''New Thing!'' is a 2005 compilation album of

jazz music Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major f ...

released by

Soul Jazz Records Soul Jazz Records is a British record label based in London. Outside of releasing records, the label also publishes books, occasionally films and performs as a DJ set. The music releases labels from a variety of genres, including reggae, house ...

. The album compiles jazz music following social and musical changes in the jazz scene predominantly in the 1970s with artists ranging from

Alice Coltrane Alice Coltrane (' McLeod; August 27, 1937January 12, 2007), also known by her adopted Sanskrit name Turiyasangitananda, was an American jazz musician and composer, and in her later years a swamini. An accomplished pianist and one of the few har ...

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific out ...

and

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

. Despite its title, the music is not specifically related to a specific group of free jazz musicians sometimes coined as the "new thing". On its release, the album received praise from publications such as

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'' and the ''

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade of growth ...

''.

Music

In the album's liner notes, Patrick Coupar described the album's music as exploring a period when musicians "opened their minds to new and previously unexplored worlds of musical and cultural possibilities." with an "emerging appreciation of a range of different musical cultures from around the world" which led to new and unique music. While the term "New Thing" is generally applied to only a particular group of 1960s avant-garde music artists, Coupar stated the album purposely used it as a "broader and more inclusive sense which seems to be tter encapsulate the spirit in which the term was coined."

Release and reception

''New Thing!'' was released by

in March 2005. From contemporary reviews, Christopher Porter of ''

'' commented on the label's reputation of releasing reggae, Latin, disco, soul and funk music and declared that ''New Thing!'' showcased that "even the noisy avant-garde liked to get down sometimes-on the dance floor and in meditative thought." finding the best track to be Maulawi's "Street Rap" which Porter described as sounding like an outtake from ''

On the Corner ''On the Corner'' is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis. It was recorded in June and July 1972 and released on October 11 of the same year by Columbia Records. The album continued Davis's exploration o ...

''. Thom Jurek of

gave the album a four and a half star rating, declaring it a "a treasure trove of spirited, brave, and deeply emotional music" and concluded that "What's highlighted and put on display here is one of the richest jazz compilations to come out in years and its sequencing is utterly priceless." concluding it as "one of the more essential compilations to come out this year." David Dacks of ''

'' proclaimed the album as a "TKO itself", but that it was "a great representation of the jazz sensibility for which Soul Jazz is famous, but as with all their jazz collections, their mandate to groove misrepresents the full spectrum of some of the artists compiled. As an introduction and a celebration of these great artists' funkier moments, it's well worth getting."

Track listing

:CD 1 # Maulawi – "Street Rap" (6:11) #

The Art Ensemble of Chicago The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz group that grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) in the late 1960s. The ensemble integrates many jazz styles and plays many instruments, including "little ...

– "Funky Aeco" (7:33) #

– "Angels And Demons At Play" (2:49) # Paris Smith – "Pentatonia" (3:06) # Travis Biggs – "Tibetian Serenity" (4:06) #

Rashied Ali Rashied Ali, born Robert Patterson (July 1, 1933 – August 12, 2009) was an American free jazz and avant-garde drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life. Biography Early life Patterson was born and ...

Frank Lowe Frank Lowe (June 24, 1943 – September 19, 2003) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Born and brought up in Memphis, Tennessee, Lowe took up the tenor saxophone at the age of 12. As an adult he moved to San Fra ...

– "Duo Exchange" (6:10) #

– "Money Blues" (9:05) #

Hannibal Marvin Peterson Hannibal Lokumbe (born Marvin Peterson on November 11, 1948) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career A native of Smithville, Texas, United States, he is sometimes known by the name "Hannibal". He attended high school in Texas City, Texas and was i ...

& Sunrise Orchestra – "Forest Sunrise" (9:30) #

Amina Claudine Myers Amina Claudine Myers (born March 21, 1942) is an American jazz pianist, organist, vocalist, composer, and arranger. Biography Born in Blackwell, Arkansas, "Myers was brought up largely by her great-aunt, a schoolteacher, and her great-uncle, a c ...

– "Have Mercy Upon Us" (11:00) :CD 2 #

– "A Love Supreme" (10:44) #

Lloyd McNeill Lloyd McNeill (born in Washington, D.C.) was a jazz flutist and visual artist based out of New York City. He is generally recognized as a jazz flutist of eminent ability, alongside James Newton, Yusef Lateef, Sam Rivers, James Moody, Bobbi Hump ...

– "Home Rule" (6:15) # East New York Ensemble – "Little Sunflower" (13:20) # Robert Rockwell III – "Androids" (7:31) #

Eddie Gale Edward Gale Stevens Jr. (August 15, 1941 – July 10, 2020), known professionally as Eddie Gale, was an American trumpeter known for his work in free jazz, especially with the Sun Ra Arkestra. Life and career Born in Brooklyn, New York on August 1 ...

– "Black Rhythm Happening" (2:50) #

Stanley Cowell Stanley Cowell (May 5, 1941 – December 17, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and co-founder of the Strata-East Records label. Early life Cowell was born in Toledo, Ohio. He began playing the piano around the age of four, and became interest ...

– "El Space-O" (8:15) #

Steve Davis Steve Davis (born 22 August 1957) is an English retired professional snooker player who is currently a Sports commentator, commentator, musician, DJ, and author. He is best known for dominating professional snooker during the 1980s, when he rea ...

– "Lalune Blanche" (5:22)

Credits

Credits adapted from the vinyl liner notes. * Stuart Baker – compiler * Patrick Coupar – sleeve notes * Adrian Self – sleeve design * Fly Cycle-O – sleeve design * Angela Scott – licensing * Pete Reilly – mastering * Duncan Cowell – mastering

References

Sources

* * * * * {{cite web, url=https://jazztimes.com/archives/various-artists-new-thing/, title=Various Artists: New Thing!, last=Porter, first=Christopher, date=September 1, 2005, access-date=December 7, 2021, url-access=subscription, work=

2005 compilation albums Jazz compilation albums Soul Jazz Records compilation albums