Joe Fonda

This is Anthony Braxton doing what he does best — playing and improvising on his own idiosyncratic small-group compositions, this time in duet with bassist Joe Fonda. The two also have a go at a pair of standards, which come off as well as one might expect — you either love or hate the way Braxton interprets traditional material — but they are heard to best advantage on the several originals written by each. Fonda's tunes are very much in a similar vein as Braxton's — unstable or nonexistent tonalities, odd-time or out-of-time rhythms, and lots of angular melodies. Braxton's control over his instruments seems a bit less certain than usual; consequently, the air of emotional vulnerability that's always characterized his playing seems more pronounced. Fonda is a fine free bassist, nicely responsive to Braxton's twists and turns. He also manages to play the saxophonist's difficult written lines reasonably well — no small feat in itself. The pieces are intensely conversational and very focused. This album is a small, rough-cut gem from the mine of available Braxton recordings.