Flotation Device celebrates Henry Threadgill’s 80th birthday with a career retrospective for the acclaimed reed player, composer, Vietnam veteran and bandleader that emphasizes his fondness for unusual instrumentation and collective improvisation. We sample combos with four basses, two tubas, and other oddball configurations, and espy their influence in Mahakala Music's new Miserere album, which also draws inspiration from an 11th century Gregorian hymn associated with the invention of do re mi. Meanwhile, Veli Kujala and James Moore compose for microtonal accordion and harp, Derek Bailey jams with Bill Evans’ drummer Paul Motian, and Evans himself is heard in a peculiar studio recording that mixes modal jazz, minimalism and 70s-style TV music—brought to us by our 50 years ago in the avant-garde feature, which also honors a boisterous landmark composition by Alfred Schnittke and a more modest work by Luciano Berio, both premiered on the same weekend in February 1974.
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Flotation Device 2024-02-11: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Henry Threadgill at 80 [0:00]
1. [2:51] Henry Threadgill Zooid: Opening. From In for a penny, in for a pound (Pi, 2015) with Henry Threadgill (flute), Liberty Ellman (guitar), Christopher Hoffman (cello), Jose Davila (tuba), Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums), Michael Marciano (recording engineer)
2. [7:25] Henry Threadgill Very Very Circus: Drivin' you slow and crazy. From Spirit of Nuff…Nuff (Black Saint, 1990) with Henry Threadgill (alto saxophone, flute), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Brandon Ross, Masujaa (electric guitars), Marcus Rojas, Edwin Rodriguez (tubas), Gene Lake (drums), David Stone (recording engineer)
3. [17:53] Henry Threadgill Sextet: 10 To 1. From When Was That? (About Time, 1982) with Henry Threadgill (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute, bass flute), Olu Dara (cornet), Craig Harris (trombone), Brian Smith (piccolo bass), Fred Hopkins (bass), John Betsch, Pheeroan akLaff (drums), David Baker (recording engineer). NOTE: The album is credited to the "Henry Threadgill Sextet" though there are seven musicians
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SET 2: Jazz history [29:22]
1. [32:41] Henry Threadgill: Sir Simpleton. From S-75 Volume 1 (Arista Novus, 1979) with Douglas Evert (bass clarinet), Joseph Jarman (soprano sax), Henry Threadgill (alto sax), Wallace McMillan (piccolo), Amina Claudine Myers (vocal), Brian Smith (piccolo bass), Fred Hopkins, Leonard Jones, Rufus Reid (basses), David Baker (recording engineer)
2. [39:09] Derek Bailey, Paul Motian: Groningen (excerpts). From Duo in Concert (Frozen Reeds, 2023) with Derek Bailey (guitar), Paul Motian (percussion). NOTE: Recorded live December 7, 1990 at JazzMarathon, De Oosterpoort, Groningen, Netherlands
3. [42:42] Bill Evans: Symbiosis - 1st Movement, Part 3. From Symbiosis (MPS, 1974) with Bill Evans Trio: Bill Evans (Steinway piano, Fender-Rhodes electric piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Marty Morell (drums), big band, Claus Ogerman (conductor), Frank Laico (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed by Claus Ogerman. Recorded February 11–14, 1974 at Columbia Recording Studios, New York
4. [54:33] Outro with Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby
5. [59:00] James Moore: Clair-Obscur - 3. Cleopatra. From Desolation Pops (New World, 2023) with Claire Happel Ashe (triple harp), James Land, Angel Perez (recording engineers). NOTE: Composed 2018
6. [1:03:05] Veli Kujala: L'eaurelle. From Ispilu: Works for Quarter-Tone Accordion (Métier/Divine Arts, 2023) with Lore Amenabar Larrañaga (quarter-tone accordion)
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SET 3: 50 years ago in the avant-garde, part I [1:08:04]
1. [1:10:14] Luciano Berio: Linea. From Berio/Maderna (Dynamic, 1996) with Debora Brunialti, Paola Biondi (pianos), Dario Doriani (vibraphone), Domenico Cagnacci (marimba)
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SET 4: 50 years ago in the avant-garde, part II [1:24:34]
1. [1:29:22] Chad Fowler et al: Ut Queant Laxis. From Miserere (Mahakala, 2023) with Kelley Hurt (voice), Chris Parker (piano, voice), Chad Fowler (stritch, alto flute, baritone saxophone, bass flute), George Cartwright (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, electric guitar), Zoh Amba (tenor saxophone, flute), Luke Stewart (bass), Steve Hirsh (drum set), Jason Weinheimer (recording engineer)
2. [1:47:15] Alfred Schnittke: Symphony No. 1 (excerpts). From Symphony No. 1 (BIS, 1993) with Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (conductor), Ingo Petry (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1969–1974, premiered February 9, 1974, Gorky, USSR
3. [1:56:07] Outro with Alfred Schnittke: String Quartet No. 3
Photo credits: Henry Threadgill by Mel Dixon, Amina Claudine Myers and Henry Threadgill by Clara Pereira, Lore Amenabar Larrañaga via Divine Art Recordings Group, Bill Evans by Steve Schapiro, Luciano Berio by Philippe Gontier, Ut Queant Laxis via Duo Mignarda, Alfred Schnittke by Universal Edition