ESP Disk

ESP Disk

Profile:
New York based experimental, avant-garde, and free-jazz label owned and founded in 1963 by Bernard Stollman. The name was going to be Esperanto-Disk, but was shortened to ESP-Disk'. Originally it operated until 1976, when the label ran out of funding. It was not a financial success in the US, but gained recognition in Europe and Japan, where licensing agreements were made.
In 1992, Stollman licensed the catalog to the German label ZYX Music, which reissued all 115 titles on CD (the labels to be used for these releases are ESP Disk and ZYX Music; both ZYX Music and ESP Disk logos are used, although ESP Disk logo is neither the original version nor the new one). Around the same time, a number of titles were licensed to the Japanese label Venus Records (5); these used only the Venus Records logo. The ZYX deal lasted for 6 years, followed by a brief licensing agreement with the Dutch label Calibre (use Calibre and ESP Disk; the original ESP Disk logo is used) and subsequently the Italian Abraxas label. Abraxas claims to have an exclusive worldwide deal with ESP-Disk regarding the back-catalogue (which includes the manufacturing of LPs and CDs, distribution and sub-licensing). LPs and CDs are released either under the Get Back in-house label or ESP Disk (Italy) (which Abraxas regards as an in-house label; please note that these releases use the new logo).
In 2005 ESP Disk of New York resumed manufacturing and is bringing out reissues, previously unreleased material and new releases (using the original logo and new logo).

List of addresses and release years from ESP-Disk' Discography
1st) 180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024 : ESP-1002 (1964) -- ESP-1028 (1966)
2nd) 5 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10023 : ESP-1055 (1966) (inbetween addresses)
3rd) 156 Fifth Avenue, NY NY 10010 : ESP-1029 (1966) -- ESP-2000 (1969)
4th) 300 W. 55, NY NY 10019 : ESP-2003 (1970) -- ESP-2051 (1970)
5th) Acorn Hill House, Krumville, NY 12447 : ESP-1080 (1969) -- ESP-3003 (1972)
6th ) 5 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10023 : ESP-2004 (1972) (inbetween addresses)
7th) 290 West End Ave, NY NY 10023 : ESP-1085 (1973) -- ESP-3021 (1975)
Sublabels
Parent Label:
Contact Info:
ESP-Disk' Ltd
990 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11205
USA

E-Mail: [email protected]
Sites:

Label

Releases

Status Catalog Number  Image Artist Title ( Format) Label Catalog Number  Country Year Actions
005 Robbie Basho - Live In Forli, Italy 1982 Robbie Basho Live In Forli, Italy 1982(CD, Album) Obsolete Recordings (2), ESP Disk 005 US Unknown Sell This Version
15PJ-2019 Ornette Coleman - Town Hall, 1962 Ornette Coleman Town Hall, 1962(LP, Album, RE) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 15PJ-2019 Japan 1980 Sell This Version
15PJ-2020 Albert Ayler - Prophecy Albert Ayler Prophecy(LP, Album, RE) ESP Disk 15PJ-2020 Japan 1980 Sell This Version
15PJ-2021(M) Albert Ayler Trio - Spiritual Unity Albert Ayler Trio Spiritual Unity(LP, Album, Mono, RE) ESP Disk 15PJ-2021(M) Japan 1980 Sell This Version
15PJ-2022 Albert Ayler Quintet - Spirits Rejoice Albert Ayler Quintet Spirits Rejoice(LP, Album, RE) ESP Disk 15PJ-2022 Japan 1980 Sell This Version
15PJ-2023 Albert Ayler - Bells Albert Ayler Bells(LP, S/Sided, Album, RE) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 15PJ-2023 Japan 1980 Sell This Version
15PJ-2024 Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Gary Peacock, Sonny Murray* - New York Eye And Ear Control Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Gary Peacock, Sonny Murray* Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Gary Peacock, Sonny Murray* - New York Eye And Ear Control(LP, Album, RE) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 15PJ-2024 Japan 1980 Sell This Version
1001 Frans Jahger, Duncan Charters, Julius Balbin - Ni Kantu En Esperanto Frans Jahger, Duncan Charters, Julius Balbin Frans Jahger, Duncan Charters, Julius Balbin - Ni Kantu En Esperanto (Album) 1001 US 1964 Sell This Version
1002 Albert Ayler Trio - Spiritual Unity Albert Ayler Trio Spiritual Unity (Album) 1002 US 1965 Sell This Version
1003 Pharaoh Sanders* - Pharaoh Pharaoh Sanders* Pharaoh (Album) 1003 US 1965 Sell This Version
1004 New York Art Quartet - New York Art Quartet New York Art Quartet New York Art Quartet (Album) 1004 US 1965 Sell This Version
1005 The Byron Allen Trio - The Byron Allen Trio The Byron Allen Trio The Byron Allen Trio (Album) 1005 US 1965 Sell This Version
1006 Ornette Coleman - Town Hall, 1962 Ornette Coleman At Town Hall 1962 Review (Album) 1006 US 1965 Sell This Version
1007 The Giuseppi Logan Quartet - The Giuseppi Logan Quartet The Giuseppi Logan Quartet The Giuseppi Logan Quartet (Album) 1007 US 1965 Sell This Version
1008 Paul Bley Quintet - Barrage Paul Bley Quintet Barrage (Album) 1008 US 1965 Sell This Version
1009 Bob James Trio - Explosions Bob James Trio Explosions (Album) 1009 US 1965 Sell This Version
1010 Albert Ayler - Bells Albert Ayler Bells (Album) 1010 US 1965 Sell This Version
1011 Ran Blake - Plays Solo Piano Ran Blake Plays Solo Piano (Album) 1011 US 1965 Sell This Version
1013 Giuseppi Logan - More Giuseppi Logan More (Album) 1013 US 1966 Sell This Version
1014 Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Vol. I Sun Ra The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Vol. I (Album) 1014 US 1965 Sell This Version
1015 Milford Graves With Sunny Morgan - Percussion Ensemble Milford Graves With Sunny Morgan Milford Graves With Sunny Morgan - Percussion Ensemble (Album) 1015 US 1965 Sell This Version
1016 Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Gary Peacock, Sonny Murray* - New York Eye And Ear Control Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Gary Peacock, Sonny Murray* Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Gary Peacock, Sonny Murray* - New York Eye And Ear Control (Album) 1016 US 1966 Sell This Version
1017 Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Volume 2 Sun Ra The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Volume 2 (Album) 1017 US 1966 Sell This Version
1018 The Fugs - The Fugs First Album The Fugs The Fugs First Album (Album) 1018 US 1966 Sell This Version
1020 Albert Ayler - Spirits Rejoice Albert Ayler Spirits Rejoice (Album) 1020 US 1965 Sell This Version
1021 Paul Bley Trio - Closer Paul Bley Trio Closer (Album) 1021 US 1966 Sell This Version
1022 Marion Brown Quartet - Marion Brown Quartet Marion Brown Quartet Marion Brown Quartet (Album) 1022 US 1966 Sell This Version
1023 Frank Wright Trio - Frank Wright Trio Frank Wright Trio Frank Wright Trio (Album) 1023 US 1966 Sell This Version
1024 Burton Greene Quartet - Burton Greene Quartet Burton Greene Quartet Burton Greene Quartet 1024 US 1966 Sell This Version
1026 Henry Grimes Trio - The Call Henry Grimes Trio The Call (Album) 1026 US 1966 Sell This Version
1027 Timothy Leary, Ph.D.* - Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out Timothy Leary, Ph.D.* Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out(LP, Mono) ESP Disk 1027 US 1966 Sell This Version
1028 The Fugs - The Fugs The Fugs The Fugs (Album) 1028 US 1966 Sell This Version
1029 Charles Tyler Ensemble - Charles Tyler Ensemble Charles Tyler Ensemble Charles Tyler Ensemble (Album) 1029 US 1966 Sell This Version
1030 Sonny Simmons - Staying On The Watch Sonny Simmons Staying On The Watch (Album) 1030 US 1966 Sell This Version
1031 Noah Howard Quartet - Noah Howard Quartet Noah Howard Quartet Noah Howard Quartet (Album) 1031 US 1966 Sell This Version
1032 Sunny Murray - Sunny Murray Sunny Murray Sunny Murray (Album) 1032 US 1966 Sell This Version
1033 Various - Sampler: Vol. I Various Sampler: Vol. I(LP, Mono, Smplr) ESP Disk 1033 US 1966 Sell This Version
1034 Various - The East Village Other Various The East Village Other 1034 US 1966 Sell This Version
1034LP Various The East Village Other 1034LP US 2013 Sell This Version
1040 Marion Brown Quartet - Why Not Marion Brown Quartet Why Not (Album) 1040 US 1968 Sell This Version
1043 Sonny Simmons - Music From The Spheres Sonny Simmons Music From The Spheres (Album) 1043 US 1968 Sell This Version
1044 Marzette And Company* - Marzette And Company Marzette And Company* Marzette And Company 1044 US 1968 Sell This Version
1047M The Godz - Godz 2 The Godz Godz 2 (Album) 1047M US 1967 Sell This Version
1047S The Godz - Godz 2 The Godz Godz 2(LP, Album) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 1047S US 1967 Sell This Version
1048 Alan Sondheim / Ritual-All-770* Alan Sondheim / Ritual-All-770* - Ritual-All-7-70(LP) ESP Disk 1048 US 1967 Sell This Version
1049 Gato Barbieri Quartet - In Search Of The Mystery Gato Barbieri Quartet In Search Of The Mystery(CD, Album, RE, Jew) ESP Disk 1049 Italy Unknown Sell This Version
1051 Various - The ESP Sampler Various The ESP Sampler(LP, Smplr, Red) ESP Disk 1051 US 1967 Sell This Version
1053 The Frank Wright Quintet - Your Prayer The Frank Wright Quintet Your Prayer(LP, RE) ESP Disk 1053 US 2022 Sell This Version
1054 Pearls Before Swine - One Nation Underground Pearls Before Swine One Nation Underground (Album) 1054 Netherlands 1967 Sell This Version
1055 Patty Waters - College Tour Patty Waters College Tour(LP, Album) ESP Disk 1055 US 1966 Sell This Version
1060 Steve Lacy - The Forest And The Zoo Steve Lacy The Forest And The Zoo (Album) 1060 US 1967 Sell This Version
1066 Bud Powell - Blue Note Cafe Paris, 1961 Bud Powell Blue Note Cafe Paris, 1961(LP, Album, RE) Base Record, ESP Disk 1066 Italy 1980 Sell This Version
1067 Har-You Percussion Group* - The Har-You Percussion Group Har-You Percussion Group* The Har-You Percussion Group(LP, Album, TP) ESP Disk 1067 US 1969 Sell This Version
1074 The Burton Greene Trio - On Tour The Burton Greene Trio On Tour(LP, Album) ESP Disk 1074 US 1968 Sell This Version
1075 Pearls Before Swine - Balaklava Pearls Before Swine Balaklava (Album) 1075 US 1968 Sell This Version
1077 The Godz - Contact High With Da Godz The Godz Contact High With Da Godz(LP, TP) ESP Disk 1077 US Unknown Sell This Version
1080 Karel Velebny* / SHQ - Karel Velebny / SHQ (PF 69) Karel Velebny* / SHQ Karel Velebny* / SHQ - Karel Velebny / SHQ (PF 69)(LP, Album) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 1080 US 1969 Sell This Version
1081 Levitts / Various - We Are The Levitts Levitts / Various Levitts / Various - We Are The Levitts(LP, Album + LP, Smplr) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 1081 US 1968 Sell This Version
1081 Various - An Evening At Home With ESP Various An Evening At Home With ESP(LP, Comp) ESP Disk 1081 US Unknown Sell This Version
1083 Free Music Quintet - Free Music One And Two Free Music Quintet Free Music One And Two (Album) 1083 US 1968 Sell This Version
1089 Randy Burns (2) - Evening Of The Magician Randy Burns (2) Evening Of The Magician (Album) 1089 US 1968 Sell This Version
1092 Ed Askew - Ed Askew Ed Askew Ed Askew(LP, Album) ESP Disk 1092 US 1968 Sell This Version
1095 Levitts / Various - We Are The Levitts Levitts / Various Levitts / Various - We Are The Levitts(LP, Album + LP, Smplr) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 1095 US 1968 Sell This Version
1098 Mij (2) - Color By The Number Mij (2) Color By The Number(LP) ESP Disk 1098 US 1969 Sell This Version
1099 Erica* - You Used To Think Erica* You Used To Think (Album) 1099 US 1968 Sell This Version
2000 Octopus (12) - Octopus Octopus (12) Octopus (Album) 2000 US 1969 Sell This Version
2001 Cromagnon - Cromagnon Cromagnon Cromagnon (Album) 2001 US 1969 Sell This Version
2002 Billie Holiday - Lady Lives Volume 1: 1949.1952 Billie Holiday Lady Lives Volume 1: 1949.1952(LP, Album) E.S.P Explosive, E.S.P Explosive, ESP Disk 2002 France Unknown Sell This Version
2003-8 Charles Manson - LIE: The Love And Terror Cult Charles Manson LIE: The Love And Terror Cult(8-Trk, Album, RE) ESP Disk 2003-8 US 1974 Sell This Version
2004 Sweet Pie - Pleasure Pudding Sweet Pie Pleasure Pudding (Album) 2004 US 1972 Sell This Version
2222-2 Various - An ESP Disk Guide To Funky Soul & Acid Jazz Vol.1 Various An ESP Disk Guide To Funky Soul & Acid Jazz Vol.1(CD, Comp) ZYX Music, ESP Disk 2222-2 Germany Unknown Sell This Version
3006 Billie Holiday - Lover Come Back To Me Billie Holiday Lover Come Back To Me(CD, Comp) Verve, Decca, Dale (2), Disco, ESP Disk 3006 US 1995 Sell This Version
3009-2 Tiger Tiger - Sun Country Tiger Tiger Sun Country(CD, Album) ESP Disk 3009-2 Germany 1993 Sell This Version
3022-2 Bud Powell - Spring Broadcasts 1953 Bud Powell Spring Broadcasts 1953(CD, Album, RE) ESP Disk 3022-2 Germany Unknown Sell This Version
4000 Ellis Marsalis - Ruminations In New York Ellis Marsalis Ruminations In New York(CD, Album + DVD-A) ESP Disk, ESP Disk 4000 US 2004 Sell This Version
4002 Sun Ra - Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 3 (The Lost Tapes) Sun Ra Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 3 (The Lost Tapes)(CD, RM) ESP Disk 4002 US 2005 Sell This Version
4061 Eli Keszler - Oxtirn Eli Keszler Oxtirn (Album) 4061 US 2010 Sell This Version
4501 Gilbert Shelton Ensemble - If I Was A Hell's Angel / Southern Stock Car Man Gilbert Shelton Ensemble If I Was A Hell's Angel / Southern Stock Car Man(7") ESP Disk 4501 US 1966 Sell This Version
4506 Ornette Coleman Trio* / Albert Ayler Quintet - Sadness / Holy Family Ornette Coleman Trio* / Albert Ayler Quintet Ornette Coleman Trio* / Albert Ayler Quintet - Sadness / Holy Family(7") ESP Disk 4506 US 1965 Sell This Version
4507 Fugs* - Frenzy Fugs* Frenzy(7", Single) ESP Disk 4507 US 1966 Sell This Version
4508 The Fugs - Kill For Peace The Fugs Kill For Peace(7", Single) ESP Disk 4508 US 1966 Sell This Version
4575 Pearls Before Swine - Images of April / There Was a Man Pearls Before Swine Images of April / There Was a Man(7", Promo, Styrene) ESP Disk 4575 US Unknown Sell This Version
5015 Talibam!, Matthew Nelson (2), Ron Stabinsky - Hard Vibe Talibam!, Matthew Nelson (2), Ron Stabinsky Talibam!, Matthew Nelson (2), Ron Stabinsky - Hard Vibe(LP, Album, Yel) ESP Disk 5015 US 2017 Sell This Version
5037 Mat Walerian, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Hamid Drake - Every Dog Has Its Day But It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Fatter Mat Walerian, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Hamid Drake Mat Walerian, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Hamid Drake - Every Dog Has Its Day But It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Fatter(2xCD, Album) ESP Disk 5037 US 2020 Sell This Version
279 250 TF Pearls Before Swine - Suzanne / There Was A Man Pearls Before Swine Suzanne / There Was A Man (Single) 279 250 TF Italy 1969 Sell This Version
538.103 Billie Holiday - Lady Lives Volume 3 1956.1958 Billie Holiday Lady Lives Volume 3 1956.1958(LP, Album) ESP Disk 538.103 France & Benelux Unknown Sell This Version
538.104 Charlie Parker - The Comprehensive Charlie Parker, Volume 1, Live Performance Charlie Parker The Comprehensive Charlie Parker, Volume 1, Live Performance(LP) ESP Disk, E.S.P Explosive, ESP Disk, E.S.P Explosive 538.104 France Unknown Sell This Version
538.107 Albert Ayler Trio - Spiritual Unity Albert Ayler Trio Spiritual Unity (Album) 538.107 France Unknown Sell This Version
538 109 Charlie Parker - Broadcast Performances Volume 2 Charlie Parker Broadcast Performances Volume 2(LP, Mono) ESP Disk, E.S.P Explosive, ESP Disk, E.S.P Explosive 538 109 France 1974 Sell This Version
538.114 The Fugs - First Album Slum Goddess The Fugs First Album Slum Goddess(LP, RE) E.S.P Explosive 538.114 France Unknown Sell This Version
538.115 The Fugs - The Fugs Second Album The Fugs The Fugs Second Album(LP, Album) E.S.P Explosive 538.115 France Unknown Sell This Version
538.117 Paul Bley Trio - Closer Paul Bley Trio Closer(LP, Album, RE) E.S.P Explosive 538.117 France Unknown Sell This Version
858 107 FPY Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra II Sun Ra The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra II(LP, Album, RE) ESP Disk, Fontana 858 107 FPY Europe 1969 Sell This Version
858 109 FPY Virgin Fugs* - Virgin Fugs Virgin Fugs* Virgin Fugs (Album) 858 109 FPY UK 1967 Sell This Version
858 115 FPY Pearls Before Swine - One Nation Underground Pearls Before Swine One Nation Underground(CD, Album, RE, RM) Calibre (3), ESP Disk 858 115 FPY Europe Unknown Sell This Version
858 118 FPY The Fugs - The Fugs First Album The Fugs The Fugs First Album(LP, Album) Fontana, ESP Disk 858 118 FPY Netherlands 1969 Sell This Version
858 126 FPY Marion Brown Quartet - Marion Brown Quartet Marion Brown Quartet Marion Brown Quartet(LP, Album) Fontana, Fontana, ESP Disk, ESP Disk 858 126 FPY UK 1967 Sell This Version
888.801 TY The New York Electric String Ensemble - The New York Electric String Ensemble The New York Electric String Ensemble The New York Electric String Ensemble(LP, Album) Fontana 888.801 TY Netherlands 1969 Sell This Version
888 802 TY Pearls Before Swine - Balaklava Pearls Before Swine Balaklava (Album) 888 802 TY Netherlands 1969 Sell This Version
888 804 TY Randy Burns (2) - Evening Of The Magician Randy Burns (2) Evening Of The Magician(LP, Album) Fontana, ESP Disk 888 804 TY UK 1968 Sell This Version

Reviews

Add Review

JR_Nortz

JR_Nortz

October 27, 2022
edited 11 months ago
Does anyone have info on the never issued Byard Lancaster 1036? Was there ever a recording session, and if so do master tapes exist somewhere?
bungabunga

bungabunga

January 1, 2017
With old records of this label, I always have problems of surface noise.
This happens to equal surface conditions, the discs of other labels are less noisy than those of this label.