Tag: 1970s

Between – And the Waters Opened

Style: Psychedelic Chamber Music, Kosmische Musik, Ritual-Folk, Global Fusion

Vibe: Spiritual, Meditative, Communal, Psychedelic, Earthy, Forest, Ritualistic, Tribal

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Atmospheric, Chamber, Droney, Raga, Percussive, Chants

Instrumentation: Oboe, Keyboards, Conga, Acoustic Guitar, Bamboo Flute

Kraftwerk – Autobahn

Style: Krautrock, Electro-Pop, Progressive Electronic

Vibe: Motorik, Mechanical, Anthemic, Futuristic, Sleek, Urban, Warm, Hypnotic, Driving, Bright

Musical Attributes: Melodic, Repetitive, Progressive, Catchy, Polished, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Airto – Seeds on the Ground

Style: Psychedelic Samba-Jazz

Vibe: Warm, Earthy, Breezy, Psychedelic, Romantic

Musical Qualities: Groovy, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Collective Improvisation, Technical

Hawkwind – Hall of the Mountain Grill

Style: Space Rock, Stoner-Prog, Heavy Psych

Vibe: Rebellious, Heavy, Driving, Spacey, Sci-Fi, Triumphant, Confident, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Fuzzy, Riffs, Progressive

Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of a Man

Style: Soul Jazz, Singer/Songwriter, Jazz-Funk

Vibe: Conscious, Bittersweet, Political, Uplifting, Sunny, Warm, Urban, Sombre, Poetic, Contemplative, Observant, Passionate, Determined, Confident

Musical Qualities: Groovy, Lush, Spoken Word, Technical

Eberhard Weber’s Colours – Silent Feet

Style: Chamber Jazz, ECM Jazz

Vibe: Impressionistic, Peaceful, Lush, Triumphant, Climactic, Open, Airy, Bright

Musical Attributes: Progressive, Acoustic, Instrumental, Melodic, Improvisation (Structured, Chordal), Dynamic, Technical

Instrumentation: Upright Bass, Soprano Sax, Piano, Drums

Bill Connors – Of Mist and Melting

Personnel: Bill Connors – Acoustic Guitar, Jack DeJohnette – Drums, Gary Peacock – Upright Bass, Jan Garabek – Saxophone

Style: ECM Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Atmospheric Jazz

Vibe: Airy, Suspenseful, Smooth, Open

Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Improvisation, Atmospheric, Technical, Instrumental

Cluster – Sowiesoso

Style: Progressive Electronic, Kosmische Musik

Vibe: Forest, Mysterious, Pastoral, Cosmic, Nature, Mellow, Contemplative, Focused, Motorik, Nocturnal

Musical Attributes: Instrumental, Repetition, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Instrumentation: Analogue Synthesizers, Drum Machine

Revolutionary Ensemble

Style: Free Jazz, Creative Music

Vibe: Ritualistic, Loose, Cathartic, Complex

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Polyphonic, Active Listening, Instrumental, Dynamic, Live

Instrumentation: Violin, Upright Bass, Drums

Pharoah Sanders – Wisdom Through Music

Style: Spiritual Jazz



Vibe: Joyful, Passionate, Spiritual, Uplifting, Warm, Love, Colorful, Communal, Cosmic, Earthy, Energetic, Groovy



Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Chants, Africa-Influenced, India-Influenced, Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Percussive

Osamu Kitajima – Benzaiten

Style: Progressive Acid-Folk, Ritual-Folk, Psych-Rock



Moods: Sombre, Earthy, Ritualistic, Psychedelic, Brooding, Exploratory, Mysterious, Spiritual



Musical Attributes: Progressive, Acoustic, Percussive, Rhythmic, Complex, Dynamic



Pharoah Sanders – Live at the East

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

Vibe: Ritualistic, Spiritual, Triumphant, Uplifting, Warm, Cathartic, Communal, Cosmic, Energetic, Intense, Passionate

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Live, Polyphonic, Percussive, Multiple Drummers

Miles Davis – Double Image

Style: Abstract Groove, Jazz Fusion, Raga Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz, Ambient Jazz

Vibe: Exploratory, Abstract, Mysterious, Chaotic, Hypnotic, Psychedelic, Suspenseful

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Rhythmic, Dense, Complex, Polyphonic

Featuring Dave Holland, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bennie Maupin, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Airto Moreira and others

The Incredible String Band – U

Style: Psychedelic Folk, Brit-Folk

Vibe: Theatric, Colorful, Eccentric, Eclectic, Imaginative, Messy, Mystical, Playful, Surreal, Warm

Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Lyrical, Conceptual, Indian-Influenced

Lyrics: Storytelling, Philosophical, Fantasy, Humorous, Poetic

John Surman, John McLaughlin, Dave Holland, Karl Berger, Stu Martin – Where Fortune Smiles

Style: Free Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibe: Triumphant, Energetic, Epic, Exploratory, Loose, Spiritual, Suspenseful, Angular, Chaotic

Musical Attributes: Polyphonic, Progressive, Complex, Dissonant, Dynamic, Technical, Acoustic, Improvisation (Collective, Thematic), Instrumental

Joe McPhee – Nation Time

Originally released in 1971 on CjR Recorded December, 1970 Superior Viaduct Reissue (2019) Style: Free Funk, Free Jazz, Abstract Groove … More

Robbie Basho – Visions of the Country

Style: American Primitivism, Singer/Songwriter, Folk, Raga
Vibe: Mystical, Nature, Open, Passionate, Pastoral, Peaceful, Airy, Contemplative, Earthy, Impressionistic, Meditative, Morning, Spring, Spiritual,
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Indian-Influenced, Sparse, Technical

Sly & the Family Stone – There’s a Riot Goin’ On

Style: Psychedelic Funk

Vibe: Triumphant, Energetic, Anthemic, Communal, Rebellious, Groovy, Sunny, Psychedelic, Powerful, Confident, Eclectic, Complex

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson – Bridges

Style: Soul, Jazz-Funk, Singer-Songwriter

Vibe: Conscious, Groovy, Lush, Lyrical, Passionate, Philosophical, Political, Sunny, Triumphant, Uplifting, Urban, Accessible, Bittersweet, Catchy, Confident

Eddie Henderson – Realization

Style: Abstract Funk, Jazz Fusion, Spiritual Jazz

Lineup: Eddie Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin, Lenny White, Billy Hart, Buster Williams, Pat Gleeson

Vibe: Cosmic, Exploratory, Groovy, Atmospheric, Spacey, Spiritual

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Odd Time Signatures, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Anthony Braxton – Creative Orchestra Music 1976

Style: Avant-Garde Big Band, Free Jazz

Vibe: Cerebral, Bombastic, Energetic, Complex, Abstract

Musical Attributes: Dense, Poly-Free Improvisation, Polyphonic, Dynamic, Instrumental, Technical, Innovative

Pharoah Sanders – Village of the Pharoahs

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz
Vibe: Communal, Earthy, Energetic, Hypnotic, Intense, Loose, Mystical, Passionate, Spiritual, Tribal, Uplifting, Warm, Dance
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Complex, Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Dense, Thematic, Suite

The Sea Ensemble – We Move Together

An obscure release from the great creative label ESP-Disk, containing exploratory, mysterious and playful improvisations from The Sea Ensemble—the husband/wife duo of Zusaan Fasteau and Donald Rafael Garrett. While they are both trained musicians and multi-instrumentalists, an uninhibited childish spirit permeates this release, as can be seen in Donald’s crude but visionary cover drawing; Yet the recording also feels imbued with ancient wisdom, as heard in their primal and instinctive vocalizations throughout the album

Mike and Lal Waterson – Bright Phoebus

Style: British Folk, Country-Influenced
Vibe: Contemplative, Earthy, Introspective, Melancholy, Rootsy, Rural, Storytelling
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Vocal Harmonies, Lyrical, Melodic, Simple, Sparse

Univers Zéro – Univers Zero

Style: Chamber Rock, Avant-Prog, Rock In Oppositon

Vibe: Anxious, Angular, Mysterious, Ominous, Dark, Dystopian

Musical Attributes: Instrumental, Complex, Dissonant

Instrumentation: Bassoon , Violin, Viola, Cello, Harmonium, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Drums

Gong – Angel’s Egg (Radio Gnome Invisible Part 2)

The second Radio Gnome transmission finds Zero the Hero astral projecting to PlanetGong where he meets with Selene the Moon Goddess and the Octave Doctors to learn the infinite powers of their lovewisdom vibrations. This psychedelic journey brings together fantastical imagery of pothead pixies and flying teapots (and a dose of hippy hedonism) with heady spiritual concepts delivered in a quite fun and silly way, but even before digging into the concept I was immediately grabbed by their unique style spacey jazz-rock with its propulsive bass lines, immersive synthesizer atmospheres and serpentine soprano sax soloing.

Herbie Hancock – Mwandishi

Released in 1971 on Warner Bros. Format: LP, white label promo

John Fahey & His Orchestra – Old Fashioned Love

Another interesting one from Fahey, side A consists of some amazingly intricate guitar duets with Woodrow Mann, including my favorite Fahey song “Jaya Shiva Shankarah”. Side B takes a strange turn though…halfway through the title track a 10-piece dixieland band kicks for a few tracks of New Orleans-style jazz. The album closes in a more familiar place with a contemplative solo piece that most Fahey fans would dig.