Anthony
Braxton is among the most learned of jazz musicians and is currently a
professor of music at Wesleyan University in Connecticut .
He is also a jazz composer, saxophonist, flautist, pianist, and clarinetist.
Braxton was born in Chicago ,
Illinois , in 1945.
Early in
his career, Braxton became involved with The Association for the Advancement of
Creative Musicians, and recorded his debut album, “3 Compositions of New Jazz,”
in 1968. The album was a free jazz excursion that is probably too far removed
from mainstream music to be of interest to those who are not free jazz fans.
In 1971,
Braxton recorded the album “For Alto” which consisted of Braxton solo on
alto-saxophone without accompaniment. The album is a double-disc offering of
free jazz sax solos that while lauded by critics is definitely not for
everyone.
Braxton
has been extremely prolific over the years, and he has recorded dozens of
albums of free jazz and avant-garde jazz since the mid-Sixties. Braxton has
also recorded with numerous fellow musicians such as Chick Corea, George Lewis,
Fred Frith, and John Zorn.
Among the
best albums from Braxton extensive catalogue are those mentioned above and the
following: “Saxophone Improvisation Series F” (1972), “Trio and Duet” (1975), “Four
Compositions” (1973)” (1977), “Performance 9/1/79” (1981), “Quartet (London)
1985” (1988), “Six Monk’s Compositions” (1987)” (1988), “Seven Compositions
(Trio) 1989” (1990), “Dortmund (Quartet) 1976” (1991), “Willisau (Quartet) 1991”
(1992), “Quartet (Coventry) 1985” (1993), “Creative Orchestra (Kohl) 1978”
(1995), “Quintet (Basel) 1977” (2001), “23 Standards (Quartet) 2003” (2004),
and “9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006” (2007).