Henry Threadgill is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in jazz but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He has performed and recorded with several ensembles: Air, Aggregation Orb, Make a Move, the seven-piece Henry Threadgill Sextett, the twenty-piece Society Situation Dance Band, Very Very Circus, X-75, and Zooid.
Matthew Shipp is an American avant-garde jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader.
Fred Hopkins was an American double bassist who played a major role in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement. He was best known for his association with the trio Air with Henry Threadgill and Steve McCall, and for his numerous performances and extensive recordings with major jazz musicians such as Muhal Richard Abrams, Arthur Blythe, Oliver Lake, and David Murray. He was a member of the AACM, and a frequent participant in the loft jazz scene of the 1970s. He also co-led a number of albums with the composer and cellist Diedre Murray. Gary Giddins wrote that Hopkins' playing "fused audacious power with mercuric reflexes." Howard Reich, writing in the Chicago Tribune, stated that "many connoisseurs considered [Hopkins] the most accomplished jazz bassist of his generation" and praised him for "the extraordinarily fluid technique, sumptuous tone and innovative methods he brought to his instrument."
Newman Taylor Baker is a jazz drummer and a washboard player.
Requiem for Julius is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet released by the Justin Time label. The album features performances by Hamiet Bluiett, John Purcell, Oliver Lake and David Murray and is dedicated to the band's founding member Julius Hemphill.
Scrapbook is an album by American jazz bassist and composer William Parker's Violin Trio featuring Billy Bang which was recorded in 2002 and released on the Thirsty Ear label.
Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the About Time label in 1983. The album features six of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill with Craig Harris, Olu Dara, Fred Hopkins, Diedre Murray, Pheeroan akLaff and John Betsch.
Easily Slip Into Another World is an album by saxophonist/composer Henry Threadgill, recorded for the RCA Novus label in 1987.
Rag, Bush and All is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the RCA Novus label in 1989. The album and features four of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill's Sextett with Bill Lowe, Ted Daniel, Fred Hopkins, Diedre Murray, Newman Baker and Reggie Nicholson.
Time Is of the Essence Is Beyond Time is the third album by free jazz collective quartet Other Dimensions In Music, composed of trumpeter Roy Campbell, multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, bassist William Parker and drummer Rashid Bakr. For this special quintet, recorded live in 1997 and released on the AUM Fidelity label, they are joined by pianist Matthew Shipp.
After Dark is an album by James Blood Ulmer's Music Revelation Ensemble recorded in 1991 and released on the Japanese DIW label featuring performances by Ulmer with David Murray, Amin Ali and Cornell Rochester.
Splay is the second album by drummer Jim Black's AlasNoAxis featuring clarinetist/saxophonist Chris Speed, guitarist Hilmar Jensson and bassist Skúli Sverrisson released on the Winter & Winter label in 2002.
2 Days in April is a double album by a free jazz quartet consisting of saxophonists Fred Anderson and Kidd Jordan, bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid Drake, documenting two 1999 concerts at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Cambridge. It was released on Eremite, a label founded by producer Michael Ehlers. Anderson and Jordan first meeting was at a mid-80s AACM concert in Chicago, but this is their first recording together.
The New Standard is an album by keyboardist Jamie Saft, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bobby Previte which was released on the RareNoise label in 2014.
Love Outside of Dreams is an album by the American jazz percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, recorded in 1997 and released on Delmark. He leads a trio featuring saxophonist David Murray and bassist Fred Hopkins in his last recording session. Murray and El'Zabar cut the duo album Golden Sea in 1989 and Kahil joined David's groups for A Sanctuary Within, The Tip and Jug-A-Lug in the early '90s.
Sign of Life: Music for 858 Quartet is an album by Bill Frisell which was released on the Savoy label in 2011. The album features the same lineup that played on Frisell's 2005 album, Richter 858.
Blinks is a live album by soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, which was recorded in Switzerland in 1983 and first released on the hat ART label in 1984 as a double LP. The album was rereleased as a double CD in 1997 with two additional tracks from the concert and a single CD with only five tracks in 2001 as Blinks...Zürich Live 1983.
Firestorm is an album by cellist Diedre Murray and bassist Fred Hopkins. It was recorded at East Side Sound Studio in New York City during July 1992, and was released later that year by Les Disques Victo.
Manhattan Egos is an album by saxophonist Sonny Simmons. It was recorded at Sierra Sound Studios in Berkeley, California on February 10, 1969, and was released on LP later that year by Arhoolie Records. On the album, Simmons is joined by trumpeter Barbara Donald, bassist and percussionist Juma Sultan, drummer Paul Smith, and conga player Voodoo Bembe. In 2000, Arhoolie reissued the album on CD with four additional tracks recorded live on November 6, 1970, at the Newman Center in Berkeley, California, with Simmons in a quartet that features violinist Michael White, bassist Kenny Jenkins, and drummer Eddie Marshall.
Stringology is an album by cellist Diedre Murray and bassist Fred Hopkins. It was recorded at Sear Sound in New York City during September 1993, and was released in 1994 by Black Saint. On the album, Murray and Hopkins are joined by guitarist Marvin Sewell and percussionists Ray Mantilla and Newman Baker.
