Jazz /
Blase and Yasmina Revisited
The sessions Archie Shepp led for BYG over five days in August 1969 is a body of work that merits revisiting outside the context of the entire Actuel series and the well-trodden trope of the African American avant-garde in radical Paris. The resulting albums were not ad hoc firestorms: rather, they were considered statements mirroring the pan-stylistic of his Impulse! albums. Shepp's BYG are occasionally framed as somewhat anomalous items on his discography, but their subject is the same as that…
Mixed to Unit Structures Revisited
Temporary Super Offer! Cecil Taylor was quickly saddled with a reputation for being unswinging. He often danced before a recital to prove that you could indeed express the music physically. Indeed, almost the only way to appreciate this music is to dance to it, as I invariably do. It isn't a spectacle that needs to be shared with others, but in Taylor's absence can I invite you to find his remarkable essay and let it enter your head before you take the floor. Don't think about this music. Feel i…
Suite Epique
**1000 copies** New Superfly reissue of French progressive Jazz rarity on private label with Teddy Lasry and Bernard Lubat, totally unique cinematic Jazz suites, pretty unique concept album! - strictly limited release to 1000 copies, printed in Japan, with insert and obi
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou Dahomey
**1000 copies** We’re proud to introduce the new Superfly reissue of ultra rare 70’s Nigerian collection of some of their best 45’s, full of funky psych killers, check ‘Wodeka Roe’ or the hit ‘Gbeti Madjro’ (though every single track is dynamite!). As usual, beautiful quality repress with paste on covers made in Japan, Obi and 180grs vinyl, limited to 1000 copies only!
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo are much more than a band. They’re a window into the culture of Benin and the music associated with the Vo…
The Ritual and the Dance
Astral Spirits presents The Ritual and the Dance by Roscoe Mitchell & Mike Reed. Recorded by Michael Huon at the Oorstof concert series. Zuiderpershuis, Antwerp, Belgium, October 22, 2015. Live concert produced by Sound in Motion. Art Ensemble of Chicago Publishing Company, ASCAP. Mastered by Dave Zuchowski. Original album artwork by Roscoe Mitchell entitled Welcome. Photo by Geert Vandepoele. Layout by Nick LaRoche.
Roscoe Mitchell: reedsMike Reed: drums, electronics
Solid
Astral Spirits presents Solid by Phicus. Recorded April 25th, 2019 at Rosazul Studio, Barcelona by Jan Valls Miralles. Mixed by Jan Valls Miralles. Mastered by Lasse Marhaug. All music by Phicus. Photo by Elena Márquez. Special thanks to Maciej Lewenstein.
Ferran Fages: electric guitarÀlex Reviriego: double-bassVasco Trilla: drums
An Ayler Xmas Vol. 4: Chicago vs. NYC
Split release with Williams' own Soul What Records. Yet another yearly installment of "An Ayler Xmas" just in time to cheer us up post election. This is the first time that there will be a vinyl version of Ayler Xmas jams!! The vinyl version contains only tracks 3 & 6 which are the same medley but done in entirely different styles by the Chicago and NYC groups respectively. however, the vinyl version does come with a digital download of the entire album.
Recipe for a Boiled Egg
** First pressing of 200 copies with artwork by Jaime Zuverza ** Astral Spirits presents Recipe for a Boiled Egg by Macie Stewart & Lia Kohl. Recorded at Comfort Station in Chicago, IL. Recorded and Mixed by Nick Broste. Mastered by Matt Mehlan. Special thanks to Maren Celest, Nick Merryhew, and Jordan Martins.Lia Kohl- Cello and VoiceMacie Stewart- Violin and Voice
Invisible Roots
** First LP reissue of rare 1974 Canadian Free Jazz album ** Beyond the striking photography of the cover artwork, a cursory glance at this LP may appear misleading. One could be forgiven in thinking that what they had discovered was of a more obvious British provenance, but on closer inspection the truth is revealed… London in fact refers to London, Canada, an artistic hotbed that famously spawned the highly influential insurgent noise ensemble, ‘The Nihilist Spam Band’. Less celebrated yet equ…
Outremusique pour Enfants 1974-1985
** 2021 Stock ** In the land of Presidents Giscard and Mitterand, thermal clothing and elbow pads, Sautet films and Sunday roasts, the carpeting of a nursery is strewn with a handful of 7-inches. There, exotic birds and courteous elephants guarding a castle built with cakes form a Front for the Liberation of the Imaginary: colourful, systematically framed illustrations standing out against the cream background of gatefold sleeves… doorways to a maze of sounds at the crossroads between the neates…
Mobilisation Générale: Protest and Spirit Jazz from France 1970-1976
** 2021 Stock ** 1968. France, Incorporated. The entire building was being consumed by flames and was slowly collapsing. Nothing would survive. Out of the rubble of the old world jumped the children of Marx and Coca-Cola, ripping the white and blue stripes off the French flag. Yet, the socialist revolution was more mythic than real and music did nothing to mitigate people’s behavior. It was time for innovation.
While singles from the Stones, Who, Kinks and MC5 provided an incendiary soundtrack f…
Star Feminine Band
Through all of these songs, each of the Star Feminine Band members brings their own inspiration. André composes all their songs. He admits: “They bring their ideas. The dream of these girls is to become international stars. They must show the importance of women throughout the world. Speak of Africa, accomplish great missions around the values of women. They talk about female genital mutilation, abuse and violence against girls. We want to include these subjects in the political debate in Beni…
La Locura de Machuca 1975-1980
La Locura de Machuca is the story of one man’s bizarre odyssey into Colombia’s coastal music underground, and the wild, hypnotic sounds he helped bring up to the surface. One night in 1975, a successful tax lawyer named Rafael Machuca had his mind blown in Barranquilla’s ‘Plaza de los Musicos’. Overnight he went from a high ranking position in the Columbian revenue authority to visionary production guru of the newly formed record label that bore his name, Discos Machuca, and for the next six yea…
Four Units
** Reissued for the first time with its original gatefold sleeve and cover ** Four Units is a kind of Japanese jazz "all star". Recorded in Tokyo on April 1969, it was released the same year on Union records. On the first two long songs that open this album, “Four Units” and “Dull Slumber”, we can feel the influence of the “avant-garde” scene of US jazz (and in particular ESP Disk), without however the music sounding too "free". A whole new vibe on the astonishing cover of "Scarborough Fair", in…
Four Sure
Bocian Records presents Four Sure a live performance by Roscoe Mitchell, Jerzy Mazzoll, Sławek Janicki and Qba Janicki. Recorded at the Polish Theatre in Bydgoszcz (TPB) as part of the 11th Mózg Festival (on 24.10.2015). Sound recording - Janusz Czado. Sound mixing and mastering - Michał Kupicz. Cover artwork and design - Jarosław Pawlicki.
Black & White Raga
**Beautifully packaged 180g vinyl. Flip-back sleeve. Strictly limited pressing run of 500 copies worldwide. Liner notes by Duncan Heining** Two sessions previously assumed either lost or unrecorded, by Henry Lowther’s and Lyn Dobson’s mid-sixties groups. Considered one of the missing links in the development of British free-form jazz. The Group Sounds Four session includes Jack Bruce, who contributes an original composition never otherwise recorded. Also features Ron Rubin, Ken McCarthy and Jon…
Subversion Through Jazz: The birth of British progressive jazz in a Cold War climate
It’s been four years in the making but is finally now available to pre-order with a release date of early October. A remarkable new and groundbreaking study from Jazz In Britain’s very own Matt Parker. Subversion Through Jazz examines the beginning of the British progressive jazz (BPJ) movement from 1956 to 1964, attempting to identify and plot the progress of its coming into being. This eight-year period of inception was set against the backdrop of two specifically relevant world events: the f…
Into The Archives Vol. 1
**Beautifully packaged 180g vinyl. Flip-back sleeve. Strictly limited pressing run of 300 copies worldwide ** Those already familiar with the output of Jazz In Britain to date will by now have a fair idea of our modus operandi, but for the uninitiated there is no better place to start than with this collection. Whilst none of these recordings could be considered ‘reference’ standard audio, our aim is always to present them in the best possible light, and offer the optimum listening experience to…
Free Flight
Double CD Edition. Recorded at Ronnie Scott's, London, on either the 17th or 18th October 1972. Double CD in digipak with 24 page booklet containing previously unseen images and an extensive essay researched and written by Simon Spillett. From the Ron Mathewson tape archive. This previously unissued live recording features one of the final appearances by the ‘classic’ Tubby Hayes Quartet featuring pianist Mick Pyne, bassist Ron Mathewson (who made the original recording) and drummer Tony Levin, …
Duophonic Landscape
Elisabeth Harnik, an Austrian based pianist and composer has created a multi-faceted body of work by blurring genre boundaries through various collaborations in the field of improvised music, interdisciplinary projects and contemporary compositional works. She studied classical piano and later -- with Beat Furrer -- composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz. As an improviser she works within an electro-acoustic inspired sound-world, using specific preparations and extended…