Bäbi (album)

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Bäbi (album)

Bäbi is a 1977 live free jazz album by American percussionist Milford Graves. It was recorded in March 1976 at WBAI-FM/Free Music Store in New York and released by the Institute of Percussive Studies (IPS ST004). The music features Graves on drums and percussion (and voice), with reed players Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover.

In 2018, Corbett vs. Dempsey released a remastered reissue. Since the original master tapes were lost, the album was remastered from vinyl. A previously unknown 1969 trio recording was discovered, and four tracks from that session were added to the reissue.

Track listing

Original release (all compositions by Milford Graves):
- Bä – 11:16
- Bi – 3:55
- Bäbi – 15:17
Recorded March 20, 1976 at WBAI-FM/Free Music Store, New York City.

Tracks added for 2018 reissue:
- 1969 Trio 1 – 28:40
- 1969 Trio 2 – 12:44
- 1969 Trio 3 – 8:24
- 1969 Trio 4 – 6:58
Recorded December 14, 1969, in New York City.

Personnel

- Milford Graves – drums, percussion, voice
- Arthur Doyle – reeds
- Hugh Glover – reeds

Reception

Bäbi is widely praised for its intense, energetic free jazz. The Wire described the performance as joyful and exhilarating, highlighting Graves’s inventive drumming. The New York City Jazz Record praised the drum center and the reed players’ ferocious solos. Critics have called the record powerful, transformative, and one of the defining examples of its style, with several noting the music’s inner logic despite its high energy. Stereogum and Artforum have described the tracks as highly powerful and joyous, while Al Día and The New York City Jazz Record likewise celebrated its majesty and vitality.