A Power Stronger Than Itself

I've been looking forward to reading George Lewis' book on the AACM ever since I heard it was going to be published. The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) has a nice preview of the book up on their site, written by Professor Lewis himself.

To say a thorough investigation of this incredible collective is long overdue would be a massive understatement. John Litweiler has some cursory coverage of the AACM in his book The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958 (the title essentializes the music in a way that Mr. Litweiler is prone to, in my opinion). Lincoln Beauchamp wrote a book about the Art Ensemble of Chicago called "Great Black Music: Ancient to the Future" which contains some fantastic interviews but hardly constitutes a historical examination of even that one important group in the AACM's rich history.

There is no doubt in my mind, nor in anyone else's I am sure, that Lewis' book will be the definitive writing on the AACM and its history. As a member of the association and an incredibly talented scholar I am sure he has left no stone unturned and gained access to untold documents and histories that lie lurking in the private and collective collections of the AACM's members.

One of the promising things about the AACM is that Lewis' work might not always be definitive in terms of the entire history of the organization, precisely because that history continues with each passing day. His meticulous account of the formation will be exciting to read and I'm sure I'll have difficulty putting it down once its released. But the new generation of AACM musicians promises to make certain that there will need to be further revisions and chapters added to their story.

In honor of Mr. Lewis I'm currently spinning Roscoe Mitchell's 1975 (when George Lewis was only 22 if my math is correct) release "Quartet," featuring Roscoe Mitchell, Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis, and Spencer Barefield. It's interesting to compare the opening track Tnoona to the one that appears on the Art Ensemble's Fanfare for Warriors. Obviously the instrumentation is different and the tune has a very different impact on this recording. Not sure if I prefer one or the other, or even if it's necessary to do so.