Freedom Rhythm and Sound: Chapter Two

Freedom, Rhythm and Sound showcases the stunning graphic works of mainly independently published jazz record cover designs in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and beyond, from radical jazz musicians such as Sun Ra, John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, The Art Ensemble of Chicago and others.This new second volume of Freedom, Rhythm and Sound book is a new ‘chapter’, featuring hundreds more unique, rare and beautiful jazz record cover designs. This book documents the continued development in jazz as African-American artists set out on new journeys to enlightenment, heading out into Europe at the end of the 1960s.The artwork of these (often self-produced) record cover designs during this era reflected their radical agenda, spiritual awareness and singular search for musical and personal freedoms. From raw, DIY aesthetics to lyrical and poetic illustrations, sometimes containing futuristic worlds and ancient landscapes, the designs are always bold, strikingly graphic, and most importantly capture the spirit of the music, giving them a unique beauty.As well as the radical jazz music of this time, this new ‘Chapter’ of Freedom, Rhythm and Sound also includes sections on the record cover art of African-American poets and writers, Civil Rights and Black Power Movement recordings (Martin Luther King, Malcolm X), early musical pioneers (Yusef Lateef, Max Roach, Ornette Coleman and others) all of which helped influence and shape the world of radical jazz from the 1960s onwards.