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
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
Style: Brit-Folk, Chamber Folk, Jazz-Folk
Vibe: Flowing, Morning, Breezy, Warm, Medieval, Sentimental, Rootsy, Mellow, Pastoral, Uplifting
Musical Qualities: Vocal Harmonies, Acoustic, Traditional, Melodic, Improvisation
Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitars (Fingerstyle), Vocals, Upright Bass, Sitar, Dulcimer, Banjo, Recorder, Harmonica, Electric Guitar, Drums
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
Style: Organic Beat Music, Spiritual Jazz, Cosmic Folk
Vibe: Intertwined, Hypnotic, Earthy, Warm, Spiritual, Cosmic
Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Acoustic, Improvisation, Electro-Acoustic, Beats
Instrumentation: Clarinet, Keyboards, Piano, Drum Machine, Percussion, Cornet, Upright Bass, Pocket Trumpet
Style: Ambient Folk, ECM-Jazz, New Age
Vibe: Soothing, Airy, Meditative, Pastoral, Winter, Open, Hypnotic, Nature
Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Percussive, Sparse, Progressive
Instrumentation: 6 & 12-String Acoustic Guitars, Percussion (Kalimba, Shaker, Bongos, Congas, etc), Tape Loops
Style: Jazz-Folk, Singer/Songwriter
Vibe: Haunting, Passionate, Forest, Ethereal, Melancholy, Contemplative, Love, Lush
Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Progressive, Improvisation
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)
Style: Creative Music, Future Jazz, Organic Beat Music, Pan-Americana, Art Pop
Vibe: Romantic, Sci-Fi, Determined, Triumphant, Colorful, Eclectic, Communal, Futuristic, Groovy, Rootsy, Spiritual, Warm
Musical Qualities: Thematic, Polyphonic, Percussive, Polyrythmic, Percussive, Improvisation, Electro-Acoustic, Progressive
Style: Jazz-Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Psychedelic Folk-Rock
Vibe: Romantic, Warm, Cryptic, Reflective, Passionate, Heartfelt, Lethargic, Stoned, Sunny
Musical Qualities: Lyrical, Melodic, Improvisation
Joshua Abrams – Guimbri
Chad Taylor – Mbira
Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Repetitive, Sparse, Acoustic, Minimalist
Style: Progressive Songwriter, Jazz-Rock, Prog-Folk, Post-Rock
Vibe: Spring, Introspective, Warm, Intertwoven, Bright, Colorful, Carefree, Reflective, Personal
Musical Qualities: Lush, Progressive, Odd Time Signatures, Intricate, Dynamic, Polished, Improvisation, Lyrical, Riffs, Orchestral Arrangements
Style: Ecstatic Folk-Jazz, Devotionals
Vibe: Communal, Spiritual, Ritualistic, Uplifting, Earthy, Intertwined, Mystical, Religious, Warm
Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Chants, Collective Improvisation, Percussive
Style: New Weird Americana, Post-Modern Appalachia, Jazz-Folk
Vibe: Autumnal, Earthy, Imaginative, Lush, Morning, Peaceful, Rootsy, Rustic, Warm, Contemplative
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Melodic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Improvisation, Progressive, Lyrical
Instrumentation: Fiddle, Drums, Banjo, Vocals, Percussion, Saxophone, Acoustic Guitar, Drum Machine, Percussion, Electric Bass, Organ Synthesizers, Flute
Collaborators: Leo Abrahams, Shahzad Ismaily, Sam Gendel,
Milford Graves, Chris Vatalaro, James Sultan
Style: British-Folk, Jazz-Folk
Vibe: Rootsy, Warm, Mellow, Morning, Rural, Carefree, Breezy
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Vocal Harmonies, Progressive, Melodic
Style: Singer/Songwriter, Jazz-Folk
Vibe: Passionate, Sensual, Exploratory, Loner, Primal
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Live, Lyrical
Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Congas, Vibraphone, Electric Bass, Drums
Released in 2017 on Drag City Records Format: LP Review “The world wants an oath but all you can say is: ‘I promise to take up space. I can only promise to take up space” In a society that places such high expectations on individuals to shrink themselves in order to fit into the predominating …
Released in 1976 on Asylum Records Format: LP
Ryley Walker’s virtuosic fingerpicking and intricate folk-rock songwriting vibe heavily with a backing band of Chicagoan jazz musicians, including upright bass, drums, Rhodes and electric guitar. The first LP of this release is a studio album of jazzy folk rock songs for fans of Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks or Tim Buckley’s Happy Sad, while the Bonus Lp of this “Deep Cuts edition” is a 40 min live improvisation on one of the album cuts that probably beats anything on the studio LP. It’s rad to be able hear both the concise, song-centric studio side and the loose jammy side of this exciting artist in the same release.
Released in 1968 on Warner Bros.
British singer-songwriter John Martyn fuses folk, jazz, and psychedelic experimentation to create an album that is both eclectic and cohesive, tied together by his flowing voice and virtuosic acoustic guitar fingerpicking.
FFO Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Ryley Walker
Acoustic-shredder/singer-songwriter ventures out of the jazz-inflected folk-rock territory explored by his last few albums to create something that feels fully himself. Deafman Glance is full of angular left turns, complex structures, airy flutes, jazz detours, and psychedelic atmospheres. A balance of great songwriting, jazz musicianship, and experimental/art-rock tendencies. Recommended to fans of Tortoise’s Standards, Tim Buckley’s Starsailor, and King Crimson’s Red. (Click for full review).
Charming 70’s AM Pop vibes with elaborate string and horn arrangements and a jazzy rhythm section, including the legendary Brian Blade on drums. Great songwriting from Sam Beam, as usual.
Blue Afternoon continues the flowing jazz-folk of Tim’s previous release (Happy Sad) while starting to detour into the avant-garde atmospheres that would manifest more fully on his next two albums, Lorca and Starsailor. The songs and lyrics refuse to be boxed into one category as “joyful” or “lonely” or “sad” and instead reflect the intangible multi-dimensionality of feeling.
Jazz Fusion-inflected Folk Rock with poetic lyricism, ethereal atmospheres, spacey synths, and a lot of fretless bass.
Jazzy Folk-Rock with dynamic songwriting, passionate vocals, and acoustic shredding accompanied by fluid drums, watery vibraphones, distorted keys and groovy upright bass. FFO Astral Weeks, Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, and Tim Buckley
