Composition No. 94 for Three Instrumentalists (1980)

A major find, this recording captures the only trio appearance of Braxton, trombonist Ray Anderson, and guitarist James Emery during a performance in Bologna, Italy. Everything gelled that evening as the group played two versions of Braxton's monumental "Composition No. 94," the second one an incredible reading of the piece backwards! All the musicians were in perfect synch, as Braxton utterly impresses with lengthy forays on sopranino, soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, and contrabass clarinet, while Anderson is stunning on both alto and tenor trombones, cornet, and slide trumpet. Add Emery's extraordinary manipulations on electronics and major efforts on both acoustic and electric guitars, and the results should please even the most discerning critic of free jazz. Surprises abound, as this is one of the finest examples of extraordinary free music from the 1980s. The poor sound quality diminishes the thrill somewhat, but this CD remains an important document and a major contribution to Braxton's discography. ~ Steven A. Loewy, Rovi