Mutable Music
2004
Solo 3 - The Percussion Cage And Music On The Go
About This Album
This is not Roscoe Mitchell's third solo album, far from it. The "3" in the title refers to the fact that it is a three-CD set and that Mitchell has designed each disc to stand on its own. So, in fact, Solo 3 is a set of three solo albums. Mitchell explains in the liner notes: "I thought that at this point in my career, one solo CD is not enough. I'd better put out three CDs, because time is going on by." Disc one, titled "Tech Ritter and the Megabytes," is the most varied and interesting of the set. Released by itself, it would have a claim as Mitchell's best solo effort. The saxophonist plays all kinds of instruments, from B-flat bass sax to sopranino sax and even a short number at the percussion cage. Two tracks are multi-part compositions ("The Little Big Horn 2," a development on an improvisation dating back to the '70s, is a highlight), but this CD is mostly defined by the two 20-minute improvisations simply titled "November 18, 2000" and "November 17, 2000." "18" is particularly brilliant: Mitchell explores many aspects of the instrument, from circular breathing to space-filled attacks, focusing on short music cells before taking flight, landing on new territory, and focusing on different cells.
Track List

Disc 1 (try tracks 1,3 and 7)

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Disc 2 (try tracks 1,2 and 4)

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Disc 3 (try tracks 11 and 12)

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