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Anthony Braxton


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according to Lois, the admin over at JC, Anthony Braxton has agreed to sign up and start an "Ask Anthony Braxton" thread.

Should be interesting, to say the least...

Should be...it would give me a reason to stop by at JC more often.

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today i spotted a Braxton one sealed for 7USD and i put it on hold for me. now i noticed there is a thread about him. i´m not familiar at all with his work so here goes the question: should i get EIGHT (+3) TRISTANO COMPOSITIONS 1989 (FOR WARNE MARSH)?? if yes, it's gonna be my first Hat Hut disc....

Marcus

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just found out that the library system where my parents live has lots of Braxton on cd. The next time I go down to visit I'll be checking some out, and was hoping some of you with more exposure to his work could give your opinions on which of these would be the top 4 or 5 choices to grab first:

Braxton – 3 compositions of new jazz

Braxton - 19 (solo) compositions

Braxton - Composition no. 94 for three instrumentalists (1980)

Braxton - Composition no. 96

Braxton - Donaueschingen (duo) 1976

Braxton - Duets (Wesleyan) 2002

Braxton - Five compositions (quartet) 1986

Braxton – For Alto

Braxton - Four compositions (quartet) 1983

Braxton - Six compositions (quartet) 1984

Braxton - Solo (Koln) 1978

Braxton - Two compositions (trio) 1998

thanks in advance!

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I just found out that the library system where my parents live has lots of Braxton on cd. The next time I go down to visit I'll be checking some out, and was hoping some of you with more exposure to his work could give your opinions on which of these would be the top 4 or 5 choices to grab first:

Braxton – 3 compositions of new jazz

Braxton - 19 (solo) compositions

Braxton - Composition no. 94 for three instrumentalists (1980)

Braxton - Composition no. 96

Braxton - Donaueschingen (duo) 1976

Braxton - Duets (Wesleyan) 2002

Braxton - Five compositions (quartet) 1986

Braxton – For Alto

Braxton - Four compositions (quartet) 1983

Braxton - Six compositions (quartet) 1984

Braxton - Solo (Koln) 1978

Braxton - Two compositions (trio) 1998

thanks in advance!

All solo stuff is easy to recommend. "Koln 1978" is fantastic.

Duo (Weyslean) 2002 is the one with Taylor Ho Bynum on Innova, I think - good stuff.

The rest I don't remember.

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I have three Braxton albums and enjoy his playing/concepts, but am still not totally getting it. I have FOR ALTO, as well as a couple of dates on Arista with Holland and Aschtul, one features Kenny Wheeler. One is FALL 1974, the other 5 COMPOSITIONS, 1975 (not sure of the exact album titles.

One used record store in town has the Montreux doulble-LP, as well as a duet album with Muhal Richard Abrams (I think that's his name). How do these albums stack up to the rest of Braxton's voluminous output?

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I haven't engaged his more recent material as much as the raw, early stuff...

The Aristas should be Mosaic'ed; I sold mine years ago and wouldn't mind just having it all at the press of a button (this is the digital-age, alter ego CT talking).

Those duets with Max Roach are pretty nice, particularly the Hat Hut set.

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I just found out that the library system where my parents live has lots of Braxton on cd. The next time I go down to visit I'll be checking some out, and was hoping some of you with more exposure to his work could give your opinions on which of these would be the top 4 or 5 choices to grab first:

Braxton – 3 compositions of new jazz

Braxton - 19 (solo) compositions

Braxton - Composition no. 94 for three instrumentalists (1980)

Braxton - Composition no. 96

Braxton - Donaueschingen (duo) 1976

Braxton - Duets (Wesleyan) 2002

Braxton - Five compositions (quartet) 1986

Braxton – For Alto

Braxton - Four compositions (quartet) 1983

Braxton - Six compositions (quartet) 1984

Braxton - Solo (Koln) 1978

Braxton - Two compositions (trio) 1998

thanks in advance!

"For Alto" from 1968 is notable as Braxton's very first solo saxophone album, and the first ever(?) full-length solo sax album from any artist.

And it was a double LP, to boot! It makes a lot of "Greatest Discs of All Time" type lists, and is genuinely essential.

If you like the Art Ensemble of Chicago, "3 Compositions of New Jazz" (also 1968) is a gentle entry into Mr. Braxton's world.

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I was looking into Quartet Coventry 1985 and saw that each disc is comprised of one track of music and one track of interview.  How interesting is the interview material?  Is it anything you would choose to listen to more than once?

Yes, the interview material is fascinating (and a bit eccentric). Go for it!

I have finally had a chance to hear this and you are quite right. The music is fantastic and the interview is wonderful.

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My first introduction to Braxton was from the ECM recording with the group Circle. I bought the record in 1974. I also recall some very negative things Stanley Crouch was saying about Braxton when he used to write for a black girlie magazine called Players. And for the record, he was the only guy who was writing some very fresh and insightful things about the NYC music scene at the time. And yes, I’m very aware of Stanley’s reputation so I’ll leave it at that. I don’t want to set this board on fire! Anyway, he was not very complementary of Mr. Braxton as I recall. But I loved the record. When the Arista recordings came out later I was slobbering with delirium! But my first introduction to his playing started with the Circle group. B-)

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