Even longtime Threadgill fans may be surprised at the direction and content on his most recent session. The five tunes include three pieces where Threadgill is absent, and one ("Over The River Club") is a nine-minute-plus opus dominated by three guitars colliding, intersecting, and dueling. The title track showcases Threadgill's blues and gospel roots, with some wonderful organ by Amina Claudine Myers. Only "Crea" and "Gateway" are similar to past Threadgill works, with "Crea" featuring the unusual sound of Ted Daniel on hunting horns. Even a champion of the unorthodox like Threadgill may have some people scratching their heads after they hear this, but it's a signal that he'll never settle for doing what's expected. - Ron Wynn
Tracks
1. Gateway
2. Over the River Club
3. Grief
4. Crea
5. Song Out of My Trees
HENRY THREADGILL alto saxophone
JEROME RICHARDSON acoustic bass guitar
JEROME HARRIS acoustic bass guitar
GENE LAKE drums
BRANDON ROSS guitar, alto guitar
TED DANIEL trumpet, hunting horn
ED CHERRY guitar
JAMES EMERY soprano guitar
MYRA MELFORD piano
TONY CEDRUS accordion
DIEDRE MURRAY, MICHELLE KINNEY cello
AMINA CLAUDINE MYERS harpsichord, organ
MOSSA BILDREN voice
REGGIE NICHOLSON drums
All music composed and arranged by Henry Threadgill
Recorded August 17-19, 1993 at Sound, NYC
Black Saint - 120154-2