Anthony Braxton
First of all, in many quarters, my work is viewed as a violation of black creativity because of my emphasis on methodology, my interest in science, my insistence on saying I’m influenced by white or Asian musicians, and the racial makeup of my various groups. The fact that I would pay homage to Caucasian creative people has put me in a very strange position – not only with black musicians, but also with white musicians.
Finally, it comes down to the fact that my music doesn’t correspond to what jazz is supposed to be. In 1967, my group didn’t have bass and drums. At the time we had that group, it was against the law to have an ensemble without bass and drums. Then the nature of the music, the kind of forms we used, the kind of languages, was perceived as a violation of the music. When I recorded For Alto, which was a two-record set of solo saxophone music, I was put down because that violated the music in the eyes of many of the people who defined terms in that period. The understanding was that you just don’t play solo music on the saxophone, especially if the music is pointillistic, and not observing the stucture of what jazz is supposed to be.
Throughout all these various periods, I did have people who said positive things. I had support, too. But they called it a woodwind stunt when I moved into multi-instrumentalism. Now it’s an accepted part of the scene. We’re talking about a 16-year involvement with the music during which I’ve been challenged as to my right to do it. In every case the verdict has been that the music is not in the spirit of what jazz is supposed to be. In fact, at every junction, what motivates me transcends the present-day definitions.
(In Downbeat Magazine - February, 1982)
