Malachi Favors

"Favors's tendency to dissemble about his age was a well-known source of mirth to fellow musicians of his generation".^[3] Most reference works give his year of birth of 1937, but, following his death, his daughter stated that it was 1927.^[4]

Favors primarily played the double bass, but also played the electric bass guitar, banjo, zither, gong, and other instruments.^[5] He began playing double bass at the age of 15 and began performing professionally upon graduating from high school.^[1] Early performances included work with Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard.^[1] By 1965, he was a founder of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and a member of Muhal Richard Abrams' Experimental Band.^[5]

At some point he added the word "Maghostut" to his name and because of this he is commonly listed as "Malachi Favors Maghostut".^[5] Musically he is most associated with bebop, hard bop, and particularly free jazz.^[6]

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.^[1]

Prominent records include Natural & Spiritual (solo bass, 1978)^[1] and Sightsong (duets with Muhal Richard Abrams, 1975).^[1] 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.^[1]

• Natural & Spiritual (AECO, 1978)
• 2 x 4 (Southport, 1999) with Tatsu Aoki
• Live at Last (Rogueart, 2006)

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)

• "A Fireside Chat with Malachi Favors", JazzWeekly.com