Strata East Anthology - DL Media Music

The digital-only anthology Strata-East: The Legacy Begins, available today, celebrates the revolutionary spirit of one of the most influential artist-owned independent jazz labels in history. This anthology, a partnership between Mack Avenue Music Group and Strata-East Records brings together iconic tracks that embody Strata-East’s commitment to artistry and creative freedom. Featuring he explosive brilliance of Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell, the soulful expressions of The Heath Brothers, Charlie Rouse, Shamek Farrah, Pharoah Sanders, and more. The collection showcases cult classics from the label’s deep catalog while honoring the extraordinary artists who shaped its legacy.

This release not only marks the launch of the partnership between Strata-East and Mack Avenue Music Group but also delivers the label’s highest-quality audio anthology and is available digitally for the first time. A reflection of Strata-East’s dedication to spiritual jazz and social consciousness, this compilation invites listeners to rediscover classics or experience them anew. Strata-East: The Legacy Begins celebrates the timelessness of this music while marking the start of an exciting new chapter.

On April 25, 2025, Strata-East will release vinyl and CD reissues of Charlie Rouse’s Two Is One, Charles Tolliver’s Music Inc.’s Live at Slugs’, Vol. I & II, and Stanley Cowell’s Musa: Ancestral Streams, also pressed at RTI on 180-gram vinyl and mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio with audio transferred directly from the original analog tapes. Pharoah Sanders’ Izipho Zam (My Gifts) will also be released on CD at this time and all four albums will be available digitally for the first time ever.

Also April 25, 2025, Mack Avenue Music Group will digitally release, for the first time, 31 albums from the Strata-East catalog. Nine albums are available for digital pre-order now:

Pharoah Sanders – Izipho Zam (My Gifts)
Charles Tolliver’s Music Inc – Live at Slugs’, Volume I & II
First time released as a single album
Three never-before-released bonus tracks
Stanley Cowell Musa: Ancestral Streams
With bonus tracks
Charlie Rouse – Two Is One
The Heath Brothers – Marchin’ On! (feat. Stanley Cowell)
Shamek Farrah – First Impressions
Clifford Jordan – Glass Bead Games
Billy Harper – Capra Black
Cecil McBee – Mutima

“Strata-East Records is very proud to be partnering with Mack Avenue Music Group, whose passion, values, total commitment, and deep love for the music, mirror ours,” Tolliver said. “This is an exciting time and together with Mack Avenue we can’t wait to bring you, our fans around the world, new essential high-quality masters of the Strata-East catalog. We’ve gone back to the origins so that you can totally immerse yourself in this great music, the emotions, artistic and creative freedom that exemplifies Strata-East. There is a lot more to come and to be announced, so stay tuned!”

Will Wakefield, Senior Director of A&R for Mack Avenue Music Group, said: “We are excited to partner with Charles, Ched, and the Strata-East team to bring this beloved music to the world with the highest quality audio and care taken to preserve its purest form. We can’t wait for everyone to hear what we have coming.”

Specializing in avant-garde and post-bop jazz, Strata-East’s notable albums include Tolliver’s Music Inc, Cowell’s Musa: Ancestral Streams, Charlie Rouse’s Two is One and Billy Harper’s Capra Black. Strata-East addressed social and political themes resonant with the Black Arts Movement. Its pioneering approach to artist rights has inspired generations of musicians and independent labels, cementing its place in jazz history.

Strata-East’s roster featured timelessly influential musicians who intertwined music with spoken word in response to their cultural moment. This includes Sanders, known for his spiritual and avant-garde explorations that inspired a shift in mainstream jazz offerings.

Despite its short period of recorded music output, Strata-East’s commitment to artistic freedom and high production standards earned it a revered place in jazz history. Its pioneering approach to artist rights and control has inspired generations of musicians and independent labels, contributing to a vibrant and diverse musical landscape.

Strata-East: The Legacy Begins

MP3s/WAVs are available on request, Strata-East: The Legacy Begins can be streamed here.

Track List:

1. Billy Harper – “Sir Galahad”

2. Clifford Jordan – “John Coltrane”

3. Stanley Cowell – “Equipoise”

4. Charles Tolliver & Music Inc – “Felicite” (live)

5. Shamek Farrah – “Watch What Happens Now”

6. Charles Tolliver & Stanley Cowell – “On the Nile”

7. Charlie Rouse – “Hopscotch”

8. Pharoah Sanders – “Prince of Peace”

9. The Heath Brothers ft. Stanley Cowell – “Smilin’ Billy Suite: Part II”

10. Cecil Payne – “Martin Luther King, Jr. I Know Love”

11. Charles Tolliver & Music Inc – “Drought” (Live)

12. Charles Brackeen – “Rhythm X”

13. Charles Tolliver & Music Inc – “Spanning” (Live)

14. Charles Tolliver & Music Inc – “Truth” (Live)

15. Cecil McBee – “Voice of the 7th Angel”

16. Harold Vick – “Don’t Look Back”

17. Charles Tolliver – “Lil’s Paradise”

18. The Piano Choir – “Effi”

19. John Hicks – “My One and Only Love”

20. John Gordon – “Step by Step”

21. Charles Tolliver – “Ruthie’s Heart” (Live)

22. Charles Tolliver – “For Love of What” (Live)

23. Stanley Cowell ft. Billy Harper & Reggie Workman & Billy Hart – “Sweet Song”

24. The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe & Bill Lee – “Two Songs for a Boy Named Mark: a) Little Bitty Baby, b) Soliloquy to a Man-Child”

25. The Brass Company & Bill Lee – “Alias Buster Henry”

26. Charles Tolliver & Music Inc – “Earl’s World”

27. Stanley Cowell – “Lullabye”

28. The Piano Choir – “Barbara Ann”

29. Billy Parker – “Get With It”

30. Shamek Farrah & Sonelius Smith – “The World of the Children”

31. Charles Tolliver & Music Inc Orchestra – “Impact”

32. The New York Bass Violin Choir & Bill Lee – “John Coltrane”

33. John Hicks – “Hell’s Bells”

Strata-East: The Legacy Begins

Mack Avenue Music Group/Strata-East Records · Release Date: February 21, 2025

Pharoah Sanders – Izipho Zam (My Gifts)

Record Store Day Exclusive Vinyl Release + CD Compilation

Mack Avenue Music Group/Strata-East Records · Release Date: April 12, 2025

Vinyl and CD Reissues:

Charlie Rouse – Two Is One,

Charles Tolliver’s Music Inc. – Live at Slugs’, Vol. I & II,

Stanley Cowell – Musa: Ancestral Streams

Mack Avenue Music Group/Strata-East Records Release Date: April 25, 2025

For more information on Strata-East, please visit:

www.serecs.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

DL Media · (610) 420-8470

Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com

Jon Solomon · jon@dlmediamusic.com

For the Preferred Artist

For all other inquiries, please contact:

Matthew Jurasek (matthew@mackavenue.com)

Mack Avenue Music Group

(908) 463-0146

For press materials on Strata-East, Mack Avenue Music Group’s artists or its family of imprints (including album covers, promotional photos and project narratives), please visit: media.mackavenue.com

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