Born 22 August 1927, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 30 January
2004, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Favors came from a religious
family (his father preached as a pastor) who disapproved of
secular music. He took up the bass at the age of 15, initially
inspired by Wilbur Ware. He started playing professionally when
he left school, accompanying Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy
Gillespie. Moving to Chicago, he recorded with Andrew Hill in
1955 and in 1961 he played with Muhal Richard Abrams in the
Experimental Band, becoming a member of the AACM at its
inception in 1965. He played in groups led by Roscoe Mitchell
and Lester Bowie and in 1969 joined with them and Joseph Jarman
to found the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, who triumphantly carried
the banner of "Great Black Music: Ancient to the Future" into
the 90s. Outside of the Art Ensemble, Favors recorded on
Mitchell's and Bowie's own albums, as well as with fellow AACM
member Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, drummer Sunny Murray and
gospel group From The Root To The Source. Sightsong, an album of
duos with Abrams, was released in 1976, and two years later the
solo Natural And The Spiritual appeared on the Art Ensemble's
own AECO label.
Favors, who took to appending Maghostut (in various spellings)
to his name, typified the AACM's interest in mysticism and once
gave his biography as "into being in this universe some 43,000
years ago. Moved around and then was ordered to this Planet
Earth by the higher forces, Allah De Lawd Thank You Jesus Good
God A Mighty, through the precious channels of Brother Isaac and
Sister Maggie Mayfield Favors; of ten. Landed in Chicago by way
of Lexington, Mississippi, for the purpose of serving my duty as
a Music Messenger." Perhaps more plausibly he also claimed that
his decision to play freely was a statement that cost him
financial rewards. Favors was a foremost exponent of free jazz
upright playing, and was also adept at the electric bass, the
African balafon, the zither and banjo.