Jazz /
The Taoist Concert
*2023 stock* "Back in March 2020, when Covid was taking over the world, we quietly released "The Journey" by Perry Robinson and Andrea Centazzo. We dedicated it to the free spirit clarinetist who journeyed away to the stars on December 2, 2018. During the pandemic lockdown, Andrea rediscovered his duo concert with Perry at The Taoist Sanctuary, which took place on May 29, 2015, the night before "The Journey" session. Peter Kuhn, who also performed with Perry that night with his trio, recorded th…
Derek Bailey Tribute Band
*2023 stock* "For Derek Bailey, improvisation was an end unto itself. He considered the artistic practice to be so sacrosanct that he almost viewed recording as a perversion. Why preserve for posterity a musical act that is meant to be experienced in the moment? Fortunately for us, the most unique improviser to ever strike against six strings has left behind plenty of recordings for us to puzzle over, thanks in large part to percussionist Andrea Centazzo’s label Ictus. One particular record, Dro…
Textures And Pulsations
*2023 stock* “Textures and Pulsations” is a multilayered sonic meeting between two gifted and imaginative pianist/composers, Aruán Ortiz and Bob Gluck. With two pianos and poignantly etched live electronics, this pair crafts a mélange of subtly shifting textures, lyrical melodies, and engaging grooves. This collection of carefully articulated, highly virtuosic improvisations is a study in contrast, offering moments of subtlety and power. Musical moods range from wild flights of pianistic fantasy…
The Battle
*2023 stock* "In ancient Rome, chariot racing was one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Young nobles used to fiercely race their chariots around the 7 hills of the city. People on their path had to scatter to get out of the way, as they stopped for no one. But the event always generated strong spectator enthusiasm. In today’s New York, as this “Centazzo Invasion Orchestra” concert was progressing that evening at the Stone, I suddenly had a vision of such a mighty show. Like those Roma…
Live In Woodstock Two
*2023 stock* This is the debut double album recorded in November 2009 of the new exciting duo The Way formed by soprano sax master Joe Giardullo and percussionist and composer Andrea Centazzo. Finally after chasing each others for years, they met for a new sonic adventure. Recorded live at Sertso Studio Woodstock, November 22 2009. Recording Engineer Ted Orr. Mixed, edited, designed and produced in Los Angeles by Andrea Centazzo.
Live In Woodstock One
2023 stock This is the debut double album recorded in November 2009 of the new exciting duo The Way formed by soprano sax master Joe Giardullo and percussionist and composer Andrea Centazzo. Finally after chasing each others for years, they met for a new sonic adventure. Recorded live at Sertso Studio Woodstock, November 22 2009. Recording Engineer Ted Orr. Mixed, edited, designed and produced in Los Angeles by Andrea Centazzo.
Kinjo No Tabibito
Three musicians of different generations came together to form this unusual free jazz trio. Comprised of veteran musician Akira Sakata (alto sax, clarinet, narration), noted young drummer Raiga Hayashi, and Toshimaru Nakamura (no-input mixing board)—who has been active on the improvised music scene inside and outside Japan since the 1990s—this much-talked-about band performs mainly at live music venues in the Tokyo area. Naturally, their performances contain the furiousness and wildness characte…
Enfin La Mer
1978 live recording of French quintet consisting of Jouk Minor on beritone sax and contrabass clarinet, Josef Traindl on trombone, Jean Querlier on alto sax, Christian Lété on drums and Dominique Regef on hurdy-gurdy
Stop Time
Live performance of Barry Altschul trio, featuring David Izenson on bass and Perry Robinson on clarinet. Recorded October 14, 1978 at 131 Prince St., New York, NY
Visitation Of Spirits
Live performance of The Pyramid Trio, Roy Campbell on trumpet and flute, William Parker on bass and Zen Matsuura on drums. Recorded 21 February 1985 at The Joint, Usdan Student Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA.
Special thanks to Roy’s sister Valerie Morris, who told us, “Roy spoke to me in a dream years ago and said, “It's all about the music.”
Korean Fantasy
Live performance of two of the most important South Korean free music players Kim Dae Hwan on drums and Choi Sun Bae on trumpet. Recorded live on 26th November, 1999 at Aspirante, Hofu City, Yamaguchi, Japan by Takeo Suetomi.
Triangle - Live at OHM, 1987
Stunning performance by tenor sax titan Peter Brotzmann and incredible drummer Sabu Toyozumi. Recorded live on December 4th, 1987 at OHM, Koiwa, Tokyo, Japan by Ohm Hirosh
Live at Total Meeting
*2023 stock* "Constantly changing and challenging, this extended three-part sequence by four of Europe’s most accomplished improvisers ebbs and flows enough to create a perfectly framed soundscape, but leaves enough ellipses for individual expression. Recorded at the Total Meeting in Tours, the almost 52 minutes of music were put together with no pre-conceptions. But as the interaction evolved, the players found themselves melding and separating their extended and expected narratives into sponta…
Hell-Bent In The Pacific
*2023 stock* "Both a reunion and a new configuration, the galloping interaction which makes up Hell-Bent in the Pacific unites alto saxophonist Marco Eneidi, who now lives in Austria, with his West Coast rhythm section plus added impetus from Los Angeles-based Vinny Golia’s many reeds. Golia’s wide-ranging gigs have frequently put him in contact with bassist Lisa Mezzacappa and drummer Vijay Anderson, two of the Bay area’s busiest players, so that his contributions are inspired not alienating. M…
Drop It
*2023 stock* "In its enterprising catalogue of modern day masters and loft jazz rarities, the Lithuanian No Business imprint also documents local musicians. Chief among them is one of the country's premier improvisers, saxophonist Liudas Mockūnas. Previous appearances on the label have placed him in a Peter Brötzmann-like trio on Live at 11:20 (2010) and in an impromptu freewheeling duet with Japanese pianist Ryoji Hojito on Vacation Music (2011). On Drop It by the self-referential Mockūno NuCle…
Hasler / Paeffgen / Berger
*2023 stock* The eight cuts are credited jointly to the brass man and drummer. Their compositions are rhythmically complex but harmonically simple, making the most of Berger's ambiguous role midway between melody and percussion. They eschew overt virtuosity in favor of a distinctive group conception, achieving an orchestral feel from just three voices. Their arrangements are tight, but loose enough to accommodate Berger's ringing solos, extracting maximum dividend from what might seem limited re…
Creole Gardens (A New Orleans Suite)
*2023 stock* The title already suggests the content is inspired by the devastation of hurricane Katrina in 2005. And it is without a doubt the best musical performance dedicated to the catastrophic event (as by Terence Blanchard or Wynton Marsalis). How to be all soul and all spirit with just two instruments and remain captivating and compelling from beginning to end may seem like a great challenge to many, but these two fantastic mugicians do it.
Thinking Of Khlebnikov
*2023 stock* "Russian-born percussionist Vladimir Tarasov is sort of the “old man” of jazz in Lithuania – he’s called Vilnius home since 1968, and achieved international renown as an improviser with the Ganelin Trio (1971-1986). In addition to work as a sound installation artist and solo percussionist, he has also worked with American composers like Anthony Braxton and drummer Andrew Cyrille. Thinking of Khlebnikov, a dedication to Russian Futurist poet Velimir Khlebnikov, is Tarasov’s first dis…
Thousandfold
*2023 stock* "Thousandfold is Brooklyn-based guitarist Adam Caine's debut as a leader; he's worked with Soundpainting composer Walter Thompson in addition to leading his own quartet, quintet, and the trio heard here. He's joined on these eight improvisations by regular conscript, drummer John Wagner, and bassist Tom Blancarte. The unaccompanied opening to "Castros" provides a good space in which to view Caine's approach to the guitar. It begins with blocky, almost Thelonious Monk-like cadences (…
Monk Dreams
*2023 stock* "The duo of saxophonist Jimmy Halperin and bassist Dominic Duval let you know right away what side of Monk they're most interested in, opening and closing with "Brilliant Corners," perhaps the most 'angular' and abrasive of Monk's compositions. Halperin and Duval take it in stride—well, make that tense stride. Halperin really leans into this music, creating swirling patterns on "Off Minor," "Blue Monk" and "Monk's Dream" that gives them a very different feel from the usual accounts.…