Jazz & Improvisation / Modal

A piano-bass duo session cut in a single day at Tokyo's Onkio Haus on 24 October 1977, during one of the bassist George Mraz's rare passages through Japan. The format leaves nowhere to hide and the two players treat that exposure as the point of the exercise: Masaru Imada's voicings opened up to admit Mraz's lines as full equal voices, the Czech-American bassist drawing on the resonant, singing tone he had developed through his work with Tommy Flanagan and Stan Getz. The programme alternates two…

A fantastic electric album from one of the most unique bassists of the 70s – Blow Up is one of the most sough-after titles from the acclaimed Three Blind Mice catalog. Isao Suzuki's Blow-Up is virtuosity and class all rolled up into one. A great combination of upbeat blues and mellow grooves! The album was awarded "Jazz of Japan" Award and the Jazz Disc Award of "Swing Journal" in 1973."This adventurous set finds Suzuki and his band mates (drummer George Otsuka, pianist Kunihiko Sugano, and bass…

Super rare 1970s British jazz from Joy: Chris Francis, James Dvorak, Frank Roberts, Ernest Mothle, Keith Bailey reflecting the young, multicultural, vibrant flavours of mid-70s London. Funky, hip, committed, Joy is one of the forgotten gems of London jazz. Originally released in 1976, Cadillac and Joy are delighted to offer the first CD/Digital reissue of this great album - remastered by Keith Bailey and including extra, previously unissued, material and a vinyl reissue of the original release i…

The term “private” is used quite liberally in the promotion of rare groove compilations these days. The team at Tramp Records tends to be rather defensive when it comes to such terms. Although, and this should not be misunderstood as arrogance, label boss Tobias Kirmayer & his crew have been doing nothing else for 22 years, strictly speaking. Every compilation series from the Upper Bavarian label, be it the “Movements,” “Feeling Nice,” “Praise Poems,” or “Can You Feel It” series, specializes in …

Taking a short sabbatical from their journey into the spiritual stratosphere and beyond, Work Money Death landed on terra firma just long enough to record a follow up to the critically acclaimed “The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Unknown Resides Can Be The Place From Which Creation Arises”. The new album “Thought, Action, Reaction, Interaction” explores many of the meditative motifs that mould this unique group in their quest for the perfect sound and space. Those who are familiar with Work …

Nat Birchall goes back to the source. Not Coltrane this time, but the record that led him to Coltrane in the first place. In 1973 a schoolboy in Lancashire ordered a triple LP from his local record shop after reading about it in Black Music magazine. It was Grounation, by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari - hand drums, chanting, poetry, and the tenor saxophone of Cedric 'Im' Brooks, soulful and untamed, heard years before Birchall ever put on a John Coltrane record. When he finall…

Since 2008 our Spiritual Jazz series has presented unlimited horizons. Each album celebrates the rich tradition of African-American songs based on the belief in a higher force than oneself and has also focused on geographical areas, such as Europe or Japan, thus recognizing that these territories have immense cultural riches. Religions, like Islam, whose musical traditions have vivid Arabic and North African resonances, have also been highlighted. The stylistic range of all the above is wide. Ye…

'High quality music to be enjoyed by many people all around the world, no matter where they are' Andreas Brunner-Schwer, MPS Records

** Beautifully packaged 120g 10" vinyl. Flip-back sleeve. Strictly limited pressing run of 500 copies worldwide. Extensive liner notes Sid Smith **Recorded live in-studio, London, on the 26th October 1970. All tracks previously unreleased. Ian Carr, Harold Beckett - trumpet/flugelhorn Brian Smith - tenor/soprano sax Tony Roberts - tenor sax/bass clarinet Karl Jenkins - electric piano/oboe Chris Spedding - guitar Ron Matthewson - bass guitar Jeff Clyne - bass John Marshall - drums Chris Karan - c…

Our latest Holy Grail reissue is this private press spiritual jazz gem out of California from Rickey Kelly and his vibes & marimba. Features Diane Reeves (vocals) & Adele Sebastian (flute)!

Legendary Japanese jazz vocalist Kimiko Kasai, one of the most innovative singers of the 1970s, joins forces with the fiery Kosuke Mine Quartet on the newly reissued Yellow Carcass in the Blue, originally released in 1971 on the esteemed Three Blind Mice (TBM) label. This rare leader album captures Kasai at her peak, blending her husky, soulful voice with avant-garde improvisation and fusion grooves, featuring standout tracks like the title song—Masabumi Kikuchi's composition elevated by Kasai's…

The Takashi Mizuhashi Quartet proudly announces the reissue of their legendary 1974 album Who Cares, a cornerstone of Japanese post-bop jazz now available in a stunning remastered vinyl edition via Three Blind Mice Records. Originally recorded on August 28, 1974, at Aoi Studio in Tokyo, this vibrant LP captures the quartet's unparalleled synergy during jazz's golden era in Japan. Led by bassist and composer Takashi Mizuhashi, the quartet features saxophonist Yoshio Otomo on alto and soprano sax,…

The legendary Isao Suzuki Trio's iconic 1976 album Black Orpheus, a cornerstone of Japanese jazz, receives a stunning 180g vinyl reissue, bringing its soulful modal and soul-jazz grooves back to life for a new generation of listeners. Originally released on Three Blind Mice (TBM-63) and recorded on February 20, 1976, at Aoi Studio in Tokyo, Black Orpheus showcases bassist and cellist Isao Suzuki leading a powerhouse trio with pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on piano and electric piano, and drummer Don…

A memorable first album by the very accomplished yet restrained artist, Naosuke Miyamoto. Thrilling straight-ahead jazz with Takashi Furuya and other Kansai-based members!

Original release completely reproduced as faithfully as possible. Pressed and printed in Japan. Mind-blowing reissue of Kosuke Mine Quintet's first release, Mine, originally released on Three Blind Mice in 1970. This is the terrifying debut album from saxophonist Kosuke Mine, with a sense of tension that seems to burst throughout, and is a monumental work that marked the historic beginning of the prestigious three blind mice label Completely original reproduction specification (reproduced as f…

1990 release (light wear) ** December 1960: Eric Dolphy and Booker Little's first recorded meeting, with Jaki Byard, Ron Carter and Roy Haynes completing a frighteningly good band - the Five Spot partnership taking its first documented steps, seven months before the club residency made it legend. The Charlie Parker tribute sequence - "Mrs. Parker of K.C.", "Ode to Charlie Parker" - shows exactly where Dolphy came from and how much love he carried forward; "Tenderly", solo alto saxophone, shows w…

This long-awaited LP reissue of a European jazz treasure released in 1969 and led by multi-reedist Sahib Shihab!

John Coltrane’s legacy defies boundaries—not only musical ones. From his early beginnings in Philadelphia to his final, urgent explorations of the unknown, Coltrane continually expanded the language of modern music, transforming the possibilities of the jazz saxophone and redefining the relationship between performer, composition, and spiritual expression. His playing was never merely virtuosic: it was a deeply personal force, capable of moving from the most delicate melodic statements to torren…

Huge Tip! A true exploration in spiritual jazz that follows Work Money Death's acclaimed previous albums, with pianist Richard Ormrod, bassist Neil Innes and drummer Sam Hobbs creating a powerful trio foundation for Tony Burkill's soulful tenor saxophone. Blending influences from Indian ragas to African rhythms, its intricate layersiharmonium, congas, trilling fluteibring warmth and depth to tracks like 'Headwaters Of The Soul' and 'The Fast Flowing River.' Spiritual jazz at its most immersive a…

One of the best kept secrets in contemporary British Jazz, Leeds based collective Work Money Death returns to ATA Records with a towering gesture of free improvisation. Born from the loss of guitarist Chris Earl Dawkins, A Portal to Here draws on a deep well of Spiritual Jazz to soar toward new heights of sonic transcendence. Music as testament, tribute, healing and remembrance.

Sinsuke Fujieda Group recorded Fukushima at Groove Studio Matsudo in May 2023. When Superfly Records put it out on vinyl in the spring of 2025 the thousand copies vanished within days, two further pressings followed, and copies on the second-hand market are now asking three figures. This CD is the record the LP could not hold: the five compositions restored to their full unedited length, three flute pieces that had only ever appeared digitally, and Jiva, a previously unheard piece for bamboo cla…

Originally issued by Impulse in 1971, this is definitely one of the best  truly cosmic jazz orchestrations ever realized. Recorded at the Coltrane home studio, Dix Hills, New York on November 8, 1970. Alice Coltrane (harp, piano); Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, perc); Charlie Haden (bass); Rashied Ali (drums); Cecil McBee (bass); Vishnu Wood (oud); Tulsi (tamboura); Majid Shabazz (bells, tambourine). "Swamiji is the first example I have seen in recent years of Universal Love or God in actio…

New "regular edition" on 140 gram vinyl. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) presents its first release, the official reissue of Ryo Fukui's highly sought-after masterpiece Scenery, originally released in 1976. Unquestionably one of the most important Japanese jazz albums ever recorded, Scenery reveals Ryo Fukui as a miraculously brilliant self-taught pianist fusing modal, bop, and cool jazz influences for a very personal, dexterous, and game-changing take on classic standards ma…

New "regular edition" on 140 gram vinyl. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records' new sister-label) present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, originally released in 1977. Released in conjunction with the its legendary predecessor 1976's Scenery (WRJ 001CD/LP/LTD-LP). Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop, and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace…

Double CD Edition, comes with a 36-page booklet. Every national jazz history has its unrepeatable figure. Britain's is Tubby Hayes, and this is the deepest single drop into his archive that anyone has yet managed - thirty-six performances, every one of them previously unissued, drawn from ten different settings across fourteen years. He was called the Little Giant, and both halves of that name did real work. Barely taller than the tenor he carried, Hayes was a professional at fifteen, a member o…

British Jazz Explosion Series! Recorded in '69, Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises is irresistible on two counts. First, for its daringly conceived and brilliantly performed music, inspired by Greek folk songs and instrumental textures and deep enough to reveal all its treasures only after many repeated listenings. Second, for being recorded at the moment when the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet, a major force in British straight-ahead jazz since '62, had broken up and Carr's equally influen…

*2026 repress* John Surman's Jazz in Britain '68-'69 is an overview disc of his '60s band and one of the more enjoyable vintage British jazz records. These tunes come from several different sessions recorded in the late sixties, as evidenced by the alternate drummers - Alan Jackson and Tony Oxley - and the use of different instrumentation, like the three-horn modal piece "Bouquet Garni," from 1968 that places Surman in the company of only two other horn players - Alan Skidmore and Mike Osborne -…

*200 copies limited edition* Christer Bothén’s artistry transcends genre, tradition, and the tangible. A key figure in avant-garde jazz and global improvisation, he has spent decades exploring sound’s spiritual depth. From playing in Don Cherry’s groundbreaking Organic Music Society to leading expansive projects, Bothén has embraced the unknown, continuously reshaping his musical language. At 83, Bothén remains deeply engaged, crafting L'Invisible, a trio album with vibraphonist (and drummer) Kj…

** 2026 Stock ** BGO presents Shades of Blue and Dusk Fire by The Don Rendell Ian Carr Quintet. CD 1: Shades of Blue:  Recorded at London, October 1 & 2, 1964. CD 2: Dusk Fire: Recorded at London, March 16 & 17, 1966. The Don Rendell - Ian Carr quintet, created in 1963, was,a small Brit jazz group that took the country by storm and was well received in Europe and in limited circles in the United States. The band developed a unique sound that came out of hard bop and moved through many different …

Bomb! Estonian multi-instrumentalist Misha Panfilov returns with Days As Echoes, a sophomore release that channels the expansive spirit of Krautrock through the lens of contemporary ambient and spiritual jazz. Part of Panfilov's ever-expanding musical universe, the Misha Panfilov Sound Combo delivers six compositions that function as both individual meditations and a cohesive sonic narrative about hope, journey, and human connection. Drawing from an impossibly diverse palette that includes Ethio…

*2024 stock* New York city based bassist and visual artist Josh Werner was awarded an artist in residence from The Cell Gallery located in New York NY. As a part of this residency which occurred in the month of July 2020, Josh presented various works in different mediums from visual art to music. In lue of the 2020 pandemic Josh was unable to present music to a live audience and instead offered a pre-recorded live performance to be aired at a later date. Werner was able to put together an ensemb…

*2024 stock* "Muriel Grossmann's music had an immediate impact on me from the moment I first heard it. It was music with dedication, speaking from the heart. I felt it speaks of past and present, with joy and happiness. Ten seconds into listening and I was hooked. I was all over the web trying to find a vinyl copy, but strangely enough there wasn't any available. Without a second thought we decided to get in touch with Muriel and ask how that is possible. And behold, before long, we were listeni…

2026 stock  The sources of jazz are to be found in Africa, as any encyclopedia of music will tell you. The polyrhythms, syncopation and improvisation that are integral to jazz all stem from the musical traditions of Africa. These distinct aspects of African music travelled to the Americas with the slave-trade and, intersecting in New Orleans with European instrumentation and arrangement, created the foundations of a new sound. Through the twentieth century Africa continued its influence, as free…

On Breakthrough, Muriel Grossmann envelops her quartet in a vibrant exploration of spiritual jazz, interlacing tradition with fresh, forward momentum. The record distills Grossmann’s lyrical saxophone voice and trademark rhythmic interplay into a rich, organic sound, balancing meditative introspection and eruptive, soulful drive. Each composition furthers her pursuit of transcendence, unfolding as both a deeply personal statement and a communal celebration.​

Endless Happiness reissues the 1968 British jazz classic Phase III by The Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet, showcasing their creative peak and innovative spirit.

*2026 stock. 200 copies limited edition* As the title of the album suggests, the new album by spiritual jazz legend Muriel Grossmann, MGQ live im King Georg, Köln, is a live recording of a concert at King Georg Jazz Club in Cologne. Recorded on November 11, 2022, the symbolic start of the Cologne carnival season, the album will be released three years later, at the end of the carnival season on Ash Wednesday, March 5. 2025. If by chance a concert in Cologne takes place on the November 11, it's o…

2024 Repress. After the excellent New Jazz Ramwong (TB6171), Tiger Bay is back with another almost overlooked gem from the German jazz scene of the 60s. Joki Freund, the composer and multi-instrumentalist is one of its most dazzling figures and Yogi Jazz is without a doubt his masterpiece.The influence of John and Alice Coltrane is clear throughout the album and the sextet, for which he gathered together a group of young European musicians who later would achieve great notoriety, reaches an outs…

Double LP, Gatefold edition. This landmark compilation continues the unfoldment of diabolically obscure yet culturally and artistically essential recordings that have been hidden and precariously balanced on the precipice of obsolescence. For the first time ever, Tramp Records is proud to present an "all German" artists version of the Peace Chant series, including liner notes printed in German exclusively with an English translation downloadable. Focused on rare recordings from German musicians …

*2022 stock* Recorded in 1973, “Morning Flight” by trombonist Hiroshi Fukumura is a stunning modal and spiritual jazz album! Genius work from Japanese trombonist Hiroshi Fukumura – working here at the helm of a twin-trombone group that also features the talents of Shigeharu Mukai – in a style that's filled with soul and free-thinking imagination! The two players work together beautifully here – avoiding any of the cliches of trombone-heavy groups from the past – and instead, using the open-ended…

*2022 stock* "A beautifully spare session from the mid 70s – one that features bass and cello from Isao Suzuki – stretching out here in a sound that's totally unique! The trio's a great one – with Donald Bailey on drums and Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes – the latter of which sounds amazing next to Suzuki mellow-stepping lines. If you've heard any of Suzuki's other albums from the period, the style is somewhat similar – quite soulful throughout, but with an easygoing,…