clifford_thornton

Oh wow - hope I can hear that someday. I've only seen mention of snippets, and of course what's on You Tube.

Cool - will have to get those. Never did get the Philips LP - though my eBay alter ego tried as it might!

I used to have a rather battered Liberty stereo of this one, and preferred the quintet tracks. Actually kind of hated the Oliver Nelson bits, but I'm sure my feelings wouldn't be so overbearing now. I'll try to remember to pick up the RVG one of these days.

Just got Al's copy of Live in Tokyo in the mail (Thanks!) and looking forward to spinning it and starting to give this band a proper assessment. It wasn't until a few years ago that I could accept "plugging in" with respect to jazz and improvised music. There are some really cool videos of WR + Euro heavies like John Surman, Alan Skidmore and Eje Thelin floating around You Tube. Supposedly an audio-only document also exists, but you didn't hear it from me...

Eric Kloss - In the Land of the Giants - (Prestige, blue label) Just picked this up in an actual brick-and-mortar.

Yeah, that would be cool. Although the liner notes are nearly as worth having as the music in this case.

Good writer indeed. I think of him from the Archie Shepp Magic of Ju-Ju LP.

I've got the LPs but extra material is always welcomed. Great ensemble.

yeah, it is April 1!

I like that record quite a bit. Even an odd AACM connection.

Sure, looking forward to it (tho my to-listen, to-write, to-run pile is obnoxiously inverse to my at-home-with-stereo time). This will be an adventure.

He unplugs his phone and has no answering service, nor does he check email regularly - but when he does, look out!

Same here. [slaps forehead]

I'm not sure whether you mean that or not, Chuck. Been curious about it - heard it is the best document of the band.

Went to Middletown this past fall for a week. It's a hell of an "interview" to shape - sort of like a mutual interview, really - but Braxton's a hell of a guy.

Cannot wait to dive in once it's released. AB is restarting Braxton House, so I guess it's safe to assume he'll be putting it out that way.

FWIW, 4 Comps (GTM) 2006 on Important is wonderful. Not too much obvious repetition, and Aaron Siegel is a fine percussionist.

Yeah, I interviewed him in the fall but my winter/spring has been a time-suck and brain-suck, so consequently it's just getting shored up now. It should be on AAJ by late April, perhaps in more than one part (fucker is 60 pp. transcribed). I realized that, once you sort of just let yourself into Braxton's thought-world and vocabulary, a significant part of it does make sense. And if something is unclear the first time, he is glad to try his best to clarify it. I agree that not everybody has that option, but what people do have is access to the recordings and liner notes, which taken bit by bit, over and over, gradually unfurl into a dynamic system with a few choice elements that meant to spur creative thought and activity. Braxton said to me, and of his critics and their responses, that he basically "just want people to have fun and [he isn't] out to harm anybody." Sure, those four+ CD boxed sets can be daunting, but once you pop a disc into the player and let it go, the music is very joyous, fun, sometimes quite funny, and often very pretty. I understand why something of magnitude/breadth can be hard to take in over a few sittings, but Braxton doesn't expect his music to be something short-term and meant for quick consumption. It takes time to appreciate it (especially his post-1970s music), but ultimately, it's there to be enjoyed. I know that sounds simple, but it really does help to just listen and not get too wrapped up in nomenclature and theory. That stuff is helpful at a certain level, but not at all levels of the music. It's there if you want it.

It's really great. Not live, but studio material, and they work very well together. I'll be publishing a Braxton interview soon that hopefully will help clarify some of his ideas, or justify why they might not seem so clear on first, second, or third pass.

PM sent.

Mold, sleeve oxidization, this can all happen with old sealed copies stored improperly. Sometimes a good cleaning will fix it.

Without having had Mexican Nescafe, in a pinch I could recommend ol' Bustelo.

I have a feeling that the musicians involved in the Trillium E project might have some issues with this statement. Ah, cool, glad it's in the recording stages!

Whoa...