YArts Center; MARTY EHRLICH, woodwinds + HILLIARD GREENE, double bass + PHEEROAN AK LAFF, percussion Air Legacy: The Music of Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins, and Steve McCall; $30
Air was one of the most impactful small groups of the 1970s and ‘80s. Though it is generally recognized at the initial platform for Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Henry Threadgill, Air was renowned for equalizing woodwinds, double bass, and percussion, into a readily identifiable ensemble sound. Air Legacy is a trio with an almost umbilical connection, as percussionist Pheeroan ak Laff joined New Air after the passing of McCall. Rounded out by double bassist Hillard Greene and saxophonist/clarinetist/flutist Marty Ehrlich, Air Legacy gives new life to a body of work foundational to a towering figure in current American music.