"Found in the archives of FMP! The very first -- never released -- recordings of the Schlippenbach Trio: Alexander von Schlippenbach (piano); Evan Parker (tenor and soprano saxophone); Paul Lovens (drums). Recorded by an unknown engineer on April 2nd...

While this saxophone trio lasted for several years and played a lot of gigs in Europe, I believe that this is the only release that the band actually put out. It's been a real rarity until this new reissue. "It is wonderful to have this album available...

The good news? This is a complete show from the classic quartet during a pretty prime period (April 26th, 1970 at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon).

You get songs not often heard performed live by the four and a very good performance. The bad...

By this time (1974), the band were pretty much a straight-forward fusion ensemble with many of their biggest quirks and oddities excised. And all the quirky old personnel too, with only Mike Ratledge remaining (for the time being at least). Hugh...

This was our second Soft Machine archival release and 20 years later, it remains one of the great documents of the 'classic quartet' line-up.
This is a previously unreleased show recorded 3/23/71 by the classic quartet Softs (Elton Dean / Mike Ratledge / Hugh Hopper / Robert Wyatt) during their final European tour & just 4 months before their dissolution.
The recording (licensed from German radio & taken from the master tapes) is superb for the time period, & the performance really sparkles...

A very good album from 'way back when' with a fairly incredible story! I had never seen or heard it before now, although I knew its legend...!
Chris Spedding Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Roger Potter Bass, Double Bass
John Marshall Drums
John Mitchell Piano, Electric Piano
Paul Rutherford Trombone

"Between 1969 and 1972, Chris Spedding was a rock guitarist whose unique sound, style and musical literacy meant regular employment on the exploding British progressive jazz.

"Electronic duo Spring Heel Jack return with a collaboration with the legendary American trumpeter and Pulitzer Prize nominee Wadada Leo Smith. Wadada was born in the Mississippi Delta and became immersed in the music of the great blues masters as a young musician. He then moved to Chicago and became an early member of the AACM alongside the likes of Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Malachi Favors and Roscoe Mitchell. Recorded 2017 in London, this LP sees Smith's authoritative trumpet joined by...

This reissues the three albums originally released by Ogun documenting a 1977 session (The Longest Night volumes one and two) and a 1993 session (Corner to Corner) by one of the founders of non-idiomatic free improvisation and one of his longest...

This fine album was John's second album, recorded just a few months before he left England to join up with Stu Martin and Barre Phillips and start The Trio. It's a landmark of Brit-jazz and, imo, a much better album than his first, self-titled solo album. Various musicians are featured in various combinations, but the musicians appearing here include: Harold Beckett (trumpet, flügelhorn), Malcolm Griffiths (trombone), Mike Osborne (alto sax), Alan Skidmore (tenor sax), John Surman (baritone sax), John....

Here's a tiny label release of John Surman and John Warren composing and arranging for this band of Norwegian players. Fact you didn't know: legendary ECM engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug is a guitarist as well as an engineer and he appears here, as part of...

Many of you will remember this one from its original lp release on the budget HELP subsidiary of Island, now very happily on CD, as the original lp had a simply awful pressing, which was anathema to the quiet music. This was Surman's first truely solo album, charming pieces for simple synth patterns and a number of reed instruments, recorded through overdubs. Some of it is similar to his later ECM discs.

"Westering Home was originally released in 1972. John Surman plays everything on the album...

John Taylor-Piano
Chris Lawrence-Bass
Tony Levin-Drums

A very nice, rather hip piano trio session from three Brit-jazz masters from MPS. It was recorded in 1972 and 1973 and released in 1973. This was John's second album, after the fantastic "Pause And Think Again".
There was one previous CD version, only in Japan, in 2006 but this is the first time it's been on CD at a reasonable price!

Keith Tippett-piano, Larry Stabbins-tenor & soprano saxes, Elton Dean-saxello & alto sax, Mark Charig-cornet & tenor horn, Nick Evans-trombone, Paul Rogers-bass, Tony Levin-drums & percussion.

"Originally issued in 1986 as a double LP, “A loose..

Other than the very famous Centipede, this is the largest ensemble that Keith has ever led, with 22 musicians involved. The sound is very full & lyrical, & does bear resemblence to a smaller version of Centipede. Tippett (piano, harmonium), Stan Tracey...

Limited initial pressing of 999 individually hand-numbered copies!

Recorded live in Piacenza, Italy, this is a 47' improvisation on a Steinway Grand piano by one of the most individualistic and recognizable pianists working today.

Keith Tippett: piano, wood blocks, pebbles, wind chimes, maracca, music boxes, plastic pan pipe.
Julie Tippett: voice, twizzle drum, Little bells, Thumb piano, seedpod shaker, Sri Lakan hand drums, Singing bowls, Tamborine sticks, Balinese...

Recorded live at Ruvo Di Puglia, Italy on September 5, 2004, this exuberant live recording features Keith Tippett conducting and playing piano, Julie Tippetts (vocals), Louis Moholo-Moholo (drums) with Canto General, a 23 piece big band performing...

disc 1
Mike Osborne
Outback
disc 2
Howard Riley
Flight
disc 3
John Taylor
Pause, And Think Again

This is three FABULOUS albums from the golden era of UK jazz, released from the masters officially for the first time and with a huge booklet, filled with tons of info and interviews with the musicians and Peter Eden.

"Between 1968-72 Peter Eden produced 20 albums across the broad church of progressive British jazz. It was a unique golden era for jazz-bas

Recorded live at the 10th anniversary of the excellent Brit-jazz Slam Records label, this is all live, unavailable recordings by: Dreamtime (Nick Evans, Keith Tippett, Jim Dvorak, etc), Lol Coxhill/George Haslam/Paul Rutherford, Harrison Smith 4tet, El...

As Cuneiform fans already know, composer and arranger Michael Gibbs and guitar-star Bill Frisell's musical relationship goes back 4 decades.
This fine release by the monster trumpeter Cuong Vu, along with his regular unit of bassist Luke Bergman and drummer Ted Poor, features Frisell really killing it in playing department at times.
It's also special because showcases Michael as a composer, not as a big band arranger, which (a) gives a chance to showcase a side of Michael that is sometimes...

Mike Westbrook is one of the great names of British jazz, having been a very original bandleader & composer, for both large and small ensembles for 50 years, and releasing his first recording nearly 50 years ago!

This is one of his smallest...

When I went to London in 1977, I saw the Mike Westbrook Brass Band play on the street and they were amazing. I came back from that trip a huge fan and tried to find as much as I could by this great British composer and musician - one of the original...

Mike Westbrook is one of the great names of British jazz, having been a very original bandleader & composer, for both large and small ensembles for 50 years, and releasing his first recording nearly 50 years ago!

This is one of his small...

One of the hardest to find holly grails of Brit-jazz makes its very first appearance on CD in this excellently packaged and remastered set from BGO. Check out this personnel: Kenny Wheeler: flugelhorn; Derek Watkins: trumpet; Henry Shaw: trumpet; Henry...