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6CD BOX
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AE 51019251CD
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Limited restock; 2001 release. Odyssey is the definitive compendium of solo trumpet music by Bill Dixon, as compiled by the artist. Dixon (1925-2010) was known primarily for his small and large ensemble masterpieces of the decades between Intents and Purposes (1967) and Tapestries (2009). While he appeared infrequently in solo performances, he was continually evolving in studio through these years a remarkably nuanced and powerful solo music -- especially during the mid-1970s, as a counterpart to daily work with student orchestras on large ensemble pieces. Small offerings of these solo gems were published relatively obscurely in the early 1980s in Italy, and a larger batch were hand selected by the composer for a two-LP collection in 1985. In 2000, Dixon gathered into Odyssey the entirety of his oeuvre for solo trumpet, adding more than two hours of further solo pieces, and a small number of additional duet recordings. The tracks were selected and sequenced by Mr. Dixon, who curated the entire project for release on his own label, Archive Edition. Veteran engineer Kevin Reeves (Capitol, Universal; Grammy-nominated for Revenant (2015) work) mastered from original tapes exclusively, deriving unprecedented clarity on these exquisite recordings. The set spans five CDs of trumpet solos and one full disc of Dixon's enigmatic spoken commentary for the project. Two printed folios are also in the box: In one are further emphatic annotations by Dixon ensemble veterans Stephen Horenstein and Jason Zappa, and historian Ben Young; and the Dixon interview with journalist Graham Taylor-Lock. A second full-color folio Works on Paper reproduces 13 of Dixon's stunning ink and acrylic visual creations, mostly from the late 1990s, and unpublished prior to this set. Recordings span 1970-92, made primarily in Dixon's studio In Bennington, Vermont, with earlier examples from New York, and a later solo performance from Israel. Also included are Dixon's only released works for solo piano, the full set of "Relay" duets for his own piano and trumpet, an excerpt of the 1971 magnum opus "Summerdance", featuring drummers Laurence Cook and David Moss, and one preferred example of the duets with keyboardist Leslie Winston. Odyssey was released in 2001 -- assembled on the highest artistic level, according to Bill Dixon's production standards. It also has been subject to DIY distribution since that time, so in many ways this 2018 re-launch will be a first hearing for many.
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