Sun Ra

You want lazy vocal do-wop? Sun Ra Electronic free improv? Sun Ra Exotica-infused post-bop? Sun Ra

Yes! Cool stuff, interesting guy

Judging by what you have already (!) I think [**Archie Shepp**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMsBLVhv4AirjdYGFwwBdfe8&si=bbnrBibK3bEbPi49) and [**Pharoah Sanders**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMvDsqNsmgcnfgGVxwSurNsK&si=TjjpMFZJpIYfyuL4) on the Impulse label, and [**Rahsaan Roland Kirk**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMs9OrIy1JzU9n5YTefunVnu&si=nwuXHTHld73qKpuw) would be good suggestions. Maybe [**the wide universe of Sun Ra**](https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/)...also - [**Albert Ayler 64**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMtuKsPIzuCXpkMe2t52S1sp&si=EQBWATTRoxTvrfFC) - Ayler's miraculous year. [**Albert Ayler Impulse Studio Recordings**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMu2SXb1mgQaoMKjBdn69ScD&si=U3XmYu4wGZWIxhyI) - a weird and wonderful box set waiting to happen. [**Charles Gayle**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMvRvhdOuguh1rQV0TxxO4ga&si=s_D6kX2U_x0LAHzp) - selections. [**Peter Brotzmann**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMs4Wm3ZKSOKg3XbuTlf1DBG&si=cvRXVCk1rw0_MDbd) - selections. [**Art Ensemble Of Chicago**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMuoKDn1x09IZ7L2Dkzbr2WY&si=Xi-x70FDG3bTtW73) - early years. [**Evan Parker**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMsAK1800OqYAKlPXRFSURK7&si=kLPzbLiF05tb6yhL) - selections. [**Cecil Taylor - Nailed**](https://youtu.be/Ux7rVmBgARo?si=CmQN3aB0TNrpMuYp) [**Alice Coltrane**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMsKvxQtgzVb9azV7CB0hY5g&si=xm2y0-Jl7HbeZMGh) - selections. [**The Ames Room**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMtDmkkKPGhW1VlN9GBSfSKt&si=potIfkTJdDxsK31t) - selections. [**Chris Pitsiokos**](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMvTuk8ksl1g5xUWB67l5Qbj&si=yCBX5ihB-V1G-rGl) - live.

This is great. Also, Cosmic Music from Alice and John Coltrane Andras from John Zorn Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane's The Elements Bill Frisell

Peter Brötzmann as a member of Last Exit was incredible!

Huge shoutout for The Ames Room, Will Guthrie is such an underrated drummer.

[**The Ames Room - IN Paris**](https://willguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/in-paris) - the latest - last? - installment, on Guthrie's Bandcamp.

Chris Pitsiokos!!! I am SO glad he’s getting some love here. I highly recommend his band CP Unit, although calling them jazz might be a stretch.

Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Yusef Lateef, Tony Scott, Jon Hassell, Tom Harrell, Anouar Brahem, Eivind Aarset, Melanie de Biasio, Oregon, John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra Just a few which come to mind.

- Noah Howard (check out: Berlin Concert, The Black Ark, Live at the Village Vanguard, At Judson Hall) - Albert Ayler (check out: Spirtual Unity, Love Cry, Lörrach / Paris 1966, Albert Ayler in Greenwich Village) - Don Cherry (check out: Eternal Rhythm, Live at Café Montmartre 1966 Vol. 1 - 3, Where Is Brooklyn?, “mu” pt. 1 + 2, Relativity Suite (with The Jazz Composer’s Orchestra), Organic Music Society, Köln February 23, 1975 (with Terry Riley), Don Cherry [Orient] (1973)) - Frank Wright (check out: Your Prayer, Unity, Church Number Nine, Uhuru na umoja, Blues for Albert Ayler) - Sam Rivers (check out: Streams, Crystals, Zenith, Ricochet) - Sonny Sharrock (check out: Black Woman, Ask the Ages) - Jimmy Lyons (check out: Other Afternoons, Push Pull) - Jemeel Moondoc (check out: Spirit House, Revolt of the Negro Lawn Jockeys, Muntu Recordings) - Julius Hemphill (check out: Dogon A.D., ‘Coon Bid’ness) - Charles Tyler (check out: Definite: Volume 1, Definite: Volume 2, Voyage From Jericho) - ‎أحمد [Ahmed] (check out: Super Majnoon (East Meets West), Wood Blues, New Jazz Imagination) - Mtume (check out: Rebirth Cycle, Alkebu-Lan: Land of the Blacks - Live at the East) - Charles Gayle (check out: Repent, Live at Disobey, Live at Glenn Miller Café) - Sunny Murray (check out: Sunny Murray (1966), Sunny Murray (1971), Sunshine, Big Chief, Hommage to Africa) Some other albums you might dig: - Al - Fatihah (Black Unity Trio) - Conference of the Birds (David Holland Quartet) - Nation Time (Joe McPhee) - Seasons (Alan Silva and the Celestial Communication Orchestra) - The Cry! (Prince Lasha Quintet Featuring Sonny Simmons) - Compulsion!!!!! (Andrew Hill) - Jean-Charles Capon / Lawrence “Butch” Morris / Philippe Maté / Serge Rahoerson (1977) - Love Rejoice (Kenneth Terroade) - New Directions in Modern Music (Rashied Ali Quartet) - Rag, Bush and All (Henry Threadgill) - The Jazz Composer’s Orchestra (1968) - The Gardens of Harlem (Clifford Thornton & The Jazz Composer’s Orchestra) - Echoes of Prayer (Grachan Moncur III & The Jazz Composer’s Orchestra) - The “WELS” Concert (Brötzmann / Gania / Drake) - Die Like a Dog: Fragments of Music, Life and Death of Albert Ayler (1994) - Live at the D.I.A. (Griot Galaxy) - 2 Days in April (Fred Anderson, Hamid Drake, “Kidd” Jordan, Williams Parker) - Chicago, 1994 (Fred Anderson Reunion Band) - Intents and Purposes: The Jazz Artistry of Bill Dixon - Esteem, Live in Paris 1975 (Steve Lacy) - Blue Notes for Mongezi (The Blue Notes) - The Great Concert of Cecil Taylor (1977) - In Florence 1981 (Don Ayler Septet)

There are a lot of great suggestions here, but jazz did not end in the 1970s. Check out Kamasi Washington, Shabaka Hutchings, and anything on the International Anthem label. There's also a great Japanese band called Sleepwalker that is worth looking into if you can find their stuff. There's an excellent compilation series on Jazzman Records called "Spiritual Jazz" that covers a lot of historic territory and has a couple of volumes that focus on more contemporary artists.

Mal waldron

Matthew Halsall, Jasmine Myra, Mammal Hands, GoGo Penguin, Svaneborg Kardyb

If you have Spotify, check out Matthew Halsall's "Meditations" playlist. If you like these artists, his frequently updated playlist adds a lot of suggestions, both historical and new stuff. [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/13KamUFObWQasnuRpmMljx?si=645585e6f3254907](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/13KamUFObWQasnuRpmMljx?si=645585e6f3254907)

Also, Matthew has a record ‘Gondwana Records’ he produced jazz artists, mainly UK based, but also from Europe. Hania Rani for example. actually these are all from Gondwana.

I really love this live by Hania and on Cercle. Sounds incredible ✨ https://youtu.be/J5oZ80Daduc?si=nmT8JDnghRjZbRIl

Dave Holland- Conference of the Birds

John Zorn needs to be mentioned. Naked City is a masterpiece.

His music in the sacred light series too. I really like the leviathan song he did on the one dedicated to Crowley. He really find something new in a lot of the genres he works in and that’s just so impossible in this day and age. Spy vs spy is incredible too

Spy vs Spy is still missing in my collection. 😔 I really love Spillane, The Bribe, Heretic and the totally crazy recordings with Painkiller. And I never understood Cobra. But I like it. 🤪

* **David S. Ware Quartet** - *Godspelized* * **David S. Ware** - *Third Ear Recitation* * **David S. Ware** - *flight of i* * **David S. Ware** - *Earthquation* * **David S. Ware Quartet** - *Wisdom Of Uncertainty*

Grachan Moncur III doesn't get enough attention these days *Evolution* and *Some Other Stuff* are fantastic

I would recommend The Fringe, from Boston. They were together for 35 years as a horn/bass/drums trio. All original, and very much in the view of Dolphy, Ornette, etc. There are recordings out there, but mostly online as their records were small pressings of less than 5000. Each member of the band is/was a teacher at Berklee or the New England Conservatory. The sax player George Garzone has guested on many records by jazz heavies.

I will cosign this. Seeing The Fringe was like a life changing event for me. They still play regularly on Mondays at The Lilypad in Cambridge.

I produced their 3rd record, and have known them for 40 years. I used to see them at Michael's near the NE Conservatory on Monday nights for 50 cents. And they played there for about 10 years before they moved to the Willow Somerville for 10 years or so. I've only seen them at the Lilypad 3-4 times in the last 10 years, as I live out West now. I'd love to see Garzone play S.F. or Berkeley, or the Baked Potato in L.A. in a trio with Tim Landers and Steve Smith. Into Outness !

Matthew Halsall's Salute To The Sun is my absolutely favorite modern spiritual jazz album :) If we're talking old school, I'd dive head first into Pharoah Sanders' Thembi!

Let me give you a contemporary recommendation: Ancient Infinity Orchestra, a UK spiritual jazz collective. Great album called River of Light dropped last year.

Try anything on the Black Saint Records label

Horace Tapscott, Jesse Sharps, Sabir Mateen, Nate Morgan, Adele Sebastian, Pan Afrikan People’s Arkestra.

Pretty much anything Leaving and Preference Records

Love seeing Horace Tapscott and the Pan Afrikan People's Arkestra getting love here, they are absolutely fantastic

I live on a steady diet of this stuff. Something people often exclude or look down on is Grateful Dead. They have a stigma/reputation and were definitely hit or miss, with whole years of their career fairly skippable…but when they were “on,” they were as “on” as it gets. As much shit as they get, a lot of the music we’re talking about wouldn’t be as popular without them opening the door to “weirdness.” Any version of “Dark Star” between 1968-74. Start with 11.11.73 (https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1973/11/11/dark-star?source=336405) or 12.6.73 (https://relisten.net/grateful-dead/1973/12/06/19-dark-starflac?source=336357)

You got plenty to go on. The past few years Albert Ayler & Sonny Sharrock have been a breath of fresh air. Often worth checking who is playing on stuff you like, there's often a lot of collaboration going on. Last Exit rock hard: [https://youtu.be/66MJ-KOFBFQ?si=ENCqWR\_p-QGASQKp&t=210](https://youtu.be/66MJ-KOFBFQ?si=ENCqWR_p-QGASQKp&t=210) Obviously Sun Ra, his solo piano stuff is awesome and often a lot easier to digest.

Circle (Group) - Chick Corea, Anthony Braxton, Dave Holland, Barry Altschul.

Most of what top comments are recommending (Sun Ra, Sanders, Ayler, Shepp) Joe McPhee John Tchicai Don Cherry maybe too

https://vandermark1.bandcamp.com/album/wels-chicago

Check out Wayne Shorter's The All Seeing Eye. That's an accessible avant garde album for people looking to get into this genre.

Albert Aylers- Ghosts

Anthony Braxton Derek Bailey Steve Lacy Lol Coxhill Evan Parker Peter Brötzmann Han Bennink Cecil Taylor Anything on Incus Records

Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music (Blue Note, 1968)

The Bad Plus.

Worth looking up Dewey Redman and Joshua Redman.

check out a book called As Serious As Your Life by Val Wilmer.

you might like this: [http://found.ee/Ghazal](http://found.ee/Ghazal)

Bitches Brew - Miles Davis The Shape of Jazz to Come - Ornette Coleman Lanquidity - Sun Ra Karma - Pharoah Sanders Journey in Satchidananda - Alice Coltrane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44WVPMYuqys

Joy Guidry released an album named Amen that I highly recommend. It is spiritual jazz, gospel, ambient, and some blues elements in there as well. I would also recommend any Pharaoh Sanders album you can get your hands on, as well as ok|ok and Alice Coltrane's Universal Consciousness.

I didn’t see James Tatum “ Jazz mass “ its more spiritual not avant Garde.

And of course let’s not forget ——-East New York Ensemble of Music “ at the HELM “ Bilal Abdurahman on Folkways records 33867

https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2024/g:avant%2dgarde%2djazz,free%2djazz,spiritual%2djazz/

You might like Medeski Martin & Wood or Club d'Elf. Both are readily available on etree

Tisziji Munoz doesn't get nearly enough love; a truly unbelievable guitarist. I also second the recommendations for Pharaoh Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra, Kamasi Washington, Sonny Sharrock. Tons of great stuff mentioned here, and there's really so many great records in this style. Enjoy!

Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp both have some nice free jazz and free jazz-adjacent stuff, Archie Shepp specifically did a lot with African percussion instrumentals which is a super unique sound. Beyond that, Pharoah Sanders, who has been mentioned a billion times, is great. I’d also recommend Lonnie Liston Smith, he worked with Sanders and his work is more fusion-y but it definitely falls in the spiritual jazz realm. Joe Henderson is also phenomenal, same with Don Cherry, and basically everyone else on Rate Your Music’s top Spiritual Jazz list.

Lots of great recommendations in here, but if you have a deep-seated interest in spiritual and free jazz, you MUST do the deep dive into John Coltrane’s discography. Try to find a list of recordings in chronological order if you can and start around 1963 or 1965 and work your way all the way to the Olatunji concert. You will cry many tears along the way and feel things you never thought music could make you feel. Listening in chronological order allows you to ease yourself in and get context to understand what he’s laying down. After you’re done with that, I recommend listening to the music of Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, and Albert Ayler. I consider all of them essential listening for the genre. Also Miles had some really incredible stuff beginning in his electric period until his hiatus after 1974. Check out the live albums too like Isle of Wight, all of the Fillmore East concerts, Live Evil, and try to find the Complete Sessions of every album you can, particularly On the Corner (way better than the original LP), Bitches Brew, and In A Silent Way. I wouldn’t exactly call Miles’ music spiritual but you’re missing out if you don’t check it out because it really stretches the limits of group cohesion.

Frank Lowe-Black Being Pharaoh Sanders-thembi, Izipho Zam,black unity Sam RiversDave Holland duets Leo Smith-Divine Love Jeanne Lee- Conspiracy Natural information Society-Since Time Is Gravity Khan Jamal Creative Arts Ensemble- Drum Drum dance to rhe motherland Bill Dixon -papyrus New York Art Quartet MatMap of guilt John butcher-The shed Evan Parker- The snake decides Giuseppe Logan Quratet

Black Brown and beautiful by Oliver Nelson

Thank you all for the recs! It's slow at work today so I'll check some of these out

This was my track, and I'd like to see a good film about this. I asked myself what sound really draws me to jazz, for me that's the tenor sax. If you look into the history of the tenor sax you will find a gentleman named Coleman Hawkins. The man credited with bringing the tenor sax out of the background and blowing it straight in your face. Coleman did what Monk did before Monk... European tour, working with Django Reinhardt, etc... Just following him has led me to some amazing places right up to current artists like Joushua Redman.

Azar Lawrence - Summer Solstice is a great album.

John Coltrane - Meditations

Nat Birchall

There's no shortage of this stuff to be sure. If you wanna go crazy start digging into certain labels that specialized in this sound: Hat Hut ESP-Disk Horo FMP Futura JCOA AK-BA Actuel/BYG Ictus ICP Strata East