Daily Dose Of Jazz…

ESP-Disk is a New York-based record label, founded in 1964 by lawyer Bernard Stollman.  From the beginning, the label’s goal has been to provide its recording artists with complete artistic freedom, unimpeded by any record company interference or commercial expectations—a philosophy summed-up by the ESP motto, printed on every release: “The artists alone decide what you will hear on their ESP-Disk”.

Though it originally existed to release Esperanto-based music, but beginning with its second release, Albert Ayler’s Spiritual Unity, ESP became the most important exponent of what is commonly referred to as free jazz. However ESP also ventured into releasing recordings by non-commercial underground rock acts including The Fugs, The Godz and Pearls Before Swine. Though it suspended releasing records in the 1970s, several new releases by iconic and cutting edge artists have been released by the label, that still exists with nearly its entire catalog available.

A select list of the artists who have recorded for this label include Ornette Coleman – “Town Hall Concert”, Pharaoh Sanders – who made his recording debut on ESP, Sun Ra, Ronnie Boykins, Marion Brown, Sonny Simmons, Paul Bley, Ran Blake, Don Cherry, Giuseppe Logan, Byron Allen, Bob James, Gato Barbieri, Lowell Davidson, Gary Peacock, Frank Wright, Henry Grimes, Noah Howard, Tuli Kupferberg, Karl Berger, MarzetteWatts and Perry Robinson.

Stollman has faced allegations of not paying royalties to the artists or that were signed to unfavorable contracts with low percentage rates from ESP-Disk brought by mostly the underground groups. It is claimed he has committedly stated royalties were his as well as all publishing rights.

The label’s catalog has been licensed frequently over the years, and founder Bernard Stollman has resumed direct responsibility for reissues and for emerging artists.

Dose A Day – Blues Away

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