Various – Spiritual Jazz Vol. XII: Impulse! 3LP Jazzman Records (UK)

Triple LP version. Gatefold sleeve. In Jazzman Records’ latest chapter of Spiritual Jazz, the label returns to the source — the Impulse! label, and the monumental influence of its most prominent artist, John Coltrane. Since the first release in the series back in 2008, Jazzman Records has mapped out the growth of the spiritual sound in jazz. Spiritually energized and politically conscious, the spiritual sound in jazz music is one of the most important currents in the music. The label’s series has charted the growth of the style from early experiments at Blue Note and Prestige to European excursions, exiled experimentalists, and sounds from across the globe. But whenever you think of spiritual jazz, it’s a fair bet that the double exclamation mark and orange-and-black spine of Impulse quickly comes to mind. Home to John and Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Yusef Lateef, McCoy Tyner, and countless other musical pioneers, Impulse! was the most important and forward-thinking jazz label of the 1960s. With the music-first attitude of an independent but the clout of a major, producers Creed Taylor and Bob Thiele made Impulse! the defining imprint of a crucial decade. They hand-picked the top players of the moment and gave them freedom to record the music they wanted, setting out their stall with a bold slogan: “The New Wave Of Jazz Is On Impulse!” Here, Jazzman Records dive deep into the Impulse! catalog, bringing celebrated masterpieces from Alice Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders into the arena, together with lesser known cuts from Phil Woods and John Klemmer as well as straight-up classics such from Yusef Lateef and Elvin Jones. Fifty years on and the new wave of jazz still sounds fresh, vibrant, and as relevant as ever. Also features Max Roach, Freddie Hubbard, Archie Shepp, Michael White, and Marion Brown.