Henry Threadgill - Easily Slip into Another World (Novus, 1988)

This post is by Scott and Dan

Henry Threadgill (as, ts, b fl); Rasul Siddik (tr); Frank Lacy (tb); Diedre Murray (vc); Fred Hopkins (b); Reggie Nicholson (perc); Pheeroan akLaff (perc); Asha Puthli (vo on "My Rock")

Recorded on September 20, 1987

Encountering Henry Threadgill's recordings is like slipping into another world, of music, that is. As one of the founding members of the trio Air, Threadgill charted a course in the 1970s that ran counter to the mainstream. Coming from Chicago, he associated with free-leaning artists like Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Roscoe Mitchell. Air was influential in many ways and laid the groundwork for Threadgill's larger groups. In particular, Air Lore presaged Threadgill's interest in early jazz forms with its variations on Scott Joplin compositions. 

Easily Slip into Another World is easier to enjoy than to describe, partly because of its unusual instrumentation. By enlisting two drummers, a cellist, two brass, and his own searing saxes, Threadgill creates dense textures that echo the bygone era of New Orleans brass bands and other traditional jazz settings. The textural base supports the free flights of the horns, particularly Threadgill's range of extended techniques. Diedre Murray's cello often takes a central role, as in "Hall," a dedication to Muhal Richard Abrams. Frank Lacy's trombone frequently serves as the bass instrument, as the tuba did in early jazz bands. That frees Fred Hopkins to play more of a front-line role on his acoustic bass, as on "Award the Squadtett."  

The lone vocal number is by Asha Puthli, who grew up in India but moved to the U.S. and began to record in the 1970s. She appears on two tracks of Ornette Coleman's Science Fiction album (Columbia, 1971) and on 13 albums of her own. On Easily Slip, she sings "The Rock" in an unsentimental way that contrasts with the more adventurous instrumental tracks. The inclusion of vocal tracks on instrumental albums is a much earlier tradition in jazz recording, which Threadgill found appropriate for his venture into that other world. 

Easily Slip into Another World is the second of three albums that Threadgill's Sextett recorded for RCA's Novus imprint. The others are You Know the Number (1986) and Rag, Bush and All (1989). The Novus albums tend to be more accessible than his other recordings, although they are by no means conventional. They are also not like any other albums recorded in the 1980s, but all are enjoyable especially if you appreciate surprises. 

If you like the 1980s albums, you will also enjoy Carry the Day (Columbia, 1995) by Threadgill's Very Very Circus Plus band. With the line up extended to nine players, the music expands to embrace more variety while lowering the temperature somewhat.