ARCHIE SHEPP

Hard Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Progressive Big Band / Post Bop / Vocal Jazz / Eclectic Fusion / World Fusion / Pop/Art Song/Folk • United States
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Archie Shepp, born May 24, 1937 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is an American jazz saxophonist. He mainly plays tenor saxophone but also soprano saxophone, clarinet and piano; he is also a singer, jazz composer and playwright. He is also known for his Afrocentric positions in the 1960s, denouncing the injustices suffered by African-Americans, within the New York Contemporary Five as well as through various collaborations with Horace Parlan, and his contemporaries from the New Thing at Newport, mainly Cecil Taylor and John Coltrane. He is one of the musical figures of the Black Arts Movement.

from discogs

Archie Shepp has been at various times a feared firebrand and radical, soulful throwback and contemplative veteran. He was viewed in the '60s as perhaps the most articulate and disturbing member of the free generation, a published playwright willing to speak on the record in unsparing, explicit fashion about social injustice and the anger and
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ARCHIE SHEPP Discography

ARCHIE SHEPP albums / top albums

ARCHIE SHEPP The Archie Shepp-Bill Dixon Quartet(aka Peace) album cover 3.57 | 3 ratings
The Archie Shepp-Bill Dixon Quartet(aka Peace)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1962
ARCHIE SHEPP Four for Trane album cover 4.50 | 7 ratings
Four for Trane
Avant-Garde Jazz 1964
ARCHIE SHEPP Fire Music album cover 4.29 | 7 ratings
Fire Music
Avant-Garde Jazz 1965
ARCHIE SHEPP On This Night album cover 3.55 | 2 ratings
On This Night
Avant-Garde Jazz 1965
ARCHIE SHEPP Mama Too Tight album cover 4.21 | 7 ratings
Mama Too Tight
Avant-Garde Jazz 1966
ARCHIE SHEPP The Magic of Ju-Ju album cover 4.43 | 7 ratings
The Magic of Ju-Ju
Avant-Garde Jazz 1967
ARCHIE SHEPP The Way Ahead album cover 3.88 | 7 ratings
The Way Ahead
Avant-Garde Jazz 1968
ARCHIE SHEPP Yasmina, A Black Woman album cover 3.33 | 3 ratings
Yasmina, A Black Woman
Avant-Garde Jazz 1969
ARCHIE SHEPP Poem for Malcolm album cover 3.00 | 2 ratings
Poem for Malcolm
Avant-Garde Jazz 1969
ARCHIE SHEPP Blasé album cover 2.64 | 2 ratings
Blasé
Avant-Garde Jazz 1969
ARCHIE SHEPP For Losers album cover 3.21 | 5 ratings
For Losers
Progressive Big Band 1970
ARCHIE SHEPP Black Gipsy album cover 3.31 | 4 ratings
Black Gipsy
Avant-Garde Jazz 1970
ARCHIE SHEPP Coral Rock album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Coral Rock
Avant-Garde Jazz 1970
ARCHIE SHEPP Pitchin' Can album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Pitchin' Can
Avant-Garde Jazz 1970
ARCHIE SHEPP Things Have Got To Change album cover 3.50 | 2 ratings
Things Have Got To Change
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971
ARCHIE SHEPP Attica Blues album cover 3.62 | 4 ratings
Attica Blues
Progressive Big Band 1972
ARCHIE SHEPP The Cry of My People album cover 3.70 | 5 ratings
The Cry of My People
Progressive Big Band 1973
ARCHIE SHEPP Kwanza album cover 3.35 | 6 ratings
Kwanza
Progressive Big Band 1974
ARCHIE SHEPP A Sea of Faces album cover 3.29 | 3 ratings
A Sea of Faces
Avant-Garde Jazz 1975
ARCHIE SHEPP There's a Trumpet in My Soul album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
There's a Trumpet in My Soul
Progressive Big Band 1975
ARCHIE SHEPP Jazz a Confronto 27 album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Jazz a Confronto 27
Post Bop 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP Mariamar album cover 2.50 | 1 ratings
Mariamar
Hard Bop 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP Doodlin' album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Doodlin'
Avant-Garde Jazz 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP Bijou album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Bijou
Hard Bop 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP A Touch of the Blues album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
A Touch of the Blues
Hard Bop 1977
ARCHIE SHEPP Ballads For Trane album cover 4.50 | 1 ratings
Ballads For Trane
Hard Bop 1977
ARCHIE SHEPP Day Dream album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Day Dream
Hard Bop 1977
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan : Goin' Home album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan : Goin' Home
Avant-Garde Jazz 1977
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp - Dollar Brand : Duet album cover 4.50 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp - Dollar Brand : Duet
Hard Bop 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP On Green Dolphin Street album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
On Green Dolphin Street
Hard Bop 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP The Tradition album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
The Tradition
Hard Bop 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP Maple Leaf Rag album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Maple Leaf Rag
Hard Bop 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP Body And Soul album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Body And Soul
Avant-Garde Jazz 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp Quintet : Bird Fire - tribute to Charlie Parker album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp Quintet : Bird Fire - tribute to Charlie Parker
Hard Bop 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP Lady Bird album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Lady Bird
Hard Bop 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP Tray of Silver album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Tray of Silver
Hard Bop 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP Trouble In Mind (with Horace Parlan) album cover 4.50 | 1 ratings
Trouble In Mind (with Horace Parlan)
Hard Bop 1980
ARCHIE SHEPP Family Of Percussion & Archie Shepp : Here Comes The Family album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Family Of Percussion & Archie Shepp : Here Comes The Family
World Fusion 1981
ARCHIE SHEPP Looking At Bird (with  Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen) album cover 3.52 | 2 ratings
Looking At Bird (with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen)
Hard Bop 1981
ARCHIE SHEPP I Know About the Life album cover 3.52 | 2 ratings
I Know About the Life
Hard Bop 1981
ARCHIE SHEPP Soul Song album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Soul Song
Hard Bop 1982
ARCHIE SHEPP The Good Life album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Good Life
Hard Bop 1984
ARCHIE SHEPP Down Home New York album cover 3.98 | 2 ratings
Down Home New York
Post Bop 1984
ARCHIE SHEPP Little Red Moon album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Little Red Moon
Hard Bop 1986
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp / Michel Marre Quintet ‎: You're My Thrill (aka Passion) album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp / Michel Marre Quintet ‎: You're My Thrill (aka Passion)
Hard Bop 1986
ARCHIE SHEPP Reunion (with Horace Parlan) album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Reunion (with Horace Parlan)
Hard Bop 1987
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp/Jasper Van't Hof - The Fifth of May album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp/Jasper Van't Hof - The Fifth of May
Avant-Garde Jazz 1987
ARCHIE SHEPP Splashes (Tribute to Wilbur Little) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Splashes (Tribute to Wilbur Little)
Hard Bop 1987
ARCHIE SHEPP Lover Man album cover 3.25 | 2 ratings
Lover Man
Vocal Jazz 1989
ARCHIE SHEPP I Didn't Know About You album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
I Didn't Know About You
Hard Bop 1991
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp, Francisco Mondragon Rio : Octiminus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp, Francisco Mondragon Rio : Octiminus
Pop/Art Song/Folk 1991
ARCHIE SHEPP Black Ballads album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Black Ballads
Hard Bop 1992
ARCHIE SHEPP Blue Ballads album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Blue Ballads
Hard Bop 1996
ARCHIE SHEPP Something to Live For album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Something to Live For
Vocal Jazz 1997
ARCHIE SHEPP True Ballads album cover 4.75 | 2 ratings
True Ballads
Hard Bop 1997
ARCHIE SHEPP True Blue album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
True Blue
Hard Bop 1999
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp Meets Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio ‎: Conversations album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp Meets Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio ‎: Conversations
Avant-Garde Jazz 1999
ARCHIE SHEPP Chooldy Chooldy album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Chooldy Chooldy
Hard Bop 2002
ARCHIE SHEPP Deja Vu album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Deja Vu
Hard Bop 2003
ARCHIE SHEPP Tomorrow Will Be Another Day album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Tomorrow Will Be Another Day
Hard Bop 2003
ARCHIE SHEPP Gemini album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Gemini
Eclectic Fusion 2007
ARCHIE SHEPP Wo!man (with Joachim Kuhn ) album cover 3.52 | 2 ratings
Wo!man (with Joachim Kuhn )
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
ARCHIE SHEPP Derailleur : The 1964 Demo album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Derailleur : The 1964 Demo
Avant-Garde Jazz 2023

ARCHIE SHEPP EPs & splits

ARCHIE SHEPP live albums

ARCHIE SHEPP Live in San Francisco album cover 4.50 | 4 ratings
Live in San Francisco
Avant-Garde Jazz 1966
ARCHIE SHEPP Live At The Donaueschingen (aka One For Train aka The Indomitable) album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Live At The Donaueschingen (aka One For Train aka The Indomitable)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1967
ARCHIE SHEPP Three For A Quarter, One For A Dime album cover 3.98 | 2 ratings
Three For A Quarter, One For A Dime
Avant-Garde Jazz 1969
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Philly Joe Jones album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Archie Shepp & Philly Joe Jones
Avant-Garde Jazz 1970
ARCHIE SHEPP Live in Antibes (Vol. 1) album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Live in Antibes (Vol. 1)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971
ARCHIE SHEPP Live in Antibes (Vol. 2) album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Live in Antibes (Vol. 2)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971
ARCHIE SHEPP Live At The Panafrican Festival album cover 2.57 | 2 ratings
Live At The Panafrican Festival
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971
ARCHIE SHEPP Steam album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Steam
Avant-Garde Jazz 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP Montreux One (aka Miss Toni aka I Grandi Del Jazz) album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Montreux One (aka Miss Toni aka I Grandi Del Jazz)
Post Bop 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP A Massy - U-Jaama 0.00 | 0 ratings
A Massy - U-Jaama "Unité"
Avant-Garde Jazz 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP Montreux Two album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Montreux Two
Post Bop 1976
ARCHIE SHEPP Parisian Concert, Volume 1 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Parisian Concert, Volume 1
Hard Bop 1977
ARCHIE SHEPP Parisian Concert, Vol 2 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Parisian Concert, Vol 2
Hard Bop 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP Live in Tokyo album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Tokyo
Hard Bop 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP Round About Midnight / Live at the Totem, vol 2 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Round About Midnight / Live at the Totem, vol 2
Hard Bop 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP Live at the Totem, Volume 1: Things Have Got to Change album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live at the Totem, Volume 1: Things Have Got to Change
Hard Bop 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP Attica Blues Big Band Live At The Palais Des Glaces album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Attica Blues Big Band Live At The Palais Des Glaces
Progressive Big Band 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP The House I Live In album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The House I Live In
Hard Bop 1980
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp/Jasper Van't Hof - Mama Rose album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp/Jasper Van't Hof - Mama Rose
Hard Bop 1982
ARCHIE SHEPP My Man - Tribute To Sydney Bechet(aka Archie Shepp Play Sydney Bechet – Passport To Paradise) album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
My Man - Tribute To Sydney Bechet(aka Archie Shepp Play Sydney Bechet – Passport To Paradise)
Vocal Jazz 1982
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp, Jeanne Lee ‎: African Moods album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp, Jeanne Lee ‎: African Moods
Vocal Jazz 1984
ARCHIE SHEPP Devil Blues album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Devil Blues
Avant-Garde Jazz 1986
ARCHIE SHEPP California Meeting: Live 0.00 | 0 ratings
California Meeting: Live "On Broadway"
Hard Bop 1987
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp / Horace Parlan Duo : En Concert: 1rst Set album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp / Horace Parlan Duo : En Concert: 1rst Set
Hard Bop 1987
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan : Second Set album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan : Second Set
Hard Bop 1988
ARCHIE SHEPP In Memory Of First And Last Meeting In Frankfurt And Paris, 1988 (with Chet Baker) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
In Memory Of First And Last Meeting In Frankfurt And Paris, 1988 (with Chet Baker)
Hard Bop 1988
ARCHIE SHEPP Freedom album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Freedom
Avant-Garde Jazz 1991
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Richard Davis : Body And Soul album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & Richard Davis : Body And Soul
Hard Bop 1991
ARCHIE SHEPP Perfect Passions album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Perfect Passions
Hard Bop 1992
ARCHIE SHEPP The Rising Sun Collection album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Rising Sun Collection
Hard Bop 1994
ARCHIE SHEPP Live In Paris album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live In Paris
Avant-Garde Jazz 1996
ARCHIE SHEPP St. Louis Blues album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
St. Louis Blues
Hard Bop 1999
ARCHIE SHEPP Live in New York (with Roswell Rudd) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in New York (with Roswell Rudd)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
ARCHIE SHEPP Swing Low (with Horace Parlan) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Swing Low (with Horace Parlan)
Hard Bop 2001
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron ‎: Left Alone Revisited album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron ‎: Left Alone Revisited
Post Bop 2002
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp, Siegfried Kessler : First Take album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp, Siegfried Kessler : First Take
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005
ARCHIE SHEPP Kindred Spirits Vol. 1 (with Dar Gnawa) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Kindred Spirits Vol. 1 (with Dar Gnawa)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005
ARCHIE SHEPP Phat Jam in Milano album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Phat Jam in Milano
Eclectic Fusion 2009
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp Attica Blues Orchestra Live: I Hear the Sound album cover 3.98 | 4 ratings
Archie Shepp Attica Blues Orchestra Live: I Hear the Sound
Progressive Big Band 2013
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Jason Moran : Let My People Go album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & Jason Moran : Let My People Go
Post Bop 2021
ARCHIE SHEPP Live in Paris (1974) Lost ORTF Recordings album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Paris (1974) Lost ORTF Recordings
Post Bop 2021

ARCHIE SHEPP demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

ARCHIE SHEPP re-issues & compilations

ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five / Bill Dixon 7-Tette (aka Consequences) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five / Bill Dixon 7-Tette (aka Consequences)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1965
ARCHIE SHEPP In Europe (aka  Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five) album cover 4.50 | 1 ratings
In Europe (aka Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1967
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five, Vol.2 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five, Vol.2
Avant-Garde Jazz 1967
ARCHIE SHEPP Poem For Malcolm / Blasé album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Poem For Malcolm / Blasé
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971
ARCHIE SHEPP Yasmina, A Black Woman / Live At The Panafrican Festival album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Yasmina, A Black Woman / Live At The Panafrican Festival
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971
ARCHIE SHEPP Further Fire Music - The Dedication Series Vol.XVII album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Further Fire Music - The Dedication Series Vol.XVII
Avant-Garde Jazz 1978
ARCHIE SHEPP The Roots album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Roots
Avant-Garde Jazz 1979
ARCHIE SHEPP Montreux album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Montreux
Avant-Garde Jazz 1988
ARCHIE SHEPP Stream album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Stream
Avant-Garde Jazz 1989
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp & Jeanne Lee album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp & Jeanne Lee
Vocal Jazz 1990
ARCHIE SHEPP Yasmina / Poem For Malcolm album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Yasmina / Poem For Malcolm
Avant-Garde Jazz 1990
ARCHIE SHEPP The New York Contemporary Five album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The New York Contemporary Five
Avant-Garde Jazz 1991
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp
Hard Bop 1996
ARCHIE SHEPP Mama Rose In Concert album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Mama Rose In Concert
Avant-Garde Jazz 2000
ARCHIE SHEPP Blasé / Live at the Pan-African Festival album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
Blasé / Live at the Pan-African Festival
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
ARCHIE SHEPP Live In Antibes (Vol. 1 & 2) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live In Antibes (Vol. 1 & 2)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2002
ARCHIE SHEPP The Impulse Story album cover 5.00 | 2 ratings
The Impulse Story
Avant-Garde Jazz 2006
ARCHIE SHEPP Lybia album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Lybia
Hard Bop 2009
ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp / Bill Dixon : Quartet album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Archie Shepp / Bill Dixon : Quartet
Avant-Garde Jazz 2009
ARCHIE SHEPP For Losers / Kwanza album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
For Losers / Kwanza
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
ARCHIE SHEPP Essential Best album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Essential Best
Hard Bop 2011
ARCHIE SHEPP Blue Ballads True Ballads album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Blue Ballads True Ballads
Hard Bop 2012
ARCHIE SHEPP The Complete Remastered Recordings album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Remastered Recordings
Hard Bop 2015
ARCHIE SHEPP Things Have Got To Change / The Cry Of My People album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Things Have Got To Change / The Cry Of My People
Avant-Garde Jazz 2015
ARCHIE SHEPP Deja Vu /  True Blue album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Deja Vu / True Blue
Hard Bop 2016
ARCHIE SHEPP 5 Original Albums album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
5 Original Albums
Avant-Garde Jazz 2018
ARCHIE SHEPP Blase And Yasmina Revisited album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Blase And Yasmina Revisited
Avant-Garde Jazz 2021
ARCHIE SHEPP The Way Ahead / Kwanza / The Magic Of Ju-Ju, Revisited album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Way Ahead / Kwanza / The Magic Of Ju-Ju, Revisited
Avant-Garde Jazz 2022

ARCHIE SHEPP singles (0)

ARCHIE SHEPP movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

.. Album Cover
0.00 | 0 ratings
Live at the Teatro Alfieri Part 1 & Part 2
Hard Bop 2004
.. Album Cover
0.00 | 0 ratings
Live In Venice
Hard Bop 2010

ARCHIE SHEPP Reviews

ARCHIE SHEPP Live in Antibes (Vol. 1)

Live album · 1971 · Avant-Garde Jazz
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
snobb
I have no idea how Antibes looked in 1970, but I believe its great pine forests, sandy beaches and blue sea water were all the same as today. A beautiful town in French Rivera is a piece of heaven on earth. Even those too lazy for a longer walk can enjoy fantastic views from Plage du Ponteil to the sandy beach with palms (looking to the right) or picturesque fortification ruins over the blue sea watching from Boulevard du Maréchal-Leclerc to the left. On sunny days (and days are almost always sunny there) Antibes looks more like the Caribbean than a European seaside town.

This concert, Archie Shepp Live in Antibes Vol 1, is recorded in Juan-les-Pins - formerly a small resort town near Antibes, now - a luxury Antibes seaside district. Jazz fest has been a part of summer Antibes life for decades (and continues every July). The atmosphere is extraordinary - sun, sea, sand, and palms, a small ancient old-town nearby, a lot of cafes and restaurants, but first of all - natural beauty. Many world-class jazz musicians played there (some are recorded as well).

Shepp is in great creative form here, he sounds not as angry as just a few years before, but more inventive, with a lot of improvisation. He is at the peak of his free jazz period, which soon will leave for a more conventional sound.

"Live in Antibes vol.1" contains just one long song, "The Early Bird" - I didn't find that song recorded by Shepp before on any album. The band isn't his regular American one though - no Sonny Murray, Alan Silva, Grachan Moncur III or cornet player Clifford Thornton can be found here. The only link with Shepp's American past is trumpeter Alan Shorter, the rest of the band is completed by members of Claude Delcloo’s (a French drummer and BIG label owner) Full Moon Ensemble. A bit unusual is the presence of guitarist (Joseph Déjean) on board.

Originally a broadcast for French O.R.T.F. radio, the album's sound quality is only very average. Shepp's sax is placed in the very front, the other instruments' sound is a bit muddy and comes somewhere from backstage. Two days later Shepp will play another gig in the same place, and another one-song-long album will be released as "Live In Antibes Vol.2" then.

Both these releases, which offer free music sounding over sandy beaches, pine forests, and blue sea are a piece of emotional evidence from (already moving to the end) a unique era of free jazz.

ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp / Michel Marre Quintet ‎: You're My Thrill (aka Passion)

Album · 1986 · Hard Bop
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
snobb
In mid 80s one of free jazz cult figures American tenor Archie Shepp returns to his early r'n'b roots again and again. Usually combined with vocals and bluesy hard-bop numbers, Shepp's albums from that period are often a mixed bag, but for followers contain lot of interesting moments.

One of better known albums of such kind is his "Down Home New York", recorded in States and released on renown Italian Soul Note label in 1984. "You're My Thrill"(reissued later on CD as "Passion" with two bonus tracks) was recorded in France and released on tiny domestic Vent Du Sud label. Both vinyl and CD (reissued in 1990)versions are real obscurities.

From very first album sounds it becomes obvious that Shepp (or label) obviously tries to re-vitalize "Down Home NY.."'s successful formula. At the very same way, "You're My Thrill" opens with 10+ minute long catchy r'n'b number of the same way (actually, it is same song as "Dow Home.."'s opener, just titled here as "Passion" and completed with slightly different lyrics)

Then (strictly according to previous album formula again) we have series of hard hard bop ballads with a few freer reeds solos and some of vocals.In contrast to Soul Note release where Shepp plays with team of renown Americans (incl. Kenny Werner on piano and Saheb Sarbib on bass among others), on "You're My Thrill" we hear mostly domestic European band. Weirdest collaborator is German keyboardist Siegfred Kessler using solely analog synths with extremely non-jazzy plasticky effervescent sound.

Supporting band's leader trumpeter/tuba player Michel Marre demonstrates few solos, not on the level of Shepp's better collaborators' though.CD version's two bonuses are more lively compositions, contain more inspired (and a bit freer) playing but can hardly save all album.

Obscure and hardly attractive for casual listener, this album still contains its two or three attractive moments for Shepp's fan or collector.

ARCHIE SHEPP Three For A Quarter, One For A Dime

Live album · 1969 · Avant-Garde Jazz
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
js
Although “Three for a Quarter One for a Dime” was not released until 1969, it was actually recorded in 1966 at the same show that made up the album “Live in San Francisco”. Recent CD re-issues of “Live in San Francisco” include “Three for a Quarter” as a 33 minute bonus track, prior to that, it was probably only available in the original vinyl format. On the original LP, the 33 minute piece is divided into 17 ½ minutes on side one, and 15 ½ on side two. Even though it is available on CD now, you may sill want to get “Three for a Quarter” in the original vinyl version because the massive gatefold packaging generously supplied by the Impulse! label is a work of art in itself.

Almost any musical genre seems to enjoy its best years when that style is being invented. The excitement of discovery seems to push a musician’s physical limits beyond their usual capabilities. You can hear this in late 20s jazz and early 40s be-bop, and you can also hear it in the ‘free jazz’ of the 60s. Despite all the attention given to Coltrane and Ornette during this freedom era, quite possibly Archie Shepp, along with Albert Alyer and John Gilmore, were the ones who took the emotional frenzy of this music to its highest level, and “Three for a Quarter” provides an excellent example of Shepp doing just that.

This album opens with Shepp and tromobonist Roswell Rudd leap-frogging an odd melody that’s part bop, part circus music and completely ‘out to lunch’, there is no doubt that we are in for a wild ride. As the band digs in, Rudd and Shepp do some quick exchanges before Rudd backs off and gives Shepp the floor. Archie responds with one of the most intense sax solos you will ever hear anywhere, no shrieks or screams, just an endless assault of notes played with a very gnarly expressive guttural sound. Towards the end of side one, Rudd re-enters and the two soloists raise a wonderful chaos that sounds much bigger than just two. On side two, Rudd takes a solo ride while Shepp backs him on the piano before picking up his horn for one more double solo to close things out. Throughout the precedings, Beaver Harris keeps up a steady roar on the trap set while the two bassists rumble around in the background, although not always particularly distinctively.

Archie Shepp is a restless spirit who has played many styles of music in his career, “Three for a Quarter One for a Dime” is an excellent example of how much furious energy he brought to the ‘new thing’ of the sixties before he moved on to other things.

ARCHIE SHEPP Archie Shepp Meets Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio ‎: Conversations

Album · 1999 · Avant-Garde Jazz
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
snobb
Percussionist Kahil El'Zabar born in Chicago and studied music in University of Ghana.He was chairman of the AACM up to 1975 leading his early band Ethnic Heritage Ensemble.

From eighties Kahil runs his another project - Ritual(or Ritual Trio). More concept than stable line-up team, in different time in contained many known Chicagoan musicians,including Lester Bowie,Malachi Favors,Billy Bang and Pharoah Sanders among others.Ritual Trio released all series of albums starting from mid 80's, as rule on almost every album they have new guest musician presented.

Here on "Conversations" Ritual Trio are El'Zabar plus Art Ensemble Of Chicago's bassist Malachi Favors and sax player/pianist Ari Brown. The guest is tenor Archie Shepp (who occasionally plays piano here as well). Being one in a series of many for the Trio, this album is really significant recording for Shepp. Being a free jazz icon from mid 60s to early 70s,he never left the scene, but from late seventies for two decades his music was a sporadic collection of hard bop tunes released on tiny labels. It let Shepp to survive as active musician but not much left from his younger angry avantgardist image.

"Conversations" with Ritual Trio is Shepp's first album on major American label for more than two decades and ,what is more important,is first try to return back playing more adventurous music.Formally this recording is a tribute to bassist Fred Hopklns and AACM member who died in January of 1999.Recorded in Chicago's Riverside studio, this album contains all AACM was and is well known by: African ritual meditative rhythms,tuneful free improvisations,colorful arrangements and most important - that unique free jazz spirit. Being a tribute to passed away friend, music here is melancholic,even sad in moments,lyrical,but never sentimental or dark. In a tradition of Art Ensemble of Chicago quartet plays hymn to life first of all, with respect and commemoration to those who passed away. Percussionist-led band surprisingly didn't record very percussive or rhythmic music though - here is place for everyone,from lot of piano soloing(even if no musician on this album plays piano as first instrument)to liquid sax with some dissonance (as in Shepp's early years). There are even gospel-like vocals on "Brother Malcolm"(title,returning listener back to Shepp's late 60s again).

Music on "Conversations" doesn't open any new horizons - it just recalls and refreshes sound and atmosphere of free jazz great years and it's great to confirm it doesn't sound any retro-like or nostalgic.Released on the edge of the centuries,this album came a little too early to become noticed since wider wave of interest to free jazz (old and new)will come some years later. But for Shepp it became quite symbolic release anyway - starting from here he step by step will return to more adventurous jazz leaving decades of straight playing for being able to pay his bills in the past.

ARCHIE SHEPP Tray of Silver

Album · 1979 · Hard Bop
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snobb
Late seventies were the time when world is turned over for all generation of yesterday adventurous jazz stars who became famous in late 60s and continued to enjoy success in early 70s. Musical fashion has been changed dramatically and one morning many of them woke up jobless,sometime even homeless and as rule - useless.Not so many of them survived these and upcoming years successfully, fortunately Archie Shepp did. To pay his bills he just started to record music on request,playing what labels wanted him to be played. During second half of decade Shepp released lot of albums of varied quality and even more varied stylistic, but what helped him to survive that difficult time was good old hard bop (not so obvious choice for Shepp who didn't come to late 60s avant-garde jazz from hard-bop scene, as many others,though).In some European scenes and more important - in Japan hard bop just displaced rapidly disappearing avant-garde jazz for some years, Archie Shepp found his new listener here.

From impressive amount of Shepp releases coming from mentioned era there are some still very adventurous albums,lot of hard bop based music with still his freer touch here and there and few very straight works, "Tray Of Silver" is one of them.

Four quite long compositions, three of which are Horace Silver originals, acoustic boppish quartet with Yusef Lateef and Horace Silver himself drummer Roy Brooks,one-time Art Blakey Jazz Messangers pianist Mickey Tucker,Gil Evans tuba/baritone player Howard Johnson and Japanese bassist Gon Mizuhashi(who released album with Herbie Hancock on same Denon label two years ago). Recorded in Tokyo's studio, album has characteristic warm,deep and clear "Japanese" sound. All musicians are high-class so the music is well played but biggest surprise, at least for old Shepp's fans is how safe he plays here. If on many his other hard bop - based albums from the same time he doesn't avoid risky improvisations and even some dissonant,explosive soloing, on "Tray Of Silver" he plays extremely straight,note by note. Fortunately,album is not a collection of late night smokey bar - type nostalgic ballads, there are some mid-tempo quite energetic numbers, and included ballads themselves don't sound too sticky.But being extremely safe,all music becomes quite faceless, just another tunes played by skilled but not very original band.

Hardly an interesting addition for those loving adventurous Shepp, it's still better-than-average hard bop album,not all that inspired, but well played and recorded.

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snobb wrote:
more than 2 years ago
added
idlero wrote:
more than 2 years ago
True Ballads missing

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