Air Mail (album)

Air Mail is an album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins, recorded for the Italian Black Saint label.^[1] The album consists of three compositions dedicated to the photographer Bobbie Kingsley, Ronnie Boykins, and Cecil Taylor & Jimmy Lyons.^[2][3]

Air Mail
Studio album by Air
Released	1981
Recorded	28 December 1980
Genre	Jazz
Length	35:41
Label	Black Saint
Producer	Giovanni Bonandrini
Air chronology
Air Lore (1979) Air Mail (1981) 80° Below '82 (1982)

Reception

The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected this album as part of its suggested Core Collection.^[4]

The AllMusic review by Ron Wynn stated: "The Chicago trio Air was at a high point on this 1980 date".^[5]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[6]

Track listing

1. "B. K." (Steve McCall) – 8:55
2. "R. B." (Fred Hopkins) – 8:19
3. "C. T., J. L." (Henry Threadgill) – 18:27
   • Recorded at Right Track Studio, New York City on December 28, 1980

Personnel

• Henry Threadgill – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, bass flute, hubkaphone
• Fred Hopkins – bass
• Steve McCall – drums, bells

References

1. Backstrom, L. & Lopez, R. Henry Threadgill discography accessed February 11, 2010
2. Discogs album entry accessed February 11, 2010
3. Air – Air Time (1978, Vinyl), 1978, retrieved 2021-03-23
4. Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008) [1992]. "Air". The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). New York: Penguin. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
5. Wynn, R. AllMusic Review accessed February 11, 2010.
6. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp. 6. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.