Anthony Braxton Music

Wow... I was scared of Braxton before, having been bored or mystified by so much "free jazz", but this CD so elucidates the process of improvisation, communication... every bit of playing is related to the composition, to the whole, yet influences how it proceeds... clearly... if you concentrate on when the themes occur and reoccur, this music will make you smarter. Deep, deep, great, joyful music... it sounds dissonant, but give it a few listens.

the term GTM (Ghost Trance Music) is highly misleading, as these recordings are not ghostly or trance like. they are however, fine examples of Braxton's stately and bold form of composing and playing. utilizing alto, soprano, baritone, piano, melodica, and many more...these songs somehow spring to life with it's snakelike structure and interweaving melody lines that weave spirals in your mind. i have given this cd many many listens and each time i am impressed with a new experience each time. that's something special.

Multi-reedist Anthony Braxton has been responsible for some of the most challenging improvised music of the past 35 years. Although Four Compositions 2000 is representative of what Braxton has been producing for the past ten years, it also shows signs of a departure by incorporating stylistic innovations he mastered years ago. Everything old is new again.

Every 10 years or so, Braxton's music makes a slight stylistic change. After his wildly experimental debut in the late 1960s, his writing nestled into a sort of radical-traditionalism in the mid-1970s. In the '80s, Braxton's style developed into an intricate system of collage based on partially fragmented compositions unified by rhythmic pulse tracks. While still having the overall feel of jazz, the result was far more multi-layered and complex than the norm. During the '90s, Braxton entered yet another phase and dubbed the minimalist-inspired work Ghost Trance Music (GTM). Designed to last for hours (and theoretically days), GTM utilizes lengthy repeated pulse sections interjected with brief solos. The result often sounds less like traditional jazz and more like modern minimalist classical music.

Although still part of the Ghost Trance series, the music on Four Compositions 2000 show signs of the Braxton of days past. Numerous sections of the record revisit the irregular march rhythms of his '70s quartet music, though in a more refined manner. The diversity of sound production includes sputtering contra-bass saxophones, trilling flutes, melodica, tuned wood blocks and chimes all used to intriguing effect as a complement to the more traditional line-up of alto sax, piano, upright bass and trap set.

Braxton's GTM ensembles tend to be relatively large. With this quartet the pulse sections are broken up and the compositions feature more extended improvisation. Stop-start rhythms and flurries of notes contrast with sparse, unaccompanied solo sections. Rarely do all four musicians play at the same time. Each player gets a healthy amount of solo space and all shine when called upon.

While a good deal of the previous Ghost Trance Music is a bit repetitive, Four Compositions 2000 fortunately is quite different. Featuring shorter pieces with more sonic variety, space and improvisation than other recent endeavors, the record finds Braxton in what one could cautiously call an accessible mode. The record certainly makes an excellent entry point for those new to his oeuvre.

If you're into unique sounding music this album is for you. It's quirky textures and cartoonish quality are sure to please.