Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

**2019 stock, reduced price** Big Jim Sullivan was a well-known session musician in his time and was asked by many bands including The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Lulu, The Kinks to name just a few. Going to a music school must have been a novel idea as Big Jim had been playing guitar on sessions since 1957, resulting in his presence on more UK hits than anyone else. He studied with a famous Indian sitar player who gave Jim the necessary insight to be a creditable player. The result wa…

2015 repress. ESP-Disk's vinyl edition of this classic 1965 blowout by free jazz icon Albert Ayler restores the original front-cover art. 50th Anniversary Remaster from the original tape. On this Judson Hall session (ESP used the empty concert hall as their "studio," its reverberation adding to the bigness of the sound) both Ayler's playing and his new band's sound even more intense than before, the parts of the players sometimes only loosely related. Some defended it as an energetic ensemble st…

David Murray Quartet's 1993 Japan only CD release Ballads For Bass Clarinet (DIW/Disk Union) is issued for the first time on vinyl by Ko Ko Music. Comprising a couple of waltzes, a blues, a Monk-ish suite-like piece, a free-ish drums and clarinet interlude, and finally an elegy to civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer - David Murray leads on bass clarinet, managing to go both deep and soaringly high, it sometimes sounds like two different instruments are being played. But this is not a solo effor…

The great bassist and band leader Charles Mingus cut some of his most exciting and rewarding recordings in 1960. Taped during the apex of Mingus's creativity, this incredible session showcases such stars as Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Jo Jones on drums. First edition of 500 (numbered).

If the city of Beirut doesn’t leap to mind as a hotbed of avant-garde musical activity, listen up: since 2005, the Al Maslakh label (translation: The Slaughterhouse) has been documenting far-thinking sounds from the small but vital Lebanese scene. The “A” Trio’s first release, Music To Our Ears, was one of the most startling debuts of 2011; now, Roaratorio is proud to present their second album (and first vinyl release): Live In Nickelsdorf, recorded at the Konfrontationen Festival in 2012. Whil…

"An "air of unreality" characterizes the best free improvisation. This performance-captured during last year's Vision Festival in Manhattan's Judson Church-definitely ranks among the best on record this year. Part of this unreality has to do with finding beauty and gratification in uncertainty, something that so often makes reality difficult to bear. Another part is transcendence, both of person and pedigree: the idea of a musician effaced by their instrument, and then by their creation. Music t…

**1000 numbered copies** Jazzman Records presents a reissue of Steamheat's Austin Funk, originally issued in 1975 and presented here as Number 29 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series. Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums by Austin bands; with only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all three have gone on to bec…

The Blue Note record label needs little introduction. Musically, graphically and sonically iconic, the label created and defined the golden age of modern jazz on record. Founded in 1939 by German émigré Alfred Lion, the label's roster of artists is a litany of giants - Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, and many more. With peerless musicians in the grooves, the legendary Rudy Van Gelder behind the boards, and graphic design genius R…

2018 small repress. Double LP; Part two of two double LP versions. Textured, gatefold sleeve; Obi strip. Jazzman Record's latest examination of esoteric, modal, and progressive jazz of the 20th century has taken them to Japan. The liberating force of jazz has been created and felt all around the world, but few nations on earth embraced the jazz message with the passion and intensity of Japan. From the dawn of the jazz age to the present day, Japanese audiences have been renowned tastemakers, ent…

**1.000 copies, remastered limited 2019 repress due to overwhelming demand that has seen the price of the original issue from 2008 tip the scales to over £100 on the secondhand vinyl market ** Jazzman Records presents the sound of the unsung musicians who – in the midst of the Vietnam War and the fallout of the Civil Rights struggle – created some of the most beautiful Spiritual and meditative music of the era. Sometimes funky, sometimes mellow, but always trying to say something about the world…

Double LP version. 180 gram vinyl; includes download card. With 20 years passing since his first foray into recorded jazz, Nat Birchall now ranks as one of the premier saxophonists of his generation. With several highly acclaimed albums in the locker, he now returns with his most ambitious project yet: a tribute to the legend that is Yusef Lateef titled, The Storyteller - A Musical Tribute to Yusef Lateef.Nat Birchall on the project: "When Jazzman Gerald first mentioned to me the idea of doing a…

A remastered vinyl reissue. The Lars Lystedt Sextet from Sweden played many international Jazz festivals in the early '60s. On the sessions presented here the band features the astonishing Leif Hellman and Lars Göran Ulander on sax. Edition of 500 copies.

Edition of 300 copies, newly remastered for optimal sound.The meeting of Masahiko Sato with Albert Mangelsdorff in a recording studio was planned in summer ‘71. Sato, Japan’s leading pianist, had recorded with Wolfgang Dauner, Attila Zoller, Jean-Luc Ponty, Gary Peacock and Charles Mingus. He wanted to play on a record with Albert Mangelsdorff and as both were invited for the Berlin Jazz Festival 1971 there was a good opportunity to record them there. This – first released as an original ENJA pr…

**ltd/numbered 1/30, one-sided picture disk** extract ! historical doc/ensemble with Arthur Doyle at the fiercest ! . “Music to me [is] the universal language, the universal way of communicating.” For Arthur Doyle, saxophonist, flautist and vocalist, music was the life force, and Doyle’s dedication to the music had him playing fast and free jazz for most of his life. “That was my first love,” he once said to Patrick Marley, in an interview from Muckraker: “playing free and spontaneous.” Born on …

Spring Heel Jack brings esteemed trumpeter and vanguard composer Wadada Leo Smith to the mix, along with reedsman and longtime Spring Heel collaborator Evan Parker, fellow Brit John Edwards on bass, and drummer Mark Sanders. The Sweetness of the Water, from 2003, is a strong offering from John Coxon and Ashley Wales (the masterminds behind Spring Heel Jack), with a more intimate, live feel than the group’s previous electro-heavy efforts. Parker returns with his bellowing, screaming sax juxtapose…

Actor/singer/flautist Vesa-Matti Loiri's third album 'Veskunoita' (1973) delves deeper into the kind of vocal jazz-pop which he mastered on his second record, 'Vesku Suomesta', but with a more light-hearted approach. During the recordings Loiri was joined by a host of well known Finnish jazz and rock musicians. This is the first ever reissue of this title of which original copies are almost impossible to find.

Mitsuko & Svetlana Records present the first reissue of Bells Of Kyoto's self-titled album, originally released in 1984. Archival reissue of rare 1984 jazz-funk fusion diamond in the rough by German-Australian-British madcap ensemble Bells Of Kyoto, produced by Ollie Marland of De-Lite and Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart fame. Fusions grooves with Orient-funk detours and looking out the window of a Swissair aircraft moments of cool mid 1980s contemplation. Highly recommended to porthole dream…

180 gram reissue of Miles Davis' expansive 1972 album. ""Here are killer groove riffs that barely hold on as bleating trumpet and soprano sax lines (courtesy of Dave Liebman on track one) interact with John McLaughlin's distortion-box frenzy. Michael Henderson's bass keeps the basic so basic it hypnotizes; keyboards slowly enter the picture, a pair of them handled by Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, as well as Ivory Williams' synthesizer." (All Music)

Wax Love present a reissue of Ornette Coleman's Change Of The Century, originally released in in 1960. The second album by Ornette Coleman's legendary quartet featuring Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgins, Change Of The Century is every bit the equal of the monumental The Shape Of Jazz To Come (1959), showcasing a group that was growing ever more confident in its revolutionary approach and the chemistry in the bandmembers' interplay. When Coleman concentrates on melody, his main themes …

2016 repress. Originally released in 1960, Free Jazzwas recorded in one uninterrupted take: Coleman, Scott LaFaro, Don Cherry, & Billy Higgins are on the left stereo channel; Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell are on the right. "We were expressing our minds and emotions as much as could be captured by electronics." Gatefold exact repro reissue, manufactured by Rhino.

Superior Viaduct's second Mingus reissue shows a more introspective side of the composer with Mingus Plays Piano. One of his most straightforwardly beautiful recordings, there is a meditative calm found in Mingus' piano work, touching on shades of Debussy, Satie, Bill Evans, and Duke Ellington. There's no showboating, and not an ounce of amateurism considering Mingus was primarily known as a bassist. Making its way through standards, original compositions, and the blues, Mingus Plays Piano is a …

Climate- atmosphere is what we say.  Soul with beautiful expression, is what they say in the modern jazz scene in the US.  It’s a necessary component for good jazz, as well as for swing.   But to achieve an organic atmosphere which is therefore vital and alive, a relationship of intentions and views, and a congeniality of thoughts are needed.  When Tommasi was in Rome for a few days and had Santucci and Scoppa listen to the latest pieces he had composed,  the three musicians ideas, aspirations, …

Massive industrial noise and free jazz blasts from the past,16-17 returning with new material after 25 years. Founded 1983 in Basel by saxophonist Alex Buess and former drummer Knut Remond, they have been shaping the forefront of a new sound area. Playing an abrasive distorted mix of dub, hardcore and free jazz that lead to a meeting of likeminded heavy heads that temporally took part in the band e.g. Kevin Martin (The Bug, Techno Animal) or G.C. Green (Godflesh). After marking their presence an…

180 gram vinyl, originally released in 1979 on the FMP label. Peter Brötzmann on soprano, alto, tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Harry Miller on double bass, and Louis Moholo on drums. Recorded by Jost Gebers on August 27th, 1979 at the FMP-Studio in Berlin. Produced by Peter Brötzmann and Jost Gebers. "Brötzmann is a musician of character, who has been blazing his own trail for several years now, and it's true to say that he and his companions have created their own musical environment…

Boneshaker are Mars Williams (reeds, toy instruments), Paal Nilssen-Love (drums & percussion) and Kent Kessler (bass), three prolific powerhouse musicians, carrying among them a Grammy nomination and decades of experience with the top ensembles in the world. Thinking Out Loud is their third album. Personnel: Mars Williams - reeds; Paal Nilssen-Love - drums; Kent Kessler - bass.

finally ZU are back, with an amazing new line-up. Full album to follow in summer.

Comes in a heavy, '60s style tip-on cover. Sparrow Nights is the first studio album from the furious duo of pedal steel player Heather Leigh and saxophone legend Peter Brötzmann. Their collaboration has quickly gained a well-earned reputation for their cutting-edge music and frenetic but sensuous playing. Recorded and mastered in Vienna by Martin Siewert. Features artwork by Brötzmann; LP version comes in a heavy, '60s style tip-on cover."There is complexity in simplicity, and Sparrow Nights is …

Garage is Scandinavian free jazz trio The Thing's acclaimed third album, originally released in 2004 by the Norwegian label Smalltown Superjazzz. In the wake of this album's original release, which was heralded by media outlets ranging from the BBC to Uncut to The Observer, the trio played a sold-out show in London with Four Tet and Prefuse 73 and embarked on European and American tours. Their performance at Oslo's Øya Festival with Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore as a guest guitarist was particula…

Trost presents the first vinyl edition of Sprawl, the intense and beautifully harsh collaborative project of drummer Michael Wertmüller (16-17, Alboth!, Full Blast), originally released on CD in 1997. Remastered and re-cut by Wertmüller and Alex Buess. The original release of this work marked the beginning of Trost's cooperation with Peter Brötzmann, after they organized an Alboth! show with Wertmüller. Wertmüller's intention for Sprawl was to gather the musicians he appreciates most and has wor…

Akira Sakata, a legendary Japanese jazz musician active since the early '70s (Yosuke Yamashita Trio,Akira Sakata Trio) and a marine biologist, has toured and recorded with The Thing, Jim O'Rourke, Bill Laswell, Merzbow, Chikamorachi, et al. The Tale of the Heike is an intense solo performance originally released on CD in 2011, and now available on vinyl for the first time. This edition is expanded to include four pieces from the 2013 DVD release of a live ensemble performance of the piece. Akira…

Trost have unearthed another gem from the Japanese jazz maestro Akira Sakata, together with Bill Laswell, Hamid Drake, and Pete Cosey. Fisherman's.com was released originally on CD, Japan-only, by Starlets Records in 2001. This release marks its first time on vinyl and available worldwide. Fisherman's.com is Sakata's ode to folksongs of the sea -- an intense personal statement on the fluidity of tradition. Personnel: Akira Sakata - alto saxophone, vocals, synth; Bill Laswell - bass, synth; Hamid…

LP version. The new album combines again the trademarks of Made To Break: the soulful and grooving play of Ken Vandermark (one of the key musicians/composers in the current free jazz scene) on reeds with the filigran electronic distortions and loops of Christof Kurzmann, with a solid rhythm layer by the young Dutch bassist lloopp Jasper Stadhouders and drummer Tim Daisy. An unusual "jazz" record, fascinating so much the more. Personnel: Ken Vandermark - reeds; Christof Kurzmann - electronics; ll…

Kodian Trio's third studio album -- apply titled III -- and their second for Trost Records, was recorded in one intense live session at the White Noise studio in The Netherlands during a day-off on a European tour. The shared experiences of the road, studio, and travel evinces a group sound which is constantly shifting, solidifying, and disappearing completely -- true to the essence of free improvisation. On this album the trio shows the core strength as a unit gained from their live experiences…

Great work from this heavy heavy trio – a group that features the talents of probably the three greatest living avant saxophonists in the world – Peter Brotzmann on tenor, alto, clarinet, and tarogato, Ken Vandermark on tenor and clarinet, and Mats Gustafsson on baritone sax! The trio have worked together countless times over the past two decades – and together have an affinity that not only results in some of the most amazingly adventurous improvisation you'll ever hear from a reed playe…

Rio is a limited live release by Peter Brötzmann's Full Blast. This is power free jazz in trio format, recorded at Audio Rebel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2016. With all the projects Brötzmann is currently working on, 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. Mixed and mastered by Martin Siewert in Vienna. Artwork by Peter Brötzmann.

Massimo Pupillo, of Italian jazz-noise monsters ZU, and Chris Corsano, drummer of Rangda (with Sir Richard Bishop), Chikamorachi (withAkira Sakata & Darin Gray), and in kicking projects with Joe McPhee,Evan Parker, Okkyung Lee, Bill Orcutt, team up for an overwhelming heavy drum and bass improv studio-session. Chris Corsano: drums and percussion. Massimo Pupillo: electric bass. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Bruno Germano on April 2015 at Vacuum Studio, Bologna, Italy. Artwork by Lasse Marhaug.

Begun as a temporary project in 2014 by Mats Gustafsson(The Thing, Fire!), Brian Chippendale (Lightning Bolt), and Massimo Pupillo (Zu), this trio soon evolved into a band project. They're now releasing their first album on Trost Records, with a tour to follow in 2016. Mats Gustafsson: saxophone; Brian Chippendale: drums; Massimo Pupillo: bass.

Grey vinyl LP release of saxophonist Albert Ayler's quartet with pianist Call Cobbs, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer Allen Blairman performing in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France in 1970 "Just a few months before Albert Ayler presumably jumped to his death from the Statue of Liberty ferry into the frigid November waters of NYC's East River he was on stage for two energy filled nights at the Fondation de Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. Little did he know at the time that the recordi…

**CD version** An exciting new international trio initiated by Scandinavian saxophonist Torben Snekkestad, accompanied by two esteemed international players in the field of improvised music – the Spanish pianist Agusti Fernández and the British double bass player Barry Guy. The music they create together is situated somewhere between free improvisation, free jazz, and contemporary classical music and executed with lightning fast interaction and explorative, innovative sounds and textures. Record…

The Last Dream of the Morning is the new band from three UK masters of contemporary improvised music – they released a trio CD under this title on Relativ Pitch (NYC) in 2017, now choosing it for their bandname for continuing activities. Recorded by Shaun Crook at Cafe Oto, London on 8 August 2018. Mixed and Mastered by John Butcher.Line-up:John Butcher: tenor & soprano saxophonesJohn Edwards: double bassMark Sanders: percussion