X-75 Volume 1 is the debut album by American musician Henry Threadgill released on the Arista Novus label in 1979.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, R. Henry Threadgill discography accessed 8 September 2009 The album and features four of Threadgill's compositions performed by an unusual nine-piece ensemble of Threadgill himself and three other saxophonists/flutists, four bassists, and a vocalist.
Reception The Allmusic review by Brian Olewnick states, "Henry Threadgill's first album as a leader immediately plunged into experimental waters. He utilized a nonet the likes of which had certainly never been heard before and probably not since... Threadgill's massive talent for mid-size band arrangements is immediately apparent... As of 2002, X-75, Vol. 1 was unreleased on disc and, even more disappointingly, there was never a "Vol. 2." But Threadgill fans looking for a link between Air and his Sextett owe it to themselves to search this one out".Olewnick, B. [ Allmusic Review] accessed 8 September 2009
In his 4 star review for DownBeat, Neil Tesser wrote, "The four pieces on X-75 show an impressive variety, yet Threadgill’s melodies have a shamanistic air, a residue of folk magic, that helps tie them together".
Track listing All compositions by Henry Threadgill "Sir Simpleton" – 6:26 "Celebration" – 13:2 "Air Song" – 10:21 "Fe Fi Fo Fum" – 13:00 Recorded at CI Recording Studios, New York City on January 13, 1979
Personnel Henry Threadgill – alto saxophone, flute, bass flute Douglas Ewart – bass clarinet, piccolo, flute Joseph Jarman – soprano saxophone, flute Wallace McMillan – piccolo, alto flute, tenor saxophone Leonard Jones – bass Brian Smith – piccolo bass, bass Rufus Reid – bass Fred Hopkins – bass Amina Claudine Myers – vocals
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