ROSCOE MITCHELL AEOC: THE MAZE, L-R-G * EX+ NESSA * BRAXTON, JARMAN Product Description

LP Condition

EX+: both LPs very clean & free of marks - occasional very light background, PLAY-GRADED

Nessa Records, USA

Cover Condition

VG+: light wear to white cover, superficial staining

Strong gatefold cover

Artists

Roscoe Mitchell, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Joseph Jarman, George Lewis, Douglas Ewart, Thurman Barker, Leo Smith & Malachi Favors

Notes

Very rare double LP set - an avant garde classic

AllMusic 4.5:  Roscoe Mitchell is mostly, and rightly, reckoned with his work as a leading member of the hardscrabble, meta-instrumental, and enormously influential avant-garde jazz group Art Ensemble of Chicago. However, Mitchell also owns a considerable stake in composed music of a kind considerable as classical, which makes use of written materials to drive determinate kinds of improvisation, or even some non-improvised interpretation in the conventional sense ...

Nessa's [double LP] Roscoe Mitchell/L-R-G, The Maze, S II Examples documents a period in 1978, when Mitchell was beginning to work on his composed strategies with usual suspect figures from the jazz world, some from the Art Ensemble itself ... The Maze brings the entire Art Ensemble membership, minus Lester Bowie, and other free jazz luminaries such as Anthony Braxton and Henry Threadgill, to serve as percussionists. Rather than being a rattletrap barrage of percussion as one might expect, The Maze is a carefully controlled polyphonic texture of percussion sounds that is mostly vertical and moves forward in a deliberate progression.

The quality of the sound in this 1978 recording is astounding, made at the 30th Street Studio belonging to CBS Records. L-R-G (i.e., "L"eo Smith, "R"oscoe Mitchell, and "G"eorge Lewis), brings this high-powered trio of improvisers into contact with an orchestra's wealth of instruments, divided by range and type: woodwinds for Mitchell, high and low brass, respectively, for Smith and Lewis. Like The Maze, this is a slowly forward-evolving catalog of special sounds; however, in this case the sounds are specific to the players involved.

S II Examples, likewise, began as a trio for soprano saxophones for Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, and Anthony Braxton, but Mitchell realized his curved soprano provided him with some additional flexibility that the straight saxes favored and the others did not. So he decided to record it as a solo piece, and it is an extraordinary one; Mitchell's microcosmic understanding of gradations of tone is virtually encyclopedic, and the amount of wiggle room he has between two half steps is such that when he plays three or four "regular" notes by way of transition, it's an event.

In a superficial sense, Nessa's [double LP] Roscoe Mitchell/L-R-G, The Maze, S II Examples does not represent a radical departure from Mitchell's work as a jazz musician, as does, say, Skies of America does for Ornette Coleman; those who follow Mitchell's work in jazz will well recognize him in comfortable voice here. Nevertheless, for listeners attuned to contemporary art music coming to Roscoe Mitchell with little or no knowledge of his work with the Art Ensemble of Chicago should likewise easily understand how his rigorous approach in organizing improvised elements fits in with the rest of the classical avant-garde. Beyond that, Nessa's [LP] Roscoe Mitchell/L-R-G, The Maze, S II Examples is a splendidly recorded and mastered [LP], and inasmuch as Roscoe Mitchell as classical composer is concerned, this is very close to where it truly starts.

 

These are actual scans of the LP for sale.

The scanner tends to over-emphasize ring wear and cover blemishes that are unobtrusive in plain sight.

 

RECORD GRADING

Finegroove loves all music and we have thousands of LPs of all genres. Keep your eyes on us - please subscribe to our store newsletter. We use eBay's standardized grading scale.  We primarily sight-grade LPs, but we play-grade LPs when we can. Our primary playback system uses a sensitive moving coil cartridge (Clearaudio Stradivari V2) with vacuum tube based amplification (Audio Research). As many of you know, the type of cartridge, turntable setup, preamplification, etc. can produce a significantly different listening experience, particularly on less than Near Mint LPs. A old classic LP in VG+ condition can sound fantastic with a Moving Magnet cartridge and warm tube amplification, but can be annoying with a sensitive MC cartridge and digital solid state amplification. We try to grade and price records with these thoughts in mind and we welcome your feedback on our grading, particularly if you are dissatisfied with the LP.

MINT: LP is sealed or like-new; Cover is sealed or like-new

NEAR MINT: LP is visually clean and will play without background sound.  Cover is clean & tight.

EXCELLENT: LP may have light sleeve scuffs or marks that have little to no effect on playback; Cover may have slight wear but is still very nice.

VERY GOOD PLUS: LP will have superficial lines or sleeve scuffs and the LP may have a little background noise noticeable during quiet sections; Cover may have ring wear and tiny corner dings. VG+ is our grade for a VINYL & MUSIC LOVER ... some great deals here!

VERY GOOD: LP may have light scratches & scuffs and will play with occasional background noise; Covers may have ring wear, small tears and dinged corners - still a great LP and a great deal!

GOOD: LP will play without skipping but has background noise; Cover may have split seams, water and other physical damage - for rare LPs and retro vinyl lovers.

POOR:  A nice Frisbee relacement!  Possibly a tray for appetizers!  With modification, a Throwing Star to protect home & hearth - our most versatile grade!!

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SHIPPING & COMBINED SHIPPING

Finegroove ships all over the world and will consolidate purchases made within a five day period into a single box upon request. For domestic U.S. orders each additional LP is only 25 cents via media mail. Priority mail and tracking services can be added per your request. Combined shipping for international orders is roughly $5 per extra LP up to a four lb (1.8 kg) package; a package above this weight requires Priority shipping service. Please ask for a combined international shipping quote.

 

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