AACM Classic
Christopher Forbes | Brooklyn,, NY | 10/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is finally released again, and it's a classic. Kalaparusha was one of the original members of the AACM in the 60's and appeared on such seminal Chicago school albums as Roscoe Mitchell's Sound. In the 70s McIntyre moved to New York where he became a frequent player in the budding loft scene downtown. Since late in the decade he has devoted himself mostly to his academic career and not recorded much. It's truly our loss. Humility is a classic AACM sound. Many of the stalwart members appear on the album, notably, Amina Claudine Meyers who is marvelous on the piano, showing only traces of the influence of her mentor Muhal Richard Abrams. The album begins with several cuts that feature percussion and vocals that have a trace of the Native American in them. The title track is a short put powerful modal dirge that builds to a moving conclusion. In the large suite: Ensemble Fate, the album gets to it's most intense blowing. Kalaparusha is fierce...definately a post-Coltrane, post-Ayler player, but with a sense of depth and spirituality that many post-Ayler players miss. The music is aggressive, but it's not angry or bitter as many European avant-garde players are. And when the whole band plays...watch out.Delmark has a treasure trove of these kinds of recordings, a trove that they are slowly reissuing. While reissuing recordings of the Art Ensemble or early Anthony Braxton are in themselves gutsy moves, reissuing Humility is really bold. At least the Art Ensemble and Braxton have some name recognition and will sell. Humility is an album with much less recognition and only an underground buzz (though a formidible one in music circles). Snap this one up folks if you like the Art Ensemble or the work of Air. Kalaparusha is in the same class...not a mere imitator, he is the real deal!By the way, the AACM is still alive and well and living in Chicago. The profile is lower nationally, but the music is still happening! And there's a largely unknown younger generation that really deserves wider exposure. I've been particularly impressed with saxaphonist David Boykin and flautist Nicole Mitchell. Most of the younger players have albums, but many are self-produced. If you want to know more about this stuff, check out the AACM website..."
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1