Art Ensemble of Chicago

Biography

The Art Ensemble of Chicago emerged from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in the late 1960s, defining a new course in avant-garde jazz. Their work integrated the full spectrum of Black musical history, from ancestral African sounds to free improvisation, encapsulated in their motto, "Great Black Music: Ancient to the *Future*." The group was distinguished by its multi-instrumentalism, employing traditional instruments alongside a vast array of percussive and found objects they termed "little instruments." Their theatrical performances, often involving costumes and face paint, reshaped the conventions of live jazz, influencing generations of musicians by expanding the possibilities of musical structure, sound, and presentation.