snobb The Art Ensemble of Chicago(AEOC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. They already played a series of gigs in US and announced upcoming European tour in October. Double album with new studio and some live recordings "We Are on the Edge" has been just released as well.

The band for all these decades was an unorthodox avant-garde celebrities of sort - their early circus-like shows and use of nontraditional sound instruments ("little instruments" - bells, bicycle horns, birthday party noisemakers,etc,etc)made them name partially around Europe as non-conformist forerunners, at the same time they were rarely supported by music critics and never experienced real commercial success. With years to come they received almost cult status as influential early avant-garde jazz band, but many newcomers are often disappointed when listening their one or another album.

There are many reasons why it happens that way, but the main one is their music worked well when evidenced live and in the times when them looked really alternative/counterculture act (i.i. late 60s -early 70s). The Western world was different and it wanted something revolutionary or even "revolutionary". They just started in right time (and in a case with Paris ca.1969 - in right place). Their music doesn't date all that well, at least some part of it.

The other reason why many their albums (to be honest - almost all) doesn't sound all that attractive today is on a peak of their early popularity they released plenty of badly recorded and edited music. All but one their albums recorded between 1969 and 1974 were released on tiny European (predominantly French) labels as BYG or America and often sound as unedited demos. In case with AEOC music bad sound mix and uninspired editing means that the listener receives a collection of muddy directless never-ending noises coming from small instruments time to time interrupted by tuneful marches and "true" instruments soloing. Those familiar with band's impressive discogs will probably agree that it is almost impossible to mention even a few really great their albums (in whole). As rule, even their better releases contain few stronger pieces and lot of fillers. At the same time, early live recordings are predominantly of bootleg quality and can be recommended for hot fans and collectors mostly.

Their first American major label release came in 1974 only (on Atlantic) and it stays one of their better works for sure. Second album has been released after five years only, and it is the one we are speaking about - "Nice Guys" on prestigious ECM! Musically it represents a wide variety of regular AEOC music, but in term of quality it is a big step ahead. Renown by their recordings exclusive airy clear sound, ECM people recorded the material in their main Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg with full respect to each of many sounds traditionally produced by band. At last the dedicated listener can hear every smallest bell's ring and car signal's call as if he's in a room where the band is playing live.

Surprisingly how much that sound/mix quality adds to band's music - being musically mostly the same on "Nice Guys" the band sounds much richer and for sure more attractively. Then, there are only 6 compositions chosen for the album and them mostly are all quite short (in AEOC terms). It means there are no long bulky "little instruments" soling at every possibility, as it was before. General band music's relaxed and improvisational nature is presented well enough but still all material is edited making it much more listenable.

The opener "Ja" contains reggae rhythms and is one of these band's songs that stays in memory for years. Less than two-minutes long "Nice Guys" is a groovy song nicely filling the gap between the opener and "Folkus" - a longer and freer composition demonstrating all the collection of band's "little instruments" and gongs sounds and excellent recording studio and ECM engineers abilities as well. And - it doesn't sound annoying or boring.

On "597-59" band runs ahead on whole cylinders with continuing reeds soloing over the groovy drums/bass shaking ground, in a true free jazz fashion. Finishes with extended solo bass dance.

"Cyp"doesn't have such busy sound as other album's compositions, it is slower,almost static with crispy sound from each instrument, free and near philosophical. "Dreaming of the Master" - the closer and longest album song, is dedicated to Miles Davis and surprisingly enough it sounds not much different from Miles himself, circa late 50s.At least in the beginning and the end - central part is dedicated to free jazz.

"Nice Guys" is a high quality representative AEOC album covering their first five years. As almost any other ECM release it has re-issued many times and it isn't a problem to find it for purchase. One better choice for newbies and anyone interested to find out why Art Ensemble of Chicago are celebrities till now. Find it, listen and then go to see them live.

snobb Art Ensemble of Chicago were probably more cultural than purely musical act. Their jazz-circus was a part of revolution - both in jazz and on Paris streets in late 60s where they resided for few years. Having equal number of hot fans and haters,band's music always was free and catchy at the same time,traditional (pre-bop) jazz rooted and often placing entertaining/relaxation element above virtuosity.

Ensemble's phenomena till now is there are much more people knowing about them than those who really listened to their music.One of the reasons is there are only few really strong albums among their legacy. As rule, regular Art Ensemble Of Chicago's album is a bulky collection of few catchy tunes, marching dixieland,lot of directionless improvs ("different noises" are probably better tag), their trade mark "small instruments" sounds plus gospel singing,funny at their best moments and almost kind of self-parody at their worst.

"Fundamental Destiny" is one of the last band's released albums,recorded live in Germany still in 1991 though.Self-released by band in 2007 only it contains their usual relaxed eclectic mix. Main album's attraction is it represents one of unique for the band moments when they have piano player on board. And her it is not just a piano player, but renown Don Pullen, who adds some new colors to generally quite expect-able band's sound.

Just four long compositions with their signature "People In Sorrow" coming from their debut album,released in 1969. Same whistles and "small instruments" noises, which don't sound as avant-garde (as it was in late 60s) or as cheap traveling circus (as it sounded in 80s or 90s) anymore. Their attributes after more than half of the century looks like a part of historical event titled "Art Ensemble Of Chicago". Fans will like it, haters will find here another reason for their jokes, in all cases this is already history, nothing else.

On positive side,"Fundamental Destiny" is quite essential as for band's standards, album demonstrating band in a good form. Band followers will like it, but most probably this release wouldn't recruit them new fans.

snobb Early French period (1969-1971) for great American band Art Ensemble of Chicago (AEOC) was their most experimental and left to listeners all series of free-form albums. One of most successful their all-time album, recorded at Pathé Marconi Studios in Boulogne on July 22, 1970 (Bande Sonore Originale Du Film "Les Stances À Sophie")and coming from "French period" is different though - soundtrack to French movie it heavily based on Fontella Bass gospel/r'n'b vocals and represents explosive mix of American jazz tradition and freer arrangements.

The other album of similar nature,released more or less at the same time is far not so well known, especially outside of France, where it was recorded and released. Nothing strange - two of main heroes here are French percussionist and vocalist Areski Belkacem and popular French art-pop vocalist Brigitte Fontaine, so it was oriented mostly to domestic listener.

If "Les Stances À Sophie" was credited to AEOC , "Comme À La Radio" is credited to Areski / Brigitte Fontaine and AEOC are stated as supporting band, what looks like logical decision."Les Stances..." demonstrates very American kind of jazz,"Comme À La Radio" is unique for its time synthesis of American free jazz and European urban music tradition (and it sounds very European-like).

In late 60s-early 70s Brigitte Fontaine was popular in France chanson and art-pop singer, not related with jazz though. It great to hear how organic her French chanson sounds in combination with American free jazz and Areski's rhythms (Areski Belkacem was one of very first percussionist introduced African rhythms to European listener). AEOC line-up improved with some French musicians and becomes even more multi-cultural but surprisingly not more eclectic - Afro-American free jazz and French urban art-pop found unique balanced sound here you can hardly imagine is possible.

This rare album was reissued on CD in France and Japan, but was never released in States and it's a real pity - AEOC fans would be really surprised founding such unusual side of great American band.