Pre-Atlantic work from Ornette Coleman – one of his first recorded statements in jazz – and one of his boldest! At some level, the complete Coleman sound isn't entirely in place here – as there's a bit of a trace of hardbop in the mix – not entirely, but just a bit. But at another level, the record's still way darn bolder than just about anything coming out of LA at the time – proof that amidst all the cool jazz ruminations of the 50s, there was a second wave of modernism about to explode! The group here features Don Cherry on trumpet, Walter Norris on piano, Don Payne on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and while the core harmelodic rhythmic approach isn't always in place, it's more than made up for by some surprisingly free energy. Titles include "Invisible", "The Blessing", "Alpha", and "The Sphinx". LP, Vinyl record album

The continuing lost legacy of Patrick Cowley – the San Francisco 80s club maestro who made some famous records with Sylvester – but who also did a huge amount of underground sounds for porno films at the time! This set digs deep into that legacy – by featuring music that Cowley did for the 1982 film Afternooners, as well as a few other tracks from the time – material that's a great 80s extrapolation of the sorts of slinky funk you'd know from 70s porn! The sounds here are heavy on beats and keyboards – a much more slowed-down take on territory that Cowley explored on his club singles of the period – and the basslines are plenty heavy, and very seductive – as you might imagine, given the images they were used with on the screen. We should tell you that the package does include a few nude images inside – so be warned if you're offended by that sort of thing. Titles include "Love Come Set Me Free", "Big Shot", "Surfside Sex", "Hot Beach", "The Runner", "One Hot Afternoon", "Leather Bound", and "Bore & Stroke". LP, Vinyl record album

A very rare (and very early) album by the great British saxophonist Lol Coxhill! The session was recorded live in concert, and Coxhill plays in a trio with Jasper Van't Hof on electric and acoustic pianos, and Pierre Courbois on percussion. Although the record is quite "out", the overall approach is much more straight than Coxhill's other records from the time – as no studio work, strange effects, or overdubs are included. Some tracks have a very free sound to them – but there's also a few others that have a nice spiraling groove, thanks to Van't Hof's piano. Titles include "Toverbal Sweet", "Clompen Stomp", "Association", "Spirit Of Maasluis", "Jasper & Out", and "Toverbal". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously unissued album from Indian guitarist Amancio D'Silva – recorded during his legendary run of work at Lansdowne Studios, but making its first-ever appearance here! The work on the set is every bit as far-reaching and progressive as some of D'Silva's official releases – and like those sides, this one does a tremendous job of blending complicated guitar lines, unusual rhythms, and some super-hip instrumentation! Amancio has a way of playing guitar that's a bit like Gabor Szabo – airy and exotic at times, with a free-flowing quality that's really explored nicely here on the longish tunes on the set. Players include Don Rendell on saxophone, Stan Tracey on piano, and Alan Branscombe on flute, vibes, and electric piano – but best of all is the use of sitar and tabla on the record – often employed sparingly, but in a way that adds some great echoes of Indian music. Titles include "A Street In Bombay", "What Maria Sees", "A Song For Francesca", and "Konkan Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

While most collaborations between hip hop producers and jazz players have been mediocre at best, neither really being able to get invloved enough in each other's music, this collaboration between Kondo and Krush is almost entirely successful. Kondo's played in just about every style from all out free jazz to hard bop, and Krush's spare and slightly abstract approach to both the turntables and with his beats creates just the right backdrop. We got open on "Ha Doh", "Sun Is Shining", "Fu Yu" and "Ki gen". 13 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a set from the 70s African scene – and a record that may well be a lot rawer and harder than most that you have in your collection! Ferry Djimmy was originally a boxer, and spent time outside of his native Benin – but on a return to the country in the early 70s, he cut this cooker of a record – one that's completely unbridled and stripped-down – with a lot leaner vibe than most other African funk of the time! Many cuts just have basslines, percussion, and guitar – tight and sinister, and driving forward with non-stop action while Ferry sings the lyrics in a very earthy style. The whole thing's incredible – and titles include "Be Free", "When I Come In The Road", "Young Revolution", "Carry Me Blak", "Ichango", "Love Love", "Chiriki Man", and "Start To Pray". LP, Vinyl record album

Great duo vocals from the team of Albert Bailey and Clifton Howell – recording here with some excellent rhythms from Sly & Robbie and the rest of the Channel One crew! The music is mostly mellow, with a stepping groove that works great for the harmonies of the pair – and there's a fair bit of roots numbers here, mixed with some warmer lovers' rock titles too. Like other great titles on Pressure Sounds, this one does a great job of giving Earth & Stone the showcase they deserve – with excellent sound, and notes on the music – and titles that include "False Ruler", "Once Bitten Twice Shy", "Black Roots", "Three Wise Men", "Holy Land Of Home", "Jail House Set Me Free", "Devil Wise", "House Of Dub", "Wiser Dub", and "Jester Not". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing later work from Booker Ervin – far more modern and far-reaching than you'd guess from the "Texas" title in the set! Although Ervin first came onto the scene as a strong-voiced tenorist from a Texas tradition, through the course of the 60s he'd really expanded his musical vision – working with Charles Mingus, Jaki Byard, and others to push his already-soulful sound into a freer-thinking mode that was one of the most compelling approaches to tenor at the time. And while this change had been documented on some key sides for Prestige and World Pacific at the time, this rare 1968 session for Blue Note is perhaps one of the best of the bunch – but oddly was somehow never issued at the time, and only made a brief appearance in 1976, as part of a 2LP set. Ervin's working here with a totally hip group – one that has Woody Shaw in the frontline on trumpet, and a rhythm team of Kenny Barron on piano, Jan Arnet on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all grooving with Ervin in styles that recall the modal vamping and soaring energy that Shaw would later bring to his own solo work in the 70s. Tracks are all longish, and filled with a sense of life and exploration that shows that Ervin was growing tremendously in this last stretch of his all-too-short life – never too free, always in control, yet roaming the skies in search of new notes and sounds! Titles include "Gichi", "Den Tex", "Lynn's Tune", "204", and an early version of Shaw's "In A Capricornian Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans meets Bill Evans – in a uniquely-styled session that features overdubbed solo lines from Bill, creating a multi-piano sound that's really great! The approach sounds gimmicky, but it's not – and Evans carries all the sensitivity you might expect from the title and image on the cover – a personal, up-close style that's nicely free from piano solo cliches, given the extra work of the overdubs. There's a nicely rhythmic feel to most numbers, and the piano lines often work in chromatic counterpoint to create a warmly sparkling quality to the set. Titles include "Round About Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Theme From Spartacus", "Stella By Starlight", and "NYC's No Lark". LP, Vinyl record album

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with some surprisingly soulful moments, thanks in part to some well-chosen samples from classic years of soul – including snippets of work from The Impressions, James Brown, Minnie Riperton, and The Spinners – all of whom really provide some nice balance with the more hardcore lyrics upfront! That balance is maybe Freeway showing his Philly pedigree – next to plentiful guests who include Jay Z, Beanie Sigel, Snoop, Nelly, Nate Dogg, Faith Evans, Sparks, and others. Tracks include "Free", "What We Do", "Don't Cross The Line", "Turn Out The Lights", "Victim Of The Ghetto", "Flipside", "You Got Me", "Alright", "You Don't Know", and "Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled album from Japanese pianist Ryo Fukui – one that's got a warm sense of flow that takes it well past conventional piano trio work! The group here features Fukui on piano, Satoshi Denpo on bass, and Yoshinori Fukui on drums – all working together beautifully as a unit – with a vibe set fire by Ryo's work on the keys, and a sense of imagination that makes even familiar tunes sound completely fresh. The whole thing's in the best Japanese piano tradition of the 70s – that wonderful new territory explored by key pianists like Fukui – with a sound that's open and free, but never avant either. Titles include "Mellow Dream", "Baron Potato Blues", "Horizon", "What's New", and "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – and arguably the greatest early Funkadelic album ever! The set moves past the simple fuzzy style of the group's debut, and the overly-stoned sound of Free Your Mind – and rockets into a heady funk style that's filled with sly social commentary and an incredibly dark vision of the future! The centerpiece of the album is the mindblowing "Maggot Brain" title track – a tune that begins with a chilling spoken intro, then slowly builds amidst washes and washes of post-Hendrix guitar. That cut then rolls into some shorter, funkier numbers that rank with some of the group's best ever – using the device of party-hearty energy to convey a sense of alienation and horror at the world. The whole thing's brilliant throughout – and apart from being a soul classic, the set should also rank as one of the greatest rock albums of all time! Titles include "Maggot Brain", "Super Stupid", "Back in Our Minds", "Can You Get to That", and "Wars of Armageddon". Features a great bonus single with two bonus tracks – "Maggot Brain (live 1971)" and "Maggot Brain (BMG dub)". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary session from the early years of ECM – one of those records that really helped set the tone of the label for years to come! The album's definitely on the more avant side of the spectrum, and is a great reminder of how much ECM contributed to European free jazz at the start – with fantastic interplay from a group led by reedman Jan Garbarek on tenor, bass sax, flutes, clarinet, and percussion – in a quartet with Terje Rypdal on guitar, Jon Christensen on percussion, and Arild Andersen on bass, xylophone, and kalimba! The tracks vary in length, and the players all shift instruments nicely – on titles that include "Myb", "Blow Away Zone", "Afric Pepperbird", "Scarabee", and "Beast Of Kommodo". LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic jazzy goodness from a hip French group – one who are awash in keyboards throughout, while changing up their rhythms nicely! There's no set groove to the record, but the set's also not scattered either – as the whole thing almost feels like a rhythmic evolution through space, unified through the mix of keyboards from Victor Dijoud over grooves from Leo Puccio – with strong guest contributions on flute, saxes, guitar, and Fender Rhodes from other French musicians! All tracks are instrumental, which furthers the future fusion sound – and titles include "Shyance", "Yubaba", "No I Can't Be Free", "Can You Plug My SM58 Tonight", "Crush", and "La Couenne Rance". LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked 70s work from Jimmy Giuffre – a hip trio session that has all the free elements of his earlier recordings, but possibly an even greater focus on tone! Jimmy plays a range of reeds here – tenor, clarinet, and flute – and he works with bass and drum accompaniment, but often in a really gentle way that allows his own solo energy to dictate the tunes – coming out in space that's boldly soulful on the tenor, yet more fragile and intimate on the flute – kind of a cross between more expressive avant work and some of the more spiritual tones of the time. The tenor tunes are especially great – kind of opening a new chapter for Giuffre's career – and the group features Kiyoshi Tokunaga on bass and Randy Kaye on percussion. Titles include "The Bird", "Mosquito Dance", "The Chanting", "The Butterfly", "Dervish", "Phoenix", and "Night Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really predates some of the freer work of this type from the European scene – as Graves is a monster on the drum kit and a range of percussion, reaching out with this scope of sound and deft command of his hands that's simply breathtaking – matched by energy from Pullen that really surpasses some of his later work too – almost Cecil Taylor-like vibes at points, mixed with other elements that are in a more familiar mode for the pianist. The set features two long tracks – "PG 1" and "PG 2". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really predates some of the freer work of this type from the European scene – as Graves is a monster on the drum kit and a range of percussion, reaching out with this scope of sound and deft command of his hands that's simply breathtaking – matched by energy from Pullen that really surpasses some of his later work too – almost Cecil Taylor-like vibes at points, mixed with other elements that are in a more familiar mode for the pianist. LP, Vinyl record album

A set titled after a Beatles hit of the 60s, but one that's got a lot more depth than that – as the record is a landmark moment in the development of organ/guitar jazz at the time – a set that features the key pairing of guitarist Grant Green and Hammond modernist Larry Young! As with other records from the duo, there's a sense of rhythmic progression and tonal inflection here that's quite different than more standard soul jazz of the time – a complexity that also comes from the drum work of Elvin Jones, and which is topped by the soulful expressions of Hank Mobley on tenor – the last member of this all-star quartet! The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than a snapshot – as the double-length set acts more like a full portrait of the European free jazz scene at the time – with special contributions from a wide array of avant German musicians! The feel here is very FMP – especially in the mode of that label's live recordings, which often feature unique combinations of musicians, really driving each other on. As part of that promise, the album features work from the Berliner Improvisations Quartett, with Hermann Keller on piano, Andread Altenfelder on trumpet, and Manfred Schulze on reeds; the trio of reedman Friedhelm Scholfeld; the Ulrich Gumpert Workshop Band, with Gumpert on piano, Ernst Ludwid Petrowsky on reeds, Heinz Becker on trumpet, and Johannes Bauer on trombone; the duo of Gumpert on piano and Gunter Sommer on drums; the Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky Quartet with Sommer on drums and Heinz Becker on trumpet; the Studio IV group, with Petrowsky on reeds, Hubert Katzenbeier on trombone, Eberhard Weise on piano,a nd Joachim Graswurm on trumpet; a trio with Gumpert on piano, Sommer on drums, and Manfred Hering on alto and tenor; and the Hans Rempel Orchester, with Rempel on piano, plus Becker, Graswurm, Petrowsky, Bauer, and Forsthoff. LP, Vinyl record album

A real oddity from George Harrison – a record of abstract electronics, cut right around the same time as his bigger mainstream solo hits! The record is a highly experimental one – a session that has Harrison working with Bernie Krause, and exploring territory that's much more in the late 60s Limelight Records mode than it is that of Apple – which is quite possibly why the label is listed as "Zapple", not "Apple"! Each tune takes up a full side of the album – and builds slowly out of soundshapes and textures, very much in the manner of some of the best work from the academic electronic music centers in the US at the time. And while the album may be a bit loose and unfocused overall, it's actually got a really appealing quality that we love a lot – a sense of free and naive exploration that's pretty great. Titles include "Under The Mersey Wall" and "No Time Or Space". (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass and Kalil Madi on drums – a combo who carve out space that's completely their own, taking some of the 50s modern piano ideas of Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, but letting them loose with even more imagination – yet also avoiding any too-free modes as well. The balance is incredible – on all original titles that include "Viceroy", "Pay Not Play Not", "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", and "Dinka Street". Next are three long tracks that feature the vocals of Muriel Gilliam (aka Muriel Winston from her Strata East days), singing alongside Hasaan's piano on these really amazing takes on standards – stretched out, and given lots of sharp edges – on takes of "Embraceable You", "Stella By Starlight", and "Body & Soul". Last up are two very long solo tracks – stunningly imaginative versions of "After You've Gone" and "End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically hip, free live performance from British saxophone giant Tubby Hayes – one that's much more open than some of his studio work from the time, and way different than the usual Ronnie Scotts live recording too! The album features one long track – "Modes & Blues" – a brilliantly flowering tune that features Hayes on both flute and tenor, blowing in a way that reminds us yet again why he was maybe the most important reedman on the British scene of the 60s – and an artist who was growing in leaps and bounds as the years went on. The group also features trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar, even hipper than usual in this setting – plus Terry Shannon on piano, Freddy Logan on bass, and Allan Ganley on drums – all players who shape the sound, and get a chance to solo – but always next to the much brighter light of their leader! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early work by modern tenor genius Joe Henderson – very well titled with the use of "mode", given the new sound and new direction Henderson was taking his tenor in the 60s! The album's got Joe working at the head of an all-great lineup that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – the last of whom really brings in some tremendous moments to the record, using his instrument to create a slightly off-kilter feel that pushes the set from straight hardbop into the modern realm with traces of "new thing" tones and colors. Joe's solos are incredible – searing, searching, yet still pulsing with an undeniably soulful rhythm – and titles include the essential track "Black", plus "Caribbean Fire Dance", "Free Wheelin", and "Shade Of Jade". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums as a leader from pianist John Hicks – a record that really set the tone for countless great sides to come – and which follows on years of great work with Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Charles Tolliver, and other soulful jazz giants! This set was Hicks' only date for the Strata East label – and has an open, flowing vibe that's very much in keeping with the imprint – and which is maybe a bit different than his later, more familiar material! Part of the strength of the record is bassist Clint Houston – who's completely sublime throughout, and has a way of shaping his notes with this depth that seems to set Hicks free to fly across the keys of the piano on these very long original tunes. Drummer Cliff Barbaro is also part of the trio – and can wind things up when needed, but also lay back and allow some great interplay between Houston and Hicks – on beautiful long tunes that include "Hells Bells", "Avojca", "Yemenja", and "Angie's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most tripped-out music ever from The Holy Modal Rounders – and that's saying a lot, given the nature of the group! This unique early album on ESP features two side-long tracks – both of which are mini-suites of sort, and filled with odd sounds, weird themes, and a strange mixture of hippie instrumentation and sci-fi experimentation! The group for the record is a quartet – with the core combo of Peter Stampfel on violin and vocals and Steve Weber on guitar, augmented by playwright Sam Shephard on drums and Lee Crabtree on piano and organ – plus extra vocals from the trio of Antonia, Barbara, & Wendy. The music is in the best free-thinking style of other rock on the ESP label in the 60s – and titles include "Jimmy & Crash Survey The Universe" and "The Second-Hand Watch". LP2 features Live In 1965 – Some of the earliest music ever from The Holy Modal Rounders – a rare live performance from 1965, recorded at the Chess Mate nightclub in Detroit, and featuring only the duo of Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber! The music here is a bit more folksy and a bit less trippy than some of the Rounders' later recordings, but it still shows a decidedly left-field approach – not just in the subjects of the tunes, but also in the way the guitar, banjo, and fiddle are used – almost as additional voices at times, instead of conventional folk instrumentation. Titles include "Crowley Waltz", "Black Eyed Suzy", "My Mind Capsized", "Fishin Blues", "Rum Mountain", "Random Canyon", "Skin Game", "Indian War Whoop", and "Flop Eared Mule". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant collaboration between vibist Bobby Hutcherson and reedman Harold Land – the first Blue Note album to feature the talents of the pair together, and a stone classic from the very first note! Hutcherson had already been making big waves for the label with his earlier sides – some avant, some soulful, all great – but adding Land's magical tenor and flute to the mix really opens his sound up a lot, and unlocks a lyrical quality in Bobby's music that really points the way to his flourishing years in the 70s! Yet all is not totally sweet – as both Land and Hutcherson maintain an edginess on the record that makes it more of a progression from the "new thing" years than a break – and pianist Chick Corea is on hand, moving through a very similar path in his own music too. Other players include Reggie Johnson on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and the tracks are nice and long, with that free-wheeling soulful sound that Land seemed to nicely bring to Hutcherson's playing. Titles include "Herzog", "Same Shame", "Maxtrix", "Total Eclipse", and "Pompeian". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first album from this fantastic group, but a set that's their initial outing for Impulse Records – the old home to John Coltrane, Sun Ra, and Pharoah Sanders – and a very fitting place for their boundless sense of expression! The group really seem to have upped their game for this album – finding a way to move into darker, deeper territory that really blows us away – really layering their sound with a richness that's almost weaponized at times, especially given the message in their songs – as if these guys have drunk deep of the complexity of ESP Albert Ayler material, the fused it to a spaceship towards the cosmos! Moor Mother delivers some spoken passages of knowledge on the album – alongside the saxes of Keir Nueringer, trumpet of Aquiles Navarro, bass of Luke Stewart, and drums of Tcheser Holmes. Titles include "Our Land Back", "Free Love", "Celestial Pathways", and "Root Branch". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early material from Gregory Isaacs – captured here early in his career, and working in a deep roots reggae mode – recording at Channel One with great direction from Ossie Hibbert! The set's laidback and righteous, in ways that let all the soulful qualities of Isaac's vocals still come through – but in a very different way than on his later hits! The rhythms are provided by the Revolutionaries – a perfect choice for the record – and titles include "Slave Master", "Story Book Children", "Get Ready", "Set The Captives Free", "Hand Cuff", "Storm", "Sacrifice", and "Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record that predates many ideas in soul jazz by a decade! Drummer Ron Jefferson was a lesser-known member of the LA bebop scene of the late 50s and early 60s, but by the time he cut this album for French Polygram in the mid 60s, he'd been to Africa, and had discovered a whole new set of musical visions – many of which are worked out in this unique trio session that features bassist Roland Haynes, guitarist Buz Saviano, and Jefferson himself on flute and drums. The music is incredibly spiritual, righteous, and free – and sounds much more like something you'd find on a hip American underground label1975, than it does a French session from the 60s – especially on side two, which features a long track that mixes more freethinking work on guitar with the kind of work on drums that should have made Jefferson a legend – very different than on his other recordings. The span of playing is amazing, and despite the seemingly familiar trio setting, the group hits a wide range of sounds as they play through a set of Jefferson's unique compositions like "Africa The Beautiful", "Every Little Bit Helps", "Fu Yu", and "The Speaker". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully ambitious project from these two legendary improvising musicians – a larger project for stage that was created by both pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach and drummer Sven Ake Johansson – the latter of whom here is very much into his later life role as a composer! The set features a mix of voice, vocals, and music – some spoken parts by Johansson, sung passages by the great Shelly Hirsch – and work from a very hip group that includes Wolfgang Fuchs and Dietmar Diesner on saxes, Paul Lovens on drums, Tristan Honsinger on cello, Anne Le Baron on harp, and Schlippenbach on piano. There's a mixture of free jazz, structure, and voice that almost feels as if Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill had the chance to record an album for FMP – and this beautiful set presents the first-ever release of the important 1994 performance of the material. LP, Vinyl record album

A solo record, but one that's got the sound of more things at once than you might expect – as saxophonist Josh Johnson has this great way of processing the sound from his horns, then layering them with samples and other elements too – but all in a way that's never gimmicky, and really retains the jazz energy at the core! Johnson is already a great saxophonist in a conventional setting, with a sense of tone that's wonderful – and here, he carves out a space that's all his own – with a sense of uniqueness and post-jazz creativity that resonates with some of the hippest recent experiments on the London and Chicago scenes! Titles include "Marvis", "Deep Dark", "Quince", "Telling You", "Jeanette", "Reddish", "Local City Of Industry", and "Free Mechanical". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most intense work we've ever heard from composer/reedman Darius Jones – a set of longer works, recorded live in Vancouver – with a style that mixes core jazz instrumentation with some added string elements that really send things over the top! There's plenty of free improvisation going on here – and the alto of Jones sounds especially nice next to the skittish drums of Gerald Cleaver – as the duo find strong interplay with the work of Jesse and Josh Zubot on violins, Peggy Lee on cello, and James Meger on bass! All the string instruments are hardly any sort of string quartet – and instead, they come across with those freer improv modes unlocked during the loft jazz generation of the 70s – really exploding here with a sense of united majesty and individual expression. Titles include "Zubot", "Damon & Pythias", "Rainbow", and "Fluxus V5T 1S1". LP, Vinyl record album

The stunning debut as a solo act for Durand Jones – a set that's even deeper and more powerful than his work with The Indications, at a level that shows that Jones is a soul singer with a hell of a lot of potential, and not just another voice working in a funk band! There's plenty of deep soul styles going on here – tunes that are more laidback and slow-stepping than before, so that Jones can really unfurl his vocal majesty, and create a sound that provides a fresh new chapter in the legacy of southern soul – not a retro rehash of modes from Stax or Atlantic, but a real 21st Century take on the territory! Titles include "See It Through", "I Want You", "Lord Have Mercy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Letter To My 17 Year Old Self", "Sadie", "Wait Til I Get Over", "Gerri Marie", and "That Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a great one for this post-Coltrane cooker from Elvin Jones – as the set really has Elvin exploring some really fresh currents in jazz, with a range of complicated rhythms that really pull the whole session along strongly! Rhythm is really set free on the record – as Elvin works to unlock some tremendous new possibilities in jazz, but all at a level that's quite different than his previous work with his famous leader – a rich tapestry of new spiritual expression that's carried off wonderfully by Joe Farrell on flute, tenor, and English horn – plus George Coleman on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, and a bit more flute from Fred Tompkins. There's no piano on the album at all – and Wilbur Little plays some tremendous bass, with some occasional conga work from Candido as well. Titles are all originals by group members – or Mrs Jones – and titles include "Whew", "Agenda", "Agappe Love", "Mr Jones", and "Yes". LP, Vinyl record album

A great underground soul moment from the online age – a set released as a free digital mixtape, but which quickly took the world by storm – and really helped establish Kehlani as a strong voice in contemporary soul! The set's a short one, but has a richness that goes beyond the number of songs – as a range of different producers help Kehlani open up some great territory, blending her voice very strongly into the mix, but never hiding the power at the core – on titles that include "FWU", "Get Away", "As I Am", "Deserve Better", "How We Do Us", "1st Position", and "Tell Your Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

The only studio album ever recorded by this important acoustic group – a west coast bluegrass combo whose contributions to the scene were a key influence on the birth of country rock in Los Angeles! The group here are definitely hardcore – a lineup that features work from Clarence White on guitar, Roland White on mandolin, and Erick White on bass – and vocals from all three – served up at a level that's even leaner and grittier than 60s recordings by bigger names in the field, like Jimmy Martin or Bill Monroe – yet also maybe free of any "too folk" approaches as well, given that these guys really dive into the music without any sort of pose or artifice at all. Titles include a great version of Merle Haggard's "Fugitive" – plus "One Tear", "Take Off Your Cheaters", "Earl's Breakdown", "I Might Take You Back Again", and "Soldier's Joy". This reissue adds some great unissued bonus material – including "Head Over Heels In Love With You", "I'll Go Steppin Too", "Flint Hill Special", "Shuckin The Corn", and "Shady Grave". LP, Vinyl record album

The poetic title here is wonderfully well-suited to the album – as there's a free-floating, spacious quality to the music – yet one that's very different than some of the softer sessions that sort of reference might make you expect! Cornet player Kirk Knuffke always has a great sense of space in his music – and in this trio, it really seems to do a lot to the piano of Matthew Shipp, who can be a master of understatement at times, with really quietly brooding sounds on the keys – matched by the perfect energy of bassist Michael Bisio, who is exactly the right choice for this outing. If you know some of Knuffke's other work, you'll be surprised here – as there's more of an edge, and the session really builds a bridge to the world of Shipp, while finding this great spot in the middle for both to exist – on titles that include "Time Is Another River", "Paint Pale Silver", "Heal The Roses", "Today for Today", "Blinds", "June Stretched", "Between Today & May", "Stars Go Up", and "The Water Will Win". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant later set from Lee Konitz – recorded for Blue Note, after many years of Lee's mighty talents being ignored by US labels! Konitz first rose up as a modernist in the postwar years, recorded important records for Atlantic, Verve, Prestige, and other labels – then mostly gave his gifts to the overseas market during the 70s, and especially the 80s. Yet during that time, he grew tremendously as a player – something that's almost hard to imagine given the genius of his youth – and received this excellent showcase courtesy of bassist Charlie Haden, who co-produced with Lee, and plays in the trio alongside pianist Brad Mehldau. The format is open and fluid – never too free, but with that exploratory vibe that Konitz and the rest of the Tristano school opened up in the 50s. Titles include nice long takes on "Alone Together", "The Song Is You", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady set from these two longtime funk legends – Eric Krasno on guitar and Stanton Moore on drums – working in a tight trio that also features Eric Finland on Hammond, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron – all in a sharply soulful groove that definitely lives up to the legacy of both players! Krasno has a nicely sharp edge at times, which really rings out wonderfully in the lean setting – and although the trio get a few guest visits from Cory Henry, Branford Marsalis, and Robert Randolph, we like them best on their own. Titles include "Stay High", "Lost Cause", "Fever", "Nobody's Baby", "Carried Away", "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", and "A Natural Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album that brings together all of the European winners of the recent Downbeat polls – like Karin Krog, John Surman, Albert Mangelsdorff, Francy Boland, Daniel Humair, and Niels Henning Orsted-Pedersen. The sextet is a lively batch of free-swinging European jazz stylists, with touches of modernism that keep the whole session on edge throughout – in a way that's right up there with the best of the classic MPS sessions! The highlight of the set is Karin Krog's beautiful vocal version of "Maiden Voyage", but there's loads of other nice bits – like "Winter Song", "Ryoan-Ji", "Open Space", and "Hello Thursday". A great one, and darn tough to find! LP, Vinyl record album

The brilliant return of Rolf and Joachim Kuhn to Impulse Records – and a set that's every bit as their landmark album for the label in the 60s! As with that classic – Impressions Of New York – there's a sound here that's let free right from the start – bold stepping forward by both players, with piano and clarinet interwoven together in lines that are free, yet still have an inherent sort of pulse – guided subtly by the work of John Patitucci on bass and Brian Blade on drums! What's truly amazing is that the Kuhns sound as vibrant, urgent, and potent as ever – as if the passage of decades hasn't dimmed them a bit, and that they're still breaking down barriers of jazz with a record like this. Titles include "Girona", "Lion's Speech", "Mosquitas", "A Little Time Machine", "Light Year", and "Researching Has No Limits". LP, Vinyl record album

Very experimental work from this loose Canadian collective of the late 60s – but a set that's filled with some surprisingly cool touches too! The album's almost more of a "happening" in the studio at times – with free-flowing energy between jazz musicians, rockers, poets, electronocists, and more experimentally sonic scientists – shifting styles quickly from track to track, but occasionally hitting some straighter, funkier moments that are totally great – almost a more tripped-out version of some of the French electronique work we love so much from the 60s – and a record that's mindblowingly beautiful in its sense of freedom and creativity. The whole thing's a sonic trip through incredibly fresh territory – never too overindulgent, and beautifully balanced both in sound and execution. Titles include "Ode A L'Affaire", "J'Ai Perdue 15 Cents Dans Le Nez Froid", "Finale", "Viens Danser Le OK La", "Agnus Dei", "Desafinado", "She's Leaving Home", and "Intermezzo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums that drummer Pete LaRoca ever made as a leader – and a gem through and through! LaRoca had a touch on the drums that was unlike anyone else – free, but never "out" – and in a flowing, progressive style that pointed the way towards the sound of jazz in the 70s, but which was still firmly rooted in the soulful style of the 60s. The album's filled with beautiful flowing waves of sound – and features lead solos by Joe Henderson, strong piano lines by Steve Kuhn, and some great round basswork by Steve Swallow. The feel of the set's somewhere in the vein of Larry Young's work at the time – never too "out", but much more flowing and free than the typical Blue Note. Tracks include "Basra", "Tears Come From Heaven", and "Candu". A fantastic album, with a unique approach! LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing bit of free jazz – hardly the set of solos you might guess from the title, and instead a performance of live improvisation by a larger group – done at the famous Leo Castelli Gallery, an important locale for avant activity on the downtown scene in New York in the 70s! There's more of a European free jazz vibe going on here than some of the loft work of the city at the time – with searing work from leader Richard Landry on tenor, soprano sax, and electric piano – alongside Richard Peck on tenor, Robert Prado on trumpet, Jon Smith on tenor, Allan Brafman on alto, and David Lee on drums – all captured on tape by Kurt Munkacsi, the sonic force known for some more important avant classical sides of the time. The set features seven selections in all – some pushing well past the 15 minute mark! LP, Vinyl record album

Don Leisure is more of a producer and beatmaker than a jazzman – but he's got a very spiritual vibe here, thanks in part to very strong participation on the album from harpist Amanda Whiting – who brings in this amazing cosmic energy that's very similar to the vibe on her own great records! Most tunes have a mellow groove – laidback beats with harp from Amanda, and saxophone solos on three tracks, trumpet on one more – and two of the selections also feature excellent vocals from Deborah Jordan, the British soul singer we've dug for many years! There's a great blend of slow funk soundscapes and jazzy solos on the set – and titles include "Walk With Us", "Peace Of Mind", "The First Chant", "Just Be Free", "Crying Tiger", "Beyond The Midnight Sun", and "Third Bass". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet bit of funk from Hawaii – and a legendary bit of free soul that's been winning global fame for decades! Lemuria is the brainchild of Kirk Thompson – who plays piano, bass, keyboards, and vibes on this very spiritual set of tracks. Master Henry Gibson was one of the executive producers, and he also plays conga on the set – which recalls some of the more spiritual collective funky projects from the early 70s Chicago scene, given a bit of a tropical twist. Many tracks feature vocals by "The Ladies Of Lemuria" – a lovely trio that's got a bit of an Emotions sort of sound – but the jazziness of the tracks is a lot freer than the backings the Emotions ever got, with more of a west coast Fantasy Records kind of approach, touched with some Stevie Wonder-like warmth. Really great all the way through – and impeccably put together, despite the indie origins of the record. Titles include "Get That Happy Feeling", "Hunk Of Heaven", "Dreams", "Mister U", "The Making Of You", and "Mystery Love". Features a full record of rare bonus tracks – including "Don't Say There Ain't No Heaven", "Somebody's Talkin", "Who Do You Love", "All I've Got To Give (alt)", and "Mister U (alt)". LP, Vinyl record album

Supremely soulful modern jazz from the great Booker Little – one of his best albums ever as a leader, and a real standout moment amidst so many of the re-titled sessions that came out after his early death! The album's got a tremendous feel from the very first note – a furthering of the modernism that Little forged with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy – but stated more strongly in his own voice as a leader and composer – a bold jazz vision that makes us miss his talents even more strongly than before! The group here is the stuff of legends – with Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet, and flute – plus Don Friedman on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, Ron Carter or Art Davis on bass, and Max Roach on drums, tympani, and vibes! Titles are all original compositions by Little – and include "We Speak", "Strength & Sanity", "Quiet, Please", "Hazy Hues", and "Moods In Free Time". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those 90s albums that really made people sit up and take notice of saxophonist Joe Lovano – a musician who'd been appearing on records since the 70s, but who finally got the due he deserved when Blue Note let him open up like this! The album's got a relatively loose, open vibe – almost free, but still swinging at most points – as Joe blows tenor, soprano, and straight alto sax in a trio with the great bassist Dave Holland, the the legendary Elvin Jones on drums! In some way, the record's an extension of that vibe that Jones had in the early 70s – when he's really let a strong reed player take the lead, while also egging him on with his boundless energy – interplay that definitely happens here, on titles that include "New York Fascination", "Eternal Joy", "Villa Paradiso", "Days Of Yore", "4 On The Floor", and "Studio Rivbea". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure albums issued on the Palm Records label of French jazz genius Jef Gilson – a large ensemble session that ties together both spiritual and avant styles of the early 70s, and which really demonstrates the overlooked power of the French scene at the time! The group's led by Chilean pianist Manuel Villarroel which might explain the title reference – and the lineup is filled with a range of excellent and obscure French musicians – including Jean Quarlier, Hugh Levick, Jef Sicard, and Gerard Coppere on reeds – plus Alain Brunet and JF Cannape on trumpets, Alphonse Leboucher and Josef Traindl on trombones, and Keno Speller, Claudio Bertoni, and Ana-Maria Villarroel on percussion. The tunes are as loose and open as the free jazz material recorded by BYG/Actuel a few years before – but also have more inherent structure and soul, and a really great balance between the contributions of the individual members as they space out the sound nicely. Titles include "Bolerito", "Leyendas De Nahuelbuta", and "Quetzalcoatl". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing solo set from Curtis Mayfield – a record that not only foregrounds all the subtle politics he'd been forging in the Impressions during the 60s – but one that also really has Mayfield exploding as a force to be reckoned with in the studio! The album's a personal masterpiece – to the career of Curtis what the early solo albums of Issac Hayes were to his own genius – a bold, unfettered statement of pride and power – of the sort that would both make Mayfield and the Curtom Records label forces to be reckoned with in the 70s. Every cut is a classic – and titles include "Move On Up", "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go", "Miss Black America", "Wild & Free", "Give It Up", "The Makings Of You", "The Other Side Of Town", and "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A triple-action classic from alto genius Jackie McLean – and one of those key records from the years when he stunned the world by moving from hardbop into the more experimental modes of the "new thing" generation! The approach here is very formative – not just for some of Jackie's spiritual expressions in the 70s, but also for the way that more creative jazz moved forward in years to come – as McLean is working alongside key players who include Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! Higgins' lyrical playing is a perfect complement to the more avant tones of the others – giving the album a free dancing soul, but also never letting things get too out of hand to lose the jazz basis of McLean's best work. The album includes an early recording of Tolliver's classic tune "Plight", plus the tracks "Wrong Handle", "Action", and "Hootnan". LP, Vinyl record album

The Monkees had so many fantastic records during their short span of recording, nearly all of them might well be "greatest hits" – but this set does a nice job of slimming the selection down to focus on some of the most long-lasting tracks from the group! There's a few killer Boyce & Hart compositions, produced by the duo too – and the set also features contributions from other 60s pop heavyweights, like Chip Douglas, Neil Diamond, Jeff Barry, and the duo of Carole King & Gerry Goffin – all of whim give the foursome some great material, on tunes that include "Theme From The Monkees", "Last Train To Clarksville", "She", "Listen To The Band", "A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You", "Daydream Believer", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Steppin Stone", "I'm A Believer", and "I Wanna Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring piano lines, burning trumpet solos, and soulful tenor sax – all wrapped together beautifully in this obscure Japanese session from the 80s – a date that has all the free-thinking power and unbounded energy of some of our favorite American soul jazz sessions from a decade before! The group's led by bassist Shintaro Nakamura, but features wonderful contributions from trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, tenorist Robert Kenmotsu, and pianist Jeff Jenkins – all of whom get plenty of space to state their case on the album's long and stretched-out tracks. The bass of Nakamura and piano of Jenkins sets up a good modal groove on most numbers – and titles include "Future On You", "Don't Forget Me", "Sweet & Sour Sound", "Evolution", and "A Blind Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring grooves and scatting vocals – a wonderful collaboration between this hip fusion combo and singer Rachel Gould, and one that's right up there with the best German grooves of the Glucklich generation! Rachel only sings on a few of the album's tracks, but those sparkle beautifully with a breezy sort of soul that's totally great – and other instrumental titles have a different sort of appeal, but one that's wonderful too – well-played keyboards and guitar, without some of the fusion excesses of the 70s – served up in lean grooves that bring in a great mix of Brazilian and funky jazz styles. The set's got a warmly appealing sound throughout – but not one that's at all like US fusion of the time – still quite adventurous, and really set free to groove in a joyous sort of way! Titles include "Mystic Latin", "Movin Seconds", "Vom Regen Bogen", "Short Funky", "Congress Of Dreams", "Cyklus III", and "Anticipated Joy". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky trio Nautilus plays standards, but not the kind of over-recorded songs from Cole Porter and Irving Berlin – and instead a whole host of mighty cool cuts from the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, and Woody Shaw! As with the group's other records, the approach is that of a trio – Mariko Nakabayashi on keyboards, Shigeki Umezawa on bass, and Toshihuki Sasaki on drums – but the format is nicely different, as these guys shift up rhythms in all sorts of cool, creative ways – a bit like the Indigo Jam Unit and other Japanese groups who proceeded them – which does great things to some of these already-great cuts! Mizuki Kamata provides guest vocals on the track "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" – and other titles include "The Eye Of The Hurricane", "Little B's Poem", "Sweet Love Of Mine", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe not a "world" of piano, but a real classic from Phineas Newborn – a record that marks a harder, more soulful sound than some of his 50s work – shaking free from some of his flowery touches on the keys, and digging much deeper into the groove of his Memphis roots! The sound here is really tremendous – boldly leaping forth from the keys with a strength that's really surprising – but still sensitive enough to slide in a few more contemplative notes when the moment calls – sometimes while Newborn is still racing down the keys at breakneck speed! Rhythm on both sides is great – with Paul Chambers & Philly Joe Jones on side one, and Sam Jones and Louis Hayes on side two – and titles include "Cheryl", "Manteca", "Oleo", "Dahoud", "Cabu", and "For Carl". LP, Vinyl record album