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.
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).
3 Compositions of New Jazz is the debut album by Anthony Braxton released in 1968 on the Delmark label. It features performances by Braxton, violinist Leroy Jenkins and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith with pianist Muhal Richard Abrams appearing on two tracks.
Mark Feldman is an American jazz violinist.
The Hearinga Suite is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1989 and features performances of seven of Abrams compositions by an eighteen-member orchestra. Abrams dedicated the music on the album to Steve McCall and Donald Raphael Garrett.
Colors in Thirty-Third is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1987 and featuring performances of seven of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, John Blake, John Purcell, Dave Holland, Fred Hopkins and Andrew Cyrille.
Blues Forever is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released by the Italian label Black Saint in 1982 and featuring performances of seven of Abrams compositions by an eleven-member big band.
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.
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.
Levels and Degrees of Light is the debut album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Delmark label in 1968 and features performances of three of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Charles Clark, Gordon Emmanuel, Maurice McIntyre, Thurman Barker and Leonard Jones with vocals by Penelope Taylor and a poetry recitation by David Moore.
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.
Things to Come from Those Now Gone is the third album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Delmark label in 1975 and features performances of seven of Abrams' compositions by Abrams with varying line-ups that include Wallace McMillan, Edwin Daugherty, Richard Brown, Emanuel Cranshaw, Reggie Willis, Rufus Reid, Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell with vocals by Ella Jackson.
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.
Rejoicing with the Light is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1983 and featuring performances of five of Abrams' compositions by a fourteen-member orchestra.
Lifelong Ambitions is a live album by American jazz violinist Leroy Jenkins recorded in 1977 for the Italian Black Saint label.
Creative Orchestra Music 1976 is an album by American jazz saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton recorded in 1976 and released on the Arista label. The album was subsequently included on The Complete Arista Recordings of Anthony Braxton released by Mosaic Records in 2008.
Duets 1976 is an album by saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton and pianist Muhal Richard Abrams recorded in 1976 and released on the Arista label. The album features three compositions by Braxton, two jazz standards and one improvisation and was subsequently included on The Complete Arista Recordings of Anthony Braxton released by Mosaic Records in 2008.
Creative Construction Company is a 1975 album by the jazz collective Creative Construction Company, originally released on the Muse label, and later reissued as Muhal on the Italian Vedette label.
Creative Construction Company Vol. II is a 1976 album by the jazz collective Creative Construction Company, originally released on the Muse label.
Spectrum is a live album by pianist and composer Muhal Richard Abrams and saxophonist and composer Roscoe Mitchell. It was recorded at Philharmonic Hall in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and was released by Mutable Music in 2009. The album begins with an improvised duet by Abrams and Mitchell titled "Romu." This is followed by Mitchell's three-part "Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City" for baritone and orchestra, commissioned by Mutable Music, with a text by Joseph Jarman, and featuring singer Thomas Buckner with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. The album concludes with the Janáček Philharmonic's performance of Abrams's "Mergertone" for orchestra, commissioned by the Ostrava Center for New Music and premiered at the opening concert of the Ostrava Days 2007 festival. Both orchestral works were conducted by Petr Kotik.
