CD ECM Records Art Ensemble Of Chicago: Full Force

1980

Joseph Jarman - saxofone, clarinet, flaute, scoici, vibrafon, gonguri, congas, voce
Roscoe Mitchell - saxofoane, flaute, oboi, clarinet, gonguri
Malachi Favors Maghostut - contrabas, percutie, melodica
Famoudou Don Moye - percutie solara
Lester Bowie - trompeta, celesta, toba mare

editie Touchstones - format mini-vinil replica, coperti gatefold, cartonate

ECM website: "The fabulous Chicago collective focus all their energies in a wide ranging programme embracing a tribute to Mingus, an “Old Southside Street Dance”, echoes of Africa, contemporary composition and free improvising. "

AllMusic:
" [...] The crown jewel of this effort is "Charlie M," a bluesy swing tribute to Charles Mingus. Trumpeter Lester Bowie leads out, Roscoe Mitchell on bass sax underpins a memorable melody, while Malachi Favors expertly walks the bass into a free section with a Mitchell solo, and back to the head. The A-B-A song form approach is one that lends pure accessibility to this track, but a similar mode is also stretched into true "full force" swagger on "Old Time Southside Street Dance." [...] Similarly "Magg Zelma" moves constantly into various phases from bloogles (plastic sound tubes) and bells in minimal gamelan fashion to percussion thrashings, bicycle horns, duck calls, vibes, celeste, glockenspiel, and eventually saxes and trumpet in a piece reflective of sounds from the whole animal kingdom on the Ark. Their music in this era continued in a developmental phase, stripping away nuance and shadings in lieu of pure expressionism, even more experimental while utilizing thematic ideas that alternately suggest world music fusions and tune structures. This may be the most accessible Art Ensemble of Chicago album, perhaps disappointing for some hardcore fans, but certainly illuminating to many others unexposed to their unmitigated brilliance.