Malachi Favors

Malachi Favors (August 22, 1927 was an American jazz bassist who played with the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

Biography "Favors's tendency to dissemble about his age was a well-known source of mirth to fellow musicians of his generation". Most reference works give his year of birth of 1937, but, following his death, his daughter stated that it was 1927.

Favors primarily played the double bass, but also played the electric bass guitar, banjo, zither, gong, and other instruments.

At some point he added the word "Maghostut" to his name and because of this he is commonly listed as "Malachi Favors Maghostut".

Favors was a protégé of Chicago bassist Wilbur Ware. His first known recording was a 1953 session with tenor saxophonist Paul Bascomb. He made an LP with Chicago pianist Andrew Hill (1959). Favors began working with Roscoe Mitchell in 1966; this group eventually became the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Favors also worked outside the group, with artists including Sunny Murray, Archie Shepp, and Dewey Redman.

Prominent records include Natural & Spiritual (solo bass and percussion, 1978) and Sightsong (duets with Muhal Richard Abrams, 1975). In 1994 he played with Roman Bunka (Oud) at Berlin Jazz Fest and recorded the 'German Critics Poll Winner' album, Color Me Cairo.

Favors died from pancreatic cancer in January 2004, at the age of 76.

Discography As leader or co-leader Natural & Spiritual (AECO, 1978) 2 x 4 (Southport, 1999) with Tatsu Aoki Live at Last (Rogueart, 2006)

With Art Ensemble of Chicago Title Year Label Sound – Roscoe Mitchell Sextet 1966 Delmark Old/Quartet – Roscoe Mitchell 1967 Nessa Numbers 1 & 2 – Lester Bowie 1967 Nessa Early Combinations – Art Ensemble 1967 Nessa Congliptious – Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble 1968 Nessa A Jackson in Your House 1969 Actuel Tutankhamun 1969 Freedom The Spiritual 1969 Freedom People in Sorrow 1969 Pathé-Marconi Message to Our Folks 1969 Actuel Reese and the Smooth Ones 1969 Actuel Eda Wobu 1969 JMY Certain Blacks 1970 America Go Home 1970 Galloway Chi-Congo 1970 Paula Les Stances a Sophie 1970 Pathé-Marconi Live in Paris 1970 Freedom Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass 1970 America Phase One 1971 America Live at Mandell Hall 1972 Delmark Bap-Tizum 1972 Atlantic Fanfare for the Warriors 1973 Atlantic Kabalaba 1974 AECO Nice Guys 1978 ECM Live in Berlin 1979 West Wind Full Force 1980 ECM Urban Bushmen 1980 ECM Among the People 1980 Praxis The Complete Live in Japan 1984 DIW The Third Decade 1984 ECM Naked 1986 DIW Ancient to the Future 1987 DIW The Alternate Express 1989 DIW Art Ensemble of Soweto 1990 DIW America – South Africa 1990 DIW Thelonious Sphere Monk with Cecil Taylor 1990 DIW Dreaming of the Masters Suite 1990 DIW Live at the 6th Tokyo Music Joy with Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy 1991 DIW Fundamental Destiny with Don Pullen 1991 AECO Salutes the Chicago Blues Tradition 1993 AECO Coming Home Jamaica 1996 Atlantic Urban Magic 1997 AECO Tribute to Lester 2001 ECM Reunion 2003 Around Jazz The Meeting 2003 Pi Sirius Calling 2004 Pi

As sideman With Ahmed Abdullah Liquid Magic (Silkheart, 1987)

With Fred Anderson Black Horn Long Gone (Southport, 1993)

With Charles Brackeen Bannar (Silkheart, 1987)

With Bright Moments: Joseph Jarman, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Kahil El'Zabar and Adegoke Steve Colson Return of the Lost Tribe (Delmark, 1998)

With Roman Bunka Color Me Cairo (Enja, 1995)

With Kahil El'Zabar Sacred Love (Sound Aspects, 1985) Another Kind of Groove (Sound Aspects, 1986) The Ancestors Are Amongst Us (Katalyst Entertainment, 1987) Alika Rising at Leverkusener Jazztage (Sound Aspects, 1989) Renaissance of the Resistance (Delmark, 1993) Big Cliff (Delmark, 1994) Jitterbug Junction (CIMP, 1997) Conversations (Delmark, 1999) with Archie Shepp Africa N'Da Blues (Delmark, 1999) featuring Pharoah Sanders

With Dennis González Stefan (Silkheart, 1987) Namesake (Silkheart, 1987)

With Andrew Hill So in Love (Warwick, 1960)

With Maurice McIntyre Humility in the Light of the Creator (Delmark, 1969)

With Roscoe Mitchell Before There Was Sound (Nessa, 1965; issued 2011) Nonaah (Nessa, 1977) The Flow of Things (Black Saint, 1986) Hey Donald (Delmark, 1995) The Day and the Night (Dizim, 1997)

With Sunny Murray Sunshine (BYG, 1969) Homage to Africa (BYG, 1969) An Even Break (Never Give a Sucker) (BYG, 1970) Live at Moers Festival (Moers Music, 1979)

With Dewey Redman Tarik (BYG, 1969)

With Archie Shepp Blasé (BYG, 1969)

With Alan Silva Luna Surface (BYG, 1969) Seasons (BYG, 1971)

With Wadada Leo Smith Reflectativity (Tzadik, 2000) Golden Quartet (Tzadik, 2000) The Year of the Elephant (Pi, 2002)