For Alto

For Alto
Studio album by Anthony Braxton
Released	1970
Recorded	February 1969
Genre	Jazz
Length	72:58
Label	Delmark Records
Anthony Braxton chronology
Three Compositions of New Jazz (1968) For Alto (1969) Silence (1969)

For Alto is a jazz double-LP by composer/multi-reedist Anthony Braxton released on Delmark Records in 1970.^[1][2] The tracks on this album are performed by Braxton on alto saxophone, with no additional instrumentation or musicians and no overdubbing.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
Penguin Guide to Jazz
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[4]

The album is recognized as one of the landmarks of free jazz and improvised music. The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek stated "For Alto is one of the greatest solo saxophone records ever made, and maybe one of the greatest recordings ever issued, period".^[3] The Penguin Guide to Jazz gives For Alto a four-star rating (of a possible four) along with its "crown" token of merit, and describes it as "one of the genuinely important American recordings. While some landmark performances retain only a mystical aura of their original significance, [For Alto] remains powerfully listenable and endlessly fascinating."^[5] On All About Jazz Derek Taylor observed "This is a recording and artistic statement that completely changed the rules. Braxton's gall seemed audacious to some, but revolutionary to far more and the hindsight of history has proven this latter camp correct. His opened the gates for solo improvisatory expression for all players up to the challenge to pass through and in the intervening years many of the giants of improvised music have followed suit".^[6]

Track listing

1. "Dedicated to Multi-Instrumentalist Jack Gell"  – 0:42
2. "To Composer John Cage"  – 9:30
3. "To Artist Murray dePillars"  – 4:17
4. "To Pianist Cecil Taylor"  – 5:18
5. "Dedicated to Ann and Peter Allen"  – 12:54
6. "Dedicated to Susan Axelrod"  – 10:24
7. "To My Friend Kenny McKenny"  – 10:06
8. "Dedicated to Multi-Instrumentalist Leroy Jenkins"  – 19:47

References

1. Anthony Braxton Catalog accessed November 3, 2016
2. Filippo, R., Enciclopedia del Jazz: Anthony Braxton accessed November 3, 2016
3. Jurek, Thom. For Alto – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
4. Swenson, J. (Editor) (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 29. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
5. Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2006) [1992]. "Anthony Braxton". The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (8th ed.). New York: Penguin. p. 150. ISBN 0-14-102327-9.
6. Taylor, D., All About Jazz Review, September 1, 2000

External links

• Anthony Braxton's For Alto Liner Notes, accessed November 4, 2016