ESP-Disk

ESP-Disk
Founded	1964
Founder	Bernard Stollman
Genre	Underground rock, Folk rock, Free improvisational music
Country of origin	USA
Location	Brooklyn, New York
Official Website	www.espdisk.com

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, starting with its second release (Albert Ayler's Spiritual Unity), ESP became the most important exponent of what is commonly referred to as free jazz. ESP also released recordings by uncommercial underground rock acts including the Fugs, The Godz and Pearls Before Swine. Though it suspended releasing records in the 70s, several new releases by iconic and cutting edge artists have been released by the label, and it still exists with nearly its entire catalog available.

Other artists who have recorded for this label include Ornette Coleman (the "Town Hall Concert"), Pharaoh Sanders (who made his recording debut on ESP), Sun Ra, Ronnie Boykins, Marion Brown, Sonny Simmons, Paul Bley, Ran Blake, and Perry Robinson.

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

Discography

Main article: ESP-Disk discography

External links

• Official site
• Official Myspace
• Collectors' discography
• The Old New Thing is Newer Than Ever. Liner notes for an ESP-Disk mash-up by Wu Ming 1