[Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians] pianist and composer Muhal Richard Abrams passed this October at the age of 87. Often mentioned alongside such luminaries as Cecil Taylor and Sun Ra, Abrams' career began in the bebop era, but his path soon veered towards a more eclectic and less compartmentalized approach, distancing himself from the 'jazz' label, while embracing music as a highly personal artistic expression but at through the lens of a universal consciousness. In mid 1960s Chicago, Abrams was instrumental in the forming of the AACM along with the trumpeter Philip Cohran (who also passed earlier this year) and drummer Steve McCall. Other early AACM perticipants included Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Fred Anderson, Anthony Braxton, and Henry Threadgill. On this week's installment of A Different Nature we'll pay tribute to Muhal Richard Abrams, listening to his work over a span of 40 years.
- KBOO