Nonaah

Nonaah is a double album recorded in 1976-77 by Roscoe Mitchell. It was originally released on the Nessa label in 1977 and features solo, duo, trio and quartet performances by Mitchell, Anthony Braxton, Malachi Favors, Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis, Henry Threadgill, Joseph Jarman, and Wallace McMillan. The 2008 double CD reissue added five unreleased saxophone solos to the album.

Nonaah
Studio album by
Roscoe Mitchell
Released1977
RecordedAugust 23, 1976, January 15, 17 & 22, & February 22, 1977
GenreJazz
LabelNessa
ProducerChuck Nessa
Roscoe Mitchell chronology
Roscoe Mitchell Quartet
(1976)		 Nonaah
(1977)		 Duets
(1977)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[2]

Reception

The 2008 All About Jazz review by Clifford Allen states “Nonaah is extraordinarily confrontational music--it presents instrument, composer and materials in a profoundly naked light. Perhaps more important than opening up one's preconceptions about the saxophone, it also complicates the AACM aesthetic.”[3] Track 1 - the first version of Nonaah - was recorded in front of an initially hostile audience that had expected a solo concert by Anthony Braxton. Mitchell responds to the jeering and heckling from a section of the audience by forcefully playing an angular 3 second phrase that crosses the entire range of the alto saxophone and repeating that phrase for about 7 minutes and for a further 2 minutes breaks apart the phrase. Having at last silenced the hecklers his improvisation takes a quieter, more sweet toned direction and moves into more conventional free improvisation, ending with audience applause.

Track listing

Original Double LP:

  • Side One
  1. "Nonaah" - 21:52
  • Side Two
  1. "Ericka" - 7:57
  2. "Nonaah" - 1:15
  3. "Off Five Dark Six" - 6:26
  4. "A1 Tal 2La" - 8:44
  • Side Three
  1. "Tahquemnon" - 5:47
  2. "Improvisation 1" - 12:53
  • Side Four
  1. "Ballad" - 4:46
  2. "Nonaah" - 17:34
  • "Side One and Two tracks 1-2 recorded live on 23 August 1976 in Willisau, Switzerland (solo concert). Side Two track 3 and Side Three track 1 recorded on 17 January 1977 in Chicago, IL. Side Two track 4 and Side Four track 1 recorded on 22 February 1977 in Chicago, IL. Side Three track 2 recorded live on 15 January 1977 at Mapenzi, Berkeley, CA (solo concert). Side Four track 2 recorded on 22 January 1977 in Chicago, IL.

The 2008 CD reissue added the following saxophone solos as bonus tracks:

  • "Sing" - 6:15
  • "Improvisation 2" - 3:44
  • "Sing" - 7:42
  • "Chant - 9:14
  • "Off Five Dark Six" - 7:23
All compositions by Roscoe Mitchell

Personnel

References
  1. Allmusic Review
  2. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp. 143. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  3. Allen, C. Roscoe Mitchell: Nonaah, September 28, 2008.
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