Anthony Braxton - Eight Compositions (Quintet) 2001

Tracklist:
1. Composition No. 295
2. Composition No. 300
3. Composition No. 299
4. Composition No. 294
5. Composition No. 297
6. Composition No. 293
7. Composition No. 298
8. Composition No. 296
9. Composition No. 300 (tk 2)

Anthony Braxton (Alto Saxophone)
Richard A. McGhee III (Soprano Saxophone)
Alvin Benjamin Carter, Sr. (Percussion)
Alvin Benjamin Carter, Jr. (Percussion)
Sipho Robert Bellinger (Percussion)

Recording day always starts with anticipation and the excitement mounts with the arrival of the musicians, new introductions, renewed acquaintances, and an almost physical ambiance of creativity. In the early afternoon of March 12, this was further heightened as The Spirit Room filled with the dozens of little percussion instruments and hand drums of various sizes (djembe, djundjun, songba, kinkini, conga, surf drum, tama, shekere, bells, rainstick) as Messrs. Carter, Carter, and Bellinger set about hammering down tensioners, stretching skins, and tuning the assorted hand drums, all of which slowly evolved into an of-the-moment percussion conversation. A break for an enthusiastic "talk & eat" lunch and, by 3:30 p.m., sound checks began to coordinate reeds and skins.
This is Anthony Braxton's (Chicago, IL, 1945) third trip to The Spirit Room; he's become acclimated. This time, he informs me upon arrival, he overshot the driveway only by about 100 feet.
I think only the musicians had an idea what to expect, but, having worked before with Anthony, we have a confidence in each other and I found this concept of reeds and African percussion intriguing.
They opened with Composition 295, and it occurred to me that this was a bit of a synthesis of the various forms that Anthony has been exploring since the 1960s. Although he had never recorded in this type of instrumental setting before, much of the lineage of Anthony's music of the past 30 plus years is clearly evident. Interesting also is how differently the percussion strategized and prepared between takes while the reeds worked on lines and embellishments. The percussionists caucused quite independently with themselves, working various patterns, emphases and cadences to fit the music and the structure prescribed by Anthony. Then the parts were put together, the audio emphasis usually on one of the parts. At times, the music sounds to me at cross purposes but it's really more pancultural post modern; something Anthony might suggest as very Third Millennial. Only an hour into the music and it was clearly evocative, not nostalgic – exactly what art-of-its-time should be.
At supper I learned that Abubakar (Alvin Carter, Sr.) (Coatesville, PA, 1941) has a long history of involvement with percussion and that he pretty much is considered the mentor for all the hand drummers in the Springfield, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut areas. Babafemi (Alvin Carter, Jr.) (Chicopee, MA, 1962), is his son and influence and respect between them is obvious. Sipho Bellinger (Stamford, CT, 1955) and Richard McGhee (Stamford, CT, 1955) have known each other since they were eight. This grouping came together because of Richard's friendship with Sipho and, through his work with Babafemi, he was introduced to Abubakar. Richard has also worked with Anthony. At Anthony's suggestion to expand their association, Richard brought all parties together.
Supper was familial and extremely conversational and suggested a commonality of understandings that was cross generational. Many experiences, one humanity. We were a bit slow to return to The Spirit Room and, once there, it took some moments to refocus. First the percussion, then the reeds, and then coordinating the two. Certainly this is a challenging situation for the percussionists, multi & odd rhythm demands and a coordination with 2 by 3.
Coordinate they did and, interspersed with lots of amiable conversation, we completed the concert and now offer it up to your listening experience.
Robert D. Rusch - March 13, 2001