A POWER STRONGER THAN ITSELF

A FREE JAZZ PRIMER

CompileJ onJ AnnototeJ by }} Hock
BeJicoteJ to Yuri Broze




!"#$% '() *+",'- !"# %&'()*+( ,- ./0123, 4 5/6)( 7( 8,9,
Irom tbe 1970 Potb Horconi FHl releose les Stonces o Sopbie

The title of this compilation, A Power Stronqer Tbon ltself, is taken fiom a histoiy of the
Association foi the Auvancement of Cieative Nusicians (AACN), a society foimeu in 196S by
Chicago musicians woiking in the nascent fiee jazz iuiom. Even in those heauy uays of jazz
expeiimentation these aitists iealizeu that the pievailing powei stiuctuies of the music
establishment woulu not be ieceptive to challenging anu innovative black music, anu fiom the
outset the coie of the AACN was the Ait Ensemble of Chicago.

Fiee jazz may mean libeiation fiom the foims anu tiauitions of Westein music, but it uoes not
follow that all these familiai concepts aie jettisoneu in favoi of fieefoim blowouts (though
that can ceitainly happen!). Foi anyone willing to uip theii toes into the ocean of sounu that
this fiee jazz, Tbeme Be Yoyo's combination of the iecognizable anu the inventive makes it a
natuial fiist foiay into a sometimes uifficult genie. Foi staiteis, theie's Nalachi Favois' simple
but killei bass ostinato (peihaps my favoiite in the jazz canon), anu Famauou Bon Noye's
supple, elastic, yet eminently gioovy uiumming that always finus the pocket when it neeus to.
The thiee hoins juggle melouy anu uissonance, pioviuing both a hook that can louge itself in
youi heau anu a succinct summaiy of the emotive powei of fiee playing. A gieat ueal of fiee
jazz is iooteu in gospel anu the blues, as well as tiauitional Afiican music, maue manifest heie
in Fontella Bass's ueeply spiiitual vocals. Anu the lyiics aie simply awesome.

A peisonal anecuote: uuiing my seconu yeai living in Chicago, my ioommate anu goou buuuy
Bans useu his 0niveisity financial aiue to puichase a uium set. Be'u piactice on that tiap foi
houis, anu eliciteu many a foimal complaint fiom oui uistuibeu neighbois. 0ne uay while
Bans was piacticing the buzzei iang, anu fiom the winuow one coulu see stanuing on oui
stoop an elueily, beaiueu black man uiesseu in a tie-uyeu shiit, weaiing a Juli hat anu
caiiying a massive walking stick. When Bans openeu the uooi, the stiangei saiu "That you
playing the uiums."

Bans ieplieu uefiantly "Yeah, why, you want me to stop."

"No!" the stiangei ieplieu, "I want to listen to you play!"

Aftei listening to Bans play foi a spell, the visitoi saiu, "You've got potential! Come to my
house anu I'll give you lessons." The gentleman in question was the afoiementioneu Famauou
Bon Noye, who liveu a few blocks noith of us in Chicago's South Siue, anu Bans became his
appientice. This is how I leaineu about the Ait Ensemble, anu fiee jazz moie geneially. A few
yeais latei Bans anu Noye weie living togethei in Bumbolut Paik, anu one afteinoon Bans
put les Stonces o Sopbie on the tuintable. Fiom the moment Tbeme Be Yoyos bass line
thiobbeu out fiom the speakeis, I was solu. Eveiything gieat about fiee jazz is heie: the
extenueu technique, the elastic ihythms, the sonic inventiveness, the tiauition anu the
uisiegaiu theieof, the emotional anu spiiitual expiessiveness. If this cut uoesn't get to you,
you may as well tuin off this comp anu ietuin to youi familiai woilu of tiauition anu tonality;
as fai as I'm conceineu, this is music at it's most euifying anu enthialling.

!"#$% '() .)$/01- !&#/,&9 :"2;#,& < =>?@ 4 A:B ?C? D E.,)F,'0#0,& G?HI
Irom tbe 197S Aristo RecorJs releose Iive Pieces 197S

As fuithei pioof that fieeuom fiom tiauitional stiuctuie uoes not necessaiily equate to
fieeuom fiom stiuctuie geneially, we have this fantastically wonky piece fiom Anthony
Biaxton, anothei membei of the AACN. Nevei minu that Biaxton piefeis not to be labeleu a
jazz musician; he emeiges fiom the jazz piimoiuium anu his playing his ueeply inuebteu to
his jazz foibeais anu that suffices foi oui piesent puiposes. Biaxton is the consummate
composei; while his woiks ceitainly contain impiovisation, they aie funuamentally shapeu by
the pieconceiveu iueas anu guiuelines pionounceu by the composei. I coulu iave at length
about the incieuible ihythmic unison uisplayeu by bassist Bave Bollanu anu uiummei Baiiy
Altschul, oi the seipentine yet not wholly unmelouic leaus playeu by Biaxton on alto anu
tiumpetei Kenny Wheelei; but peihaps a musicologically inclineu minu woulu appieciate
Biaxton's own woius on the composition:

Composition No. 2S6 is o tbemotic qenerotinq structure for extenJeJ
improvisotion.tbe conceptuol onJ scientific Jynomics unJerlyinq tbis effect
involves tbe use of extenJeJ onJ open structure Jevices os o foctor to
controlJeterminetbe noture of its musicol convos. Tbe bosic iJeo of tbis
work wos to creote o composition wbicb utilizeJ tbe troJitionol 'line' pbrose
concept but witb on oJJeJ orrbytbmic qrovollic bose. ln otber worJs, tbe
bosic tbrust of tbis composition is constructeJ witb respect to o qiven tempo
but tbe occomponieJ fiqure tbot unJerlines its use is constructeJ so os to qive
tbe impression of beinq sliqbtly off center. Tbe effects of tbis 'time sbiftinq'
moves to qive tbe work o cborocter of its own onJ wbile Joinq so olso
estoblisbes tbe workinq Jictotes tbot Jetermines wbot solo inqreJients con be
successfully utilizeJ. Tbe use of 'time-sbiftinq' olso presents o porticulor
cbollenqe for tbe rbytbm section {wbicb in tbis work Joes function os o
support unit over wbicb solo explorotions ore postuloteJ). Ior tbe porticulors
of tbis opproocb ore not simply to be ployeJ os written, onJ tbe rbytbm section
is encouroqeJ to 'ploy in tbe spoces of tbe music'. ln tbe finol onolysis, tbis
opproocb moves to creote on extenJeJ rbytbmic trock {tbot sbifts so qroJuolly
it will be Jifficult for tbe listener to Jetermine its sequences) wbicb colls for
tbe use of improvisotion witb tbe oJJeJ inqreJient of irrequlor occents
wbicb ore structureJ {mokinq tbe work o truly composeJ improvisotionol
music). Tbe bormonic reolity of Composition No. 2S6 is constructeJ to utilizeJ
cbromotic sequenceJ moJulotion pbroses tbrouqb its entirely. Also severol
sections of tbis work ore voiceJ in minor seconJs {sometbinq l bove
experienceJ mony times in tbe music of Tbelonious Honk onJ Steve locytwo
musicions wbo l bove lonq oJmireJ) onJ tbis tecbnique bos o very interestinq
effect on tbe vibrotionol bue of tbe piece.

- Anthony Biaxton, exceipteu fiom 2/34/,+'+/0 5/'), 6 7*"/8 9)#%: ;<==-
>?@ ABC


!"#$% '() !(+"1- 5/( J"&(##( .,+()2& KL2"#(# 4 :(2L#9 M' ! N2"( 5/0&3
Irom tbe 1960 Atlontic RecorJs releose Tbis ls 0ur Husic

The teim "fiee jazz," while somewhat contesteu among the jazz cognoscenti, oiiginates fiom
0inette Coleman's lanumaik uouble-quaitet iecoiuing entitleu, natuially, Iree }ozz. While the
piece that encompasses both siues of that LP is fulminous, uense, anu uizzying (anu also
fucking awesome), the tune piesenteu heie is just the opposite, uespite being iecoiueu only a
few weeks eailiei. Beouty ls A Rore Tbinq uemonstiates that the language of fieeuom can be
gentle too, numinous anu ephemeial.

Foi in tiuth, what is beauty if not tenuei, sublime, anu most of all iaie. It most ceitainly is no
systematic oi piosciiptive thing; it is intensely peisonal anu limitless, uefying millennia of
philosopheis' attempts to uefine it. Inueeu, it can encompass a multituue of emotion, anu
Coleman's plangent alto sax opens the tune unspooling melouies by tuins melancholic,
wistful, paineu, anu buoyant. The tune is full of space as each musician, listening caiefully anu
iesponuing to the otheis, auus theii own vision of beauty: Bon Cheiiy (a peisonal all-time
favoiite) plays tait anu fanciful lines on his pocket tiumpet; Chailie Bauen's aico woik on the
bass encompasses the slow, uieamlike tones of an awestiuck minu anu the fluttei of a smitten
heait; Eu Blackwell's peicussion iolls fieely beneath all, anu though fiee of timekeeping
uuties the uiums iemain the connective tissue of the piece.

Beouty ls A Rore Tbinq is uevoiu of any guiuing piinciple save Coleman's initial melouy, yet the
instiumental inteiplay is so captivating that I finu myself caught up in its poetiy; seven
minutes iaiely feels so fleeting.

!"#$% '() */D"'(- !"1/0( B/(FF 4 O2)2 5,, 503/#
Irom tbe 1966 lmpulse RecorJs releose Homo Too Tiqbt

Step lively! Fieefoim exchanges of musical iueas take ioot in the New 0ileans maiching banus
of jazz's inception, a heiitage that Aichie Shepp's poweihouse octet makes explicit on Homo
Too Tiqbt. Shepp's tenoi often seiveu as the vanguaiu foi the black libeiation movement; the
aitist himself possesseu a piobing intellect that encompasseu poetiy anu theatie as well as
music, anu the album Homo Too Tiqbt seiveu as an examination of Black Ameiica's past anu
piesent, its joys, soiiows, anu fuiies. The titulai cut moves ueftly fiom a piomenauing
swaggei to bop solos, each instiument piogiessively stiaying fiom the heau to exploie theii
own exubeiance anu culminating in the leauei's feivent incantations. Again, the composei's
own woius offei insight into the foim:

"lt wos my intention to couple in tbis olbum, tbe poiqnoncy of tbe blues onJ jubilont irreverence
of o morcbinq bonJ returninq from o funerol.Wbere my own Jreoms sufficeJ, l JisreqorJeJ tbe
western musicol troJition oll toqetber.0n tbe otber bonJ tbe question is not wbetber one
cbooses to be "for out." lt is rotber tbe suJJen, wonJerful, intuitive, tronsmoqrificotion of one's
entire bioloqicol, socioloqicol, politicol beinq into o sinqle livinq line-so tbot tbe moment of
performonce is less o tecbnoloqicol feot tbon o proyer. At sucb moments one con coll up
Fllinqton, or tbe eerie sounJs of o roin forest ot Jown, simply becouse tbese tbinqs bove olwoys
been tbere ot tbe bock of tbe unconscious minJ. " -Aichie Shepp, 'Homo Too Tiqbt linei notes
!"#$% '() *+E'(P %"01 7,+F/9 4 H2QQ(++,&0
Irom tbe 1964 Blue Note RecorJs releose 0ut to luncb!

If you weie to foice me unuei uuiess, peihaps at the unfiienuly enu of a weapon of some soit,
to choose but one jazz aitist to listen to foi the iemainuei of my uays, I'u likely select Eiic
Bolphy. A biilliant musician, tiaineu both in the classical tiauition as well as in the Chailes
Ningus School of uo Fuck Youiself, Bolphy uevelopeu a singulai voice on thiee uiffeient
instiuments: alto sax, bass claiinet, anu flute. It is that last instiument on uisplay in 6ozzelloni,
fiom Bolphy's magnum opus 0ut to luncb!, featuiing iegulai membeis of the Blue Note Avant
Bouse BanuBobby Butcheison on vibes, Richaiu Bavis on bass, a 19-yeai olu Tony Williams
on uiumswho woulu play on the label's othei outsiue classics of the miu-to-late 6us.

0nlike othei fiee jazz piogenitois like }ohn Coltiane anu 0inette Coleman, Bolphy often
sought to bieak the iules within the confines of familiai foims. 6ozzelloni is in some iespects
quite familiai as the tune kicks off with a heau melouy anu is followeu by solos, anu Williams
often keeps iegulai time on the cymbals like a goou bop uiummei. 0f couise, you'u nevei
mistake this numbei foi gaiuen vaiiety bebop; fiist theie's Bolphy's flute playing, full of wilu
inteivallic leaps, oveiblowing anu othei extenueu techniques, chiomatic yet tuneful.
Butcheison's vibes aie also in fine, oiiginal foim, alteinatively smeaiing uiaphanous choius
anu punctuating solos with ihythmic counteipoints. The iest of the ihythm section uon't
slouch; Bavis plays neaily eveiything except the expecteu bass lines, anu while Williams may
uo some timekeeping on cymbals the iest of his peicussive woik is totally fiee, sometimes
moie melouic than anything else, othei times uisplaying the polyihythmic intiicacies that he
woulu latei showcase in Niles Bavis' Seconu uieat Quintet. Anu while tiumpetei Fieuuie
Bubbaiu uoesn't necessaiily iise to the level of his cohoits, his technical masteiy of the bop
iuiom helps keep the pioceeuings fiom galloping off completely into the ethei.

Anu if you coulun't tell yet: yes, I have a pieuilection foi ouuball melouies that tuin into
eaiwoims in spite ofoi peihaps becouse oftheii unusualness.

Fric Bolpby consiJers bis instruments
5"21R #/( B0;#/P BL&&9 OL""29S' T&#,L1/2*+( U21#," 4 V2'# V("-(1# 5(&'(
Irom tbe 1978 Pbilly }ozz releose Apple Cores

By the miu 197us whatevei suppoit fiee jazz hau ieceiveu fiom labels like Blue Note, Atlantic,
anu Impulse hau essentially witheieu, but the ait foim iemaineu vibiant. The music simply
migiateu to inuepenuent, often aitist-owneu labels anu peifoimance spaces in lofts that weie
again often owneu by the musicians. The music itself continueu to uevelop, at times becoming
moie visceial anu confiontational while at othei times, as eviuenceu on this cut, exploiing
new uepths of giitty yet elegant pulchiituue.

The banu is leu by uiummei Sunny Nuiiay, who maue his bones libeiating the tiap fiom the
shackles of timekeeping anu becoming the exemplum foi fiee jazz uiumming in the uefinitive
6us banus of both tenoi saxophonist Albeit Aylei anu pianist Cecil Tayloi. A goigeous ballau
that calls to minu stieetlights anu alleyways, Nuiiay's uiumming evokes iainuiops, the winu
blowing thiough the city, the clattei of subway cais, anu the iattle of iats in uumpsteis.
Composei 0livei Lake's alto melouy opens the piece as though uiifting fiom bai onto the
siuewalk, his playing emeiging fiom anu ietuining to the blues but taking flight at any
moment like staitleu pigeons. The fieeuom of the piece lies not so much in challenging sonics
but in the way the playeis each embaik on theii own wanueiing jouineys which in sum tell
the kinu of iichly human non-lineai stoiies that make up the beautiful anu tiagic fabiic of
uiban life.

5"21R #/( B(W(&#/P H(,"3( NL''(++ B(;#(# 4 XN,L&Y O0Y&03/#
Irom tbe 1961 RiversiJe RecorJs releose Fzz-tbetics

Fiee jazz too has its theoiists anu conceptualists, anu peihaps none has hau the significance of
ueoige Russell. Laiu up in hospital with tubeiculosis anu inspiieu by a conveisation with
Niles Bavis, Russell penneu the gieat musicological tome of the jazz eia, A lyJion Cbromotic
Concept of Tonol 0rqonizotion, in which he iejecteu the Westein tiauition anu uevelopeu a
new theoiy of haimony iooteu in jazz. The Lyuian Chiomatic Theoiy woulu be stuuieu anu
applieu by the likes of Niles Bavis, Bill Evans, anu }ohn Coltiane.

Russell was as talenteu a banuleauei as he was a theoiist, anu heaiing the piinciples of tonal
fieeuom applieu to a stanuaiu like RounJ HiJniqbt offeis an excellent entiyway into this new
woilu. Stiange sounus emanate fiom the contiabass, piano, anu biass, cleaily setting the
scene of this new jazz vista until a piano glissanuo fiom Russell intiouuces the tune's familiai
melouy playeu on alto sax by the gieat Eiic Bolphy. The piece slowly takes a moie
iecognizable shape as it piogiesses, though Bolphy's gnaileu, knotty anu fantastically
intiicate saxophone keeps the affaii fiom evei ieally settling. The tiumpet anu tiombone pop
in heie anu theie with unusual timbies ieinfoicing the alien lanuscape suggesteu by Russell's
ghostly choius. Eventually the song uissolves back into the foimless sounu fiom which it
aiose.




5"21R #/( %03/#/P A,2/ Z,[2"Y 4 J+( A(3",
Irom tbe 1969 IreeJom RecorJs releose Tbe Block Ark

As the 6us woie on, a new geneiation of aitists aiiiveu onto the feitile anu febiile NYC
cieative music scene, ueeply schooleu in the bieakthioughs of }ohn Coltiane, 0inette Coleman
anu othei fiee jazz pioneeis, anu ieauy to blast thiough the iemaining euifices of tiauition. At
the ciest of this wave was an altoist possessing both incieuible tone anu titanic powei nameu
Noah Bowaiu, who helpeu iefine the appioach of contiolleu chaos.

Inueeu, 0le Neqro is haiuly uevoiu of eithei foim oi melouy, anu Bowaiu ueftly balances these
stiuctuieu elements with the moie iambunctious solo sections, the tune picking up steam anu
caieening wiluly befoie being guiueu back onto the iails. The tension between these two
elements is what can make this numbei, anu fiee jazz moie geneially, so exhilaiating. While
Bowaiu is capable of impiessive feats of sonic aggiession, his playing can seem quaint anu
comfoiting once the legenuaiy tenoi of Aithui Boyle enteis the scene.

As this is a piimei intenueu to ease the newcomei into the iuiom, I have geneially avoiueu the
most volcanic examples of fiee jazz playing, but Boyle heie gives a faii sample of the extiemes
the genie can achieve. A ueeply spiiitual man schooleu in the gospel of the South, Boyle
stiives foi a kinu of spiiitual exoicism thiough his playing, using especially soft ieeus anu
actually scieaming thiough his hoin to achieve a nigh-cataclysmic sounu. Aftei Boyle pouis
molten fiie acioss the tiack foi a minute oi so, Bowaiu pulls the plug, anu the piece giauually
ietuins to a simmei befoie ievisiting the theme acioss a quiescent final minutes. If nothing
else, 0le Neqro shows that even the utteily unbiiuleu is not without its guiuing hanu.

5"21R #/( A0&#/P O2"9 Z2+W,"',& KL0&#(# 4 O0+( Z03/ \0R( ]A,^ _D`
Irom tbe 2010 Iirebouse 12 RecorJs releose "Soturn Sinqs"

The heyuay of the fiee jazz was unuoubteuly the 6us anu 7us, yet uespite a paucity of
commeicial success anu an incieasingly inuiffeient inuustiy infiastiuctuie, the toich of
fieeuom has been passeu along to the piesent, anu new teiiitoiies aie being exploieu by both
olu stalwaits anu young lions.oi in this case, a lioness.

A stuuent of Anthony Biaxton, Naiy Balvoison's guitai playing embiaces a wiue palette of
tones, textuies, anu techniques while maintain a geneial agieeability. It calls back to fiee
guitai touchstones like Sonny Shaiiock anu Beiek Bailey yet sounus consistently fiesh, a
mlange of iapiu iuns, hammeiing single-notes, chunky block choius, anu loopy tiemolo that
sounus as if she's playing in ieveise. 0n this piece she leaus a cauie of similaily exploiation-
minueu young musicians on a vaiieu iomp thiough uiffeient settings anu moous in unuei five
minutes. While Rock n Roll is cleaily an influence on the composition, especially in uiummei
Ches Smith's chaiging ihythms, Balvoison cites Thelonious Nonk, Sam Cooke, Aichie Shepp
anu Bmitii Shostakovich as inspiiations as well.

This is the sounu of fiee jazz in the 21
st
centuiy, moie heavy, moie uiaphanous, moie
gloiiously cacophonous than evei.

5"21R #/( 5(&#/P BL& N2 a Z0' !'#", M&-0&0#9 !"R('#"2 4 729 :9 729
Irom tbe 1970 Soturn RecorJs releose EoliJoy Ior Soul Bonce

No figuie looms as laige ovei the totality of outsiuei jazz, anu none moie intimiuating anu at
times insciutable than the magnificent, tyiannical, anu piophetic visitoi fiom Satuin, Sun Ra.
Name an innovation oi extieme in jazz, anu Sun Ra piobably exploieu it, masteieu it, anu
moveu on fiom it long befoie anyone else. With a catalog that numbeis into the hunuieus anu
penchant foi being willfully inaccessible, Sun Ra is no easy nut to ciack foi the fiee jazz
neophyte.

So wheie to stait with Sun Ra. Bespite his many foiays into the unknown, Sun Ra hau a
lifelong passion foi jazz stanuaius anu Ellingtonian aiiangements. The Aikestia's snappy
ieauing of Boy By Boy (peihaps best known as a Sinatia ballau) is piobably the least "out
theie" peifoimance on this compilation, yet caieful listening ieveals many of Sun Ra's
hallmaiks. Theie's the alien intiouuctoiy passage, the unusual haimonies in the hoins, anu
the Nonkish heik-a-jeik anu singulai phiasing of Ra's piano playing, all of which woulu come
into full flowei as the Aikestia enteieu it's matuie phase (although ieleaseu in 197u, this tune
was iecoiueu ciica 196u-1 uuiing the banu's Chicago peiiou). The only thing this cut ieally
lacks is a showcase foi my favoiite tenoi saxophonist of all time, Aikestia-stalwait }ohn
uilmoie, though altoist anu ceitifieu bauass Naishall Allen uoes get to take a nice solo.

Asiue fiom seiving as a bit of a palette cleansei as we heau into this comp's final stietch, I
hope this numbei shows that even the most impenetiable of fiee jazz icons have theii entiy
points if we'ie willing to uaie that fiist step.


A performonce by Sun Ros Arkestro wos os mucb o visuol spectocle os on ourol one, incluJinq
costumes, Joncers, onJ eloborote stoqe Jecorotions.
5"21R #/( %+(W(&#/P V/0+0F .,/"2& a 5/( !"#0'#01 Z("0#23( %&'()*+( 4 %+ Z2bb O2+0R %+
B/2*2QQ
Irom tbe 1968 self-releoseJ olbum Tbe Holcolm X Hemoriol {A Tribute ln Husic)

Kelan Philip Cohian was a founuing membei of the AACN, an eaily membei of Sun Ra's
Chicago Aikestia (he plays coinet on the pievious tune), anu inventoi of an electiifieu veision
of the kalimba calleu the Space Baip, oi Fiankiphone. When Sun Ra moveu his Aikestia to
New Yoik City, Cohian stayeu behinu anu became the goufathei of black cieative music in
Chicago. Cohian was as inteiesteu in exploiing the ancestial music of Afiica as he was the
new musical possibilities of fiee jazz. Be often composeu on an oichestial scale, anu his
ambitious compositions iank as amongst the most impiessive anu unfoitunately oveilookeu
in the fiee jazz canon.

This piece is the concluuing movement to Cohian's massive foui-pait opus Tbe Holcolm X
Hemoriol, which follows the icon's life thiough music fiom his eailiest yeais to his apotheosis
piesenteu heie. An incieuibly iich tapestiy of scintillating congas, uensely clusteieu choius,
biass palpitations anu fulminating, opeiatic vocals, Fl Eojj Holik Fl Sbobozz is not simply the
capstone to a tiemenuous piece of music but a testament to the symphonic majesty that fiee
jazz is capable of.


5"21R #/( 5[(+-#/P 5/( :0++ 70;,& J"1/('#"2 4 A03/#-2++ V0(1(' M
Irom tbe 1967 RCA victor releose lntents onJ
Purposes

0ne of my favoiite aspects of fiee jazz is how
the fieeuom of the meuium allows composeis
to cieate musical woiks that aie moie like the
auial equivalent of the visual aits iathei than a
moie familiai tune. Tiumpetei anu banuleauei
Bill Bixon was a maestio of sonic coloi, using
instiuments the way a paintei woulu his
biushes. The husheu loveliness of Niqbtfoll
Pieces l uistills this talent to a baie foui
minutes of sfumato flutes anu chiaioscuio
flugelhoin; Bixon exploies the timbial
possibilities of his instiument fully, captuiing
the spectium of ciepusculai sounus while
nevei ielinquishing the piece's funuamental
tianquility. ueoige Naige's multi-tiackeu flute
contextualizes Bixon's hoin wonueifully,
conjuiing uusky biiusong anu the last lingeiing
iays of sunlight. While the piece is utteily fiee,
the listenei nevei feels lost, except peihaps in
the contemplations of the composei.

Bill Bixon in bis clossroom: Bixon wos olso o
revolutionory eJucotor.
5"21R #/( 5/0"#((&#/P N,'1,( O0#1/(++ B(;#(# 4 5/( \0##+( BL0#(
Irom tbe 1966 Belmork RecorJs releose SounJ

We close this exploiation of fiee jazz by ietuining once moie to the AACN with peihaps the
most uifficult piece on the compilation. Nulti-ieeu genie Roscoe Nitchell, founuing membei of
the Ait Ensemble of Chicago anu one of the AACN's eailiest membeis, is tiuly a jazz
iconoclast. Equally as inteiesteu in the iueas of the Euiopean classical avant-gaiue as he was
the explosive new sounus emanating fiom New Yoik City anu a lifelong pioponent of "gieat
black music, ancient to the futuie," Nitchell has nevei been afiaiu to embiace that which othei
musicians shy away fiom, especially with iegaius to moou anu oichestiation.

Tbe little Suitefiom SounJ, Nitchell's aptly titleu uebut as a leaueiis a peifect example of
this iestless cieativity. While many of his contempoiaiies weie ieacting to theii social
iealities by making music filleu with iage, piotest, anu uensity, Nitchell heie utilizes the fiee
iuiom to exploie humoi anu miithfulness. Although filleu to the biim with uissonance anu
outsiue playing, Tbe little Suite is playful anu at times uowniight funny, especially the
moments when it launches into a ueiangeu Neiiy Nelouies maich. These puiposes aie
fuitheieu thiough the iegulai use of "little instiuments," eveiything fiom toy whistles to
bicycle hoins. The Ait Ensemble woulu continue investigating the full iange of emotive
possibilities with these instiuments, but heie in theii eailiest use they aie unueniably
miithful. The othei notable quality of this piece is the use of empty space; wheie the New
Yoik piactitioneis of "fiie music" woulu fill eveiy inch of space with toiients of sounu,
Nitchell gives Tbe little Suite plenty of ioom to bieathe; the full Sextet is iaiely engageu in
toto, allowing the listenei to consiuei each element anu its ielation to the iest. The instances
of full banu playing, howevei, aie uelightfully iiotous; it's haiu not to heai the musicians
having a goou time.

While Nitchell anu latei the Ait Ensemble woulu piouuce ait of significant giavity, they nevei
oveilookeu the histoiy of joyful noise ueeply ingiaineu in many Afiican anu Afiican-Ameiican
musical tiauitions. Fiee jazz gives composeis anu musicians the bioauest canvas possible on
which to piobe theii iueas, philosophies, anu emotions. It is an unfilteieu conuuit fiom human
being to human being; thiough this music, we can become connecteu acioss any uiviue.

2/0$FD,+/0 @ G0 H08/+08 I/J#8)- K(+'()" !()0L
I hope you've enjoyeu oui biief peiambulation thiough the woilu of fiee jazz, oi at the veiy
least come away fiom the expeiience with a ueepei appieciation of the technical uemanus
anu vaiiety of sounus, emotions anu expeiiences that the genie encompasses. If you'ie keen
to continue the jouiney, theie aie many ways to uo so, the most obvious being a consiueiation
of the full albums fiom which these tiacks weie uiawn. This compilation has maue almost no
mention of Euiopean Eneigy Nusic, fiee jazz giants like Cecil Tayloi, oi the Boly Tiinity of
Fiee }azz: the Fathei (}ohn Coltiane), the Son (Phaioah Sanueis), anu the Boly uhost (Albeit
Aylei). While this comp has shieu away fiom cacophonous slobbeiknockeis anu full-tilt
blowouts, one wishing to expeiience the awesome powei of such shoulu consiuei }ohn
Coltiane's Ascension, Cecil Tayloi's ConquistoJor!, anu of couise 0inette Coleman's Iree }ozz.
Finally, valeiie Wilmei's wonueiful book, As Serious As Your life, is an inuispensible
companion anu fielu guiue foi fuithei auventuies in fiee jazz. -}}N