Silva, Alan / Celestial Communcation Orchestra - Luna Surface vinyl lp (due to size and weight, this price for the USA only. Outside of the USA, the price will be adjusted as needed)
SKU
28-BYGG5293121.1
A super-wild classic from the BYG Actuel series! Recorded in Paris, August 17, 1969.
Alan Silva – violin
Archie Shepp - soprano saxophone
Anthony Braxton - soprano sax, alto sax
Kenneth Terroade - tenor saxophone
Bernard Vitet - trumpet, French horn
Grachan Moncur III – trombone
Leroy Jenkins - violin, viola
Dave Burrell – piano
Beb Guérin – bass
Malachi Favors – bass
Claude Delcloo - drums
“A landmark in avant-garde jazz returns: the definitive, remastered edition of Alan Silva's legendary 1969 Paris session for BYG's Actuel series. Leading his 11-piece Celestial Communication Orchestra - with titans like Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, and Grachan Moncur III - Silva channels the raw, boundary-pushing energy of the New York free jazz explosion. Deluxe packaging, restored artwork, and new liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre complete this long-sought treasure.
Originally released in 1969, this explosive, large-scale work by Silva's Celestial Communication Orchestra remains a towering achievement in free jazz and avant-garde composition. Born in Bermuda and raised in Harlem, Alan Silva was a key figure in the New York avant-garde scene, performing with visionaries such as Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, and Cecil Taylor. With Luna Surface, he reached new creative heights, leading a transatlantic ensemble of American and European improvisers. Together, these musicians create a sound that is richly layered - uproarious, torrid, and intensely moving. Comprising two lengthy pieces, From the Luna Surface (Parts 1 & 2), the album unfolds like a constantly shifting landscape of sound, full of the boundless originality one would expect from such a talented group under Silva's skilled direction.
Rooted in the legacy of Charles Mingus yet boldly forward-looking, Silva's music reflects not just the unrest of the late '60s, but a yearning for unity, transcendence, and deeper cosmic understanding. Luna Surface was - and remains - a radical proposition: music not just to entertain, but to transform. This deluxe reissue offers a timely rediscovery of a work that still feels futuristic - a sonic reminder that the search for new worlds, whether musical or metaphysical, remains as urgent as ever.”