Air - Live (1977)

Tracklisting:
1 Eulogy for Charles Clarke 10:37
2 Portrait of Leo Smith 8:06
3 Keep Right on Playing Through the Mirror Over the Water 15:30
4 Be Ever Out 5:40

Henry Threadgill — Flute, Percussion, Sax (Alto)
Fred Hopkins — Bass
Steve McCall — Percussion, Drums

AMG:
"Comprised originally of Henry Threadgill on reeds, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer Steve McCall, Air emphasized equality of roles by the instruments (without any clear-cut leader) and a smooth mixture of advanced arrangements and free improvisations. In 1971, Threadgill was asked to arrange some of Scott Joplin's songs for a production at Columbia College in Chicago. He teamed up with Hopkins and McCall as the trio Reflection. A few years later, in 1975, the musicians came together again as Air, touring Europe, Japan, and America and recording 11 records for such labels as Nessa, India Navigation, Black Saint, Novus, and Antilles. By far their most popular release was 1979's Air Lore, which found the group performing abstract versions of tunes by Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. In 1982, when McCall returned to Chicago and was replaced by Pheeroan akLaff, the group changed its name to New Air. A year before their breakup in 1986, Andrew Cyrille took over the drum slot. All of the musicians (other than McCall who passed away in 1989) went on to have very productive careers."
"Live Air is actually equally divided between two live dates recorded a year apart. The first, at Sam Rivers' New York City loft, Studio Rivbea, is a pretty quiet affair. On "Eulogy for Charles Clark," the trio is extremely hushed, Threadgill's flute work clearly evoking shakuhachi techniques. He remains on flute for "Portrait of Leo Smith," upping the volume level only slightly on one of his patented herky-jerky melodies that never quite settles into a groove but skips enticingly around it as guided by the able hands of the late Fred Hopkins. Side two of the vinyl release is from a set in Michigan and immediately rips into the group's classic tune "Keep Right on Playing Thru the Mirror Over the Water," Threadgill's alto burning through the theme and multiple variations and the late Steve McCall giving ample evidence of why he was a modern master of the drums. Its blues-drenched melody made it one of Air's concert mainstays and this is one exceptionally fine performance, worth the price of the album. The closing "Be Ever Out" is a fine whirlwind of a piece, almost tying Threadgill in knots were this band not so elastic and imaginative. Especially worthwhile for the Michigan set, Live Air is a must for any fan of this wonderful trio."

MP3@320 | COVERS | APE