Anthony Braxton & Rova Saxophone Quartet - The Aggregate (1989)

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Anthony Braxton & Rova Saxophone Quartet - The Aggregate (1989)

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Braxton had long been fond of working with improvising wind ensembles. In fact, the earliest incarnation of what would become the World Saxophone Quartet appeared on his landmark Arista album, New York, Fall, 1974. So his collaboration with the ROVA quartet, perhaps the most important practitioners of the form after the WSQ, came as no surprise. The tracks here were recorded at two live dates in 1986 and 1988, with Braxton sitting in on both occasions. Two pieces are by ROVA members, while one long work, "Composition 129 (+ 40F + 40O)," is by Braxton. The opening cut, Larry Ochs' "The Shopper," is an aggressive, rhythmic piece, with a staccato line forming a sold basis for solos by all members. Jon Raskin's title piece is more lush, with a relaxed counterpoint tossed back and forth beneath the solos and rich harmonies reminiscent of Julius Hemphill's beautiful arrangements for the World Saxophone Quartet. The composer does some very beautiful and rich baritone work on this piece, and the group improv sections are imaginative and compelling. The Braxton composition is knotty and compelling, filled with written passages having only a nodding acquaintance with jazz traditions but also including a couple of sections where faint glimmers of Ellington and a hint of march-time can be discerned. It's a testament to the musicianship of the ROVA band that they are capable of negotiating this intricate piece not only with mastery but humor as well. The Aggregate is a challenging recording, more so than most by more jazz-oriented saxophone quartets, but very rewarding on its own terms and an important document in Braxton's work for woodwind ensembles.

by Brian Olewnick, allmusic

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Anthony Braxton & Rova Saxophone Quartet - The Aggregate (1989)

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Anthony Braxton & Rova Saxophone Quartet - The Aggregate (1989)

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