Art Ensemble Of Chicago: Full Force

The full quintet had been together for a decade when it made this 1980 recording in a New York studio. The major work is Malachi Favors Maghostus's "Magg Zelma," nearly 20 minutes in length. It begins as a percussive soundscape with the most delicate sounds of resonating scraped metal, then moves through a shifting sequence of textures: a profound tenor lament by Joseph Jarman, a heated trumpet solo by Lester Bowie against an expanding rhythmic backdrop, and an unusual bassoon solo by Roscoe Mitchell. In contrast, Mitchell's "Care Free" is a buoyant, almost dancelike melody that lasts a mere 46 seconds. On his "Charlie M," Bowie demonstrates his thoughtful mastery of the vocal effects of early jazz trumpeters like Bubber Miley and Rex Stewart. An excellent document of the Ensemble's most focused work in this period, this CD is superbly recorded, every nuance of this very sound-conscious band apparent. –Stuart Broomer