This album features the innovative multireedist in a variety of settings. Recorded while he was a member of the group Circle, Braxton is heard in two duets with pianist Chick Corea, three fairly exciting quartet tracks with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul, an unaccompanied solo on contrabass clarinet, a piece (which Braxton wrote but does not play on) for five tubas, and a selection in which he overdubbed four sopranino saxes. Lots of very interesting performances come from a master of the avant-garde who has always followed his own musical path. - Scott Yanow
Tracks
1. Up Thing
2. Quartet Ballad
3. March
4. Four Sopranos
5. Be Bop
6. Five Tubas
7 Soprano Ballad(a)
8. Contra Basse
ANTHONY BRAXTON soprano & alton saxophone, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, flute
CHICK COREA piano (1)
KENNY WHEELER trumpet, flugelhorn (2, 3, 4)
DAVID HOLLAND bass, cello
BARRY ALTSCHUL drums
THE LONDON TUBA ENSEMBLE(8)
All music composed by Anthony Braxton
Recorded in London on February 4 and 5, 1971 at Polydor Studios
Freedom 32JDF-185