Comprised originally of Henry Threadgill on reeds, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer Steve McCall, Air emphasized equality of roles by the instruments (without any clear-cut leader) and a smooth mixture of advanced arrangements and free improvisations. In 1971, Threadgill was asked to arrange some of Scott Joplin's songs for a production at Columbia College in Chicago. He teamed up with Hopkins and McCall as the trio Reflection. A few years later, in 1975, the musicians came together again as Air, touring Europe, Japan, and America and recording 11 records for such labels as Nessa, India Navigation, Black Saint, Novus, and Antilles. This was Air's ninth LP and the final one featuring drummer Steve McCall. The avant-garde trio stretches out on three of the saxophonist's originals and Jelly Roll Morton's "Chicago Breakdown." This blues-oriented set is more accessible than many of Air's previous recordings without watering down the explorative nature of this always-interesting group.
Tracks
1. Chicago Breakdown (Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton)
2. The Traveller (Henry Threadgill)
3. 80º BELOW '82 (Henry Threadgill)
4. Do Tell (Henry Threadgill)
HENRY THREADGILL alto saxophone
FRED HOPKINS bass
STEVE McCALL drums, percussion
Recorded at Right Track Recording, January 23 & 24, 1982
Antilles J33D-20008