Recorded live in Burghausen, Germany in 2007, Far Side features journeyman avant-garde saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and his ensemble the Note Factory performing in a concert. Joining Mitchell here are trumpeter Corey Wilkes, pianists Craig Taborn and Vijay Iyer, bassists Jaribu Shahid and Harrison Bankhead, and drummers Tani Tabbal and Vincent Davis. Beginning with the epic three-part 30-minute suite "Far Side/Cards/Far Side," the concert is an atmospheric and cinematic mix of Mitchell's longstanding musical touchstones including free jazz, European classical music, and modern creative group improvisation. Tracks such as the fragmented and atonal "Quintet 2007 A for Eight" and the similarly inclined "Trio Four for Eight" have the feel of composed classical music while evincing a more freely improvised aesthetic. This is often achieved by juxtaposing bowed cello and bass parts against improvised piano and sections where each musician seems to interject a melodic idea into an overall harmonic theme. There are moments of layered percussion, expansive atonal soundscapes, and fiery and combative moments between Mitchell and Wilkes as well as windy, drawn-out passages that tilt upon silence. If you're a hardcore Mitchell aficionado and/or fan of ECM's cerebral jazz catalog, Far Side would be a stellar addition to your library.

This meeting took place at ScienSonic Laboratories in Teaneck, NJ on April 21, 2015 (the day after the Heliosonic Toneways session). This recording is significant in that it presents the first music Roscoe Mitchell ever played with either Marshall Allen or Milford Graves. It also represents a bit of a departure for me personally, as Milford Graves is so far the only artist to appear on ScienSonic with whom I have not previously performed as a sideman. It has long been a dream to play music with Professor Graves, so I took the plunge or perhaps "lift-off" would be a better term. As the professor said to me after the date, "Man, at one point you went so far out there, we weren't sure if you were coming back!" Well, it took 4 ½ years, but at least I made it back in time to finally mix and present this music. Everything was recorded in one open room with no separation or barriers of any kind, as suggested by Mr. Graves, and is presented here in the order it was played.

Roscoe Mitchell With Ostravaska Banda Performing Distant Radio Transmission Also Nonaah Trio, And 8.8.88 ''Cutouts For Woodwind Quintet'' is only available on the CD version of this recording.

our original improvisations, taken from legendary AACM composer, improviser and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell's "Conversations" album transcribed and performed by a twenty piece Bay Area orchestra, along with two orchestral improvisations and two duets with Roscoe Mitchell and flutist Wilfredo Terrazas.

This December 1977 recording features two of the most prominent AACM musicians, Roscoe Mitchell and Anthony Braxton. Mitchell's composition 'run the gamut, beginning with the darkly gorgeous opener that features Braxton's contrabass clarinet nestling evocatively beneath the composer's earthy flute, Mitchell's other pieces investigate the sparer, more abstract realm, as the duo's wide variety of reeds populate the sonic environment with scattered moans, squeaks and pops. Overall, this is a fine meeting between two of the most forward-looking thinkers and players in the music. Recommended. ' - Brian Olewnick, Allmusic