The Art Ensemble Of Chicago And Associated Ensembles is a 21-CD limited and numbered edition issued as the standard-bearers of Great Black Music prepare to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Both the Art Ensemble of Chicago and ECM Records were founded in 1969, and there have been many shared experiences. As Roscoe Mitchell says, “It has been amazing to have taken this journey together.”

With their first ECM album, the widely-acclaimed Nice Guys, the Art Ensemble’s revolutionary and polystylistic “ancient to the future” mix of musics - from the deeply spiritual to the fiercely experimental - was illuminated in new detail in Manfred Eicher’s panoramic production, and the stage set for many adventures to follow. These included the albums Full Force, Urban Bushmen, and The Third Decade with the classic AEC quintet line up of Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Famoudou Don Moye. All of Bowie’s and Mitchell’s subsequent ECM recordings are also gathered together here. Charismatic trumpeter Lester Bowie is heard here with his Brass Fantasy group, with Wadada Leo Smith and with Jack DeJohnette.

Multi-reed master and primary AEC conceptualist Roscoe Mitchell appears with his Note Factory band, with the Transatlantic Art Ensemble co-founded with Evan Parker, and with an historic trios project recorded at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Along the way, numerous distinguished creative musicians make appearances - the long list includes Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer, Matthew Shipp, Tyshawn Sorey, Fontella Bass, Charlie Haden, Kenny Wheeler, Corey Wilkes, Gerald Cleaver, Phillip Wilson, George Lewis, William Parker, John Abercrombie, Eddie Gomez, and many others, in ECM recordings made between 1978 and 2015.

This beautifully-designed box set incorporates a 300-page book reprising all original album covers, liner notes and poetry (by Joseph Jarman), as well as quotes from Art Ensemble members and the press, new texts by Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer and George Lewis, a preface by Manfred Eicher, and an introduction by Steve Lake. Plus: many photographs (some previously unpublished), archival documents, and more.

Contents:

CD 1
Art Ensemble Of Chicago: Nice Guys

CD 2
Art Ensemble Of Chicago: Full Force

CD 3
Art Ensemble of Chicacgo: Urban Bushmen

CD 4
Art Ensemble of Chicacgo: Urban Bushmen (CD2)

CD 5
Art Ensemble of Chicacgo: The Third Decade

CD 6
Leo Smith: Divine Love

CD 7
Lester Bowie: The Great Pretender

CD 8
Lester Bowie: All The Magic!

CD 9
Lester Bowie: All The Magic! (CD2)

CD 10
Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy: I Only Have Eyes For You

CD 11
Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy: Avant Pop

CD 12
Art Ensemble of Chicago: Tribute to Lester

CD 13
Roscoe Mitchell: Nine To Get Ready

CD 14
Roscoe Mitchell, The Transatlantic Art Ensemble: Composition / Improvisation Nos. 1, 2 & 3

CD 15
Evan Parker, The Transatlantic Art Ensemble: Boustrophedon

CD 16
Roscoe Mitchell, The Note Factory: Far Side

CD 17
Roscoe Mitchell: Bells For The South Side

CD 18
Roscoe Mitchell: Bells For The South Side (CD2)

CD 19
Jack DeJohnette, New Directions: New Directions

CD 20
Jack DeJohnette, New Directions: In Europe

CD 21
Jack DeJohnette, Muhal Richard Abrams, Larry Gray, Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill: Made In Chicago