Anthony Braxton and Akiyoshi/Tabackin Mosaics up for pre-order

[Eric]

I just don't understand the "easy music is good" mindset. From the beginning I viewed music as a "growth area" and have not changed my mind. This went from Elvis to Little Richard and from Armstrong to whatever. I guess I don't trust "easy music". Much of it is good but much is the worst aspect of "comfort food". If we stop growing and expanding our horizons, we are marking time 'til death. YMMV. I hate the fact I'm writing this about music over 30 years old. Guess this speaks to the giant cultural detour coinciding with the Reagan election. America can be deadly to brains.

I have not anticipated a Mosaic set as much since waaaaaaaaay back to set 106 (Tina Brooks). This sort of thing fulfills the Mosaic vision perfectly. I only have one of the lps and cannot wait to wrap my head around the rest of this music!!

That is if I can overcome my voting history and truly grasp what I am listening too ...

[papsrus]

I'm in. It'll be a delight exploring this one. I'll be interested to hear what others, from all points of view, have to say after digging into it. Should be fun.

[A Lark Ascending]

Expanding your musical horizons, 'growing' by listening to music, is clearly an option but hardly an imperative. It's not hard to see why adopting such an outlook can be immensly rewarding personally to a listener; and vital for at least some musicians in order to create new music.

At the same time, I can completely understand those who come home at the end of the day or at the end of a long week and just want something easy on the ear - they are probably getting all the growth they need in other aspects of their lives. I'm rarely in a state at the end of the day to tackle something knotty.

I choose to listen to unfamiliar music (often music that has not moved me when I've listened before) because I've experienced that thrill since the age of 14 of deliberately pushing past the tolerance zone and discovering a whole new musical world. I've never really thought of it as growth; more the equivalent of taking a holiday somewhere unusual where the support mechanisms are not as obvious as in the main resorts.

I'll buy this set not to 'grow' but in the hope it will open out another area of beauty and interest.

[.:.impossible]

At the same time, I can completely understand those who come home at the end of the day or at the end of a long week and just want something easy on the ear - they are probably getting all the growth they need in other aspects of their lives. I'm rarely in a state at the end of the day to tackle something knotty.

I think that I am the exact opposite, 9 days out of 10.

[Hot Ptah]

I think that when everyone actually hears this Braxton set, they will think, "what was all the fuss about?" It is hardly the most challenging music of all time, or anything like that. Most of it is very accessible, by the standards of this board, anyway.

[A Lark Ascending]

At the same time, I can completely understand those who come home at the end of the day or at the end of a long week and just want something easy on the ear - they are probably getting all the growth they need in other aspects of their lives. I'm rarely in a state at the end of the day to tackle something knotty.

I think that I am the exact opposite, 9 days out of 10.

I envy your powers of concentration (no sarcasm intended!).

I generally get in about 6.00 pm, have to start up work again at 7.00 and generally don't finish until about 9.00 - I have music playing at that time, but it's not close listening.

By 9.00 it hardly matters what I put on - I'm asleep within twenty minutes!

I tend to save new recordings and 'knotty' stuff for the weekends!

[papsrus]

As a general rule, I've given up on general rules when it comes to listening. But I would assume that I'm not alone when I say that I don't listen to Chet Baker, for instance, because I want to push the boundaries of my listening. I listen to Baker because I want to be warmly comforted. Nothing wrong in that. I'm not reaching for Anthony Braxton as after-dinner music while I curl up with my lady, that's for sure.

At the same time, listening to more challenging music does open up doors that allow the listener to hear and appreciate things "within" the music in new and (we might say) more meaningful ways. Something as simple as understanding and recognizing polyrhythm, for example, allows the listener to perhaps understand the conversations taking place among the musicians in a new and deeper way. This sort of thing is not something that happens without paying a certain degree of "attention" to the music, a degree of attention that goes beyond pure enjoyment. We might even call it "study" (gasp!). I don't think it simply happens by osmosis, although I could be completely wrong there.

Then again, it seems obvious that once you come to understand certain complexities or details of anything, including music, you do simply "enjoy" it on a base level without having to think about it -- a more pure pleasure, in other words. ...

[clifford_thornton]

I just don't understand the "easy music is good" mindset. From the beginning I viewed music as a "growth area" and have not changed my mind. This went from Elvis to Little Richard and from Armstrong to whatever. I guess I don't trust "easy music". Much of it is good but much is the worst aspect of "comfort food". If we stop growing and expanding our horizons, we are marking time 'til death. YMMV. I hate the fact I'm writing this about music over 30 years old. Guess this speaks to the giant cultural detour coinciding with the Reagan election. America can be deadly to brains.

True, but didn't Jimmy Carter give us disco?

And Ak-Ba.

I mean, the Arista stuff is great. It's not as confounding, to me, as Diamond Curtain Wall or something. But it's music that is still very challenging and gives up new rewards upon each spin. To paraphrase Bill Dixon, everything he did was all he could do at the time. And that's a lot of all.

[Guest Bixieland]

Guess this speaks to the giant cultural detour coinciding with the Reagan election. America can be deadly to brains.

Wow. You hold Reagan's reach in such high regard and for things completely outside of any President's control. You're either deranged or just so humbled by his power and unable reason its impact.

I'm familiar with Reagan's "SDI" initiative--but not so with his "Crush Art" initiative. Can you explain? I always thought "The Artists" were making "The Art." Is this not the case?

To the contrary -- it's often more liberal government leaders who choose to fund art via "The Government" -- thus creating "government-funded art" and therefore having a greater hand in its creation and purpose.

The irony of the left.

By your "logic" Herbert Hoover gave us Jazz. What I suspect you mean is: "I was so blinded with hatred for Reagan in the 80s that I have still yet to realize how impotent my ideology truly is -- as were many artists, who made a lot of lousy, uninteresting art as a consequence."

As for your "America can be deadly to brains" comment. I suspect you've never lived in an oppressed region of the world. Many a people would spit on your for such an impotent thought -- I wouldn't cross the street to do so.

[blajay]

Guess this speaks to the giant cultural detour coinciding with the Reagan election. America can be deadly to brains.

Wow. You hold Reagan's reach in such high regard and for things completely outside of any President's control. You're either deranged or just so humbled by his power and unable reason its impact.

I'm familiar with Reagan's "SDI" initiative--but not so with his "Crush Art" initiative. Can you explain? I always thought "The Artists" were making "The Art." Is this not the case?

To the contrary -- it's often more liberal government leaders who choose to fund art via "The Government" -- thus creating "government-funded art" and therefore having a greater hand in its creation and purpose.

The irony of the left.

By your "logic" Herbert Hoover gave us Jazz. What I suspect you mean is: "I was so blinded with hatred for Reagan in the 80s that I have still yet to realize how impotent my ideology truly is -- as were many artists, who made a lot of lousy, uninteresting art as a consequence."

As for your "America can be deadly to brains" comment. I suspect you've never lived in an oppressed region of the world. Many a people would spit on your for such an impotent thought -- I wouldn't cross the street to do so.

Oh boy.

[J.A.W.]

Guess this speaks to the giant cultural detour coinciding with the Reagan election. America can be deadly to brains.

Wow. You hold Reagan's reach in such high regard and for things completely outside of any President's control. You're either deranged or just so humbled by his power and unable reason its impact.

I'm familiar with Reagan's "SDI" initiative--but not so with his "Crush Art" initiative. Can you explain? I always thought "The Artists" were making "The Art." Is this not the case?

To the contrary -- it's often more liberal government leaders who choose to fund art via "The Government" -- thus creating "government-funded art" and therefore having a greater hand in its creation and purpose.

The irony of the left.

By your "logic" Herbert Hoover gave us Jazz. What I suspect you mean is: "I was so blinded with hatred for Reagan in the 80s that I have still yet to realize how impotent my ideology truly is -- as were many artists, who made a lot of lousy, uninteresting art as a consequence."

As for your "America can be deadly to brains" comment. I suspect you've never lived in an oppressed region of the world. Many a people would spit on your for such an impotent thought -- I wouldn't cross the street to do so.

In case you hadn't noticed, this is neither a political thread nor the politics/religion forum.

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, nooo shiiiit...

[GregK]

Guess this speaks to the giant cultural detour coinciding with the Reagan election. America can be deadly to brains.

Wow. You hold Reagan's reach in such high regard and for things completely outside of any President's control. You're either deranged or just so humbled by his power and unable reason its impact.

I'm familiar with Reagan's "SDI" initiative--but not so with his "Crush Art" initiative. Can you explain? I always thought "The Artists" were making "The Art." Is this not the case?

To the contrary -- it's often more liberal government leaders who choose to fund art via "The Government" -- thus creating "government-funded art" and therefore having a greater hand in its creation and purpose.

The irony of the left.

By your "logic" Herbert Hoover gave us Jazz. What I suspect you mean is: "I was so blinded with hatred for Reagan in the 80s that I have still yet to realize how impotent my ideology truly is -- as were many artists, who made a lot of lousy, uninteresting art as a consequence."

As for your "America can be deadly to brains" comment. I suspect you've never lived in an oppressed region of the world. Many a people would spit on your for such an impotent thought -- I wouldn't cross the street to do so.

In case you hadn't noticed, this is neither a political thread nor the politics/religion forum.

That directed at Chuck or bixieland?

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

The poster has probably noticed that both Chuck and Lowe have a rather irritating habit of casually flicking attention getting politically-charged comments in the direction of others outside of the prescribed forum. If the duo feel compelled to lob quips outside of the politcal forum, is it out-of-line for other board members like Bixieland to step in to verbally kneecap (in this case) his ass? Hmmm, tough one to answer.......let's have some impartial observer like Chewy decide?

[Free For All]

Anyway........... I'm looking forward to both of these releases. I've always liked Creative Orchestra Music 1976, but have not heard a lot of what else is on the Braxton Mosaic. The Toshiko stuff I am familiar with but having not heard much of it in awhile it will be fun to re-acquaint myself.

[John L]

Braxton swings. Period.

Not as a "style", but as a reality, a physically sensed/heard/felt quality of irresistable momentum in the service (often extrapolated out a dimension or two, but always present nevertheless) of the dance impulse.

Plenty of different ways to get there, but once you do, there you are. And you can't fake it or get rid of it.

Braxton swings. Period.

Well, maybe not according to the definition of "swing" that some people use. When it comes to rhythm, Braxton walks to his own drummer. It took me a while to get used his approach. But he most certainly has it going.

[gmonahan]

Anyway........... I'm looking forward to both of these releases. I've always liked Creative Orchestra Music 1976, but have not heard a lot of what else is on the Braxton Mosaic. The Toshiko stuff I am familiar with but having not heard much of it in awhile it will be fun to re-acquaint myself.

I wasn't even remotely tempted by the Braxton until I read through this thread. That led me to go to the site and listen to the samples and watch that very cool interview. I have to admit I'm now tempted.

As for the Toshiko stuff, I'm also looking forward to that. Too bad they didn't do a big box and include the 2-lp "Road Time" album, but I guess I'm being piggy. It would be nice if Sony/BMG would issue "Road Time," but I imagine we'll see the second coming first.

Greg Mo

[Bluerein]

Greg M. if you really want Road Time just order it as an Japanese import (I did) which is still available in Japan. Hiroshi Tanno (hiroshi@earlyrecords.com) might be of assistance.

[ghost of miles]

For those interested:

Braxton Mosaic: outtakes from the liner notes

[JETman]

Greg M. if you really want Road Time just order it as an Japanese import (I did) which is still available in Japan. Hiroshi Tanno (hiroshi@earlyrecords.com) might be of assistance.

I've emailed him a couple of times about this with no response. Is this still his email address?

[J.A.W.]

Greg M. if you really want Road Time just order it as an Japanese import (I did) which is still available in Japan. Hiroshi Tanno (hiroshi@earlyrecords.com) might be of assistance.

I've emailed him a couple of times about this with no response. Is this still his email address?

hiroshi@earlyrecords.com is correct.

Tuesday's his day off, so if you mailed him yesterday or today, he won't reply until tomorrow (Wednesday).

[gmonahan]

Sorry, I didn't see this response till now. I'll definitely look into it, and many thanks!

Greg Mo

[Uncle Skid]

For those interested:

Braxton Mosaic: outtakes from the liner notes

Thanks for posting this, ghost -- I enjoyed reading it. This will be a nice "supplement" to the published notes.

At the risk of being busted by the political thread police, this passage struck me as relevant to Chuck's earlier post:

We’re on the eve of the complete fall of Western ideas and life values. We’re in the process of developing more meaningful values, and our music is a direct expression of this...

--Anthony Braxton (from Three Compositions of New Jazz liner notes, 1968)

The passing allusion to the American political landscape (Nixon/Ford to Carter/Mondale to Reagan/Bush) is a fertile one to mine for a summary assessment here. I look back on the period that produced the Arista recordings as an ascent of something like a political vision and party I approved of to take—democratically, by popular vote— the reins of state away from a regime I disdained, to then (all too soon and sadly) lose office again to the old guard renewed.

I guess we better not discuss this any further outside of the "prescribed forum".

[Chuck Nessa]

[Larry Kart]

For those interested:

Braxton Mosaic: outtakes from the liner notes

Link on Heffley's website is no longer active.