Celebrating Fred Anderson
{{Infobox album|
| name = Celebrating Fred Anderson
| type = live
| artist = Roscoe Mitchell
| cover = Celebrating_fred_anderson_cover.jpeg
| alt =
| released = 2015
| recorded = March 27, 2015
| venue = Constellation, Chicago
| studio =
| genre = Jazz
| length = 70:05
| label = Nessa
| producer = Chuck Nessa
| chronology = Roscoe Mitchell
| prev_title = Angel City
| prev_year = 2014
| next_title = Four Ways
| next_year = 2017
}}
Celebrating Fred Anderson is an album by American jazz saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, which was recorded live in 2015 at Chicago's Constellation and released on Nessa. For this tribute to saxophonist Fred Anderson, Mitchell assembled a quartet with cellist Tomeka Reid, bassist Junius Paul and drummer Vincent Davis and prepared four original pieces and adaptations of two Fred Anderson compositions, "Bernice" and "Ladies in Love".[http://www.nessarecords.com/shop?tag=ncd-37 Celebrating Fred Anderson] at Nessa Records
Reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = Down Beat
}}
The Down Beat review by Peter Margasak says "Reedist, composer and bandleader Roscoe Mitchell has always trusted in his own vision. He takes the AACM's emphasis on creating new, original music as immutable gospel, and it is a major sign of respect that Mitchell has paid homage to the great Chicago tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson on this bracing new effort."Margasak, Peter. Celebrating Fred Anderson review. Down Beat November 15: page 46. Print.
Derek Taylor of Dusted Magazine wrote: "Recorded five days after what would have been the Chicago saxophonist's 85th birthday, Celebrating Fred Anderson accomplishes exactly that through a program of challenging concert music that parallels the spirit if not letter of its dedicatee... Anderson would no doubt be honored by his old friend's observance and the continued tenacity of his creative endeavors."{{cite web |url=https://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/126927656658/roscoe-mitchell-quartet-celebrating-fred |title=Roscoe Mitchell Quartet – Celebrating Fred Anderson (Nessa) |first=Derek |last=Taylor |date=August 17, 2015 |website=Dusted Magazine |access-date=September 20, 2022}}
In a review for Point of Departure, Michael Rosenstein stated: "Rather than convene one of Anderson's working groups or bringing one of his ensembles, it was great that Mitchell assembled a cross-generational group of members of the AACM... The set... offers up an apt tribute to a musician who was a stalwart individualist throughout his career."{{cite web |url=https://www.pointofdeparture.org/PoD55/PoD55MoreMoments4.html |title=Reviews of Recent Recordings |first=Michael |last=Rosenstein |website=Point of Departure |access-date=September 20, 2022}}
Jazz Word's Ken Waxman commented: "Confirmed is the abiding power of, plus the continued sonic research involved in creating, the sounds that Anderson and Mitchell helped nurture."{{cite web |url=https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/roscoe-mitchell-junius-paul-vincent-davis-tomeka-reid |title=Roscoe Mitchell / Junius Paul / Vincent Davis / Tomeka Reid |first=Ken |last=Waxman |date=November 21, 2015 |website=Jazz Word |access-date=September 20, 2022}}
Clifford Allen, writing for The New York City Jazz Record, noted that "Mitchell's music may appear to be a methodical extension of Coltrane's scalar improvisations and while playing different instruments... and with the elder Anderson drawing from the bebop of Gene Ammons and Charlie Parker, their similarities are more than apparent." He summed up his opinion of the album by stating "The title is absolutely true and then some."{{cite magazine |last=Allen |first=Clifford |date=October 2015 |title=Reviews |magazine=The New York City Jazz Record |pages=38}}
Track listing
:All compositions by Roscoe Mitchell except as indicated
- "Song for Fred Anderson" – 17:24
- "Bernice" (Fred Anderson) – 10:40
- "The Velvet Lounge" – 6:43
- "Hey Fred" – 17:05
- "Ladies in Love" (Fred Anderson) – 13:46
- "Cermak Road" – 4:27
Personnel
- Roscoe Mitchell - alto sax, soprano sax, sopranino sax
- Tomeka Reid – cello
- Junius Paul – bass
- Vincent Davis – drums