Originally released in 1969 on MPS Records 1972 BASF Pressing Format: LP
Tag: Improvisation
Keiji Haino, Jim O’Rourke, & Oren Ambarchi – This Dazzling, Genuine “Difference” Now Where Shall It Go?
This was released in 2017 on Black Truffle Records Recorded live on October 28, 2014 at SuperDeluxe Tokyo by Masahide … More
Tim Buckley – Happy Sad
Released in 1969 on Elektra Records
Arve Henriksen – Towards Language
On Towards Language, Norweigan trumpeter Arve Henriksen creates a blend of meditative and suspenseful ambient-jazz, demonstrating a more soothing side to his playing than his noisier output with electro-acoustic improvisers Supersilent.
Sun Ra – Space is the Place
Released in 1973 on Blue Thumb Records Format: LP, Quadrophonic Pressing
Young Jesus – The Whole Thing is Just There
The Whole Thing is Just There is another beautiful and life-affirming release from Young Jesus, the second with the current L.A. iteration of the band. Their inter-band chemistry seems stronger than ever, with telepathic improvisations, symbiotic catharses, and a mutual love for each other that is easily felt from a listener’s perspective. The lyrics deal with self-exploration and one’s relationship with the world around them, finding solace in spirituality, existentialism, literature, and the ethos of free jazz. Stylistically the music seems rooted in late-90’s indie rock and emo, with seamless but adventurous detours into post-rock, noisy post-hardcore, and free improvisation. Excited to see where these guys go next.
Mary Halvorson – Code Girl
Ravi Shankar – Three Ragas
Released in 1966 on World Pacific Records Recorded in 1956
Collin Walcott/Don Cherry/Nana Vasconcelos – Codona
Spacious, Raga-inflected improvisations from Collin Walcott, Don Cherry, and Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos. Walcott has studied sitar directly under Ravi Shankar, and tabla under Alla Rakha, while trumpeter and flutist Don Cherry, after playing regularly with Ornette Coleman, has proceeded to travel around the world to study various musical traditions. Their wide influences come together organically to create meditative and exploratory music. A melodic and atmospheric fusion of airy flutes, watery sitar, hypnotic hammered dulcimer arpeggiations, driving webs of percussion, and bassy throat singing.
Yonatan Gat – Universalists
The new album from guitarist Yonatan Gat finds cohesiveness in its sprawling diversity. Stylistically it combines the rawness of garage rock, the thematic improvisation of Free jazz, and the experimental editing of musique concréte with psychedelic production, Arabic and Klezmer scales and surfy tremelo guitars.
Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage
Released in 1966 on Blue Note Records 1971 United Artists Repress Format: LP
Irreversible Entanglements – Irreversible Entanglements
“Four relentless bouts of inspired fire music forged from the true spirit of free jazz, driven by searing poetic narrations of Black trauma, survival and power” (from press release)
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Art Ensemble of Chicago – Urban Bushmen
Released in 1981 on ECM Records Recorded in concert in May, 1980 at Amerika Haus München, Germany Format: LPx2
Alice Coltrane – Universal Consciousness
The Ornette Coleman Trio – At the “Golden Circle” Stockholm
Recorded Dec 3-4, 1965 in Stockholm, Sweden Released in 1966 on Blue Note Records Ornette Coleman – Alto Sax, Violin, … More
Cecil Taylor – Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come
Recorded live at Cafe Monmartre in Copenhagen, Denmark on November 23, 1962 Released in 1976 on Arista Records
Soft Machine – Fourth
Released in 1971 on Columbia Records Format: LP
Ornette Coleman – The Shape of Jazz to Come
Released in 1959 on Atlantic Records 1970’s Pressing
McCoy Tyner – Enlightenment
Information: Released in 1974 on Milestone Recorded on July 7, 1973
Miles Davis – Get Up With It
This fantastic compilation album consists of 2 hours of unreleased recording sessions ranging from 1970 to 1974. Despite some incohesiveness, this release contains some of the most exciting, creative and uncategorizable music of Miles’ career.
Causa Sui – Summer Sessions Vol. 1-3
Three volumes of instrumental heavy-psych jams from Denmark, inspired by Black Sabbath, jazz fusion and krautrock.
Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto – Love, Love
I highly recommend this album to fans of the innovative and exploratory period of jazz fusion of the early 70’s, where electric instrumentation, funk rhythms, experimental production techniques, and spacey synthesizers met the improvisation, freedom, and uplifting soul of the spiritual jazz of the 60’s. Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi trilogy, Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, Weather Report’s first LP are good touchstones, but this album truly offers something unique.
Ornette Coleman – Science Fiction
Ornette Coleman & Charlie Haden – Soapsuds, Soapsuds
Five intuitive and melodic duets performed by two longtime musical soulmates. Charlie Haden plays upright bass and Ornette plays tenor saxophone and trumpet on the last track.
Tony Scott – Music for Yoga Meditation and Other Joys
Peaceful drone meditations and mantras for bass clarinet and sitar. The improvisatory melodies are beautifully expressive, exploratory, and blanketed in a soft, soothing reverb.
Pharoah Sanders – Karma
Album Information: Released in 1969 on Impulse Records 1972 pressing
Herbie Hancock – Sextant
Album Information: Released in 1973 on CBS/Columbia
Dave Holland Quartet – Conference of the Birds
While living in London I had an apartment with a small garden. During he summer around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning, just as the day began, Birds would gather here one by one and sing together, each declaring its freedom in song. It is my wish to share the same spirit with other musicians and communicate it to the people. -Dave Holland
David Grubbs – Creep Mission
Album Information: Released in 2017 on Blue Chopsticks Records (Imprint of Drag City Records) Eli Keszler – Drums, Percussion (Tracks … More
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Magnetoception
Meditative jazz explorations of space, rhythm and textures inspired by Miles Davis’ ambient jazz pieces, Gnawa ceremonial music of North Africa, the spiritual jazz of Pharoah Sanders and Don Cherry, and the mutating minimalism of Steve Reich.
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Shakti – Shakti with John McLaughlin
Shakti means “Creative Intelligence, Beauty & Power” and trust me, these are all in abundance on these devotional jazz ragas. Featuring John McLaughlin joined by a quartet of Indian master musicians, this album is a blissfully uplifting and meditative release.
Shakti – Natural Elements
In this energizing exploration of Hindustani classical music from a jazz perspective, John McLaughlin joins a virtuosic trio of Indian musicians who inspire some of the most impassioned and impressive playing of his career. His acoustic guitar shredding veers close to the bendy sounds of the sitar and fits nicely with the dense web of percussion created by Vikku Vinayakram and Zakir Hussain. Violinist Lakshiminarayana Shankar’s emotive themes and fiery solos make him a perfect foil to McLaughlin.
Jeff Parker – The New Breed
“Classic creative bop melodies and golden era beat memories woven into a vibrant new thread of psychedelic soul jazz”
Charlie Haden – Liberation Music Orchestra
“The music in this album is dedicated to creating a better world; a world without war and killing, without racism, without poverty and exploitation; a world where men of all governments realize the vital importance of life and strive to protect it rather than destroy it. We hope to see a new society of enlightenment and wisdom where creative thought becomes the dominant force in all people’s lives” – Charlie Haden
John Coltrane: Interstellar Space
A couple of months before his death in 1967, John Coltrane went into the studio with drummer Rashied Ali to record some of the most free recordings he’s ever made, the freest of free jazz. Perhaps this freeness is due to the absence of other tonal instruments, leaving Coltrane untethered to harmony and 100% free to play whatever raw, unhindered creativity flows through him.