I don’t care what anyone says, the more obscure jazz artists you know about, the cooler you are. Jazz has made a comeback in recent years, so having a basic knowledge of the major players is key to your social reputation (if you’re hanging out with the right people, that is). If you really want to separate yourself, it’s time to get to know some avant-garde jazz artists.
This isn’t a be-all-end-all list, but it considers players of different eras and will give you a good basis to jump-start your exploration into the world of weird jazz. Pick up all these albums on vinyl, check the liner notes, and buy more from all the side musicians while you’re at it. All these artists broke free from the confines of what jazz was “supposed” to be and forged ahead on their own path.
Here are 10 essential avant-garde jazz albums you need to own:
Sonny Murray, drummer di album ini, adalah salah satu yang pertama melepaskan diri dari batasan waktu menuju gaya bermain yang tanpa batas, yang memberi kebebasan bagi para solis. Bersama dengan bassist master, Gary Peacock, mereka menciptakan sebuah ruang terbuka di mana Ayler bisa berlari ke arah mana pun. Permainan saxophone Ayler adalah contoh yang sangat baik dari apa yang membuat musik berfungsi. Pesan yang disampaikan lebih dari sekadar jumlah nada yang dimainkan; itu adalah jiwanya yang mengalir melalui alat musik. Melodi-melodi tersebut sederhana, namun mereka menyampaikan kompleksitas emosi dalam setiap nada. Meskipun Ayler meninggal muda (dalam keadaan misterius), outputnya memperlihatkan suara yang dewasa dan percaya diri yang biasanya membutuhkan beberapa dekade untuk diperoleh. Persatuan Spiritual tetap menjadi album klasik dan harus dimiliki oleh siapa saja yang tertarik dengan jazz avant-garde.
Ryan Kowal is a vibraphonist, percussionist, and composer living in Providence, RI. He loves exploring new music, especially on vinyl, and sharing it with others. His weekly vinyl blog, as well as recordings and videos of performances, can be found at his website.
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