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Jazz Actuel

3 disc box set of avant garde/free jazz/psychedelia. From the BYG/Actuel catalogue, 1969-71, including Gong and daevid allen. This lovely little box set demonstrates just what an eclectic and adventurous the BYG/Actuel label was in the late '60s and early '70s. The three individually slip-cased CDs, along with a well written 36 page illustrated booklet by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, come housed in a sturdy CD-sized box. The tracks chosen touch on all areas of the wide ranging BYG catalogue - there is bound to be music here that will open your ears up! Unfortunately, the only way the musicians will benefit in any way from sales of this release is if you buy it here - otherwise they can expect no royalties on sales or publishing.

The direct Gong Family connections here are 'Memories' from daevid's 1970 Bananamoon LP and the Gong Camembert Electric track (although there are other hidden connections as well). I'm sure most of you have both those albums, but don't let that make you pass up this great value collection - there are so many other intriguing musics to investigate. The proto PHP (note the propeller!) on the cover of the box is a young Don Cherry.