Beautifully free alto work from Byron Allen – a player who really shines brightly on this rare session for ESP Records – one of the few ever cut under his own name! Allen's got a style that's right up there with the 60s best from Ornette Coleman or Marion Brown – able to move ... read moreCD
Albert Ayler —
Bells ... LP ESP, 1965. Near Mint- ...
$29.99
A seminal live set by a young Albert Ayler – an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Very nice one-sided 70s Japanese pressing – BT 5004.)
Albert Ayler —
Bells/Prophecy ... CD ESP/ZYX (Germany), 1964/1965. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A double-length set that brings together 2 key early live sets by Albert Ayler – both recorded on the New York scene of the mid 60s! Bells was an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the ... read moreCD
A double-length set that brings together 2 key early live sets by Albert Ayler – both recorded on the New York scene of the mid 60s! Bells was an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the ... read moreCD
A beautifully packaged reissue of this rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out ... read moreCD
A previously unreleased live performance by Albert Ayler – recorded in France in 1970 for the Maeght Foundation, but not the same material that was issued on the better-known Shandar albums! This concert predates those, and is a unique later outing that's strongly in the spirit of some of ... read moreCD
Seminal ESP work from Albert Ayler – a unique session done as a soundtrack to a short (and weird!) film from experimental director Michael Snow! The lineup is a bit different than some of Ayler's other ESP albums – and features Don Cherry on trumpet and cornet, John Tchicai on alto, ... read moreCD
Seminal ESP work from Albert Ayler – a unique session done as a soundtrack to a short (and weird!) film from experimental director Michael Snow! The lineup is a bit different than some of Ayler's other ESP albums – and features Don Cherry on trumpet and cornet, John Tchicai on alto, ... read moreCD
Albert Ayler —
Prophecy ... LP ESP, 1964. Sealed ...
Out Of Stock
Early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A seminal Albert Ayler session from the 60s – recorded at the legendary Judson Hall with an incredible sound! There's a bold, righteous feel to this record that possibly even tops other Ayler classics for ESP – and the spacious setting makes the notes echo, rebound, and come back ... read moreCD
A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, ... read moreCD
A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, ... read moreCD
Really stunning work from John Blum – one of his few efforts as a lead act, and one that has us wondering why he hasn't given the world a lot more tremendous albums like this! Blum's got this way of attacking the piano that's definitely in the school of Cecil Taylor, an old mentor – ... read moreCD
Really stunning work from John Blum – one of his few efforts as a lead act, and one that has us wondering why he hasn't given the world a lot more tremendous albums like this! Blum's got this way of attacking the piano that's definitely in the school of Cecil Taylor, an old mentor – ... read moreCD
A rare non-Sun Ra session from bassist Ronnie Boykins! Boykins was one of Ra's most long-term players – a key part of the Arkestra for many years – but on this album, he hits a totally different sound –and one that's somewhat spiritual as well! The group's got a great sax-heavy ... read moreCD
A rare slice of work from trumpeter Don Cherry – music that's every bit as forward-thinking as his three classic 60s albums on Blue Note! The session is a live one, but the sound is quite strong – recorded up-close, and with great focus on Cherry's incredible horn work – as well ... read moreCD
A rare slice of work from trumpeter Don Cherry – music that's every bit as forward-thinking as his three classic 60s albums on Blue Note! The session is a live one, but the sound is quite strong – recorded up-close, and with great focus on Cherry's incredible horn work – as well ... read moreCD
(Out of print, with bonus DVD sampler of ESP titles.)
The third and final volume of Don Cherry's great performance at Cafe Montmartre from 1966 – and work that's even more far-reaching than the first two volumes! The album features two extended tracks – versions of "Complete Communion" and "Remembrance" – done in ... read moreCD
A really unique chapter in the career of Ornette Coleman – an album that he produced by himself in 1962, away from any other label – as an effort to showcase the newly freer sounds of his music! The recording's the first in a really groundbreaking stretch for the 60s – and it was ... read moreCD
(CONDTION NOTE: booklet pages are separated and held together with tape.)
One of the most obscure 60s jazz sessions on ESP – a really free outing from pianist Lowell Davidson, working here in a trio that includes Gary Peacock on bass and Milford Graves on drums! Davidson's approach to the keys is quite far out, especially for the time – very much in the mode ... read moreCD
Charles Gayle —
Look Up ... CD ESP, 1994. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A really raw set from reedman Charles Gayle – a 90s recording, but done with the ferocity of some of the hardest-hitting 60s sides from ESP Records! Gayle is completely unbridled – stretching out on very long tracks with tremendous free runs on tenor and bass clarinet – driven by ... read moreCD
A classic album of avant percussion – even if the title's a bit misleading! The Milford Graves Percussion Ensemble is mostly just Milford Graves himself, playing on drums, bells, gongs, and shakers – joined on this early album by Sunny Morgan, who also plays drums and bells on the set ... read moreCD
A classic album of avant percussion – even if the title's a bit misleading! The Milford Graves Percussion Ensemble is mostly just Milford Graves himself, playing on drums, bells, gongs, and shakers – joined on this early album by Sunny Morgan, who also plays drums and bells on the set ... read moreCD
Guillermo Gregorio —
2 Trios ... CD ESP, 2023. New Copy ...
$12.9914.99
The title's no lie, as reedman Guillermo Gregorio plays here in two different trios – each of whom get space in different halves of the set! The first half features Gregorio on clarinet next to some very cool vibes from Carrie Biolo, and cello from Fred Lonberg-Holm – a lineup that has ... read moreCD
A pair of rare albums from reedman Noah Howard – back to back in a single set! First up is the Noah Howard Quartet album from 1966 – one of the most obscure albums on the ESP label in the 60s – and a brilliant early chapter in the career of reedman Noah Howard! Howard is maybe ... read moreCD
Michael Gregory Jackson —
Clarity ... CD ESP, 1976. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
An overlooked early session from multi-instrumentalist Michael Gregory Jackson, recording here with a trio of great horn players in a wonderfully sensitive sound! The record's approach is a perfect illustration of the maturity on the New York avant scene in the late 70s – a real change from ... read moreCD
An incredible legacy of jazz – one that's certainly as disconnected as promised by the title, but which stands as a much-needed look at the many-sided talents of tenorist Allen Lowe! The set's on ESP Records, but often has sounds that are somewhat straight ahead – although often in a ... read moreCD
Allen Lowe & The Constant Sorrow Orchestra —
In The Dark (3CD set) ... CD ESP, 2023. New Copy 3CD ...
Out Of Stock
A surprisingly redemptive set of work – given that it's inspired by a time in the life of tenorist Allen Lowe when he was hardly able to sleep at all! The massive 3CD package works as this beautiful suite of tracks united by unexpected twists and turns along the way – very much woven ... read moreCD
One of the greatest albums on ESP – and a darkly-tinged document that points strongly towards the future of jazz at the end of the 60s! The album's one of the most focused of the early ESP years – and it features drummer Sunny Murray stepping out strongly as a leader – working ... read moreCD
One of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist ... read moreCD
A pair of amazing records from a legendary group – one who didn't record much, but who really shaped the sound of the avant garde in the 60s! First up is the self-titled New York Art Quartet, one of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best ... read moreCD
William Parker & Patricia Nicholson —
No Joke ... CD ESP, 2021. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A record that's as political as you might expect from its title, and a great collaboration between bassist William Parker and spoken word artist Patricia Nicholson! Make no mistake, the set's a jazz record first, with Nicholson's words added in over the top – as the rest of the group ... read moreCD
Rare Charlie Parker material – including a 1948 Royal Roost performance with Miles Davis on trumpet and Tadd Dameron on piano – and a 1949 Roost performances with Kenny Dorham on trumpet and Al Haig on piano. LP, Vinyl record album
An expanded version of the material that originally appeared on the Nothing Is album – stretched out here into a 2CD set that features loads of extra unreleased cuts from the recordings! The core album is one of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a ... read moreCD
Key Sun Ra albums for ESP records – the Heliocentrics World trifecta – in a 3CD set! The work here is a bit more intense than usual – almost cerebral at times, with very contemplative passages on percussion and reeds, offset by strong piano lines from Ra – all in a mode ... read moreCD
(Out of print Enhanced CD pressing – with the bonus Spaceways documentary film, photo archive and critical writings! Small piece of clear tape over a slight tear on the digipak spine.)
Key Sun Ra albums for ESP records – the Heliocentrics World trifecta – in a 3CD set! The work here is a bit more intense than usual – almost cerebral at times, with very contemplative passages on percussion and reeds, offset by strong piano lines from Ra – all in a mode ... read moreCD
A seminal set from Sun Ra – even if it's one of his few 60s albums not on the Saturn label! The set was done for ESP during the glory days of that avant powerhouse – a perfect match, given the Arkestra's relocation to New York, and the label's ability to reach out to big new audiences ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A seminal set from Sun Ra – even if it's one of his few 60s albums not on the Saturn label! The set was done for ESP during the glory days of that avant powerhouse – a perfect match, given the Arkestra's relocation to New York, and the label's ability to reach out to big new audiences ... read moreCD
(Numbered, limited edition. Cover has light wear.)
A seminal set from Sun Ra – even if it's one of his few 60s albums not on the Saturn label! The set was done for ESP during the glory days of that avant powerhouse – a perfect match, given the Arkestra's relocation to New York, and the label's ability to reach out to big new audiences ... read moreCD
The second set of Heliocentric tracks that Ra recorded for ESP, with a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The ... read moreCD
The second set of Heliocentric tracks that Ra recorded for ESP, with a freer feel, and a little bit more crazy playing than the first one. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion, and reed duties are held by Robert Cummings, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Marshall Allen. Ra plays tuned bongoes ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The second set of Heliocentric tracks that Ra recorded for ESP, with a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Previously unissued work by Sun Ra – tracks recorded during the sessions for his Heliocentric Worlds 2 album for ESP, but lost to the sands of time for nearly 40 years! Like that previous album, this one features a smaller version of the Arkestra than usual – an octet that has Ra ... read moreCD
One of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a tour of New York colleges in 1966, and very much in a spirit that captures the Arkestra at their best! Longer tracks are juxtaposed nicely with shorter ones – in a way that has the group running very ... read moreCD
(1998 limited and numbered LP sleeve edition. Cover has some wear and a very small peeled spot near the opening.)
Pure genius from The Revolutionary Ensemble – and one of the records that really helped set the stage for the New York loft jazz sound of the 70s! The lineup is quite unique – percussion from Jerome Cooper, violin from Leroy Jenkins, and bass from Sirone – a much more subtle ... read moreCD
(Out of print, former owner's stamp inside booklet.)
Beautiful sounds from Rova Sax Quartet – a group who virtually invented their format in the 70s, and are still very much masters of the game! The thing about Rova, is that they're never using an all-sax lineup as a gimmick – and although some horns occasionally served more rhythmic ... read moreCD
An obscure late ESP session featuring Don Rafael Garrett and Zusann Fasteau Garrett in a set of duets on percussion, bass, clarinet, and voice. The sound's a bit hippy dippy in parts, with a vibe that's kind of groovy and optimistic – but at other times, the playing is nice and spare, with a ... read moreCD
The title here is interesting – given that Matthew Shipp's been giving us new concepts in jazz piano for decades – yet there also is a way that this set differs from some of Shipp's classic recordings – maybe in part because it seems to hew to older piano trio traditions at times, ... read moreCD
Matthew Shipp Trio —
Circular Temple ... CD Infinite Zero/ESP, 1992. New Copy ...
$12.9914.99
A really important early album from this groundbreaking pianist – a set that initially got plenty of exposure at the time, thanks to its placement on the Infinite Zero label – even though Matthew Shipp's piano work was very far from the mainstream! The trio here is tremendous – ... read moreCD
Matthew Shipp Trio —
Circular Temple ... LP Infinite Zero/ESP, 1992. New Copy ...
$23.9926.99
A really important early album from this groundbreaking pianist – a set that initially got plenty of exposure at the time, thanks to its placement on the Infinite Zero label – even though Matthew Shipp's piano work was very far from the mainstream! The trio here is tremendous – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An incredible album by avant saxophonist Charles Tyler – and one of his most unique albums ever! Tyler's playing here in a wild setting – alto sax mixed with three stringed instruments, one cello and two basses – which makes for a very unusual sound. The album's got a deep, dark ... read moreCD
A new recording for the legendary ESP label – and one that definitely continues in the best tradition of their avant jazz sides from the 60s and 70s! The music here features the lineup of reedman Mat Walerian, pianist Matthew Shipp, and drummer Hamid Drake – coming together in space ... read moreCD
A vision of the future of avant garde jazz – recorded in 1966, and one of the most groundbreaking titles on the legendary ESP label! Saxophonist Marzette Watts is a player who hardly ever gets his due – but was part of the key new wave of younger players on the east coast scene of the ... read moreCD
A lost gem from the legendary Frank Wright – a previously-unissued live date from 1974, and one of his most hard-burning albums of the 70s! The group here is a quartet – driven by heavy drum work from Rashied Ali, who hosted the performance – plus incredible guitar from James ... read moreCD
(Promotional copy, comes in a slim case. Booklet has some wear.)
Mid 70s issue of some rare sides by Lester Young – recorded as live broadcasts from the Royal Roost in 1948. The group on the set features Ted Kelly on trombone, Freddie Jefferson on piano, Roy Haynes on drums, and Jessie Drakes on trumpet, and you can hear a bit of Symphony Sid introducing ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Very cool stuff – and a fittingly cool collection of work from the great ESP label! If you've never seen one of their samplers before, they're sort of a mad mix of many different styles – putting together tracks in short little blips, filtered out of longer original ones on albums, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album