What's New in the Tradition (1974)

About this title: This compiles the earlier two volumes into one release. The great avant-gardist Anthony Braxton threw the jazz world a curve with these two albums. Braxton, filling in for an ill Dexter Gordon, was joined by pianist Tete Montoliu, bassist Niels Pedersen, and drummer Tootie Heath for a set of jazz standards. Braxton pays tribute to each song's melody before tearing into complex, abstract improvisations that are generally ignored by the rhythm section, who go about playing in their usual bop-oriented style. An exception is a duet with bassist Pedersen on a very spooky "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," ... read more

Tracks:

1. Marshmallow [Marsh]
2. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat [Mingus]
3. Just Friends [Klenner/Lewis]
4. Ornithology [Harris/Parker]
5. Lush Life [Strayhorn]
6. Trane's Blues [Coltrane]
7. What's New? [Burke/Haggart]
8. Duet [Braxton/Pedersen]
9. Body and Soul [Eyton/Green/Heyman/]
10. Marshmallow [Marsh]
11. Donna Lee [Parker]
12. My Funny Valentine [Hart/Rodgers]
13. Half Nelson [Davis]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.