Jazz /
Aya's Samba
First vinyl reissue of Eiji Nakayama’s incredible 1978 album, a crate diggers dream find for many years, this is deep spiritual jazz, post-modal impressionism and grooves at the top
Beyond Paradiso 1969
Clifford Jordan was actually supposed to perform at Paradiso on September 10, 1969, but at that time the stage was facing problems and closed for a month. He diverts to VARA studio 7 in Hilversum with pianist Cees Slinger, bassist Ruud Jacobs, drummer Han Bennink and percussionist Steve Boston. Three of the four pieces Jordan puts on the lectern he recorded in early 1969 for the Strata-East label under the album title In the world.
The Ancestors Are Amongst Us
2024 stock. Recorded live at Jazzfestival Saafelden August 28th 1987. This trio live performance, with the great Lester Bowie on trumpet, and the great Malachi Favors on bass is a must for all fans. Kahil El'Zabar is the real great of tribal rhythms, creating very long hypnotic foundations for the soloists to improvise freely, spiritually, bluesy. Lester Bowie is of course a master at all that : he sings, wails, growls, weeps, stutters, moans, farts, ... he can build tension, he can build stori…
Ofamfa
Huge Tip! Original released in 1971 by the Black Artist Group groups own label “Universal Justice Records” this album has for years been an impossible to find/listen to album, and this is its first reissue ever ..Ofamfa by The Children Of The Sun, a band lead by poet/musicien Ajule/aka Bruce Rutlin is a heady mix of poetry/jazz/political songs/ and a document of a comunity avent. The BAG group being about all the arts theater and dance.The original liner notes by Ajule are great Insight in to th…
Ozone
Stunning, moody, spiritual jazz from Ireland, recorded in 1979; featuring original compositions such as the deep collectors’ cut Spon Song, subtle Latin flavours on Spacer’s Delight, and a beautiful modal arrangement of the traditional Irish air Castle of Dromore. ‘A legendary recording in Ireland, Ozone reflects Noel Kelehan’s keen appreciation of classic quintet-era Miles, with touches of the cerebral fusion of Ian Carr and the arranging genius of Neil Ardley. Not just a landmark Irish jazz se…
Relax, You're Soaking In It
Private pressings have always been objects of demand and research by record collectors. In most cases, print runs were no more than 300 copies, and despite the total lack of recognition, this movement can be seen as a countercurrent act to the mass music industry. Private presses are non-commercial print runs distributed as a promotion or sold at concerts. This was the case of Belair that, in 1980, recorded and sold the album “Relax, You're Soaking In It” at their own risk and distributed it in …
Magnificent Little Dudes Vol. 1
From his first full-length album ‘Minima Moralia’ (“Excellent” 8.1 Pitchfork) in 2006, through the subsequent 70+ albums that followed, Chihei Hatakeyama has created a mighty canon of work. Having collaborated with the likes of Ai Kuwabara, Hiroki Chiba, Kei Matsumaru, Gen Hoshino, Terumasa Hino, Tony Allen, and countless others, Shun Ishiwaka is one of Japan’s most prolific modern jazz drummers. Between them they’ve played across ambient, experimental, electronic, pop, hip-hop, jazz, and metal …
Transcendence
2024 restock. "Transcendence is Alice Coltrane's most successful vocal album. Side two is especially mind-twisting for its use of surprisingly funky Hindu chants accompanied by Alice's organ and the Indian percussion of the singers. Purists might balk at calling Hare Krishna filtered through a gospel sensibility 'jazz,' but they're too busy arguing about Ken Burns' documentary to worry about Alice Coltrane reissues anyway. This is probably the most 'swinging' Alice Coltrane material since Ptah T…
Spiritual Jazz 16: Riverside etc.
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…
Choma (Burn)
Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Harold Land's 1971 Mainstream Records LP 'Choma (Burn),' recorded in Los Angeles with Bobby Hutcherson and featuring Reggie Johnson on bass, Ndugu and Woody Theus on drums, Bill Henderson & Harold Land Jr. on piano/Fender Rhodes. Together the musicians create a superb spiritual mix of funky and modal Jazz that was the trademark of the Harold Land-Bobby Hutcherson quintet between 1968 and 72. Choma (Burn) is reissued here in its original gatefold artwork with …
New World
Nat Birchall returns with a new studio album with an expanded Unity Ensemble. Six original compositions played by a seven-piece group featuring the legendary UK tenor saxophonist, Alan Skidmore and guest percussionist Mark Wastell. Both musicians joined the group onstage at a John Coltrane tribute concert at London’s Café Oto last year, the resulting performance showing just how compatible all the musicians were, so Nat thought it would be propitious to record the group in the studio with their …
Organic Music Society
2024 Stock - quoting Dusted magazine "This is not a jazz album. This is the music of ritual. Any resemblance it has to jazz is purely coincidental and passing. This is the sound of utopia, of equality, of the universal egalitarian dream, of the earth, the water, and the life force in all its various guises." and "This is an album of education in practice. Don Cherry spent the summer of 1971 teaching at a youth music camp normally devoted to the study of classical music. Somewhere along the line,…
Organic Nation Listening Club (The Continual)
"When I play I think of how the phrases move as a dance, or something in nature like a bird or a shooting star.” – Don Cherry
Be Known: Ancient / Future / Music
2024 stock. pSiritual jazz album by the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, led by legendary Chicago percussionist Kahil El’Zabar, an artist in a league of his own, acknowledged throughout the world as the leader in the vanguard of spiritual and afro-futuristic jazz. Alongside El’Zabar on multi-percussion & vocals is Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Alex Harding on baritone sax and Ian Maksin on cello. This is beautiful Afro-centric spiritual jazz on the forefront of the current popular jazz scene. The Ethnic Her…
Spirit Groove
2024 stock. The legendary multi-percussionist and spiritual jazz master Kahil El’Zabar continues his quest of spirit through groove in his collaboration with tenor sax colossus, David Murray. ‘Spirit Groove’ is the divining moment upon their incredible journey to meaningful art. This is a phenomenal album, adding an entirely new, elevated dimension to the Spirit of Groove! In Kahil El'Zabar's own words ‘Spirit Groove’ "intends to move you nakedly with a deep sense of dance on a Mind/Body/Spirit …
Black Unity
2024 Stock. For 1971’s Black Unity, Pharaoh Sanders added groove to foundation of spiritual and free jazz he had explored on his previous Impulse! albums. The result is a piercing and emotive 37-minute rhythm-driven title track exploration of African, Latin, aborigine and Native American sounds. "By 1971, Pharoah Sanders had taken the free thing as far as he could and still live with himself. He was investigating new ways to use rhythm -- always his primary concern -- inside his music and more t…
SpiriTuaL HeaLinG: Bwa KaYimaN FreeDoM SuiTe
Saxophonist Omicil builds atmospheres then upends expectations in this free-jazz homage to Haiti’s successful 18th-century slave insurrection - The Guardian
Thembi
Pharoah Sanders recorded the songs that comprise Thembi in the winter of ’70/’71, in between sessions with Alice Coltrane that would eventually become her masterpiece Journey In Satchidananda LP. The same compelling spirituality that embued Coltrane’s masterpiece with a mood of stately calm and grace pervades Thembi. ‘On Thembi, that was the first time that I ever touched a Fender Rhodes electric piano. We got to the studio in California — Cecil McBee had to unpack his bass, the drummer had to …
The Traveller
One of the best of vibraphonist Khan Jamal's SteepleChase albums, this set matches Jamal with the great South African bassist Johnny Dyani, and drummer Leroy Lowe. Together they interpret five of Jamal's originals (plus John Coltrane's "Equinox"), performing colorful inside/outside music full of surprises and variety. Out of the 70s and 80s’ super creative Philadelphia jazz scene emerged Khan Jamal (b. 1946) the vibraphonist to grab the attention of world jazz audiences. He was a key figure in S…
Impressions
CD Deluxe reissue edition. Restoration and digital transfer from original analogue tapes.. The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was founded in 1973 by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar and had a huge impact on jazz. They have put out several sublime and hotly in demand albums over the years since - the excellent Be Known: Ancient Future Music being one of them - and are rooted in free-jazz improvisations and inspired workouts.
Their second album Impressions came in 1982 and is now remastered and reissued fo…