Art Ensemble of Chicago
Encyclopedia
The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz
ensemble that grew out of Chicago
's AACM
in the late 1960s. The group continues to tour and record through 2006, despite the deaths of two of the founding members.
The Art Ensemble is notable for its integration of musical styles spanning jazz's entire history and for their multi-instrumentalism
, especially the use of what they termed "little instruments" in addition to the traditional jazz lineup; "little instruments" can include bicycle horns, bells, birthday party noisemakers, wind chime
s, and a vast array of percussion
instruments (including found object
s). The group also uses costumes and face paint in performance. These characteristics combine to make the ensemble's performances as much a visual spectacle as an aural one, with each musician playing from behind a large array of drums, bell
s, gong
s, and other instruments. When playing in Europe in 1969, the group was using more than 500 instruments.
Sextet in 1966. The Sextet included saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, trumpet
er Lester Bowie
and bass
ist Malachi Favors Maghostut, who over the next year went on to play together as the Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble. In 1967 they were joined by fellow AACM members Joseph Jarman
(saxophone) and Phillip Wilson
(drums
), and made a number of recordings for Nessa
.
As noted above, the musicians were all active multi-instrumentalists: Jarman and Mitchell's primary instruments were alto and tenor saxes, respectively, but they played many other saxophones (ranging from the tiny sopranino
to the large bass
), flute
s and clarinet
s. In addition to trumpet, Bowie played flugelhorn
, cornet
, shofar
and conch shells. Favors added touches of banjo
and bass guitar
. Over the years, most of the musicians dabbled on piano
, synthesizer
and other keyboards.
In 1969, Wilson left the group to join blues singer/harmonica player Paul Butterfield
's band. That same year, the remaining group travelled to Paris
, where they became known as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. The immediate impetus for the name change came from a French promoter who added "of Chicago" to their name for purely descriptive purposes, but the new name stuck because band members felt that it better reflected the cooperative nature of the group. In Paris the ensemble were based at the Théâtre des Vieux Colombier and their distinctive music with percussion roles dispersed throughout the quartet was documented in a range of records on the Freedom
and BYG
labels. They also recorded "Comme à la radio" with Brigitte Fontaine
and Areski Belkacem as a drummerless quartet before welcoming percussionist Famoudou Don Moye to the group in 1970.
In 1970 the ensemble recorded Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass
and Les Stances a Sophie
with singer Fontella Bass
, then Lester Bowie's wife. The latter was the soundtrack from the French movie of the same title. Bass' vocals, backed by the powerful pulsating push of the band has allowed the "Theme De YoYo" to remain an underground cult classic ever since.
The ensemble returned to the United States
in 1972, and the quintet of Mitchell, Jarman, Bowie, Favors and Moye remained static until 1993. Upon their return to the States, they came to prominence with two major releases on Atlantic Records
: Bap-Tizum
and Fanfare for the Warriors
. Members of the group made the decision to restrict their appearances together, allowing each player to pursue other musical interests. It seems likely that this has contributed to the longevity of the ensemble. Despite the self-imposed limitations the Art Ensemble managed to release more than 20 studio recordings and several live albums between 1972 and 2004.
The makeup of the ensemble changed in 1993, when Jarman retired from the group to focus on his practice of Zen
and Aikido
. Bowie died of liver cancer in 1999, and the group continued as a trio (featuring a number of guest artists in their performances) until 2003, when Jarman rejoined the ensemble. In January 2004 Favors Maghostut died suddenly during the recording of Sirius Calling
. The group was joined in late 2004 by trumpeter Corey Wilkes and bassist Jaribu Shahid, who recorded the 2 CD live release Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City
(2006) on Pi Recordings
.
Ensemble members embrace the performance art
aspects of their concerts, believing that they allow the band to move beyond the strict limits of "jazz". Their operating motto is "Great Black Music: Ancient To the Future", which allows them to explore a wide variety of musical styles and influences; the band's distinctive appearance on stage also reflects this motto. As Jarman describes it,
Avant-garde jazz
Avant-garde jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. Avant-jazz often sounds very similar to free jazz, but differs in that, despite its distinct departure from traditional harmony, it has a predetermined structure over which ...
ensemble that grew out of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's AACM
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians is a non-profit organization, founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States, by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran....
in the late 1960s. The group continues to tour and record through 2006, despite the deaths of two of the founding members.
The Art Ensemble is notable for its integration of musical styles spanning jazz's entire history and for their multi-instrumentalism
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, especially the use of what they termed "little instruments" in addition to the traditional jazz lineup; "little instruments" can include bicycle horns, bells, birthday party noisemakers, wind chime
Wind chime
Wind chimes are chimes constructed from suspended tubes, rods, bells or other objects and are often made of metal or wood. Wind chimes are usually hung outside of a building or residence, as a visual and aural garden ornament, and are to be played by the wind....
s, and a vast array of percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
instruments (including found object
Found object
A found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already. Found objects may exist either as utilitarian, manufactured items, or things which occur in nature...
s). The group also uses costumes and face paint in performance. These characteristics combine to make the ensemble's performances as much a visual spectacle as an aural one, with each musician playing from behind a large array of drums, bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
s, gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
s, and other instruments. When playing in Europe in 1969, the group was using more than 500 instruments.
History
Members of what was to become the Art Ensemble performed together under various band names in the mid-sixties, releasing their first album, Sound, as the Roscoe MitchellRoscoe Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...
Sextet in 1966. The Sextet included saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
and bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
ist Malachi Favors Maghostut, who over the next year went on to play together as the Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble. In 1967 they were joined by fellow AACM members Joseph Jarman
Joseph Jarman
Joseph Jarman , is a jazz musician, composer and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He is perhaps best known as one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Early life:Jarman grew up in Chicago, Illinois...
(saxophone) and Phillip Wilson
Phillip Wilson (drummer)
Phillip Wilson was an American jazz percussionist, known as a founding member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.-Biography:...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
), and made a number of recordings for Nessa
Nessa Records
-Discography:*n-1 Lester Bowie - Numbers 1 & 2 *n-2 Roscoe Mitchell - Congliptious...
.
As noted above, the musicians were all active multi-instrumentalists: Jarman and Mitchell's primary instruments were alto and tenor saxes, respectively, but they played many other saxophones (ranging from the tiny sopranino
Sopranino saxophone
The sopranino saxophone is one of the smallest members of the saxophone family. A sopranino saxophone is tuned in the key of E, and sounds an octave above the alto saxophone. This saxophone has a sweet sound and although the sopranino is one of the least common of the saxophones in regular use...
to the large bass
Bass saxophone
The bass saxophone is the second largest member of the saxophone family. Its design is similar to that of the baritone saxophone, with a loop of tubing near the mouthpiece. It was the first type of saxophone presented to the public, when Adolphe Sax exhibited a bass saxophone in C at an exhibition...
), flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s. In addition to trumpet, Bowie played flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
, cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
, shofar
Shofar
A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
and conch shells. Favors added touches of banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Over the years, most of the musicians dabbled on piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
and other keyboards.
In 1969, Wilson left the group to join blues singer/harmonica player Paul Butterfield
Paul Butterfield
Paul Butterfield was an American blues vocalist and harmonica player, who founded the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in the early 1960s and performed at the original Woodstock Festival...
's band. That same year, the remaining group travelled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where they became known as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. The immediate impetus for the name change came from a French promoter who added "of Chicago" to their name for purely descriptive purposes, but the new name stuck because band members felt that it better reflected the cooperative nature of the group. In Paris the ensemble were based at the Théâtre des Vieux Colombier and their distinctive music with percussion roles dispersed throughout the quartet was documented in a range of records on the Freedom
Freedom Records
Freedom Records was a jazz record label linked with the producer Alan Bates, as with his Black Lion Records.Individual recordings were distributed via Polydor Records and Transatlantic Records during the early 1970s before the company was bought by Arista Records.-Discography:*1000 Albert Ayler &...
and BYG
BYG Actuel
BYG Actuel was a French record label specializing in free jazz. The label also released a small number of non-jazz recordings by artists such as Musica Elettronica Viva, Freedom and Gong.-History:...
labels. They also recorded "Comme à la radio" with Brigitte Fontaine
Brigitte Fontaine
Brigitte Fontaine, born in 1939 in Morlaix in the Brittany region of France, is a singer of avant-garde music. During the course of her career she has employed numerous unusual musical styles, melding rock and roll, folk, jazz, electronica, spoken word poetry and world rhythms...
and Areski Belkacem as a drummerless quartet before welcoming percussionist Famoudou Don Moye to the group in 1970.
In 1970 the ensemble recorded Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass
Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass
Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass is a 1970 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris and first released on the America label...
and Les Stances a Sophie
Les Stances a Sophie
Les Stances a Sophie is a 1970 soundtrack album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris for a French film directed by Moshe Mizrahi and first released on the Pathé Marconi label in France and on Nessa Records in the U.S.. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe...
with singer Fontella Bass
Fontella Bass
Fontella Bass is an American soul singer, who is best known for the 1965 R&B hit "Rescue Me", which she also co-wrote.-Early life:...
, then Lester Bowie's wife. The latter was the soundtrack from the French movie of the same title. Bass' vocals, backed by the powerful pulsating push of the band has allowed the "Theme De YoYo" to remain an underground cult classic ever since.
The ensemble returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1972, and the quintet of Mitchell, Jarman, Bowie, Favors and Moye remained static until 1993. Upon their return to the States, they came to prominence with two major releases on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
: Bap-Tizum
Bap-Tizum
Bap-Tizum is a 1972 live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival held at the Otis Spann Memorial Field and first released on the Atlantic label in 1972. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut...
and Fanfare for the Warriors
Fanfare for the Warriors
Fanfare for the Warriors is a 1973 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago first released on the Atlantic label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye along with AACM leader Muhal Richard Abrams.-Reception:The Allmusic review by...
. Members of the group made the decision to restrict their appearances together, allowing each player to pursue other musical interests. It seems likely that this has contributed to the longevity of the ensemble. Despite the self-imposed limitations the Art Ensemble managed to release more than 20 studio recordings and several live albums between 1972 and 2004.
The makeup of the ensemble changed in 1993, when Jarman retired from the group to focus on his practice of Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
and Aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
. Bowie died of liver cancer in 1999, and the group continued as a trio (featuring a number of guest artists in their performances) until 2003, when Jarman rejoined the ensemble. In January 2004 Favors Maghostut died suddenly during the recording of Sirius Calling
Sirius Calling
Sirius Calling is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in April, 2003 in Madison, Wisconsin and released in 2004 on the Pi label. It features performances by Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Don Moye with Malachi Favors Maghostut on what would be the final album before his death. The...
. The group was joined in late 2004 by trumpeter Corey Wilkes and bassist Jaribu Shahid, who recorded the 2 CD live release Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City
Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City
Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City: Live at the Iridium is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in April, 2004 at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City and released in 2006 on the Pi label...
(2006) on Pi Recordings
Pi Recordings
Pi Recordings is a jazz record label whose motto is "dedicated to the innovative". Pi was founded in 2001 by Seth Rosner. He was joined as partner by Yulun Wang in 2002.- Discography :*Pi 01: Everybodys Mouth's a Book - Henry Threadgill...
.
Ensemble members embrace the performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
aspects of their concerts, believing that they allow the band to move beyond the strict limits of "jazz". Their operating motto is "Great Black Music: Ancient To the Future", which allows them to explore a wide variety of musical styles and influences; the band's distinctive appearance on stage also reflects this motto. As Jarman describes it,
- So what we were doing with that face painting was representing everyone throughout the universe, and that was expressed in the music as well. That's why the music was so interesting. It wasn't limited to Western instruments, African instruments, or Asian instruments, or South American instruments, or anybody's instruments.
Discography
| Title | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Sound (Roscoe Mitchell album) Sound is the debut album by free jazz saxophononist Roscoe Mitchell recorded in 1966 and released on the Delmark label. It features performances by Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, Maurice McIntyre, Lester Lashley and Alvin Fielder... - Roscoe Mitchell Sextet |
1966 | Delmark Delmark Records Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in... |
| Old/Quartet Old/Quartet Old/Quartet is an album recorded in 1967 by Roscoe Mitchell's Art Ensemble which later became known as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. It was released on the Nessa label in 1975 and features performances by Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Phillip Wilson.-Reception:The Allmusic... - Roscoe Mitchell |
1967 | Nessa Nessa Records -Discography:*n-1 Lester Bowie - Numbers 1 & 2 *n-2 Roscoe Mitchell - Congliptious... |
| Numbers 1 & 2 Numbers 1 & 2 Numbers 1 & 2 is a 1967 album by Lester Bowie featuring a line-up which later became the Art Ensemble of Chicago. It was released on the Nessa label and features performances by Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors, and Joseph Jarman.-Reception:... - Lester Bowie |
1967 | Nessa |
| Congliptious Congliptious Congliptious is a 1968 album by Roscoe Mitchell's Art Ensemble which later became the Art Ensemble of Chicago. It was released on the Nessa label and features performances by Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, and Robert Crowder... - Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble |
1968 | Nessa |
| A Jackson in Your House A Jackson in Your House A Jackson in Your House is a 1969 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded for the French BYG Actuel label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors Maghostut... |
1969 | BYG Actuel BYG Actuel BYG Actuel was a French record label specializing in free jazz. The label also released a small number of non-jazz recordings by artists such as Musica Elettronica Viva, Freedom and Gong.-History:... |
| Tutankhamun Tutankhamun (album) Tutankhamun is a 1969 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded for the Freedom label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors Maghostut... |
1969 | Freedom Freedom Records Freedom Records was a jazz record label linked with the producer Alan Bates, as with his Black Lion Records.Individual recordings were distributed via Polydor Records and Transatlantic Records during the early 1970s before the company was bought by Arista Records.-Discography:*1000 Albert Ayler &... |
| The Spiritual The Spiritual (album) The Spiritual is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in 1969 for the Freedom label as the same sesioons that produced Tutankhamun... |
1969 | Freedom |
| People in Sorrow People in Sorrow People in Sorrow is a 1969 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Boulogne for the French Pathé-Marconi label, later reissued in the US on Nessa Records... |
1969 | Nessa |
| Message to Our Folks Message to Our Folks Message to Our Folks is a 1969 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris for the French BYG Actuel label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors Maghostut.-Track listing:... |
1969 | BYG-Actuel |
| Reese and the Smooth Ones Reese and the Smooth Ones Reese and the Smooth Ones is a 1969 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris for the French BYG Actuel label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors Maghostut.-Reception:... |
1969 | BYG-Actuel |
| Eda Wobu Eda Wobu Eda Wobu is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris in 1969 and first released in 1991 by the Italian JMY label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors Maghostut.-Personnel:... |
1969 | JMY |
| Certain Blacks Certain Blacks Certain Blacks is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris on February 10, 1970 and released on the America label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell , Malachi Favors Maghostut, Chicago Beau, Julio Finn and William A... ' |
1970 | America |
| Go Home Go Home (album) Go Home is a 1970 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris for the French Galloway label - first released in 1973. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Malachi Favors Maghostut along with Fontella Bass, Ivan Julien, Bernard Vitet, Ambrose... |
1970 | Galloway |
| Chi-Congo Chi-Congo Chi-Congo is a 1970 album recorded in Paris by the Art Ensemble of Chicago first released in 1972 on the Decca Records label, later reissued in the US by Paula... |
1970 | Paula |
| Les Stances a Sophie Les Stances a Sophie Les Stances a Sophie is a 1970 soundtrack album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris for a French film directed by Moshe Mizrahi and first released on the Pathé Marconi label in France and on Nessa Records in the U.S.. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe... |
1970 | Nessa |
| Live in Paris Live in Paris (AECO album) Live in Paris is a double live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded at the Chateau Vallon and first released on the BYG Actuel label in Japan as two separate volumes in 1974... |
1970 | Freedom |
| Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass is a 1970 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris and first released on the America label... |
1970 | America |
| Phase One | 1971 | America |
| Live at Mandell Hall Live at Mandell Hall Live at Mandell Hall is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded at Mandell Hall on their return to Chicago from Europe in January 1972 and released on the Delmark label... |
1972 | Delmark |
| Bap-Tizum Bap-Tizum Bap-Tizum is a 1972 live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival held at the Otis Spann Memorial Field and first released on the Atlantic label in 1972. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut... |
1972 | Atlantic Atlantic Records Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz... |
| Fanfare for the Warriors Fanfare for the Warriors Fanfare for the Warriors is a 1973 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago first released on the Atlantic label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye along with AACM leader Muhal Richard Abrams.-Reception:The Allmusic review by... |
1973 | Atlantic |
| Kabalaba Kabalaba Kabalaba is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1974 and released on their AECO label in 1978... |
1974 | AECO |
| Nice Guys | 1978 | ECM |
| Live in Berlin Live in Berlin (AECO album) Live in Berlin is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in March 1979 and first released on the West Wind label in 1991. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye.... |
1979 | West Wind West Wind Records West Wind Records was a jazz record label, releasing albums by many notable musicians during the 1980s.Some of these albums were previously issued on labels such as Circle Records .-Discography:*001 Anthony Braxton - The Coventry Concert 1980... |
| Full Force | 1980 | ECM |
| Urban Bushmen Urban Bushmen Urban Bushmen is a 1980 live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Munich and released on the ECM label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye.-Reception:... |
1980 | ECM |
| Among the People Among the People Among the People is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago originally released in 1981 as an LP on the Greek Praxis label, and rereleased on CD as Live in Milano on the Golden Years of New Jazz label... |
1980 | Praxis |
| The Complete Live in Japan The Complete Live in Japan The Complete Live in Japan is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released in 1988 on the Japanese DIW label. It features a live performance by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye recorded in Gotanda, Japan in 1984... |
1984 | DIW DIW Records DIW Records is a Japanese record label. It is a subsidiary label of Disc Union and specializes in jazz and avant garde music. Kazunori Sugiyama was an executive producer for the label before starting Tzadik Records with John Zorn.-Discography:... |
| The Third Decade The Third Decade The Third Decade is a 1984 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released on the ECM label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye.-Reception:... |
1984 | ECM |
| Naked Naked (AECO album) Naked is a 1986 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released on the Japanese DIW label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye.-Reception:... |
1986 | DIW |
| Ancient to the Future Ancient to the Future Ancient to the Future: Dreaming of the Masters Series Vol. 1 is a 1987 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released on the Japanese DIW label... |
1987 | DIW |
| The Alternate Express The Alternate Express The Alternate Express is a 1989 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released on the Japanese DIW label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye.-Reception:... |
1989 | DIW |
| Art Ensemble of Soweto Art Ensemble of Soweto Art Ensemble of Soweto is a 1990 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Amabutho Male Chorus released on the Japanese DIW label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut, and Don Moye with vocals by Elliot Ngubane, Kay Ngwazene,... |
1990 | DIW |
| America - South Africa America - South Africa America – South Africa is a 1991 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Amabutho Male Chorus released on the Japanese DIW label in association with Columbia Records... |
1990 | DIW |
| Thelonious Sphere Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (album) Thelonious Sphere Monk: Dreaming of the Masters Series Vol. 2 is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Cecil Taylor released on the Japanese DIW label... with Cecil Taylor Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and... |
1990 | DIW |
| Dreaming of the Masters Suite Dreaming of the Masters Suite Dreaming of the Masters Suite: Music Inspired by and Dedicated to John Coltrane is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released on the Japanese DIW label... |
1990 | DIW |
| Live at the 6th Tokyo Music Joy Live at the 6th Tokyo Music Joy Live at the 6th Tokyo Music Joy is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy recorded in February 1990 for the Japanese DIW label... |
1991 | DIW |
| Fundamental Destiny Fundamental Destiny Fundamental Destiny is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Don Pullen recorded in June 1991 in Frankfurt, Germany and released in 2007 on the group's AECO label... with Don Pullen Don Pullen Don Pullen was an American jazz pianist and organist. Pullen developed a strikingly individual style throughout his career. He composed masterworks ranging from blues to bebop and modern jazz... |
1991 | AECO |
| Salutes the Chicago Blues Tradition Salutes the Chicago Blues Tradition Salutes the Chicago Blues Tradition is a live album recorded on 7 July 1993 in Geneva, Switzerland by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and released on their own AECO label... |
1993 | AECO |
| Coming Home Jamaica Coming Home Jamaica Coming Home Jamaica is a 1998 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago originally released on the Atlantic label and reissued in 2002 on the Dreyfus label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye with Bahnamous Lee Bowie guesting on one track.... |
1996 | Atlantic |
| Urban Magic Urban Magic Urban Magic is a live album recorded on 4 June 1997 in Laroche-sur-Yon, France by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and originally released with the March 2003 issue of the Italian magazine Musica Jazz... |
1997 | Musica Jazz |
| Tribute to Lester Tribute to Lester Tribute to Lester is an album recorded in 2001 by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and released on ECM in 2003, their first release on the label since The Third Decade . It features performances by Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Don Moye... |
2001 | ECM |
| Reunion Reunion (AECO album) Reunion is a live album recorded at Centro Rai di Produzione Radiofonica in Rome in January 2003 by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and released on the Italian Around Jazz label. It marked the return of Joseph Jarman to the group and features performances by Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors... |
2003 | Around jazz / Il Manifesto |
| The Meeting The Meeting (Art Ensemble of Chicago album) - Track listing :#"Hail We Now Sing Joy" — 4:56#"It's the Sign of the Times" — 18:44#"Tech Ritter and the Megabytes" — 4:22#"Wind and Drum" — 11:09#"The Meeting" — 6:49... |
2003 | Pi |
| Sirius Calling Sirius Calling Sirius Calling is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in April, 2003 in Madison, Wisconsin and released in 2004 on the Pi label. It features performances by Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell and Don Moye with Malachi Favors Maghostut on what would be the final album before his death. The... |
2004 | Pi |
| Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City: Live at the Iridium is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in April, 2004 at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City and released in 2006 on the Pi label... |
2006 | Pi |
Further reading
- Lewis, GeorgeGeorge Lewis (trombonist)George E. Lewis is a trombone player, composer, and scholar in the fields of jazz and experimental music. He has been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians since 1971, and is a pioneer of computer music.- Biography :Lewis graduated from Yale University with a...
. A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music. University of Chicago Press, 2008. - Shipton, Alyn. A New History of Jazz. London: Continuum, 2001.
Films
- 1982 - Live From the Jazz Showcase: The Art Ensemble of Chicago (directed by William J Mahin, the University of Illinois at Chicago). Filmed at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase in Chicago, November 1, 1981.
External links
- Art Ensemble of Chicago website. http://www.artensembleofchicago.com/ Retrieved January 11, 2005.
- Art Ensemble of Chicago discography. http://web.archive.org/web/20091028125007/http://geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/8835/art.html Retrieved January 11, 2005.
- Art Ensemble of Chicago biography on the AACM website]. http://aacmchicago.org/groups/AECO.html Retrieved January 11, 2005.
- Sanders, Seth (April 29, 2004). 'After 32 years, Art Ensemble of Chicago returns to Mandel Hall to play its "great black music, ancient to future"'. University of Chicago Chronicle. http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/040429/artensemble.shtml Retrieved January 11, 2005.
- Joseph Jarman interview. http://www.furious.com/perfect/jarman.html Retrieved January 11, 2005.
- Photos: The Art Ensemble of Chicago live 2006 in Salzburg/Austria: http://kairos.biz/j/artensembleofchicago.html.
- Portraits of The Art Ensemble of Chicago by Dominik Huber / dominikphoto.com: http://dominikphoto.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1141/j/artensembleofchicago.html.