Alan Silva, The Celestrial Communication Orchestra

A landmark in avant-garde jazz returns: the definitive, remastered edition of Alan Silva’s 1969 Paris session for BYG’s Actuel series. Leading his 11-piece Celestial Communication Orchestra — with titans like Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, and Grachan Moncur III — Silva channels the raw, boundary-pushing energy of the New York free jazz explosion. Deluxe packaging, restored artwork, and new liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre complete this long-sought treasure. Originally released in 1969, this explosive, large-scale work by Silva’s Celestial Communication Orchestra remains a towering achievement in free jazz and avant-garde composition. 
Born in Bermuda and raised in Harlem, Alan Silva was a key figure in the New York avant-garde scene, performing with visionaries such as Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, and Cecil Taylor.

With Luna Surface, he reached new creative heights, leading a transatlantic ensemble of American and European improvisers. Together, these musicians create a sound that is richly layered — uproarious, torrid, and intensely moving. Comprising two lengthy pieces, From the Luna Surface (Parts 1 & 2), the album unfolds like a constantly shifting landscape of sound, full of the boundless originality one would expect from such a talented group under Silva’s skilled direction. Rooted in the legacy of Charles Mingus yet boldly forward-looking, Silva’s music reflects not just the unrest of the late '60s, but a yearning for unity, transcendence, and deeper cosmic understanding. 

Luna Surface was — and remains — a radical proposition: music not just to entertain, but to transform. This deluxe reissue offers a timely rediscovery of a work that still feels futuristic — a sonic reminder that the search for new worlds, whether musical or metaphysical, remains as urgent as ever.