Free Jazz/Avant-Garde Jazz?
 

I wasn't sure whether to put this in this forum, or the Avant-Garde/Experimental section. If this needs to be moved, go ahead.

I have recently been getting more into Free Jazz. I've been listening to John Zorn (mostly Naked city and Masada) for a good while, and he definately has some Free Jazz in his music, but I want more. I've heard of a few other bands, such as Last Exit and Ground Zero (For some reason I thought the name was Area 51, I have no idea why), but I am having alot of trouble getting any of their music since they aren't well known. So, if anybody else is familar with the genre, reccomend some bands and possibly send me a PM if possible.

Masada isn't really free jazz, more along the lines of traditional Jewish music than anything else. If you're really into free jazz, check out its pioneers: Sun Ra, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, etc. It's disputable of course but I believe Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come is the definitive free jazz album.

And I think there's already a thread on this.

Sun Ra had gotten me into avant-garde jazz... If you happen to find his entire catalogue then you deserve a cookie.

Although its not entirely focused on it, Masada does play some free jazz. YouTube - John Zorn / MASADA - Shilhim

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll check them out soon. I'm looking up Sun Ra right now. I found a 60-minute documentary on him. You can view it on youtube: YouTube - Sun Ra Documentary - A Joyful Noise Part 1. Or you it can be downloaded here (not sure if the torrent has any seeders though): » Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise

There is a torrent with 61 of his albums, first thing that came up when I searched "sun ra torrent."

It's actually rumoured that he recorded somewhere around 200 albums. Not suprising that most of his records are not featured in that torrent... alot of them had only 75 prints.

Yeah, some dude spent half his life tracking down Sun Ra's works. The crazy ****er would make albums in days (not weeks or months) sell them to strangers and not even put his name on them (real or deity).

There's probably a few dozen of Sun Ra's works that are still out there that nobody knows about.

Loads of bands use free jazz elements. It was an important element of various types of experimental/alternative rock music from 70s right through to the end of the 80s and beyond. Prog bands also would often use free jazz ideas.

If you're after pure outright free jazz though, then of course go for the real thing!

Damnit... The 61 albums torrent slowed down to 1.5 kb/sec. Oh wait, now it stopped entirely :(. It was downloading at a decent 50 kb/sec and would of been done in a few days if it weren't for a random wave of leechers.

I only got to watch the first 2 parts of the documentary last night. I really loved the live performances, they were crazy.

Figure while I'm still up I could post something useful...

Art Ensemble of Chicago - Theme de Yoyo


From their 1970 (?) masterpiece Les Stances a Sophie and guest vocals performed by Fontella Bass. I'm not usually a fan of jazz with vocals (it breeds crap) but this is tremendous. The bassline is catchy, hypnotic, and there's enough crazy breakdown in there to dig a hole in your he-e-e-e-ead.

that is some cool shit. For the first couple of minutes i was like 'free jazz? is he off his trolley?' but THEN

funky yo yo stuff, that is like a fusion really and it works very well. Off to find some I am

I love Anthony Braxton, Ornette Coleman, Ronald Shannon Jackson, James Blood Ulmer.

Ornette Coleman is pure ear sex, and I am of the opinion that 'The Shape Of Jazz To Come' as amazing as it is was all part of the build-up to 'This Is Our Music' aka the Daddy of swinging free-jazz. In my O.
Plastic saxophones and pocket trumpets ftw

Well, the torrent finished downloading and now I have 61 albums by Sun Ra. Neat. I just finished listening to "Nuclear War" off of "A fireside chat wtih Satan."

I think I'll check out the shape of jazz too, it may take me a while to get to more artists though. I tend to focus on one musician for a while, instead of multiple ones at once.

Try Albert Ayler, he wrote some great stuff. If you want some more guitar oriented music, try out Derek Bailey or Sonny Sharrock. Both brilliant as can be IMO.

Well Derek Bailey is among the more avant-garde region of jazz. Wasn't he considered part of the free jazz movement as well? Maybe my research is faulty.
Still a great musician for people who can see past the atonality, as Jack Pat said.

Ah, I see what you mean now.