Jazz /
Dripping
Tip! When Dirk Serries travelled last May to Portugal for a series of concerts with José Lencastre, he didn't know he was going to be invited to record some amazing sessions with several key players from the Portuguese impro scene. This is one. Lively session recorded at the studio of João Madeira in Lisbon on May 7th, 2023. A blast it was.
Hawking Extended
"With Hawking Extended the two Berlin based musicians Ernst Bier & Ignaz Schick present their duo Hawking (formed in 2013) in addition with the Munich based composer, guitarist and live-electronics player Gunnar Geisse. While Hawking performed entirely with live-electronic instruments – in Hawking Extended however additionally to the three different electronic set-ups the musicians also make use of their original acoustic instruments. The purely acoustic setting (saxophone, guitar, drums) is mir…
Ilog2
*2023 stock* Ignaz Schick and Oliver Steidle started collaborating as Ilog around 2013/2014 with celebrated concerts in the Berlin experimental underground. Their first album on Boomslang Records was released in 2015 and since then the two have been performing on and off concerts & tours in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland and the USA.
In the meantime they also collaborated with the Norwegian bass maverick Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten and German sound artist Jan-Peter Son…
Smash And Grab
When Ballister hit the stage at the Catalytic Sound Festival in Chicago in December 2022, no one in the band was quite sure what to expect. Although they’d done a two-week tour of the US in April of that year, their first reunion following an almost three-year break due to the pandemic, you never know what might happen after several months apart. Sometimes that first gig is magic. And sometimes it swims around searching for a center. That’s just a danger of the art form.
But drummer Paal Nilssen…
Lepok
*300 copies limited edition* The very unique Basque scene of sound experimentation has had two main hubs for more than twenty years: the highly regarded and sorely missed Larraskito in Bilbao, and the iconic and resilient Matadeixe / Matadero in Azkoitia (Gipuzkoa). Mikel (Conteiner, Killerkume, Loan, Orbain Unit) from Bilbao and Joseba (Autoa, Fernalia, Paezur) from Azpeitia are two fundamental pillars in this great story, thanks to their multiple musical projects, their skills as listeners and…
Chicken Shit Bingo
Peter Brötzmann collaborated with many artists in his career, regularly adding new compatriots into the fold, and Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love became one of his staunchest allies after the percussionist joined the Chicago Tentet in 2004. They worked in various contexts, including this inexhaustible, hard-hitting duo. Most of the albums they’ve issued have captured live performances, but in 2015 they made this stunning studio recording. As Nilssen-Love says in the liner notes, “Peter had a…
Afro Blue
Saxophonist Mats Gustafsson is notorious for his prolific nature and constantly expanding circle of collaborators, but few of his partnerships have been as powerful and profound as Gush, the Swedish trio which formed way back in 1988 and celebrates its 36th anniversary in 2024. This performance was captured live at the famous Stockholm jazz venue Fasching on December 17, 1998, and the music excited all three musicians when they revisited it this year. The album is named for the Mongo Santamaria …
African Rock
*Warehouse fund!* Fully licensed and remastered from the original tapes. Akira Ishikawa runs through the land of Africa with both jazz and rock. "Prayer", "dawn", "hunting", "love" drawn with beautiful and exciting sounds. Akira Ishikawa's three pillars of musicality, jazz, rock and African music, are fused in the best balance, and it is a masterpiece that rushes one after another with thrilling songs. A solemn "prayer" reminiscent of the eternal earth, a clear and psychedelic scent "dawn", a qu…
Jodo
*2023 stock* Takehiro Honda joins forces with Reggie Workman on bass and Motohiko Hino on drums in this outstanding trio session. The album showcases a freer side of Honda, exploring open and lyrical modes that were gaining prominence in Japan during that period. Despite the freedom, a strong rhythmic sense prevails. While one track features Honda on electric piano, the acoustic numbers stand out with a proud and righteous energy.
The Impossible Dream
Delve into the groovy sounds of a Japanese harp jazz trio led by Tadao Hayashi. Similar to Dorothy Ashby's small combo records, the trio, with Takao Kusagaya on bass and Koichi Suzaki on drums, maintains a lean approach. Hayashi's harp work, given ample space, weaves mesmerizing note combinations with a gentle groove, especially enhanced by skillful bass. Familiar tunes take on a fresh perspective, resonating strongly in this recording.
Farewell My Johnny
*2023 stock* The first album by the Teru Sakamoto Trio, whose beautifully lyrical piano music has enjoyed exceptionally long sales. This is a new standard work of Japanese jazz that is highly acclaimed even overseas.
Evolution
*2024 stock* "This release Shintaro Quintet’s private press release ‘Evolution’. It’s another well-chosen release that comes with superb packaging, high sound quality and some interesting sleeve notes which give a fascinating in-depth insight into the music and the musicians in Japan within the specified time period.
Recorded in New York, the one-off recording by bassist Shintaro Nakamura and his quintet features the brilliant trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, who has played on many of the quintessential J…
East Plants
*2023 stock* "A genuine ‘under the radar’ album known only to a handful of Japanese jazz collectors, ‘East Plants’ is now available once more, reissued as CD and digital formats. Originally released in 1983 on the Japanese VAP label, ‘East Plants’ is an essential album in the J Jazz canon. It’s an album that distils several key characteristics of Moriyama’s music: clearly articulated and inventive rhythms, open yet orderly arrangements, and an accessible groove balanced with a graceful control. …
Rainbow Revisited
I travelled to Los Angeles and the USA for the first time in 2019. Although I had not met Carlos Niño in person, we connected via Instagram where he saw a video of me playing a piano motif (titled ‘The One’ in this sequence) that he really liked and expressed a wish to record. This was around 2017. We tried a few times to get me over to Los Angeles, but the timing was always off. Through a performance organised by a creative collective called The Nonsemble at The Ford Theatre we finally got the…
Murmuration Without End
Murmuration Without End is a collection of rhythmic studies by producer, composer, percussionist & multi-instrumentalist Ben Lumsdaine. Whereas the tracks began as meditative synth drones recorded by Lumsdaine when quarantined in the basement studio of his friend’s home, over time they became multi-textural, poly-rhythmic sound worlds as he disrupted the meters and pulses implied by the synths’ inherent modulations with each instrumental layer added. He also enlisted guest musicians to help him …
Enraku's Playboy Chapter 12 - The Playboy's Manual
*Limited Edition* This late '60s Japanese "Playboy Manual" features a sexy cover and a unique format. Each track begins with Japanese spoken segments from Norio Maeda, possibly on seduction, followed by groovy instrumental music. The blend of jazz and easy modes, with romping piano, blasting horns, and mod rhythms, makes it a stylish and lively record.
Solo
*Limited Edition* Pianist Kunihiko Sugano unveils a collection of solo pieces, featuring shorter tracks than his trio albums of the time but brimming with emotion. Sugano's gentle and expansive piano touch, reminiscent of Bill Evans, is complemented by a unique phrasing that suggests an approach to the acoustic instrument akin to an electric one. The notes unfold with a measured attack and a lingering sustain. Sugano's distinctive style shines here offering a beautiful and individual musical jou…
The Days Of Wine And Roses
*Limited Edition* Pianist Kunihiko Sugano shines in this early album, captured in a relaxed live setting at a small Japanese club. With a conga added to his usual trio, Sugano introduces each number with introspective lyricism before the trio kicks in, showcasing majestic and soulful solos. A classic in the 70s Japanese piano style, the ensemble includes Izao Suzuki on bass, Shinji Mori on drums, and Yoichi Ogawa on congas.
Smile
*Limited Edition* Hiroshi Hatsuyama's presence is invaluable in Japan's jazz vibraphone scene. His ability is evident in his achievements alone, as he has brilliantly colored the works of musicians such as Shoyuki Akutagawa, Koichi Matsukaze, Yoriyuki Harada, and Fumio Itabashi, all of whom have been difficult to dislodge from the scene. This is his first album. This is his first album, and it is a delightful work, sometimes bluesy, sometimes swingy, and filled with beautiful sounds. The "melanc…
Love In Song
Helen Merrill's masterpiece, featuring arrangements by the genius Masahiko Sato, who adds new pop tunes to jazz standards. The album is composed of a very well-balanced selection of jazz standards, including Barbra Streisand's "Reminiscence," Paul McCartney's "Love in Song," and "I Remember Clifford," dedicated to Helen's golden partner, Clifford Brown.