2 + 2 Compositions

Anthony Braxton / Matt Bauder | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 10, 2005)
• Original Release Date: May 10, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: 482 Music
• ASIN: B0009NZL7U
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,437,995 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Braxton goes eai?, June 21, 2005

By 

N. Dorward "obsessive reviewer" (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 2 + 2 Compositions (Audio CD)

That's "electroacoustic improv", aka "lowercase", aka a dozen other nicknames--the burgeoning subgenre of minimalist post-AMM free improvisation. Anyway, the young trio on here clearly has been paying attention to that area of the music; I don't know if Braxton's strongly interested in it or not (probably he is, he seems to have an endless appetite for music of all kinds) but on the first track in particular, "Scaffolding" (a Matt Bauder composition) there's a strong eai tinge. Listeners may be divided on whether this works--a guitarist/critic I know found this disc awkward & uneventful, but for me this is one of the most enjoyable of Braxton's various outings with the young crop of Wesleyan students. It's quite beautiful (in part because Braxton and Bauder play clarinets for most of the album), & if you're in the mood even the longest tracks flow by quite smoothly & quickly. Braxton's more usual style of swirling, knotted playing is barely present on here--this is note-to-note playing, with barely a lick in sight, & I think it suits him. Check it out.

3.0 out of 5 stars Braxton Played eai Before There was eai, December 4, 2011

By 

S. schreiner "Ucalegon" (boiling springs, pa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 2 + 2 Compositions (MP3 Download)

To correct some serious historical errors floating down here in the review section, one should realize that Braxton entered the electronic foray, or even eai style, as far back as the early 70s. In particular you can hear him exchanging notes with Richard Teitelbaum who was a member of the pioneering electronic group musica elettronica viva. You could also look to music with Derek Bailey or others that also really resemble the style of this recording acousticesque recording. This is a pretty good recording and a step away from Teitelbaum, George Lewis, or Wolf Eyes collaborations. Here he scurries in and out of Braxton style compositions to playful interludes with Bauder. This is certainly a welcome change of direction for Braxton fans though not a stunning one.