Black Artist Group: For Peace and Liberty: In Paris, Dec. 1972

The Black Artist Group (BAG) was a St. Louis-based organization founded in 1968 to help promote African-American performing artists, remembered mostly for the contributions of several avant-garde jazz artists who became widely known in the 1970s. In 1972 a group of these musicians based themselves in Paris at the suggestion of Lester Bowie, the older brother of Joseph Bowie, who played trombone with the BAG. Also on hand were trumpeters Baikida Carroll and Floyd LeFlore, saxophonist Oliver Lake, and drummer Charles “Bobo” Shaw. The group made one poorly distributed LP called Aries 1973, which eventually achieved cult status for free jazz devotees, and now we have this previously unissued concert recording that is every bit as strong. The listener hears similarities with the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s approach, especially in the use of lots of assorted percussion instruments, whistles, and other noise-makers, and in group improvisations that depend as much on stillness and space as on fire-breathing statements from the horn players. The extent to which Shaw seems to direct traffic here is notable, as is Lake’s passionate brilliance, but everything about this music is deeply satisfying. The production values fully match the excellence of the music.