Anthony Braxton

I would like to make a few notes and hopefully clear up a potential misunderstanding or two. Most importantly, no matter what you think about the original Tristano performances, this music is not “cool” – with feverish intensity, volcanic dynamics, explosive technique, aggressive attitudes … there is an enormous amount of drama here, and none of it is sedate, reticent, or bloodless. Note the treacherously difficult heads on tunes like “Two Not One,” “Dreams,” “Lennie’s Pennies,” and “April,” and the hang-on-to-the-roller-coaster-with-your-fingernails for-dearlife endings, where the question is not how they can find the notes at all at such breathless tempos, but how are they able to invest them with such meaning, such emotion? Note how Braxton puts his personal stamp on the music, retaining his own stylistic character – and adding an unquenchable sense of emotional urgency – to his solos, stretching the material without distorting its nature, and avoiding mimicking Marsh and Konitz’s solutions to these compositional conundrums. Note the solid, unshakeable foundation of Andrew Cyrille and Cecil McBee. Note the rigorous, rousing contributions of Jon Raskin. Note the imaginative touch, fluid invention, and remarkable poise of pianist Dred Scott, a 25-year-old discovery of Braxton’s, in his jazz recording debut. Note the commitment, note the risks taken, note the rewards. Then give credit where it’s due, marvel, and enjoy. Art Lange.

PERSONNEL:

ANTHONY BRAXTON, alto & sopranino saxophone
JON RASKIN,  baritone saxophone
DRED SCOTT, piano
CECIL McBEE, bass
ANDREW CYRILLE, drums

Recorded at Sage & Sound Recording Studio, Hollywood, on December 10& 11, 1989.

Tracks:

01. Two Not One 7:15
02. 317E 32nd Street 8:15
03. Dreams 5:41
04. Lennie’s Pennies 9:20
05. Victory Ball 4:45
06. Sax Of A Kind 4:05
07. Lennie Bird 6:24
08. Victory Ball (take 2) 5:06
09. Baby 5:10
10. April 8:26