A Jump or Die History  

This project was hatched in my car in October of 1991, as Gino and I drove back to Boston from Maine, having played a Splatter Trio & Debris gig at Cafe No, Portland, the night before. “You and I have to do a Braxton album!” Gino said. My agreement was immediate. Gino and I had been getting acquainted over the previous six months; after a strong personal affinity and certain similarities between our respective bands (more obvious then than they are now), one of the first things I was struck with was our mutual enthusiasm for Braxton’s music. Over the next three or four months, we burned up the phone lines plotting logistics, choosing music and devising combinations for the compositions. After getting the go-ahead from Splatter and Debris, Gino enlisted Randy and Gregg and I called Tom, charts were sent out and people got to work. The results, heard on this disc, exceeded all my expectations. Thanks, everyone.

Many thanks go to:

• Anthony Braxton, of course, for his cooperation and enthusiasm and, most importantly, for writing this music.
• Randy McKean for traveling up to Braxton’s residence in Connecticut armed with a list of compositions and procuring many of the charts heard here.
• Tom Plsek and Gregg Bendian for adding some beautiful playing.
• Peter Kontrimas for doing an excellent job on the recording.
• Juni Kobayashi for loaning us the vibraphone.
• Melissa Hartley, Program Director at KBVR, Corvallis OR, for putting Debris and Splatter Trio in touch.
• Fred Maroth at Music & Arts for going ahead with this project.
• most especially, the members of Splatter & Debris: Dave & Myles and Arthor, Curt & Keith, for giving this project the green light and then giving it their all.

Produced by Gino Robair and Steve Norton
All compositions by Anthony Braxton, published by Synthesis Music, BMI
Recorded live to 2-track by Peter Kontrimas
Compositions 23D(+108A) and 74C recorded May 12, 1992 at PBS, Westwood MA
All others recorded May 5, 1992 in Arthor’s living room, Brookline MA
Edited and mastered by Myles Boisen, Gino Robair and Ed Herrmann
Archive control by Steve Norton
Sequenced by Curt Newton