Von Schlippenbach's 1967 Free Jazz Masterpiece Reviewed

Recorded live at Radio Bremen in September 1967, Alexander von Schlippenbach's Main Lines captures European jazz at its most radical and vital. This rare release documents a historic mini-festival uniting three pioneering free jazz groups at the very moment the music was being born.

A Landmark Moment in European Free Jazz

The recording brings together the Manfred Schoof Quintet, Peter Brötzmann Quartet, and Irène Schweizer Trio — three cornerstones of the European jazz avant-garde. Like Schoenberg in classical music or punk in rock, this was a music of resistance and rupture, shaped by a generation that grew up in the shadow of World War II. The energy is undiminished by time. Musicians like Jaki Liebezeit and Uli Trepte would later cross into krautrock, while the late Sven-Åke Johansson remained a defining voice in Scandinavian jazz. Von Schlippenbach's contributions, Main Lines and Turn 14, foreshadow the collective spirit of his Globe Unity Orchestra.

Key Takeaways

Main Lines/1967 is an essential document of international jazz history, preserved through the dedication of label Corbett vs Dempsey. It stands as a reminder of what jazz sounds like when it truly means something.

Author: Dan Backman

Source: Orkesterjournalen

Published: September 18, 2026