For newcomers, the voluminous discography of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) can seem daunting, if not overwhelming. In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of this influential improvisational musicians’ group—founded in Chicago by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran—we invited writer and Burnt Sugar bandleader Greg Tate to share a brief history of AACM for the Walker website. In doing so he gave us a bonus: his “idiosyncratic selection of the AACM’s Greatest/Sui Generis Hits.”

Muhal Richard Abrams

Young At Heart/Wise In Time (1969)
Things To Come From Those Now Gone (1975)
Sightsong (1976), with Malachi Favors
Duet (1981), with Amina Claudine Myers
Blu Blu Blu (1991)

The Art Ensemble of Chicago

People In Sorrow (1969)
Les Stances A Sophie (1970)
Certain Blacks (1970)
Bap-Tizum (1972)
Fanfare For The Warriors (1973)
Urban Bushmen (1980)

Roscoe Mitchell

Sound (1966)
Nonaah (1977)
Snurdy McGurdy and Her Dancin’ Shoes (1981)

Lester Bowie

Rope-A-Dope (1976)
Fast Last (1974)
The Great Pretender (1981)
I Only Have Eyes For You (1985)
Blasé (1969), with Archie Shepp
No Agreement (1977), with Fela Kuti 
Black Tie White Noise (1993), with David Bowie

Joseph Jarman

Song For (1966)
Egwu-Anwu (1977)
Black Paladins (1979)

Henry Threadgill

Air Song (1975), with Air
Air Lore (1979), with Air
80° Below ‘82 (1982), with Cassandra Wilson
Air Show No 1 (1986), with Air
Just The Facts And Pass The Bucket (1983)
Song Out of My Trees (1993)
Makin’ A Move (1995)
Up Popped The Two Lips (2001)

George Lewis

Solo Trombone Record (1976)
Shadowgraph (1977)
Sequel (for Lester Bowie) (2006)
Voyager (1993)
News For Lulu (1988), with John Zorn and Bill Frisell
Streaming (2006), with Muhal Richard Abrams and Roscoe Mitchell
Les Exercices Spirituels (2011)

Leo Wadada Smith

Reflectativity (1975)
Dark Lady of the Sonnets (2011)
Ten Freedom Summers (2012)

Fred Anderson

Live At The Velvet Lounge, Volumes I+II (1998)

Douglas Ewart

Angles of Entrance (1998), with Inventions Clarinet Choir
Velvet Fire (2009)
Homage To Charlie Parker (1979), with George Lewis
Velvet Drum Meditations (2011)

Nicole Mitchell

Xenogenesis Suite (2008)
Aquarius (2013)

Matana Roberts

COIN COIN Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres (2011)
COIN COIN Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile (2013)
COIN COIN Chapter Three: River Run Thee (2015)
Dear Science (2008), with TV on The Radio
Live from Minagle Falls, with Burnt Sugar
Yanqui U.X.O. (2001), with Godspeed You! Black Emperor