These tracks are not merely “the sound of surprise,” but the sound of amazement.

Burning Ambulance Records (available from Bandcamp)

Anthony Braxton (Alto, Soprano, C-Melody, and Baritone Saxophones); Marilyn Crispell (Piano); Mark Dresser (Bass); Gerry Hemingway (Drums, Percussion, Marimba)

  1. Sheffield, Set 1: Composition 69B/Composition 60 (+108C)/Composition 110A (+108B)/Composition 34 40:33
  2. Sheffield, Set 2: Composition 105A/Composition 69N/Composition 40M/Bass Solo (from Composition 96) 46:29
  3. Leicester, Set 1: Composition 85 (+108D)/Composition 69F/Composition 122 (+108A) 46:33
  4. Leicester, Set 2: Composition 69C/Composition 69O/Composition 116/Composition 40N 46:52
  5. Bristol, Set 1: Composition 69H/Composition 88 (+108C)/Piano Solo (from Compositions 1, 30-33)/Composition 23J 42:06
  6. Bristol, Set 2: Composition 6A/Percussion Solo (from Composition 96)/Composition 115/Bass Solo (from Composition 96)/Composition 69J 40:55
  7. Southampton, Set 1: Composition 105B/Composition 40O/Composition 124/Composition 86 43:52
  8. Southampton, Set 2: Composition 52/Collage Form Structure/Composition 40F/Composition 108A 36:42
  9. All the Things You Are (Birmingham Soundcheck) 03:19
  10. On Green Dolphin Street (Birmingham Soundcheck) 08:23
  11. Four (Bristol Soundcheck) 05:50
  12. After the Rain (Huddersfield Soundcheck) 03:39
  13. All the Things You Are (Coventry Soundcheck) 02:46

Tracks 1-2 recorded at the Leadmill, Sheffield, November 19, 1985
Tracks 3-4 recorded at the Great Hall, Leicester Polytechnic, Leicester, November 20, 1985
Tracks 5-6 recorded at Arnolfini, Bristol, November 21, 1985
Tracks 7-8 recorded at Solent Suite, Guildhall, Southampton, November 22, 1985
Track 9 recorded at soundcheck, Strathallan Hotel, Birmingham, November 17, 1985
Track 10 recorded at soundcheck, Strathallan Hotel, Birmingham, November 17, 1985
Track 11 recorded at soundcheck, Arnolfini, Bristol, November 21, 1985
Track 12 recorded at soundcheck, St. Paul’s Hall, Huddersfield, November 25, 1985
Track 13 recorded at soundcheck, Arts Centre Studio, Warwick University, Coventry, November 26, 1985
All recordings previously unreleased
Tracks 9-13 are exclusive to this set and not available separately

If you’re ready for sonic adventures, not strictures, then Burning Ambulance Music has a landmark release To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Anthony Braxton’s legendary 1985 tour—and Braxton’s eightieth birthday—the label is releasing a massive set of previously unreleased live recordings.

Braxton’s vast musical universe is a reflection of his own wide-ranging listening. As Mary Halvorson—who changed her course of study to work with him at Wesleyan University—noted, “He is my hero, one of my biggest influences.” She was struck by his open-mindedness, as he taught her to listen widely, from Stockhausen and Tristano to Paul Desmond.

Braxton has spoken eloquently about the alto saxophonist’s influence: “I never stopped loving Paul Desmond’s music. The first thing I recall that struck me about it was his sound. The sound grabbed me. Then, after that, his logic grabbed me—held me in its grip, in fact.” For Braxton, music is an all-enveloping mistress, one he has pursued with unparalleled dedication throughout his career.

This collection captures the acclaimed quartet on tour across the UK, with performances recorded in Liverpool, Sheffield, Leicester, Bristol, Southampton, Leeds, and Huddersfield. Digitally corrected and meticulously restored from the original mono cassette audience recordings made by author Graham Lock, the set is equivalent to nine CDs of vital, uncompromising music.

The package is complete with restored photos, detailed notes, and even soundcheck takes on standards like “All The Things You Are” and “On Green Dolphin Street.” These soundcheck moments offer a crucial glimpse into the band’s deep roots in jazz tradition and remarkable versatility, acting as a welcoming “way in” to the more complex main sets. The included notes and images capture the group facing a cold November 1985 in Britain, complete with photos of them wrapped in scarves at Stonehenge.

Braxton’s ensemble was one of the most significant of the era, featuring a powerhouse rhythm section: Marilyn Crispell on piano, Mark Dresser on bass, and Gerry Hemingway on drums. Marilyn Crispell’s piano work is vital in every sense of the word. Her uncompromising intensity is a crucial anchor and a primary source of energy, perfectly complementing Braxton’s compositions. Mark Dresser’s bass playing is masterly, moving from intricate pizzicato grooves to resonant arco (bowing) work. He provides intelligence, drive, and coherence, even when the music is at its most tumultuous. Gerry Hemingway transcends simple accompaniment. He is an important voice in his own right, using his entire kit (plus marimba and small percussion) to provide textures and colors rather than just straightforward propulsion.

The main sets are extended suites, organized into compositions that often run around 40–45 minutes each. They are a constantly shifting landscape where composition and improvisation interweave. Braxton’s numbered pieces and graphic scores provide a structure—a framework—but these are only starting points for intense group interaction and invention. The music inspires individual expression within collective frameworks.

The sets organically weave together compositions like 69B, 105A, 122, and 116 with collage structures and solo features. The interplay suggests four minds thinking as one, navigating Braxton’s intricate systems with both discipline and abandon.

The music itself is vast and impossible to neatly categorize: sometimes it’s delicate as a spider’s web, sometimes pastoral, sometimes dense and unrelenting, sometimes pulsating and raucous. When this quartet is in full cry, there is nothing like it in jazz. This is not merely “the sound of surprise,” but the sound of amazement.