1960s

Pentangle – Basket of Light

Style: British Folk Rock, Folk Baroque, Blues-Influenced

Vibes: Uplifting, Intertwined, Romantic, Flowing, Sentimental, Rootsy, Intricate, Responsive, Spring, Warm, Energetic,, Groovy, Traditional

Musical Qualities: Melodic, Polyphonic, Lush, Uncommon Time Signatures, Improvisation, Acoustic

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Vocal Harmonies, Upright Bass, Drums, Glockenspiel, Sitar, Banjo

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Led Zeppelin

Style: Hard Rock (Blues & Folk-Influenced)

Vibes: Confident, Rebellious, Passionate, Energetic, Hedonistic, Bombastic, Raw, Complex, Psychedelic, Summer

Musical Qualities: Riffs, Groovy, Melodic, Dynamic, Bluesy, Heavy

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Richard Thompson – (guitar, vocal): A Collection of Unreleased and Rare Material 1967-1976

This eclectic compilation features Richard’s work with Fairport Convention, Linda Thompson, and solo. The first LP has a few great tracks (“A Heart Needs a Home”, “Poor Will and Jolly Hangman”, “The Ballad of Easy Rider”), but also a lot of unoriginal and dated filler that were “unreleased” with Fairport Convention for a reason (especially the Chuck Berry cover). The real magic happens on the second LP, where each side comprises a short solo instrumental paired with extended live renditions of passionate classics with Linda (Calvary Cross, Night Comes In).

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The Pentangle

Style: Folk Baroque, British Folk, Acoustic Blues

Vibes: Intertwined, Rootsy, Pastoral, Breezy, Playful, Bluesy, Intricate, Uplifting

Instrumentation: Upright Bass, Vocal Harmonies, Drums, Acoustic Guitars

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Andrew Hill – Point of Departure

featuring Eric Dolphy, Joe Henderson, Tony Williams, Richard Davis, Kenny Dorham

Style: Avante-Garde Jazz, Post-Bop

Vibes: acoustic, Knotty, Searching, Complex, Woozy, Serpentine, Exploratory, Elegant improvisation, innovative, knotty, nocturnal, passionate, playful, polyphonic, progressive, reflective, rhythmic, thematic, woozy,

Musical Qualities: Polyphonic, Acoustic, Thematic Improvisation, Progressive

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Paul Bley Trio – Closer

Paul Bley (Piano); Steve Swallow (Upright Bass); Barry Altschul (Drums)

Style: Post-Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibes: Mysterious, Playful, Impressionistic, Exploratory, Reflective, Intimate, Morning

Musical Qualities: Sparse, Acoustic, Improvisation, Instrumental, Lo-Fi

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Alan Silva and His Celestrial Communication Orchestra – Luna Surface

featuring Leroy Jenkins, Archie Shepp, Malachi Favors, Anthony Braxton, Grachan Moncur III, Dave Burrell, Claude Delcloo, Kenneth Terroade, Bernard Vitet, Berb Guérin

Style: Free Space Music, Cosmic Jazz, Avant-Garde Big Band

Vibe: Intense, Chaotic, Bombastic, Ecstatic, Free, Cosmic, Hypnotic, Raw, Communal, Apocalyptic

Musical Qualities: Conducted Improvisation, Dense, Atonal, Dissonant, Acoustic

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Jimmy Lyons – Other Afternoons

Jimmy Lyons – Alto Saxophone; Lester Bowie – Trumpet; Alan Silva – Upright Bass; Andrew Cyrille – Drums
Style: Free-Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibe: Warm, Spontaneous, Sunny, Driving, Playful, Intertwined, Autumnal, Passionate, Energetic, Kinetic, Responsive, Exploratory

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Swing, Polyphonic, Acoustic, Technical

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Sandy Bull: E pluribus unum

Style: Acid Folk, Folk-Rock Influences: Arabic Folk, Blues, Raga

Moods: Mysterious, Confident, Serpentine, Searching, Psychedelic, Desert, Determined, Earthy, Flowing, Impressionistic, Introspective, Meandering, Meditative, Ritualistic

Musical Qualities: Modal, Acoustic, Improvisation, Instrumental, Solo, Bluesy

Instrumentation: Oud, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Electric Bass

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Tim Buckley – Blue Afternoon

Blue Afternoon continues the flowing jazz-folk of Happy Sad while occasionally detouring into the avant-garde atmospheres that manifest more fully on Lorca and Starsailor. The arrangements are characterized by fluid vibraphones, lobbing upright bass, and the virtuosic jazz guitar of Lee Underwood, but what really ties everything together are the vocals and songwriting. Buckley’s voice is so versatile that he is able to express a wide range of emotions, sometimes blurring them from one moment to the next.

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The Soft Machine

Style: Canterbury Scene, Psych Pop, Progressive Pop, Jazz-Influenced

Moods: Surreal, Whimsical, Dadaist, Playful, Joyful, Uplifting

Musical Qualities: Suite, Catchy, Complex, Uncommon Time Signatures, Loose

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Don Cherry – Where is Brooklyn

Personnel:
Don Cherry – Cornet, Pharaoh Sanders – Tenor Sax, Piccolo; Henry Grimes – Upright Bass; Ed Blackwell – Drums

Style: Free Jazz

Moods: Driving, Energetic, Urban, Communal, Passionate, Playful, Chaotic

Musical Qualities: Polyphonic, Improvisation, Complex, Acoustic, Rhythmic, Dissonant, Extended Technique

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Pearls Before Swine – One Nation Underground

Style: Acid Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Chamber-Folk

Moods: Surreal, Philosophical, Pacifist, Eclectic, Medieval, Cryptic, Melancholy, Spring, Morning, Conscious, Moody, Whimsical, Protest, Political, Psychedelic, Acerbic

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Harpsichord, Organ, Autoharp, Banjo, Mandolin, Vibraphone, Audio Oscillator, Electric Bass, English Horn, Clavioline, Sarangi, Finger Cymbals, Swinehorn

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Sun Ra – Nothing Is…

Style: Cosmic Jazz, Free Space Music

Feelings: Exploratory, Cosmic, Forest, Mysterious, Abstract, Intense, Energetic, Spacey, Surreal, Warm

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Polyphonic, Dense, Live Performance, Dissonant, Complex, Dynamic

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Albert Ayler – Love Cry

Albert Ayler – Tenor & Alto Saxophones, Vocals
Alan Silva – Upright Bass
Milford Graves – Drums & Percussion
Call Cobbs Jr. – Harpsichord
Donald Ayler – Trumpet

Vibe: Ecstatic, Passionate, Anthemic, Energetic, Spiritual, Joyful, Deconstructed, Uplifting

Musical Qualities: Thematic, Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Loose, Melodic

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

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John Coltrane – Sun Ship

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibe: Cathartic, Transcendent, Triumphant, Passionate, Intense, Chaotic, Powerful, Adventure, Searching, Spiritual

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Dynamic, Complex, Acoustic, Thematic, Dissonant, Technical

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The Great Concert of Cecil Taylor

Cecil Taylor – Piano; Jimmy Lyons – Alto Sax; Sam Rivers – Tenor & Soprano Sax; Andrew Cyrille – Drums

Style: Free Jazz

Vibe: Transcendent, Dramatic, Kinetic, Intense, Passionate, Driving, Knotty, Complex, Forceful, Cathartic

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Atonal, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Free Swing, Dynamic, Acoustic, Live, Fast

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Miles Davis – Sorcerer

Style: Post-Bop, Modal Jazz

Vibe: Mysterious, Driving, Nocturnal, Complex, Anxious, Intertwined, Sensual, Energetic

Musical Qualities: Improvisation, Modal, Acoustic, Instrumental (except B3)

Personnel:

Miles Davis – Trumpet; Herbie Hancock – Piano; Ron Carter; Upright Bass; Tony Williams – Drums; Wayne Shorter – Saxophone

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Bert Jansch – Birthday Blues

Style: Chamber Folk, British Folk, Acoustic Blues, Jazz-Folk

Vibe: Breezy, Mellow, Contemplative, Autumnal, Uplifting, Melancholy, Warm, Joyful, Love, Intertwined, Reflective, Poetic

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Melodic, Lush, Rootsy, Bluesy, Chamber Arrangements

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Upright Bass, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica

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Brigitte Fontaine / Areski / Art Ensemble of Chicago – Comme á la Radio

Style: Chanson, Chamber Jazz, Avant-Folk

Vibe: Serpentine, Nocturnal, Mysterious, Ominous, Storytelling, Suspenseful, Open, Beguiling

Musical Qualities: Spoken Word, Collective Improvisation, Thematic, Percussive

Instrumentation: Duet Vocals, Muted Trumpet, Acoustic Guitar, Bouzouki, Shenai, Oboe, Flute, Percussion, Drums, Upright Bass, Lute

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Albert Ayler – New Grass

One can only imagine how Ayler bringing more commercial styles like R&B, Rock, and Gospel into his avant-garde music messed with critics and fans alike when it came out—the way it looked like commercial pandering to the Free Jazz listeners but was probably still too weird for new listeners. It helps to remember that Ayler came from R&B and went straight to the Free Spiritual Jazz of the early 60s, making Jazz critics highly skeptical skeptical by not climbing the bebop ranks like Coltrane before plunging into freedom. On New Grass, Ayler really started to synthesize the spiritual elements of many forms of Great Black Music, making more accessible music not as a way of selling out, but a way of sharing his beautiful spiritual message and sound with a wider audience. Plus this thing has Bernard Purdie on drums so of course it slaps.
If you dig this LP, I think he succeeded in this sound direction even more on his following albums Love Cry and Music is the Healing Force of the Universe. Albert Ayler was a pure soul that left this world too soon, grateful for the gifts of music and wisdom he left behind.

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John Coltrane – Africa / Brass

Released in 1961 on Impulse! Records Red Ring 70s Reissue Format: LP Style: Modal Jazz, Post-Bop Musical Attributes: Polyrhythmic, Acoustic, Melodic, Dense, Improvisation, Instrumental, Africa-Inspired, Technical, Modal Personnell: John Coltrane – Tenor Saxophone Elvin Jones – Drums Reggie Workman – Upright Bass McCoy Tyner – Piano Horn section: Eric Dolphy – Arrangements Pat Patrick – baritone

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Third Ear Band – Alchemy

Style: Free Folk, Chamber Music, Progressive Folk

Vibe: Ritualistic, Hypnotic, Earthy, Tribal, Nature, Meditative, Medieval, Exploratory

Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Improvisation, Instrumental, Minimalistic

Instrumentation: Oboe, Violin, Viola, Recorder, Percussion (Tabla, Drums, Chimes), Cello

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Rivmic Melodies & Radio Gnome Frequencies: a Pataphysical Introduction to the Canterbury Sound [Mixtape & Guide]

In mid-60s Canterbury, a new sound was germinating that would combine musical complexity with psychedelic whimsy, jazz-inspired improvisation, and avant-garde production techniques, proving to be a cornerstone of progressive music for decades to come.

Guide includes 100-minute mixtape, list of recommended albums, & further reading

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Cecil Taylor – Unit Structures

Album Information: Originally released in 1966 on Blue Note Records Recorded May 19, 1966 1973 Reissue Format: LP Personnel: Cecil Taylor – Piano Alan Silva – Upright Bass Henry Grimes – Upright Bass Andrew Cyrille – Drums Jimmy Lyons – Alto Saxophone Eddy Gale Stevens, Jr. – Trumpet Ken McIntyre – Alto Saxophone, Oboe, Bass

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