Jim Marks

We are thrilled to announce the reissue of the most precious hidden gems of Soul Jazz / Spoken Word albums from a key era. Originally released in 1974 as a private pressing of fewer that 100 copies, Touching Your Feelings by Jim Marks is a crucial missing piece of the proto-rap era lying firmly between Gil Scott Heron and Amiri Baraka, with whom he made a strong friendship. Jym Marks' mix of deep, expressive poetry and solid jazz sits on the edge of works by The Last Poets and fellow west coast …

This New York based duo released their one and only LP in 1968 on Columbia Masterworks, just months after Zappa released Lumpy Gravy in California. Although the 2 projects have some superficial similarity in structure, it would seem that this later LP must have been made (at least largely), without any knowledge of the Zappa masterpiece. Another reference point might be The United States Of America who also released their LP in1968.Originally released simultaneously with Terry Riley's In C and …