Anthony Braxton - Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978

Anthony Braxton: conductor, composer
Dwight Andrews, Marty Ehrlich, Vinny Golia, J.D. Parran, Ned Rothenberg: saxophones, clarinets, flutes, piccolo, nagaswaram, ocarina
Rob Howard, Michael Mossman, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler: trumpets, flugelhorn
Ray Anderson, George Lewis, James King Roosa: trombone, tuba
Marilyn Crispell: piano
Birgit Taubhorn: accordion
Bobby Naughton: vibraphone
James Emery: electric guitar
John Lindberg, Brian Smith: basses
Thurman Barker: percussion, marimba
Robert Ostertag: synthetiser

Although Anthony Braxton does not play on this double CD (whose contents were released for the first time in 1995), his presence is certainly felt. He conducts the band through a fairly free improvisation and five of his compositions. Braxton showed a great deal of insight in originally picking the personnel for nearly every one of the 21 musicians has had an important career in advanced jazz, particularly Marty Ehrlich, Vinny Golia, Michael Mossman, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler, Ray Anderson, George Lewis, Marilyn Crispell, and John Lindberg. The music is often dense and atonal but never dull, and the closing composition is a superb piece that displays Braxton's love of marching band music! Although one wishes that Anthony Braxton himself had played, this is a set easily recommended to his fans. (by Scott Yanow, AMG)

1978 CREATIVE ORCHESTRA (KÖLN) 1978 PART 1
1978 CREATIVE ORCHESTRA (KÖLN) 1978 PART 2