Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944) is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He has performed and recorded with several ensembles:

Air An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...

, Aggregation Orb, Make a Move, the seven-piece Henry Threadgill Sextett, the twenty-piece Society Situation Dance Band, Very Very Circus, X-75, and Zooid. He was awarded the 2016

Pulitzer Prize for Music The Pulitzer Prize for Music is one of seven Pulitzer Prizes awarded annually in Letters, Drama, and Music. It was first given in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year, and this was eventually converted i ...

for his album ''

In for a Penny, In for a Pound ''In for a Penny, In for a Pound'' is an album composed by Henry Threadgill for his jazz quintet Zooid, featuring Jose Davila, Liberty Ellman, Christopher Hoffman, and Elliot Humberto Kavee. It was released by Pi Recordings and was awarded the 2 ...

'', which premiered at

Roulette Intermedium Roulette Intermedium is a performing arts and new music venue located in Brooklyn, New York City. Founded in 1978, it has been located in the neighborhoods of Tribeca and SoHo in Manhattan, and now resides in a renovated theater in downtown Broo ...

on December 4, 2014. In 2023, he published his autobiography, written with

Brent Hayes Edwards Brent Hayes Edwards is a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University. Early life Edwards attended Yale University as an undergraduate, then completed an MA and PhD at Columbia. Career Teaching Edwards has taught at Ru ...

: ''Easily Slip into Another World: A Life in Music.'' The book was a ''New York Times'' Notable Book of the Year, along with being a Best Book of the Year: ''The New York Times, NPR, The New Yorker''.

Career

Threadgill performed as a percussionist in his high-school marching band before taking up baritone saxophone, alto saxophone, and flute. He studied at the

American Conservatory of Music The American Conservatory of Music (ACM) was a major American school of music founded in Chicago in 1886 by John James Hattstaedt (1851–1931). The conservatory was incorporated as an Illinois non-profit corporation. It developed the Conservat ...

in Chicago, majoring in piano, flute, and composition. He studied piano with Gail Quillman and composition with Stella Roberts. He was an original member of the Experimental Band, a precursor to the

Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1965 in Chicago by pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran. The AA ...

(AACM) in his hometown of Chicago, and worked under the guidance of

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

, before leaving to tour with a

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

band. In 1967, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, playing with a rock band in Vietnam during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

in 1967 and 1968. He was discharged in 1969. After returning to Chicago, Threadgill joined AACM members bassist

Fred Hopkins Fred Hopkins (October 11, 1947 – January 7, 1999) was an American double bassist who played a major role in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement. He was best known for his association with the trio Air with Henry Threadgill and Ste ...

and drummer

Steve McCall Stephen Harold McCall (born 15 October 1960) is an English retired footballer who now works as a scout for Carlisle United. A defensive midfielder during his playing days, McCall built a reputation as a cultured midfield player, with immacul ...

in a trio which would eventually become the group

. He moved to New York City, where he formed his first group, X-75, a nonet consisting of four reed players, four bass players, and a vocalist. In the early 1980s, Threadgill created his first critically acclaimed ensemble as a leader, the Henry Threadgill Sextet (actually a septet; he counted the two drummers as a single percussion unit), which released three albums on About Time Records. After a hiatus, he formed New Air with Pheeroan akLaff, replacing Steve McCall on drums, and reformed the Henry Threadgill Sextett (with two t's at the end). The six albums the group recorded feature some of his most accessible work, notably on the album '' You Know the Number''. The group's unorthodox instrumentation included two drummers, double bass, cello, trumpet, and trombone, in addition to Threadgill's alto saxophone and flute. Among the players were drummers akLaff,

John Betsch John Betsch (born October 8, 1945) is an American jazz drummer. Biography Betsch was born in Jacksonville, Florida. His family belonged to the African-American upper class; his grandfather was the black millionaire Abraham Lincoln Lewis and his ...

, Reggie Nicholson and Newman Baker; bassist

; cellist

Diedre Murray Diedre Murray is an American cellist and composer specializing in jazz and musical theater. She also works as a record producer and curator. As a performer she has worked with Leroy Jenkins, Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Henry Threadgill, Muhal ...

; trumpeters Rasul Siddik and Ted Daniels;

cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. There is also a soprano cor ...

ist

Olu Dara Olu Dara Jones (born Charles Jones III; January 12, 1941) is an American cornetist, guitarist, and singer. He is the father of rapper Nas. Early life Olu Dara was born Charles Jones III on January 12, 1941, in Natchez, Mississippi, Natchez, Mis ...

; and trombonists Ray Anderson,

Frank Lacy Frank Lacy (born August 9, 1958, Houston, Texas) is an American jazz trombonist who has spent many years as a member of the Mingus Big Band. Career Lacy's father was a teacher who played guitar with Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, and Eddie Clea ...

, Bill Lowe, and

Craig Harris Craig S. Harris (born September 10, 1953) is an American jazz trombonist, who started working with Sun Ra in 1976. He also has worked with Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray (saxophonist), David Murray, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers (jazz ...

. During the 1990s, Threadgill pushed the musical boundaries even further with his ensemble Very Very Circus. The group consisted of two tubas, two electric guitars, a trombone or French horn, and drums. With this group he explored more complex and highly structured forms of composition, augmenting the group with Latin percussion, French horn, violin, accordion, vocalists, and exotic instruments. He composed and recorded with other unusual instruments, such as a flute quartet (Flute Force Four, a one-time project from 1990); and combinations of four cellos and four acoustic guitars (on ''Makin' a Move''). He was signed by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

for three albums. Since the dissolution of Very Very Circus, Threadgill has continued in his iconoclastic ways with ensembles such as Make a Move and Zooid. Zooid, currently a sextet with tuba (Jose Davila), acoustic guitar (

Liberty Ellman Liberty Ellman (born July 17, 1971) is a jazz guitarist born in London and raised in the United States, beginning in New York City. In the early 1980s, Ellman's family moved to California. Before leaving New York, he attended City and Country Sch ...

), cello (Christopher Hoffman), drums (Elliot Kavee) and bass guitar (

Stomu Takeishi Stomu Takeishi (born 1964, in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture) is a Japanese experimental and jazz rock bassist. He is known for playing fretless five-string electric bass guitar and a Klein five-string acoustic bass guitar, often using extended techn ...

), has been the primary vehicle for Threadgill's compositions in the 2000s. In 2018, Threadgill composed the string quartet "Sixfivetwo" for the

Kronos Quartet The Kronos Quartet is an American string quartet based in San Francisco. It has been in existence with a rotating membership of musicians for 50 years. The quartet covers a very broad range of musical genres, including contemporary classical musi ...

, which they recorded as part of their "Fifty for the Future" project.

Awards and honors

In 2016, Threadgill's composition ''In for a Penny, In for a Pound'' was awarded the

. In July 2016, he received the Vietnam Veterans of America Excellence in the Arts Award, at the VVA National Leadership Conference in Tucson. "Run Silent, Run Deep, Run Loud, Run High" (conducted by

Hale Smith Hale Smith (June 29, 1925 – November 24, 2009) was an American composer, arranger, and pianist.De Lerma, Dominique-Rene"African Heritage Symphonic Series" Liner note essay. Cedille CDR061. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he learned pian ...

) and "Mix for Orchestra" (conducted by

Dennis Russell Davies Dennis Russell Davies (born April 16, 1944, in Toledo, Ohio) is an American conductor and pianist. He is chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic and of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. Biography Davies studied piano and conducting at ...

), were both premiered at the

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a multi-arts center in Brooklyn, New York City. It hosts progressive and avant-garde performances, with theater, dance, music, opera, film programming across multiple nearby venues. BAM was chartered in 18 ...

in 1987 and 1993 respectively. He has had commissions from Mordine & Company in 1971 and 1989, from

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

for "Quintet for Strings and Woodwinds" in 1983 and 1985, the

New York Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare in the Park (or Free Shakespeare in the Park) is a theatrical program that stages productions of Shakespearean plays at the Delacorte Theater, an open-air theater in New York City's Central Park. The theater and the productions are ...

in 1985, Bang on a Can All-Stars in 1995, "Peroxide" commissioned by the

Miller Theatre Miller Theatre at Columbia University is located on the Morningside Heights, Manhattan, Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University. It is a performing arts producer dedicated to developing and presenting new music. Originally named the ...

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in 2003 for "Aggregation Orb", a commission from the Talujon Percussion Ensemble in 2008, a piece "Fly Fliegen Volar" commissioned and premiered at the

Saalfelden Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer is a town in the district of Zell am See in the Austrian state of Salzburg. With approximately 16,000 inhabitants, Saalfelden is the district's largest town and the third of the federal state after Salzburg and Hallein ...

Jazz Festival with the Junge Philharmonie

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

Orchestra in 2007, a premier of the piece "Mc Guffins" with Zooid at the Biennale Festival in Italy in 2004. In May 2020 he was presented with an honorary doctor of music by the University of Pennsylvania. In October 2020, the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

(NEA) announced Threadgill as one of four recipients of the

NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the self-proclaimed highest honors that the United States bestows upo ...

, celebrated in an online concert and show on April 22, 2021. Awarded in recognition of lifetime achievement, the honor is bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to the art form. The other 2021 recipients were

Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets (band), ...

Albert "Tootie" Heath Albert "Tootie" Heath (May 31, 1935 – April 3, 2024) was an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the double-bassist Percy Heath. With Stanley Cowell, the Heaths formed the Heath Brothers jazz band i ...

, and

Phil Schaap Philip van Noorden Schaap (April 8, 1951September 7, 2021) was an American radio host, who specialized in jazz as a broadcaster, historian, archivist, and producer. He hosted an assortment of jazz programs at WKCR and WNYC in New York City and ...

. In 2024 he received a PEN Oakland – Josephine Miles Award for ''Easily Slip Into Another World: A Life in Music'', coauthored with

Personal life

Threadgill was born in Chicago. He studied piano, flute, and composition at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, and Governors State University, in University Park, Illinois. He was a member of the US Army Concert Band, and served in Vietnam. He is married to recording artist and ethnomusicologist Senti Toy, also known as Sentienla Toy Threadgill.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Air * 1975: ''

Air Song ''Air Song'' is the debut album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins performing four of Threadgill's compositions.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Threadgill discographyaccessed February 10 ...

'' (

Why Not Why Not may refer to: Film and TV * ''Why Not? with Shania Twain'', an American TV show * ''Pourquoi pas!'' (''Why Not!''), a 1977 French film starring Sami Frey * ''Why Not?'', a 2019 short thriller movie directed by Buğra Mert Alkayalar Musi ...

) * 1976: '' Air Raid'' (Why Not) * 1977: ''

Live Air ''Live Air'' is a live album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins recorded at Studio Rivbea, in New York and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, first released by Black Saint Record ...

'' (

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italy, Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History ...

) * 1977: ''

Air Time Air time or airtime may refer to: *Air time (broadcasting), also spelled "airtime", available hours for broadcast or time purchased for broadcast *Air time (mobile phone), also spelled "airtime", top-up for mobile roaming services *Air time (rides ...

'' (

Nessa Nessa Diab, known mononymous person, mononymously as Nessa, is an American radio personality, radio and TV personality and television presenter, television host. Early life and education Nessa was born to Egyptians, Egyptian parents. She has t ...

) * 1978: ''

Open Air Suit ''Open Air Suit'' is an album by the improvisational collective Air, featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins. It was recorded in New York in 1978 and contains four of Threadgill's compositions.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Th ...

'' (Arista/

Novus Novus (Latin, 'new') may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Novus Biologicals, later Bio-Techne, an American biotech company * Novus Entertainment, a Canadian telecommunications company * Novus International, an animal health and nutrition ...

) * 1978: ''

Montreux Suisse ''Montreux Suisse'' is a live album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall and Fred Hopkins. It was recorded at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Threadgill disco ...

'' (Arista/Novus) * 1979: ''

Air Lore ''Air Lore'' is an album by the improvisational trio Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins performing compositions by Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin. It was reissued on compact disc by Bluebird/RCA in 1987 and includ ...

'' (Arista/Novus) * 1980: ''

Air Mail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be the ...

'' (Black Saint) * 1982: ''

80° Below '82 ''80° Below '82'' is an album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall and Fred Hopkins, recorded in 1982 for the Antilles label.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Threadgill discographyaccessed February 11, 2010 ...

'' (

Antilles The Antilles is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. The Antillean islands are divided into two smaller groupings: the Greater An ...

) * 1983: ''

Live at Montreal International Jazz Festival ''Live at Montreal International Jazz Festival'' is a live album recorded for the Italian Black Saint label by the improvisational collective New Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins and Pheeroan akLaff performing at the Montreal Inte ...

'' (as New Air) (Black Saint) * 1986: ''

Air Show No. 1 ''Air Show No. 1'' is an album recorded for the Italian Black Saint label by the improvisational collective New Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins and Pheeroan akLaff with Cassandra Wilson providing vocals on three selections.Backstro ...

'' (as New Air with

Cassandra Wilson Cassandra Wilson (born December 4, 1955) is an American jazz singer, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. She is one of the most successful female jazz singers and has been described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed wit ...

) (Black Saint) X-75 * 1979: ''

X-75 Volume 1 ''X-75 Volume 1'' is the debut album by Henry Threadgill released on the Arista Novus label in 1979. The album and features four of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill with Douglas Ewart, Joseph Jarman, Wallace McMillan, Leonard ...

'' (Arista/Novus) Henry Threadgill Sextett * 1982: '' When Was That?'' (About Time) * 1983: ''

Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket ''Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket'' is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the About Time label in 1983. The album features six of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill with Craig Harris, Olu Dara, Fred Hopkins, Diedre Murr ...

'' (About Time) * 1984: '' Subject to Change'' (About Time) * 1987: '' You Know the Number'' (Arista/Novus) * 1988: ''

Easily Slip Into Another World ''Easily Slip into Another World'' is an album by saxophonist/composer Henry Threadgill, recorded for the RCA Novus label in 1987. Recording and music The album was recorded at Mediasound Studios, New York City, on September 20, 1987. The albu ...

'' (Arista/Novus) * 1989: '' Rag, Bush and All'' (Arista/Novus) Society Situation Dance Band * 1988: ''Live in Hamburg'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhpKRJYZPUE&t=687s&ab_channel=redobstacle Very Very Circus * 1990: '' Spirit of Nuff...Nuff'' (Black Saint) * 1991: '' Live at Koncepts'' (Taylor Made) * 1993: ''

Too Much Sugar for a Dime ''Too Much Sugar for a Dime'' is an album by Henry Threadgill, released in 1993 on the Axiom label. It has been described as: "a mad, glorious romp which explores some very dark timbres and tonalities and yet remains witty, fresh and consistent ...

'' (

Axiom An axiom, postulate, or assumption is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning 'that which is thought worthy or ...

) * 1993: ''

Song Out of My Trees ''Song Out of My Trees'' is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the Black Saint/Soul Note, Black Saint label in 1994. The album features five of Threadgill's compositions performed by a variety of ensembles that include Threadgill, Ted Dani ...

'' (Black Saint) * 1994: '' Carry the Day'' ( Columbia) * 1995: ''

Makin' a Move ''Makin' a Move'' is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the Columbia label in 1996. The album features four songs by the Very Very Circus group and three compositions scored mainly for guitars and cellos.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Threa ...

'' (Columbia) Make a Move * 1996: ''

Where's Your Cup? ''Where's Your Cup?'' is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the Columbia label in 1997. The album features seven of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill's Make a Move band: Brandon Ross, Tony Cedras, Stomu Takeishi, and J.T. ...

'' (Columbia) * 2001: ''

Everybodys Mouth's a Book ''Everybodys Mouth's a Book'' is an album by Henry Threadgill featuring eight of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill & Make a Move. The album was the first album on the Pi Recordings label and was released simultaneously with '' Up ...

'' ( Pi) Zooid * 2001: '' Up Popped the Two Lips'' (Pi) * 2005: '' Pop Start the Tape, StoP'' (Hardedge) * 2009: '' This Brings Us to Volume 1'' (Pi) * 2010: ''

This Brings Us to Volume 2 ''This Brings Us to Volume 2'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Henry Threadgill with his band Zooid, featuring Jose Davila on trombone and tuba, Liberty Ellman on guitar, Stomu Takeishi on bass guitar, and Elliot Humberto Kavee on drums. ...

'' (Pi ) * 2012: '' Tomorrow Sunny / The Revelry, Spp'' (Pi) * 2015: ''

'' (Pi) * 2021:
Poof
' (Pi) Ensemble Double Up * 2016: ''

Old Locks and Irregular Verbs ''Old Locks and Irregular Verbs'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Henry Threadgill, which was recorded in 2015 and released on Pi Recordings. It features an extended work that Threadgill composed as a tribute to cornetist and composer-co ...

'' (Pi) * 2018: '' Double Up, Plays Double Up Plus'' (Pi) 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg * 2018: '' Dirt… And More Dirt'' (Pi) Henry Threadgill Ensemble * 2023:
The Other One
' (Pi)

As sideman

With

* ''

Young at Heart/Wise in Time ''Young at Heart/Wise in Time'' is an album by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams released by the Delmark label in 1970 that featured an LP side-length solo piano composition and Abrams accompanied by Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, Lester Lash ...

'' (1969) * ''

1-OQA+19 ''1-OQA+19'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams, released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1977. It features performances by Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall and Leonard Jones. Reception The AllMusic review states: "Th ...

'' (1977) With

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chi ...

* ''

For Trio ''For Trio'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton recorded in 1977 and released on the Arista label.Chico Freeman Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Award ...

* ''

Morning Prayer Morning Prayer may refer to: Religion *Prayers in various traditions said during the morning * Morning Prayer (Anglican), one of the two main Daily Offices in the churches of the Anglican Communion * In Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism: ** Mornin ...

'' (Whynot, 1976) With

Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell (born August 3, 1940) is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' described him as "one of the key figure ...

* ''

Nonaah ''Nonaah'' is a double album recorded in 1976-77 by Roscoe Mitchell. It was originally released on the Nessa label in 1977 and features solo, duo, trio and quartet performances by Mitchell, Anthony Braxton, Malachi Favors, Muhal Richard Abrams, ...

'' (Nessa, 1977) * '' L-R-G / The Maze / S II Examples'' (Nessa, 1978) With Frank Walton * ''Reality'' (1978) With David Murray * ''

Ming The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, t ...

'' (1980) * ''

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...

'' (1981) * '' Murray's Steps'' (1982) With

Material A material is a matter, substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an Physical object, object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical property, physical ...

Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, wo ...

* ''

Memory Serves ''Memory Serves'' is a 1981 album by the New York based No Wave music group Material.The Third Power'' (1991) With

Sly & Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separat ...

/ Bill Laswell * ''

Rhythm Killers ''Rhythm Killers'' is an album by Jamaican musical duo Sly and Robbie, released in May 1987 by Island Records. By the time of the album's recording, Sly and Robbie had transitioned away from their prolific work in the reggae genre. They spent the ...

'' (1987) With

Carlinhos Brown Antônio Carlos Santos de Freitas, known professionally as Carlinhos Brown (Brazilian Portuguese: /kaʁˈlĩɲus bɾaw̃, -iɲuʃ/, 23 November 1962), is a Brazilian singer, percussionist, and record producer from Salvador, Bahia. His musica ...

/ Bill Laswell * ''Bahia Black: Ritual Beating System'' (1991) With Leroy Jenkins * '' Themes & Improvisations on the Blues'' (1992) With

Kip Hanrahan Kip Hanrahan (born December 9, 1954) is an American jazz music impresario, record producer and percussionist. Personal life Hanrahan was born in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in the Bronx to an Irish-Jewish family. His father left when he was 6 m ...

* ''Darn It!'' (1992) with Paul Haines * ''A Thousand Nights and a Night (Shadow Night – 1)'' (1996) With

Billy Bang Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 – April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer. Biography Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a ...

* '' Hip Hop Be Bop'' (1993) with

* '' Vietnam: Reflections'' (2005) With Sola * ''Blues in the East'' (1994) With

Abiodun Oyewole Abiodun Oyewole (born Charles Davis, February 1948), is a poet, teacher and member of the African-American music and spoken-word group The Last Poets, which developed into what is considered to be the first hip hop group. Critic Jason Ankeny w ...

* ''25 Years'' (1996) With Flute Force Four (Threadgill,

Pedro Eustache Pedro Eustache (born August 18, 1959) is a Venezuelan flutist, reed player, woodwind player, composer, instrument maker, and collector. Education Eustache studied first in Venezuela under Michel Eustache (his brother), Ernesto Santini, Antonio ...

, Melecio Magdaluyo,

James Newton James W. Newton (born May 1, 1953) is an American jazz and classical flutist. Biography He was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. From his earliest years, James Newton grew up immersed in the sounds of African-American music, inclu ...

) * ''Flutistry'' (1990, released 1997) With

Douglas Ewart Douglas R. Ewart (born 13 September 1946 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican multi-instrumentalist and instrument builder. He plays sopranino and alto saxophones, clarinets, bassoon, flute, bamboo flutes (''shakuhachi'', '' ney'', and panpipes ...

* ''Angles of Entrance'' (1998) With

Jean-Paul Bourelly Jean-Paul Etienne Bourelly (born November 23, 1960) is an American guitarist whose music crosses the boundaries of jazz fusion and rock. Bourelly was born in Chicago, Illinois, to parents from Haiti. His grandmother taught him Yoruba music. When ...

* ''Boom Bop'' (2000) * ''Trance Atlantic – Boom Bop II'' (2001) With Ejigayehu "Gigi" Shibabaw * ''Gigi'' (2001) With

Lucky Peterson Judge Kenneth "Lucky" Peterson (December 13, 1964 – May 17, 2020) was an American musician who played contemporary Blues music, blues, fusing soul music, soul, Rhythm and blues, R&B, gospel music, gospel and rock and roll. He was a vocalist, g ...

* ''Black Midnight Sun'' (2002) With

Dafnis Prieto Dafnis Prieto (born July 31, 1974) is a Cuban-American drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator. Career In his home town of Santa Clara, Cuba, Prieto studied percussion and guitar. During his teens, he moved to Havana to study at the Nati ...

* ''Absolute Quintet'' (2006) With

Wadada Leo Smith Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the field of creative music. He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for ''Ten Freedom Summers'', released on ...

* '' The Great Lakes Suites'' (2012, released 2014) * '' The Chicago Symphonies'' (2021) With

Jack DeJohnette Jack DeJohnette (born August 9, 1942) is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. Known for his extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians including Charles Lloyd (jazz musician), Charles Lloyd, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, B ...

* '' Made in Chicago'' (ECM, 2013

015 015 may refer to: * 015, a telephone numbers in Malaysia, telephone number code in Malaysia * ''Global Underground 015'', DJ mix album by Darren Emerson * ''The Haunting of Tram Car 015'', 2019 novella by P. Djèlí Clark * JWH-015, chemical from t ...

with

, Larry Gray and

References

External links

Tribute by Dave Kaufman

Interview on Columbia University's radio station

Interview

Henry Threadgill unedited
Wire interview, July 2010
Illustrated Discography by Lars Backstrom
{{DEFAULTSORT:Threadgill, Henry 1944 births Living people Musicians from Chicago American jazz flautists American male saxophonists Avant-garde jazz musicians American jazz alto saxophonists United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Columbia Records artists Pi Recordings artists Pulitzer Prize for Music winners Air (free jazz trio) members 21st-century American saxophonists Jazz musicians from Illinois 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians United States Army soldiers 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 21st-century American flautists NEA Jazz Masters