At the end of the ‘50s, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue heralded the revelatory arrival of modal jazz. As the vibrations of these giant steps resonated across the world, European jazz musicians reassessed their bearings and began to steer a new course. Across the continent they sent roots down into the rich soil of the European folk and Christian liturgical traditions, extended their music along ancient routes of communication and trade to the Middle East, and reached across the crumbling ramparts of the European empires to the music of Asia Africa and Latin America.
As the ‘60s progressed, cultural and political revolutions occurred both in the US and in Europe. Jazz was both a victim and a saviour, with radical developments in the music occurring in both continents. In the US, artists took control of their own musical destiny as small labels broke away from the mainstream, expressing new and creative visions of freedom and peace against a backdrop of civil unrest, repression and war. Be sure to check the first volume of this series, Spiritual Jazz.
It's well known that throughout the 20th century, fed up with poor working conditions and racism in their home country, many American jazz musicians chose to leave the US in order to live and work in Europe. What's less well known is how their music developed and evolved during their time on the continent, and how the experience of being a musician in Europe was to shape their lives.
Until it was swept aside by the pop explosion of the 1960s, jazz was the most popular modern sound on earth. From the New World and the Caribbean to Africa, across the Soviet Bloc and the British Empire to the Far East, jazz music was embraced, adopted, played and enjoyed.
Existing completely under the critical radar and largely ignored or unknown by music fans and critics alike, most of the musicians featured in this album won't be familiar to even the most seasoned jazz aficionado. But in this era of musical apathy, where so many music junkies look to the past for their musical fix, we have re-discovered hidden, obscure and esoteric jazz musicians who looked to the four corners of the earth - and beyond - for inspiration.
Compost is one of the most prolific, highly acclaimed and in demand indie labels in Europe. Compost and it's sublabels Compost Black Label and Drumpoet Community standing for quality music, a sophisticated mixture of electrifying disco, house, techno, soul, jazz and a little bit of pop.
Following the sell-out success of our landmark compilation, J Jazz: deep modern jazz from Japan 1969-1984, BBE Records is thrilled to present another exploration into the very finest Japanese modern jazz.
The Future Sounds of Jazz series continues to bring forth the best that nu-jazz and downtempo has to offer. Volume 8 happens to be one of the strongest installments of the series, presenting a variety of styles, from bossa rhythms to gentle house and spoken word. Includes exclusive tracks & previously unreleased tracks.
The series of timeless Chill tunes selected by the spiritual guide of the Chillout genre, Mr. José Padilla. Straight from his endless collection, José serves up a strictly personal selection of tracks, riding times and seasons and evoking positive feelings in a blend of various musical styles ranging from classic to contemporary sounds.