free jazz workshop: inter frequencies

Souffle Continu Records present the first ever vinyl reissue of Free Jazz Workshop's Inter Fréquences, originally released in 1973. The Free Jazz Workshop came into being in 1967 but their first album, Inter Fréquences, only appeared in 1973. Unfortunately there is no recorded trace of the group including the first drummer Pierre Guyon before he was replaced by Christian Rollet in 1970. One of the slogans doing the rounds at the time sets the tone: "Aesthetic liberation is but a prelude to the liberation of humanity." The trajectory of the Free Jazz Workshop (which became the Workshop De Lyon in 1975 with the arrival of clarinetist-saxophonist Louis Sclavis) is emblematic of the emancipation of the mindset of certain French musicians during this period. It has been an exceptionally long-lived trajectory a "half-century" as the members say, during which the group -- in Christian Rollet's own words -- went from being "an exploratory workshop who claimed to take no account of the musical certitudes of the majority" to becoming something of a classic institution. Right from this first album it is clear that the group would function as a collective with no designated leader. The legacy and influence of American free jazz can be heard throughout: Albert and Don Ayler, or Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry for the horns of Maurice Merle and Jean Mereu; Cecil Taylor for the pianist Patrick Vollat, absent from the group after the second album released in 1975 La Chasse De Shirah Sharibad; Gary Peacock and Barre Phillips for the bass; Sunny Murray or Milford Graves for the rhythmic agitation; but also the Art Ensemble Of Chicago for the collective aspect. This lyrical, incandescent album, alongside those released by François Tusques and the Cohelmec Ensemble at the same period, represents one of the high points of free jazz produced by French musicians. Licensed from Bisou. Reverse printing; 12-page booklet; Obi strip; Edition of 700.