Dan Ouellette in Billboard magazine:
Inarguably this year's most expansive and creative improvisational performance, the "9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006" nine-CD boxed set chronicles iconic alto-saxophonist Braxton on a four-night engagement with his 12+1tet at New York's Iridium. Recorded in March 2006, the collection comprises nine large-scale, world-premiere Braxton compositions (with numerical titles, Nos. 350-358) that complete his 11-year-old "Ghost Trance Music" series of works that he calls "sonic units" and "language music." [JG: well, not quite -- "language music" is a specific set of sound typologies] Braxton's music, characterized by form that elicits and invites free interplay, is a playground of shapes, tempos, layers, weaves and waves. It is journey music replete with comic harmonic excursions, off-balance meandering, quirky curiosity, elliptical eeriness and seesawing dissonance. On the one hand, the music is abstract, but on the other, deeply emotional with different hues of urgency, fear, lightheartedness and timidity.
4 ½ Stars.Some kind words on the Braxton discussion group from Kevin Frenette (a guitarist with a new release of his own, which he was kind enough to send me):
***
Having had the set for a week, I have absorbed all nine discs and the DVD over the course of six-nights. Needless to say that after just one-time through, I have just skimmed the surface- and still I am sated, yet eager to tackle the set in its entirety again starting in a few days. One could (and should) easily spend weeks and months digesting and experiencing this music. Themes, sub-themes, small instrumental dialogues, inspired solos, interesting compositional techniques, passages of jarring juxtapositions, moments of sheer cerebral beauty- all of these are to be had in abundance with a capital A.
The DVD runs about two-hours and provides context and visuals to accentuate those which Braxton's music invariably generates. The documentary finds him discussing the origin, dynamics and execution of Ghost Trance Music at Columbia University and is interspersed with performance footage from the Iridium shows. Also presented is Composition 358 in its entirety.
***
One criticism leveled at Braxton is that he is too prolific. Those interested in exploring his music don't know where to start, while those who follow him find it hard to keep up. Certainly a ten-disc set will do little to quell this quibble, but ultimately the question is: To buy or not? For fans of Braxton's work the answer is a resounding yes. Scrimp and save if you must, but this is an indispensable document which represents the culmination of four-decades of work.
To the curious and uninitiated the answer is also yes. Approach the set with open minds and ears and you will be both rewarded and enriched for your time and listening attention. These are the works of a master at the top of his game.
I received my 9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006 box set yesterday morning (autographed too!!!) --- Listened to about 4 discs so far and the music is incredible...but I spent the evening watching Jason's DVD...WOW!!!! It is worth the price of the boxed set alone. Great footage of the group performances and we finally get to see/hear what was discussed at Columbia University. It's an incredible look deep inside the GTM and it's priceless to see Braxton himself discussing what it's all about and see the ensemble putting it into practice.Listen to this interview of Braxton by John Schaefer, Soundcheck, WNYC, 20-Apr-2007. (If you've never heard Schaefer's program, check out some other archived shows for interviews with everyone from Courtney Love to Cecil Taylor.)
Thanks Jason --- superb work.
Pick up the May 2007 issue of JazzTimes for an excellent article by David Adler. UPDATE: this article is available here (pdf format)
And there's much more on the way: look for upcoming articles and reviews in Down Beat, Signal to Noise, Paris Transatlantic, Jazzman (France), and The Wire (UK).
Kudos to Scott at Improvised Communications for doing an absolutely terrific job getting the word out!
