Recorded live in Florence, Italy, on June 19, 1992, Articulations documents a rare and inspired meeting between two of the most distinctive voices in creative music. The album presents six compositions: one expansive work by Braxton and five compositions by Emery, showcasing the duo's extraordinary interplay, technical mastery, and shared commitment to musical exploration.
The release is accompanied by extensive liner notes from noted jazz journalist and historian Ted Panken, who writes:
“This exceptionally accomplished, heretofore unreleased duo recording by James Emery and Anthony Braxton in Florence on June 19, 1992, captures both artists at a creative peak.”
Panken further observes:
“This listener is astonished that Emery and Braxton, jet-lagged and with minimal rehearsal of this highly complex, exciting, fast-moving music with constantly changing colors, were able to deliver such a masterfully lucid, impassioned, unified performance, which claims high pride of place in the respective oeuvres of both grandmasters.”
For more than three decades, this performance remained unheard by the public. Now, Articulations offers listeners a vivid document of two master improvisers navigating intricate compositional structures and spontaneous invention with remarkable clarity, intensity, and mutual trust.