The October Revolution of Jazz & Contemporary Music

One of the most influential ensembles of all time, The Art Ensemble of Chicago grew out of the formative years of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in the mid-1960s. Originally featuring saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman, trumpeter Lester Bowie and bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut, the group embraced an expansive view of music embodied by its well-known slogan, “Ancient to the Future.” Their ground-breaking approach spanned not only the wide-ranging history of jazz but also contemporary classical and new music concepts as well as traditions from a variety of folk musics. The Art Ensemble has changed and evolved over the decades, but a half-century into its existence remarkably remains one of the most esteemed units in the music’s history.