Henry Threadgill

[Pete C]

The merger of BMG and Sony made that box possible.

[BrianL1]

Has anyone picked up "This Brings Us To, Vol. 1"?

[gonzo]

i love liberty ellman w/threadgill.

[LutherBlissett]

Originally Posted by rollhead

Coming up on Mosaic

Henry Threadgill: The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air
(Release Date: Early 2010)

Henry Threadgill was among the first wave of distinctive and utterly original artists to emerge from Chicago’s Association for The Advancement of Creative Music along with Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton and the member of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago.

As a saxophonist, he delivers his unique style with a big, dry sound and precise articulation. As a composer, he was an American original, influenced by the entire spectrum of music. He creates distinctive sonic canvasses for a variety of ensemble. And his work is infused with a wonderfully dry, almost absurdist sense of humor.

This set covers three important eras in Threadgill’s career, beginning with the three albums that Air made in 1978-79 for Arista Novus including the celebrated “Air Lore” with unique reinterpretations of the music of Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. Air was a remarkable co-operative trio formed by Threadgill, bassist Fred Hopkins and drummer Steve McCall in 1975.

In 1979, Threadgill made his first album as a leader for Arista Novus. “X-75. Volume 1” featured the unique ensemble of four reeds, four basses and the voice of Amina Claudine Myers. A volume 2 was made and never issued. It is released for the first time in this set.

In 1986, Henry formed his Sextett, which consisted of seven musicians! This unique ensemble consisted of trumpet, trombone, cello, bass and two sets of drums as well as Threadgill. Over the next two years, the group recorded three albums, all for RCA Novus and all included here.

Threadgill closed out the century with three albums on Columbia (“Carry The Day,” “Makin’ A Move” and “Where’s Your Cup”) recorded between 1994 and ’96 with varying ensembles of unusual instrumentation.

This set cover three distinct and fertile peak periods in Threadgill’s long and ever creative career.

great this box will reinstate Threadgill's musicial genius

3 essential RCA albums from the 80s' Sextett :

"You Know The Number", "Slip into Another World" , "Rag, Bush and All" out of print for 20 years, and the Air sets Air Lore, Air Show and Live at Montreux, good to have this music out of the vaults.

[Pete C]

Where's Your Cup is one of my favorites. I'm not thrilled with the other 2 on Columbia, though they have their moments.

[Uli]

Originally Posted by BrianL1

Has anyone picked up "This Brings Us To, Vol. 1"?

Not yet. but i have checked the two tracks that can be heard with the preview of the album at destination out. sound great!

[Vince Kargatis]

Rag, Bush, and All has great music, but I remember it sounding like muddy shit - the worst contemporary recording I'd heard, iirc. (Though I haven't listened to it in a while). If that holds true, I wonder/hope if they'll be able to clean it up much.

[Jason Bivins]

Fantastic news!

[LutherBlissett]

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

Rag, Bush, and All has great music, but I remember it sounding like muddy shit - the worst contemporary recording I'd heard, iirc. (Though I haven't listened to it in a while). If that holds true, I wonder/hope if they'll be able to clean it up much.

I dont think its muddy shit ! as you say , the vinyl recording sounds a bit monochromatic could do with a re-master, one of Threadgill's finest recorded solo on side 2 still cuts through

[Vince Kargatis]

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

Rag, Bush, and All has great music, but I remember it sounding like muddy shit - the worst contemporary recording I'd heard, iirc. (Though I haven't listened to it in a while). If that holds true, I wonder/hope if they'll be able to clean it up much.

I'm listening to this on cd for the first time in a while, on my good stereo. And yeah, sounds pretty bad: flat, hollow, distant, a piece of crap studio recording (judging by this particular issue).

[Uli]

Interview:

http://thewire.co.uk/articles/3251/

[Mike Schwartz]

Originally Posted by BrianL1

Has anyone picked up "This Brings Us To, Vol. 1"?

Am fortunate to have had this one pre-release...a wonderful album!

[Frisco]

Originally Posted by Mike Schwartz

Am fortunate to have had this one pre-release...a wonderful album!

Nice to hear a new release by Henry after eight years. A pretty solid record. All 39 minutes of it. I'm enjoying it but I don't really hear much that sounds totally new or fresh compositionally. I guess that I expected a bit more after all this time.

[Dick Bowman]

Originally Posted by Frisco

Nice to hear a new release by Henry after eight years. A pretty solid record. All 39 minutes of it. I'm enjoying it but I don't really hear much that sounds totally new or fresh compositionally. I guess that I expected a bit more after all this time.

I'd go along with the view that there doesn't really seem to have been much of a step beyond what was on the earlier Zooid CD. If you like that I'd guess you'll like this - and vice-versa - until you feel you can have too much of a good thing.

But my one listening (so far) may not have hit the mark - especially as my leanings are more toward free interaction rather than the constrained role-playing I hear in this group.

If this is Vol 1 of 2 I do think that Pi ought to have offered a single longer CD (although more than 39 minutes might have taxed my fatigue with this style).

[rollhead]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/ar..._r=1&ref=music

[me wag]

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

I'm listening to this on cd for the first time in a while, on my good stereo. And yeah, sounds pretty bad: flat, hollow, distant, a piece of crap studio recording (judging by this particular issue).

I remember that too. Although I seem to recall that it was partially due to the music, itself, being that way.

[Vince Kargatis]

Hm, not sure what you mean. It's of a kind with their other records, musically, quite good I'd say. But it sticks out in sounding bad, like a pillow is over the speakers or the mike. Makes me want to contact the record's engineer David Stone and ask "WTF?".