A great bit of work from the hip LA scene that centered around the Nimbus label at the end of the 70s – a collective who work together here with the same spiritual jazz modes you'd find on labels like Tribe or Strata East! The group features some bigger names from the scene, including some solo Nimbus acts – plus some other overlooked players – a lineup that includes Henry Franklin on bass, George Bohannon on trombone, Wilbert Hemsley on tenor, Dadesi Komolafe on flute, Jeff Clayton on baritone, and Gary Bias on alto and soprano sax. The album's also got some beautiful vocals from BJ Crowley – who co-leads the group, and sings out with a proud righteousness that recalls some of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn's early early soul jazz recordings. The tracks are all long and spiraling numbers – never really "out", but in a free searching mode that's a perfect platform for the piano work of the other co-leader, Kaeef Ruzadun. Titles include "One Step Out", "Flashback Of Time", "All Praises Due", and "Stars In Lightyear Time". CD

Chicago had the Art Ensemble of Chicago at the end of the 60s – and St Louis had the fantastic Human Arts Ensemble at the start of the 70s – a wonderfully creative jazz group who shared a lot of the same ideas of improvisation and artistic freedom as the AACM up in the Windy City! This album's maybe that group's lasting legacy – a fantastic record that's sometimes as funky as it is spiritual, as outside as it is tied to older jazz traditions – performed by a core lineup that includes Oliver Lake on alto and tenor, Lester Bowie on trumpet, Marty Erlich on alto and flute, James Marshall and JD Parran on additional reeds, Charles Bobo Shaw on drums, and Carol Marshall on vocals and small instruments! The group have a very special vibe – one that comes through especially strong on the side-long "Lover's Desire" – a nice slightly-funky number that has a groove that's sort of modal. Side two of the album features "Hazrat The Sufi", a long creative avant piece, with insane ensemble playing that's very much in the AACM mode – but with some touches that also point the way towards the later loft jazz scene in New York – especially the world in which Lake would become such a key participant. CD

A treasure trove of spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor – featuring his famous 70s recordings with The Pyramids, solo material, and even some previously unissued titles! The bulk of the collection comes from The Pyramids' albums Birth Speed Merging, Lalibela, and King Of Kings – all freely creative records that build upon traditions initiated by the AACM in Chicago, and taken further groups like The Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Human Arts Ensemble, or Oneness Of Juju. Many tracks build freely from earthy percussion, bits of vocals, and spiraling solos on saxes and flute – with a sound that's incredibly soulful and righteous – very positive and progressive, and easily some of the best work of this nature from the time! 2CD set features Pyramids tracks "The Land Of Eternal Song (part 3)", "Mohgo Naba", "Queen Of The Spirits (part 3)", "Black Man Of The Nile", "Aomawa", "The River Ganges", and "Masenko Nights" – plus "Spiritual Rebirth", "Centurian", "Topanga", "Cubana", and "Africa" by Idris Ackamoor; as well as "The Shepherd's Tune" by The Collective. CD

A rare early session from vibist Khan Jamal – recorded with his Philly-based Creative Arts Ensemble collective! The group follows strongly in the spirit of similar combos from Chicago and St Louis – particularly the latter – and Jamal's group is working here in a mode that's initiated by the original sonic experiments of the AACM, but taken to deeper, more organic levels. Given Khan's later work, the thing that's most surprising here is the sound texture of the record – because although seemingly improvised, there's also a greater feel towards a whole here – a spacey, ethereal quality that reminds us of some of Sun Ra's most creative moments. Jamal plays vibes, marimba, and clarinet – and the rest of the group includes Monette Sudler on guitar and percussion, Alex Ellison on drums, Dwight James on drums and clarinet, and Billy Mills on both electric and acoustic bass. Although not overly electric, there's a shimmering quality to the music here – as if the production abstracted the original acoustic sound with weird echo and other techniques! Titles include "Inner Peace", "Drum Dance", "Cosmic Echoes", and "Breath Of Life". CD

A treasure trove of avant jazz from the legendary Creative Music Workshop in Woodstock – plus a handful of equally great globally-oriented projects too! The 3CD package is overflowing with great music from the vaults of Creative Arts – and is worth it enough for the 2CDs' worth of jazz material, which really capture that moment when the loft jazz scene of New York was reaching out with even wider aspirations – to influence generations of jazz around the globe in years to come. CD1 features some incredible small group tracks – including a duet between Anthony Braxton on reeds and Marilyn Crispell on piano; a trio with Kalaparusha on reeds, John Betsch on drums, and Juma Sultan on bass; a piano duet between Frederic Rzewksi and Karl Berger; a quintet led by altoist Lee Konitz with Berger on vibes and piano; and a trio with Paul Motian on drums, David Izenzon on bass, and Charles Brackeen on reeds. CD2 features larger ensembles, equally great – one led by Don Cherry on flutes, trumpets, and piano – with Collin Walcott on sitar and Nana Vasconcelos on percussion; another group led by Baikida Carroll on trumpet and featuring Marilyn Crispell on piano; and the last a group with Gerry Hemmingway on drums, plus Don Davis on alto and Crispell on piano. CD2 features work that's in a similar vein, but with more world influences – including one track with Paulo Moura on reeds and Trilok Gurtu on tabla; another with Walcott on sitar, Vasconcelos on percussion, and Gurtu on tabla; another with Karl Berger on vibes and Aiyb Dieng on percussion; and one more with Berger on balafon, Gurtu on tabla, Vasconcelos on berimbau, and Ismet Siral and Steve Gorn on flutes. A heck of a lot of great music for the price – all previously unreleased! CD

2 early treasures from O Terco – packaged here in one sweet little set! First up is Criaturas Da Noite – excellent progressive rock from Brazil! O Terco were one of the few creative ensembles to remain in Brazilian rock after the slow disintegration of Os Mutantes – and this 1975 album is one of their best records ever – with a far-ranging, free-thinking sound that continues a tradition that runs back to Som Imaginario. Rogerio Duprat handled arrangements for the orchestra that backs up the band's regular quartet lineup – and tracks include "1974", "Criaturas Da Noite", "Hey Amigo", and "Ponto Final". On Casa Encantada, the band's got a nice heavy feel that mixes earlier proggish experiments with tighter 70s production – and the result is a blend of tracks that we find ourselves returning to more than we'd expect! The guitars are nice and compressed, and the vocals are produced with a good kind of LA harmony-ish sound that reminds us a bit of some moments on the Peruvian scene – like work from We All Together. These guys are a bit deeper, though – and tend to go out more on their solos and rhythm parts, a bit like some earlier material by the group Som Imaginario. Titles include "Solaris", "Passaro", "Flor De La Noche II", "Guitarras", and "Luz De Vela". CD

A trio of albums from John Stevens' Away – all packaged together in a single CD set! First up is the initial outing from the group – a surprising little set from drummer John Stevens – quite different work than his more outside, freewheeling material in the Spontaneous Music Ensemble! This group hits that second chapter of British jazz rock that the Vertigo label did so well – a style that's much more mature than most American variants of the mode – neither stock rock fusion, nor smooth soul – and instead this approach that's still quite complicated and challenging at times, even though the music can have a nicely tight focus! The group features some excellent alto from Trevor Watts – who brings in lots of sharp edges – and the set also features Peter Cowling on bass and Steve Hayton on guitar. Titles include "Tumble", "It Will Never Be The Same", and "Anni". On Somewhere In Between, drummer John Stevens hits a lot of bases on a great second album with his Away group – almost funky at points, almost outside at others, and always working with the group in a searing, searching mode that's a cut above the usual fusion of the time! There's a bit more electricity on the set this time – electric bass from Nick Stephens and guitar from David Cole – but the energy of the set is still very spontaneous, and driven by Stevens' creative work on drums – and given plenty of bite from the soprano and tenor sax of Robert Calvert. The set's got a plenty fresh vibe – very much like labelmates Nucleus at this point, with lots of sharp edges and complicated patterns – but a sound that's still very down to earth. Titles include "Spirit Of Peace", "Chick Boom", "Can't Explain", and "Now". Mazin Ennit is definitely as amazing as the title proclaims – a bit leaner than before, with this wonderful use of two basses alongside the drums of John Stevens – all in a groove that refines older Brit jazz rock modes, but without losing any sort of edge! There's a complexity here that still lives up to Stevens' rich legacy in music – and the group features lots of sweet reedwork from Robert Calvert, who blows both soprano and tenor. Titles include "Away", "Sunshine Sunshine", "Whoops A Daisy", "Light Relief", and "Temple Music". CD features bonus tracks – "Anni (parts 1 & 2)" featuring John Martyn, and "Can't Explain (parts 1 & 2)" featuringt Terri Quaye. CD

A much-needed recording of the late 60s big band of pianist Duke Pearson – an amazing ensemble who only recorded just a bit for Blue Note – and who really shine here in this rare concert performance! The set was recorded as part of the legendary late 60s run of concerts for Baltimore's Left Bank Jazz Society – but it's got an approach that's a lot tighter and more focused than some of those mostly-freewheeling dates – thanks to some really sharp charts from Duke, who was by this time turning out to be one of the 60s most creative jazz arrangers! There's a sense of vibrancy to the music that's really tremendous – not the flashy flourishes of other big bands on the American scene, but a deep understanding of tone and color – mixed with a sense of rhythm that really brings plenty of soul to the set too. The lineup's filled with great players whose solos make the whole thing sparkle – including Donald Byrd and Burt Collins on trumpets, Julian Priester and Eddie Bert on trombone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Frank Foster and Lew Tabackin on tneor, and Pepper Adams on baritone sax. Pearson's piano is a key part of the sound – nestled wonderfully in the crack rhythm team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – and titles include "Ready When You Are CB", "Eldorado", "New Girl", "Tones For Joan's Bones", "Straight Up & Down", and "Night Song". CD