Art Ensemble of Chicago

RE-MASTERED EDITION!

As the legendary Art Ensemble of Chicago celebrates it’s 50th anniversary, Soul Jazz Records are releasing a new fully re-mastered edition of the group’s seminal album ‘Les Stances a Sophie’ (1970), which features the great singer Fontella Bass on the opening track ‘Theme de Yoyo’, a stunning 9-min opus that continues to startle and compel new audiences today. Drawing upon the mutual soul and funk background of Bass and then husband Lester Bowie with all the power of the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s collective musicianship on board, ‘Theme de Yoyo’ is powerfully funky, soulful and free at the same time, a classic fusion of black music styles. The Art Ensemble explored many areas of popular black music during their career. For instances their ‘Ancient to the Future: Tribute to the Masters’ album covered songs by artists such as James Brown, Fela Kuti and Jimi Hendrix. This however, remains a pinnacle moment in their exploration of black dance music.

PERSONNEL:

• MALACHI FAVORS, bass & percussion
• DON MOYE, drums
• ROSCOE MICHELL, saxophones, clarinet, flute, percussion
• JOSEPH JARMAN, saxophone (tenor, alto, soprano), flute, percussion
• LESTER BOWIE, trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
• FONTELLA BASS, vocals & piano

Recorded in the studios of Pathe Marconi in Boulogne on July, 1970.

TRACKS:

• 01. Theme De Yoyo
• 02. Theme De Celine
• 03. Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi (i)
• 04. Variation Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi (ii)
• 05. Proverbes (i)
• 06. Theme Amour Universal
• 07. Theme Libre
• 08. Proverbes (ii)