Anthony Braxton

Recorded at the 24e Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, May 20th 2007


Here is an intimate opportunity to hear Braxton feature his recent foray into the world of laptop and interactive electronics. Braxton and laptop? What would this element bring to his music? Use of electronics is hardly unprecedented in Braxton’s music. After all, he played with Richard Teitelbaum starting in the early ’70s and featured Bob Ostertag on synthesizer in a late ’70s version of his creative orchestra. But for the first time, Braxton is diving in to working with interactive electronics himself!

As is always the case with Braxton, particular performances, groupings, and compositional forms are a point on an ever-evolving line. During the Sunday afternoon performance captured here, there was particular magic which Halvorson described as “an exciting feeling of going into the unknown.” All of this comes through from the first probing counterpoint to the final hovering notes punctuated by a burst of electronic squall that fades into a quavering overtone.

Michael Rosenstein, October 2007

Personel:
Anthony Braxton : saxophones sopranino, soprano, alto, baryton, basse et contrabasse,électroniques
Mary Halvorson : guitare électrique
Taylor Ho Bynum : cornet, bugle, trompbone, trompettes
basse et piccolo, coques, sourdines