Formed in 1966 on Chicago’s South Side, the Art Ensemble of Chicago is a pioneering force in avant-garde jazz and creative improvisation. Emerging from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), the group—founded by Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Malachi Favors, and later joined by Famoudou Don Moye—gained acclaim for fusing jazz, blues, African rhythms, and performance art. Renowned for their adventurous spirit, theatrical stage presence, and the motto “Great Black Music: Ancient to the Future,” they remain a cornerstone of experimental and boundary-defying music.