Archie Shepp - The Early Albums Collection (2019)

A defining voice in the 'free jazz' movement, Archie Shepp's vivid musical improvisation and his unrelenting political views that emerged concurrently in the early 1960s maintained his position among the pioneers of the avant-garde form. His blistering tenor solos became a vessel for the anger felt in the Afro-American community, and as he disregarded traditional conventions within the genre. His mixing of African culture with free form composition and arrangement were both pivotal to the development of jazz in the early 1960s and an antidote to the emerging saccharine-sweet vocal forms taking precedence in the US Charts at the time. This 4CD box set chronicles the early years of Archie Shepp's musical career, as an originator, a pioneer and a major contributor to the early 1960s free-form movement. Featuring eight original albums, together totalling over 5 hours playing time, all re-mastered in superb audio quality, this set serves as an ideal introduction to this oft-under-appreciated musical genius, and as a welcome reminder of the great man's inspired vision and extraordinary sound.