Air In-depth Biography
Comprised originally of Henry Threadgill} on reeds, bassist Fred Hopkins}, and drummer Steve McCall}, Air} emphasized equality of roles by the instruments (without any clear-cut leader) and a smooth mixture of advanced arrangements and free improvisations}. In 1971, Threadgill} was asked to arrange some of Scott Joplin}'s songs for a production at Columbia College in Chicago. He teamed up with Hopkins} and McCall} as the trio Reflection}. A few years later, in 1975, the musicians came together again as Air}, touring Europe, Japan, and America and recording 11 records for such labels as Nessa}, India Navigation}, Black Saint}, Novus}, and Antilles}. By far their most popular release was 1979's Air Lore}, which found the group performing abstract versions of tunes by Joplin} and Jelly Roll Morton}. In 1982, when McCall} returned to Chicago and was replaced by Pheeroan akLaff}, the group changed its name to New Air}. A year before their breakup in 1986, Andrew Cyrille} took over the drum slot. All of the musicians (other than McCall} who passed away in 1989) went on to have very productive careers. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
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