Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith gave a phenomenal solo concert last night
at U of C. In the aftermath he was generously greeting well
wishers, and I took the liberty of asking him if he could remember
where he recorded Silence.

This has been a matter of controversy because the record says it was
recorded in Paris, but has long been thought to have been actually
recorded in Chicago. Mr. Braxton could not quite recall which it
was, mainly just recalling that they had the tapes in Paris and were
looking for a label.

Mr. Smith confirmed that the recording was definitely made in
Chicago a couple of weeks before Mr. Braxton departed for Paris.

By the way the Maroon ads that Terry Martin just sent me include a
concert at U of C Ida Noyes Library on May 28, 1969, which would
have been right in the time period before the Paris departure. It
says "Anthony Braxton Trio playing two exercise [sic] in space."
Obviously this must have been Braxton, Smith and Jenkins, and I'm
guessing the two exercises would be Off the Top of My Head and
Silence.