Anthony Braxton - The Montreux/Berlin Concerts

Anthony Braxton: sopranino, alto & contrabass saxophones, clarinet & contrabass clarinet, flute
George Lewis: trombone
Kenny Wheeler: trumpet
Dave Holland: bass
Barry Altschul: drums, percussion, gong

Anthony Braxton has recorded so extensively during the '80s and '90s that it is potentially foolhardy to call any of his recordings "definitive," but this two-LP set comes close. Braxton (mostly on alto and clarinet but also playing contrabass clarinet, flute, and sopranino) is heard with two of his best quartets on these live performances. Featured are either trumpeter Kenny Wheeler or trombonist George Lewis along with bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul in exciting group improvisations based on six of Braxton's difficult compositions. There is a surprising amount of humor on one of these selections, and the interplay between these masterful musicians (making expert use of space and dynamics) sometimes borders on miraculous. The fourth side of this two-fer contains a lengthy performance of Braxton and Lewis playing with the Berlin New Music Group that is of slightly lesser interest; the CD reissue leaves out that selection. In either form, this music is highly recommended and by itself demonstrates the greatness and uniqueness of Anthony Braxton's music. This important set (other than side four) has been reissued on CD.(from AMG)

1975 THE MONTREUX/BERLIN CONCERTS (LP1/LP2)

Spontaneous Music Ensemble - Karyobin

Derek Bailey: electric guitar
Evan Parker: soprano saxophone
Kenny Wheeler: trumpet, flugelhorn
Dave Holland: bass
John Stevens: drums

Review

by Scott Yanow

This CD reissues the second album by the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, retaining two musicians from the initial 1966 set (trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and drummer John Stevens) and adding Evan Parker on soprano, guitarist Derek Bailey and bassist Dave Holland. The young British all-stars (all virtually unknown at the time) stretch out on the six-part "Karyobin," playing quite freely in an idiom influenced a bit by their American contemporaries but already on its way to developing a more European sound. Bailey is mostly in the background with the key voices being Wheeler and Parker, but all five musicians make their contributions. The music is episodic and ends inconclusively but rewards repeated listenings. An important early recording for these five future greats.

1968 KARYOBIN

Anthony Braxton - Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978

Anthony Braxton: conductor, composer
Dwight Andrews, Marty Ehrlich, Vinny Golia, J.D. Parran, Ned Rothenberg: saxophones, clarinets, flutes, piccolo, nagaswaram, ocarina
Rob Howard, Michael Mossman, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler: trumpets, flugelhorn
Ray Anderson, George Lewis, James King Roosa: trombone, tuba
Marilyn Crispell: piano
Birgit Taubhorn: accordion
Bobby Naughton: vibraphone
James Emery: electric guitar
John Lindberg, Brian Smith: basses
Thurman Barker: percussion, marimba
Robert Ostertag: synthetiser

Although Anthony Braxton does not play on this double CD (whose contents were released for the first time in 1995), his presence is certainly felt. He conducts the band through a fairly free improvisation and five of his compositions. Braxton showed a great deal of insight in originally picking the personnel for nearly every one of the 21 musicians has had an important career in advanced jazz, particularly Marty Ehrlich, Vinny Golia, Michael Mossman, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler, Ray Anderson, George Lewis, Marilyn Crispell, and John Lindberg. The music is often dense and atonal but never dull, and the closing composition is a superb piece that displays Braxton's love of marching band music! Although one wishes that Anthony Braxton himself had played, this is a set easily recommended to his fans. (by Scott Yanow, AMG)

1978 CREATIVE ORCHESTRA (KÖLN) 1978 PART 1
1978 CREATIVE ORCHESTRA (KÖLN) 1978 PART 2