Malachi Favors

The longtime bassist with the Art Ensemble of Chicago has played a variety of miscellaneous instruments including banjo, zither, bells, gong, harmonica, melodica and percussion on many records. In his early days, he played bop in Chicago with Andrew Hill in the mid-50s and other local musicians. Favors was in the AACM from the start being a member of the Muhal Richard Abrams Experimental Band in 1961. He joined Roscoe Mitchell's quartet in 1966, which soon became the Art Ensemble. In addition to his work with that important group, Favors has recorded with Archie Sheep, Sunny Murray, Dewey Redman, Abrams, and Lester Bowie. He's well known as a member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago but Favors is also a first rate basis outside that organization. He's played with many bebop, hard bop and free groups with his rigorous condiment and is a vital piece of the Art Ensemble puzzle.