Gayle Formna

A legendary concert by one of the great unrecorded bands in free jazz history is here at last. WEBO, the third installment in the Black Editions Archive series of previously unreleased recordings from Milford Graves' private tape library, roars into the station June 21, 2024. For the first time, Charles Gayle, Milford Graves, & William Parker —three lions of the Black American jazz avant-garde— are finally heard together on record, presented here across three audiophile-quality LPs for two brutalizingly joyous hours of real ju-ju & musical mastery.

Charles Gayle - Testaments (1995) {Knitting Factory Works KFW 174}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 441 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 171 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 11 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Knitting Factory Works | KFW 174
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Free Jazz / Saxophone

The eponymous first track on Testaments sets the tone for the album. The frenetic energy of his earlier albums (notably Repent, More Live, and Consecration) is still here, but the songs slowly build to the crescendos. "Parables" includes some of his best piano playing. But Gayle saves the best for the CD's last cut, "Jericho." The three-minute piece is breathtaking, as Gayle plays saxophone and piano simultaneously in front of a live audience, while drummer Michael Wimberly's banging cymbals are outdone by Gayle's crashing piano chords. Unfortunately, the first and last tracks on Testaments bookend not-so-memorable in-between material.

Charles Gayle - Kingdom Come (1994) {Knitting Factory Works ‎KFW157}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 426 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 177 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 22 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1994 Knitting Factory Works ‎| KFW 157
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone / Piano

A great deal of press has paid more attention than required to factors in Mr. Gayle's life that engage the "exoticism" of the musician rather than the music itself. Charles Gayle is the most definitive stylist on his instrument in the mislabeled idiom of "free jazz" and he is so not because of adverse conditions in his life, but in spite of those conditions. On this recording he is joined by musicians of equal stature, drummer Sunny Murray and bassist William Parker. Murray is a veteran and was one of the first percussionists to liberate the drums from their traditional role as a "time keeper." Parker is one of the most active and productive musicians in this music.

Charles Gayle Quartet - Blue Shadows (1993) {Silkheart SHCD 157 rel 2008}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 459 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 168 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 68 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1993, 2008 Silkheart | SHCD 157
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone / Viola

There must have been something in the air in January, 1993. Lars-Olof Gustavsson, who had released Charles Gayle's first recordings on his label Silkheart in 1988, had contacted Gayle with the interest of doing a new session with him and a double rhythm section. Gayle pared the concept down to two basses and one drummer and selected the players - William Parker, Vattell Cherry and Michael Wemberly. Those sessions resulted in five hours of tape and two CDs, Translations and Raining Fire. Years later and after some negotiation, Gustvasson has returned to the masters again, culling a third release from the tapes.

Sublime to raucous jazz blast from free guy Charles Gayle, powered by John Edwards’ possessed double bass and Mark sanders percussive depth charge.