Founded in 1971, Air was a Chicago based free jazz trio founded in 1971.  It’s founding members include Henry Threadgill on sax, Fred Hopkins on double bass and Steve McCall on drums.  This unique combo blended radical free improvisation with a strong sense of melody together with an equal emphasis on each of the instruments.

The trio started when Columbia College asked Threadgill to arrange a number of Scott Joplin songs.  The challenge of performing Joplin’s trademark songs without piano was and enjoyment that led to the trio opting to play these as rags combined with jazz improvisational chops.  This eventually led to twelve albums.

The 1979 recording Air Lore is considered by many jazz fans as part of the core collection of all that is jazz.    The recordings included are mainly from Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and one original by Threadgill.   I remember finding this in a used records store and playing it many times incorporating guitar mostly improvising along with the flow found here.  Aloha Promises Forever rates this album classic as a definite 10 out of 10.

You may listen to Aire Lore here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmLr8rHWGNYUout_2_u60d5ilk75kGg5j