''Air Song'' is the debut album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill,

Steve McCall Stephen Harold McCall (born 15 October 1960) is an English retired footballer who now works as a Scout for Carlisle United. A defensive midfielder during his playing days, McCall built a reputation as a cultured midfield player, with immacula ...

, and Fred Hopkins performing four of Threadgill's compositions.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, R
Henry Threadgill discography
accessed February 10, 2010 The album was originally released on the Japanese

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label in 1975 and later released in the U.S. on

India Navigation India Navigation was an American record company and independent record label that specialized in avant-garde jazz in the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded by Bob Cummins, a corporate lawyer who helped jazz musicians with legal matters. Its catalogu ...

in 1982.

Reception

'' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' selected this album as part of its suggested Core Collection, stating: "''Air Song'' was the first release and still stands up well, four longish compositions by Threadgill whose quirky deployment of minimal themes and areas of activity gave the trio plenty to work with". The

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

review by Thom Jurek commented: "The interplay between the three members is almost always inventive, engaging, and full of warmth and humor. There is little excessive indulgence to be found on these improvisations, and the degree of musicianship with these men is off the chart... A lovely and auspicious debut".Jurek, T.

Allmusic Review AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

accessed February 10, 2010.

Track listing

:''All compositions by Henry Threadgill'' # "Untitled Tango" – 12:08 # "Great Body of the Riddle or Where Were the Dodge Boys When My Clay Started to Slide" – 13:29 # "Dance of the Beast" – 11:03 # "Air Song" – 12:17 #* Recorded at P.S. Recording Studios, Chicago on September 10, 1975

Personnel

* Henry Threadgill –

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

(track 1),

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...

(track 2),

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

(track 3),

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

(track 4) * Fred Hopkins –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{Authority control 1975 debut albums Air (free jazz trio) albums India Navigation albums Whynot Records albums