Free jazz is not my favourite sub-genre (I think it's sort of an acquired taste), but I still listen to it from time to time. I have to be in the mood for it
I also don't know a whole lot about it, and it was sort of skipped over in my Jazz history class. It wasn't even an essay topic! But here are some pieces that were included on the CD's that came with the textbook:
Sun Ra - Distant Stars
Eric Dolphy - Gazzelloni (there's some pretty cool flute in this piece too!
)
Albert Ayler - Spirits