MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS SEXTET "BERLIN, 1973"

 

Muhal Richard Abrams, piano, composer, voice
Henry Threadgill, alto & tenor saxophone
Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Wallace McMillian, alto & baritone saxophone
Reggie Willis, double bass, voice
Steve McCall, drums, voice

Suite (Song For / The Sage / Scatterbrain / The Bell) 61:11
1. [part I]  49:45
2. [part II] 11:26

Recorded at Berliner Jazztage on November 4, 1973
[this is an uninterrupted performance - tracks were probably added for convenience by the trader]

MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS - September 19, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois - October 29, 2017, New York, NY

Just got the sad news that Muhal Richard Abrams has died already three days ago.

R.I.P.

Muhal Richard Abrams - Live in Alassio '78

A "little" lesson on the history of jazz piano.

Rec. live at "Belvedere S.Croce", Alassio, Italy,
on September 9, 1978 (mics recording)

Muhal Richard Abrams,piano

1. Improvisation (47:10)

Muhal (excerpt)

Anthony Braxton Quintet - Live in Milan '77

"At this point, speaking of Braxton and his music is difficult: he's an
artist exposed to all sorts of influences, very receptive, but also with
enormous intelligence and integrity, that always put him in a much
more critical perspective towards those influences.
His music reflects all this, there is no hint of complacency on one side
and there is no time to be ironic on the present on the other side.
The past, especially bebop, is perhaps an essential part of his inspiration.
The analyticity of Braxton's interpretations is a stimulus that is
difficult to escape." G.Dalla Bona - Musica Jazz July 1977

Now it's time for hourglasses...

Rec. live at "Teatro Lirico", Milan, Italy, on June 3, 1977
(mix recording)

Anthony Braxton,alto & sopranino sax
George Lewis,trombone,euphonium,sousaphone
Muhal Richard Abrams,piano
Mark Helias,bass
Charles "Bobo" Shaw,drums

1. Composition 40 M (17:53)
2. Composition 40 (?) (52:20)
3. Composition 40 B (07:48)

Total Time 1:18:03

The end of track #2

The Trio - Live in S.Anna Arresi '09

Silence : three Masters at work !

Rec. Live in S.Anna Arresi, Italy, on August 29, 2009
(radio broadcast)

Muhal Richard Abrams,piano
Roscoe Mitchell,reeds
George Lewis,trombone,lap-top

1. Track #1 (1:01:09)

Muhal Richard Abrams - Live in Rome '79 [2]

I've already posted here the first of two evenings with the Great Muhal
at the Roman Jazz Club "C.J. St.Louis". Here's the second with some music even more fascinating.
The photo above (January '80) was taken in Muhal's apartment at Manhattan Plaza, NYC.

Rec. live at "Centro Jazz St. Louis", Rome, Italy, on February 11th, 1979
(mix recording)

Muhal Richard Abrams,piano

1. Track #1 (44:47)
2. Track #2 (35:18)

Total Time 1:20:05

Muhal Richard Abrams Quintet - Live in Laren '78

This is (with the exception of George Lewis replacing
Anthony Braxton) the same lineup that recorded,
some months before, 1-OQA+19 for Black Saint.
From that album are taken the two long pieces here
performed as a suite.
A real "Dream Team"!

Rec. live in Laren, Holland, 1978
(radio broadcast)

Muhal Richard Abrams,piano
Henry Threadgill,alto saxophone,flute
George Lewis,trombone
Leonard Jones,bass
Steve McCall,drums

1. Charlie In The Parker_Arhythm Songy (1:06:38)

Muhal Richard Abrams - Live in Rome '79

Wonderfully recorded by my dear friend "Ilario",
this Muhal's concert remains among the best things
i've never listened by the Great Chicagoan pianist.
A true lesson about piano jazz and not only.
Higly recommended !
(the day after concert [February 11th] in the next future)

Rec. live at "Centro Jazz St. Louis", Rome, Italy,
on February 10th, 1979 (mix recording)

Muhal Richard Abrams,piano

1. Track #1 (36:30)
2. Track #2 (35:43)
3. Track #3 (07:58)

Total Time 1:20:13

Muhal Richard Abrams & Fred Anderson - Live in Verona '79

One of the rare performances in duo by these
two Greats of the AACM.

Rec. live at "Sala della Guardia", Verona,
Italy, on May 20th, 1979 (mics recording)

Muhal Richard Abrams,piano
Fred Anderson,tenor saxophone

1. Track #1 (43:41)
2. Track #2 (47:29)
2. Encore (08:12)

Total Time 1:39:23

Creative Construction Company-vol 2(muse lp 5097)

This is for the people requesting it at the 'nine sisters' blog... many thanks to them for the gems they've shared.
The 2nd part of a magnificent concert recorded at the 'peace church' Washington square N.Y.C. on may 19 1970.
the recording was supervised by Ornette Coleman, not released though until some 6 years later.

for me this(and vol 1) is a significant milestone in being the most fully realised document of what Braxton ,Jenkins and Smith were on about at this early stage of their careers.
much better recorded than the earlier lp's recorded in Paris for Byg, this concert is one of the gems of the AACM collective discography.
so its a real surprise that this hasn't been reissued more widely, and that it remains so little heard.

beautiful ...
hope you enjoy it...
see the comments for both lame and flac links, I'll be posting the flacs only ,for volume 1 later tonight.
mp3's for volume 1 are at 'nine sisters' linked on the front page.

CCC vol 2
side A- Muhal part 1
side b- Muhal part 2

Leroy Jenkins-violin, viola little instruments
Anthony Braxton-reeds, percussion
Leo Smith-tpt ,fl hrn, french hrn, perc
Muhal Richard Abrahms-pno, cello , clarinet
Richard Davis-db
Steve Macall-dr

Muhal Richard Abrams- lifea blinec 1978 , flac

serviceton says
"Muhal Richard Abrams is wonderful. Too often seen as just some 'progenitor' or father-figure ("Founded AACM blah blah") - and not enough listened to, in my view.Harmonically, texturally, even structurally, MRA's music is never less than interesting and frequently much, much better than that.If you download this and enjoy it, you must go out and buy some other Abrams records (or stay in and buy 'em if you like)Happily (even unusually!) - most are still in printWell over a dozen on the wonderful BlackSaintlabel http://www.blacksaint.com//Artists/muhal+richard+abrams/77ALL of these are worthwhile, with some, like 'Hearinga Suite' & 'Sightsong' being minor masterpieces.The 3 Delmarks under his own name are reissuedhttp://www.delmark.com/delmark.jazzbyart.htmAnd that's about it for the 60's and 70's save for a record of solo piano on the Japanese 'Why Not' label (briefly issued too on India Navigation).- And 2 albums on Arista Novus in 1978. As you point out sotise, these are probably in no danger of being issued any time soon.2nd of the 2 is called Lifea Blinec. It's a quintet w/ Joseph Jarman, Douglas Ewart, Amina Claudine Meyers and Thurman Barker.
Cover scans included."

HOPE SOMEONE ENJOYS IT.

Muhal Richard Abrams- spiral live at montreux 1978 arista novus lp 3007 flac and lame

Muhal Richard Abrahms has long been a favourite of mine, the founder of the AACM as well as the fabled experimental band which spawned the likes of the art ensemble of Chicago and brought to light so many great, beloved talents.

What can one say, reviews of this album have not always been kind.
Although often acknowledged as a great composer/bandleader I feel abrahms is unjustly undervalued as an improvising pianist.
I like this album a lot.
This has never had even a whiff of reissue as far as I know .
But then again both the arista and novus holdings of contemporary ‘post free’ jazz languish un reissued in obscurity, including essential braxton, lacy, abrahms, threadgill records.

no lavish mosaic box sets with immaculate annotated booklets for this motley crew



Spiral- live at montreux July 22 1978 arista novus 3007 lp

Side one- d song, string song.
Side two- voice song

Muhal Richard Abrahms- piano, gongs and cymbals