Similar Albums:
- Artist: The Art Ensemble of Chicago
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1967 05 18-1968 03 11
- Type: Compilation (best of), Box set, Instrumental
- Genre: Jazz
Review
This limited-edition five-CD set available directly from Nessa not only reissues the important free jazz albums Old/Quartet, Numbers 1 & 2, and Congliptious but contains quite a bit of music taken from rehearsals by the members of the group that would by 1969 become known as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. With such advanced improvisers as trumpeter Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on reeds, bassist Malachi Favors, drummer Phillip Wilson, and appearances from bassist Charles Clark, drummers Robert Crowder and Thurman Barker, the music is usually very emotional and sometimes quite scary. There are meandering sections and individual performances that do not work all that well, but in general the music is quite colorful, adventurous, and innovative: in many ways the beginning of the modern avant-garde. Open-eared listeners are advised to search for this important historical set. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Theme Statements: Slow Theme/Bell Song/Fast Theme/Chinese Song | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(8:11) |
| Old | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(8:05) |
| Tatas-Matoes [Rehearsal] | Lester Bowie | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(3:49) |
| Quartet No. 1 [Group Improvisation] | The Art Ensemble of Chicago | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(22:01) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Quartet No. 2 [Group Improvisation] | The Art Ensemble of Chicago | Roscoe Mitchell, |
(5:49) |
| Trio: Oh Susanna | Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors | Roscoe Mitchell, |
(31:02) |
CD 3
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Warm Up [Group Improvisation] | The Art Ensemble of Chicago | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(2:11) |
| Number 2 [Trio Version] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(21:34) |
| Number 1 [Group Improvisation] | The Art Ensemble of Chicago | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(25:09) |
| Number 2 [Quartet Version, Take 4] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(8:36) |
| Number 2 [Quartet Version, Take 6] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(14:24) |
CD 4
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Number 2 [Quartet Version, Take 7] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(19:44) |
| A To Ericka | Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(21:42) |
| Quintet | Joseph Jarman | Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(22:45) |
CD 5
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Solo | Roscoe Mitchell | Roscoe Mitchell | (5:32) |
| Tutankhamen | Malachi Favors | (6:43) | |
| Tkhke | Roscoe Mitchell | Roscoe Mitchell | (7:34) |
| Jazz Death? | Lester Bowie | Lester Bowie | (7:19) |
| Carefree [Take 1] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(3:11) |
| Carefree [Take 2] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(3:10) |
| Carefree [Take 3] | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(2:42) |
| Tatas-Matoes | Lester Bowie | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(2:21) |
| Congliptious/Old | Roscoe Mitchell | Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, |
(19:30) |
