In Litweiler's book, The Freedom Principle (William Morrow, New York), Threadgill tells how he composes for this group and for its predecessor Air.
"I began thinking about the personalities in the group and how they played. I kind of go into writing for people rather than just writing music. So often, you hear this one instrument out front, and these other two instruments are some kind of accompaniment. Well, I'm really trying to get away from that."
What he would up doing, as a writer in this context, was to "put everything on an equal footing, and that's what I'm after."
Of bassist Fred Hopkins, Threadgill says: "I like everything he does, His sense of timing, and the quality of his playing. Although Fred is not old, he comes out of the older school of musicians in terms of his tone and the quality of his improvisation. These days, everybody plays so fast and high and electric. But a good acoustic bass player is till a thrill to me.
Ann in an interview in the excellent Canadian magazine, Coda, Fred Hopkins himself said:
"I'm into sound, not into how many notes you can play, or how fast. It's the sound. It's Ray Brown." He added that Paul Chambers was also very important to him. "I've always liked to play that way," Hopkins emphasized. "Those big old fat notes. "Like Jimmy Garrison too, he added. "The warmth of the instrument."
The third, and equally vital presence in this set, drummer Pheeroan AkLaff, is described by Henry Threadgill as an "incredible musician. He can cover just about anything, and that's why so many different leaders use him. He has extraordinary sensitivity to other people work.
Every one of these musicians is simultaneously a compelling soloist and a brilliantly attentive ensamble player. The music they made on this festive occasion transcends categories and fashion. - Nat Hentoff
Tracks
1. Sir Simpleton
2. Difda Dance
3. Roll On
4. Tragedy On A Thursday Afternoon
5. No. 1
FRED HOPKINS bass
PHEEROAN AKLAFF percussion
HENRY THREADGILL alto saxophone, flute, baritone saxophone
All music composed and arranged by Henry Threadgill
Recorded live July 1983 at the Montreal International Jazz Festival
Black Saint - 120084-2