Sextet (Parker) 1993

In 1993, Braxton went to Europe to perform the music of Charlie Parker with trumpeter Paul Smoker, tenor saxophonist Ari Brown, pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Joe Fonda, and drummer Pheeroan akLaff. This 11-CD set gathers four complete concerts (Cologne, Antwerp, Zurich and Amsterdam, the latter featuring Han Bennink on drums) plus studio material. The performances are anything but straight bebop; Braxton and band subdivide into smaller groups often, and reduce the melodies to shards at times, but the music is always played with deep thought and intense feeling. Despite its size, this box could be welcoming to the Braxton neophyte.