All the Numbers

All the Numbers

These first recordings under Lester Bowie's name were made in 1967 with his compatriots from the Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble. Originally issued in edited form as Numbers 1 & 2 on a single lp, these two discs contain all the material recorded over two days in the studio. The first session was a trio date with Malachi Favors (bass, etc) and Roscoe Mitchell (saxophones, etc). A week later reed virtuoso Joseph Jarman was added to the group. These recordings were the first documentation of the quartet soon recognized as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. While repeated takes of the same thematic material can be a boring exercise, in this instance the performances all develop very differently and give insight to the workings of this well known group.