James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Gold Soundz: A Jazz Tribute To Pavement (2026)

A double LP marking the 20th anniversary of an album in which four jazz masters reimagined songs by Pavement through a free jazz lens. The idea grew from a single question: what album would we want to buy that doesn’t exist? Following the logic of fantasy sports leagues, the lineup was chosen first. In 2004, four jazz heavyweights and two eager producers then spent four days in Studio B at New York’s Electric Ladyland.

The result is fire-breathing music in the tradition of Pharaoh Sanders and Archie Shepp, sending the messy, slacker spirit of Pavement down roads the rockers themselves never imagined. Allmusic wrote that it is essential listening for Pavement fans who want to hear the songbook anew, while for jazz fans the tunes might as well be undiscovered standards. Stephen Malkmus summed it up in one word: “Insane!” NPR called it a heavyweight jazz album with masterfully crafted, soulful arrangements.

The anniversary edition is substantially expanded. It contains eleven main pieces, including “Summer Babe” in both “Spring” and “Fall” versions, “Trigger Cut,” “Cut Your Hair,” “My First Mine,” “Folk Jam” and “Platform Blues,” along with reprises and ballad treatments. Four bonus tracks are CD-only, among them a live “My First Mine” recorded in Baltimore on January 13, 2018. The package includes liner notes by Jim Allen and newly revised artwork by Steve Keene.

Tracklist:
1. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Summer Babe (Spring Version)
2. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Trigger Cut
3. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - 5-4=Unity
4. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Here
5. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Platform Blues Coda
6. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Stereo
7. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Cut Your Hair
8. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - My First Mine
1. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Folk Jam
2. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Blue Hawaiian
3. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Platform Blues
4. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Puzzle For You
5. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Summer Babe (Fall Version)
6. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Stereo (Balladic Reprise)
7. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Trigger Cut (Reprise)
8. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Cut Your Hair (Conclusion)
9. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Bichet
10. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Folk Jam (Take 4)
11. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - 5-4=Unity (Alternate Take)
12. James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - My First Mine (Live @ An Die Musik, Baltimore, MD, January 13, 2018)