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TERRENG - a constitution of an open-ended landscape of contrasts defining space both in time and depth. a set of structuring elements forming by its positionally interaction a common platform created through its dimensional properties.

The drums and electronics on TERRENG trade off each other at times creating a sense of improvised space, but also comes together in parts to form a narrative structure of almost concrete sensibilities. Where the instrumental identities gradually bleed into each other to form a flowing texture of sonically defined terrain.

The multi-layered structure of the two tracks presented here draws upon a well of material, sources and references. Pandi and Wesseltoft build up a detailed and idiosyncratic work by the use of their constructive material. In parts quiet and open. In other parts chocked with information and intensity. Beautiful and fractured. Chaotic and meditative. TERRENG is a highly dynamic blend of improvisation, and a narrowly constructed electro-acoustic narrative.

Balazs Pandi is a versatile drummer with an almost encyclopaedic level of experience ranging from improvised music and modern jazz, to metal, noise and experimental electronics. Here he at times performs the role of improvising drummer trading off the collaborator, and at other times creates an almost ritually constructed sense of rhythmic space perfectly embedded within the overall structure.

Jon Wesseltoft is a musician and composer with a long history of work within the often overlapping fields of improvisation, sound-art, noise and electro-acoustics. He has a longstanding interest in musical systems and its concepts of representation, and psycho-acoustics and the phenomenology of sound and its narrative power. He has explored this interest in various forms ranging from solo work to various collaborations and projects to larger ensemble work.

First ever vinyl reissue of this French free jazz nugget recording by Sahib Shihab + Gilson Unit.

Paris, February 1972. A few months after having released Le Massacre du Printemps, Jef Gilson was back behind his keyboards for a completely different experience. Heading up his Unit, he was joined by Sahib Shihab, ex- partner to Gillespie, Monk and Coltrane, for a brief stroll in the desert. For three-quarters of an hour, the caravan passes by, evoking, one after the other, Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane, Pierre Henry and Karlheinz Stockhausen... Oh yes, and one other thing, we forgot to mention that Shihab’s saxophone is... amplified.

La marche dans le désert, (The Walk in the Desert) is first and foremost the meeting of two iconoclastic musicians: Jef Gilson, pianist who tried his hand in all forms of jazz (bebop, choral, modal, free, fusion...) collaborating with emblematic American musicians (Walter Davis Jr., Woody Shaw, Nathan Davis...) or French musicians who were on their way to becoming so (Jean-Luc Ponty, Bernard Lubat, Michel Portal, Henri Texier...), and Sahib Shihab...

Shihab is one of the many black American jazzmen who found refuge in Europe. After having played in the bands of Fletcher Henderson and Roy Eldridge, the saxophonist worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey and Tadd Dameron. He came to the old continent with the Quincy Jones orchestra, spent a few years in Copenhagen, returned to Los Angeles, then came back to Europe. When he met Jef Gilson, in February 1972, the saxophonist was happily touring with the Clarke-Boland Big Band.

La marche dans le désert, is therefore the opportunity for this supporting player to show what he was capable of. And it was some opportunity: with Gilson and his Unit (Pierre Moret on keyboards and Jean-Claude Pourtier on drums, with whom the pianist had just recorded Le massacre du printemps, but also with Jef Catoire on double bass, and Bruno Di Gioia and Maurice Bouhana on flute and percussion respectively), Shihab got maximum exposure.

To mark the occasion, he put aside his baritone saxophone to play a soprano... varitone. The amplified instrument, while losing nothing of its natural sound, was capable of generating the same presence as Gilson’s electronic keyboards. And it would change the face of modal jazz: in a forest of percussion, Shihab and Gilson go on a sensual walkabout that will remain with listeners for long after. Between the two takes of Mirage, Shihab, this time on baritone again, takes up the mantle once more of a style of jazz he was unable to strictly define: “For me there is only one type of music: good”. Let’s make one thing clear from the outset: La marche dans le désert, is definitely good.

Exclusive vinyl release! Impossible to find modern jazz 10inch LP from 1962 with an international reputation for being one of the most wanted collectors` phantoms'. First reissue in its original format, with nine precious recordings from the Atlantis Club at Klosterberg in Basel: Elsie on piano/ accordion/ vocals, with Siro Bianchi on bass/ clarinet and Kenny Schmidt on drums, swinging in between songs of the American Songbook - Stormy Weather', No Moon At All', Canadian Sunset' - and original material Atlantis Blues' or Baron Lazar'. Replica of this private pressing comes with original designs and artwork by Swiss painter Irène Zurkinden.

First ever vinyl reissue of this highly sought after French experimental jazz recording by the legendary Jef Gilson.

In 1971, the day after the death of Igor Stravinsky, Jef Gilson and his Unit (Pierre Moret and Jean-Claude Pourtier) made this curious homage to classical music. It is jazz, contemporary and electroacoustic music that the trio interrogate through a wild ‘noise’ session evoking as much John Cage as Pierre Henry, John Coltrane as the Percussions de Strasbourg, the Art Ensemble of Chicago as the Tacet by Jean Guérin.

Le Massacre du Printemps, (the Massacre of Spring) is a strange kind of homage to Igor Stravinsky, who had just died when, in 1971, Jef Gilson recorded this not-to-be-missed album of French experimental jazz. “Too many pieces of music finish too long after the end” the Russian composer was quoted as saying and here is Gilson offering us... six!

A funny bird (of fire) was Jef Gilson. Clarinetist who came up playing in the basement clubs with Claude Luter and Boris Vian, he turned to piano and multiplied his experiences in jazz: bebop, choral, modal, free, fusion... As a free spirit, Gilson welcomed many ‘up and coming’ French musicians in his bands (Jean-Luc Ponty, Bernard Lubat, Michel Portal, Henri Texier...) as well as being associated with Woody Shaw, Nathan Davis or Byard Lancaster. Later he would go on to create, Europamerica, a transatlantic formation in which Butch Morris, Frank Lowe, and Joe McPhee would play...

But for the time being it’s a massacre! With Pierre Moret on organ and Jean-Claude Pourtier on drums, Gilson improvises with style and gusto. On the eponymous title track of the album, he also plays tuba and invites Claude Jeanmaire to get involved on prepared piano. Spring, for the four musicians here, is windswept: billowing, rumbling, frantic, it sounds like Stravinsky played by the ‘Percussions de Strasbourg’ without a scoresheet!

After which, behind his electric piano, Gilson with Moret and Pourtier offers us five more “unpremeditated spontaneous expressions”, as he wrote on the back of the album sleeve. Five wily and electric expressions which are like the soundtrack to a film which could also have been played by the Art Ensemble or Jean Guérin. So, when, in the same text, Gilson expresses the hope that we will get “from this album the same pleasure that we had making it”, we can but reply: how could it be otherwise?

MANSUR is the newly initiated project by Jason Kohnen (ex-The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble) joined by Dimitry El-Demerdashi (ex-Phurpa) and introducing Martina Hórvath on vocals. The sound of MANSUR navigates between the waters of musical fantasy and reality - it morphs and blends traditional instrumentation with modern day electronica.

Horváth, El-Demerdashi and Köhnen return to their otherworldly worldbuilding with their debut album ‘Karma’ on Denovali. MANSUR leads the listener into mystical and magical unknowns, that lie far past the realms of material perception.

As astronomer Carl Saga once wrote “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known”. Universal lessons of life, brought by teachings and teachers of ages. Unimaginary worlds in all our capacities of being created. MANSUR is the transformational vessel guiding you to these non-physical realms. The realms you seek are already there, it's up to you to find them.

After the outstanding success of the first single, the Argentinian producer Kevin Fingier is back with a must-have instrumental double sider.

A-Side presents 'Latin Dynamite', an explosive tune which could have been the soundtrack of Ramsey Lewis and Mongo Santamaría visiting Soho together around mid 60s. It's a perfect mix of Mod Jazz and Boogaloo with a very cinematic feel. On the B side we have the obscure and groovy 'El Basement', a stunning R&B dancer with a killer flute solo and a screaming Hammond.

"Great track, it adds some fresh sounds to the original Boogaloo and I loved it" - Joe Bataan

This single presents the first experience of the band recording using a Tascam reel to reel tape in El Parral studios in Buenos Aires. Kevin was able to experiment with 60's recording techniques and equipment such as the legendary microphone RCA 77DX as used in many of the recordings we enjoy for the 50's and 60's. This record shows the vision behind Fingier Records, an Acid Jazz Records subsidiary, which claimed from the beginning 'Underground Soul,

R&B, Boogaloo and Raw Funk'. Speaking about the label Kevin states "I don't want this label to be something strict, I want to explore the whole universe around Soul music, what happened before and after, and what happened at that same time, when people from other countries such as Puerto Rico, Brazil or Nigeria mixed their cultural music with Soul, Jazz and Funk.

Modern sounds for the 21st century featuring modal, progressive and esoteric contemporary jazz from the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Finland, USA, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, Germany & Italy.

The first 12 volumes of our hugely popular Spiritual Jazz series have unearthed a wealth of historic recordings in the genre, collating a variety of works from the '50s to the '80s by artists from all around the world.

And so, with Volume 13, we turn our attention to what's happening NOW.

Over the course of 24 tracks and spanning 2 x 2LPs, we present an overview of the contemporary exponents of Spiritual Jazz; musicians who are intent on bringing something personal to the table, as much as they recognize the importance of those who have paved the way for them. We feature music recorded within the past 20 years and from 15 different countries, including modern classics from veterans Steve Reid and Idris Ackamoor, providing a vital link between the past masters and the enlightened new generation.

It's pioneers such as John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders et al, with their innovations in reaching another plane of consciousness that was and remains uppermost in the minds of exponents of Spiritual Jazz. Fittingly, several of the artists featured on this compilation, such as Cat Toren and David Boykin, are practitioners of the art of music therapy and sound healing, and have absolute conviction in the role of song as solace. The pioneers may no longer be with us, but their saintly selves loom large, shining a light in the darkness, inspiring many a brave new disciple today, as this album will testify: the new wave of jazz is gathering pace and still sounds fresh, vibrant and as relevant as ever.

One of the hands-down head-bangers of Makaya McCraven’s 2018 release Where We Come From (CHICAGOxLONDON Mixtape) was bubbling London-based producer/composer Emma-Jean Thackray’s contributed track, “Too Shy.” Slotted into the B-side of the DJ-style suite, Makaya’s finishing touch on the mixtape format of the collection meant that we would miss the full extension of Thackray’s work – which was intended, as she originally made it, to run a minute longer than it does on Where We Come From, and also include a half-time outro bonus beat. Being the banger that it is, it seemed appropriate to give Thackray’s original “Too Shy” its own focused format, and hence we (International Anthem) have partnered (once again) with our good friends at Total Refreshment Centre to present this 12” version on limited edition wax.

The B-Side of this 12” is a smoking re-work of another cut from the original CHICAGO x LONDON Mixtape, “Run ‘Dem,” courtesy of the one and only Gilles Peterson!

It seems that every major jazz artist has a one-off sort of record in their discography, be it with strings, voices, spoken word or - as in this case - a foray into the funkier side of jazz. Charlie Rouse (going here as Charles Rouse) gets his chance on Two Is One, a funky soul jazz excursion on Strata-East, the artist-run label where creativity and pushing boundaries was at the forefront. Playing mostly with a group of session musicians, Rouse put together an album that may stray a bit from his hard bop roots, but is nonetheless an enjoyable and at times inventive record. The style of music played here - sophisticated soul jazz with some post bop and spiritual jazz thrown in for good measure - is very much a product of it's time. 1974 saw a whole slew of artists stretching the boundaries of what jazz music could be, combining elements from the past two decades into electric jazz adventures. The piano-less group that Rouse put together is a funky one, with lots of rhythmic playing behind either the searching solos of Rouse on the tenor or some inventive electric guitar work from either George Davis or Paul Metzke who appear together on all but a couple of tracks. Cal Scott gets plenty of time to shine throughout on what sounds like an electrified cello, an unusual instrument for modern jazz to be sure, but one that manages to fit in just fine here.

The first side of the album is all slow burning soul jazz, highlighted by the opening track "Bitchin'" where Rouse shows off that he is more than capable of setting down soulful lines over a funky backbeat. The second side is where the group gets a whole lot more inventive, particularly on the title track where they mix some post bop madness with the soul jazz sound. "Two Is One" features different tempos throughout: in the "first section" the bass plays in 9/8 time, the drums in 6/8 time and the cello and tenor are in 3/4 time. For the "second section" the rhythm section switches to 7/8 time while cello and tenor move to 4/4 time. Stanley Clarke is on bass here and his deep and twisty electric bass line is placed prominently up front.

"Two Is One" is certainly the highlight of the album from a pure jazz standpoint, and it lives up to it's title, which according to Gene Lewis' liner notes is taken from a Thelonious Monk phrase meaning two people so in tune with one another that they become one. The album finishes off with "In His Presence Searching," a spiritually informed jazz number that is reminiscent of the work being done during this period by the likes of Pharoah Sanders and Gary Bartz, (while not being quite as out there as their best work). The tune is all rhythmic glory, with Rouse and Scott playing introspective and penetrating solos throughout. It's a nice album closer, and a good reminder that while Two Is One may be best known for it's funkier excursions, Rouse had a few tricks up his sleeve and the album, when taken as a whole, is a complete statement from a legendary jazz musician.

Recently unearthed tapes from the estate of Elsie Bianchi, recorded 1968 at Chateau Fleur De Lis in Atlanta/ Georgia. Unknown repertoire of her Swiss trio, with Elsie and Siro Bianchi performing on instruments they otherwise never recorded with: hammond organ, tenor saxophone and flute - including Now`s the Time', Pennies From Heaven', Alice In Wonderland', Swingin` Shepherd Blues' and even a French sung version of Take Five'. Probably the final and last issued music of Elsie Bianchi, carefully mastered for 6-Page-Digipack-CD and limited vinyl LP, including new sleeve notes and many forgotten pictures of the trio taken during the late 1960s in USA.

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

An amazing session of spiritual soul jazz – and one of the rarest albums on Strata East! Shamek Farrah's soulful alto is matched with the free spiritual piano of Sonelius Smith, for a totally memorable session that virtually defines the essence of the Strata East sound! The music is free, but not too free; lyrical, but never indulgent; and always turning over with a fresh sense of imagination, and a soaring groove that's very much in the classic Strata East mode!

Musa Ancestral Streams remains a relative oddity in the pantheon of jazz's black consciousness movement -- a solo piano set of stunning reach and scope, its adherence to intimacy contrasts sharply with the bold, multi-dimensional sensibilities that signify the vast majority of post-Coltrane excursions into spiritual expression, yet the sheer soulfulness and abandon of Stanley Cowell's performance nevertheless vaults the record into the same physical and metaphysical planes. Cowell's energy and touch are remarkable, as if guided by divine power, and for all the music's structural spaciousness and rhythmic freedom, not a note feels out of place, let alone excessive. Most intriguing is "Travelin' Man," an overdubbed "duet" featuring Cowell on both acoustic and electric piano that underscores his uncommon affinity for space and presence.

C.O.R.N! is the debut album by Nick Acorne and Patrick Wurzwallner aka. C.O.R.N! Eclectic mixture of genres and styles. C.O.R.N! is unexpected, unbelievable, unpredictable and always groovy. C.O.R.N! is “Rick and Morty” in music.

On LP for the very first time, the vivid musical cues that American jazz
pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi wrote for the cast of Peanuts characters, adding new dimensions to beloved regulars like Peppermint Patty, Schroeder, Sally, and, of course, Charlie Brown.
In addition to nine songs performed by Guaraldi, the album also includes two classic Peanuts tunes recorded by pianist George Winston. Eight of the selections on Peanuts Portraits (including Winston renditions of “Linus And Lucy” and “Masked Marvel”) make their vinyl debut.

180 gm vinyl re-issue for the connoisseur.

Anyone listening to contemporary jazz piano is very likely to tune
into the legacy of Bill Evans, particularly when confronted by the
work of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and Brad
Mehldau. These artists collectively display various elements of
his style, ranging from reflection to subtlety and taste in the
extreme. His importance to the development of jazz is
unquestionable, the words of British jazz critic Barry McRae
being the perfect summation: 'A brilliant pianist who somehow
managed to disguise the fact, Bill Evans never paraded his
technique but, like all true virtuosi, he made no mistakes. His
home was the piano trio and he brought to piano, bass and
drums an orchestral awareness and expansiveness that belied
the size of the group.'

'Oblique is one of only two quartet sessions the great vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson recorded for Blue Note (the classic Happenings being the other).
Both albums featured the seminal pianist Herbie Hancock and drum master Joe Chambers, with the only variable in the line-up here being bassist Albert Stinson. Hutcherson’s breezy opener “‘Til Then,” Hancock’s tremendous “Theme From Blow Up,” and Chambers’ adventurous “Oblique” are standouts of a session that, taken as a whole, is an incredible journey from hard bop grooves to exploratory sonic tone poems. Recorded in 1967, the album wasn’t first released until 1979.

An'archives presents three documents, three vinyl records carved by the illuminations of Masayoshi Urabe, six performances engraved like epitaphs in the stone that covers the Living World.
These are recordings made in small suburban venues in Japan, where Urabe would play in front of a meagre audience: the Bitches Brew in Yokohama, the Groove in Okinawa and the Gari Gari in Tokyo.
In the corridors of cult label P.S.F. Records, Urabe came across the likes of Kan Mikami, Chie Mukai, Rinji Fukuoka, Hiroshi Hasegawa, with whom he played, and sometimes recorded albums of unfathomable beauty. But he is most disturbing, luminous and dark, violent and poignant, during his solo sets. Hideo Ikeezumi (the cultural ambassador behind P.S.F.) supported him more than others and tried to offer him all the space he could hope for.
His only kindred spirits are Kaoru Abe and Albert Ayler, with whom he shares a sense of tragedy, the same jealous string to swing into the sound, to turn the heavens over to our feet. Urabe mates with his alto sax, assaults it, snuff jazz calling fallen angels to come and haunt us.
Death, like Eros, haunts Masayoshi Urabe’s body of work, and unravels through copper sounds. He follows the sound, inhales it, spits it like an air bag turned inside out until exhaustion, violent, playing and dancing, willing the front rows to give in to his murky eroticism.
Urabe is a magnificent musician, even though he ends up trashing everything, leaving only a mutilated musical body behind. Strangled notes, no melody, just breath, spat air, un chant d'amour.

'Visions in Black and White' is a collection of rare jazz and improvised themes by one of the greatest Russian film composers Mikael Tariverdiev (1931-1996). Transferred from the original tapes and beautifully remastered, these recordings manage to retain their original ambience and capture a master at work. Originally composed for cinema and TV movies of the 1960s and 1970s, it centres on Mikael playing at the piano and keyboard. Many of the compositions can be described as jazz, a genre whose troubled story in the Soviet Union meant they probably would not have existed outside the context of a film score. But, as Vera Tariverdieva, Mikael's wife, tells, it is probably more in accordance with his vision to hear them in the context of his life-long love of improvisation. "Astoundingly, he said more than once that he wasn't fond of jazz. This perplexed me, as he'd always been great at improvisation. Imagine my amazement then when I rummaged through one of our old closets and found a crumbling old tape. It was the score for the 1964 film 'Until Tomorrow'. I played it. And the realisation came: not only had Mikael had been fond of jazz - no, he'd been an amazing jazz musician." Vera Tariverdieva The pieces here are an introduction to Mikael's musical world. The tonality of individual tracks varies - they were transferred from original tapes of different eras and conditions that are kept in the Tariverdiev apartment in Moscow where Vera still lives and works.

Um aus der Masse der LP-Wiederveröffentlichungen herauszuragen, gibt es nur ein Rezept: besondere Qualität!
In der Machart der audiophile BLUE NOTE TONE POET-Serie spielt jetzt auch Verve mit, mit seiner neuen ACOUSTIC SOUNDS-Serie.
Die dritte Staffel präsentiert zwei absolute Nina-Simone-Klassiker. So exquisit gefertigt wie hier gab es diese allerdings noch nie: gemastert ohne digitale Zwischenschritte von den Original-Analogbändern, in 180gVinyl gepresst von Quality Record Pressings und in stabile Tip-on-Gatefold-Sleeves verpackt, gedruckt und verarbeitet bei Stoughton Printing Co. Die gesamte Fertigungskette betreut der legendäre Chad Kassem vom audiophilen LP-Label Acoustic Sounds.

LTD GOLD COLOURED

The planets align this October as the mighty Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of the maestro Marshall Allen, release their first studio album in over twenty years, 'Swirling'. Recorded at Rittenhouse Soundworks in Philadelphia, the new recording represents the continuation of a heartfelt rebirth of the Arkestra under Allen's guidance since Sun Ra left the planet in 1993, gaining new generations of followers from their regular touring across the globe. With a big band line-up featuring long-standing Arkestra members including Danny Ray Thompson (RIP), Michael Ray, Vincent Chancey, Knoel Scott, Cecil Brooks, Atakatune (RIP), Elson Nascimento and Tyler Mitchell, the album is a full-blooded celebration of Sun Ra's legacy. Tracks include brand new arrangements of Arkestra staples 'Angels And Demons At Play', 'Satellites Are Spinning', 'Door Of The Cosmos' and 'Rocket No. 9' alongside lesser known gems; the rousing blues 'Darkness' is recorded here for the first time, resurrected from the Ra archives by Marshall Allen. Other highlights include an epic version of 'Seductive Fantasy' (first recorded on Ra's 'On Jupiter' LP in 1979), the freeform sonic blast of 'Infinity / I'll Wait For You' and a first ever recording of the Marshall Allen swing composition, 'Swirling'. "We truly hope that this recording brings much joy to a planet which is so deeply in need of a spirit sound and vibration," states saxophonist Knoel Scott. "We hope it contributes to a change in the ominous direction of man's journey through the cosmos." "This new release is the Arkestra's love offering to the world," concludes Marshall Allen. "Beta music for a better world."

One of the most lauded (not to mention brilliant) trumpet players in the history of jazz, Clifford Brown adds to his luster on this varied program of nine engaging tunes. The 1955 line-up of the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet – one of the premiere early hard bop units – included tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow.

Born in Redlands, California in 1980, Marquis Howell grew up in a lovely way. Raised to appreciate hand-me-downs, secondhand goods & older influences, he started imitating Chuck Berry riffs on air guitar in elementary school to impress the girls. Having little to no luck with the invisible instrument & with many promises & persuasions, his parents bought him his first guitar. Marquis took lessons at the local guitar shop and as often as possible he would practice 4 or more hours a day.

Marquis first started collecting records at the age of 15. His first job was at an antique store with a section of records that set off the retro-active chain of events that would change his life, more or less. It started with a Johnny Cash record, Live At Fulsom Prison. Thru the route of early country music that led to Emmett Miller while Cliff Edwards was introduced by a friend with a bargain bin cd. Pre-war jazz flooded his ears and he was joyfully treading water.

In 2002, Marquis' band, Hobo Jazz, was formed with no big bravado but a lot of eager charm. Culling it's selections from all sides with an emphasis on early country, blues & jazz along with originals in a decidedly vagabond vein. He traded his acoustic guitar for an upright bass in 2004 to fill the spot of an absentee hobo. Teaching himself how to play by listening to early Willie Dixon records & studying the techniques of Pops Foster, Bill Johnson, and the tuba lines off many early jazz recordings.

Tramp proudly presents the debut 45rpm single by Hobo Jazz! "It's a Man's World" was recorded live at the New Years Eve Show 2009 at The Piano Bar in Hollywood while "One Glance (At the Jolly Roger)" is taken from their studio album "The Curse Of Tramp Life".

On this 1954 eponymous album, recorded for Emarcy, Sarah Vaughan, arguably in the best voice of her career, sings nine intimate standards. The album was later reissued as Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown to signal the involvement of one of the top trumpeters of the day. Brown is on par with her with his bop virtuosity The band, including Herbie Mann on flute, and Paul Quinichette on tenor, have plenty of space for solos.

Tramp Records continues their pilgrimage to the soulful fringes of spiritual jazz and progressive rock and funk with their 3rd and 4th volumes of their "Peace Chant, Raw, Deep and Spiritual Jazz" series, and the world could not be more ready.

As we turn together on this tiny blue ball hanging lonely in space, and as we together face existential threats ranging from climate catastrophe, the rise of brutal authoritarian regimes, the breaking of the industrial storm and the imminent collapse of empire, not to mention the raging covid-19 crisis and the continuing racial and social struggles across the globe, we are thrust into a society-wide grand awakening that has been in the making for a very long time. Of course, our musical teachers have trod this path before us, and have worked out solutions to these problems, the songs of the Peace Chant series ring out loud and clear as our ancestors' proof of concept. They say history repeats herself, maybe it's because we weren't listening the first time. Thanks to Tramp Records, we have been granted another opportunity.

Today, the musical and spiritual truths enshrined within the spiritual jazz diaspora seem to be more and more sought-after, and crucial at a time when we as a society seek higher and farther for those bold truths. With each generation, that truth doesn't change, and the artists featured in the series speak those truths along a continuum that ranges from the late-60s up to the present day.

Volume 3, the first LP, features artists who use their medium to welcome the return of the sacred feminine as in Lenny Marcus Trio's Mother's Day, and speak on afrocentric themes like Roland Hayes with his heartfelt Africa The Beautiful. Mineral King renders epic orchestral rock while Natural Life takes us even further on a ten-minute epic quest from a progressive fusion head, to searing tabla, into virtuosic guitar jamming and finally dropping into heady fuzz-soaked riffs and free-jazz fusion with their theme song. Rama Dyushambee sings a devotional song about divine source and healing, while Jule Farmer's Muhammad Ali stands strong at the crossroads between black spirituality and black power. Black Is provides a vibey lo-fi flute jazz meditation in their Themes and Variation while The Supa Lowery Brothers provide the requisite hard modal freedom funk.

Peace Chant is the center of the mandala, representing the nucleus of the post-bop, modal jazz, avant-garde, transcendental, spiritual, ethnic, and freedom music universe without necessarily suggesting anything immediately identifiable as any of the above. This is the soundtrack to the raising of human consciousness and the salvation of society's very soul.

We give thanks to Tramp Records for leading our thirsty hearts to this rich fountain.

Strut present the 4CD edition of Sun Ra's 'Egypt 1971' along with the original albums 'Dark Myth Equation Visitation', 'Nidhamu' and 'Horizon' released as individual LPs, documenting Sun Ra's first trip to Egypt with his Arkestra in December 1971. In the years leading up to 1971, Sun Ra wrote many compositions and poems specifically inspired by the ancient African Kingdoms and many others with associated mythological and heliocentric connotations. As such, a visit to Egypt and the opportunity for the Arkestra to play there was a matter of necessity. Ra's first ever concerts outside of the US had occurred in late summer and autumn of 1970 with performances in France, Germany and the UK and a second European tour was arranged for late 1971. At the end of that second tour, Ra caught wind of cheap flights from Denmark to Cairo. This release comprises recordings made by Arkestra member Thomas "Bugs" Hunter made in December 1971 in the streets around the Mena House Hotel, Giza, from a concert held at the house of Goethe Institute ex-pat Hartmut Geerken in Heliopolis, from a live Cairo TV channel broadcast and a concert at the Ballon Theatre in Cairo. The impact and significance of these few weeks upon Sun Ra can be measured by the growth and development of his output over the next few years; the immediate post-Egypt period included new studio and live recordings on the Saturn, Blue Thumb, Atlantic and Impulse labels and the 'Space Is The Place' movie. Ra also edited the three LPs of the 'Live In Egypt' series which were subsequently released on his Saturn record label and its affiliated twin, Thoth Intergalactic: 'Dark Myth Equation Visitation', 'Nidhamu' and 'Horizon'. These three albums are now reissued as single LP editions in their original artwork. The 4CD set features these albums alongside previously unreleased material from the December 1971 recordings. All tracks are remastered from the original tapes and the CD set also features a 24-page booklet featuring new sleeve notes and rare photos by Hartmut Geerken and background information on the recordings by Paul Griffiths.

"Places and Spaces" is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd, that was released on Blue Note in 1975.

This is one of his finest album with a music that falls halfway between the cinematic neo-funk of Street Lady and the proto-disco soul of Earth, Wind & Fire ! A must-have !

COLLECTOR’S EDITION LIMITED TO 1,000 COPIES WORLDWIDE.

Simon Popp and Sebastian Wolfgruber aka Fazer Drums team up with Tunisian producer Azu Tiwaline for the second part of their hybrid Sound Measures series.
On the A side, the Munich-based duo's pure and raw drumming gets more melodic than on the first edition. With interwoven, polyrhythmic grooves they explore the concept of counterpoint, drawing inspiration from Gamelan, Afro-Cuban and Swing.
That's material made in heaven for Azu Tiwaline, who made sizeable waves this year with her Magnetic Service EP on Bristol's Livity Sound.
In her rework, she kept the focus on the drums, boiling down and rearranging the different parts into a 7-minute beast of a tune. Layers of her signature dubbed-out electronics add to the mystic aura, while maintaining the dynamics and musicality of the recordings.

The holy grail of. Recorded at London's Morgan studios shortly after Pink Floyd's Meddle was recorded, this album saw a tiny release on the Dutch Pink Elephant label followed by an equally elusive release on the Italian Carosello label. This here is the reissue of the superb and sought-after group cover Italian release. Strictly limited to 600 copies on ultra clear translucent.The music is a superb blend of blaxploitation deep-funk with jazz and psychedelic elements. San Francisco cop thriller meets Italian 70's B-movie Soundtrack. Release date and more details to be announced soon.

The planets align this October as the mighty Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of the maestro Marshall Allen, release their first studio album in over twenty years, 'Swirling'. Recorded at Rittenhouse Soundworks in Philadelphia, the new recording represents the continuation of a heartfelt rebirth of the Arkestra under Allen's guidance since Sun Ra left the planet in 1993, gaining new generations of followers from their regular touring across the globe. With a big band line-up featuring long-standing Arkestra members including Danny Ray Thompson (RIP), Michael Ray, Vincent Chancey, Knoel Scott, Cecil Brooks, Atakatune (RIP), Elson Nascimento and Tyler Mitchell, the album is a full-blooded celebration of Sun Ra's legacy. Tracks include brand new arrangements of Arkestra staples 'Angels And Demons At Play', 'Satellites Are Spinning', 'Door Of The Cosmos' and 'Rocket No. 9' alongside lesser known gems; the rousing blues 'Darkness' is recorded here for the first time, resurrected from the Ra archives by Marshall Allen. Other highlights include an epic version of 'Seductive Fantasy' (first recorded on Ra's 'On Jupiter' LP in 1979), the freeform sonic blast of 'Infinity / I'll Wait For You' and a first ever recording of the Marshall Allen swing composition, 'Swirling'. "We truly hope that this recording brings much joy to a planet which is so deeply in need of a spirit sound and vibration," states saxophonist Knoel Scott. "We hope it contributes to a change in the ominous direction of man's journey through the cosmos." "This new release is the Arkestra's love offering to the world," concludes Marshall Allen. "Beta music for a better world."

Pique-nique Recordings is proud to present 'Investigate and Enjoy', a deep musical conversation between two of New York City’s most prolific musicians, Dave Harrington and Kenny Wollesen. Harrington (Darkside) and Wollesen (Sex Mob) use a shared language of texture, groove, and space to craft intricate, free-formed, and inventive experimental music.

Wollesen’s forceful percussion opens up side A, which grooves heavily underneath Harrington’s skittering electronics. The flip side features sparse yet rich guitar tones on what Harrington and Wollesen refer to as an “improvised ballad.” Both pieces resonate with a powerful mood as hints of late-Talk Talk and Battles permeate these unique recordings.

This release is part of an ongoing series that aims to capture the New York City jazz scene in its current, always evolving form.


"Of all of the things we've done together over the years, playing as a duo has been one of the most special to me. We never rehearse, we never play any songs, but Kenny and I find ourselves writing music together in real-time. Kenny is the rare drummer who has the ability to not only supply a sort of canvas for another musician to work inside of and to paint harmonically on, but he can make the frame around it, and he can splatter paint himself in a meaningful way that has the power to change the whole shape of the shared dream of an improvisation.

We have recorded together a number of times over the last several years and this music came out of one such meeting. While it is no exaggeration when I say that having my name next to Kenny’s on a record sleeve is a dream come true, the real dream is getting to make music with a true master." - Dave Harrington

Pique-nique Recordings is proud to present 'Chrysanthemum', two spontaneous piano improvisations by composer and bandleader, Erik Deutsch; directed, sculpted, and accompanied by Spencer Zahn.

Sparseness, beauty, and freedom define Deutch and Zahn’s creative output, which was formed over a mutual admiration for Thelonious Monk’s Solo Monk LP. With his first solo improvisational recording in a 25-year career, Deutsch combines his extensive experience in the free-music realm with inspiration from the likes of Alice Coltrane and Bill Evans.

This release is part of an ongoing series that aims to capture the New York City jazz scene in its current, always evolving form.

'Improvisation is the main form of communication between NYC jazz musicians; the purest, most direct path to the essence of another creative spirit. I’ve ventured down that road in hundreds of jam sessions over the past few decades (and made life-long friends in the process). Yet somehow, when it’s time to get in the studio, one tends to lean towards pre-composed material with an idea in the back of your head that the studio free-improviser is a different kind of cat than oneself, perhaps with a different artistic integrity or maybe even lacking material.

Fuck that. I’m glad to take the plunge and I say with all honesty that nothing could feel better in this moment.' - Erik Deutsch

Pique-nique Recordings is proud to present 'The Harvest', the debut recording from trio Spencer Zahn, Austin Tufts, and Jacob Bergson. Recorded over a weekend in Montreal, the three musicians approached the session without any preconceived ideas of what they wanted to create.

The result is a fully-realized record from three skilled players responding to one another live in the studio, effortlessly gliding through ambient post-rock and jazz. Tufts’ driving rhythms, Bergson’s soaring synthesizers, and Zahn’s melodic bass on ‘Mile X’ provide a beautiful opener, whilst the grounded and utterly beautiful ‘The Harvest’ creates a moment of all-encompassing stillness.

This release is part of an ongoing series that aims to capture the New York City jazz scene in its current, always evolving form.

"In October 2018, Jacob Bergson and I travelled from NYC to one of my favorite cities in the world, Montreal. The idea was to spend a week with my long-time friend and favorite drummer, Austin Tufts, who had recently built a studio for his band, Braids, on the edge of Mile-Ex.

At the beginning of each day, we would prompt each other with a short idea or phrase and build on it together until an arrangement began to emerge. As the three of us fell into roles that we each play naturally, the music started to take shape. Forms and energy-arch were outlined by Austin’s drumming, space and ambiance were created by Jacob’s piano and modular synthesizer, while I focused on harmony and bass motion." Spencer Zahn

Strut present the 4CD edition of Sun Ra's 'Egypt 1971' along with the original albums 'Dark Myth Equation Visitation', 'Nidhamu' and 'Horizon' released as individual LPs, documenting Sun Ra's first trip to Egypt with his Arkestra in December 1971. In the years leading up to 1971, Sun Ra wrote many compositions and poems specifically inspired by the ancient African Kingdoms and many others with associated mythological and heliocentric connotations. As such, a visit to Egypt and the opportunity for the Arkestra to play there was a matter of necessity. Ra's first ever concerts outside of the US had occurred in late summer and autumn of 1970 with performances in France, Germany and the UK and a second European tour was arranged for late 1971. At the end of that second tour, Ra caught wind of cheap flights from Denmark to Cairo. This release comprises recordings made by Arkestra member Thomas "Bugs" Hunter made in December 1971 in the streets around the Mena House Hotel, Giza, from a concert held at the house of Goethe Institute ex-pat Hartmut Geerken in Heliopolis, from a live Cairo TV channel broadcast and a concert at the Ballon Theatre in Cairo. The impact and significance of these few weeks upon Sun Ra can be measured by the growth and development of his output over the next few years; the immediate post-Egypt period included new studio and live recordings on the Saturn, Blue Thumb, Atlantic and Impulse labels and the 'Space Is The Place' movie. Ra also edited the three LPs of the 'Live In Egypt' series which were subsequently released on his Saturn record label and its affiliated twin, Thoth Intergalactic: 'Dark Myth Equation Visitation', 'Nidhamu' and 'Horizon'. These three albums are now reissued as single LP editions in their original artwork. The 4CD set features these albums alongside previously unreleased material from the December 1971 recordings. All tracks are remastered from the original tapes and the CD set also features a 24-page booklet featuring new sleeve notes and rare photos by Hartmut Geerken and background information on the recordings by Paul Griffiths.

The first of three volumes: stomping, rollicking gospel music, intermingling with raw soul, searing blues, hard-rocking doo-wop and jazz, and storming r&b.

Infused and incandescent with the hurting, surging indignation of the Civil Rights movement, here are twenty-four precious scorchers by giants like the Staple Singers and Jimmy Scott, alongside devastating sides by less celebrated names like the Harmonising Five of Burlington, North Carolina, and teen-group the North Philadelphia Juniors, culminating triumphantly with slamming, sanctified versions of Hit The Road Jack and Wade In The Water.

Gatefold sleeve, with full-size booklet; beautifully designed, with stunning, rare photographs and original Savoy artwork.