The Alternate Express is an underrated later studio album from the Art Ensemble... just "Kush" alone makes it a standout... Thirty years later, We Are on the Edge incorporates "old-style" Art Ensemble, the modern classical/improvisational strategies of Roscoe Mitchell's solo work, and the latter-day developments of the AACM... the more I listen to it, the more I am convinced it's truly a landmark album...
Playlist 2026-11-02:
*Art Ensemble of Chicago: The Alternate Express (side 2)
*Art Ensemble of Chicago: We Are on the Edge: A 50th Anniversary Celebration (disc 2)
*Tina Brooks: True Blue
*Nels Cline: Destroy All Nels Cline
*Duke Ellington: Money Jungle
*Duke Ellington: …And His Mother Called Him Bill (side 1)
*Michael Formanek: Small Places
*Roscoe Mitchell Sound Ensemble: Live in Detroit (side 3)
*Ikue Mori: Enchanted and Delighted
*Amina Claudine Myers: Solace of the Mind
*OM: It's About Time
*Wadada Leo Smith/Peter Kowald/Bobby Naughton: 1981-10-07 RAW, Richmond VA (CDR) track 02
*Sun Ra: At the Showcase: Live in Chicago 1976-1977 (disc 2)
*Cecil Taylor: Calling It the Eighth (side 2)
*Cecil Taylor Unit: 1983-09-04 Saalfelden (CDR) track 1
*Various artists: On Prestige: Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder (discs 4, 5)
*Stevie Wonder: 1975-07-16 Bremen (CDR)
*XTC: Live Boots: Emerald City, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 17th April 1981 (sides 1, 2, 3, 4)
