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Axum is a solo album by American jazz flautist and composer James Newton recorded in 1981 and released on the ECM label.[1]

Axum
Studio album by James Newton
Released	1982
Recorded	August 1981
Genre	Jazz
Length	42:32
Label	ECM
Producer	Manfred Eicher
James Newton chronology
The Mystery School (1979) Axum (1982) Portraits (1982)

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 3 stars stating "James Newton's set of unaccompanied flute solos is generally more intriguing and diverse than one might expect. An expert at multiphonics (often humming through his flute in order to get more than one note at a time), Newton is also very strong at constructing logical yet utterly unpredictable improvisations. His playing on nine of his originals covers a fair amount of ground, and he alternates between three different types of flutes (his regular horn, alto flute and bass flute). Still, the results are more for specialized tastes".[2] Describing the album as “dazzling”, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings says, “Newton’s vocalisations allow his pieces to develop with unprecedented depth, and his tone is quite remarkable.”[3]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[3]

Track listing

All compositions by James Newton

1. "The Dabtara" - 3:24
2. "Malak 'Uqabe" - 6:52
3. "Solomon, Chief of Wise Men" - 4:44
4. "Addis Ababa" - 2:56
5. "Choir" - 4:32
6. "Feeling" - 2:34
7. "Axum" - 4:18
8. "Susenyos and Werzelya" - 5:20
9. "The Neser" - 7:59

• • Recorded at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg, West Germany in August 1981

Personnel

• James Newton - flute, alto flute, bass flute

References

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