Albert Ayler
Truth is Marching

 
«What can you say about the holy ghost Albert Ayler? This is the sound of the universe crying and exploding into infinity. My favorite musician with his 1966 quintet (my favorite of all his groups) that toured Europe that year destroying the minds and ears of anyone who was lucky enough to hear them… The truth is certainly marching in!!!»
 

Alice Coltrane
Something About John Coltrane

 
«The high priestess of the cosmic truth at her peak. ‘Journey in Satchidananda’ is truly a pinnacle in a discography that is untouchable. With Cecil McBee on bass, Pharoah Sanders on Soprano saxophone, percussions, Rashid Ali, on drums, Tulsi on Tambura and Magid Shabazz on bells and tamborine. This is the definition of spiritual jazz. A high point in a genre that is a deep well of numerous classics and some of the finest music made by human beings.»
 

Terry Riley and Don Cherry
Koln

 
«Two masters in one room. The results are truly breathtaking. This is what they should have sent into space with the Voyager spacecraft instead of Beethoven. This is music beyond the realm of our pedestrian confines. This is the sound of harnessing the molecular poetry of the earth’s many invisible life’s frequencies. This is transcendental music that is the fuel for astral travel and oneness and nothingness. It is the very double helix of it all!»
 

Irène Schweizer Trio
Sun Love

 
«A landmark recording made in 1967 in Germany on MPS (part of a series of 3 LPs that featured this kind of Euro/Asia/N.Africa trist). Just read the following line-up of musicians. This is what “fusion” was supposed to mean in its truest sense. A sublime crossover of Euro avant-psych and jazz and Hindustani raga explorations that transcends genre and geography. These cats meld into an eight headed cobra that hypnotizes anyone that hears this music.»
 

Baligh Hamdi
Gada

 
«Baligh Hamdi, Egypt’s answer to Morricone? Gainsbourg/Vannier? Van Dyke Parks? Who knows? But Baligh Hamdi IS the most important Arabic composer of the 20th century! He wrote for Oum Kalthoum, Abdul Halim Hafez, Warda, and many other icons of the Arabic musical canon. Here is a single that shows him to plow through the crossover world of “Oriental Jazz”. A shuffling, jerk twist, beat driven dance floor banger from a genius composer that could do no wrong in his massive discography! A reissue of his material coming soon from yours truly!»

Schizo
Le Voyageur

 
«It’s Richard Pinhas’ first single I ever heard, back from 1972. It features Richard’s pre-Frippertronics guitar and French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, with his unique voice, reading/chanting some excerpt from Nietzsche. I was amazed by this use of voice inside music and it struck me afterwards for a long time. I contacted Richard many years after and we thus worked together with spoken words and live voice of writers during 10 years.»
 

The Majestics Arrows
If I Had A Little Love

 
«I’m not that much into soul music, but when I heard this rehearsal track from The Majestic Arrows, compiled recently on a Numero box, it reminded me of the best by Ella Jenkins or Nancy Dupree with the Rochester children. I think the rehearsal aspect of the tune sounds best for me, as I tend usually on disliking the Soul production, which is too clean, not raw enough for me.»
 

Mtume Umoja Ensemble
Utamu

 
«I first discovered Mtume as a percusionnist for Miles in ‘Get Up With It’, my favorite LP from Davis. This Strata East issue is really Spiritual Jazz at its peak, a large ensemble with both political messages and incredible music. It delivers what all the best Strata East’s LPs should be.»
 

Alice Coltrane
Jai Rama Chandra

 
«I’ll never had a religious culture nor upbringing, but all the 70’s spiritual effort have always appealed to me (from Magma’s Kobaia to Coltrane’s mystic, as well as Black Power efforts, etc…). It took me years to get my hand on one of Krishna’s tapes by Alice Coltrane, from his SF ashram, but I found it on a flea market on Mission St. in SF. I love so much the whole tape I can listen to it for days. I can feel the same vibe while listening to some of Space Lady’s efforts.»
 

J.A. Seazer
Jihnishin Tori

 
«The first book I published in the late 90’s was an encyclopedia of Japanese Independent Music, a collective effort. I knew quite a lot about Japanese noise or improvised scene, but discovered this very unique mix of avant-progressive & theatre music from the late 70’s by J.A. Seazer, who worked with filmmaker Shuji Terayama. He has issued quite impressive albums from mid 70’s to mid 80’s, which I digged extensively during my frequent trips to Japan.»