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The Sound of Experimental Big Band

“The Sound of Experimental Big Band” brings together a wide-ranging collection of boundary-pushing large ensemble works that stretch the possibilities of big band music. This playlist draws from various eras and geographic scenes, threading together free jazz maelstroms like Peter Brötzmann’s “Machine Gun” and Globe Unity Orchestra’s “Quasar” with cosmic explorations from Sun Ra Arkestra and more structured yet still unconventional modern pieces by Darcy James Argue, Flat Earth Society, and Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra.

Whether it’s the genre-bending compositions of Maria Faust and Fred Ho, the cinematic density of Fire! Orchestra, or the expansive interstellar grooves of Spaceways Inc., these tracks highlight how big bands have long been fertile ground for experimentation. Expect intricate arrangements, bursts of noise, unexpected instrumentation, and shifts between structure and abstraction—this playlist showcases the edges of what large ensemble jazz can be.

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Adrian Myhr 2 tracks
Aimtoronto Orchestra 2 tracks
Albatrosh 1 track
Andre Roligheten 2 tracks
Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra 2 tracks
Andy Grappy 1 track
Angles 9 3 tracks
Antonin-Tri Hoang 2 tracks
Ballbreaker Ensemble 2 tracks
Barry Guy New Orchestra 2 tracks
Benjamin Dousteyssier 2 tracks
Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra 2 tracks
Big Heart Machine 3 tracks
Brian Krock 3 tracks
Circum Grand Orchestra 2 tracks
Damana (Dag Magnus Narvesen Octet) 2 tracks
Daniel Yvinec 1 track
Daniel Yvinec 2 tracks
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society 3 tracks
Dave Amis 1 track
Ed Neumeister 2 tracks
Eivind Lønning 2 tracks
Elton Dean 1 track
Espoo Big Band 2 tracks
Evan Parker 2 tracks
Eve Risser White Desert Orchestra 2 tracks
Evolutionary Jass Band 2 tracks
Fanny Lasfargues 2 tracks
Fidel Fourneyron 2 tracks
Fire! Orchestra 3 tracks
Flat Earth Society 3 tracks
Fred Ho And The Monkey Orchestra 2 tracks
George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band 3 tracks
Gethin Liddington 1 track
Gianluigi Trovesi 1 track
Globe Unity Orchestra 1 track
Grand Ensemble Koa 2 tracks
Greg Ward & 10 Tongues 2 tracks
Hans Koch 2 tracks
Hayden Powell 2 tracks
Herb Robertson 2 tracks
Herbert Baker 2 tracks
Italian Instabile Orchestra 2 tracks
Jane Sheldon 3 tracks
Jazz Big Band Graz 2 tracks
Jazzmob 2 tracks
Jim Dvorak 1 track
Johannes Bauer 2 tracks
John Hollenbeck 2 tracks
Julie Tippetts 1 track
Julien Desprez 2 tracks
Jørgen Mathisen 2 tracks
Keith Tippett Tapestry Orchestra 1 track
Ken Vandermark 1 track
Kristoffer Alberts 2 tracks
Kristoffer Kompen 2 tracks
Larry Stabbins 1 track
Lee Goodall 1 track
Lindsay Cooper 2 tracks
Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble 2 tracks
London Jazz Composers Orchestra 2 tracks
Louis Moholo 1 track
Maggie Nicols 1 track
Malcolm Griffiths 1 track
Maria Faust Group 1 track
Maria Faust Jazz Catastrophe 1 track
Maria Kannegaard Trio 2 tracks
Mariam Wallentin 1 track
Marilyn Crispell 2 tracks
Mark Charig 1 track
Martin Küchen 3 tracks
Mats Gustafsson 2 tracks
Matthew Herbert 1 track
Mezei Szilárd Ensemble 1 track
Mike Patton 3 tracks
Mike Westbrook Concert Band 3 tracks
Mike Westbrook Orchestra 3 tracks
Moscow Composers Orchestra 1 track
Narval Orquesta 3 tracks
Nublu Orchestra 2 tracks
Orchestre National De Jazz 3 tracks
Oren Marshall 1 track
Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra 3 tracks
Paul Dunmall 1 track
Paul Lytton 2 tracks
Paul Nieman 1 track
Paul Rogers 1 track
Paul Rutherford 1 track
Per-Ake Holmlander 2 tracks
Peter Whyman 2 tracks
Piano Minafra 1 track
Ratchet Orchestra 1 track
Raymond Strid 2 tracks
Rivers of Sound 1 track
Roland Ramanan Tentet 1 track
S. Matteen 1 track
Salah Ragab 1 track
Satoko Fujii Orchestra 1 track
Sigi Feigl 2 tracks
Simon Picard 1 track
Sophie Bernado 2 tracks
Spaceways Inc. 3 tracks
Steroid Maximus 3 tracks
Steve Lacy+16 1 track
Sun Ra 1 track
Sun Ra & His Arkestra 3 tracks
Sun Ra Arkestra 3 tracks
Sylvain Darrifourcq 2 tracks
Sylvaine Hélary 2 tracks
Szilárd Mezei International Ensemble 1 track
Taylor Ho Bynum 9-tette 3 tracks
The Carla Bley Band 3 tracks
The Dorf 1 track
The Matthew Herbert Big Band 1 track
The Monash Art Ensemble 1 track
The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra 2 tracks
The Peter Brötzmann Octet 3 tracks
The Resonance Ensemble 1 track
The Tango Saloon 3 tracks
The Very Big Experimental Toubifri Orchestra 3 tracks
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra 3 tracks
Vivien Ellis 1 track
nojo 1 track
theBABAorchestra 1 track
Øyvind Dale 2 tracks