A huge run of greatness from Roscoe Mitchell – one of the most important musicians to come out of the AACM scene in Chicago, and a player who may well have been one of the best to really flower in the freedoms offered by the Black Saint/
Soul Note label! By the time of these records, Mitchell had already made classic albums on his own, and with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – but these sides represent Roscoe reaching great new heights as a leader – trying out a variety of different groups and new ideas, and both expanding the overall AACM palette, while also reaching out to new scenes as well. Every record is a little bit different, and the groups are too – as Mitchell works with his Sound Ensemble that includes Hugh Ragin and Spencer Barefield, the Sound & Space Ensembles with Mike Mossman and Tom Buckner, the Roscoe Mitchell Quartet with
Malachi Favors and Steve McCall, the Note Factory with Matthew Shipp and William Parker, a Sextet with Muhal Richard Abrams and Anthony Davis, and in duets with Borah Bergman on one record, and Muhal Richard Abrams on another! Every album comes in a small sleeve with its original artwork – and the box features the albums 3X4 Eye, Roscoe Mitchell & The Sound & Space Ensembles, The Flow Of Things, Live At The Knitting Factory, Duets & solos, This Dance Is For Steve McCall, The Italian Concert, Shadowgraph 5, and Spihumonesty.
(Out of print.)