2021 repress with different artwork - these will fly! "While often sidestepped, the world of avant-garde music is closely aligned with the social and political realms. It is not only the accumulation of radical sounds, but series of equally radical actions through which glimpses of possibilities and hope can be gleaned. There are few better examples of this than the revolutionary forms of improvised music that emerged from African American communities during the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.Often falling under the banner of “free-jazz” - building on the early, visionary efforts of Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Cecil Taylor - across the country, numerous artists and collectives embarked on the creation of a new music of freedom and open communication, often carried within the larger social and political movement of self-determination and afrocentrism, giving way to the founding of a near countless number of artist run spaces and record labels. Among the fiercest and greatest documents of this movement is a lone LP - Al-Fatihah - self-released in Ohio by Black Unity Trio in 1969, the reissue of which stands before us now. A hard cut diamond of pure fire and artistry, it’s a good as improvised music from this era gets and absolutely not to be missed.The Black Unity Trio was Yusuf Mumin on Alto Saxophone, Abdul Wadud on Cello and Bass, and Haasan-Al-hut on Percussion. Very little is known about the group itself. Both Mumin and Al-hut recorded very little after the release of the Trio’s lone LP. Wadud, on the other hand, become a crucial figure within the NY loft era, and arguably the most important cellist ever to appear in the idiom of free jazz, going on to produce a seminal solo LP, By Myself, working with his own bands extensively, and recording with an astounding cast of players over the years, from Julius Hemphill, Leroy Jenkins, and Human Arts Ensemble, to Arthur Blythe, Frank Lowe, George Lewis, Cecil Taylor, Muhal Richard Abrams, Sam Rivers, and numerous others.Because of Wadud’s presence in the the Black Unity Trio, it is easy to relegate the importance of Al-Fatihah to being a crucial, early insight into his career. It is this unquestionably, but doing so also risks relegating the incredible quality of the album to artifact status. It entirely stands on its own on artistic terms, while doubling as an important and rare document of artists working in improvised music outside of major centres like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.Ranging from intricate, textural passages, flirting around some of the territory explored by bands like The Art Ensemble of Chicago during this rough moment, to the type of full on hard blown fire the one might expect to encounter across the ESP catalog, all taken into radically different and singular realms by Wudad’s cello playing, the album has few equivalents.Raw and emotive, soulful and thoughtful to points of profound depth, and entirely liberated and free, there’s plenty of reasons why collectors hunt the globe for this LP, making it one of the greatest holy grails of private press free jazz out there. Six cuts of pure and immersive improvised gold, this is as good as free jazz gets. Absolutely essential!

Souffle Continu Records present the first ever reissue of Workshop De Lyon's La Chasse De Shirah Sharibad, originally released in 1975. In France, in the years 1960-1970, musicians pondered over how to transpose the political struggle of free jazz onto a completely different political terrain. One of the first to do so was pianist François Tusques (agitator, theorist and militant) who recorded 1965's Free Jazz (CACK 020LP), and then continued with Le Nouveau Jazz (1967), French equivalents to the American "New Thing". The word spread, and was picked up by the Free Jazz Workshop which became the Workshop De Lyon in 1975 with the arrival of clarinetist-saxophonist Louis Sclavis. Still a source of joy, this lyrically feverish second album maintains a narrative dimension however subtle the textures developed through the contrasting collective improvisations. With their ever-inventive melodicism, the Workshop De Lyon invented an imaginary folklore on this album which is unlike any other. It is a knowing mix of the avant-garde and the traditional, collective playing vying, with panache and complexity, with the inspired urgency of the soloists. Even without filmed images the theatricality and humor of the group's live performances, essential components of their identity can be felt during the long thematic suites which are both expressive and full of joy. What better way to honor their imaginary mentors, Albert Ayler or the Art Ensemble Of Chicago! More, More! Licensed from Bisou. Reverse printing; 12-page booklet; Obi strip; Edition of 700.

Following a deep-excavation of the Logos archives London’s Horn of Plenty presents ‘Bratschebraut’ – four works utilising prepared violin, electronics, tapes, and voice. These recordings are from the same era as Moniek’s classic ‘Sounds of Sacred Places’ LP. ‘Bratschebraut’ extends the story of Moniek’s work during this period: playful, intimate, raw, and quite unique. Although they were recorded across a seven year period and were not intended to sit together, the music on ‘Bratschebraut’, seen retrospectively, captures a pivotal era in Moniek’s artistic development. A period that saw her challenge, destroy, then create anew.‘Bratschebraut’ both a significant addition to Moniek’s catalogue and an essential historical document. The album comes in an edition of 300 on beautiful red vinyl, housed in a full-colour sleeve with deluxe PVC bag and a 28-page booklet containing artist’s notes, previously unpublished photos, and details from the original graphic score for ManMo.

Canada’s Blake Hargreaves summons the almighty power of Europe’s auld pipe organs in his spellbinding suite of improvisations recorded in churches in Genova, Höchst, Den Haag, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Budapest and Frankfurt. Make no mistake though, this is no hard academic exercise, this one’s on a pop tip, think about when Kara-Lis Coverdale talked about re-arranging hymns with a bit of Drake, or as the label put it "...as sweet as Schubert!” Among the most enchanting recordings of organ music we’ve heard among a recent groundswell of pipe organ works by everyone from Kara-Lis Coverdale, Maria W. Horn and Kali Malone to Áine O’Dwyer and Stefan Fraunberger; ‘Improvisations On The Pipe Organs Of Europe’ sees Hargreaves play up to the unwieldy, ancient instrument’s classical forms while also leaning towards its more experimental, contemporary, processed examples. The results in effect give voice to the pipe organs as they have been used for hundreds of years, to manipulate congregations and install the fear of god, or some “other” presence (essentially infrasound), and their appeal is fittingly timeless and haunting.  The minuet at Justinuskirche, Höchste is a particular highlight with its playful yet stately sense of pomp primed for a vintage horror flick, while Berceuse at Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, Paris makes more meditative use of the pipe organ’s capacity for droning low end, as does the wonderfully pensile, floating performance documented in Serenade at Saint-Louie-en-l’île, Paris, whereas Noctunmre at Basilica sv Petra a Pavla Praha focusses on tremulous higher registers with incisively synaesthetic and weightless effect, and Meditation at KunstKulturKirche Allerheiligen, Frankfurt am Main puts its organ thru a deeply sombre and funereal procession. Ultimately, the recordings are just very easy to listen to and could hardly sound more apt for the time of year when we wanna zone out. aye.

Tracklisting:A1. DiodicA2. FullscanA3. EraseromB1. HexadexB2. StrobeluckWarning, These will go quick!!!! The excellent World Of Echo, reissue the second release of skeletal DIY London-based three piece Mosquitoes as a dubplate-style 10". --- Clive Phillips, Dominic Goodman, Peter Blundell are Mosquitoes, a somewhat inscrutable London-based outfit in operation for something close to seven years now, and have released music across a host of celebrated and broad-minded underground labels. Give or take the occasional interview in the less-straight parts of the music press, this is as much formal biography as their music has thus far allowed, for there's something essentially unknowable at the centre of what makes Mosquitoes what they are. So murky is their early history in fact, the first two self-released Mosquitoes records seemed to disappear from sight before really becoming visible. As more records have emerged, those first communications accumulate new meanings, acting as vital documents in tracking the evolution of a band who stand at the vanguard of contemporary British music. Mosquitoes plug into a long lineage of DIY savant iconoclasts, those outliers who would deny orthodoxy in order to excavate new languages and ideas - The Dead C, This Heat, the anti-formalism of No Wave, David Toop's General Strike. As such, Mosquitoes rely on a musical pluralism in order to take it apart - you must know how something is made before you reassemble it anew. Labelling this an EP may possibly underplay the breadth and ambition of what's on show. Later records would arguably be more cohesive, but what stands as particularly startling with this early work is their fearless and all-encompassing dive into the avant garde. Consider the anti-rockism of the scorched earth 90s re-imagined through a distinctly avant filter of free jazz and dub aesthetics. And it's the latter which perhaps shapes Mosquitoes most, dub the perfect vehicle for the articulation of such wilful anti-formalism. Make no mistake, this is music that's unafraid to be tough, to demand something of the listener and to not ask permission. And to bear witness to a rejection of formalism so aggressively pursued is to be reconciled.  --- Released: March 5th, World of Echo WOE002 | 10" | ltd to 300

Label: Moers Music ‎– momu 01068Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: GermanyReleased: 1980Genre: Jazz, ClassicalStyle: Free ImprovisationMichael Jüllich (born January 18, 1952 in Essen) is a German percussionist and composer. His areas of activity are jazz, new music, sound art and music therapy. With Andrea Centazzo, Frank Perry, Pierre Favre, and Günter Sommer, Jüllich is one of the first generation of jazz and improvisation musicians to perform solo concerts with the percussion. This rare release from Moers Music, 1980, is the only solo percussion record from Jüllich Drums, Percussion – Michael Jüllich Photography By – Peter Paxmann Producer – Burkhard Hennen, Michael Jüllich Recorded By – Ferdinand Brendgen

Design – Jürgen Pankarz Mastered By, Composed By – Parker/Lytton* Photography By – Roberto Masotti Producer – Burkhard Hennen Recorded By – Hans Schlosser Recorded At – Moers Festival 1976Recorded Live at Moers New Jazz Festival, 1976. German jazz festival Moers has been held annually at Pentecost since 1972. Founded by Burkhard Hennen who acted as artistic director until 2005. From 2006 until 2016 directed by Reiner Michalke. Percussion, Electronics – Paul Lytton Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker

The Human Arts Ensemble was a 1970s musical collective operating in St. Louis, Missouri. Members explored free jazz and loosely associated themselves with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and the Black Artists' Group(BAG) collective. It was formed in 1971 with the idea that performers could perform in the ensemble, without restrictions as to the performer's race. Additionally, public funding had ended for musical associations that were suspected of having connections with radical organizations.Streets Of St. Louis was recorded live at Studio Rivbea New York on September 6th 1974 and released  by Moers Music in 1978 Credits: Alto Saxophone– Julius HemphillBaritone Saxophone–Hamiet Bluiett Cello–Abdul Wadud Drums, Percussion–Charles Bobo Shaw Guitar– Dominique GaumontTrombone–Joseph Bowie Trumpet–Lester Bowie

Beautiful, fan-made album of acapella versions of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds classics on one disc. Be able to hear and appreciate their intricate harmonies like never before. Sit back, close your eyes and have a listen to the isolated vocal tracks of one of the greatest albums ever made. "God Only Knows, "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "That's Not Me", "You Still Believe In Me" and so on and on... It also contains some rare audio clips. Carl Wilson and the Boys at their finest. --- Released 22 March, Somewax

Tracklist: A1. She Walks In BeautyA2. The Heart Of The MatterB1. What's ThatB2. Walking Way  After playing with Mingus, Coltrane, Lady Day and Abbey Lincoln, inventive jazz pianist Mal Waldron moved to Europe and first reached Japan in 1970, where he met Idaho-born double-bassist Gary Peacock, who had played with Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bill Evans and free-jazz giant, Albert Ayler before moving to Japan to study zen Buddhism. First Encounter, recorded in Tokyo in 1971 for French producer Herve Bergerat, shows that the intense pairing was quite natural, the harmonic dissonance of Waldron’s “She Walks In Beauty” contrasted by the up-tempo groove of Peacock’s “What’s That”; future Native Son founder Hiroshi Murakami makes important contribution on drums. --- Gary Peacock - bassMal Waldron - pianoHiroshi Murakami - drums Recorded in Tokyo, Japan, March 8th, 1971. --- Released: Alternative Fox, 2020

Nazar is a 26-year-old Angolan producer who grew up in Belgium until his late teens, when he returned after the civil war and is now based in Manchester. Nazar coined the term Rough Kuduro on his Soundcloud page, as an interpretation of the Angolan music and dance style, ‘weaponising’ it on his first EP 'Enclave' released in late 2018, translating the normally upbeat style to expose the uglier side of what he saw in Angola. On Guerrilla Nazar uses Rough Kuduro to sensitively examine and digitalise his family’s collective memory and country's past, threading together oral histories, political realities and most significantly re-imaginings of direct horrors. Every track on Guerrilla documents his personal story of the war and its aftermath in countless people's lives in a detailed and episodic manner. Nazar’s father's rank as a Rebel General led to prolonged separation of his family across continents, with continued effect.  “A couple of years ago, on one of many road trips I had with my father, we talked extensively about the conflict driving through Huambo and Luanda in Angola' where some of the events of the album took place. These, along with his father’s published wartime journal Memorias de Um Guerrilheiro (2006) planted the ideas for the themes of this album, and it began to take shape over trips back and forth, from Angola to his Manchester studio. Nazar tells his story both impressionistically, evoking atmospheres and dramatic themes and at times with stark directness. Released March 13, 2020 Hyperdub

Have you ever imagined what a meeting between the Silver Apples and Sonny Sharrock would sound like? In 1974, Jean-Jacques Birgé, one of the first French synthesizer players (ARP 2600) along with Francis Gorgé, virtuoso guitarist, created some unique improvised pop music. These unreleased and flamboyant recordings would be the source for the cult 1975 Défense de album by Birgé, Gorgé, Shiroc before founding 'Un Drame Musical Instantané' with Bernard Vitet.

Jamaican Recordings focuses on unreleased dubs of Bunny Lee-produced Horace Andy tracks dating from the years 1973 to 1976. It was during this period that Horace made some of his finest works, usually with "Striker" Lee as producer.

"Originally released in 1983 on the Japanese VAP label, ‘East Plants’ is an essential album in the J Jazz canon. It’s an album that distils several key characteristics of Moriyama’s music: clearly articulated and inventive rhythms, open yet orderly arrangements, and an accessible groove balanced with a graceful control.‘East Plants’ features no piano, just percussion, bass and reeds. From the luxurious raga-like build of the album’s hypnotic title track and the fierce post-bop workout of ‘Fields’, to the stately modal track ‘Kaze’ ( as featured on the sell-out BBE compilation, ‘J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1968-1984’), the album was, until now, a rarely acknowledged masterpiece. ‘East Plants’ shows Moriyama’s quintet at their most transcendent: delicate layers of percussion by Yoji Sadanari, a warm and pliant bass from Hideki Mochizuki, with colour and texture provided by the eloquent reed work of Shuichi Enomoto and Toshiko Inoue. And, overseeing it all, Moriyama’s discreet yet commanding drumming. A genuine ‘under the radar’ album known only to a handful of Japanese jazz collectors, ‘East Plants’ is now available once more, reissued for the first time as a double 180g LP, with exact reproductions of the original artwork, obi strip and insert. It also comes with the original notes fully translated.'The BBE J Jazz Masterclass Series is curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden and is dedicated to presenting the very finest in Japanese jazz. The series will feature rare, long-lost and unreleased material presented in the highest quality reproductions of the original releases, fully licensed and authorised."

Originally recorded in 1977, following a limited release in 1979, Ghédalia Tazartès debut album, Diasporas, introduced listeners to the surreal, mysterious and truly unclassifiable statement of Tazartès and his out-of-time place in the French avant-garde canon. Born in Paris in 1947 to Judaeo-Spanish parents of Greek descent, Tazartès spent his early career as an autodidact utilizing his knowledge of repetition and collage, coupled with his Ladino linguistic heritage, to create some of the most unique recordings of the late 20th century. Interest in the works of Tazartès truly sparked when artist Steve Stapleton included his follow up album, Tazartès' Transports, in his famed “Nurse With Wound List,” thus adding endless curiosity to the folklore behind Tazartès and his mystical entrée. From the onset of Diasporas, looping incantations seemingly pile up at the behest of Tazartès. In almost a prayer-like decree, Tazartès chants to the gods in an undefined whail that is both haunting and spiritually divine. Tazartès unique use of tape loops to capture the disappearing traditions of his family’s past creates an atmospheric texture that unexpectedly complements his cut-up, manipulated vocal experiments. While contemporaries within the French avant-garde maneuvered academic theory and rigid tradition, Diasporas strays away from these boundaries, working in Tazartès’ invented practice of ‘impromuz’, a method in which he endlessly records for hours and edits only the moments that display any sense of spontaneous enlightenment. Further emboldening the obtuse nature of Diasporas are the seemingly random recitation of poet Stéphane Mallarmé and the traditional ‘Parisian-style’ piano accompaniment of experimental composer Michel Chion. Since its initial release over 40 years ago, both Dais Records and Alga Marghen have released reissues of Diasporas in various formats, with the initial Dais Records vinyl edition falling out of print. Dais Records presents an official reissue, newly remastered by Josh Bonati, utilizing the original artwork of Diasporas in its sole album form, for the first time in over four decades.

The connection with and love for Radio Centraal runs through Ultra Eczema’s veins. The Antwerp-based station has functioned as a voice for myriad local underground movements for nearly forty years. From its inception, architect and ex-Situationist Rudi Renson and restaurateur Roland Rom were a critical, hilarious, and provocative voice in its repertoire of weirdos, chiefly via the weekly RTVS (Radio & Television Salon) programme. Lots of ‘music’ was made within this show, largely enabled by its presenters’ revolving door policy of regularly inviting others to contribute or host: musician and artist George Smits, actionist and performer Jacques ‘Jack The Rapper’ Ambach, artist Jörgen Voordeckers, jazz saxophonist Mike Zinzen, aspiring philosopher and bass player Filip Baert, political activist Peter Terryn, troublemaker Jan ‘JAC’ Van Den Eynde, renaissance man Mark Meulemans, graphic designer Dominic Gregoire, fashion photographer Ronald Stoops, communist activist Leo Dierckx, feminist Ellen Verryt, translator and teacher Linda Greeve, biologist and Cassis Cornuta’s sole member Daniel Renders… You get the picture.This compilation is far from complete. It is merely a selection from over 200 cassettes from the archives of Rudi Renson and Roland Rom’s families. The book features interviews (in Dutch) with some of the show’s main protagonists, and a long essay by Peter Terryn (in English)

Lee Perry recorded some of the most inspiring, soulful and weird / wild reggae music ever put down on tape. Working through all the manifestations of reggae from Ska to Roots and Dub, where his 1973 ‘Blackboard Jungle’ LP, set the standards, he was an innovator. "If this was not enough his recordings of THE WAILERS, many believe to be their finest work. Born Rainford Hugh Perry, 28 March 1936, Hanover, Jamaica. He began his career at the grand age of 16, working for Clement ‘Coxone’ Dodd’s sound system, rising quickly to the position of record scout and organising recording sessions during his 3 year period 1963-1966. Restlessness and unsatisfied with credit he felt due to him he moved on to work with Producers J.J. Johnson and Clancy Eccles, the later of which would help him set up his ‘Upsetter’ label in 1968,which would see his first of many recordings telling the injustices done to him by previous employees. ‘The Upsetter’ track itself pointed at Mr Dodd but reflected back to Perry when he inherited it as a nick name along side many others during the coarse of his career, including ‘Scratch’, again taken from one of his recordings ‘Chicken Scratch’ recorded in 1965/1966. Perry’s work in 1968 with producer Joe Gibbs was fruitful and resulted in many successfulreleases, but again lack of credit and itchy feet, it was time to move on. But not without leaving his trademark recording summing up his feelings at the time ‘People Funny Boy’ this time aimed at Mr Gibbs. Still not having a studio of his own, Perry recorded at the various Kingston establishments of the time, Randy’s Studio 17 on North Parade, Dynamics on Bell Road and Harry J’s on Roosevelt Avenue where the bulk of the aforementioned recordings with The Wailers were carried out. During this time and the years that followed Perry has built up a vast catalogue of backing tracks / instrumentals, he had cut over a 100 releases on his ‘Upsetter’ label alone. A library of music that he has an uncanny knack of reutilising to work into something new when put against a new song / singer. This collection of rare and unreleased dubs stems from his 1971-1974 period. We can here on tracks like ‘Perry’s Jump Up’ Ska-ish up tempo chopping guitar cuts leading through to organ laden tracks like ‘Roots Rock Dub’. The sound moving to a slowed down rhythm on ‘Perry in Dub’ which would predominate his sound, when in mid 1974 he’d open his own studio at his home in the Washington Gardens district of Kingston. We hope this selection of lost treasures will add to the jigsaw that makes Mr Perry’s output now spanning over 5 decades so remarkable."

Ornette Coleman's most controversial album back on vinyl. Originally from 1966, 'The empty foxhole' also marking the recording debut of his son Denardo, who was ten years of age at the time of the recording. Ornette Coleman's brief tenure at Blue Note was neither as seminal as his Atlantic output nor as brazenly ambitious as his early-'70s work for Columbia and later with Prime Time. Still, the period did produce some quality music, and The Empty Foxhole is one of his most intriguing efforts. Coleman hadn't entered a recording studio in over four years when he returned -- with his ten-year-old son Denardo on drums. Coleman says in the liner notes that Denardo was ready to make a record the previous year, and he's not overestimating; Denardo's percussive coloring and shading never sounds lost or confused, and his stream-of-consciousness flow of ideas keeps up surprisingly well with his father and bassist Charlie Haden. The communal energy keeps flowing throughout the session, and the trio members play off of each other with an easygoing enthusiasm, even on the less memorable themes. Most evocative are the funereal military march of the title track, where Ornette's mournful trumpet plays off of Denardo's deliberate cadence, and "Sound Gravitation," a feature for Coleman's scratchy, percussive violin. Of the alto-driven pieces, "Good Old Days" has the fieriest flow of ideas, but he seems energized by his son's presence, and his playing is fairly exciting throughout. On balance, the music may not be among Coleman's most exceptional efforts, but there's something inspiring about the fact that The Empty Foxhole is as good as it is. Released: The Endless Happiness, 2020