3 x 4 Eye
Encyclopedia
3 x 4 Eye is an album by jazz saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell
and the Sound Ensemble recorded in 1981 for the Italian Black Saint
label.
Roscoe Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...
and the Sound Ensemble recorded in 1981 for the Italian Black Saint
Black Saint/Soul Note
Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian jazz independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz.-History:...
label.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Ron Wynn awarded the album 3½ stars stating "This isn't among his most intense or combative dates, but Mitchell and the Sound Ensemble are still well worth hearing".Track listing
- All compositions by Roscoe Mitchell
- "Cut Outs for Quintet" – 17:24
- "Jo Jar" – 4:44
- "3 x 4 Eye" – 12:11
- "Variations on a Folk Song Written in the Sixties" – 6:47
- Recorded at Barigozzi Studio in Milano, Italy on February 18 & 19, 1981
Personnel
- Roscoe MitchellRoscoe MitchellRoscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...
– soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions... - Hugh RaginHugh RaginHugh Ragin is an American jazz trumpeter.Ragin was raised in Houston and began on trumpet when he was in eighth grade. After playing in the Houston All-City High School Orchestra, which toured the UK, he took his bachelor's in music education at the University of Houston and his master's in trumpet...
– piccolo trumpetPiccolo trumpetThe smallest of the trumpet family is the piccolo trumpet, pitched one octave higher than the standard B trumpet. Most piccolo trumpets are built to play in either B or A, using a separate leadpipe for each key. The tubing in the B piccolo trumpet is one-half the length of that in a standard B...
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus... - A. Spencer Barefiled – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Jaribu Shahid – bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, congas - Tani TabbalTani Tabbal-Biography:By age fourteen Tabbal was playing professionally, performing with Oscar Brown Jr. In his teens he also performed with Phil Cohran and the Sun Ra Arkestra....
– percussion