AACM
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, a black music collective formed May '65 in Chicago. The departure of the Sun Ra band to NYC had left a void in the local music scene; the AACM grew out of an Experimental Band led by Muhal Richard Abrams. About three dozen musicians gathered at the home of trumpeter Phil Cohran in May; other early members incl. Charles Clark, Steve McCall, Thurman Barker, Anthony Braxton, Fred Anderson, members of later groups Air and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. The modest aim of opportunities to play was soon enhanced by the quality of the music: they held concerts and open rehearsals exploring free jazz with original music only, composers writing for anyone wanting to play. Co-ops had failed in NYC, but earlier work in the idiom had been 'energy music': now the Chicago musicians produced more thoughtful, lyrical work, drawing talent from outside Chicago (e.g. Leo Smith); inspired similar groups (Black Artists Group in St Louis; Strata in Detroit; others around the world). They played together more often and more freely under less commercial pressure than their peers in the East and the dominance of NYC lessened (the Art Ensemble moved on to Paris instead of New York), though Abrams (and others) have since moved there, to 'follow up some of the business we've generated'. With the example of AACM, musicians seek 'self- employment amongst themselves, instead of waiting for somebody to hire them' (Roscoe Mitchell). AACM also operates a free music school for inner-city youth. Twentieth annivers- ary was marked by ten concerts in Chicago May '85. Early AACM music was documented on the Delmark and Nessa labels; Air's Henry Threadgill, the members of the Art Ensemble, Anthony Braxton and others have led prolific careers. When the Art Ensemble had gone to Europe and become famous, singer/bandleader Rita Warford said, 'I'd like to be successful, like you.' She never forgot Joseph Jarman's reply: 'Success is being successful in the moment, with what you're doing right now, what you're practicing, what you're studying, what you're performing in front of an audience.' The example and the influence of the AACM continue to be felt; 30 years later they are still going on a shoestring. In the mid-'90s the roof fell in on their premises, but the free Saturday-morning instruction soon picked up at another address. Mwata Bowden was the chairman '97, and new groups emerging incl. Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and Ritual Trio, Ernest Dawkins's New Horizons Ensemble, Malachi Thompson's Africa Brass and groups led by Edward Wilkerson (see his entry). El'Zabar started a Traffic series of concerts at the Steppenwolf Theatre, the first two were sold out and WBEZ-FM opted to broadcast them all; the AACM's work goes on, and the rewards last a long time.