Recorded on October 31, 1976
Recorded shortly after George Lewis joined Braxton's group, this music captures the band performing an incredible concert.
For a many reasons, Braxton's protean music can present formidable barriers to those who are unfamiliar with it. Braxton and his music are truly singular. But his music can also be incredibly rewarding as you make your way "inside" it.
For anyone who's looking for more insight into Braxton's musical goals and intentions, I would also strongly recommend Graham Lock's book Forces in Motion: Anthony Braxton and the Meta-reality of Creative Music, recently re-published by Dover. It's an extremely persuasive work of advocacy, providing insights into both the man and his music. Honestly, I would even recommend it to listeners who aren't even particularly drawn to Braxton's music. It's a fascinating portrait of a musical artist at work.
More Anthony Braxton
Since Braxton recorded so prolifically during the 1970s, I've only heard a fraction of his records. Regardless, here are a few more that I've particularly enjoyed:
- New York, Fall 1974 (Arista)
- The Montreux/Berlin Concerts (Arista)
- Five Pieces 1975 (Arista)
- Creative Orchestra Music 1976 (Arista)
- Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978 (hatART)
There's more Braxton to come later in my survey -- as a co-leader -- as well.
I imagine that no one (except perhaps author Graham Lock) has all of Braxton's recordings, so it comes down to which ones you like best. Dortmund is the only one I have from the 70s and it is really good. Hard to say why, since Braxton's musical system is so unique. I think I like the presence of a great drummer like Gerry Hemingway, Barry Altschul, orTony Oxley. Since I'm no music theorists, I tell myself not to worry about "why" I like one or more Braxton recordings (or any jazz recordings, for that matter), and simply enjoy what I hear. I believe the live recordings are the best, and there are tons of them!
ReplyDeleteSome really good Braxton albums from the 1980s are:
Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984 1984 Black Saint
Five Compositions (Quartet) 1986 1986 Black Saint
Six Monk's Compositions (1987) 1987 Black Saint
Seven Compositions (Trio) 1989 1989 Hat Art
Eight (+3) Tristano Compositions 1989 Hat Art