A brilliant moment as a leader from saxophonist Maurice Malik King – a member of the St Louis underground in the 70s, but one who never saw the same sort of fame as contemporaries who left the city for New York and beyond – yet who continued to create some incredible music far away from the limelight! The early 80s set is a great example of the way the more sophisticated, sensitive moments of the loft jazz world of the 70s were taken to farther local scenes in the US, and allowed players to continue the journey with their own very personal levels of expression – something that's definitely the case here as King crafts these beautiful long lines on alto alongside the bass of Zimbabwe Nkenya and percussion of Qaiyim Shabazz. There's a very special sound to the whole thing – a mode that's every bit as unique as the Ritual Trio up in Chicago, yet every different too – as you'll hear on cuts that include "In Between Space", "Music To Me", "In Search Of Spirits Passed & Present", and "When Force Meet". CD

A brilliant moment as a leader from saxophonist Maurice Malik King – a member of the St Louis underground in the 70s, but one who never saw the same sort of fame as contemporaries who left the city for New York and beyond – yet who continued to create some incredible music far away from the limelight! The early 80s set is a great example of the way the more sophisticated, sensitive moments of the loft jazz world of the 70s were taken to farther local scenes in the US, and allowed players to continue the journey with their own very personal levels of expression – something that's definitely the case here as King crafts these beautiful long lines on alto alongside the bass of Zimbabwe Nkenya and percussion of Qaiyim Shabazz. There's a very special sound to the whole thing – a mode that's every bit as unique as the Ritual Trio up in Chicago, yet every different too – as you'll hear on cuts that include "In Between Space", "Music To Me", "In Search Of Spirits Passed & Present", and "When Force Meet". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early session on Charles Mingus' Debut Records label – one that features singer Ada Moore – a thin-voiced, yet soulful songstress with an edgey sort of tone! The album's got lots of nice rough edges that take it away from the cliched vocal album of the time – including searingly modern solos from LaPorta, slightly muted guitar work from Farlow, and an overall recording style that's very "roomy" – with almost a loft-like feel to the set. Titles include "Something To Live For", "Strange Fascination", "Devil Is A Woman", and "Lass From The Low Country". LP, Vinyl record album

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 "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 Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". The album Mohawk is next – rare and brilliant work from this amazing group – a lineup that features Roswell Rudd on trombone, John Tchicai on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, and Milford Graves on drums and percussion – a combo who are best known for their one LP on ESP, but also sounding equally great on this rare European-only album! The record has a wonderfully creative approach – still in the energetic mode of the New York scene of the 60s, but also with the more introspective style that would come into play more in the 70s loft scene. Players handle a variety of instruments – almost in an AACM mode – and titles include "Mohawk", "Banging On The White House Door", "Rufus 3rd", and "No 6". CD

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". Very cool 2LP pressing – with alternate takes of three tracks on the album! LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". CD

An amazing reunion of a legendary group – the 70s free jazz trio of Sam Rivers on reeds, Dave Holland on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums! Rivers had already carved out a strong name for himself with earlier work – but his meeting with Holland and Altschul really helped the reedman take off – and together, the three musicians made some of the most creatively unbridled work of Sam's career! And yet the players hadn't worked together for over 25 years – until the time of this special recording, done as part of a Sam Rivers marathon at Columbia University – an amazing moment in jazz that has all three members of the group picking up beautifully, and improvising together in a long session of music that's simply mindblowing! The album's easily one of the best we've heard from Rivers in his later years – and has all the sort of soulful undercurrents that take us back to the 70s loft jazz years of the original group – sounding way more like some lost tapes from the old days than the reunion captured within. Genius – and a great treasure from the late Rivers! CD

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 good east coast avant sound, in that mid 70s loft jazz mode. Titles include "Wave Hands Like Clouds", "Stork Cools Its Wings", and "Snake Creeps Down". CD

A rough-edged batch of spiritual jazz tracks from trumpeter Charles "Cha Cha" Shaw (not to be confused with Charles "Bo Bo" Shaw) – recorded in an open-ended loft jazz mode with a really open, echoey feel! The album's a rare 70s jazz date on the Folkways label, and it's almost got the freer, open sound of an ESP session from a decade before – experimental jazz that's very much at the fringes, but also played with some of the spirituality of the post-Coltrane generation. Shaw's trumpet has a really earthy sort of feel – blown with a great sense of personality, and a sound that's almost heart-wrenching at times – especially on some of the more modal numbers. Other players include Brian Ross on tenor, Billy Lyes on piano and guitar, and Ronnie Boykins on bass. Boykins is really the only player we know here from other records – and titles include the nicely grooving "KZ", plus "Juggety", "Super Slik", and "Eternal". CD

A masterful moment as a leader from bassist Sirone – one of his only albums in the lead, and a very different set than some of his work with the Revolutionary Ensemble! There's an intimate vibe going on here, but one that's still very powerful, and definitely in the best spirit of the loft jazz generation – as Sirone mixes his bass with flute from James Newton, cello from Muneer Bernard Fennell, and percussion from Don Moye – used on long tracks that are plenty free and improvised, yet still retain a lyrical sense of beauty. Titles include "Breath Of Life", "Libido", "Circumstances", and "Illusions Of Reality". CD

A masterful moment as a leader from bassist Sirone – one of his only albums in the lead, and a very different set than some of his work with the Revolutionary Ensemble! There's an intimate vibe going on here, but one that's still very powerful, and definitely in the best spirit of the loft jazz generation – as Sirone mixes his bass with flute from James Newton, cello from Muneer Bernard Fennell, and percussion from Don Moye – used on long tracks that are plenty free and improvised, yet still retain a lyrical sense of beauty. Titles include "Breath Of Life", "Libido", "Circumstances", and "Illusions Of Reality". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully sensitive record from the legendary St Louis saxophonist Luther Thomas – very different than some of his larger group material, and in a really great way! The record features Thomas in duets with Luther C Petty – the leader on alto sax, Petty on flute, and both musicians on a variety of "small instruments" – used in these openly creative ways throughout the set as the pair improvise together with a sense of spiritual engagement that's really wonderful! The set's got that vibe from the moment when some of the energy from the New York loft jazz scene was almost hitting a sort of more personal, almost pastoral expression on some records – really pushing forward experiments first started in the AACM at a very individual level on records like this. Despite the "suite" of the title, tracks are each singular and on their own – titles that include "11th Street Fire", "Charge & Discharge", "Dormin", and takes on "Since I Lost My Baby" and "The Fire Just Keeps On Burning". CD

A tremendous 70s album from Charles Tyler – one recorded with a rich, raw tone that's simply mindblowing! Tyler here has all of the deep soul we first came to love during his ESP years, but also a sound that's a bit more focused too – one that's extremely powerful, and boldly righteous – not exactly spiritual jazz, but also not loft jazz either. The sound is wonderful – Tyler's sharp-edged alto out front, in a group with trumpeter Earl Cross – a player who's a really great match in spirit and tone. Other group members include Steve Reid on drums, and bassist Ronnie Boykins and John Ore – players who each play in a different channel of the record! The set is billed as "a polyphonic sonic drama performed live by the Charles Tyler Ensemble" – which is a wonderful summation of the music. CD

A haunting set of solo tracks by cellist Abdul Wadud – an important, and oft-overlooked, figure in the 70s loft jazz scene! Wadud plays cello throughout, but in a style that's extremely inventive – and much more in the vein of bass improvisation by players in a tradition that includes Malachi Favors and Barre Phillips, with a bit of a nod to the violin work of Leroy Jenkins – really using the instrument in all these sorts of amazing ways, and totally breaking the role of the cello from that in more compositional music – and firmly establishing it as a tremendous instrument for improvising in jazz! The interplay between the high and low regions of the instrument is especially nice – with a tonal majesty that's breathtaking – and there's also this rhythmic quality to many numbers that's very different than more way-out bass improvisations. The whole thing's fantastic – deeply spiritual throughout – and titles include "In A Breeze", "Happiness", "Oasis", and "Kaleidoscope". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't be fooled by the cover – as Trevor Watts and Liam Genockey may look like a pair of aging hippies, but have an intensity of sound that's right up there with some of the best loft jazz experiments of the 70s! These improvisations were recorded in 1989, unissued at the time, and have a very ageless feel – as Watts is as tremendous here on alto and soprano as he was back in the day – endless imagination that really seems to be set fire by the drum work of Genockey, a player who's got a touch on the kit that's both subtle and powerful – rhythmic enough overall, but nicely loose too! The whole thing's great – and the set features three long tracks, titled "Rhythmic Variants", "Echoes Of Bird", and "Dedicated To Eric D". CD

A classic of 70s avant spiritual jazz – issued on the tiny Sweet Earth label, which was also home to some very special records from Sun Ra and Marion Brown! Bassist David Wertman is a lot more obscure than those bigger names, but he was part of the New York loft jazz scene in those crucial mid 70s years – and had associations with Arthur Blythe, Billy Bang, Steve Reid, and other key members of the group – all heavyweights that Wertman can easily stand next to with the strength of the material on this set! The sounds here are a fantastic combination of larger ideas and more spontaneous creation – almost in an AACM mode, but a bit more spiritual overall – with David's bass at the helm of a group that includes David Swerdlove on alto and soprano sax, John Hagen on tenor and soprano, John Sprague on flutes, Greg Wall on baritone, and John Zieman on keyboards. Drummer Jay Conway really provides some great energy to keep things lively and moving – and titles include "Oh John Love Trane", "Clear Air Dancer", "Earthly Delights", and "Relations". LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful sounds from bassist David Wertman – an unsung hero of the late 70s spiritual jazz scene around New England, and one who delivers this gem in close partnership with singer Lynne Meryl! Meryl's got this warm, fluid style that's a lot like the way that some of the better Bay Area groups were using jazz vocals a few years before – a mode inspired by overseas singers like Flora Purim or Urzula Dudziak, but used here alongside soulful instrumentation that draws a lot from the more inside currents of the loft jazz scene! Wertman's bass is at the core, and tremendous throughout – full of fire and force, and sometimes matched with a bit of percussion – a musical force that's handled here more fully by Tony Vacca, who employs a range of instruments – next to piano and prepared piano from Tom McClung, and these strong trombone solos from Tim Atherton – a player who really sends the whole thing over the top with his contributions! Most tracks have a great modal groove – and titles include "Forest Dance", "Camel", "Flute Song", "New Earth", "Sing My Love Song", and "Dance Of The Mideast Madness". This expanded edition brings in more rare cuts from other releases – eight bonus tracks that include "How Come", "Up In The Sky", "Sci Fi Fantasy", "Blessing Of Love", "Golden Light", and "You Are My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collection – an important re-investigation of the unusual mix of sounds and styles on the New York scene in the years after disco – a time when funk, punk, hip hop, and art were all colliding at once – providing a really fresh antidote to the staid sounds of Studio 54! The "disco" in the title should be taken lightly – as these cuts didn't play at the slick uptown dance spots – but were instead the soundtrack for the cool spots happening downtown, as the previous loft culture morphed into clubs, in this very special blend of the energy of CBGB and the underground soulful dancefloors. The set list is filled with classics from this time – and titles include "Cavern" by Liquid Liquid, "Tell You Today (voc)" by Loose Joints, "Walking On Thin Ice (re-edit)" by Yoko Ono, "Over & Over" by Material, "Spasticus Autisticus (version)" by Ian Dury & The Seven Seas Players, "Kiss Me Again (original edit)" by Dinosaur, "Move" by Nicky Siano, "School Bell/Tree House" by Indian Ocean, "I Walk" by Don Cherry, "Voices Inside My Head" by Common Sense, and "Wheel Me Out" by Was Not Was. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing recording finally sees the light of day – a beautiful set of duets between Fred Anderson on tenor and Steve McCall on percussion – both very important players of the second wave of AACM musicians in the 70s, even though both artists never fully got their due! The material was recorded in 1980, not too long before we lost McCall – and the interplay is wonderful, and really represents a shift in the energy of the AACM scene – maybe some influence from the loft jazz world of mid 70s New York, which in turn drew inspiration from late 60s Chicago – but also delivered with a sense of soul that marks Anderson as part of a key lineage of Chicago tenorists that includes Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, and John Gilmore! McCall is great too – a sensitive soul, but a strong force throughout – as the duo improvise on two long tracks, "Within" and "Wandering". CD

A set of unreleased improvisations between these two fantastic free jazz musicians – intended as a session in which, according to Paal Nilssen-Love, "we agreed to bring all the metal we could bring"! That means that Peter Brotzmann is blowing a wide variety of reed instruments, and Paal is handling lots of percussion and gongs next to his drums – yet all elements are used in these very spare styles, almost more loft jazz than you'd guess from the legacy of intensity from both of the musicians – which makes for yet another great late life surprise in the final years of Brotzmann – proof that he never stopped reinventing and opening doors to new avenues of creation! Titles include "Dancing Octopus", "Move On Over", "South Of No Return", "Butterfly Mushroom", "Found The Cabin But No People", and "Five Of Them Survived The Dream". CD

Freewheeling duets between David Murray and Milford Graves – the former on tenor and bass clarinet, the latter on a nice range of percussion! There's an open, flowing feel to the record that really takes us back to Murray's initial moments of the 70s – an almost loft jazz looseness to the session that's quite a change from other Murray dates for DIW. Things get somewhat free at points, but both players have an inherently rhythmic structure that holds the work together – and titles include "Stated With Peace", "The Third Day", "Moving About", "Under & Over", "Essential Soul", and "Continuity". CD

Classic early 80s material by this legendary group of New York heavies that featured James Blood Ulmer, David Murray, Amin Ali, and Ronald Shannon Jackson. The prototype for the Vernon Reid/Melvin Gibbs Black Rock sound gets laid by these jazzy dudes fusing free loft style east coast blowing with extroverted rock influenced rhythms, funky vamping and skittering rhythms that collide in a way that supports the title of this album. 4 relatively long tracks: "Time Table", "Big Tree", "Baby Talk", and "Sound Check". LP, Vinyl record album

The starkest, sparest ever by Bruce Springsteen – sans accompaniment for the most part, having famously opted to release the haunting guitar, voice and harmonica demos as the actual album – and it's devastatingly strong to this day! The hallmark facet is that it's a largely solo acoustic record, the the great thing about that is how distinctively Springsteen sounding it is – with the all the earnestness of his more anthemic material, and more – just done with a sometimes somber, always intimate approach. One of those records that deserves all of the loft praise! Includes "Nebraska", "Atlantic City", "Mansion On The Hill", "Johnny 99", "State Trooper", "Used Cars", "Open All Night", "My Father's House" and "Reason To Believe".. CD

A classic live set by Cecil Taylor – easily one of his best-remembered albums of the 70s! The group here is a sextet – with Taylor on piano, Jimmy Lyons on alto, Raphe Malik on trumpet, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Sirone on bass, and Ronald Shannon Jackson on drums – all working together in the collaborative spirit of the loft jazz generation! This is heard especially on the beginning section of the set – which features duet and solo performances by group members, all without Taylor – before rolling into the full sextet performance passage of the work. The album is one long performance – spanning over 2 hours of music! CD

A fantastic trans-Pacific meeting of avant jazz talents – a set recorded on the mid 70s New York scene, right at the height of the loft jazz years – with a lineup that includes Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Yorikuki Harada on piano, Kazuotoki Kappo Umezu on alto, William Parker on bass, and Rashid Shinan on drums! We mostly know Umezu from later Japanese recordings, some of which are a bit more tightly controlled – but he's really on fire here, working with a very free lineup that embraces all the youth and energy the group has to offer! The set features two long tracks – "Stravizauls" and "Kim" – both over 20 minutes, with lots of freewheeling solos by the players. CD

Amazing spiritual jazz treasure – the only album ever issued by this obscure avant trio from the Cleveland scene – a group that includes a young Abdul Wadud on bass and cello! The style is nicely loose and open, but also very different than the sound of the AACM at the time – almost more with the slowly building style that would dominate in the loft jazz years, even though these guys were years ahead of that moment. In addition to Wadud – then known as Ron DeVaughn – the group also features Joseph Phillips/Yusuf Mumin on alto, and Hasan Adbur Shahid on percussion. Both players are amazing – Shahid can go from full intensity to spacious sonic territory at a level that matches Sunny Murray – and Mumin's alto can cry plaintively some moments, and come on with the ferocity of a tenor the next. Wadud is wonderful, too – balancing plucked and bowed moments with the quality that we love on later recordings – already very well-formed here, at a time when he was attending Oberlin College. The album's one that really lives up to the promise of its cover and group name – and titles include "Birth Life & Death", "In Light Of Blackness", "Final Expression", "Opening Prayer", and "Al Nisa". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic outing from these three legends of improvised music – set that's maybe more in the territory of work by Milford Graves and William Parker than it is the usual work of Anthony Braxton – especially for this time in his career! Graves plays drums and percussion, Parker is on bass, and Braxton leaps into the fray wonderfully as the three improvise together – drawing on energy that's much more like his Chicago roots in the AACM than his style of later years – almost as if Braxton's rewriting himself into loft jazz history and shaking loose of the mathematical formulas that often inspire his tunes! Braxton handles a range of saxes, and Graves is especially wonderful in the recorded space of the meeting – as the trio make their way through five improvised selections. CD

Genius early work from reedman Marion Brown – an album that was originally only issued overseas, where it was recorded – as part of that legacy that's always had Brown getting a lot more attention in Europe than back at home! Yet the record's a monster that stands equally with Marion's seminal sides for Impulse and ESP – and is maybe even bolder than both of them, as Brown blows alto in a loose trio – with Maarten Van Altena on bass and Han Bennink on drums – in a mode that definitely puts the "free" in free jazz – recorded before the start of both FMP and BYG! Yet there's also that sensitive, soulful quality that makes Brown so great – that element in the music that's always had recordings like these as key pointers forwards to the loft jazz years on the NYC scene – a brilliant blend of freedom and inner spirit – on titles that include "Sound Structure", "QBIC", "Porto Novo", and "Similar Limits". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and tenor, trumpet, and flute of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – on titles that include "Majestic Travel Agency", "Scintillate", and "Ear-Regularities". CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and reeds of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – and this second volume features titles that include "Wordwide", "Mask Production", "Da Rest Is Story", and "Blinking Down". CD

A rare soundtrack from the mighty Cerrone – recorded right at the height of his electro disco fame, and with a very similar groove! The film was also titled Vice Squad in the US market – and the music here definitely echoes the sleaze of its subject matter – with loads of sweet clubby lines that are heavy in the keyboard styles you'll know from "Supernature" – but maybe even leaner and meaner here – with a stripped-down punch that makes for plenty of funky disco moments! The tracks are mostly groovers, but even the few mellow moments are great – and titles include "Phonic", "Give Me Love", "Make Up", "The Loft", "Strip Tease", "Experience", and "Deauville". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest recordings ever made by John Coltrane in his later years – a record that has him stepping off into really new territory that would have really been something, had he stayed on the planet long enough to make more recordings like this! The vibe is very experimental – almost predating loft jazz work to come in the 70s – as Coltrane works here just alongside the drums of Rashied Ali – a fantastic match for his mighty talents, as the pair work together with a whole new extrapolation of the spiritual territory that had been unlocked on more famous records of the time. The material didn't come out until years after Coltrane's death – at a time when others were already recording this way – but the set maybe blows away some of the best material of this nature from the 70s. Titles include "Mars", "Venus", "Jupiter", and "Saturn". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest recordings ever made by John Coltrane in his later years – a record that has him stepping off into really new territory that would have really been something, had he stayed on the planet long enough to make more recordings like this! The vibe is very experimental – almost predating loft jazz work to come in the 70s – as Coltrane works here just alongside the drums of Rashied Ali – a fantastic match for his mighty talents, as the pair work together with a whole new extrapolation of the spiritual territory that had been unlocked on more famous records of the time. The material didn't come out until years after Coltrane's death – at a time when others were already recording this way – but the set maybe blows away some of the best material of this nature from the 70s. Titles include "Mars", "Venus", "Jupiter", and "Saturn". CD

Lost loft jazz work from trumpeter Ted Daniel – an important force on the east coast scene of the time, but one who was never as well-recorded as his contemporaries – which makes a set like this a real treasure! The group here is Ted's Energy Module ensemble – a group who really live up to their name, with searing work on tenor from Daniel Carter, plus lots of spiritual elements from Oliver Lake on alto, soprano sax, and flute – played in a very open-ended, freewheeling style – which also makes strong use of Richard Pierce on bass and Tasuya Nakamura on drums. All tracks are quite long – and very expressive – and the group takes on work by key contemporaries like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, Dewey Redman, and Sunny Murray – as well as some of Daniel's own tunes. Ted plays flugelhorn too – and also gets amazing sounds out of a French hunting horn and Moroccan bugle – and titles include "The Probe", "Ghosts", "Jiblet", "Innerconnection", and "Entering/Congeniality/Pagan Spain". CD

One of the most striking Don Pullen albums of the 80s – a beautifully open session that has the pianist co-leading a version of the 360 Experience group of drummer Beaver Harris – with an excellent lineup that also features Ricky Ford on tenor sax, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Buster Williams on bass! The mix of players is unusual, and the sound here is as well – a record that easily steps between freer moments and more tuneful passages – imbued with the creative spirit of the loft jazz generation, but also taken a step further too – possibly via the album's production work by Hal Willner. There's some truly majestic moments on the album – and the whole thing is a great demonstration of the way that the farther fringes of the jazz universe were finding even more focused expression in the 80s – during a time when records like this really helped give musicians a great outlet for their new ideas. The set begins with the very long "Goree", which has additional work by Candido on percussion – and other tracks include "Land Of The Pharoahs", "Double Arc Jake", and "Newcomer". CD

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal session from the St Louis scene of the early 70s – one that was humming nearly as much as Chicago was with the AACM at the time! As with the larger organization in the Windy City, St Louis had the Black Artists Group – of which Julius Hemphill was a key member, forming fresh new ideas in improvisatory jazz with players who went onto have an undeniable impact on the global scene as well. This album's one of the standout recordings of the Black Artists era at its best – a record produced by Hemphill, but equally balanced between his own alto and flute, the trumpet of Baikida Carroll, cello of Abdul Wadud, and drums of Phillip Wilson – plus a bit of added baritone from Haimet Bluiett. The rhythms are quite open, but there's also a nice sense of structure to the record too – a bridge between spiritual and free jazz that prefaces the impact that both Hemphill and Bluiett would have on the New York loft jazz generation. Titles include "Dogon AD", "Rites", and "The Painter". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal session from the St Louis scene of the early 70s – one that was humming nearly as much as Chicago was with the AACM at the time! As with the larger organization in the Windy City, St Louis had the Black Artists Group – of which Julius Hemphill was a key member, forming fresh new ideas in improvisatory jazz with players who went onto have an undeniable impact on the global scene as well. This album's one of the standout recordings of the Black Artists era at its best – a record produced by Hemphill, but equally balanced between his own alto and flute, the trumpet of Baikida Carroll, cello of Abdul Wadud, and drums of Phillip Wilson – plus a bit of added baritone from Haimet Bluiett. The rhythms are quite open, but there's also a nice sense of structure to the record too – a bridge between spiritual and free jazz that prefaces the impact that both Hemphill and Bluiett would have on the New York loft jazz generation. Titles include "Dogon AD", "Rites", and "The Painter". Great reissue too – in a gatefold LP-styled cover, with bonus insert notes, including the artwork from the original 1972 pressing on Hemphill's Mbari label! CD also features a bonus track – "Hard Blues" from Hemphill's Coon Business album! CD

One of the loosest, most open albums from Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society – and a set that's a great antidote to some of the later records for bigger labels! Jackson's still got a very inspiring sound at this point – a polyrhythmic groove that's virtually the blueprint for the post-loft scene in New York – driven onward here by performances from key contemporaries who include Billy Bang on violin, Byard Lancaster on soprano sax and alto, Charles Brackeen on tenor and soprano, Vernon Reid and Bern Nix on guitars, Melvin Gibbs on bass, and Erasto Vasconcelos on percussion. Tracks are all tightly structured, but well up with free sounds from the musicians – and titles include "Sortie", "Nightwhistlers", "Eastern Voices/Western Dreams", "Shaman", "Dancers Of Joy", "Arising", and "Orange Birthday". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early session on Charles Mingus' Debut Records label – one that features singer Ada Moore – a thin-voiced, yet soulful songstress with an edgey sort of tone! The album's got lots of nice rough edges that take it away from the cliched vocal album of the time – including searingly modern solos from LaPorta, slightly muted guitar work from Farlow, and an overall recording style that's very "roomy" – with almost a loft-like feel to the set. Titles include "Something To Live For", "Strange Fascination", "Devil Is A Woman", and "Lass From The Low Country". CD features 4 bonus alternate tracks! CD

A key recording from the early years of David Murray – a sharp-edged trio recording that instantly placed him in a strong lineage of tenor improvisers that includes Sonny Rollins and Albert Ayler! The record's a live date – recorded at the Wilisau Jazz Festival in 1978 with a trio that features Johnny Dyani on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums – both well-chosen players to assist Murray on his long, exploratory tracks for the record – tunes that somewhat break open his loft jazz styles of the period, and push things slightly more into a European improvisatory mode. Titles include "3D Family", "Patricia", "In Memory Of Yomo Kenyatta", and "Shout Song". CD

David Murray in a trio setting – sounding especially great, thanks to work from Richard Davis on bass and Joe Chambers on both vibes and drums! The album's got a feel that's a bit looser than some other Murray recordings of the late 80s – and almost hearkens back to his loft jazz years in the way the tunes unfold – save for the fact that a few straighter numbers infuse the session with some sharp-edged soul. Titles include "Santa Barbara & Crenshaw Follies", "The Hill", "Fling", "Herbie Miller", "Chelsea Boogie", and "Take The Coltrane". CD

A wonderful live date from David Murray – recorded in late 70s Paris, but with all the fire of his best work from the US! The group is an extremely hip one – Murray's tenor matched with Butch Morris on cornet, Johnny Dyani on bass, and George Brown on drums – all players that can open up and get a bit free, yet never lose their groove – kind of that perfect balance that made Murray such a standout in the loft jazz years of the New York scene. Even at this point, Murray's got a very open approach to his work that makes him stand out from other players of the era – at one minute going full steam and free, at another laying back and getting a bit more soulful, and another playing in a choppier, more rhythmic style. Titles include "The Fast Life", "Monikole", "Let The Music Take You", and "The Hill". CD

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 lineup of instruments than you'd hear on previous avant sides from ESP – with a resultantly different sound as well – one that's got more subtle colors and tones, and a slow-building, organic approach to improvisation that definitely shows an influence from the experiments of the AACM in Chicago. The album features one long track – "Vietnam (parts 1 & 2)" – but it's got a heck of a lot of variety over its nearly 50 minutes of music! CD

A window into a near-lost side of American avant jazz of the 70s – the self-produced albums issued by Leo Smith on his Kabell label – presented here as a beautiful 4CD set, complete with over 2 hours of previously unreleased material! The original albums have always been incredibly hard to find, and they show a side of Smith that is one of the purest on record from the time – displaying him as a key innovator in the tradition of Chicago musicians of the AACM, and the New York players of the loft scene – both of whom Smith interacted with freely. Players on the set include Oliver Lake, Anthony Davis, and Pheerokan Ak Laff – and the set features music from the albums Creative Music 1, Song Of Humanity, Reflectativity, and Akhreanvention – as well as unreleased tracks from those sessions! CD

Two classic albums from the big free jazz explosion in Paris in 1969! First up is Ketchaoua, an early gem from the great Clifford Thornton – maybe his best-known album over the years, thanks to its placement on the post-68 series of French free jazz releases on the BYG/Actuel label – but a set that's got a much more New York vibe overall, and stands as a key precursor to so many loft jazz recordings of the 70s! The style is very open and organic – not nearly as bombastic as some of the other Actuel sets of the period – with an earthy energy that really allows the players to come together naturally, collaboratively, and not combatively. The lineup of players shifts from track to track – again echoing some loftish modes – and the lineup includes Thornton on cornet and percussion, with Grachan Moncur on trombone, Archie Shepp on soprano sax, Arthur Jones on alto, Beb Guerin and Earl Freeman on bass, Sunny Murray on drums, and Dave Burrell on piano. Titles include "Pan African Festival", "Brotherhood", and "Ketchaoua" – plus "Speak With Your Echo", a cool track that has Clifford's cornet playing in a spare setting with only 2 basses! Next up is Scorpio, one of our favorite albums in the legendary run of BYG/Actuel free jazz sessions from 1969, and one of the most obscure as well – one of the few albums as a leader from alto player Arthur Jones, a musician who's really incredible throughout this freewheeling set! The vibe is almost more ESP than BYG – as there's a rhythmic pulse to most of the tracks, provided by Beb Guerin on bass and Claude Delcloo on drums – working with Jones in a mode that really evolves past the saxophone trio style first pushed by Sonny Rollins, with incredible solos from the leader throughout the whole set – which also seem to open up new territory for the alto sax as well! Titles include "CRM", "BT", "Sad Eyes", and "Brother B". CD

A tremendous 70s album from Charles Tyler – one recorded with a rich, raw tone that's simply mindblowing! Tyler here has all of the deep soul we first came to love during his ESP years, but also a sound that's a bit more focused too – one that's extremely powerful, and boldly righteous – not exactly spiritual jazz, but also not loft jazz either. The sound is wonderful – Tyler's sharp-edged alto out front, in a group with trumpeter Earl Cross – a player who's a really great match in spirit and tone. Other group members include Steve Reid on drums, and bassist Ronnie Boykins and John Ore – players who each play in a different channel of the record! The set is billed as "a polyphonic sonic drama performed live by the Charles Tyler Ensemble" – which is a wonderful summation of the music. CD

Bold, beautiful work from the team of Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson – two of the most inventive reed players of the past few decades – working together here in free, unfettered formation! The set was actually recorded right above Dusty Groove – in a very open, woody loft space – which really helps shape the sound of the set – as the notes from both players ring out wonderfully in the loft – almost recalling the creative improvisations of the New York scene from decades before – but handled here with all the amazing new sense of invention that both Vandermark and Gustafsson seem to bring to any instrument they touch! Ken plays tenor, bass clarinet, and b flat clarinet – and Mats handles alto, tenor, and baritone – all in a rich range of sounds and tones that really leave us breathless. Titles include "Ripolin", "The Madness Of Branches", "I Never Dreamed", "Fortunate Rust", "We Turn The Page", and "Beside Me Images". CD

Don't be fooled by the cover – as Trevor Watts and Liam Genockey may look like a pair of aging hippies, but have an intensity of sound that's right up there with some of the best loft jazz experiments of the 70s! These improvisations were recorded in 1989, unissued at the time, and have a very ageless feel – as Watts is as tremendous here on alto and soprano as he was back in the day – endless imagination that really seems to be set fire by the drum work of Genockey, a player who's got a touch on the kit that's both subtle and powerful – rhythmic enough overall, but nicely loose too! The whole thing's great – and the set features three long tracks, titled "Rhythmic Variants", "Echoes Of Bird", and "Dedicated To Eric D". CD

Way more than just a random jazz compilation – and instead a set that comes with a hefty book about the Boston jazz underground in the 70s – almost 80 pages in length, complete with images of records, vintage photos, and lots of notes on this under-documented scene! And while Boston's always been something of a hotbed of jazz activity – thanks to the younger students who hit the city to study at Berklee and other schools – this material represents a much deeper, more spiritual current of jazz – work that's in the same territory of the AACM or loft jazz scenes of the period, but also with a current of freewheeling electric material too! At this price, the whole thing would already be great as a collection of rare spiritual jazz, but with the book and overall package it's a hell of a deal – packed with musical goodness on cuts that include "Sketch (parts 1 & 2)" and "Road Through The Wall (parts 2 & 3)" by Thing, "For Margot" and "Tarot The Moon" by Mark Harvey Group, "The Creator Is So Far Out" and "Egypt" by Phil Musra Group, "9 Degrees Black Women Liberation" by Worlds, "Year Of The Ear Herds & Hoards" by Baird Hersey with Dave Liebman, and "Play Sleep" by Stanton Davis' Ghetto Mysticism. CD

A really amazing performance from Billy Bang – cut during some of his most creative years on the New York loft jazz scene, at a time when Bang was carving out a rich new space for his instrument in jazz – and helping move forward a very creative generation of musicians as well! The lineup here includes Bilal Abdur Rahman on tenor and soprano sax, William Parker on bass, Rashid Bakr on drums – along with Bang's violin, bells, shaker, and percussion. But almost even more compelling are a few spoken passages from Billy – extremely proud, righteous words, spoken with assurance that really sends them home – and which helps the album stand out strongly in the genre of jazz and spoken word. Not all tracks feature spoken bits, but when they appear, they're great – and titles include "Ganges/Enchantment/Tapestry" and "Black Man's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful moment in which the loft jazz generation really got a chance to shine in the mainstream – and mostly without any sense of overdone attempts at commercialization! The album's a great summation of all the ideas that reedman Arthur Blythe was cooking up in the 70s underground – performed here with a hip group that includes Blythe on alto, Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Abdul Wadud on cello, Bobby Battle on drums, Bob Stewart on tuba, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Mohammad Abdullah on congas – some of them players who you might never have expected to be recording for Columbia Records! And yet the setting of the record doesn't interfere with their creativity at all – and instead, really seems to give Blythe and the group the sort of focus that only makes their ideas even better – on titles that include "Elaborations", "Metamorphosis", "Sister Daisy", "Shadows", and "The Lower Nile". LP, Vinyl record album

Four great albums from reedman Arthur Blythe – all together in one collection! First up is Lenox Avenue Breakdown – a stunning Columbia Records debut from Blythe! At the time of the date, Blythe had already spent years working in the jazz undergrounds on both coasts – developing a searing sound on alto sax that's perfect for the focused structure of this album – almost a tone poem of sorts, offering up a portrait of the Harlem scene that was a key part of Arthur's life at the time. The sounds are sharp, but also have a sense of energy that really holds them together – guiding the players through long readings of well-penned tunes by Blythe that are filled with loads of energy and life! Players include James Newton on flute, James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, Cecil McBee on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Guillermo Franco on percussion – and titles include "Odessa", "Slidin Through", "Down San Diego Way", and "Lenox Avenue Breakdown". In The Tradition is a gem – as the set represents the modern musician taking on a host of older jazz currents, while carving things out with his own special sort of soul! Half the tunes are familiar favorites, the other half originals – and Blythe moves far past his avant roots, to showcase his deep understanding of so many different shades of jazz – blowing alto beautifully throughout, in a very hip quartet that features Stanley Cowell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on drums! Titles include great takes on "Naima", "Jitterbug Waltz", "Caravan", and "In A Sentimental Mood" – plus the originals "Break Tune" and "Hip Dipper". Illusions is maybe the boldest of Arthur Blythe's albums for Columbia Records – as the set bristles with newly creative energy right from the start, and provides a great showcase for some of the criss-crossings of styles and rhythms that were taking place on the New York scene at the time! The lineup alone announces something special – a cool combination of James Blood Ulmer on guitar, John Hicks on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, Abdul Wadud on cello, Bob Stewart on tuba, and Steve McCall on drums – working together in some slight variations at times, often with these angular edges that are perfectly sharpened by Arthur's amazing work on alto sax. The music's never too free, but quite outside for a major label at the time – balanced out so that it's never overindulgent at all. Titles include "Bush Baby", "Miss Nancy", "My Son Ra", and "Carespin With Mamie". Blythe Spirit is a set that showcases the never-ending growth and imagination of reedman Arthur Blythe during this fruitful period of his career – and his ability to effortlessly blend together different elements in his music – especially sides of the New York loft jazz scene, and the Chicago-based AACM! The tunes are beautiful – mostly originals, and showing a richer spirituality than even a year before – while still working in that compellingly rhythmic mode that Arthur was hitting during these years – in a lineup that features Blythe on alto, Abdul Wadud on cello, Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Steve McCall and Bobby Battle on drums, John Hicks on piano, Amina Claudine Myers on organ, and Fred Hopkins on bass. The mix of electric and acoustic elements is fantastic – very fresh, even all these many years later – and titles include "Misty", "Spirits In The Field", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Reverence", and "Contemplation". CD

Saxophonist David Boykin never fails to blow us away – but this time around, his music seems even deeper and more ambitious than ever – as he works with his Expanse group on three long tracks that have a very spiritual mix of ensemble moments and improvised individual actions! The group's a hip one – and in addition to Boykin on tenor, bass clarinet, and a bit of percussion – the record also features Nicole Mitchell on flute, Eliel Sherman Storey on tenor, Musah Hollins on trumpet, Sean Hafeli on piano, and Avreeyal Ra on drums. Glenda Baker sings a bit, and the album's got a definite loft jazz sense of collaboration at the fringes! CD

A record that seemed to open the music of Peter Brotzmann up for a whole new generation of listeners – in part because it features the European legend on an American label that got him some of the widest circulation he'd enjoyed here in years – and also in part because drummer Hamid Drake provides a very different foil for his music! The sound is almost an imaginary 70s meeting between the FMP and loft jazz scenes – with Hamid offering up these beautifully rich tones on standard drums, frame drum, and tablas – while Brotzmann blows tenor, alto, tarogato, and e flat clarinet – often with a sound that's searing, but more soulful than usual too – especially on some of the more spacious, open moments on the record. Titles include "It's An Angel On The Door", "Trees Have Roots In The Earth", "The Uninvited Entertainer", and "Dark Wings Carry Off The Sky". CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and tenor, trumpet, and flute of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – on titles that include "Majestic Travel Agency", "Scintillate", and "Ear-Regularities". CD

One of the greatest recordings ever made by John Coltrane in his later years – a record that has him stepping off into really new territory that would have really been something, had he stayed on the planet long enough to make more recordings like this! The vibe is very experimental – almost predating loft jazz work to come in the 70s – as Coltrane works here just alongside the drums of Rashied Ali – a fantastic match for his mighty talents, as the pair work together with a whole new extrapolation of the spiritual territory that had been unlocked on more famous records of the time. The material didn't come out until years after Coltrane's death – at a time when others were already recording this way – but the set maybe blows away some of the best material of this nature from the 70s. Titles include "Mars", "Venus", "Jupiter", and "Saturn". CD

Hard driving work by Ted Curson! Jubilant Power is a pretty apt title for the set – played with a celebratory fire – combining the freer loft-style playing of his late 70s American work, with some of the tighter grooving rhythmic approaches of his early 70s sides in France. Chris Woods, a frequent partner from the Paris years, is in the group on alto and flute, cutting lines that match Curson's as well recallung the tenor of Bill Barron during the 60s. Other players include Andy Laverne and Jim McNeely on piano, Nick Brignola on alto sax and flute, Bob Merigliano on drums and Sam Jacobs on conga. Excellent stuff! Titles include "Marjo", "Song Of The Lonely", "Reava's Waltz", "Airi's Tune", "Searchin For The Blues" and "Ted's Tempo". CD

An incredible album from trumpeter Ted Daniel – recorded at the start of the 70s with a lineup and a style that virtually puts Ted in a space all his own, and which may well make the album the greatest one he's ever given us! There's boldness to the set right from the start – as Daniel takes off on trumpet and flugelhorn with a vibrancy that seems inspired by Ted Curson, but which also has much freer elements too – working with a sextet that has boundless energy, but also a strong sense of cohesion – in ways that really set the record apart both from some of the AACM material of the late 60s, and the New York loft jazz sides to come. All the numbers are originals – very visionary numbers delivered with work from Otis Harris on alto, Hakim Jami and Richard Pierce on basses, and Kenneth Hughes and Warren Benbow on percussion – and, as you might imagine, the double basses and double percussion players really given the whole thing a lot of power. Tracks include "Pagan Spain", "OC", and "Congratulations". CD features two bonus tracks – "The Kicker" and "Otis Song". CD

One of Richard Davis' hippest records of the 70s – a live session recorded with two very strong hornmen in front – Clifford Jordan on tenor and Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, both blowing beautifully in very spacious, and open-ended styles! The album only features two long tracks – each running a side apiece – and although they're familiar jazz standards, Davis really opens them up with his performance – letting the group take them in a space that's somewhere between open loft jazz modes, and more familiar bop improvisation – but definitely at the left fringes of that style! The rest of the group features Joe Bonner on piano and Freddie Waits on drums – and the album's almost more typical of Clifford Jordan's albums from the time, than it is Davis' more tightly-arranged sessions for Muse. Tracks include versions of "Epistrophy" and "Now's The Time" that both run for over 20 minutes! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Richard Davis' hippest records of the 70s – a live session recorded with two very strong hornmen in front – Clifford Jordan on tenor and Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, both blowing beautifully in very spacious, and open-ended styles! The album only features two long tracks – each running a side apiece – and although they're familiar jazz standards, Davis really opens them up with his performance – letting the group take them in a space that's somewhere between open loft jazz modes, and more familiar bop improvisation – but definitely at the left fringes of that style! The rest of the group features Joe Bonner on piano and Freddie Waits on drums – and the album's almost more typical of Clifford Jordan's albums from the time, than it is Davis' more tightly-arranged sessions for Muse. Tracks include versions of "Epistrophy" and "Now's The Time" that both run for over 20 minutes! CD features a bonus take of Jordan's "Highest Mountain". CD

The Fab Trio's really been making some great musical waves in recent years – flying the flag of older improvisation high with their creative interplay, and boundless sense of imagination! That's no surprise, though, given the strength of the three players in the group – Billy Bang on violin, Joe Fonda on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums – all working together here with sounds that stem from their musical legacy back to the 70s – particularly some of the most open, expressive sounds that Bang gave us back in the day! In fact, there's almost a loft jazz feel to the whole record – a relaxed, respectful sense of creation that gives the album a very organic feel. Titles include "Night In Paris", "Da Bang", "Just A Simple Song", "China", and "Spirits Entering". CD

One of the most striking Don Pullen albums of the 80s – a beautifully open session that has the pianist co-leading a version of the 360 Experience group of drummer Beaver Harris – with an excellent lineup that also features Ricky Ford on tenor sax, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Buster Williams on bass! The mix of players is unusual, and the sound here is as well – a record that easily steps between freer moments and more tuneful passages – imbued with the creative spirit of the loft jazz generation, but also taken a step further too – possibly via the album's production work by Hal Willner. There's some truly majestic moments on the album – and the whole thing is a great demonstration of the way that the farther fringes of the jazz universe were finding even more focused expression in the 80s – during a time when records like this really helped give musicians a great outlet for their new ideas. The set begins with the very long "Goree", which has additional work by Candido on percussion – and other tracks include "Land Of The Pharoahs", "Double Arc Jake", and "Newcomer". CD

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too. CD

Wild and wonderful work by Keith Jarrett – light years away from his records on ECM! The album features a quartet that includes Dewey Redman on tenor, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – but it's clearly Keith who's driving the bus here, taking lots of odd twists and turns for playful moments that come as an unexpected surprise. One of the best of these is the short percussion track "Pre Judgement Atmosphere", which almost sounds like a Moondog number – and another is the rollingly funky "Gypsy Moth", a tune that always seems to be careening out of control, but is never "outside", just percussively grooving. Side two features two longer jamming tracks that almost have a loft jazz feel – "El Juicio" and "Piece For Ornette" – and Keith plays alone on the track "Pardon My Rags". CD

Forget the hokey pun in the title, as the album's a sharp-edged set that has way more going on than that bad wit might imply – a brilliant record that has the same sort of post-loft vibe as some of the best Black Saint/Soul Note sessions from the time! The group here features players who worked on many of those records too – the mighty Billy Bang on violin, sounding incredible, and so different than generations of others touching that instrument in jazz – sharp, soulful, and almost "blown" more like a saxophone! Frank Lowe's tenor follows with a similarly bold voice – and the group features very urgent work on bass from Rafael Garrett and drums from Dennis Charles. Titles include great readings of Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae" and Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – plus the tracks "Loweology", "Ballad With One L", and "Blood On The Cross". CD features some rare bonus tracks from the same sessions, appearing here for the first time ever – "Pent Up Suite", "I Mean You", "Suite For Gamma (parts 1 & 2)", and "Mr Syms". CD

The birth of new sounds on the New York scene of the 60s – an important early recording that features the team of Prince Lasha on flute and Sonny Simmons on alto – with great contributions from Don Cherry on trumpet and Clifford Jordan on tenor! The work is some of Jordan's most spiritual for the time – and the long tracks on the album spin out with a vibe that's looser and freer than some of the other Lasha/Simmons material of the period – almost with an echo of the loft jazz generation to come, but with more of the rhythmic focus of the work in Jordan's Dolphy Series recordings. Other musicians include Fred Lyman on flugelhorn, Charles Moffett on drums, and both Orville Harrison and Bill Wood on bass – and titles include "Lost Generation", "The Trane", and "Prelude To Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure albums ever from the amazing singer Jeanne Lee – and that's saying a lot, given how obscure most of her albums are in general! The record has a beautifully poetic feel – a mixture of songs, improvisations, and some spoken passages too – set to fantastic improvisation from a group of players that includes Sam Rivers on soprano, tenor, and flute; Gunter Hampel on piano, vibes, alto, and flute, Jack Gregg on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – plus guest work from Mark Whitecage on alto, and both Perry Robinson and Allan Praskin on clarinet. There's some of the spirituality of a Strata East recording here, mixed with some of the more open modes of the New York loft jazz scene too – and titles include "Sundance", "Yeh Come T Be", "Jamaica", "Subway Couple", "The Miracle Is", "Your Ballad", "Angel Chile", and "Conspiracy". CD

One of the most obscure albums ever from the amazing singer Jeanne Lee – and that's saying a lot, given how obscure most of her albums are in general! The record has a beautifully poetic feel – a mixture of songs, improvisations, and some spoken passages too – set to fantastic improvisation from a group of players that includes Sam Rivers on soprano, tenor, and flute; Gunter Hampel on piano, vibes, alto, and flute, Jack Gregg on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – plus guest work from Mark Whitecage on alto, and both Perry Robinson and Allan Praskin on clarinet. There's some of the spirituality of a Strata East recording here, mixed with some of the more open modes of the New York loft jazz scene too – and titles include "Sundance", "Yeh Come T Be", "Jamaica", "Subway Couple", "The Miracle Is", "Your Ballad", "Angel Chile", and "Conspiracy". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked soul jazz treasure from the early 90s – the debut as a leader by saxophonist Zane Massey, and still possibly his greatest record to date! Massey's the son of jazz composer/trumpeter Cal Massey – and the vibe here is similar to that of his father's best music – sophisticated, but never too heady – done with a nicely understated quality, yet still quite possessed of its own musical vision. Massey's got a great tone on his tenor here – sharp, but never too bitten – and the instrumentation features only saxophone, bass, and drums – in a style that reminds us a bit of the freedoms of Sonny Rollins in the late 50s, yet also with a consciousness of the 60s ESP and 70s loft jazz generations. Massey hits some incredibly soulful moments here – at a level that was hardly being recorded this well at the time – and titles include "Nu Kingdom", "Trickle Down Economics", "Message From Trane", "Through The Eyes Of A Child", "Assunta", "Walk Right In", and "Ms Magic". CD

David Murray in a trio setting – sounding especially great, thanks to work from Richard Davis on bass and Joe Chambers on both vibes and drums! The album's got a feel that's a bit looser than some other Murray recordings of the late 80s – and almost hearkens back to his loft jazz years in the way the tunes unfold – save for the fact that a few straighter numbers infuse the session with some sharp-edged soul. Titles include "Santa Barbara & Crenshaw Follies", "The Hill", "Fling", "Herbie Miller", "Chelsea Boogie", and "Take The Coltrane". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that was years ahead of its time – and which still stands as one of the boldest statements from the New York jazz underground of the 60s! The revolutionary styles of the scene were documented by bigger labels like Impulse and Blue Note – but this obscure indie set goes even deeper, and opens up to a special side of the generation that would have lasting influence for years to come – players who work here with a formative free jazz mode, one that begins with the energy of the ESP scene, but also hits some of the more open styles of the loft jazz and European recordings to come! The lineup is legendary – drummer Sonny Murray at the head – with Albert Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and both Henry Grimes and Louis Worrell on drums – working with unbridled imagination and righteous power. LeRoi Jones performs a recitation on "Black Art" – and other titles include "Virtue" and "Justice". CD also features the bonus track "The Lie". CD