Space jazz
Related: free jazz - kozmigroov - jazz
"The early promise of jazz rock -- that electronics, ethnic influences and rock rhythms could expand the sonic and textural matrix of jazz-- degenerated into the vapidity of fusion." --Joel Lewis, The Wire #130
Artists
Links
Soul Jazz presents: Universal Sounds of America (1995) - Various artists
Soul Jazz presents: Universal Sounds of America (1995) - Various artists [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Track listings
1. Space 2 - Durrah, David
2. Theme de yoyo - Art Ensemble Of Chicago
3. Lions of judah - Reid, Steve
4. Astral travelling - Sanders, Pharoah
5. Space odyssey - Belgrave, Marcus
6. Empty street - Reid, Steve
7. Kitty bey - Morris, Byron
8. Space 1 - Durrah, David
9. Space is the place - Sun Ra
Universal Sounds of America features music from radical Afro-American Jazz musicians in the USA in the 1970's.
At a time when commercial jazz music was revolving around whether it would sound good in an Elevator at low volume, a number of Jazz musicians were seeking different musical paths. Self Determination, Creative Development, Community and Education were more important to these musicians than economic wealth, fame and stardom. Artists such as The Art Ensemble of Chicago and Sun Ra developed around communal groups. The Art Ensemble, for instance , came out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) founded in 1965 by Muhal Richard Abrams in Chicago.
Many musicians followed the lead of Sun Ra in starting their own labels to release their own material. Artists such as Byron Morris in Washington and Steve Reid in New York The Tribe label in Detroit formed around a group of musicians (Wendell Harrison, Phil Ranelin, Marcus Belgrave, Harold McKinney and others) also produced a regular magazine focussed on the Detroit community. The Strata- East label in New York independantly released many self-financed records by the cream of creative Jazz musicians in the 70's.
Many of these musicians were the spiritual descendants of John Coltrane. None more so than Pharoah Sanders , who had been a member of John Coltrane's group in the sixties. Sun Ra whose 20 minute "Space is the Place" is featured on this CD is also a major influence on many of these artists and indeed many of them at one time or another were involved with the Sun Ra group.
Universal Sounds of America describes this period in time and features all the artists mentioned. --http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/release.php?ReleaseId=196&NavId=1_2&Section=2 [Sept 2005]
Highly recommended.
New Thing (2005) - Various Artists
New Thing (2005) - Various Artists [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Track Listings
1. Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Funky AEOC
2. Archie Shepp - Money Blues
3. Sun Ra - Angels and Demons at Play
4. Alice Coltrane - A Love Supreme
5. Paris Smith – Pentatonia
6. Steve Davis - Lalune Blanche
7. Maulawi - Street Rap
8. Robert Rockwell III – Androids
9. Hannibal Marvin Peterson, The Sunrise Orchestra - Forest Sunrise
10. Stanley Cowell - El Space-O
11. Travis Biggs - Tibetan Serenity
12. Lloyd McNeill - Home Rule
13. East New York Ensemble of Music - Little Sunflower
14. Amina Claudine Myers - Have Mercy Upon Us
15. Eric Gale - Black Rhythm Happening
16. Rashied Ali - Duo Exchange
Soul Jazz Records latest release New Thing! tells the story of Deep Jazz in the USA. Post-Civil Rights, Post- Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, Post-John Coltrane, this album shows how radical musicians developed musically, politically and spiritually at this time.
New Thing! shows how these musicians redefined themselves and their music to present a new Black American music that encompassed Jazz with Eastern music and philosophies, space travel, classical music, ballet and African music alongside other American musics such as Gospel, Funk, Soul and Blues.
The period of music covered on New Thing is from 1970-1985. (One exception and a forerunner to much of this music, the Sun Ra track "Angels and Demons at Play" is from 1957! and clearly shows a man ahead of his time in his music and ideas).
New Thing! features heavyweight Jazz artists such as Alice Coltrane, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra and Archie Shepp alongside many other less-well known, but equally important artists such as Rashied Ali (who played alongside John Coltrane) and Stanley Cowell (who started one of the first independent labels for this music, Strata-East Records, along with Charles Tolliver).
The music on New Thing! ranges from the deep street funk of "Street Rap" and "Funky AECO" to hypnotic eastern-influenced tracks such as "Tibetan Serenity" and radical left-field tracks such as Rashied Ali and Frank Lowe’s "Duo Exchange".
The album comes with exten