Henry Threadgill

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Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944), Chicago, Illinois, is an American saxophonist, flautist and composer.

He performed as a percussionist in high school marching bands, and served briefly in a U.S. Army band.

Threadgill is notable as one of "modern" or "avant-garde" jazz's most unique composers. His dense, elaborate, multi-layered music is often strictly scored, in contrast to the loose, improvisatory feel of much jazz. Elements of traditional African music, Mexican music, folk music and opera are often as prominently featured as traditional jazz and blues music.

Threadgill often assembles groups with distinctive names and unusual instrumentation. His Sextett was actually a seven piece ensemble, typically consisting of Threadgill, two drummers, double bass, cello, trombone and trumpet; Threadgill variously said he considered the two drummers one unit, or that he considered himself a conductor as much as a performer. Very Very Circus consisted of Threadgill, a French hornist (or, in an earlier incarnation, a trombone player), two tubas, two electric guitars and a drummer (Gene Lake or Pheeroan Aklaff). Very Very Circus has also been augmented with other instruments, including violin, pipa, harmonium, oud, Afro-Venezuelan drummers, and vocalists.