Anthony Braxton

To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called "genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field.

The timing of this crowning achievement couldn't be better for Braxton's most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation, Inc., a New York-based not-for-profit corporation including an ensemble of some 38 musicians, four to eight vocalists, and computer-graphic video artists assembled to perform his compositions.

The ensemble's debut at New York's The Kitchen sold out the last and most of the first two of three nights, through the press excitement it generated; the reviews—in Down Beat and the Chicago Tribune (John Corbett), the Village Voice (Kevin Whitehead), and the New York Times (Jon Pareles)—ranged from positive to ecstatic.

Most importantly, the musical success of the event inspired Braxton to pursue the "three-day and -night" program concept for this ensemble, including lectures/informances, and splinter chamber performances, around the world.

The second New York event, indeed, expanded on the concept: The Knitting Factory presented six nights of Anthony Braxton and his music, in all the variety of its vision. The first night showcased the composer's solo alto saxophone playing; the second his treatments of jazz-traditional material, both as reeds player and pianist; the third, his music for solo piano, and for synthesizer and acoustic sextet; the fourth showcased his new "Ghost Trance" music for small-to-medium groups; and the fifth and sixth his large-ensemble music, including Composition 102, with giant puppets. As with The Kitchen, all six nights included a full house and enthusiastic response.

This successful first season paid off: the second season has been virtually paid for by grants from the Mary Flagler Carey Charitable Trust and the Rockefeller Foundation in New York City. It will feature the world premiere of the four-hour opera Trillium R at the John Jay Theater in New York, and the theatrical Composition 173 (for actors, improvisers, and ensemble) in collaboration with New York's Living Theater members, at The Kitchen.

Anthony Braxton is widely and critically acclaimed as a seminal figure in the music of the late 20th century. His work, both as a saxophonist and a composer, has broken new conceptual and technical ground in the trans-African and trans-European (a.k.a. "jazz" and "American Experimental") musical traditions in North America as defined by master improvisers such as Warne Marsh, John Coltrane, Paul Desmond, Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and he and his own peers in the historic Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM, founded in Chicago in the late '60s); and by composers such as Charles Ives, Harry Partch, and John Cage.

He has further worked his own extensions of instrumental technique, timbre, meter and rhythm, voicing and ensemble make-up, harmony and melody, and improvisation and notation into a personal synthesis of those traditions with 20th-century European art music as defined by Schoenberg, Stockhausen, Xenakis, Varese and others.

Braxton's three decades worth of recorded output is kaleidescopic and prolific, and has won and continues to win prestigious awards and critical praise. Books, anthology chapters, scholarly studies, reviews and interviews and other media and academic attention to him and his work have also accumulated steadily and increasingly throughout those years, and continue to do so. His own self-published writings about the musical traditions from which he works and their historical and cultural contexts (Tri-Axium Writings 1-3) and his five-volume Composition Notes A-E are unparalleled by artists from the oral and unmatched by those in the literate tradition.

Braxton is also a tenured professor at Wesleyan University, one of the world's centers of world music. His teaching career, begun at Mills College in Oakland, California, has become as much a part of his creative life as his own work, and includes training and leading performance ensembles and private tutorials in his own music, computer and electronic music, and history courses in the music of his major musical influences, from the Western Medieval composer Hildegard of Bingen to contemporary masters with whom he himself has worked (e.g. Cage, Coleman).

Braxton's name continues to stand for the broadest integration of such oft-conflicting poles as "creative freedom" and "responsibility," discipline and energy, and vision of the future and respect for tradition in the current cultural debates about the nature and place of the Western and African-American musical traditions in America. His newly formed New York-based ensemble company is bringing to that debate a voice that is fresh and strong, still as new as ever even as it takes on the authority of a seasoned master.
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Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022

Read "Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro

by Alberto Bazzurro
December 2, 2024

A mezzo secolo esatto dal suo primo esperimento in materia, la “Composition 23A" (rombo-30-EGN-KBM-78, secondo la connotazione grafica tipica delle pagine braxtoniane dell'epoca, che qui non possiamo per ovvi motivi riprodurre nella sua completezza) datata fra il 27 settembre e il 16 ottobre 1974 e riunita poi con altre cinque di diversa natura in New York, Fall 1974, dove, al sopranino, si univa all'alto di Julius Hemphill, al tenore di Oliver Lake e al baritono di Hamiet Bluiett, prefigurando quello ...

Album Review

Anthony Braxton: Solo Bern 1984 First Visit

Read "Solo Bern 1984 First Visit" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro

by Alberto Bazzurro
November 18, 2024

A quarant'anni esatti dalla sua esecuzione (per l'esattezza il 7 luglio 1984), ecco arrivare questo live svizzero, di ottima fattura sotto il profilo dell'incisione (non è sempre stato così, nei molti inediti braxtoniani spuntati fuori come funghi nel corso degli anni), nonché largamente esaustivo dei procedimenti messi in atto in concerto dal grande musicista chicagoano (anche stavolta concentratosi sul solo sax contralto). C'è un po' tutto il suo bagaglio, strumentistico nonché di scrittura (qui arriviamo alla composizione numero ...

Interview

My Conversation with Anthony Braxton

by AAJ Staff
August 16, 2024

This article first appeared on All About Jazz in September 2001. In Puccini's Tosca, the lead heroine sings “Vissi d'arte" in the second act. It is with passion and anguish then that the audience understands the opera singer Floria Tosca is asking the heavens why she has suffered so much for her art when she has devoted herself entirely to music. “Vissi d'arte" rings closely to my soul because I know artists suffer. I know jazz artists suffer ...

Album Review

Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022

Read "Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
July 17, 2024

Anthony Braxton's music can often be compared to that reoccurring dream many people have where they have an upcoming university exam. Still, they neither attended the classes nor studied for the test. The reason may be that his graphic notations along with his scores can be formidable and downright indecipherable. Listeners recognize the great man is operating on a higher plane, one which can often be quite daunting. If anyone identifies with the above description, his Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022 ...

Album Review

Anthony Braxton: Solo Bern 1984 First Visit

Read "Solo Bern 1984 First Visit" reviewed by John Eyles

by John Eyles
June 24, 2024

Following hot on the heels of Cecil Taylor Unit's Live At Fat Tuesday's February 9, 1980, First Visit (ezz-thetics, 2024)--the inaugural release of ezz-thetics' First Visit series--comes another never-before-released live album. This one dates from July 7th, 1984, and was recorded live at Altes Schlachthaus, Bern, Switzerland. It features a thirty-nine-year-old Anthony Braxton alone, playing alto saxophone versions of sixteen pieces, twelve being Braxton compositions and four standards--Coltrane's “Giant Steps" and “Naima," Arthur Schwartz' “Alone Together" from the '30s Broadway ...

Album Review

Joe Fonda: From The Source

Read "From The Source" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
May 5, 2024

This is a reissue of an album by bassist Joe Fonda which was originally released in 1997. In his liner notes for this edition, Fonda notes that this session had several unique aspects for the time; the musicians included Brenda Bufalino mostly tap dancing, and Vickie Dodd, a healer and bodyworker, contributing wordless vocals. They worked with the four men in the group, Fonda, Anthony Braxton on reeds, Herb Robertson on trumpet and Grisha Alexiev on drums, to create a ...

Radio & Podcasts

New Releases And Anthony Braxton Live

by Bob Osborne
June 16, 2022

On this show the best of recent jazz releases from around the world and a classic live track from Anthony Braxton. Featuring brand new music from George Crotty Trio, Doug Webb, Daniel Carter and The Telepathic Band, Jon Balke Siwan, Queen Kong, Artur Tuznik Sextet, Pasquale Stafano Trio, Carole Nelson Trio, David Murray Brave New World Trio, Tim Berne and Nasheet Waits, Art Hirahara, David Virelles, and John Sinton, Jed Wilson, & Tony Falco.Playlist Show Intro 00:00 George ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2023

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called “genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field. The timing of this crowning achievement couldn't be better for Braxton's most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation, Inc., a New York-based not-for-profit corporation including ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2020

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2019

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called “genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field. The timing of this crowning achievement couldn\'t be better for Braxton\'s most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called “genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field. The timing of this crowning achievement couldn\'t be better for Braxton\'s most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...
read more

Festival

The October Revolution of Jazz & Contemporary Music Set for October 5-8 in Philadelphia

Source: All About Jazz
October 1, 2017

NEW PHILADELPHIA MUSIC FESTIVAL EXPANDS LINEUP The October Revolution of Jazz & Contemporary Music, a four-day (October 5-8, 2017) music festival presented by Ars Nova Workshop, in partnership with FringeArts, has confirmed several additional artists for its inaugural lineup as well as announcing single-day tickets. THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION 2017 FESTIVAL LINEUP Anthony Braxton: a solo performance by the NEA Jazz Master and AACM founding member Sun Ra Arkestra: the legendary Philadelphia ensemble performs “Space is the Place” in its entirety ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called “genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field. The timing of this crowning achievement couldn\'t be better for Braxton\'s most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2016

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today!

To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called “genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field. The timing of this crowning achievement couldn\'t be better for Braxton\'s most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Anthony Braxton

Source: Michael Ricci
June 4, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Anthony Braxton's birthday today! To his list of achievements and awards, Anthony Braxton may now add the 1994 MacArthur Fellowship: the so-called “genius" grant of (in his case) $300,000, awarded to individuals nominated for outstanding and original contributions to their field. The timing of this crowning achievement couldn\'t be better for Braxton\'s most recent professional goals: he is the founding Artistic Director of the newly incorporated Tri-Centric Foundation... Read more. Place our Musician of the ...
read more