Art Ensemble 1967/68

[Bol]

I listened to some sound clips of the AE, and I do not think their recordings lend themselves nicely to sound clips. In other words, I don't think one can get a good sense of what they sound like from sound clips -- unlike say many hard bop recordings. But an impression I get is that the AE sounds a bit like the Gerry Hemingway Quintet recordings that I have come to really love. Is this the case, or am I completely off target? I do not have a whole lot of exposure to avant garde stuff. Aside from the Hemingway recordings and some Braxton stuff, most of my post-1967 stuff are Dutch.

[7/4]

 

It's beginning to look more abstract. Try staring at all three simultaneously.

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I don't have that many eyes.

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BTW, I think I'm going to get the box.

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Enjoy! I have a copy.

[rostasi]

Good to see that you see eyes to eyes on this.

[7/4]

The eyes have it.

[Rupertdacat]

Would someone please post, or provide a link to, further details on this set?

Thanks,

Rupe

[Johnny E]

Nessa Box Review by Scott Yanow

This limited-edition five-CD set available directly from Nessa not only reissues the important free jazz albums Old/Quartet, Numbers 1 & 2, and Congliptious but contains quite a bit of music taken from rehearsals by the members of the group that would by 1969 become known as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. With such advanced improvisers as trumpeter Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on reeds, bassist Malachi Favors, drummer Phillip Wilson, and appearances from bassist Charles Clark, drummers Robert Crowder and Thurman Barker, the music is usually very emotional and sometimes quite scary. There are meandering sections and individual performances that do not work all that well, but in general the music is quite colorful, adventurous, and innovative: in many ways the beginning of the modern avant-garde. Open-eared listeners are advised to search for this important historical set.

Review of Congliptious by Brian Olewnick

Congliptious is a landmark recording of modern jazz, an extraordinarily strong and creative album and one that, among other things, perfectly encapsulates the ideals of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). One of the graduation requirements of students in the AACM was to be able to pull off a solo recital on whatever their instrument happened to be. In the late '60s, the idea of an evening-length solo performance on saxophone or drums, for example, was unheard of. The first three cuts on Congliptious are solos for bass, alto saxophone, and trumpet that not only stand on their own as powerful statements, but also mark out several of the conceptual territories near and dear to this organization's heart. In "Tutankhamen," bassist Malachi Favors pays homage to the deep past, his rich arco delving into a theme older than the blues, but always keeping the blues in mind. Roscoe Mitchell's "Tkhke" remains, more than three decades later, incredibly alive and corrosive, reaching the furthest limits of his instrument, harrowing yet tightly controlled. Only when it resolves into a placid near lullaby does the listener dare exhale. Humor was another constant element in the work of these Chicagoans, rarely better expressed than by the late Lester Bowie in his historic soliloquy, "Jazz Death?" Posing as both unctuous interviewer and sly interviewee, Bowie wends his way through virtually the entire history of jazz trumpet with affection, soulful beauty, and a sardonic glance or two. The side-long "Congliptious/Old" is a masterpiece in breadth of conception and execution, an exemplar of the newly drawn lines distinguishing chaos from order. The trio is joined by drummer Robert Crowder, who leads things off in march tempo before dissembling into a maelstrom of percussion and the "little instruments" beloved by these musicians. The piece ebbs and flows, traveling from thunderous explosions to childlike songs to abstract vocal exhortations (including the timely phrase, "Sock it to me!"), but always retaining a sense of the blues. That aura comes into sublime fruition in the closing section, "Old," where Mitchell has written a theme as timeless as its title, an utterly gorgeous tune with roots in New Orleans dirges and beyond, which the quartet takes out with gusto, aplomb, and — again — a devilish humor. As of 2002, Congliptious was only available on disc as part of a limited-edition five-CD box set on Nessa (The Art Ensemble 1967/68). However the listener gets hold of it, it is one of the single most vital recordings of the jazz avant-garde, and an album of unique beauty.

Old/Quartet Review by Brian Olewnick

Recorded in the year prior to his groundbreaking Congliptious but not released until 1975, Old Quartet captures the Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble (which would later coalesce into the Art Ensemble of Chicago) on a clear pathway toward the later album's majestic heights. In fact, it leads off with "Old," which closed the other album, and this performance is arguably superior both in its greater expansiveness and in Lester Bowie's incredibly poised trumpet work. That they slightly flub the ending (and joke about it) only adds to the relaxed air of the piece. "Quartet" is in two lengthy parts, and is a loose, somewhat rambling exploration that anticipates the title track from Congliptious less, perhaps, than it does Mitchell's quasi-narrative epic "The Spiritual" from two year later. The amount of freedom already at hand in 1967 is breathtaking, however. The group never meanders aimlessly; each little sound or moment of silence contributes to the flow. Vocal hums, whistles, harmonica tootles, and struck bells share equal footing with the more "traditional" instruments. Early on, Mitchell had realized that "free jazz" didn't only mean screaming at the top of one's lungs; there was room for quiet. The group would mature greatly over the next year, but all the seeds are clearly here. The album ends with a solo performance by Mitchell, augmenting his alto with bells, harmonica, and percussion. It's almost frightening how he's able to seesaw between delicate, music box-like melodies and the most harrowing slabs of sonic assault possible. As of 2002, Old Quartet was available on disc only as part of a wonderful limited-edition five-CD box set, The Art Ensemble 1967/68 on Nessa. While perhaps a small step below Congliptious, it is nonetheless a beautiful album in its own right and one that ranks very high in Roscoe Mitchell's discography.

[Alexander Hawkins]

But an impression I get is that the AE sounds a bit like the Gerry Hemingway Quintet recordings that I have come to really love. Is this the case, or am I completely off target? I do not have a whole lot of exposure to avant garde stuff. Aside from the Hemingway recordings and some Braxton stuff

I don't know any Gerry Hemingway quintet stuff, and with the Braxton, I guess it depends on what Braxton we're talking about. But I honestly think that the only way a music 'lover' wouldn't be fascinated by this set wouldn't be fascinated by this set is if (s)he had a blanket distaste for anything even mildly avant-garde. Since you're into the Hemingway and Braxton, this clearly isn't the case, so go for it!

[couw]

[king ubu]

But an impression I get is that the AE sounds a bit like the Gerry Hemingway Quintet recordings that I have come to really love. Is this the case, or am I completely off target? I do not have a whole lot of exposure to avant garde stuff. Aside from the Hemingway recordings and some Braxton stuff

I don't know any Gerry Hemingway quintet stuff, and with the Braxton, I guess it depends on what Braxton we're talking about. But I honestly think that the only way a music 'lover' wouldn't be fascinated by this set wouldn't be fascinated by this set is if (s)he had a blanket distaste for anything even mildly avant-garde. Since you're into the Hemingway and Braxton, this clearly isn't the case, so go for it!

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[rostasi]

I listened to some sound clips of the AE, and I do not think their recordings lend themselves nicely to sound clips.  In other words, I don't think one can get a good sense of what they sound like from sound clips -- unlike say many hard bop recordings.  But an impression I get is that the AE sounds a bit like the Gerry Hemingway Quintet recordings that I have come to really love.  Is this the case, or am I completely off target?  I do not have a whole lot of exposure to avant garde stuff.  Aside from the Hemingway recordings and some Braxton stuff, most of my post-1967 stuff are Dutch.

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I agree with you about sound clips when it comes to this music.

It's fullness comes from the way the pieces are fully constructed.

Based on your interest in Hemingway, Braxton and Dutch jazz, I would

definitely recommend these discs to you! I have my biases here

because this is music that I grew up with - driving my family CrAzY (except for my mother).

My mission, beginning in the early 70's, was to get my hands on

every Nessa and ICP LP that I could and I'll forever be grateful

to these guys for doing these recordings

(and to Rose and Hegewisch Records and Earl McGhee, and Saul Smaizys, etc).

[rostasi]

[md655321]

Additionally its a "Core Collection" selection in the Penguin Guide to jazz. Wish I had the extra cash for it

[Guest Chaney]

Additionally its a "Core Collection" selection in the Penguin Guide to jazz.  Wish I had the extra cash for it 

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[Chuck Nessa]

I have recently changed internet service, hence my email addresses have changed AND my PayPal account. The new "correct" address is nessarecords@charter.net .

Sorry for any problems this caused.

[paul secor]

I just opened up my Art Ensemble box. There's an invoice inside dated 11/26/93. I remember ordering it and thinking that I'd better grab it quickly because it wouldn't be around for long.

Shows how much I know about the record biz.

But ... it appears it won't be around much longer. I wouldn't want to be the 2501st person who tried to order this.

Edited to revise the limited edition number - I thought the edition was 7500 copies. It took this long to sell 2400 copies of this set? What the hell's wrong with this world!

Edited November 12, 2005 by paul secor

[Chuck Nessa]

I just opened up my Art Ensemble box. There's an invoice inside dated 11/26/93. I remember ordering it and thinking that I'd better grab it quickly because it wouldn't be around for long.

Shows how much I know about the record biz.

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Just checked my books and it seems Paul has set #283. I also noticed that #282 was purchased by Bruno Johnson, operator of Okka Disk. -_-

[rostasi]

Just checked my books and it seems Paul has set #283.  I also noticed that #282 was purchased by Bruno Johnson, operator of Okka Disk. -_-

Aaaah, Bruno! Great guy! Great taste in music! We worked together in the mid-80s.

Wonder if he still has his Einstürzende Neubauten tattoo?

I can't remember whether I ordered the boxsets from you directly Chuck

or if from a distributor (for the RPM and k29 stores) in the early 90's.

Anyway, get on it folks.

After word gets out, they'll start disappearing!

Edited November 12, 2005 by rostasi

[Chuck Nessa]

Just checked my books and it seems Paul has set #283.  I also noticed that #282 was purchased by Bruno Johnson, operator of Okka Disk. -_-

Aaaah, Bruno! Great guy! Great taste in music! We worked together in the mid-80s.

Wonder if he still has his Einsturzende Neubaten tattoo?

I can't remember whether I ordered the boxsets from you directly Chuck

or if from a distributor (for the RPM and k29 stores) in the early 90's.

Anyway, get on it folks.

After word gets out, they'll start disappearing!

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This got me looking thru my ledgers (spiral notebooks, really) and I see John Zorn got #42, Thurston Moore #65 and Werner Uehlinger #73.

Forgive me my nostalgia.

[Adam]

What numbers do the band members have?

[Chuck Nessa]

What numbers do the band members have?

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They got some without numbers.

[GregK]

What numbers do the band members have?

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They got some without numbers.

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Even Moye?

[minew]

Just bought the last one off the shelf from JRM. #2276

[jlhoots]

I have #1990.

I think I got it from Cadence.

It's been a while.

[Jazzmoose]

Wow...2173 here; better late than never!

[Guest Chaney]

I own the highly sought-after set no. 999.

Chuck's personalized inscription: Tony, Without your help, this set -- nay, the very existence of the band itself -- would not have been possible. With all my respect and admiration, Charles.

Also sent with the set: 9 of Chuck's homemade oatmeal cookies. Nice touch, that. And yum!

:rsly:

It ain't nessa, ain't nessa,

ain't nessa, ain't nessa,

Ain't necessarily so.