Active Listening

Albert Ayler – Revelations

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

Moods: Ecstatic, Uplifting, Anthemic, Passionate, Energetic, Bittersweet, Cathartic, Chaotic, Cosmic, Flowing, Free, Heartfelt, Joyful, Kinetic, Love, Spiritual, Tender

Musical Qualities: Thematic, Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Extended Technique, Live Performance

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ONO – Red Summer

Styles: Industrial-Gospel, Dub Poetry, No Wave, Experimental

Moods: Visceral, Dystopian, Disturbing, Haunting, Surreal, Aggressive, Mechanical, Heavy, Deconstructed, Vulgar, Cerebral, Conscious, Dark, Ominous, Shadow

Themes: Racism, History, Philosophy, Sex

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Spoken Word, Dub, Sampling, Rhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Dissonant

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Cecil Taylor – Indent

Style: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz

Moods: Passionate, Kinetic, Complex, Ecstatic, Dramatic, Energetic, Angular, Exploratory, Meditative, Focused

Musical Qualities: Solo Improvisation, Dense, Acoustic, Progressive, Dynamic, Percussive, Atonal, Active Listening, Instrumental, Technical, Rhythmic, Live

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The Art Ensemble of Chicago – Bap-Tizum

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Creative, Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

Moods: Ritualistic, Passionate, Cathartic, Open, Colorful, Visceral, Warm, Communal, Free, Abstract, Chaotic, Exploratory, Responsive, Tribal, Spiritual

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Suite, Live, Dynamic, Polyphonic, Group Vocals

Instrumentation: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Kelphorn, Bass Drum, Percussion, Saxophones (Alto, Soprano, Sopranino, Tenor, & Bass), Clarinet, Drums, Alto Flute, Conga, Vibraphone, Upright Bass, Electric Bass, Log Drum, Gong, Whistle, Bass Marimba

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Angel Bat David – The Oracle

Style: Organic Beat Music, Bedroom Gospel, Spiritual Jazz

Moods: Heartfelt, Raw, Sombre, Spiritual, Flowing, Passionate, Mournful, Mysterious, Haunting, Cathartic, Eclectic

Musical Qualities: Home Recording, Collage, Beats, Improvisation, Solo, Loose, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Lo-fi

Instrumentation: Clarinet, Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion, Drums

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Osjan – Roots

Style: Free Folk, Organic Music, Progressive Folk, Psychedelic Chamber Music

Moods: Ritualistic, Ancient, Flowing, Tribal, Earthy, Communal, Hypnotic, Intertwined, Medieval, Mysterious, Mystical, Nocturnal

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Collective Improvisation, ?Acoustic, Suite, Thematic, Progressive, Atmospheric, Repetitive

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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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John Carter – Fields

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Country-Jazz, Jazz Theater

Vibe: Rural, Historical, Sombre, Resolute, Intertwined, Passionate, Storytelling, Determined, Resolute, Heartfelt, Complex, Theatric, Conceptual

Musical Qualities: Suite, Acoustic, Progressive, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Dynamic, Technical

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Jackie-O Motherfucker – Fig 5.

Style: Mystical Americana, Free Folk, Post-Rock, Drone

Vibe: Haunting, Meandering, Rootsy, Rustic, Nocturnal, Mysterious, Deconstructed, Ragged, Communal, Murky, Abstract, Lethargic, Hallucinogenic, Raw

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Instrumental (except B1,C1), Loose, Lo-fi, Dynamic, Droney, Noisy, Group Vocals (B1), Harmonies (B1, C1)

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Comus – First Utterance

Style: Avant-Folk, Progressive Folk

Moods: Ominous, Forest, Surreal, Dark, Theatrical, Disturbing, Hallucinatory, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Aggressive, Complex, Shadowy

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Percussive, Chamber Arrangements, Technical

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar (6 & 12-Strings), Violin, Viola, Oboe, Flute, Percussion, Electric Bass

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Wadada Leo Smith – Spirit Catcher

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Chamber Jazz, Modern Creative Music

Vibe: Intertwined, Open, Patient, Flowing, Noir, Suspenseful, Spiritual, Communal, Abstract

Musical Qualities: Poly-Free Improvisation, Polyphonic, Acoustic, Complex, Instrumental, Dynamic

Instrumentation: Trumpet (muted), Harp, Vibraphone, Upright Bass, Clarinet, Trombone, Wooden Flute, Drums, Saxophone, Flugelhorn

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Robert Wyatt – Shleep

Style: Surreal Pop, Imaginative Singer/Songwriter, Prog-Pop, Canterbury Scene

Vibe: Dreamy, Ethereal, Airy, Floating, Surreal, Eclectic, Introspective, Complex, Mellow, Imaginative, Atmospheric

Musical Attributes: Progressive, Melodic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Active listening, Jazz-Influenced

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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

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Joe McPhee – Nation Time

Originally released in 1971 on CjR Recorded December, 1970 Superior Viaduct Reissue (2019) Style: Free Funk, Free Jazz, Abstract Groove Vibe: Energetic, Triumphant, Groovy, Confident, Rebellious, Black Pride Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Live, Loose, Raw

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Keiji Haino & Sumac

The sludge oozing out of this record is so toxic that all traces of metal have nearly disintegrated, and the fumes cause nightmarish hallucinations to any who inhale.

Style: Free-Sludge, Avant-Metal, Free Improvisation

Vibe: Primal, Murky, Aggressive, Hallucinogenic, Cathartic, Complex

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Dissonant, Noisy, Progressive

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Irreversible Entanglements – Who Sent You?

Irreversible Entanglements follows up the scathing fire music of their debut with regenerative and ritualistic earth music. “Who Sent You?”, is a record that looks not only to the violent “rhythms of oppression”, past and present, that need to be burnt to the ground, but to a future built from the ashes of these unjust systems. Irreversible Entanglements are simply one of the most powerful bands in existence, building their symbiotic improvisations with fervent passion, hypnotic rhythm, and urgent truths.

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Anthony Davis – Epist?m?

Style: Poly-Free Improvisation, Modern Classical, Avant-Garde Big Band

Vibe: Complex, Hypnotic, Intense, Suspenseful, Cerebral

Musical Attributes: Polyrhythmic, Polyphonic, Odd Time Signatures, Acoustic, Poly-Free Improvisation, Repetitive

Instrumentation: Orchestral, Mallet Percussion (Marimba, Vibraphone, etc) Violin, Cello, Piano, Trombone, Drums, Flute, Bass Clarinet

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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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Arca – Arca

Released in 2017 on XL Recordings Format: LP Overview By introducing heartfelt vocals into her (often) harsh environments of contorted glitch-pop, Venezuelan producer Arca reaches near-claustrophobic levels of intimacy.

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Circle – Paris-Concert

While more cerebral than emotive, this live set is a frenzied demonstration of what four virtuosic musicians sound like when they give in to the intuitive whims of collective improvisation. Even when playing a composition, this quartet will stretch and mutate the melody into every possible pattern without ever playing it directly. The group interplay is often bombastic and can be overwhelming, but thankfully they vary the dynamics through mellower sections, as well as solo and duo pieces.

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