Rabble Without A Cause
Wednesday May 16th, 2012 with Bernard Stepien
Anthony Braxton Creative Orchestra 1978

The immense creativity of Anthony Braxton is probably responsible for the definite anchoring of Jazz into the academic world. His music is beyond the revolt of the ‘60s that was principally aimed at de-commercialising Jazz. Instead, he turned it what the French call “un art savant” highlighting its scientific qualities. In the ‘70s, he concentrated on two formats that are common in western classical music, tour de force solo performances on the saxophone similar to a Rostropovich cello solo performance and large bands similar to classical symphonic orchestras (up to 160 musicians involved). However, all of that did not distract him from the roots of Jazz and he frequently pays tribute to the tradition and primarily the Be-Bop idiom that as an alto saxophonist is plugged irremediably into Charlie Parker. Tonight, we will survey his 1978 recordings Creative Orchestra (Köln) on the Hatology label that features an obvious tribute to Duke Ellington and further back in time, to the American March King, John Philip Sousa to whom we owe many famous marches including Stars and Stripes Forever. What a mix! Would the younger generation say.