It’s well known that throughout the 20thcentury, 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.
Over the years countless jazz concerts, festivals and recordings featuring American jazz musicians have taken place all over Europe, yet it’s remarkable how few of these musical artifacts have been evaluated by the jazz community. We seek to assess the European experiences of the American jazzman, with a specific focus on the progressive sounds of modal jazz and the avant garde. We examine the recordings made by those who crossed the Atlantic just to take in a short tour, as well as those who made more frequent trips, and of course those for whom Europe ultimately became their permanent place of residence.
THE MUSIC
Radical new jazz sounds created as renowned ex-pat American jazzman mingle with the crème de la crème of their European counterparts. Early developments in world music inspired by trans-global cultural excursions to Asia, Africa and beyond. Exchange of ideas and a cultural meeting of minds as revolutionary jazz festivals take place behind the Iron Curtain. Advances in rhythm and sound where modal jazz and the prophetic music of John Coltrane merges with European folk traditions. This is Spiritual Jazz – as played by Americans in Europe.

· All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes
· Comprehensive liner notes with individual notes on each track and original stories direct from the artist
· Double CD with 16 page colour booklet with in-depth liner notes, album cover scans and previously unpublished photographs
· Most tracks never before reissued – previously only available on rare LPs that change hands for hundreds of pounds!
· Deluxe triple vinyl LP pressing with thick, glossy triple gatefold sleeve
· Triple LP with FREE download card enclosed
· Only on Jazzman – all because WE DIG DEEPER!