Anthony Braxton

[7/4]

I'm sure they deal directly with the man.

[AllenLowe]

why get the cops involved?

[B. Clugston]

I'm sure they deal directly with the man.

Yes. They've been carrying the Braxton House CDs again for a couple of years now.

[AndrewHill]

AB is restarting Braxton House, so I guess it's safe to assume he'll be putting it out that way.

This is good news. I have a couple of titles on Braxton House, but missed a bunch of them when they first came out. Maybe he'll consider reprinting the back catalog as there is a lot of great music there.

All 8 CDs are still in stock at Downtown Music Gallery.

Really??? Aren't these as rare as hen's teeth nowadays?

I purchased Sextet (Istanbul) 1996 from DMG a couple of months ago. Price seemd very fair and in no way over-inflated considering limited availability - not a "hen's teeth' price. Definitely advise you check them out if you are interested in the Braxton Houses

Big thumbs up for the Instanbul date.

[B. Clugston]

A 4 CD set with Gerry Hemingway is being released this month on Mode Records. http://www.gerryhemingway.com/news.html

Also, three more have just come out on Leo Records: another four disc set from the Standards Quartet, a duo with Ann Rhodes called GTM (Syntax) 2003 and a duo with Chris Jonas and trio with Jonas and Molly Sturges called GTM (Outpost) 2003.

[clifford_thornton]

I'd like to hear those duets. "Old Dog Braxton" was a constant rejoinder when I hung out with AB last year. Wish I could make it to the 65th B-day concert.

[B. Clugston]

I'd like to hear those duets. "Old Dog Braxton" was a constant rejoinder when I hung out with AB last year. Wish I could make it to the 65th B-day concert.

That concert is going to be amazing. Wish I could make it too. (Info is here, for those who don't know what we are on about: http://anthonybraxton.wordpress.com/ )

Fortunately, I saw the 12+1tet and the Sonic Genome Project earlier this year. I took my 2-year-old to the latter event and Braxton walked over and spoke to us. It was neat to finally meet him.

[jlhoots]

A 4 CD set with Gerry Hemingway is being released this month on Mode Records. http://www.gerryhemingway.com/news.html

Also, three more have just come out on Leo Records: another four disc set from the Standards Quartet, a duo with Ann Rhodes called GTM (Syntax) 2003 and a duo with Chris Jonas and trio with Jonas and Molly Sturges called GTM (Outpost) 2003.

Lots of interesting info. on that Hemingway link.

[David Ayers]

The completist's nightmare continues. Or the obsessive's dream!

[David Ayers]

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.

Did you publish this yet? Most of what he says is quite easy to understand, which is what makes it so boring that wide-eyed hacks and hangers-on just replicate the vocabulary without explaining it. It will be good to have a clear-eyed view for a change. By the way I think there is a difference between the music being difficult to follow (it isn't) and difficult to like (that can vary).

[Lazaro Vega]

http://anthonybraxton.wordpress.com/

[Lazaro Vega]

That guest post by Josh Stinton at the link above is something that resonates with me after hearing Chuck mention, a long time ago after the 2006 Iridium recordings came out, something along the lines of a later generation will come along and show us how Braxton's music is played "correctly."

[alankin]

Happy 65th birthday!

[Tom Cat]

I'm just starting my way into braxton's world, since i used to be more a hardbopper, for now i can say he's great for alto it's a must listen i think. I own not much recordings under his name just quartet (dortmund) and eight +3 tristano compositions, but i'm looking for more stuff from him

[jlhoots]

I'm just starting my way into braxton's world, since i used to be more a hardbopper, for now i can say he's great for alto it's a must listen i think. I own not much recordings under his name just quartet (dortmund) and eight +3 tristano compositions, but i'm looking for more stuff from him

Those are 2 good ones.

Keep going.

[David Ayers]

Yeah, keep going. There is plenty of stuff to listen to!

[colinmce]

A good deal on ebay-- I'd take advantage, but alas, to quote Mr. Braxton: "No coins"

Quartet (London)[?] 1985 Leo 3xLP for sale at $35.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTHONY-BRAXTON-quartet-1985-box-set-750-pressed-3-LP-/130407620915?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item1e5ce66133

(No affiliation w/ seller)

One of 750. I've never actually seen one of these and always assumed they'd go for much money.

[clifford_thornton]

I've never had that, or Open Aspects '82. Is the latter as interesting as the Arista?

[colinmce]

Not sure; I've heard differing opinions. I like his other duet situations with Tietelbaum and that one is at the top of my AB "looking for" list along with Solo (London) 1988, Eight (+3) Tristano Compositions, and Six Duets (1982) with John Lindberg.

[mjzee]

I've never had that, or Open Aspects '82. Is the latter as interesting as the Arista?

I like Open Aspects '82. It's kind of a Braxton solo album, with Teitelbaum burbling underneath.

[danasgoodstuff]

So, how is the Braxton Tristano. Konitz had some rather harsh things to say about it, but he can just be that way.

[jlhoots]

So, how is the Braxton Tristano. Konitz had some rather harsh things to say about it, but he can just be that way.

IMHO the Braxton / Tristano is just fine.

[B. Clugston]

I highly recommend the Old Dogs duets with Gerry Hemingway. Not a dull moment over four CDs. Interesting to hear Braxton spend some extended time on his lower horns and Hemingway mixes it up, including some great swinging passages that remind me of Braxton's duets with Max Roach.

[7/4]

Upcoming release on Tzadik:

- Braxton, Graves, Parker: Beyond Quantum [#7626]

Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves and William Parker are quite literally three of the most

important virtuoso instrumentalists in new music, each a vivid

conceptualist as well an influential composer/performer. This

intense improvisational outing features them at their best: excited,

inspired and in complete communication. Recorded and mixed by musical

alchemist Bill Laswell, sparks fly in this important and historic

meeting of creative music masters.

I finally got a copy of this and listened to it twice yesterday - I'm crazy about it. Braxton and Graves are a great match.

[AllenLowe]

would like to hear it - one thing I do not quite understand re:

"Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves and William Parker are quite literally three of the most

important virtuoso instrumentalists in new music"

how could this be true in the figurative sense? they either are or they aren't - so "literally" makes no sense.