Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz.

History Black Saint was established in 1975 by Giacomo Pellicciotti and devoted to recording avant-garde musicians who might not have an opportunity elsewhere. In 1979, a sister label, Soul Note, was established as a home for artists who, while being no less creative, might be considered slightly closer to the mainstream.

The labels specialize in avant-garde jazz stemming from the free jazz tradition. Some of its roster of artists were members of the Chicago-based music association Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the St. Louis-based multidisciplinary arts collectives Black Artists Group and the Human Arts Ensemble.

The company was based in Tribiano, Italy. Many of the recordings were made in Milan, as the performers passed through the area on tour,Liner notes by Frank Tafuri, on "Black Saint/Soul Note: Critics' Pick Sampler" (Vol. 1) BS/SN-C001 although many leading Italian musicians, such as Giorgio Gaslini, have also recorded for the label. Giovanni Bonandrini's son Flavio ran the company until its sale in 2008, the elder Bonandrini having retired, and has supervised many recording sessions in New York City.

Starting in 1984, Black Saint/Soul Note won the Down Beat Critics Poll for best record label for six subsequent years until they were replaced by Blue Note in 1990.Search results for "Black Saint/Soul Note" in the Down Beat archives.

Cam Jazz acquired the company in 2008.Brian Morton "Far Cry", Point of Departure website, October 2008.

Discography

Black Saint Catalog number Artist Title BSR 0001 Billy HarperBlack SaintBSR 0002Archie SheppA Sea of FacesBSR 0003Muhal Richard Abrams featuring Malachi FavorsSightsongBSR 0004Don Pullen featuring Sam RiversCapricorn Rising BSR 0005 Frank LoweThe Flam BSR 0006/7 The 360 Degree Music ExperienceIn: SanityBSR 0008Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd, Kent Carter, Beaver HarrisTricklesBSR 0009Oliver LakeHolding TogetherBSR 0010Don PullenHealing ForceBSR 0011Enrico RavaIl Giro Del Giorno in 80 MondiBSR 0012Marcello Melis, Enrico Rava, Roswell Rudd, Don Moye, Gruppo RubanoThe New Village on the LeftBSR 0013Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, Ed BlackwellOld and New DreamsBSR 0014Hamiet BluiettResolutionBSR 0015Julius Hemphill with Abdul Wadud and Don MoyeRaw Materials and ResidualsBSR 0016George LewisShadowgraphBSR 0017Muhal Richard Abrams1-OQA+19BSR 0018David MurrayInterboogieologyBSR 0019 Don Pullen, Chico Freeman, Fred Hopkins, Bobby BattleWarriorsBSR 0020Lester BowieThe 5th PowerBSR 0021Charles "Bobo" Shaw Human Arts Ensemble featuring Joseph BowieJunk TrapBSR 0022Leroy JenkinsThe Legend of Ai GlatsonBSR 0023Marcello MelisFree to DanceBSR 0024Max Roach featuring Anthony BraxtonBirth and RebirthBSR 0025Andrew CyrilleMetamusicians' StompBSR 0026George Lewis & Douglas EwartJila - Save! Mon. - The Imaginary SuiteBSR 0027World Saxophone QuartetSteppin' with the World Saxophone QuartetBSR 0028Don Pullen featuring Don MoyeMilano StrutBSR 0029George LewisHomage to Charles ParkerBSR 0030Andrew Cyrille, Jeanne Lee & Jimmy LyonsNubaBSR 0031String Trio of New YorkFirst StringBSR 0032Muhal Richard AbramsSpihumonestyBSR 0033Leroy Jenkins & Muhal Richard AbramsLifelong AmbitionsBSR 0034AirLive AirBSR 0035Steve Lacy QuintetTroublesBSR 0036Chico FreemanNo Time LeftBSR 0037Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre QuartetPeace and BlessingsBSR 0038Joseph Jarman, Don Pullen & Don MoyeThe Magic TriangleBSR 0039David Murray TrioSweet LovelyBSR 0040Julius HemphillFlat-Out Jump SuiteBSR 0041Muhal Richard AbramsMama and DaddyBSR 0042Joseph Jarman – Don Moye featuring Johnny DyaniBlack PaladinsBSR 0043Steve Colson Unity TroupeNo ReservationBSR 0044Oliver Lake QuintetProphetBSR 0045David Murray OctetMingBSR 0046World Saxophone QuartetW.S.Q.BSR 0047 The John Carter QuintetNight FireBSR 0048String Trio of New YorkArea Code 212BSR 0049AirAir MailBSR 0050Roscoe Mitchell and the Sound Ensemble3 x 4 EyeBSR 0051Muhal Richard Abrams featuring Amina Claudine MyersDuetBSR 0052Joseph Jarman – Don MoyeEarth Passage - DensityBSR 0053Leo Smith & New Dalta AhkriGo in NumbersBSR 0054Oliver Lake QuartetClevont FitzhubertBSR 0055David Murray OctetHomeBSR 0056World Saxophone QuartetRevueBSR 0057John Carter OctetDauwheBSR 0058String Trio of New YorkCommon GoalBSR 0059Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris & William ParkerSome Order, Long UnderstoodBSR 0060Leroy JenkinsMixed QuintetBSR 0061Muhal Richard AbramsBlues ForeverBSR 0062John Lindberg QuintetDimension 5BSR 0063World Bass Violin EnsembleBASSically YoursBSR 0064Sam Rivers Winds of ManhattanColoursBSR 0065David Murray OctetMurray's StepsBSR 0066Anthony BraxtonFour Compositions (Quartet) 1983BSR 0067Jimmy Lyons QuintetWee SneezaweeBSR 0068String Trio of New YorkRebirth of a FeelingBSR 0069Marilyn Crispell QuartetLive in BerlinBSR 0070Roscoe MitchellRoscoe Mitchell and the Sound and Space EnsemblesBSR 0071Muhal Richard Abrams OrchestraRejoicing with the LightBSR 0072John Lindberg TrioGive and TakeBSR 0073Marcello MelisAngedras'BSR 0074Oliver Lake QuintetExpandable LanguageBSR 0075David Murray QuartetMorning SongBSR 0076Rova Saxophone QuartetFavorite StreetBSR 0077World Saxophone QuartetLive in ZurichBSR 0078Amina Claudine Myers TrioThe Circle of TimeBSR 0079Keshavan Maslak with Charles MoffettBlaster MasterBSR 0080Don PullenEvidence of Things UnseenBSR 0081Muhal Richard Abrams OctetView from WithinBSR 0082John LindbergTrilogy of Works for Eleven InstrumentalistsBSR 0083Leroy Jenkins' StingUrban BluesBSR 0084New AirLive at Montreal International Jazz FestivalBSR 0085David Murray Big BandLive at Sweet Basil Volume 1BSR 0086Anthony BraxtonSix Compositions (Quartet) 1984BSR 0087Jimmy Lyons QuintetGive It UpBSR 0088 Don Pullen QuintetThe Sixth SenseBSR 0089David MurrayChildrenBSR 0090Roscoe Mitchell QuartetThe Flow of ThingsBSR 0091Muhal Richard AbramsColors in Thirty-ThirdBSR 0092Karl Berger, Dave Holland & Ed BlackwellTransitBSR 0093Dewey Redman & Ed BlackwellRed and Black in WillisauBSR 0094John Tchicai GroupTimo's MessageBSR 0095David Murray Big BandLive at Sweet Basil Volume 2BSR 0096World Saxophone QuartetLive at Brooklyn Academy of MusicBSR 0097Hamiet BluiettThe Clarinet FamilyBSR 0098String Trio of New YorkNatural BalanceBSR 0099New Air featuring Cassandra WilsonAir Show No. 1BSR 0100David Murray OctetNew Life120101-1/2/4Sun Ra ArkestraReflections in Blue12 0102-2Paul Murphy, Glenn Spearman, & William Parker - Trio HurricaneSuite of Winds12 0103-1/2/4Muhal Richard Abrams OrchestraThe Hearinga Suite12 0104-2Oliver LakeEdge-ing12 0105-2David Murray QuartetI Want to Talk About YouBSR 0106Anthony BraxtonFive Compositions (Quartet) 1986BSR 0107Clarinet SummitSouthern BellsBSR 0108John Lindberg, Albert Mangelsdorff & Eric WatsonDodging BulletsBSR 0109The Sonny Clark Memorial QuartetVoodoo12 0110-1/2/4David Murray TrioThe Hill12 0111-1/2/4Sun Ra ArkestraHours After12 0112-1/2Karl Berger and FriendsAround12 0113-1/2/4Old and New DreamsA Tribute to Blackwell12 0114-2The American Jazz QuintetFrom Bad to Badder12 0115-2Julius Hemphill SextetFat Man and the Hard Blues12 0116-1/2/3Anthony BraxtonSix Monk's Compositions (1987)12 0117-2Muhal Richard Abrams OrchestraBlu Blu Blu12 0118-1/2/4David Murray and Randy WestonThe Healers12 0119-1/2/4The LeadersOut Here Like This12 0120-1/2Roscoe Mitchell and the Sound EnsembleLive at the Knitting Factory12 0121-1/2Sun Ra ArkestraMayan Temples12 0122-2Leroy JenkinsLeroy Jenkins Live! featuring Computer Minds12 0123-1/2/4Dewey Redman QuartetLiving on the Edge12 0124-1/2Anthony Braxton4 (Ensemble) Compositions 199212 0125-1/2/4Jimmy Lyons & Andrew CyrilleSomething in Return12 0126-1/2/4ROVABeat Kennel12 0127-2World Saxophone QuartetMoving Right Along12 0128-1/2/4Chico Freeman featuring Von FreemanYou'll Know When You Get There12 0129-1/2/4The LeadersUnforeseen Blessings12 0130-1/2Jimmy Lyons & Andrew CyrilleBurnt Offering12 0131-2String Trio of New YorkOctagon12 0132-2Muhal Richard AbramsFamily Talk12 0133-1/2Roscoe Mitchell & Muhal Richard AbramsDuets and Solos12 0134-1/2Henry Threadgill Very Very CircusSpirit of Nuff...Nuff12 0135-1/2ROVAFrom the Bureau of Both12 0136-1/2Chico Freeman & Mal WaldronUp and Down12 0137-2Anthony Braxton with The Northwest Creative OrchestraEugene (1989)12 0138-2Charles GayleConsecration12 0139-1/2David Murray OctetHope Scope12 0140-2Julius Hemphill SextettFive Chord Stud12 0141-2Muhal Richard AbramsThink All, Focus One12 0142-2Joe RosenbergThe Long & Short of It12 0143-2Diedre Murray & Fred HopkinsStringology12 0144-2Oliver LakeDedicated to Dolphy12 0145-1/2David Murray QuartetA Sanctuary Within12 0146-2Julius Hemphill & Warren SmithChile New York: Sound Environment12 0147-1/2Glenn Spearman Double TrioMystery Project12 0148-2String Trio of New YorkBlues...?12 0149-2Keshavan Maslak with Paul BleyNot to Be a Star12 0150-2Roscoe Mitchell and the Note FactoryThis Dance Is for Steve McCall12 0151-2Tiziano Tononi & The OrnettiansPeace Warriors12 0152-2Phillip JohnstonPhillip Johnston's Big Trouble12 0153-2Ed Blackwell TrioWalls–Bridges12 0154-2Henry ThreadgillSong Out of My Trees12 0155-2David Murray QuartetBody and Soul12 0156-2Lisle Ellis GroupWhat We Live Fo(u)r12 0157-2Glenn Spearman Double TrioSmokehouse12 0158-2Charles Gayle QuartetDaily Bread12 0159-2William ParkerIn Order to Survive12 0160-2Hugh Ragin CollectiveBack to Saturn12 0161-2Muhal Richard AbramsSong for All12 0162-2John Lindberg QuartetAfterstorm12 0163-2The Eastern SeaboardNonfiction12 0164-2 Flute Force FourFlutistry12 0165-2David Murray with Dave BurrellWindward Passages12 0166-2Anthony BraxtonComposition No. 17312 0167-2Figure 8Pipe Dreams12 0168-2String Trio of New YorkFaze Phour: A Twenty Year Retrospective12 0169-2What We LiveNever Was12 0172-2John LindbergResurrection of a Dormant Soul12 0173-2Heinz Geisser / Guerino Mazzolo QuartetChronotomy12 0176-2RovaThe Works12 0177-2Larry OchsThe Secret Magritte12 0178-2String Trio of New YorkThe River of Orion: 30 Years Running12 0179-2William Parker & The Little Huey Creative OrchestraMass for the Healing of the World12 0180-2ROVAJohn Coltrane's Ascension12 0181-2Tiziano Tononi & The OrnettiansPeace Warriors (Forgotten Children)12 0182-2Philip Johnston's Big TroubleFlood at the Ant Farm12 0184-2Carla Marciano 4tetA Strange Day12 0186-2ROVAThe Works (Volume 2)12 0189-2What We LiveTrumpets12 0192-2John Lindberg EnsembleBounce12 0194-2Carla Marciano 4tetChange of Mood12 0196-2ROVAThe Works (Volume 3)12 0197-2Glenn Spearman Double TrioThe Fields12 0198-2John Lindberg EnsembleThe Catbird Sings12 0199-2Marilyn Crispell & Stefano MalteseRed12 0202-2Joe RosenbergDanse de la fureur12 0206-2ROVATotally Spinning12 0207-2Glenn SpearmanFree Worlds12 0209-2Marilyn Crispell & Stefano MalteseBlue12 0217-2Larry OchsThe Neon Truth12 0242-2Joe RosenbergQuicksand

Soul Note