Bassist, composer, arranger, and bandleader Charles Mingus cut himself a uniquely iconoclastic path through jazz in the middle of the 20th century, creating a musical and cultural legacy that became universally lauded. As an instrumentalist he had few peers - he was blessed with a powerful tone and pulsating sense of rhythm, capable of elevating the instrument into the frontline of a band. Intensely ambitious yet often earthy in expression, simultaneously politically radical and deeply traditional spiritually, Mingus' music took elements from everything he had experienced - from gospel and blues, New Orleans jazz, swing, bop, Latin music, modern classical music, and even the jazz avant-garde, and adapted it for ensembles ranging from trios and quartets to sextets and orchestras…

When Herbie Hancock left Warner Bros. in 1971 after releasing three musically sound but critically and commercially underappreciated albums – The Crossing, Mwandishi, and Fat Albert's Groove – he was struggling. At odds with a jazz establishment that longed for his return to his Blue Note sound and a fierce consciousness struggle with free music and the full-on embrace of electricity since his tenure with Miles Davis, Hancock was clearly looking for a voice. Before diving into the commercial waters that would become Headhunters in 1973, Hancock and his tough group (including Billy Hart, Julian Priester, Dr. Eddie Henderson, Bennie Maupin, and Buster Williams) cut this gem for their new label, Columbia. Like its Warner predecessors, the album features a kind of post-modal, free impressionism while gracing the edges of funk.

Lilliput Orkestra is a french jazz quartet from Toulouse. Lilliput plays only original compositions mixing jazz, brass band mood, free improvisation and grooves.

This is the tenth CD by the 20-piece strong Aardvark Jazz Orchestra for Leo Records. Now in its 48th season, it's one of the longest continuously operating jazz orchestras in the world which is an incredible achievement of Mark Harvey, founder, music director, conductor, composer and a trumpet player. The music by Mark Harvey is grounded in large-scale structures that allow for solo and ensemble improvisation while cross-referencing textures, cordal and corale complexes, and rhythmic motifs. The spirit of Charles Ives hover over all of this, as elements emerge, merge, then fade away, as the tangible becomes intangible.

Matana Roberts is one of the most acclaimed, socio-politically conscious and aesthetically intrepid avant-jazz practitioners of the 21st century. The critical accolades for her multi-chapter Coin Coin work place her at the vanguard of stylistic innovation and radicalization, while confirming the deep substance and soul that guides her compositional agenda. Roberts has long employed the phrase "panoramic sound quilting" to describe Coin Coin, and with this third chapter in the series she implements this metaphor most overtly, creating a sound art tapestry from field recordings, loop and effects pedals, and spoken word recitations, alongside her saxophone and singing voices. Coin Coin Chapter Three: river run thee unfolds as an uninterrupted album-length flow, in what Roberts calls "a fever dream" of sonic material, inspired by a solitary research-based road trip Roberts took through the American South in early 2014. Fragments of traditional song are the album's main touchstones, with Roberts' singing voice riding atop waves of radiophonic texture, layered spoken word, and an often dislocated, wandering horn.

East and West are two concerts which took place in London in the middle of 2019 We are making these recordings available for those of you who are interested in the evolution of the project. The two concerts are full length free improvisation. East Part 1, 2 and 3 was recorded in East London on the 20th of April 2019 and features Tamar Osborn on saxophone joining us as a guest for this performance. West Part 1, 2 and 3 was recorded in West London on the 20th of June 2019 and features the main core of the band.

Matthew Tavares and Leland Whitty - best known for their roles within pioneering jazz band, BADBADNOTGOOD - present their collaborative album, Visions, a sublime combination of modern jazz, impressionist classical music, and Arthur Verocai-esque arrangements.

Nonoko Yoshida was born in 1987 in Hokkaido, Japan. She studied classical piano from the age of three, and began playing the saxophone as her main instrument at age 10. In 2006, she moved to New York where she experienced a life-changing encounter with John Zorn, Ned Rothenberg and the Downtown Music Scene. Since then, she has been learning music in streets from the underground musicians themselves, attending concerts, rehearsals, recording and mastering sessions and seeing the mechanics of making music first hand. Her band project SSSS (Super Seaweed Sex Scandal) played at Moers Festival in Germany in 2010 and had their first Europe tour.

"On Survival Kit, the ensemble led by Szymon Gąsiorek, one of the most interesting young composers of the moment, presents an attractive follow-up to ideas from their debut album. It is a tumultuous, complex story that utilizes a number of intriguing solutions." Jakub Knera / Nowe idzie od morza

One of the most important records ever made, John Coltrane's A Love Supreme was his pinnacle studio outing, that at once compiled all of the innovations from his past, spoke to the current of deep spirituality that liberated him from addictions to drugs and alcohol, and glimpsed at the future innovations of his final two and a half years. Recorded over two days in December 1964, Trane's classic quartet–Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jimmy Garrison– stepped into the studio and created one of the most the most thought-provoking, concise, and technically pleasing albums of their bountiful relationship. From the undulatory (and classic) bassline at the intro to the last breathy notes, Trane is at the peak of his logical and emotionally varied soloing, while the rest of the group is completely atttuned to his spiritual vibe.

This double-CD reissues the nine numbers from a former double LP, adding three previously unreleased tunes from the same Switzerland concert. The Steve Lacy Five (the leader on soprano, Steve Potts on alto and soprano, Irene Aebi on cello, violin and vocals, bassist Kent Carter and drummer Oliver Johnson) is at its best on scalar-based instrumentals such as the near-classic "Blinks." Some tunes utilize the voices of Aebi and Lacy, and these are often quite eccentric and for more selective tastes. But the many strong solos by Lacy and the highly underrated altoist Potts makes this two-fer of interest for followers of advanced jazz. This was always a well-organized and highly original group.

“Ethiobraz” documents the meeting of Paal Nilssen-Love’s Large Unit big band and Ethiopian dance/music ensemble Fendika at Molde Jazz Festival in 2018. Joining them as a special guest was guitarist Terrie Ex, a key component in getting making the meeting happen with his long involvement with the Ethiopian music scene. And, Paal Nilssen-Loves’s first travel to Ethiopia was with The Ex in December 2009. This changed his life. Paal’s first travel to Brazil was in June 2013. This also changed his life. Large Unit was established during fall of 2013. During numerous trips to both Ethiopia and Brazil, Paal established many contacts to schools, clubs, presenters, musicians and dancers in these two countries. The music he created for Large Unit was heavily informed by these trips and meetings, and fusing these influences together with the Scandinavian free music sensibility became an important factor in the Large Unit sound.

In 1978, Italian percussionist Andrea Centazzo toured the United States with a cutting-edge sextet, and then recorded it live for New York City radio. This is the first complete release of that recording session, adding important tracks to two earlier releases. A quick look at the personnel is telling: John Zorn on reeds; Toshinori Kondo on trumpet; Tom Cora on cello; Eugene Chadbourne on guitars; the woefully underappreciated Polly Bradfield on violin; and, of course, Centazzo leading on percussion…

During the 1980’s tenor saxophonist and bass clarinet player David Murray made dozens of recordings for a variety of labels, but few match the strength and wealth of ideas displayed on this one. This is a thrilling and consistently well played album where Murray sticks to tenor saxophone in the company of James "Blood" Ulmer on guitar, Fred Hopkins on bass and Sunny Murray on drums. "Red Car" opens the album in a confident manner featuring Murray’s swaggering saxophone with hints of rhythm and blues leading a brawny and self assured manner. "Long Goodbye" by Butch Morris is a slow and haunting musical painting of loss with Murray accenting the sadness with wails of high pitched saxophone…