jasonguthartz

The latest information I have about the unreleased solo material comes from Graham Lock, who told me this via e-mail in 2005: ---------- Actually, it's an arrangement Google has worked out with these paywalled news sites:

Does anyone have any information about the sound quality of this 3-CD "Complete Savoy Sessions" box? Googling around, I see references to the 5-LP version, but I can't find anything whatsoever about the CDs.

Have you tried here? Does anyone here have the full three volumes of the TAW? It seems like the thing I need to have, but it would probably sit on the shelf. I've done a similar thing collecting what has been translated of the Gramsci Prison Notebooks (3 Volumes, 8 Notebooks worth so far). They are definitely collecting dust, but I still want em. FYI: There are tentative plans to make a full electronic edition of TAW available online (along with the 5 volumes of Composition Notes) -- though I can't give you a timeline of when it might be realized.

There is only one piece on For Four Orchestras, Comp. 82. Do they sequence the music as it was laid out on lp or do they recreate it as originally intended? If you're asking whether the half-hour of material that was removed for the LPs has been restored, it doesn't appear so: the total duration of the two CDs (113' 30") is within the margin of error of the six LP sides (114' 30"). Not that. I was talking about the sequence of the lp sides. There was an error in manufacturing the records. I've been told that the sequencing error was corrected. I haven't done an A/B comparison to verify. Listening to Comp. 82 now -- the sound quality is amazing -- almost like a completely different piece than the one I remember hearing on the LPs (though this may be partly due to it being the first time I've listened to it via headphones).

Haven't gotten the box so I haven't read the notes. If he doesn't mention Cooper, who I'm sure is credited for his performance in the discographical information, perhaps he's not familiar with his work. In order to write the booklet, he should have been. Maybe he's just young. Much to do about nothing: The notes say "Altschul" twice instead of "Cooper". There's no extensive analysis of the percussion work on that session. (A quick look in his book confirms that he knows it's Cooper on that session.) And, fyi, Heffley is three years younger than Braxton. I'll let you determine the proper age-to-typos ratio for music scholars.

Ouch... I don't want to give the impression that not restoring the excised material is a bad thing. In the Composition Notes, Anthony says Those "other adjustments" refer to the limited rehearsal time (3 hours) and inability to setup or reproduce the spatial elements (given the limitations of the recording space and of the recording apparatus). So the version we have seems to be the "composer's cut" of an imperfect session. I don't have an answer to Chuck's question re: sequencing. I just got the box today, but it may be a while before I can make time to give "82" a listen.

There is only one piece on For Four Orchestras, Comp. 82. Do they sequence the music as it was laid out on lp or do they recreate it as originally intended? If you're asking whether the half-hour of material that was removed for the LPs has been restored, it doesn't appear so: the total duration of the two CDs (113' 30") is within the margin of error of the six LP sides (114' 30").

There is only one piece on For Four Orchestras, Comp. 82.

Yes.

I thought they were originally graphic titles and they became compositions when Forces in Motion was published. I noticed they became opus when the Mosaic box was announced. They're still compositions here. Per AB, "every composition that I have written has a graphic title, has a coded title... and an opus number title." Per Lock, opus numbers were assigned starting in the early '80s. Why did Mosaic use "Opus No. XX" instead of "Composition No. XX" or (as I use) "Composition XX"? No idea. But since the opus number is just a verbal convenience (rather than *the* title), I don't think it matters much. (Scores typically say simply "No. XX", e.g. "No. 364h".)

fyi:

That's what I thought, but how'd they get to 14? Couple of beads get stuck together on their abacus? Mosaic has corrected their description of the Braxton box - not 14 LPs, but 13: And DMG is reporting that no unreleased material will be included.

Bruyninckx says Arista AL1037 = Freedom/Intercord (G)147304 = Freedom (Jap)PA-6079 Thanks, Chuck!

Montreux/Berlin was a single 2-LP set. I suspect Randy, who posted that list originally, made use of my discography, in which I break up the tracks into two "sessions" (three tracks from July 1975 & four tracks from two dates in November 1976). Question: I only have info for one LP release of Time Zones: Arista AL 1037. Anyone know if this was ever released on vinyl on the actual Freedom label (as was The Complete Braxton 1971), or was it only released on vinyl via Arista's licensing arrangement?

1 New York, Fall 1974 2 Five Pieces 1975 3, 4 The Montreux/Berlin Concerts 5 Creative Orchestra Music 1976 6 Duets w/Abrams 7 For Trio 8, 9, 10 For Four Orchestras 11, 12 Alto Saxophone Improvisations 1979 13 For Two Pianos 14 ??

That's what I thought, but how'd they get to 14? Couple of beads get stuck together on their abacus?

14 LPs = all of the above (Montreux/Berlin & Alto Sax Improv are 2-LP each; 4 Orch is 3-LP) + Braxton/Teitelbaum, Time Zones?

"All I Need" is the track I like least on this album (runner up being the Bailey Rae duet, and the ending of "No One Like You" was a mistake). But otherwise, after two dozen listens, I think the album is a flat-out masterpiece, a huge leap beyond his previous Blue Note efforts. Lay It Down has great tunes (while the lyrics can be simplistic, they almost need to be in order to maintain that wonderful ambivalence between secular and sacred love/desire/need), exceptional musicians (esp. the bass & drums -- that style of slinky bass playing is deceptively difficult to pull off, but Adam Blackstone nails it), and the wonder that is the voice of Al Green, no worse for aging than a fine wine. The production style might be a little too clean and polished for some tastes, but it's not much more "polished" than any of Green's classic recordings - and in some ways the sonic clarity is an improvement. If you're looking for new ground to be broken, look elsewhere. If you love Al, you need this record. This review by Claudrena Harold seems on-target:

yes - see here There is no compatibility issue with DVDs and HDTVs -- the "up-converting" part of your DVD player is a chip which (in theory) improves the video image that is fed to your HDTV; more here

Unless you think he's going to extremes to perpetuate a hoax, I'd say the video in this story shows it's legit: http://www.news.com/8301-13953_3-9937142-8...l?tag=nefd.lede Looks like a pretty innovative use of the technology (which could not have been done via CDs nor DVDs).

But there is a recording -- not the best audio quality, but the music is astonishing: details:

more info here on this summer's Millennium Park concerts

Glad you found it useful. The DVD is not available separately, nor do I know of plans to issue it separately. Perhaps if you and others who purchased the box in mp3 form were to contact the label, they might figure out a way to accomodate you. Perhaps not. Personally, I would like the video to be available to those who purchased the mp3s, but I can understand the logistical problems involved. (And one might consider the "documentary" as an audio-visual extension of the boxset's substantial liner notes, which, as far as I know, are similarly exclusive to the boxset.) In any case, I'm confident that "friendly experiencers" can find a way -- as you have -- towards experiencing all of the material in the box. And if inaccessibility leads to the formation of new friendships, well, maybe that's an extra bonus

In addition to the aforementioned meetings with Bailey & Shiurba, there's a recording with Fred Frith, Duo (Victoriaville) 2005 (Victo). Also, as I recall, there's a duo album with James Emery that has never been released (not sure why); you can otherwise hear some terrific Emery with Braxton on the 1980 trio recording, Composition No. 94 (Leo/Golden Years of New Jazz). There's a photo of Emery playing with Braxton here (scroll down half way).