#1 · 1972
A cornerstone free jazz record blending soul and blues. Features a 10-track lineup with politically charged themes.
10 tracksStereoImpulse! label1972 US pressing
Artist page · 04/07/2026
Archie Shepp
Born in Fort Lauderdale in 1937, Archie Shepp is an American jazz saxophonist central to free jazz and avant-garde movements since the late 1950s.
20Albums on Vinyles.com
1343Discogs releases
184kLast.fm listeners
About
Archie Shepp, American saxophonist shaping free jazz from the 1960s onward.
28 vinyl releases, including 1972's Attica Blues and 1974's Kwanza; prized original pressings on Impulse! fetch premium prices.
Archie Shepp is a tenor and soprano saxophonist known for his bold tone and powerful expression across a career spanning over six decades. Starting in Paris in the late 1950s, he emerged alongside pioneers like Cecil Taylor in the free jazz movement. His work in the early 1970s as bandleader of Attica Blues combined soul and blues influences, shaping much of his later output. Shepp has recorded extensively, collaborating with jazz luminaries such as John Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones, and Bill Dixon among others.
His discography exceeds 1300 releases, featuring influential albums like Four For Trane (1965), Blasé (1969), and The Magic of Ju-Ju (1967). Many of these titles appear on labels including Impulse!, BYG Records, and America Records.
Discography
Archie Shepp — Discography
Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.
Uniteledis · 1976Force - Sweet Mao - Suid Afrika 76
Studio
Inner City Records · 1976Doodlin'
Studio
Uniteledis · 1976À Massy - U-Jaama "Unité"
Studio
Horo Records · 1976Mariamar
Studio
Horo Records · 1976Jazz A Confronto 27
Studio
Arista · 1976Montreux Two
Studio
Musica Records · 1976Bijou
Studio
Enja Records · 1976Steam
Studio
Compendium Records · 1976Hi-Fly
Studio
Arista · 1976Montreux One
Studio
Black Saint · 1975A Sea Of Faces
Studio
Arista · 1975There's A Trumpet In My Soul
Studio
ABC Impulse! · 1974Kwanza
Studio
Enja Records · 1973Live At The Festival
Live
Impulse! · 1973The Cry Of My People
Studio
Impulse! · 1972Attica Blues
Studio
BYG Records · 1971Live In Antibes (Vol. 1)
Live
BYG Records · 1971Live In Antibes (Vol. 2)
Live
Impulse! · 1971Things Have Got To Change
Studio
BYG Records · 1971Live At The Panafrican Festival
Live
America Records · 1970Black Gipsy
Studio
America Records · 1970Archie Shepp & Philly Joe Jones
Studio
Impulse! · 1970For Losers
Studio
America Records · 1970Pitchin Can
Studio
America Records · 1970Coral Rock
Studio
BYG Records · 1969Poem For Malcom
Studio
BYG Records · 1969Blasé
Studio
Impulse! · 1969Three For A Quarter One For A Dime
Studio
BYG Records · 1969Yasmina, A Black Woman
Studio
Impulse! · 1968The Way Ahead
Studio
Impulse! · 1967Mama Too Tight
Studio
Impulse! · 1967The Magic Of Ju-Ju
Studio
SABA · 1967Life At The Donaueschingen Music Festival
Studio
Impulse! · 1966Live In San Francisco
Live
Impulse! · 1966New Thing At Newport
Studio
Impulse! · 1965Fire Music
Studio
Impulse! · 1965On This Night
Studio
Impulse! · 1965Four For Trane
Studio
Savoy Records · 1964Bill Dixon 7-Tette / Archie Shepp And The New York Contemporary 5
Studio
Savoy Records · 1963The Archie Shepp-Bill Dixon Quartet
Studio
Studio album
Live / EP
Playlist
Signature tracks
The tracks that sum up Archie Shepp's career.
01
Attica Blues
Attica Blues · 1972
02
Blues For Brother George Jackson
Attica Blues · 1972
03
Quiet Dawn
Attica Blues · 1972
04
Ballad For A Child
Attica Blues · 1972
05
Dr. King, The Peaceful Warrior
·
06
Invocation To Mr. Parker
Attica Blues · 1972
07
Contracts
·
08
Cousin Mary
·
The essentials
The 3 Archie Shepp albums you absolutely need
Our pick, validated by the editorial team.
#2 · 1974
Shepp’s 1974 album showcasing avant-garde jazz with extended compositions across five tracks.
5 tracksQuadraphonicImpulse! label1974 US original
#3 · 1969
A soul-jazz and free jazz blend featuring five tracks, notable for dynamic expressions and longer compositions.
5 tracksBYG Records1969 Italian pressingStereo
Go further
Artists similar to Archie Shepp
Artists who share part of Archie Shepp's musical DNA.
Collectors
For vinyl die-hards
The hidden side of the catalogue: rare pressings, sought-after matrices, Discogs values.
Market values (source: Discogs)
For each reference edition, these cards summarise the state of the global Discogs market. Market position places the average price of a copy between the observed min and max prices. Average price is the price seen for a mint-condition copy. Copies available counts listings currently for sale. Collectors who want it is the number of Discogs users who added it to their wantlist without owning it — a good signal of upcoming demand.
Kwanza
Market position
i
Min price 12 €Max price 40 €
Average price
28,99 €
Only 33 copies for sale on Discogs
366 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Attica Blues
Market position
i
Min price 35 €Max price 90 €
Average price
52,20 €
Only 29 copies for sale on Discogs
1 094 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Live At The Panafrican Festival
Market position
i
Min price 9 €Max price 36 €
Average price
10,00 €
Only 23 copies for sale on Discogs
310 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Blasé
Market position
i
Min price 20 €Max price 129 €
Average price
29,57 €
Only 15 copies for sale on Discogs
557 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Poem For Malcom
Market position
i
Min price 15 €Max price 30 €
Average price
23,93 €
Only 22 copies for sale on Discogs
383 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
The Magic Of Ju-Ju
Market position
i
Min price 39 €Max price 392 €
Average price
214,00 €
Only 27 copies for sale on Discogs
1 265 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Notable pressings & editions
Face B
Side B: the hidden stories of Archie Shepp
Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.
My playing is rooted in emotion and history, using my saxophone to speak for the struggle and soul of African Americans.— Archie Shepp
01Studio
Recording of Kwanza in 1974
Recorded in 1974 and released on Impulse!, Kwanza features five extended tracks such as 'Back Back' and 'New Africa'. The quadraphonic LP pressing is sought after by collectors.
02Live Performance
Live at the Panafrican Festival, 1971
Issued by BYG Records in 1971, this album documents Shepp's free jazz set at the Panafrican Festival held in France. It includes the three-part 'We Have Come Back'.
03Collaboration
Work with John Coltrane
Archie Shepp's early career included collaboration with John Coltrane, contributing to avant-garde jazz breakthroughs during the 1960s.
04Album
The Magic Of Ju-Ju (1967)
Released in 1967 on Impulse!, The Magic Of Ju-Ju blends post bop and spiritual jazz styles across four intense tracks and remains a reference in Shepp’s output.
Records by Archie Shepp
See all
FAQ
FAQ: Archie Shepp on physical formats
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
What are the genres Archie Shepp is known for?
Archie Shepp is mainly known for free jazz, avant-garde jazz, soul jazz, and post-bop styles throughout his career.
Which labels did Archie Shepp release vinyl on?
His major vinyl releases are found on labels like Impulse!, BYG Records, America Records, and Scorpio among others.
Are original pressings of Archie Shepp’s albums valuable?
Original pressings, especially 1970s Impulse! releases like Attica Blues or Kwanza, are sought after and often command premium prices.
Which is a notable live album by Archie Shepp to collect?
Live At The Panafrican Festival (1971, BYG Records, France) is a well-regarded live album capturing his free jazz performances.
What styles characterize Archie Shepp’s saxophone playing?
His tenor and soprano saxophone playing is noted for sharp phrasing, dynamic note ranges, and a powerful expressive quality.
Is Archie Shepp connected to any French jazz scenes?
He began performing in Paris in the late 1950s, playing at clubs such as Le Chat qui pêche and collaborating with European jazz musicians.
Where can I find Archie Shepp vinyl records in France?
French pressings of albums like Kwanza or Live At The Panafrican Festival appear in local vinyl shops and European online marketplaces.
What collaborations influenced Archie Shepp’s sound?
Collaborations with Cecil Taylor, John Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones, and Bill Dixon contributed significantly to his avant-garde and free jazz style.
Transparency
Sources & method
This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.
Our method
- Discographic data from MusicBrainz (dates, countries, activity period).
- Tracklists, artwork and genres retrieved via Discogs Masters.
- Values (low / median / high) and stock from the Discogs Marketplace.
- Audience and similar artists via Last.fm.
- Page updated automatically and reviewed by the editorial team.
Last updated: 04/07/2026