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

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

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

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

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

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

ANTHONY BRAXTON - GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 3 - Set 1 & 2 (2012) 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 3 - Set 1
1    Composition No.259    52:53
Bass – Carl Testa
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone
GTM (Iridium) 2007 Volume 3 - Set 2
1    Composition No. 346    1:01:12
Bass – Carl Testa
Bassoon – Katie Young
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Anthony Braxton Septet + 2
Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Percussion – Aaron Siegel
Reeds – Matt Bauder
Reeds, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Tuba – Jay Rozen
Viola – Jessica Pavone

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

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

ANTHONY BRAXTON : Composition No. 102 (For Orchestra & Puppet Theatre) (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Perhaps the most restrained piece of music he's ever written, Anthony Braxton's "Composition No. 102" features a 36-piece orchestra and three puppeteers (the puppets they operate are 25 feet tall!). According to the liner notes, Braxton's intention here, besides trying to enter into a world of composition for the whole family, is to augment the listening experience with a visual one of controlled and carefully notated movement, and absorb the listener/viewer in a fantasy world where the bird's-eye view is either from the world of dreams or from the catbird seat on a cloud. Braxton's wild -- and often visionary -- theories are nothing new; his completely impenetrable Tri-Axium Writings are full of the stuff. The trick is that more often than not he actually pulls this stuff off. In the case of "Composition No. 102," he delivers with a score that is rich in tonal color -- the guitar section alone is five pieces -- while being both deceptively repetitive and hypnotically active. Long, slowly evolving phrases are played over and over in section one, the processional, to denote that this is ceremonial or ritual music. It gives way, after transforming itself into another phrase harmonically -- with different instrumental timbres standing in for the original voices, etc. -- before entering into a period of restricted spatial improvisation and contrapuntal discussion. The "First Ceremony," then, is a part of the work where the puppets are going through their solo and interactive engagements and the players are ushering the movement in, while creating a musical tongue that enhances the movement onstage and off. A transition then takes place, melding both consonant and dissonant voices before creating another "ceremony" from the resultant equations of the first. Finally, as dissonance and consonance become assonance, the final fanfare can take place. Brass, reeds, strings, electric guitars, drums, and other instruments wind around the themes Braxton has written to "reclaim" their individual tones, but as one orchestra. If it sounds academic, it is. But that doesn't make it unfeeling or unlistenable -- far from it. This is one of the more outstanding works for large ensemble he's ever written, highlighting the entire panorama of orchestral colors Braxton has always claimed were possible but hadn't displayed yet. A necessity for any listener who's studied Braxton with consistency -- a beguiling mixture of control and fantasy.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Composition No. 102 (For Orchestra & Puppet Theatre)    
1    Opening Procession    14:22
2    First Ceremony    25:52
3    Transition    6:23
4    Third Ceremony    17:24
5    Closing Fanfare    4:13
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Allen Livermore, David Kasher, Matthew Lee, Niko Higgins
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Jackson Moore
Bass – Dirck Westervelt, Michael Lenore
Cello – Anil Seth, Vivian Lee
Composed By, Conductor, Liner Notes – Anthony Braxton
Cornet – Daniel Young
Euphonium [Double Belled Euphonium] – Stewart Gillmor
Flugelhorn – Taylor Ho Bynum
Flute – April Monroe, Christine Whitledge
Guitar – Dan Gilbert, Edmond Cho, Kevin O'Neil, Nathaniel Delafield, Thom Loubet
Keyboards – Robert Weythman
Koto [13 String Koto] – Brett Larner
Melodica – Sung Kim
Oboe – Raphael Cohen
Orchestra – The Wesleyan Creative Orchestra
Other [Puppeteer No-1] – Joshua Shimkin
Other [Puppeteer No-2] – Owen Benediktsson
Other [Puppeteer No-3] – Demian Mason
Percussion – Josh Rosenblatt, Rene Muslin
Piano – Eric Ronick, Kevin Uehinger, Michael Buescher, Michael Thompson, Ronaldo Garces
Soprano Vocals – Dorene Zjawinski
Trombone – John Speck
Trumpet – Sam Hoyt, Steve Laronga, Zach See
Violin – Nickie Braxton

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

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

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Sextet (Victoriaville) 2005 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Simply put, this is a stunning piece of work, performed in front of a stunned audience that was won over from the first few notes. After a spell of a few years, Anthony Braxton was back in Victoriaville in 2005 to present a new line-up. This sextet of young musicians (except for tuba player Jay Rozen, who is more experienced) is impressive to say the least. Taylor Ho Bynum makes a flashy trumpeter, quickly rising to the status of Toshinori Kondo. Violinist Jessica Pavone waltzes her way through the 68-minute piece almost effortlessly. Bassist Chris Dahlgren often applies a lot of pressure on the bow to get a gritty textural sound that evokes a fuzz guitar. Rozen's tuba is electronically treated, which also brings it closer to a noise guitar at times, giving this particular sextet a more raucous sound than what Braxton fans are used to. Percussionist Aaron Siegel goes by rather unnoticed, going through the score without making sparks. "Composition No. 345" features a striking balance between the abstract and the soulful. Its architecture is carefully hidden through pockets of free improvisation and seemingly random bits of scored tuttis, but its complex shapes and semi-parallel lines reveal themselves after a few listens. Compared to the Ghost Trance Music compositions, "No. 345" features a breathtaking level of complexity, yet the piece remains firmly rooted in the instant of playing, fascinating the listener with its every twist and turn. Not an easy listen even by Braxton's standards, this is nevertheless a must-have for the follower. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1    Composition No 345    1:08:53
Anthony Braxton
Credits :
Bass – Chris Dahlgren
Drums, Percussion, Vibraphone – Aaron Siegel
Saxophone [F], Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Tuba, Electronics – Jay Rozen

ANTHONY BRAXTON - 4 Compositions (Ulrichsberg) 2005 Phonomanie VIII (2006) 4CD SET | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Anthony Braxton celebrated his 60th birthday on June 4, 2005. Two weeks earlier, he was in Victoriaville playing three concerts, including an impromptu set with the harsh noise group Wolf Eyes -- all three performances have been recorded and released by Disques Victo as three separate CDs. Two weeks after blowing out his 60 candles, he was in Ulrichsberg, Austria, for a weeklong residency that culminated in four performances, also recorded and released, this time as a four-CD set on Leo Records. And just like in Victoriaville, Braxton kept it all about new, uncharted, daring music, without an iota of nostalgia. Disc one features "Composition 301" for solo piano, performed by Genevieve Foccroulle. It is an unusual venture for Braxton, with unusual results. The 35-minute piece offers plenty of puzzling structural and melodic ideas, but it sounds less immediately "Braxton" than what listeners are used to. The marks of John Cage, Charles Ives, and Witold Lutoslawski are more obvious here than anywhere else in his oeuvre. In his liner notes, Braxton says that there are 11 solo piano pieces at this time and that Foccroulle is working on a complete piano music recording. Maybe this project will provide an enhanced context for "Composition 301." Disc three is one of the very first recordings documenting Braxton's Diamond Curtain Wall Music, i.e., his experiments with live electronics. "Composition 323a" features the saxophonist with trumpeter Taylor Ho Bynum and percussionist Aaron Siegel in an engaging performance. The electronics are rather discreet, enhancing the master's sound palette without denaturalizing it, and the interplay is intense while leaving room for silence. Discs two and four present two hourlong works performed by the Ulrichsberg Tri-Centric Ensemble, a 14-piece orchestra of Austrian musicians with diverse backgrounds. It is "Tri-Centric" because of its three-headed conductorship: Braxton acts as "origin conductor," Bynum is the "synchronous conductor," and Siegel is the "polarity conductor." Conductors and section leaders are free to change course during the piece, creating strange kaleidoscopes that somehow always retain their cohesion. The two pieces performed are radical rearrangements of previously documented works ("Composition 96" and "Composition 169"). Following the various paths taken by everyone involved is a dizzying experience. Braxton's music tends to have a stronger impact when played by smaller groups than this one, but these two performances are worthy of your time. Due to the widely different instrumentations featured in this set, some people would probably wish for separate releases. In fact, if the complete piano recordings do happen, this quadruple set could have been broken down into a two-CD set for the Tri-Centric Ensemble recordings and a single CD for the Diamond Curtain Wall Music trio. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1-1    Genevieve Foccroulle–    Composition 301    34:53
2-1    The Ulrichsberg Tri-Centric Ensemble–    Compositions No. 96 + 134    56:05
3-1    Anthony Braxton, Taylor Ho Bynum, Aaron Siegel–    Composition 323a    47:20
4-1    The Ulrichsberg Tri-Centric Ensemble–    Compositions No. 169 + 147    1:04:54
All Credits

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Six Compositions (Ghost Trance Music) 2001 (2004) 4CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded about six years after his first ventures into ghost trance music, this sprawling, four-disc set shows significant advances in Braxton's conception of this territory, although it, in general, lacks some of the ecstatic quality of the earlier releases on Braxton House. While the general notion of a consistent pulse that defines ghostly trance music is present, the tempi are for the most part rather slow and march-like. This imparts something of a plodding quality to several of the works, acting against the nervous and pleasurable giddiness one derived from the prior albums. The pieces are arranged for a variety of ensembles, the number of members gradually decreasing from ten to two over the course of the set. In the 90-plus minute "Composition 286," the tentet allows Braxton to use the collage strategy he developed in the '80s with his classic quartet, that of interpolating earlier compositions into a performance. There's a lovely moment late in the piece where "Composition 23A," the gorgeous final track from his New York, Fall 1974 release, emerges from the dense ensemble work that's worth the price of the album. There is a certain looseness (or expansiveness) to the work that, oddly enough, ends up sounding very similar to some Sun Ra sides from the '60s. The remaining five compositions are scored for groups ranging from quintet to duo and what they lose in richness (not much, actually), they make up for in clarity of form. Here the individual contributions come to the fore and there's particularly exciting work from percussionist Gino Robair and guitarist John Shiurba. The latter, along with trumpeter Greg Kelley on the first track, provides fresh doses of non-idiomatic, free improvisation on the proceedings, an element that fits in beautifully with Braxton's larger conception but had previously been surprisingly under-represented. The pieces are considerably varied, even within the strict forms that Braxton has laid out as parameters; a standout is the extremely long and sinuous theme from "Composition 287" that winds its way through the space, probing odd nooks and crannies for the instrumentalists to explore at their leisure later on. The concluding duet (dedicated to Don Van Vliet) between Braxton and Shiurba is a marvel of intricacy, the composed lines intertwining delicately around each other, the improvised portions spinning off the central stems like curling tendrils. Six Compositions [GTM] 2001 is music of depth and imagination and showed that Braxton was still capable of discovering new and exciting territory more than three decades into his career. A must-have for his fans. Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
Composition No. 286 (+ 147, 20, 69D, 256, 173, 6J, 162, 23A)   
1-1    Part 1    24:02
1-2    Part 2    16:03
2-1    Part 3    32:30
2-2    Part 4    19:31
3-1    Composition No. 277 (+ 40L) 33:01
Contrabass – Matthew Sperry
Drums, Marimba, Vibraphone, Percussion, Percussion [Bowed Metals], Piano, Synthesizer, Electronics – Gino Robair
Guitar – John Shiurba
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone [F], Alto Saxophone [Eb], Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet [Eb Soprano, Bb, Contrabass] – Anthony Braxton
Sopranino Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet, Flute – Scott Rosenberg
3-2    Composition No. 287 (+ 40D) 31:26
Contrabass – Matthew Sperry
Drums, Marimba, Vibraphone, Percussion, Percussion [Bowed Metals], Piano, Synthesizer, Electronics – Gino Robair
Guitar – John Shiurba
Sopranino Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet, Flute – Scott Rosenberg
4-1    Composition No. 278 (+ 48) 18:59
Drums, Marimba, Vibraphone, Percussion, Percussion [Bowed Metals] – Gino Robair
Guitar – John Shiurba
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone [F], Alto Saxophone [Eb], Bass Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
4-2    Composition No. 289 24:33
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Jesse Gilbert
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Justin Yang
Saxophone [C-melody], Baritone Saxophone – Dan Plonsey
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone [F], Alto Saxophone [Eb] – Anthony Braxton
4-3    Composition No. 195 18:26
Guitar – John Shiurba
Sopranino Saxophone – Anthony Braxton
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Recorder [Soprano], Marimba – Jesse Gilbert (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Violin, Viola – Justin Yang (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Contrabass – Matthew Sperry (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Drums, Marimba, Vibraphone, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer, Electronics – Gino Robair (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Guitar, Voice – John Shiurba (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Saxophone [C-melody], Oboe, Clarinet, Clarinet [Turkish G], Recorder [Soprano], Marimba, Vibraphone – Dan Plonsey (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Sopranino Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet [Contrabass], Flute, Voice – Scott Rosenberg (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Trumpet, Trumpet [Pocket, Trumpbone], Flugelhorn, Performer [Shell], Recorder [Tenor], Marimba – Taylor Ho Bynum (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Trumpet, Voice – Greg Kelley (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)
Written-By, Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone [F], Alto Saxophone [Eb], Baritone Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone, Clarinet [Eb Soprano, Bb], Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton (pistas: 1-1 to 2-2)

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Trio (Glasgow) 2005 (2007) 2CD | FLAC (tracks), lossless

On June 4, 2005 Anthony Braxton attained the venerable age of 60. The weeks leading up to that auspicious celebration found him in Victoriaville Canada at the 22nd Festival Internationale de Musique Actuelle, leading his sextet through an accelerated Ghost Trance Music ritual or busily collaborating with the Wolf Eyes unit and guitarist Fred Frith. After spending May 26 and 27 back at Wesleyan University recording four compositions with his Quartet, Braxton made arrangements to embark upon yet another European tour. In one of fate's crueler twists, his rare and fascinating Conn-O-Sax F Alto saxophone was swiped en route. Undeterred, Braxton performed with Misha Mengelberg, Han Bennink, and the ICP Orchestra in Amsterdam on June 5. Thirteen days later he was on-stage in Ulrichsberg Austria with his Diamond Curtain/Wall Trio and the Ulrichsberg Tri-Centric Ensemble. Two lengthy excerpts from the Trio's appearance in Scotland at the Glasgow Center for Contemporary Art on June 23 were released by Leo Records in 2005 as a double-CD set. Given the loss of what must have been a cherished instrument, one can only imagine how Braxton felt when his soprano and sopranino saxophones turned up missing after the flight from Austria. Fortunately the horns were restored to him, but only after the performance heard on this recording. Under these somewhat stressful circumstances, the master multi-instrumentalist used only alto saxophone and SuperCollider computer audio programming software as he interacted with guitarist Tom Crean and cornet-flügelhorn-trombonist Taylor Ho Bynum. The incidence of what Braxton refers to as increased rhythmic subdivision and episodic abruptions places Composition 323 within the realm of Ghost Trance Music species 2 and 3, those transitional evolutionary stages which lead directly to Species 4, also known as Accelerator Class/Accelerator Whip. Of the two realizations offered on this recording, 323a is busier and more frenetic while during 323b, the Trio gives itself more room to breathe. Braxton's next recorded adventure would take place nearly one month later at a jazz festival in Molde Norway where a nearly-76-minute actuation of Composition 345 was recorded with a sextet. 323c would not materialize until the Trio returned to Wesleyan in September. The Glasgow 2005 recording has been designated as a companion to Braxton's four-CD set Solo Live at Gasthof Heidelberg Loppell, a systematic exploration of Compositions 307-309 interspersed with eight jazz standards, which was recorded in Belgium in April 2005. It is worth noting that this artist's involvement with interactive electronics predates his use of SuperCollider by decades. A delectable example is his creative use of delay on portions of Open Aspects (Duo) 1982, a bracingly enjoyable album of saxophone-synthesizer duets featuring electronic mastermind and longtime Braxton colleague Richard Teitelbaum. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1-1    Composition 323a    56:58
2-1    Composition 323b    1:00:11
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Electronics – Anthony Braxton
Cornet, Flugelhorn, Brass [Trumpbone] – Taylor Ho Bynum
Guitar – Tom Crean

ANTHONY BRAXTON | TAYLOR HO BYNUM - Duets (Wesleyan) 2002 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Since attaining professorship at Wesleyan, Anthony Braxton had been generous to a fault as far as recording with both students and other faculty. Sometimes the result was spectacular, as on Composition No. 247 with James Fei and Matt Welch; on other occasions, the outcome was more in the area of advanced noodling. This disc, with the fine young cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum, is certainly one of Braxton's superior collaborations in this regard. If anyone, Bynum is a bit reminiscent of Leo Smith, but he brings along an arsenal of attacks and techniques that align him more with forward-looking brass players like Axel Dörner and Greg Kelley. There are two Braxton compositions here, the prolific musician having passed the 300 mark in his personal catalog of pieces. They bear little resemblance to the Ghost Trance Music that had preoccupied him since 1995, instead evoking the contemplative atmosphere of earlier work, like "Composition 34," heard on the wonderful Sackville release Trio and Duet. Bynum's pieces, while certainly carrying the influence of his teacher, are varied and intriguing, ranging from the rapid-fire unison of "Scrabble" to the sparse, wonderful sound exploration of "To Wait" (a work that draws Braxton toward the edges of contemporary non-idiomatic improv) to the jaunty, fractured bop of "All Roads Lead to Middleton." The one freely improvised track does meander a bit, Braxton falling into some of his standard modes. Not that this is entirely a bad thing, of course, but it's somewhat less inspired than his playing elsewhere on the disc. Duets [Wesleyan] 2002 closes with another Braxton work, "Composition 305 (+ Language Improvisation, 44)," a fascinating piece making spare and spiky use of space with jagged lines and breathy flurries abutting each other. Bynum, perhaps wielding what's listed in the credits as the "trumpbone," is superb here, opening swathes of virgin territory for Braxton to saunter into. Even Braxton's biggest fans are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of his recording and have difficulty deciding which ones are must-haves. This is definitely one to put on that list. Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1    Composition 304 (+ 91, 151, 164)    11:16
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
2    Scrabble    7:55
Composed By – Taylor Ho Bynum
3    To Wait    8:20
Composed By – Taylor Ho Bynum
4    All Roads Lead To Middletown    3:59
Composed By – Taylor Ho Bynum
5    Improvisation    6:01
Composed By – Anthony Braxton / Taylor Ho Bynum
6    Composition 305 (+ Language Improvisation, 44)    13:20
Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Credits :
Cornet, Trombone [Trumpbone], Conch [Shell], Other [Mutes] – Taylor Ho Bynum
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone [F, Eb], Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet [Eb, Bb], Contra-Alto Clarinet – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - 9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006 (2007) 9CD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
CD1-1    Composition No. 350 Part 1    12:57
CD1-2    Composition No. 350 Part 2    15:30
CD1-3    Composition No. 350 Part 3    17:14
CD1-4    Composition No. 350 Part 4    9:48
CD1-5    Composition No. 350 Part 5    14:38
CD2-1    Composition No. 351 Part 1    11:25
CD2-2    Composition No. 351 Part 2    17:15
CD2-3    Composition No. 351 Part 3    17:45
CD2-4    Composition No. 351 Part 4    22:56
CD3-1    Composition No. 352 Part 1    17:17
CD3-2    Composition No. 352 Part 2    12:17
CD3-3    Composition No. 352 Part 3    22:38
CD3-4    Composition No. 352 Part 4    15:23
CD4-1    Composition No. 353 Part 1    13:54
CD4-2    Composition No. 353 Part 2    14:25
CD4-3    Composition No. 353 Part 3    14:26
CD4-4    Composition No. 353 Part 4    21:11
CD5-1    Composition No. 354 Part 1    11:10
CD5-2    Composition No. 354 Part 2    18:56
CD5-3    Composition No. 354 Part 3    14:47
CD5-4    Composition No. 354 Part 4    17:55
CD6-1    Composition No. 355 Part 1    11:51
CD6-2    Composition No. 355 Part 2    17:57
CD6-3    Composition No. 355 Part 3    16:47
CD6-4    Composition No. 355 Part 4    17:15
CD7-1    Composition No. 356 Part 1    17:43
CD7-2    Composition No. 356 Part 2    18:24
CD7-3    Composition No. 356 Part 3    23:45
CD8-1    Composition No. 357 Part 1    16:57
CD8-2    Composition No. 357 Part 2    16:43
CD8-3    Composition No. 357 Part 3    12:15
CD8-4    Composition No. 357 Part 4    17:15
CD9-1    Composition No. 358 Part 1    14:13
CD9-2    Composition No. 358 Part 2    21:07
CD9-3    Composition No. 358 Part 3    26:26
Credits :
Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Piccolo Flute, Voice – Nicole Mitchell
Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Steve Lehman
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – James Fei
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Clarinet, Clarinet [Eb Contralto] – Anthony Braxton
Bass, Bass Clarinet – Carl Testa
Bassoon – Sara Schoenbeck
Cornet, Flugelhorn, Trombone, Bass Trumpet, Piccolo Flute, Percussion [Shells] – Taylor Ho Bynum
Electric Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Euphonium, Toy [Toys], Other [Mutes] – Jay Rozen
Percussion, Vibraphone – Aaron Siegel
Soprano Saxophone, Saxophone [C-melody], Clarinet – Andrew Raffo Dewar
Trombone, Flugelhorn, Cymbal [Cymbals] – Reut Regev
Viola, Violin – Jessica Pavone

ANTHONY BRAXTON - 12+1tet (Victoriaville) 2007 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Composition No. 361    1:10:43
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone – Steve Lehman
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – James Fei
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet, Illustration [Drawing] – Anthony Braxton
Bassoon, Suona – Sara Schoenbeck
Cornet, Bugle, Brass [Trompbone], Bass Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet, Performer [Coques], Performer [Sourdines (Mutes)] – Taylor Ho Bynum
Double Bass, Electric Bass, Bass Clarinet – Carl Testa
Electric Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Piccolo Flute, Voice – Nicole Mitchell
Percussion, Vibraphone – Aaron Siegel
Saxophone [C], Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet – Andrew Raffo Dewar
Trombone, Bugle [Coulisse], Cymbal, Performer [Sourdines] – Reut Regev
Tuba, Euphonium, Performer [Sourdines] – Jay Rozen
Violin, Electric Bass – Jessica Pavone

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Trio (Victoriaville) 2007 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the third documentation of Anthony Braxton's Diamond Curtain Wall Trio to be released, the third lineup to be featured, and the first presented in single-disc format. The first performance released was part of the Phonomanie four-CD set and featured percussionist Aaron Siegel alongside Braxton and trumpeter Taylor Ho Bynum. The second recording issued was a double-CD set where guitarist Tom Crean replaced Siegel. On this set recorded live at the 2007 FIMAV in Victoriaville, Quebec, guitarist Mary Halvorson rounds up the trio. Halvorson plays in Braxton's 12+1tet and in some of Bynum's projects, but it was her first performance as a member of the Diamond Curtain Wall Trio, although that fact never shows in the hourlong piece. This trio is Braxton's vehicle for experimenting with computer electronics -- a field he had not explored prior to 2005. He has programmed in SuperCollider a number of electronic fragments to serve as gateways to other regions of his composition system. Surprisingly, these computer interventions are non-intrusive, yet exert a presence strong enough to effectively steer the music in different directions. But the real showcase at that performance -- and on the record -- is the huge array of saxophones Braxton uses: six instruments ranging from sopranino to contrabass sax, the larger versions of Adolphe's baby resting on stands the 60-year-old eagerly dragged to and fro on the stage. Bynum has an equally impressive collection of instruments within reach, from cornet to trombone, not to mention a wide selection of mutes. Of course, it is never the size or variety of the equipment that makes a good musician, but the sound palette is unusually rich here. More important, though, is the music itself: highly focused, dense, and naturally flowing. Halvorson fits right in, her creativity a match to the hornmen. The piece, "Composition No. 323c," is rather calm and pensive, with occasional lyrical moments, like Bynum's trumpet lines around the 25th minute or a very quiet bridge of strummed guitar chords. Sound quality is also a major incentive in recommending this CD over Braxton's other trio recordings from this period. This is simply one of Braxton's freshest albums of the decade. François Couture
Tracklist :
1    Composition No. 323c 59:36
Credits :
Cornet, Bugle, Performer [Trompbone], Trumpet [Bass Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet], Performer [Coques], Performer [Sourdines] – Taylor Ho Bynum
Electric Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Ensemble – Diamond Curtain Wall Trio
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone, Electronics – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quartet (Warsaw) 2012 (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Composition 363b+    1:10:05
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – James Fei
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Composed By – Anthony Braxton
Cornet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Ensemble – Diamond Curtain Wall Quartet
Violin – Erica Dicker

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Eight Improvisations (Trio) 2014 (2018) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1-1    Two    16:29
1-2    Three    7:45
1-3    Four    13:22
1-4    One    16:20
2-1    Seven    11:44
2-2    Six    14:59
2-3    Five    18:10
2-4    Eight    5:33
Credits :
Cornet, Flugelhorn, Bass Trumpet – Taylor Ho Bynum
Music By [All Music By] – Braxton, Bresnan, Bynum
Piano – Bob Bresnan
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Trillium E (2011) 4CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trillium E is the first-ever studio recording of a Braxton opera, and documents a surreal and witty installment in Braxton’s ongoing Trillium cycle. Available as a four-disc box set in both physical and digital forms, it includes a 72-page booklet with libretto, photos, and critical essays. Each of Trillium E’s four acts features a different episode: a genie in a bottle, the invention of human cloning, interplanetary space travel, and the exploration of a jungle pyramid. The performers on Trillium E have been heard with major opera companies (New York City Opera, Florentine Opera, Lyric Opera of San Diego); top avant-garde performance groups (Philip Glass Ensemble, Wooster Group, Darmstadt Institute); grassroots arts collectives (HERE Theater, Anti-Social Music); and collaborations with legendary jazz and improvised music figures.

ABOUT THE TRILLIUM CYCLE

Trillium E forms part of a cycle of interconnected operas that will ultimately comprise thirty-six one-act works, to be presented in various combinations. Prior to Trillium E (which has not been staged), three of Braxton’s operas have been performed: Trillium A (one act), Trillium M (two acts), and Trillium R (four acts). Both Trillium M and Trillium R resulted in live CDs, with Trillium R released by the previous incarnation of Braxton’s label, “Braxton House.” Since 2000, Braxton has completed Trillium E and Trillium J, both four acts, and is currently at work composing Trillium X. Two acts from Trillium J were performed in October 2011 at Roulette during the Tri-Centric Festival. Each act is split into two tracks for the listener’s convenience, but they are intended to be heard continuously, without interruption. Trillium E forms part of a cycle of interconnected operas that will ultimately comprise thirty-six one-act works, to be presented in various combinations. Prior to Trillium E (which has not been staged), three of Braxton’s operas have been performed: Trillium A (one act), Trillium M (two acts), and Trillium R (four acts). Both Trillium M and Trillium R resulted in live CDs, with Trillium R released by the previous incarnation of Braxton’s label, “Braxton House.” Since 2000, Braxton has completed Trillium E and Trillium J, both four acts, and is currently at work composing Trillium X. Two acts from Trillium J were performed in October 2011 at Roulette during the Tri-Centric Festival. Each act is split into two tracks for the listener’s convenience, but they are intended to be heard continuously, without interruption. Trillium E forms part of a cycle of interconnected operas that will ultimately comprise thirty-six one-act works, to be presented in various combinations. Prior to Trillium E (which has not been staged), three of Braxton’s operas have been performed: Trillium A (one act), Trillium M (two acts), and Trillium R (four acts). Both Trillium M and Trillium R resulted in live CDs, with Trillium R released by the previous incarnation of Braxton’s label, “Braxton House.” Since 2000, Braxton has completed Trillium E and Trillium J, both four acts, and is currently at work composing Trillium X. Two acts from Trillium J were performed in October 2011 at Roulette during the Tri-Centric Festival. Each act is split into two tracks for the listener’s convenience, but they are intended to be heard continuously, without interruption.  https://newbraxton

Trillium E: Wallingford's Polarity Gambit - Composition No. 237   
Act 1    49:15
1-1    Act 1 (Part.1)    25:20
1-2    Act 2 (Part.2)    23:53
Act 2    43:13
2-1    Act 2 (Part.1)    20:51
2-2    Act 2 (Part.2)    22:20
Act 3    48:33
3-1    Act 3 (Part.1)    26:34
3-2    Act 3 (Part.2)    21:57
Act 4    40:18
4-1    Act 4 (Part.1)    21:48
4-2    Act 4 (Part.2)    18:29
All Credits

ANTHONY BRAXTON — Quartet (Moscow) 2008 (2008) APE (image+.cue), lossless

On June 29, 2008, Anthony Braxton's Diamond Curtain Wall Quartet performed live at the DOM Cultural Center in Moscow. Within months, a 73-minute recording of the gig was released by Leo Records, the U.K.-based label which first attracted international attention in the '80s with a series of records by the Ganelin Trio and other Russian free jazz players, many of whom who were persecuted by the Soviet government for pursuing individualistic paths which, in retrospect, were in creative alignment with what the Braxton unit presented near the heart of Moscow in 2008. In the weeks leading up to his arrival in the former U.S.S.R., Braxton's itinerary included a visit to West Orange, New Jersey to record the album Beyond Quantum with William Parker and Milford Graves; a session with multi-woodwind artist Ben Opie, several ambitious undertakings with larger ensembles in Pittsburgh, and a trio date in Berlin involving Serge modular synthesizer handler Andre Vida and drummer Corey Fogel. Small wonder then that in the album cover photo he looks a bit tired, if clearly elated. The performance preserved on this album consists of Composition 367 B followed by a three-minute encore. Braxton blew soprano and alto saxophones as well as E-flat and contrabass clarinets. He is heard interacting with his student and collaborator Taylor Ho Bynum, an accomplished cornetist from Boston who also employed bass trumpet, valve trombone, flügelhorn, and piccolo trumpet. The third wind instrumentalist in this group was bassoonist Katherine Young, an adventuresome soul who was a member of Braxton's Falling River Quartet and his Tri-Centric Orchestra. Young has also recorded with flutist Andrew Raffo Dewar. The inclusion of electric guitarist Mary Halvorson over a swath of computer-generated sounds added several extra dimensions to the already multifaceted Diamond Curtain Wall Quartet. The Quartet's next recording (Composition 367 C and an encore) was made at the Candiani Summer Fest in Mestre, Italy on the first of July and issued in 2011 by Caligola Records as Quartet (Mestre) 2008. Braxton did not remain in Italy for very long. Eleven days later, he was back home in Connecticut at Wesleyan University recording a pair of extended duets with pianist Maral Yakshieva. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Composition 367b    1:10:04
2    Encore    3:01
Credits :
Bassoon – Katherine Young
Cornet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo Trumpet, Bass Trumpet, Valve Trombone – Taylor Ho Bynum
Electric Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet, Music By – Anthony Braxton

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quartet (Mestre) 2008 (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Composition 367c    1:04:19
2    Encore (Mestre)    3:04
Credits :
Bassoon – Katherine Young
Cornet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo Trumpet, Bass Trumpet, Valve Trombone – Taylor Ho Bynum
Electric Guitar – Mary Halvorson
Ensemble – Diamond Curtain Wall Quartet
Soprano Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet, Electronics [Live Electronics], Composed By – Anthony Braxton