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. Show less

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 ...

Live Review

Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival 2022

by John Sharpe
June 6, 2022

Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival National Drama Theater Lithuania May 27-29, 2022 Introduction It's a little known fact that Lithuania has more jazz festivals per capita than any other country. Prominent among them is the Mama Jazz Festival, held annually amid the baroque beauty of the capital Vilnius. And it says something for the role that such Festivals fulfill in the nation's cultural life, not to mention the energy and influence of founder Judita Bartosevičienė, that ...

Album Review

Anthony Braxton: 12 COMP (ZIM) 2017

Read "12 COMP (ZIM) 2017" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
July 1, 2021

There had been just a slow trickle of recordings from Anthony Braxton, but all at once he made up for lost time with two major releases. One is a 13 CD box set of performances of standards. The other is a collection of recordings of original compositions that form part of his latest musical concept, ZIM Music, twelve works that run for a total of more than 11 hours and are released on a single Blu-Ray disc. ZIM ...

Album Review

Anthony Braxton: 12 COMP (ZIM) 2017

Read "12 COMP (ZIM) 2017" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
May 30, 2021

James Joyce, Anthony Braxton, and a music fan walk into a bar. The bartender says, “what is this? Some kind of a joke?" Joyce (okay, he died in 1941 but stay tuned) indicates, “this is no joke, and please send over the sommelier." The three patrons have come to this establishment to discuss Braxton's latest project, his House Of ZIM. Released as a sextet, septet, and nonet (save the quartets for another time) 12 COMP (ZIM) 2017 details eight performances ...

Radio & Podcasts

Braxton with Dave Brubeck and Chick Corea & Much More

by Marc Cohn
August 28, 2020

We're going everywhere this week. We offer you twenty-first century music from Joshua Redman, Michael Sarian, magnificent Vanessa Perica, Nicole Mitchell and Manu Katche. Roll up the rug for Benny Goodman's trio, Fletcher Henderson and Rex Stewart(with Johnny Hodges on soprano and Harry Carney on clarinet). Our Charlie Parker @ 100 celebration continues as we start to revive the Dial recordings. Anthony Braxton is featured in two settings: with Dave Brubeck (for his centennial, along with Lee Konitz) and with ...

Album Review

Anthony Braxton: Quartet (New Haven) 2014

Read "Quartet (New Haven) 2014" reviewed by Don Phipps

by Don Phipps
January 13, 2020

The shifting moods of Anthony Braxton's Quartet (New Haven) 2014 probably have to do with the song dedications. Each number reflects a famous and important popular musician and composer—-Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, James Brown and Merle Haggard. These four musicians would most certainly provide a strange but intoxicating mix if played at a party. Yet Hendrix's laid back and yet intense style, Joplin's unique blues passion, Brown's explosive showman funk and Haggard's homespun country songs serve as the inspiration for ...

Year in Review

Arian Bagheri Pour Fallah's Best Releases Of 2019

by Arian Bagheri Pour Fallah
December 13, 2019

As years continue to be shelved and stacked and tallied and turned and re'turned, the circular contours of CDs, LPs, tapes and file-types involved find too effigies in testimonial lines and accolades that no matter how exorbitant and sought-after serve as ropes above else given to the artist in proportion to his plight, albeit never enough to ensure a death. Denied this primordial need, the audience and the critic alike stargaze at the artist's quandary—onlookers of the scandal.

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

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