The currently active UK jazz labels that we rate most - scroll down for the no. 1. Quite a few labels who have done so much in recent years have ceased releasing if you are wondering why a few familiar names from not that long ago are absent. That number, given how difficult it is now to get punters to buy physical formats because of free streaming, has grown over the past 12 months. Scroll down by listening to a fantastic track drawn from upcoming My Only Desire 7-inch vinyl Seven for Lee/Green and Orange Night Park from Bristol scene saxist Kevin Figes and You Are Here. Elton Dean piece 'Seven for Lee' by the Figes organisation is streaming ahead of the August release.
- Jon Griffiths' London based label. Artists issued have included recordings by Harry Beckett and Graham Collier
19 New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne free-jazz and improv loving label. Pat Thomas Plays the Duke is one of the label's most enjoyable releases
- Circeo was a gem on the dynamic, frequently experimental, London label this year
17 Worm Discs
- Bristol label who have championed Run Logan Run and lively Scots, Corto.Alto
- Reissue and archive label - Tubby Hayes and Ray Warleigh releases are among the label's recent output.
- Scottish label run by DJ Rebecca Vasmant
14 Discus Music
- Free-jazz and improv attuned Sheffield label
13 Confront
- Drummer Mark Wastell's free-improv label, based in London
- Another London label representing a fresh wave of young artists breaking through including Golden Mean reviewed last month
11 Efpi
- North west of England label
The Elton Dean Ninesense track that Figes and chums cover was on 1977's Happy Daze (Ogun), above
10 Cadillac
- Mostly archive releases run by veteran records man Mike Gavin
9 PX
- New Pizza Express label launched in 2023 run by Ross Dines
- Mayank Patel and Jonathan Wingate run label - experienced success in recent times with excellent recordings by singer Jo Harrop
7 Gondwana
- Matthew Halsall's spiritual jazz loving Mancunian label
6 Gearbox
- London label - impressed most this year with the latest from Dwight Trible
- Prolific label based in London - seen streaming success particularly with a Rob Barron release and Chet Baker archive gems
- DJ Gilles Peterson's London label who have spearheaded ''the London jazz renaissance'' internationally in recent years
- Very well curated Birmingham label - has championed the storming Xhosa Cole
- Bassist Michael Janisch's hard bop and jazz-rock rooted London label - recent highlights include Ginger's Hollow and Phoenix
1 Edition
- Pianist Dave Stapleton's Berkshire based label has seen a lot of acclaim and attention for a whole range of releases over the last few years including albums by Dave Holland, Lionel Loueke and Kurt Elling.
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