![Composition No.165 [For 18 Instruments] album cover](http://images.emusic.com/music/images/album/108/660/10866076/600x600.jpg)
For only one download, you get nearly 50 minutes of bliss. What more can you ask for?? All of Braxton's work is awesome; this particular CD sounds more pre-composed than improvised FYI, for those looking for the more free jazz stuff. In a blindfold test between this and John Cage, I'm not sure I would tell the difference. But whatev, it's great.
As always the case with this man and his musical algebra, CN 165 paints a unique picture. It's definitely jazz, all right. But is it free jazz? Is it structured jazz? Yes and yes. And that's the great appeal. The two forms intermingle flawlessly,taking and giving up control almost flawlessly; bringing out hints of Ellington and Sun Ra, and never clashing or colliding. Lovely.
Finally out, and worth the wait: George Lewis's sprawling book on the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians — the Chicago musicians'cooperative that spawned Lewis, Anthony Braxton, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Henry Threadgill and many more valued improvisers and composers. Power Stronger than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music is very dense but very readable, filled with fascinating stories, capsule bios and rewarding side trips. Lewis has a gift for explaining abstruse… more »
