Ended Wednesday and welcomed Thursday after a swim with The Ritual by Kahil El'Zabar Featuring Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, released on Sound Aspects Records in 1987.

Kahil El'Zabar is one of Chicago's jazz treasures. A member of the AACM, music holds no boundaries for El'Zabar, who has not only played alongside a myriad of jazz greats, but was in the bands of Stevie Wonder, Cannonball Adderley, Dizzy Gillespie, and Nina Simone (who he also designed clothes for), as well as recording with rock bands like Sonia Dada and Poi Dog Pondering and heading up the jazz/house outfit the JUBA Collective. He was also chosen to do the arranging for the stage performances of The Lion King. This is in addition to leading his own longstanding Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and Ritual Trio.. --- Sean Westergaard, Rovi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-X1uNwVpGU

#KahilElZabar #LesterBowie #MalachiFavors #Jazz #FreeJazz #AACM #ArtEnsembleOfChicago #Music

Ended the long weekend and welcomed the week with Young at Heart/Wise in Time an album by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams released by the Delmark label in 1970 that featured an LP side-length solo piano composition and Abrams accompanied by Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, Lester Lashley and Thurman Barker on the other side.

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow calls the album "Fascinating music, it is recommended strictly for the open-eared listener who does not demand that all jazz swing conventionally".[5] The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded the album 3½ stars stating "Young/Wise combines the definitive Abrams solo performance of the period with a group of tracks of burning intensity".[3] The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide said it has "a long example of Abram's reflective piano and a tighter group performance by an excellent AACM quintet" - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2704DJjkCa4&list=RD2704DJjkCa4&start_radio=1

#MuhalRichardAbrams #JazzPiano
#HenryThreadgill #WadadaLeoSmith #Music #Jazz #AACM #FreeJazz

Sound is the debut album by free jazz saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, recorded in 1966 and released on the Delmark label. It features performances by Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, Maurice McIntyre, Lester Lashley and Alvin Fielder.

... Wadada Leo Smith commented: "It's no accident that Roscoe called that important piece of his Sound. Sound - not pitch - that's the difference." According to Mitchell, "[t]he musicians are free to make any sound they think will do, any sound that they hear at a particular time. That could be like somebody who felt like stomping on the floor... well, he would stomp on the floor..." - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLq2jx8oSbE&list=RDRLq2jx8oSbE&start_radio=1

#RoscoeMitchell #LesterBowie #MalachiFavors #ArtEnsembleofChicago #FreeJazz #Delmark #Music #Jazz #AlvinFielder #AACM

Levels and Degrees of Light is the debut album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Delmark label in 1968 and features performances of three of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Charles Clark, Gordon Emmanuel, Maurice McIntyre, Thurman Barker and Leonard Jones with vocals by Penelope Taylor and a poetry recitation by David Moore.

The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded the album 3 stars stating "Levels and Degrees of Light would be a slightly difficult record to place in a blindfold test. It is certainly not untypical of the Chicago experimentation of the period, except it seems much less chaotic, much more responsive to European tradition" - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJQhyPpfgbk&list=OLAK5uy_mdvi-ywieFixdd1ZksyDHohn8Y6XWEZ6c&index=1

#MuhalRichardAbrams #AACM #Jazz #FreeJazz #Delmark #AnthonyBraxton #Music #LeroyJenkins

Art Ensemble of Chicago - "Phase One" (1971)

https://youtu.be/YP5Y71ploUU

#NowPlaying #ArtEnsemble #ArtEnsembleOfChicago #AACM #MalachiFavors #DonMoye #RoscoeMitchell #LesterBowie #JosephJarman #vinyl #VinylRecords @vinylrecords

Spiral Live at Montreux 1978 is a live album by Muhal Richard Abrams recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival and released on the Arista Novus label in 1978.

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states "Abrams' occasional use of devices from earlier styles (including a bit of dissonant stride and basslines à la Lennie Tristano) makes this music a bit more accessible than one might expect at times, but in general, this set is for listeners who enjoy hearing new approaches to musical freedom".

DownBeat gave the album 5 stars.[2] Reviewer Bradley Parker-Sparrow wrote, "Ruthless clarity and a quality of raw unrestrained energy make this solo record a masterpiece." - Wikipedia

#MuhalRichardAbrams #Jazz #MontreuxJazzFestival #JazzPiano #SoloPiano #FreeJazz #AACM #Music

Thème De Yoyo from The Art Ensemble of Chicago's Les Stances A Sophie[1970] (vocals: Fontella Bass)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZOqutLUJj4

#music #Jazz #AACM #FreeJazz

Duets 1976 is an album by saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton and pianist Muhal Richard Abrams recorded in 1976 and released on the Arista label. The album features three compositions by Braxton, two jazz standards and one improvisation...

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick states "The results are mixed, with a somewhat ragged approach balanced by enthusiastic playing and an intriguing choice of material" - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDmWaGNpJIQ&list=PLLLPWtgfCQ43YHrQJ0_1XQN60WAv709VS&index=1

#AnthonyBraxton #MuhalRichardAbrams #FreeJazz #AACM #ChicagoMusic #Music #Jazz

3 Compositions of New Jazz is the debut album by Anthony Braxton, released in 1968 on the Delmark label. It features performances by Braxton, violinist Leroy Jenkins and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith with pianist Muhal Richard Abrams appearing on two tracks.

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek stated: "This is a long and tough listen, but it's a light one in comparison to For Alto. And make no mistake: It is outrageously forward-thinking, if not—arguably—downright visionary. Braxton's 3 Compositions of New Jazz is an essential document of the beginning of the end" - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLC0YaI-LF4&list=RDfLC0YaI-LF4&start_radio=1

#anthonybraxton #aacm #leroyjenkins #wadadaleosmith #freejazz #muhalrichardabrams #delmark