(Birmingham) 1985 is probably the least essential of the four double-disc sets that Leo devoted to
Anthony Braxton's November 1985 tour of Great Britain. Of course, the hardcore
Braxton fans who this release is designed for will want it because this tour of
Braxton's Forces of Motion Quartet (
Marilyn Crispell on piano,
Mark Dresser on bass, and
Gerry Hemingway on percussion, with
Braxton on reeds) looms fairly large in the composer's legend. However, in comparison to
Quartet (London) 1985, which has the most exciting interplay between the four musicians, and
(Coventry) 1985, which features an often fascinating hour's worth of interviews of
Braxton by
Graham Lock (who wrote the liner notes on all of these releases),
(Birmingham) 1985 is the least essential of the lot. It does, however, feature a charming rarity on the second disc: an actual encore, the only one
Braxton played on this tour. A brief run-through of "Composition 40(0)" led by a fleet spray-of-notes solo by
Braxton and featuring some comping by
Crispell in the manner of her hero
Cecil Taylor, it's proof that avant-garde jazz needn't be difficult or forbidding.