Reese and the Smooth Ones [VINYL]

"Reese And The Smooth Ones" was captured during the same revolutionary Paris session as "Message To Our Folks", but stands apart as a two-part, 40-minute odyssey of unchained invention. Arriving in Paris just days before recording, the Ensemble— Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors, and Joseph Jarman—landed with nothing but their instruments, ideas, and a fierce determination to create. Funded by the proceeds of Bowie’s personal sacrifice, their journey from New York was a leap of faith that sparked an artistic revolution. Their Paris performances stunned audiences with a bold fusion of free jazz, spoken word, Dadaist theatre, and Afrocentric consciousness, setting a new precedent for what music could be. This deluxe reissue celebrates a defining moment in the Art Ensemble’s legacy—raw, urgent, and uncompromising. Tracklisting: A1. Reese The Smooth Ones (Part 1) B1. Reese The Smooth Ones (Part 2)