Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

Lamunai Records is proud to announce Philosophy Gang, the 1st opus of the Indonesian master Harry Roesli, a sought-after Indonesian album, musically at the crossroads of psychedelic, soul and jazz, lightly tinted with exotic Indonesian sounds. Expect funky brutal drums, mad organ solos, fuzz guitar brillIiantly mixed to softer sounds. Another gem finally reissued! Political activist, a prominent member of the Tradisi Baru Movement (New Tradition) who emerged in the 1970s, Harry Roesli worked wit…

Dark Tree Records is very pleased to announce you the release, under exclusive license from the Horace Tapscott family, of this previously unpublished studio recording. In January 1976, the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra recorded at Audiotronics Recording Studio in Covina, east of Los Angeles. Musicians assumed these tapes were lost, but they survived in Horace’s archive and a copy of some tracks in that of Nimbus West. Four pieces appear on this CD: Ancestral Echoes, the Eternal Egypt Suite, Sket…

**Translucent yellow coloured vinyl 180 gram audiophile vinyl** Idris Muhammad was an American jazz drummer who recorded extensively with many musicians, including Bob James, Pharoah Sanders, John Scofield, George Benson, Lonnie Smith and Tete Montoliu. Power of Soul is his best known album and is one of the reasons that Idris Muhammad is regarded as the drumming king of groove. Featuring the arrangements and keyboards of Bob James, the saxophone punch of Grover Washington, Jr., guitarist Joe Be…

**180 gram audiophile vinyl** When driving a band with his upright bass, Charles Mingus looked -and was- gigantic, in more ways than one. He had huge creative appetites (as well as being hot tempered), creating his own combination of hard bop, blues, and avant-garde jazz. There was no one more multi-faceted than Mingus between the 1950s and 1970s and of his many albums, Mingus Ah Um (1959) is considered to be a jazz classic. When Columbia first issued this album, 6 of the 9 tracks were shortened…

**180 gram audiophile vinyl** Herbie Hancock is one of the most prolific jazz pianists of the 20th century. A child prodigy, he played with the greats such as Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. As he was a bit of a geek, he enjoyed gadgets & buttons and he was one of the first to embrace and master the electric piano, but he always stayed true to the acoustic sound. In fact, he always bounced back and forth between his electronic and acoustic sound, touching upon almost every development in R&B, Funk …

**Marbled transparent green vinyl** In The Skies (1979) is the second solo album by British Blues Rock inventor Peter Green, who was the founder of Fleetwood Mac and a member from 1967-70. In The Skies was released almost a decade after his first solo stint The End Of The Game (1970). Accompanying Green on this album were several experienced session musicians, including Snowy White, who went on to work with Pink Floyd before joining Thin Lizzy. White contributed some of the lead guitar work on t…

**180 gram audiophile vinyl. Original mono version** Listed as one of the four most influential Jazz albums that happened to be released in 1959 (Dave Brubeck -Time Out & Charles Mingus -Ah Um among them), so much has been said and written about Miles Davis'Kind Of Blue, it's virtually impossible to summarize all the necessary info to the length of this page. We could simply list some facts (best sold Jazz album ever worldwide). We could try to explain why it's the best Jazz album ever made, but…

**180-gram audiophile vinyl** Filles de Kilimanjaro (named after the Kilimanjaro African Coffee) is one the many masterpieces American composer and trumpeter Miles Davis recorded during his lifetime. It can be seen as a transitional album, right between his “acoustic” and “electric” period. He recorded this incredible work of modern jazz together with music great's such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea. The five different songs all fitting together as expressions of the same bas…

**180 gram vinyl** Though Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane were two of the prime forces in what came to be known as free jazz, their approaches couldn't have been more different. While Coleman's music dispensed with chords and rejected instrumental virtuosity in favour of unbroken horizontal development of melodic line, Coltrane's music for the most part relied on stacking up chords in blocks and exploring the results with fearsomely complex, passionate harmonic interrogations. However Coltrane…

**180 gram audiophile vinyl** Dorothy Ashby was an American jazz harpist, one of the very few who used her instrument to play credible jazz and bebop. First studying as a pianist at Wayne State University and later, in 1952, switching to harp. She recorded eleven albums for different jazz labels, like Savoy and Prestige. Dorothy also guested as a studio player on albums with Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder and many more. In 1969 the studio album Dorothy's Harp was released on Cadet Records. On the a…

He was born in Sierra Leone in the 1930s. Fact is that Gerald Pine was son to a lawyer working in Nigeria, lost his mother and sister at a very young age and found relief in music. He played social clubs by the early 60s with his newly founded band The Heartbeats delivering cover-versions of American hits and Congolese rumba tunes that were then utterly popular in the West Africa area. Due to the influence of Congolese popular musicians Franco and Dr. Nico he adopted the more exotic sounding sta…

First official reissue ever! Nigeria had an utterly strong popular music scene in the 1970s, “Afro Beat” and “Afro Funk” were the hottest musical creations of the day and garage rock oriented bands like Ofege or funky monsters Akwassa were at the forefront of the movement. I deliberately call it their second album despite three albums that were released under the monicker Heads Funk Band with exactly the same line up as Akwassa from 1975 to 1978. However, the main difference between “In the groo…

“Sometimes it’s dumb fun to think up impossible supergroups. Maybe they help you imagine a sound you’ve never considered, a combination of histories and vectors that contradicts those that might be steered by normal forces, such as geography or genre or circle of colleagues. A parlor game designed to transcend time and place.Here’s one: John Carter, Bernard Parmegiani, Mike Ratledge and Tony Williams. Think of the possibilities, Ratledge offers fudgy bass keyboards, circa 1970, Soft Machine’s Th…

Not Two Records presents a live concert by Jubileum Quartet recorded at the 23rd Cekno Jazz Festival, in Cerkno, Slovenia, on May 18th, 2108, by Borut Celik. The album includes four tracks performed by Joëlle Léandre - acoustic bass, Evan Parker - tenor sax, Agustí Fernández - piano and Zlatko Kaučič - drums and objects.

The tenth Conference Call album and the first with drummer Dieter Ulrich taking over for former drummers Matt Wilson, Han Bennink, George Schuller and Gerry Hemingway, the 20 years journey for this transatlantic band leading to this album captured in the studio in Central NY while on tour, performing 3 original compositions from Ullman, 2 from Fonda, and 2 from Stevens. "The gift of playing music together with the same people over 20 years is priceless. A long-standing musical ensemble becomes a…

As the title implies, this McCoy Tyner release is a low-key, after-hours affair. Far removed from the intensity of work with then-boss John Coltrane, Tyner stretches out on a fine mix of standards and bebop classics. The pianist, of course, always had his own fleet and rich way with ballads, in spite of the galvanizing marathon solos he became known for on live dates and his later experimental recordings with Coltrane. His ballad style is even touched with a bit of sentimentality, which thankful…

The six tracks include originals by Ervin "Scoochie", pianist Ronnie Mathews "Dorian" and "Honeydew", and Haynes "Bad News Blues" as well as tremendous versions of Randy Weston's "Sketch of Melba" and Hubert Giraud's "Under Paris Skies." Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ on April 6, 1963, this soulful and adventurous album deserves a place in any modern jazz collection. Personnel: Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Ronnie Matthews - piano; Larry Ridley - bass; Roy Haynes…

House Party is the fourteenth album by American jazz organist Jimmy Smith featuring performances recorded in 1957 and 1958 and released on the Blue Note label. Rudy Van Gelder used the Manhattan Towers Hotel Ballroom in New York City for recording sessions in 1957-1958, while he was still using his parents' Hackensack, N.J. home studio to record artists for Blue Note. House Party was the first of two Smith albums recorded on two dates, the second was Smith's next album The Sermon!, released in 1…

A very welcomed reissue of this long out of print and hard to find Turrentine's Live album. Originally released on Blue Note as two separate volumes, "Up at Mintons' catches the Stanley Turrentine quintet live at the mythical Minton Club in NY, in 1961, when the tenor saxophonist was leading a super tight quintet featuring Grant Green - guitar, Horace Parlan - piano, George Tucker - bass and Al Harewood - drums. This is hard swinging soulful Jazz at its Best!

This great document consists of two different 1956, Hollywood, studio sessions with the young John Coltrane leading a true Jazz delegation from the east, in other words a NY/ Philly based quartet featuring young lions such as pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. These are good solid blowing sessions, originally not even scheduled for a release and consisting of fine and surprising renditions of Charlie Parker's "Dexterity", Benny Golson's "Stablemates" and Cole…

Here is the long awaited vinyl reissue of the debut masterpiece of Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake. Produced by "Third Stream" genius Gunther Schuller and originally released in 1961 "The Newest Sound Around" stands as one of the most original and creative vocal-piano duet albums in Jazz history. This is deep, intimate and atmospheric music that naturally flows through transformed jazz standards, mournful gospels and  highly imaginative originals. It's time to rediscover Jeanne Lee's enchanting voice a…

What style of piano does Elmo Hope play? It would be easy to answer “The same as Bud Powell,” but this would not do justice to a musician who, while coming along the same route as Bud for so many years, is now ploughing a separate path for himself, though in a similar general neighborhood. His original material, though it has the intense, rapt quality of Bud’s, remains personal, whether it be the relatively serene approach of Happy Hour or the minor Moroccan mood of Stars Over Marakech. When you…

The date took place just a week before Brownie took off for Europe, as a member of that vast edifice built by the master of multiple decibels, the Lionel Hampton orchestra. Like Gigi Gryce, the alto saxophonist and fellow-Hamptonian whom Brownie pressed into service for this session, the young hornman found the occasions for expressing his individual personality few and far between in so large and monolithic an organization. The opportunity to record with a small, compact group, aimed at the cre…

Typical Chico genius of the era. This is one of only two recordings by Chico's fourth quintet lineup, Bye Bye Birdie - Irma la Douce being the other. Featuring Charles Lloyd on alto sax and flute. The numbers featuring Lloyd on flute (like "Autumn Leaves", "New Rhumba" and "Afternoon of a Breeze") are especially cool.

An obscure and excellent 1957 session produced by master Rudy Van Gelder and originally released on Prestige Records. A tight sextet with a distinctive sound run by vibraphonist Teddy Charles, featuring great pianist Mal Waldron and some fine and often underrated musicians such as Idrees Sulieman – trumpet, John Jenkins – alto saxophone, Addison Farmer – bass and Jerry Segal – drums. The album consists of one standard and five originals, all based on complex melodies and hard swinging rhythms.

Recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles in August 1954, this is the first Emarcy recording of the legendary Brown & Roach Quintet featuring the great Harold Land on tenor sax, Richie Powell on piano and George Morrow on bass. Under the direction of two modern Jazz masters such as trumpeter Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach the quintet shines through a fine set of classic standards, including "Stompin' at the Savoy", Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick out of You" and a couple of Brown-Roach origin…

Here's a true West Coast soul-jazz gem originally released on pacific jazz in 1961. Les McCann's warm and emotional singing shines over some gorgeous big band arrangements signed by the great conductor and bandleader Gerald Wilson. McCann's usual trio with Herbie Lewis on bass and Ron Jefferson on drums is augmented by a phenomenal bunch of West Coast top musicians including clarinetist Buddy Collette, tenor sax lions Charles Lloyd, Teddy Edward, and Harold Land, and two absolute guest stars: te…

Harold Land, one of the greatest West Coast tenor saxophone voices of all time. A strong player rooted in Bop language, famous for his role in the legendary Max Roach and Clifford Brown quintet and later as part of another great Los Angeles based combo such as bassist's Curtis Counce group. The Fox is a 1960 album originally released on the Hifijazz label and reissued by Contemporary in 1969. Here Land is at the head of a marvelous quintet, some sort of who's who of the LA jazz scene: Dupree Bol…

Released on Riverside records in 1962, "Letter from Home" was the debut album of Jazz vocalist Eddie Jefferson. Often credited as the founder of vocalese, Jefferson wrote memorable lyrics to classic jazz standards including "Parker's Mood.", "Lady Be Good," "So What," "Freedom Jazz Dance,"...  Eddie Jefferson is backed here by a bunch of Jazz heavyweights, all at the top of their game. Among them: tenor sax masters Johnny Griffin and James Moody, trumpeter Clark Terry, pianists, Winton Kelly, an…

Earl Palmer the man behind the evolution of the backbeat from Jazz and R&B to Rock 'n' Roll. One of the great figures in the New Orleans music scene and one of the most-recorded drummers ever. His highly dynamic drums style has served hundreds of hitmakers such as Fats Domino, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Eddie Cochran, Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, you name it. "Drumsville" originally released on Liberty Records in 1961 features a selection of rare gems produced …

**Edition of 200 copies. This is the seventh release in BeJazz reissue series of long-lost classics from the legendary vaults of FMP Records, presented in restored original packaging and newly remastered for optimal sound** Not unlike Globe Unity Orchestra and the Company ensembles led by Derek Bailey, Instant Composers Pool (I.C.P.) was one of the seminal large free-jazz bands to emerge on the global and European scenes during the 1960s. Founded in 1967 as a musicians co-op by iconic Dutch impr…

**Edition of 200 copies. This is the sixth release in BeJazz reissue series of long-lost classics from the legendary vaults of FMP Records, presented in restored original packaging and newly remastered for optimal sound** In the context of European free improvised music, it would be hard to find a name that towers to the heights of Peter Brötzmann. Trained as a visual artist, the saxophonist turned toward music during the second half of 1960s, and quickly became a focussed, creative lens for the…

**Edition of 200 copies.** For fans of European free jazz, Globe Unity Orchestra needs little introduction. The project is nothing short of legendary, carving a path over the last half century. Formed as with a commission received by Alexander von Schlippenbach in 1966 - debuting at the Berliner Philharmonie late in that year - it joined three of the most powerful forces in German freely improvised music as a single unit - Gunter Hampel's quartet, Manfred Schoof's quintet, and Peter Brötzmann's …

The recording of the last show ever in the legendary NYC club was only available in a limited run of semi-official cd-bootlegs. Now mastered for vinyl, screenprinted cover - design of course by Peter Brötzmann, handnumbered. Full Blast - with the precise and dynamic Swiss rhythm section of Marino Pliakas (electric bass) and Michael Wertmüller (drums) is the most consistent, the longest running. Recording by Bruno Soria, Ulrich Petereit. Mixed and mastered by Martin Siewert in Vienna. Artwork by …

Here's another beautiful example of the great impact of Brazilian music on American Jazz in the '60s. Vibraphonist Dave Pike, mostly known for his work with the likes of Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, and Paul Bley, displays a marvelous sextet performing music of Brazilian composer João Donato. Recorded and released in 1962 on the New jazz Label, and considered as one of Pike's essential albums, "Bossa Nova Carnival" sounds like a perfect combination of Brazilian sensuous flavor and Jazz-swing sensibi…

Musically born in the great tradition of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt was one of the alto sax giants in Jazz history. Recorded in 1963 and originally released on the Roost label, "Stitt goes Latin" catches him at the head of an all-star line-up, a highly distinctive combo in full Latin mood, featuring Thad Jones on trumpet, a young Chick Corea on piano, Larry Gales on bass and a fabulous drums + percussion section with the great Willie Bobo on drums, Carlos "Patato" Valdes - congas, bongos and Os…

Temporary Super Offer! The incomparable life and extraordinary, trailblazing career of jazz titan and influential composer Charlie Parker will be honored throughout 2020 with a worldwide celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth (August 29, 1920). Lovingly dubbed Bird 100 after the nickname of the preeminent alto saxophonist who was one of the fathers of bebop and progenitors of modern jazz, the centennial will include a host of major initiatives including exciting new music r…

The incomparable life and extraordinary, trailblazing career of jazz titan and influential composer Charlie Parker will be honored throughout 2020 with a worldwide celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth (August 29, 1920). Lovingly dubbed Bird 100 after the nickname of the preeminent alto saxophonist who was one of the fathers of bebop and progenitors of modern jazz, the centennial will include a host of major initiatives including exciting new music releases, a tribute tour…

Blue for a Moment retraces the artistic career of the Berlin-based Swedish jazz musician, avant-garde composer, poet and visual artist Sven-Åke Johansson, one of the most singular and exciting figures in European improvised music. Johansson (born 1943 in Mariestad) moved to Berlin in the late 1960s, where he has since been active in a variety of music and artistic contexts. His first performances took place in the context of the Zodiak Free Arts Lab on Hallesches Ufer, where young musicians and …

After Sunny’s time now, his authoritative portrait of the American Free jazz drumming legend Sunny Murray, Luxembourg filmmaker Antoine Prum turns his attention to the British Free Improvised Music scene in this new feature-length music documentary. Branching out from a three-day festival in Berlin conceived and organised for the purpose of the film, Taking the Dog for a Walk maps the scene of British Improvisers, past and present, retracing the road that led from its emergence and emancipation …