11 Compositions (Duo) 1995

Recorded at Wesleyan University in 1995, this duo session captures Anthony Braxton in a period of intense formal exploration alongside kotoist Brett Larner. The album is notable for Braxton's use of an expansive woodwind battery, including the rare contrabass clarinet and sopranino saxophone, which provide a massive tonal range. Larner utilizes both the traditional 13-string and the 17-string bass koto, providing a percussive, string-based foil to Braxton's breath-driven lines. Unlike some of Braxton's more chaotic large-ensemble works, these '11 Compositions' are marked by a deceptive simplicity and chamber-like intimacy. The record was released on the Leo label, a frequent home for Braxton's more experimental output. Critics have noted the 'off-kilter bop sensibility' that occasionally surfaces, suggesting that even at his most abstract, Braxton remains tethered to the jazz tradition. It stands as a unique entry in his discography due to the specific cross-cultural instrumental pairing.