Live recording by Braxton and a great group of younger musicians including Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet and flugelhorn, Mary Halvorson on electric guitar, and Katherine Young on bassoon. CD

Anthony Braxton on sopranino, soprano, alto, baritone, bass, and contrabass saxophones, Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, flugelhorn, piccolo and bass trumpets, and trumpbone, Nels Cline on electric guitar, and Greg Saunier on drums. CD

One of the best-remembered Anthony Braxton albums from the 80s – and for good reason too, as there's a strength to the record that's evident from the very first note! The quartet here features longtime collaborator George Lewis on trombone, bassist John Lindberg, and percussionist Gerry Hemingway – the last of whom really rattles some creative energy into the record. Lewis and Braxton provide excellent foils for one another – balancing abstract left brain streams with phrasing that alludes to an approach that hasn't forgotten the jazz tradition. Side one is a lengthy take on "Composition No 105A" with an accompanying graphic title too, and side two features three graphic variations on "Composition No 69". LP, Vinyl record album

Anthony Braxton heads up a saxophone quartet here, in case you couldn't guess from the title – and the group features some especially great work from Ingrid Laubrock, who blows soprano and tenor on three of the album's four CDs! The set features four different performances recorded in 2022, all live and in Europe – with a lineup that also features James Fei on sopranino and alto saxes, Chris Jonas on alto and tenor, and Andre Vida on baritone, tenor, and soprano on the one CD that does not feature Laubrock. The tunes are all Braxton compositions – numbered 436 through 439 – but as always with his work, the performances are very improvised and free, with some interplay between the reeds that goes way farther than earlier sax quartet modes! That is, nobody feels as if they have to provide rhythm or melody at all – and Braxton himself really lets loose – adding some electronics to his work on alto, soprano, and sopranino. 4CD set includes a great 40 page book, with photos and an essay on the music! CD

Even at an early age, Anthony Braxton was already experimenting with new forms of jazz composition – and this 1968 debut as a leader is filled with the imaginative approaches to music that would make him a key shaper of jazz in the next decade! The tracks here are all quite long, and although free-sounding, still have an intrisic logic dictated by Braxton's compositional ideals – played by himself on alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, and a variety of other instruments – in a quartet that features Leo Smith on trumpet and mellophone, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and cello, and Leroy Jenkins on violin and viola. In true AACM fashion, all players pick up other instruments as the tunes roll on – percussion bits, kazoo, slide whistle, bells, and more – almost more Art Ensemble-like than some of Braxton's more tightly-controlled environments on later records. Titles include two pieces titled in Braxton's equation-like style – plus "The Bell". CD

Anthony Braxton's reeds are matched here by some wonderful piano here from Marilyn Crispell – who certainly brings lots of her own voice into play with the Braxton compositions on the set! Crispell's piano gives the album a slightly different feel than some of Anthony's other work of the period – almost more fragile in some passages, but more forceful in others – still sharply modern throughout, but a bit less cerebral too. Other quartet members include John Lindberg on bass and Gerry Hemmingway on percussion – and Braxton plays flute, clarinet, alto, soprano, and C melody sax. Titles are all those weird drawings done to illustrate Braxton's music – with tracks that include "Composition No 110D", "Composition No 116", "Composition No 115", "Composition No 114 (+108A)", and "Composition No 110C". CD

A real treat – as Braxton plays work by Monk, blowing alto in a clean, clear, angular mode that echoes with a bit of Lacy, and shows some slight traces of Konitz as well. The group's a quartet – with Mal Waldon on piano, Bill Osborne on drums, and Buell Neidlinger making a surprising appearance on bass. Titles include "Brilliant Corners", "Played Twice", "Skippy", and "Ask Me Now". CD

One of the avant garde classics in the early catalog of ECM Records – a set that has bassist Dave Holland working with two key bandmates from the Circle group – Anthony Braxton on saxes and flute, and Barry Altschul on percussion – as well as the great Sam Rivers on flute and sax, who was really taking off at the time! All tracks are originals by Holland – and Rivers' emotive, flowing approach proves the perfect balance for Braxton's intellectual approach – in a setting that really brings the most out of both players, thanks in part to elastic rhythms from Holland and Altschul. The overall approach leaves a great deal of space on this atmospheric set – but not in the usual mellower ECM way. Titles include "Four Winds", "Q & A", "Conference Of The Birds", "Interception", "Now Here (Nowhere)", and "See Saw". CD

Even at an early age, Anthony Braxton was already experimenting with new forms of jazz composition – and this 1968 debut as a leader is filled with the imaginative approaches to music that would make him a key shaper of jazz in the next decade! The tracks here are all quite long, and although free-sounding, still have an intrisic logic dictated by Braxton's compositional ideals – played by himself on alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, and a variety of other instruments – in a quartet that features Leo Smith on trumpet and mellophone, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and cello, and Leroy Jenkins on violin and viola. In true AACM fashion, all players pick up other instruments as the tunes roll on – percussion bits, kazoo, slide whistle, bells, and more – almost more Art Ensemble-like than some of Braxton's more tightly-controlled environments on later records. Titles include two pieces titled in Braxton's equation-like style – plus "The Bell". CD

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by Lester Bowie as a leader – and a set that stands in importance right next to the early Delmark AACM sides by Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell! Plus, the album's almost an early Art Ensemble of Chicago effort, given the lineup – which features Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn; Roscoe Mitchell on alto, soprano, clarinet, and flute; Malachi Favors on bass; and Joseph Jarman on alto, sopranino, and clarinet!. This fantastic CD features all the material recorded at the initial sessions in 1967 – both trio and quartet material, with titles that include trio numbers "Warm Up", "Number 2", "Number 1", and quartet takes on "Number 2". CD

A seminal session from Roscoe Mitchell – beautiful work recorded for the small Nessa label, and a real testament to the fragile beauty of his music! Some of the tracks are solo, and others feature Roscoe in shifting groups with other AACM players – a duet with bassist Malachi Favors, another with reedman Anthony Braxton, a trio with Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and George Lewis on trombone, and a quartet with Joseph Harman, Henry Threadgill, and Wallace McMillan. The sound's about as haunting as you can get for the AACM in the 70s – sensitive sounds, complex tones, and a rich approach to creative music that goes far beyond jazz – a really stark contrast to the styles of New York or European avant players from the same period! Titles include "Off Five Dark Six", "A1 Tal 2LA", "Nonaah", "Sing", "Chant", "Ericka", and "Tahquemenon". CD

Amazing stuff – and work that will have you changing your opinion about Chick Corea! Around 1970, Corea was part of a groundbreaking group called Circle – an amazing avant quartet that featured his own piano next to the reeds of Anthony Braxton, bass of Dave Holland, and drums of Barry Altschul – a really groundbreaking group, one who was able to tie together so many new strands of jazz – even though they only were around for a few short years! Circle are one of those groups who always gets talked about, but who left behind almost no recorded legacy – which is why this set of recordings from 1970 is so important to an understanding of Corea and Braxton's career. The double length set features three sides worth of Circle material – including "Quartet Piece 1, 2, & 3", and the shorter "Percussion Piece". The 4th side of the set features the trio of Corea, Holland, and Altschul performing the haunting "Drone". CD

Amazing stuff – and work that will have you changing your opinion about Chick Corea! Around 1970, Corea was part of a groundbreaking group called Circle – an amazing avant quartet that featured his own piano next to the reeds of Anthony Braxton, bass of Dave Holland, and drums of Barry Altschul – a really groundbreaking group, one who was able to tie together so many new strands of jazz – even though they only were around for a few short years! Circle are one of those groups who always gets talked about, but who left behind almost no recorded legacy – which is why this set of recordings from 1970 is so important to an understanding of Corea and Braxton's career. The double length set features three sides worth of Circle material – including "Quartet Piece 1, 2, & 3", and the shorter "Percussion Piece". The 4th side of the set features the trio of Corea, Holland, and Altschul performing the haunting "Drone". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal session from Roscoe Mitchell – beautiful work recorded for the small Nessa label, and a real testament to the fragile beauty of his music! Some of the tracks are solo, and others feature Roscoe in shifting groups with other AACM players – a duet with bassist Malachi Favors, another with reedman Anthony Braxton, a trio with Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and George Lewis on trombone, and a quartet with Joseph Harman, Henry Threadgill, and Wallace McMillan. The sound's about as haunting as you can get for the AACM in the 70s – sensitive sounds, complex tones, and a rich approach to creative music that goes far beyond jazz – a really stark contrast to the styles of New York or European avant players from the same period! Titles include "Off Five Dark Six", "A1 Tal 2LA", "Nonaah", "Sing", "Chant", "Ericka", and "Tahquemenon". CD

A righteously powerful piece from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – a tribute to the political power of Rosa Parks, and her lasting legacy in American history – served up as an oratorio of seven songs, performed with a nicely shifting lineup! The album is one of the most ambitious we've heard from Smith in years – and in addition to participation from the Red Koral string quartet, the set also features the Blue Trumpet quartet, the Diamond Voices vocal group, and other solo performances as well! Amidst the changing instrumentation and focus of each passage, Smith also finds space to add in excerpts from older avant jazz recordings too – the somewhat surprising appearance of Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, and Steve McCall amidst the performances that create the album. The whole thing's a bit difficult to describe in words, but it definitely lives up to any promise you might expect for a project like this from Wadada Leo Smith – with selections that include "The Truth", "No Fear", "Pure Love", "Resistance & Unity", and "The First Light Gold". CD

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by Lester Bowie as a leader – and a set that stands in importance right next to the early Delmark AACM sides by Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell! Plus, the album's almost an early Art Ensemble of Chicago effort, given the lineup – which features Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn; Roscoe Mitchell on alto, soprano, clarinet, and flute; Malachi Favors on bass; and Joseph Jarman on alto, sopranino, and clarinet!. This fantastic CD features all the material recorded at the initial sessions in 1967 – both trio and quartet material, with titles that include trio numbers "Warm Up", "Number 2", "Number 1", and quartet takes on "Number 2". CD

Great work from this legendary quartet – a hip avant combo with Chick Corea on piano, Anthony Braxton on alto and soprano sax, Dave Holland on bass and guitar, and Barry Altschul on drums and percussion! Circle are one of those groups who always gets talked about, but who left behind almost no recorded legacy – which is why this set of recordings from 1970 is so important to an understanding of Corea and Braxton's career. Titles include "Percussion Piece", "Quartet Piece No 2", and "Quartet Piece No 3". LP, Vinyl record album