Roscoe Mitchell Quartet
Roscoe Mitchell Quartet | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Live album by Roscoe Mitchell | ||||
Released | 1976 | |||
Recorded | October 4 & 5, 1975 | |||
Venue | A Space, Toronto | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 42:13 63:45 (Delmark reissue) | |||
Label | Sackville | |||
Producer | Onari Productions | |||
Roscoe Mitchell chronology | ||||
|
Roscoe Mitchell Quartet is an album by American jazz saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell recorded in 1975 and released on the Canadian Sackville label.
Background
The album documents a two nights performance promoted by saxophonist and journalist Bill Smith, co-founder of Sackville Records, at A Space, an artist-run gallery in downtown Toronto.[1] The quartet is a chamber-like ensemble composed of Mitchell, pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, co-founder of the AACM, trombonist George E. Lewis, a 23-year-old in his debut recording, and Detroit-native guitarist Spencer Barefield.
Mitchell is strongly associated with the influence of "classical" avant-garde, both European and American. If the Art Ensemble of Chicago formed a key part of Mitchell's expression, this band and later versions of their Sound Ensemble would permit him to emphasize the purely sonic interest of his earlier work.[2]
Music
Mitchell recorded the piece "Tnoona" previously with the Art Ensemble of Chicago in 1973 for the Fanfare for the Warriors album, where Abrams was also present. "Music For Trombone & B Flat Soprano" is a duo credited to Lewis. "Cards", a piece in which each player is given six cards with musical notation that can be arranged in any order and any tempo,[3] demonstrates Mitchell's interest in chance procedures and the radical dismantling of form in the manner of John Cage. "Olobo" is performed as a trombone solo by Lewis.[2]
In 2013 Delmark Records, which purchased the catalog of the Sackville label, reissued the album under the title Live at "A Space" 1975 augmented with 20 minutes of previously unissued material.[4] The four bonus tracks include a reading of John Coltrane's classic ballad Naima with an extensive prelude, and a short ensemble version of his signature piece "Nonaah", which Mitchell originally wrote as a solo saxophone before the Art Ensemble played it also for Fanfare for the Warriors.
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In his review for AllMusic, Brian Olewnick states about the original album "Roscoe Mitchell Quartet is a long-neglected minor classic and well worth hearing"[5] The All About Jazz review by Hrayr Attarian says about the Delmark reissue that "listening to this exquisite disc is, without a doubt, demanding but it is also a rewarding and thrilling aural and intellectual ride."[7]
Track listing
- All compositions by Roscoe Mitchell except as indicated
- "Tnoona" - 6:46
- "Music for Trombone & B Flat Soprano" (George E. Lewis) - 14:34
- "Cards" - 9:58
- "Olobo" - 9:38
Live at "A Space" 1975 (Delmark CD reissue)
- "Prelude to Naima" - 9:00
- "Naima" (John Coltrane)- 2:29
- "Tnoona" - 6:46
- "Music for Trombone & B Flat Soprano" (George E. Lewis) - 14:34
- "Cards" - 9:58
- "Olobo" - 9:38
- "Dastura" - 5:55
- "Nonaah" - 2:12
Personnel
- Roscoe Mitchell - B flat soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax
- Muhal Richard Abrams - piano
- George E. Lewis - trombone
- Spencer Barefield - guitar
References
- ^ Conrad, Thomas. Live at "A Space" 1975 review at JazzTimes
- ^ a b CD edition liner notes by Stuart Broomer
- ^ Allen, Clifford. Live at "A Space" 1975 review at Point of Departure
- ^ Delmark salvages a classic album from Roscoe Mitchell at Chicago Reader
- ^ a b Olewnick, Brian. Roscoe Mitchell – Quartet: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
- ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 142. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- ^ Attarian, Hrayr. Live at "A Space" 1975 review at All About Jazz
- v
- t
- e
- Before There Was Sound (1965)
- Nonaah (1976)
- Duets (1977)
- L-R-G / The Maze / S II Examples (1978)
- Snurdy McGurdy and Her Dancin' Shoes (1981)
- 3 x 4 Eye (1981)
- Roscoe Mitchell and the Sound and Space Ensembles (1983)
- After Fallen Leaves (1992)
- This Dance Is for Steve McCall (1993)
- Hey Donald (1995)
- The Day and the Night (1997)
- Nine to Get Ready (1999)
- In Walked Buckner (1999)
- 8 O'Clock: Two Improvisations (2001)
- Song for My Sister (2002)
- Solo [3] (2004)
- First Look, Chicago Duos (2005)
- Turn (2005)
- No Side Effects (2006)
- Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2 & 3 (2007)
- Far Side (2010)
- Duets with Tyshawn Sorey and Special Guest Hugh Ragin (2013)
- Conversations I (2014)
- Conversations II (2014)
- Angel City (2014)
- Four Ways (2017)
- Solo Saxophone Concerts (1974)
- Roscoe Mitchell Quartet (1976)
- The Flow of Things (1986)
- Live at the Knitting Factory (1987)
- The Bad Guys (2003)
- Numbers (2011)
- Three Compositions (2012)
- Improvisations (2013)
- In Pursuit of Magic (2014)
- Celebrating Fred Anderson (2015)
- Bells for the South Side (2017)