Duets & Solos (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Scenes And Color (piano Solo) 26:25
Muhal Richard Abrams
2     Ode To The Imagination (Duet 1) 10:19
Muhal Richard Abrams / Roscoe Mitchell
3     Star Night (Saxophone Solo) 14:55
Roscoe Mitchell
4     Reunion (Duet 2): March/Prelude/Dance/Finale 27:42
Muhal Richard Abrams / Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams (faixas: 1, 2, 4)
Saxophone – Roscoe Mitchell (faixas: 2 to 4)

ROSCOE MITCHELL - Hey Donald (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Since Roscoe Mitchell (who on this set made his return to the Delmark label after 28 years) is best known as a free jazz pioneer and a longtime member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, the straightahead nature of a few of the selections will surprise some of his followers. "Walking in the Moonlight" is a sly and witty strut, "Jeremy" a melodic ballad for the leader's flute and "Hey Donald" could have come from the Sonny Rollins songbook. But Mitchell has not forsaken his innovative style. On "Dragons" his soprano playing (with its circular breathing) sounds very African, there are four free duets with bassist Malachi Favors and the blowouts on "Song for Rwanda" and "See You at the Fair" are pretty adventurous. In general Mitchell (who is joined by a versatile rhythm section comprised of pianist Jodie Christian, bassist Favors and drummer Tootie Heath) saves the more boppish pieces for his tenor while on soprano his intense sound creates a drone effect reminiscent a bit of bagpipes. All in all his release for Delmark should keep listeners guessing. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Walking in the Moonlight 6:55
Roscoe Mitchell
2     Dragons 6:48
Roscoe Mitchell
3     Jeremy 1:54
Jodie Christian
4     El 2:51
Roscoe Mitchell
5     Hey Donald 7:45
Roscoe Mitchell
6     Keep on Keeping On 2:44
Malachi Favors
7     The Band Room 2:27
Roscoe Mitchell
8     Englewood High School 4:06
Roscoe Mitchell
9     Zero 4:29
Lester Bowie
10     Song for Rwanda 6:23
Roscoe Mitchell
11     58th Street 4:33
Roscoe Mitchell
12     See You at the Fair 5:26
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Flute – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass – Malachi Favors
Drums, Percussion – Albert 'Tootie' Heath
Piano – Jodie Christian

THE ROSCOE MITCHEL QUARTET - In Walked Buckner (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Roscoe Mitchell once fronted perhaps his most daringly different trio with multi-instrumentalist Gerald Oshita and vocalist Thomas Buckner. This recording, dedicated to Buckner, captures the singing characteristics of Buckner in a purely instrumental way, and quite beautifully. Timbres are rare and off-kilter, free flowing, static, or flat-out swinging. In the middle is Mitchell, carrying the torch that has kept him a vital, adventurous American musician for three decades. Armed with a raft of woodwind instruments, Mitchell, with yeoman's help from bassist Reggie Workman, the judicious pianistics of Jodie Christian and the masterful drumming of Al Heath, makes the quartet, when they play together, unstoppable. Substantive solo space is distributed, especially for the leader. Check out his saxophone on the self-explanatory "Squeaky." Smaller combinations are fashioned with a no-time policy. Improvisations are stark and real. Spiritual evocations are evident. The bulk of the remainder of the eight-cut program, from the ethereally nautical "Off Shore," the lilting "Le Dreher Suite," and the haunting "Opposite Sides" emphatically showcase Mitchell's otherworldly flute work. They are convincing exhibits of Mitchell's position as perhaps the premier and essential improvised musical voice in the avant-garde of them all. In spirit, execution, and intent, Mitchell succeeds on all levels, except perhaps as a hitmaker. Surely his fans like it that way. Highly recommended to appreciators of this style. by Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1     Off Shore 11:04
Roscoe Mitchell
2     In Walked Buckner 5:56
Roscoe Mitchell
3     Squeaky 7:40
Roscoe Mitchell
4     The Le Dreher Suite 8:58
Roscoe Mitchell
5     Three Sides of the Story 7:24
Roscoe Mitchell
6     Till Autumn 4:04
Roscoe Mitchell
7     Fly Over 11:15
Roscoe Mitchell
8     Opposite Sides 8:25
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Bass, Percussion [Small], Whistle – Reggie Workman
Drums, Flute [Egyptian], Didgeridoo, Percussion [Small] – Albert "Tootie" Heath
Piano, Bells [Small] – Jodie Christian
Piccolo Flute, Flute [Baroque], Recorder [Bass], Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Bells [Small], Whistle [Whistles] – Roscoe Mitchell

ROSCOE MITCHELL - Solo 3 (2003) 3CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

This is not Roscoe Mitchell's third solo album, far from it. The "3" in the title refers to the fact that it is a three-CD set and that Mitchell has designed each disc to stand on its own. So, in fact, Solo 3 is a set of three solo albums. Mitchell explains in the liner notes: "I thought that at this point in my career, one solo CD is not enough. I'd better put out three CDs, because time is going on by." Disc one, titled "Tech Ritter and the Megabytes," is the most varied and interesting of the set. Released by itself, it would have a claim as Mitchell's best solo effort. The saxophonist plays all kinds of instruments, from B-flat bass sax to sopranino sax and even a short number at the percussion cage. Two tracks are multi-part compositions ("The Little Big Horn 2," a development on an improvisation dating back to the '70s, is a highlight), but this CD is mostly defined by the two 20-minute improvisations simply titled "November 18, 2000" and "November 17, 2000." "18" is particularly brilliant: Mitchell explores many aspects of the instrument, from circular breathing to space-filled attacks, focusing on short music cells before taking flight, landing on new territory, and focusing on different cells. This CD offers a compelling balance between composition and improvisation, long and short, abstract and melodic. The second disc, titled "Solar Flares," is entirely devoted to the alto saxophone. Here, Mitchell's improvisations follow a jazzier path. The music is warmer, more reflective, and easier to get into. The disc is dominated by Mitchell's rich sound and acrobatic articulation. Tracks remain mostly within the four- to seven-minute range, with only "The Great Red Spot" stretching to ten minutes. The opening "Nemus," the very short but so graceful "Icy Pearls," and the vehement "The Forgotten Players of the Solar System" are all highlights. The third disc, titled "The Percussion Cage and Music on the Go," is something else entirely. It contains 21 very short tracks, nothing over five minutes. They are for the most part percussion solos, with a handful of sopranino sax pieces interpolated in the middle. Mitchell's "percussion cage" is a four-sided rack of miscellaneous junk pieces, toys, and "traditional" percussion instruments. Not rhythmical, but not quite textural either, his approach focuses on soft sounds and delicate combinations of hits and rings. The music has its moments, but it pales in comparison to what has been exhibited on the first two discs. by François Couture  
Tracklist 1 :
Tech Ritter And The Megabytes
1     The Little Big Horn 2 4:24
Roscoe Mitchell
2     November 18, 2000 18:41
Roscoe Mitchell
3     1999/2002 8:24
Roscoe Mitchell
4     Tech Ritter and the Megabytes/Improvisation 2:19
Roscoe Mitchell
5     November 17, 2000 17:54
Roscoe Mitchell
6     A Dim Distant World 3:34
Roscoe Mitchell
7     Tech Ritter and the Megabytes/Composition 2:13
Roscoe Mitchell
Tracklist 2 :     
Solar Flares For Alto Saxophone
1     Nemus 7:01
Roscoe Mitchell
2     Beyond Neptune 5:13
Roscoe Mitchell
3     The Kyper Belt 6:53
Roscoe Mitchell
4     Miranda 7:02
Roscoe Mitchell
5     As the Sun Sent Down He Would Look Up 5:02
Roscoe Mitchell
6     Icy Pearly 1:19
Roscoe Mitchell
7     The Great Red Spot 10:26
Roscoe Mitchell
8     The Forgotten Players of the Solar System 4:40
Roscoe Mitchell
9     Methane Snow 2:01
Roscoe Mitchell
10     Frozen in Time 4:48
Roscoe Mitchell
Tracklist 3 :    
The Percussion Cage And Music On The Go
1     Horn Bell and Drum 1:45
Roscoe Mitchell
2     Clear Pictures 2:49
Roscoe Mitchell
3     The Park 4:07
Roscoe Mitchell
4     The Mercurians 2:31
Roscoe Mitchell
5     Clocks 2:49
Roscoe Mitchell
6     A Surface Covered With Cracks 4:16
Roscoe Mitchell
7     Meteor 2:58
Roscoe Mitchell
8     Rings 1:56
Roscoe Mitchell
9     Some Flowers Were Seen 2:10
Roscoe Mitchell
10     Rock Number 84001 2:24
Roscoe Mitchell
11     An Ambiguous Sign of Life 2:52
Roscoe Mitchell
12     On Rolling Hills 4:44
Roscoe Mitchell
13     Jump 1:34
Roscoe Mitchell
14     Green Sky 0:47
Roscoe Mitchell
15     One Two and Red Blew 1:26
Roscoe Mitchell
16     Truly 3:22
Roscoe Mitchell
17     It Was Only a Nebula Away 5:30
Roscoe Mitchell
18     Next Stop Titan 2:22
Roscoe Mitchell
19     At Corona's End 2:19
Roscoe Mitchell
20     Dust 3:44
Roscoe Mitchell
21     Sailing 2:52
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Percussion [Percussion Cage] – Roscoe Mitchell

ROSCOE MITCHELL AND THE NOTE FACTORY - Far Side (2010) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Recorded live in Burghausen, Germany in 2007, Far Side features journeyman avant-garde saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and his ensemble the Note Factory performing in a concert. Joining Mitchell here are trumpeter Corey Wilkes, pianists Craig Taborn and Vijay Iyer, bassists Jaribu Shahid and Harrison Bankhead, and drummers Tani Tabbal and Vincent Davis. Beginning with the epic three-part 30-minute suite "Far Side/Cards/Far Side," the concert is an atmospheric and cinematic mix of Mitchell's longstanding musical touchstones including free jazz, European classical music, and modern creative group improvisation. Tracks such as the fragmented and atonal "Quintet 2007 A for Eight" and the similarly inclined "Trio Four for Eight" have the feel of composed classical music while evincing a more freely improvised aesthetic. This is often achieved by juxtaposing bowed cello and bass parts against improvised piano and sections where each musician seems to interject a melodic idea into an overall harmonic theme. There are moments of layered percussion, expansive atonal soundscapes, and fiery and combative moments between Mitchell and Wilkes as well as windy, drawn-out passages that tilt upon silence. If you're a hardcore Mitchell aficionado and/or fan of ECM's cerebral jazz catalog, Far Side would be a stellar addition to your library. by Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1    Far Side / Cards / Far Side    30:56
Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory
2    Quintet 2007 A For Eight    9:56
Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory
3    Trio Four For Eight    12:37
Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory
4    Ex Flover Five    12:24
Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory
Credits :
Double Bass – Jaribu Shahid
Double Bass, Cello – Harrison Bankhead
Drums – Tanni Tabbal, Vincent Davis
Piano – Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer
Saxophone [Saxophones], Flute [Flutes], Music By – Roscoe Mitchell
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Corey Wilkes 

ROSCOE MITCHELL - Duets with Tyshawn Sorey and Special Guest Hugh Ragin (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Legendary improviser Roscoe Mitchell teamed up with multi-instrumentalist and modern composer Tyshawn Sorey, with occasional assistance from fellow Art Ensemble of Chicago member Hugh Ragin, to create this 11-track album of meditative improvisations and slow-moving explorations of sound and space. Playing spare percussion as well as a bevy of saxophones, flutes, and woodwinds, Mitchell joins in with his collaborators to create a patient, fragmented sonic environment, full of floating and curious sounds. Occasional bursts of energetic sound are more playful than aggressive, though even the more brash and outgoing sounds have a particularly insular feel to them. by Fred Thomas
Tracklist :
1     The Horn 2:03
R. Mitchell
2     The Way Home 7:15
R. Mitchell / T. Sorey
3     Bells in the Air 11:17
R. Mitchell / H. Ragin / T. Sorey
4     Out There 4:02
R. Mitchell
5     Scrunch 8:44
R. Mitchell / H. Ragin / T. Sorey
6     A Cactus and a Rose 4:16
R. Mitchell
7     Chant 8:56
R. Mitchell
8     Meadows 2:06
R. Mitchell
9     A Game of Catch 7:25
R. Mitchell / T. Sorey
10     Waves 8:19
R. Mitchell / H. Ragin / T. Sorey
11     Windows with a View 2:13
R. Mitchell
Credits :
Performer [Performed By] – Hugh Ragin (faixas: 3, 5, 7, 10, 11), Roscoe Mitchell, Tyshawn Sorey (faixas: 2, 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 11)

ROSCOE MITCHELL - Bells for the South Side (2017) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For more than 50 years, Roscoe Mitchell has blurred relationships between sound and silence, scripted composition and improvisation, jazz, classical, and even R&B musics as a soloist, bandleader, member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and composer. In 2015, Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art presented a 50th anniversary exhibition devoted to the Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians (or AACM), an organization Mitchell co-founded, in an exhibit called The Freedom Principle. The music on the double-length Bells for the South Side was recorded during the exhibit with four of Mitchell's trios -- James Fei and William Winant; Hugh Ragin and Tyshawn Sorey; Craig Taborn and Kikanju Baku; Jaribu Shahid and Tani Tabbal -- playing separately and in combinations.
The music here glances back to the many places Mitchell has visited, but this is no mere retrospective: most of this is bracing new music that looks forward to further exploratory musical landscapes. The set opens with "Spatial Aspects of the Sound," a chamber piece with Baku using wrist bells, Winant's various percussion instruments, and Taborn's and Sorey's pianos. At 12-plus minutes, it unhurriedly allows tones and clusters, movement and stillness, to articulate a range of carefully controlled articulations. On "Panoply," sputtering sopranino, squawking tenor, kit drums, and various percussion instruments engage in aggressive, inspired free interplay. "Prelude to a Rose" contrasts Sorey's trombone, Ragin's trumpets, and Mitchell's reeds in elongated, dovetailing tones through a slowly unfolding melody. "EP 7849" is another combinatory exercise with electronics, electric guitar, cowbell, hand drums, and bowed double bass that offers futurist dissonance and complex, fascinating engagement. "Dancing in the Canyon" is a canny, propulsive, and extremely active free-for-all with Taborn and Baku. On the title track, disc one's closer, the Art Ensemble's army of percussion instruments is utilized. Sorey plays Mitchell’s percussion cage, and Tabbal and Baku the percussion instruments of Don Moye and Malachi Favors, with Winant on Lester Bowie's bass drum. Ragin’s trumpet offers sounds in all registers, while Mitchell digs extremely low-end sounds from his bass sax. It's certainly mysterious, but also utterly lovely. Disc two's "Prelude to the Card Game, Cards for Drums, and the Final Hand" features Mitchell, Tabbal, and Shahid in an intuitive, equaniminous improvisation one would expect from players whose relationship dates back 40 years. Likewise, the extended smearing and droning of Mitchell's and Fei's reeds on "Six Gongs and Two Woodblocks" amid Winant's percussion and Fei's electronics are simultaneously spectral and inquisitive. The closing medley, "Red Moon in the Sky/Odwalla," juxtaposes a new work (the former) with a reading of an Art Ensemble staple, with all players in open, bleating improvisation before a tight, bluesy, modal post-bop sums it all up, displaying the myriad faces of Mitchell's approach to both function and extension in the relentless creation of a poetics in sound. Bells for the South Side is indeed massive, but its depth, breadth, and inspired performances border on the profound.  
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist 1 :
1     Spatial Aspects of the Sound    12:14   
Roscoe Mitchell
2     Panoply    7:36    
Roscoe Mitchell
3     Prelude to a Rose    12:44
Roscoe Mitchell
4     Dancing in the Canyon    10:23  
Kikanju Baku / Roscoe Mitchell / Craig Taborn
5     EP 7849    8:13
Roscoe Mitchell
6     Bells for the South Side    12:35  
Roscoe Mitchell
Tracklist 2 :
6     Bells for the South Side    12:35  
Roscoe Mitchell
Tracklist 2 :
1     Prelude to the Card Game, Cards for Drums, and the Final Hand    16:03  
Roscoe Mitchell
2     The Last Chord    12:26
3     Six Gongs & Two Woodblocks    7:50
Roscoe Mitchell
4     R509A Twenty B    1:34
Roscoe Mitchell
5     Red Moon in the Sky/Odwalla    25:49
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits:
Roscoe Mitchell : Sopranino, Soprano, Alto and Bass Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo, Bass Recorder, Percussion
James Fei : Sopranino and Alto Saxophone, Contra Alto Clarinet, Electronics
Hugh Ragin: Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet
Tyshawn Sorey : Trombone, Piano, Drums, Percussion
Craig Taborn : Piano, Organ, Electronics
Jaribu Shahid: Double Bass, Bass Guitar, Percussion
Tani Tabbal : Drums, Percussion
Kikanju Baku : Drums, Percussion
William Winant : Percussion, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Marimba, Roto Toms, Cymbals, Bass Drum, Woodblocks, Timpani

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