Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

This album is a masterpiece in which the three core pillars of Akira Ishikawa’s musical vision—jazz, rock, and African music—are fused in a sublime and thrilling balance. One arresting track follows another: the solemn and majestic “Prayer”, evoking the eternal land; the clear yet subtly psychedelic “Dawn”; the serene and beautiful “Love”; and the highly dynamic, explosive “Jumbo”. The brilliance of Hirmasa Suzuki’s arrangements deserves special mention—simple yet profoundly deep, they give vivi…

In 1970s Jazz Fusion, critic Matthew Reed Baker reassesses a once‑derided hybrid, showing how the electric experiments of Davis, Hancock, Corea, Mahavishnu and others reshaped jazz, rock, soul and hip‑hop from the 1970s to today.

"Whether it's by improvisation in the African-American jazz tradition, or by a village kobza player standing on top of a damn hill - he feels connected to the stars."

Herbie Hancock debuted on Blue Note in 1962 and quickly established himself as both a remarkable pianist and a brilliant composer with three excellent albums—Takin’ Off, My Point Of View, and Inventions & Dimensions—before making what is widely considered to be his first masterpiece: Empyrean Isles. Recorded in 1964, the album seemed to distill the full breadth of Hancock’s artistry into a sweeping 35-minute musical journey. Joining Hancock on the voyage were three of his closest collaborators: …

The debut album from jazz multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, Jazz Mood was originally released in 1957 on New Jersey’s Savoy label. Featuring five Lateef originals the album included Curtis Fuller (trombone), Hugh Lawson (piano), Ernie Farrow (bass), and Louis Hayes (drums). This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.

*300 copies limited edition* 577 Records proudly announces Universal Butterfly, a new project shaped over years of shared musical paths, bringing together a striking trio: pianist Milton Michaeli, double bassist Asaf Shchori, and legendary drummer Hamid Drake. At its core, the album presents three distinctive and deeply creative musicians, each with a strong individual voice, coming together in a spirit of openness and mutual respect. Michaeli’s playing is rooted in jazz and Latin traditions whi…

Tip! Despite the title of the album, it is the Tullio De Piscopo's third work, recorded in 1976. Comprising nine tracks in total across its two sides, “Vol. 2” falls somewhere between fusion and prog, straddling darker, brooding temperaments with joyous, funky lines. Predictably, as is nearly the case with music of this sort, the playing and artistry is top-notch, the band locked together with remarkable precision, but the journey that “Vol. 2” takes is far from expected. Interspersed throughout…

On Downwind, Pierre Moerlen's Gong trades cosmic whimsy for aerodynamic precision, fusing mallet‑drunk jazz‑rock, prog heft and a dash of pop clarity into a sleek late‑70s vessel where vibraphones, drums and guest guitar gods share the same thermal updraft.

Kevin Figes’ new sextet You Are Here release their debut CD which features Kevin’s new arrangements of five pieces by Keith Tippett, plus compositions by Elton Dean, Harry Miller, Dudu Pukwana and others. You Are Here is a loving tribute to friends, mentors and collaborators no longer with us. The album's 14 tracks are a worthy monument to some of the greatest composers in British modern jazz.

Unreleased work from alto genius Joe Harriott – two different slices of material from a very under-recorded point in his career! The first five tracks feature Joe in that back to basics mode he was hitting at the time – working in a unique group that features Kenny Wheeler on trumpet and flugelhorn, Pat Smythe on piano, Ron Mathewson on bass, and Bill Eyden on drums – all players who are very open to modern ideas, but who also keep things on more of a groove here – with only a bit of the freedom…

"The music on this recording definitely has a mainly Jazz slant, so I thought it a good idea to dedicate it to other Jazz players (Charlie Parker and Eric Dolphy), that represent the best of that music and were an inspiration to us and many more players. I felt a recording that represented this very important project, and what we achieved together, was long overdue. So here we offer you some music we played in 1989. But still sounds, to me, as fresh as the day we first played it." I felt a recor…

** Strictly limited to 500 copies. Digipak with extensive liner notes by Simon Spillett ** The Don Rendell Ian Carr Quintet live in session in 1964 playing much of their debut album ‘Shades Of Blue’ including the title track composed by Neil Ardley. Beautifully packaged 180g vinyl. Flip-back sleeve. Strictly limited pressing run of 500 copies worldwide. Liner notes by Simon Spillett. Not nearly celebrated enough, Rendell & Carr were Britain's answer to Miles & Coltrane. With beautiful, introspec…

The Bobby Wellins Sextet on limited edition compact disc, in a 6 panel digisleeve, including a 16 page booklet with sleeve notes written by Spike Wells and Pete Woodman plus an array of photos and publicity from the time as well as new images. Compiled from recordings of the first two concerts of the autumn 1979 tour by Bobby’s regular quartet augmented by Lol Coxhill and Bryan Spring, the CD includes the only complete ‘small ensemble’ recording of the Culloden Moor Suite released to date, along…

This is the first ‘lost’ album Jazz In Britain has discovered. We’ve released albums that were only previously released on vinyl, or even cassette tape, ie never on CD, or albums produced from sessions by groups that never made a record, or we’ve included unreleased tracks that never made it only albums… but this is a real first for us. In 1979 Tony Coe and Bob Cornford composed pieces for an unusual, and unrepeated, combination of a six-piece jazz ensemble (two reeds, bass trombone, piano, perc…

"Daughter of War" is the debut album of the new four-piece band It Was Her Idea. Vocalist Juliana Venter and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love have already worked together in Paal’s PNL Circus project and wanted to continue that collaboration in a different direction — to explore other aspects they touched on in Circus and to work with material not solely composed by Paal. Their first choice for bassist was Ole Morten Vågan, who on his own is an orchestra. Ole Morten and Paal have long been friends with…

"What Just Happened?" is an album that collects four pieces by Paal Nilssen-Love, composed for smaller configurations of his Large Unit ensemble. The pieces are for specific instruments: snare drum, saxophone and tuba — from three to six performers. This act of stripping the ensemble down to single instruments does not mean sparse minimalism, quite the opposite, as Paal explores the possibilities — and limits — of the individual instruments. Contributing to the music's quality is the incredible …

"Calls!" is the third album by Paal Nilssen-Love Circus, following "Pairs of Three" (2022) and the live recording "Turn Thy Loose" (2025). Circus originally emerged from Large Unit as a side project but quickly grew into its own band. The group performs music composed by Paal, and in live performances the musicians are free to play any parts of any song at any time. On this studio recording they take a different approach: the songs were recorded separately and carefully produced. On the live alb…

«Steam Waterfall» is the second album in an expanded version of Paal Nilssen-Love's Large Unit. But this isn't the same Extra Large Unit you heard on «More Fun Please» from 2018. This is a live recording from the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2022 featuring core members of Large Unit along with a range of younger musicians Paal had met through workshops and teaching in the two years leading up to the concert. The number of musicians heard is 25—the largest Unit to date—but during the performance, there …

«Hohai-Bushi» is the meeting between Paal Nilssen-Love and his Large Unit ensemble, here in a 13-person lineup, and the legendary Japanese musician Akira Sakata. Since the 1960s, Sakata has been one of the leading saxophonists in free jazz and improvisation, starting with the Yamashita Trio, continuing with his own ensembles, and later transitioning to younger musicians from various genres, including noise and experimental music. Akira Sakata is a living legend from the last 50 years of radical …

Originally released in 1965, Fuchsia Swing Song marked the powerful debut of saxophonist Sam Rivers on Blue Note Records. Recorded at Van Gelder Studio with a stellar band—Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums—the album reveals Rivers' innovative take on post-bop and hard bop styles. With its balance of structure and freedom, this session showcases the saxophonist’s adventurous spirit and deep harmonic intelligence. Part of the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series, this r…

To believe in serendipity - that’s the operative word when it comes to alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson’s soul-jazz hit, Alligator Bogaloo, the opening track from the leader’s heralded -artistically and commercially - album of the same name, released by Blue Note in 1967. The tale of its origin has been told so many times that it holds mythic status of affirming the power of improvisational jazz. For his LP session at Rudy Van Gelder’s Englewood Cliffs, N.J., studio, Lou finished recording five tr…

Complete Communion marks the stunning 1965 Blue Note debut of Don Cherry, the visionary cornetist best known for his work alongside Ornette Coleman in the late 1950s. This landmark session captures Cherry at a creative peak, leading a fiery quartet featuring Gato Barbieri on tenor saxophone, Henry Grimes on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Together, they explore the outer edges of post-bop and free jazz, building long-form compositions that seamlessly weave multiple themes into unified, evolving…

With their anticipated new album, Black Flower delves into the transformative power of rhythm and motion. Each groove, rhythm and pulse channels raw energy, acting as a disruptor that drives transformation. When the mind feels stuck—cemented in patterns, rigid in its views, overwhelmed by obstacles—Kinetic serves as a reminder that the body’s motion can be the force to shatter those confines. To move is to adapt, evolve, and transform. The album embodies a philosophy of flowing with change rathe…

Essential Dorothy Ashby! This high quality Verve By Request edition is cut on 180 gram vinyl at Third Man Pressing in Detroit from a newly remastered transfer. Original Lab review: Released in 1969, Rubaiyat was the follow-up to the cult-favorite Afro Harping. Lesser known, perhaps due to its rarity, Rubaiyat follows in line with more of the funky awkwardness established by its predecessor. The monster track here is "The Moving Finger," with a chanting intro setting off a nice break followed by …

These three brand new recordings made between 2020-21 were all written specifically for bassist Chris Laurence by his close friend and long-time colleague, the late great jazz trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler. Of the three, Piece for Double Bass and Low Strings and Baroque Piece have never previously been recorded in any form. C-Man first appeared in this form on Kenny’s album ‘Kayak’ but was also rearranged and retitled as Ma Belle Hélène for his album ‘The Widow In The Window’. Whilst Kenn…

* In process of stocking * Strictly limited, Deluxe edition 3 CD set housed in 12″x12″ (LP size) with a 34 page hardcover book. Features dozens of previously unseen images from the 100 Club and Grass Roots shows by legendary British jazz photographer Jak Kilby, and an extensive essay on the history of the group by Simon Spillett including interviews with Trevor Watts, Jeff Clyne and Clark Tracey amongst others. Newly mastered from Trevor Watt’s original tapes. The complete recordings of the orig…

Pianist Joel Futterman and bassist William Parker deliver an epic improvisatory journey on this three-track,  hour-long studio recording. Futterman and Parker have worked together in duo and group contexts since the 1980s, and their deep creative bond is audible in every note of this suite.

Renowned jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham, one of the most underrated virtuosos in jazz history, invites listeners to revisit his landmark 1961 Blue Note masterpiece Whistle Stop – a bluesy, swinging hard bop session that captures the golden era of modern jazz. Recorded on January 15, 1961, at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Whistle Stop showcases Dorham's original compositions performed by an elite quintet: Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul…

*2026 stock* Cosmic Ear is a new group bringing together Christer Bothén, Mats Gustafsson, Goran Kajfeš, Kansan Zetterberg and Juan Romero. Their debut album Traces is released by We Jazz Records on 23rd of May, 2025. Including 6 deep cuts, Traces is an album that sees Cosmic Ear tracking down the "traces" of the legendary Don Cherry's legacy while paving their own way in contemporary creative music expression. Christer Bothén, a collaborator with Don Cherry during his Swedish period in the 1970…

*200 copies edition* The New Album by Francisco Mela and Zoh Amba 'Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2' is a celebration of differences and unity. Creativity in general and experimental music in particular can serve as a conduit to the inner soul of its creators, a kind of spiritual path that goes two ways and allows a deeper understanding also of ourselves. It's a light projecting the humanity of the players that simultaneously reflects the creator and the humanity in all of us. The vulnerability of the art…

East Two + 5 comprises previously unreleased tracks from one of Sun Ra's most productive periods: 1972–73. Those two hectic years saw Sun Ra recording numerous albums, staging concerts, teaching at Berkeley, acting in and composing the score for a full-length movie, embarking on a multi-album (though ill-fated) major label deal, and touring the U.S. and Europe. The title track, "East Two," is one of two pieces on this album originating at a two-day October 1972 session at Chicago's Streeterville…

**CD version, to be released on 29.05.2020** "WRWTFWW Records is proud to announce the official reissue of Motohiko Hamase’s extremely rare live album Anecdote (recorded in 1987). The album is sourced from original masters and available on vinyl (double LP) for the first time ever as well as on CD. It comes with liner notes from the artist. This marks the sixth release from the Esplanade Series which focuses on the works of Yoshio Ojima, Motohiko Hamase and Satsuki Shibano.Anecdote was recorded …

* New repress, on black vinyl* Apparently it's been over a decade since avant jazz deity Pharoah Sanders recorded any new music, it took Sam Shephard aka Floating Points to coax the 80 year old out of near-retirement. Anyone familiar with Sanders' work will know how life-affirming his music can be, from his early work with John Coltrane, through 1967's mind-altering "Tauhid" to his spiritual pairing with Alice Coltrane on "Journey in Satchidananda". Here, he takes a more restrained role, offerin…

On One For Archie, Moor Mother joins Nicole Mitchell and Nduduzo Makhathini to turn a cancelled duet into a living monument, threading Shepp’s titles, politics and tonal language into a fierce hymn of gratitude, grief and ongoing struggle, paired with the incendiary, future‑facing “They’ve Got A Plan.”

For a few fleeting moments during a sunset, the sky is cast a vivid shade of amber. A dramatic flare of colour, a moment belonging to both the day and the night. It is within this vibrant, ephemeral world, that Mongolian-born, Munich-based Enji has written her new album Sonor. Sonor is a record full of life and optimism, from an artist finding the beauty of existing between two worlds, much as a sunset does. Between the cultures of Mongolia and Germany, tradition and innovation, nostalgia and ex…

Premiere LP by Portland's finest practitioners of Great Black Music. A spiritual record for the ages. Roman Norfleet And Be Present Art Group play deeply felt sometimes earthy and sometimes cosmic music. A trio (sax, drums and organ) are augmented by additional percussion, soaring vocals and even a vocal appearance by a toddler. This record will take you where you need to go. Don't miss history in the making. Across six expansive tracks, Roman Norfleet and Be Present Art Group build from free-fl…

On Cosmos Nucleus, Carlos Garnett turns his cosmic post‑Coltrane fire into a large‑ensemble manifesto: six expansive tracks where Pharoah‑like spiritual cries, funk currents and celestial brass fanfares coalesce around the incandescent “Mystery Of Ages.”

On Balladyna, Tomasz Stanko leads Tomasz Szukalski, Dave Holland and Edward Vesala through seven originals that weld lyrical, Slavic melancholy to volcanic free‑jazz undercurrents, forging a 1970s European classic that still feels startlingly alive.

"It was once said of Paul Bley that he was the only pianist who could make a concert grand sound like an  upright. While that is not literally true, or only partly so, it makes a point that strikes home on these often  strange, offbeat, otherworldly tracks. It is a quality preserved by Michael Brändli’s typically sensitive sonic  Paul Bley-upright piano Steve Swallow-double bass Pete LaRoca-drums restoration, which increases the probability of rapture. Enjoy." – Chris May

"The material on From Out Front To Booker Little And Friend Revisited is Little’s collective chef d’oeuvre. It is exploratory but also strewn with retentions from tradition. The dense yet sonorous dissonance, the graceful tempo and metre shifts, the extended forms that give equal weight to composed and improvised sections, together these „alter the present“ and „direct the past“." – Chris May