Sightsong

Last updated
Sightsong
Sightsong.jpg
Studio album by
Released1976
RecordedOctober 13 & 14 1975
Genre Jazz
Length39:47
Label Black Saint
Producer Giacomo Pellicciotti
Muhal Richard Abrams chronology
Afrisong
(1975)
Sightsong
(1976)
1-OQA+19
(1978)

Sightsong is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams and Malachi Favors which was released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1976. [1]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick calls the album "one of Abrams's finest recordings and is also perhaps the best showcase for Malachi Favors' talents outside of his seminal work with the Art Ensemble of Chicago". [2] The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide called the album "a more successful survey from 1975 with Art Ensemble bassist Malachi Favors along to help Abrams explore the AACM's roots". [3]

The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings called the album "a perfect example of the radical/traditionalist ethos Abrams has done so much to foster." [4]

Track listing

All compositions by Muhal Richard Abrams except as indicated

  1. "W.W. (Dedicated to Wilbur Ware)" - 4:57
  2. "J.G. (Dedicated to Johnny Griffin)" - 5:35
  3. "Sightsong" - 6:18
  4. "Two over One" - 6:16
  5. "Way Way Way Down Yonder" (Malachi Favors) - 5:28
  6. "Panorama" - 5:59
  7. "Unitry (Dedicated to the AACM)" - 5:14

Personnel

Related Research Articles

Muhal Richard Abrams Musical artist

Muhal Richard Abrams was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the United States, Canada and Europe with his orchestra, sextet, quartet, duo and as a solo pianist. His musical affiliations constitute a "who's who" of the jazz world, including Max Roach, Dexter Gordon, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Art Farmer, Sonny Stitt, Anthony Braxton, and The Art Ensemble of Chicago.

The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1965 in Chicago by pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran. The AACM is devoted "to nurturing, performing, and recording serious, original music," according to its charter. It supports and encourages jazz performers, composers and educators. Although founded in the jazz tradition, the group's outreach and influence has, according to Larry Blumenfeld, "touched nearly all corners of modern music."

Roscoe Mitchell Musical artist

Roscoe Mitchell is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". The Penguin Guide to Jazz described him as "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz; All About Jazz stated in 2004 that he had been "at the forefront of modern music" for more than 35 years. Critic Jon Pareles in The New York Times has mentioned that Mitchell "qualifies as an iconoclast". In addition to his own work as a bandleader, Mitchell is known for cofounding the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).

Malachi Favors Musical artist

Malachi Favors was an American jazz bassist who played with the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

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<i>Full Force</i> (Art Ensemble of Chicago album) 1980 studio album by Art Ensemble of Chicago

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Blu Blu Blu is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1991 and features performances of eight of Abrams compositions by a big band. Abrams dedicated the title track on the album to Muddy Waters.

<i>Mama and Daddy</i> 1980 studio album by Muhal Richard Abrams

Mama and Daddy is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams that was released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1980 and features performances of four of Abrams' compositions by a big band.

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<i>Young at Heart/Wise in Time</i> 1970 studio album by Muhal Richard Abrams

Young at Heart/Wise in Time is an album by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams released by the Delmark label in 1970 that featured an LP side-length solo piano composition and Abrams accompanied by Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, Lester Lashley and Thurman Barker on the other side.

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1-OQA+19 is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1977 which features performances by Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall and Leonard Jones.

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Spihumonesty is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1979 and features performances by Abrams, George Lewis, Roscoe Mitchell, Amina Claudine Myers, Youseff Yancy and Leonard Jones with vocals by Jay Clayton.

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Duet is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams featuring duet performances with Amina Claudine Myers which was released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1981.

<i>Certain Blacks</i> 1970 studio album by Art Ensemble of Chicago

Certain Blacks is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded in Paris on February 10, 1970, and released on the America label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut, Chicago Beau, Julio Finn and William A. Howell.

<i>Kabalaba</i> 1978 live album by Art Ensemble of Chicago

Kabalaba is a live album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1974 and released on their AECO label in 1978. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut, and Don Moye along with Muhal Richard Abrams.

<i>Roscoe Mitchell Quartet</i> 1976 live album by Roscoe Mitchell

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<i>Duets 1976</i> 1976 studio album by Anthony Braxton and Muhal Richard Abrams

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References

  1. Black Saint Records discography, accessed April 20, 2015
  2. 1 2 Olewnick, B. Allmusic Review accessed April 1, 2009
  3. 1 2 Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide . USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp.  3–4. ISBN   0-394-72643-X.
  4. 1 2 Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1992). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP and Cassette. Penguin Books. p. 4.