About Henry Threadgill

Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944), Chicago, Illinois, is an American saxophonist, flautist and composer. He performed as a percussionist in high school marching bands, and served briefly in a U.S. Army band. Threadgill is notable as one of avant-garde jazz's most unique composers. His dense, elaborate, multi-layered music is often strictly scored, in contrast to the loose, improvisatory feel of much jazz. Elements of traditional african music, mexican music, folk music and opera are often as prominently featured as traditional jazz and blues music. Threadgill often assembles groups with distinctive names and unusual instrumentation. His Henry Threadgill Sextett was actually a seven piece ensemble, typically consisting of Threadgill, two drummers, double bass, cello, trombone and trumpet; Threadgill variously said he considered the two drummers one unit, or that he considered himself a conductor as much as a performer. very very circus consisted of Threadgill, a French hornist (or, in an earlier incarnation, a trombone player), two tubas, two electric guitars and a drummer (Gene Lake or Pheeroan Aklaff). Very Very Circus has also been augmented with other instruments, including violin, pipa, harmonium, oud, Afro-Venezuelan drummers, and vocalists. His group Make a Move consisted of Threadgill, Brandon Ross on guitars, Tony Cedras on accordion and harmonium, Stomu Takeishi on bass, and J.T. Lewis on drums. His current group, Henry Threadgill's Zooid, consists of Threadgill, Jose Davila (tuba), Liberty Ellman (guitar), Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums), Stomu Takeishi (acoustic bass guitar) and Christopher Hoffman (cello). Threadgill has recorded or performed with Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, David Murray and Bill Laswell, among others. He was married to singer Cassandra Wilson.