Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

Two legendary souls, one timeless rhythm—Just Us celebrates the enduring bond between Heikki Sarmanto and Juhani Aaltonen. Born from spontaneous sessions and inspired compositions, these eleven tracks capture their unmatched musical chemistry. A testament to six decades of creative mastery.

Multi-talented Alex Figueira is back with a vibrant fusion of tropical rhythms layered with a dazzling array of synth driven psychedelia. A collaboration between Jazzaggression and Music With Soul’s Alex Figueira, Colliding Layers blends his raw tropical sound and psych touch with Pelto Studio’s distinct vibe—resulting in a dynamic, genre-defying library album.

For Pakistan's Jaubi, “A Sound Heart” is the next chapter for the collective both sonically and spiritually, which follows on from their critically acclaimed debut album "Nafs At Peace" (Top 10 Global albums in The Guardian, Best of 2021 albums in Bandcamp) which also received praise from Downbeat and Pitchfork amongst others. “A Sound Heart'' is the next chapter for Jaubi both sonically and spiritually. The title is inspired from a verse in the Holy Qu’ran (26:89) which declares that neither we…

The Bagatelles Vol.2: Erik Friedlander and Michael by John Zorn is a captivating album released by Tzadik, showcasing the exceptional talents of cellist Erik Friedlander and pianist Michael Nicolas. This album is a beautiful fusion of classical music with avant-garde jazz, creating a unique and mesmerizing listening experience for music enthusiasts.

May 2015, John Zorn composed 300 new tunes that were eventually collected into a book of music he called “The Bagatelles.” After five years of performances around the world in venues large and small, the choicest ensembles have gone into the studio and the results are some of the most exciting and varied music Zorn has ever presented. This first volume features the remarkable Mary Halvorson Quartet. Dynamic, fiery and endlessly imaginative, this is a fascinating first peek into the world of Zorn…

"It was once said of Paul Bley that he was the only pianist who could make a concert grand sound like an  upright. While that is not literally true, or only partly so, it makes a point that strikes home on these often  strange, offbeat, otherworldly tracks. It is a quality preserved by Michael Brändli’s typically sensitive sonic  Paul Bley-upright piano Steve Swallow-double bass Pete LaRoca-drums restoration, which increases the probability of rapture. Enjoy." – Chris May

Five years in the making and representing the twenty-year story of a pioneering British jazz-rock fusion band with strong Latinesque influences… whose alumni over that period included over thirty well-known British jazz musicians… but a band you might not have heard of… or have any of their eight albums… we have finally come up with ‘Variation and Creation: The Story of PAZ’. The album was produced in cooperation with the families of Dick Crouch and Geoff Castle, the heart of the of the band ove…

Glass Bead Games is undoubtedly one of the finest spiritual jazz recordings to come out of the 70s, and is one that you absolutely must not miss!

The only spiritual jazz album by the family band led by Bill Lee, the bassist known for composing the classic ‘Coltrane’ and father of film director Spike Lee, for Strata-East. A beautifully shining masterpiece that conveys the depth and greatness of 70s spiritual jazz!

This is the first Sun Ra 1957 work that Delmark released to the world after it was unreleased on Trungeon. A treasured early recording with a rough but beautiful big band sound!

Sun Ra's debut album, released in 1956, catapulted Sun Ra from the Chicago jazz scene to become a darling of the underground scene. This important album featured star players such as John Gilmour!

One of the greatest line-ups of drummer Art Blakey’s hard bop finishing school The Jazz Messengers locked into place in 1960 when tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter joined trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt for the recording of The Big Beat, an album that signaled the transformation of the band into a modern jazz juggernaut. In August of that year The Jazz Messengers returned to Van Gelder Studio twice for sessions that would yield the companion albums A Night In…

In celebration of The Infinite Mix, The Vinyl Factory releases the soundtrack to Stan Douglas’s ‘Luanda-Kinshasa’. The video is shot like a documentary film on a set carefully crafted to resemble a legendary New York recording studio. Stan Douglas’s Luanda-Kinshasa depicts a fictional 1970s jazz-funk band engaged in a seemingly endless real-time jam. The band’s music echoes the then-current confluence of American jazz, funk and Afrobeat – a musical fusion made possible, as the video’s title indi…

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine* "A trio of younger generation Chicago free improvisers from Gerrit Hatcher on tenor saxophone, Peter Maunu on guitar, violin & mandolin and Julian Kirshner on drums, performing at The Beat Kitchen as part of the Live at Splice Series, in two recordings from contemplative and darkly spacious to kinetically energetic, released in a limited edition CD." - SquidCo.com

*Edition of 100, comes in flap-sealed clear sleeve with hand-numbered insert* "Chicago-based tenor saxophonist, improviser, and composer Gerrit Hatcher (Devouring the Guilt, duos with Anton Hatwich, duos with Julian Kirshner) in a solo album of seven succinct statements, diverse expressions from scrabbling determination to pensive reflection, all informed by masterful skills that add nuance and intrigue to each track." - SquidCo.com

*Edition of 100, comes in hand-numbered jacket with bag* "The Chicago collective trio of tenor saxophonist Gerrit Hatcher, Lebanese bassist Eli Namay and drummer/percussionist Bill Harris are captured live at Chicago's The Whistler in the summer of 2019 for two extended and exploratory improvisations, showing both technical mastery and a curiosity for new modes of expression through inspired and intuitive conversation." - SquidCo.com

*Hand-numbered edition of 300. Digipak in resealable poly-bag* The Gerrit Hatcher Group—featuring Gerrit Hatcher (tenor sax), Katie Ernst (bass), Ben Lamar Gay (cornet), Keefe Jackson (tenor sax), and Julian Kirshner (drums)—delivers an electrifying blend of free improvisation and avant-garde jazz. Their latest release, The Good Instinct of the Morning, showcases their bold, spontaneous creativity and masterful technique. Hatcher and Jackson drive the melody with expressive, ever-shifting saxoph…

*Hand-numbered edition of 300. Digipak in resealable poly-bag* "Tenor saxophonist Gerrit Hatcher's latest solo recording – I believe it's his third solo document - is also the first title available from his new label, Kettle Hole. While he oversees a fairly prolific output, he's not into overkill. The CD's total time is under 30 minutes & it is limited to 300 numbered copies. Time is tight; copies are limited. Nothing is wasted. Economical and sharp." - The Free Jazz Collective

The only 'group' on the Black Jazz roster, The Awakening today should be heralded as one of the great bands in early '70s jazz. That they're not is the result of the Black Jazz label's distribution woes; witness the fact that original copies of both of their records for the imprint command prices in the hundreds of dollars if you can find them at all. Mirage is their second (1973) album, the last one they made together; it boasts the same Chicago-based, AACM-centric line-up as the first, with th…

This is the sequential classic of Freddie Hubbard‘s catalog. Bandmates on this musical journey are Herbie Hancock on Fender Rhodes, Ron Carter on electric & acoustic bass, Lenny White on drums & Joe Henderson on tenor sax & alto flute. ‘Red Clay’ is accessible, grooving and one of the first fusions of R&B & Funk with Post-Bop. “Red Clay” sprung from his memories of his childhood in Indianapolis, noting that many of the neighborhood’s residents had come from the deep South, and he wanted the tune…

On “The Blue Yusef Lateef” (1968), listeners get an amazing chapter from the late ’60s, an amazing period when everything in the world of Jazz was changing. Yusef Lateef was big on concept recordings. This album examines all the different ranges of emotion contained within the blues genre. With a band that included Detroit Jazz gods Roy Brooks on drums and Kenny Burrell on guitar, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Hugh Lawson on piano, Sonny Red on alto, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, and a very young C…

After the very well received, both by the audience and critics, debut album Repetitions (Letters to Krzysztof Komeda), focusing on the lesser-known works of the legendary Polish composer, the Wrocław-based EABS decided to further expand this lead and released two more vinyl records, "live" and "on tape", which crowned the "Komeda triptych". The astounding reception of the band's debut whet listeners' appetite for completely new recordings. It took 2 years for the new album to materialise, this t…

*CD Version* Celebrating 50 Years of The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s Legacy and Unwavering Contribution to Great Black Music. This is the new offering from Kahil El’Zabar and his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, in conjunction with the legendary group’s 50th anniversary, Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit. Open Me is a joyous honoring of portent new directions of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble; it’s a visionary journey into deep roots and future routes, channeling traditions old and new. …

On this 1987 album Pharoah Sanders is accompanied by the great Idris Muhammad on drums, John Hicks on piano and Curtis Lundy on bass. Five of the eight compositions are by Sanders, one track by pianist Hicks, Coltrane’s “Naima” is a tribute to Trane and “Speak Low” is a beautiful standard from Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash. A real smoky slower number “Heart To Heart” shows Sanders can be subdued and romantic and John Hicks plays some beautiful jazz piano. The whole album exudes energy and joy. On “D…

The Great Sun Ra’s Magic Lives On in Debut Album from Old Friends Michael Sarian, Matthew Putman, Federico Ughi, and Newcomer Ledian Mola

*2024 stock* ‘Live in Oslo’ is the sophomore album from Shifa, the outstanding UK trio featuring pianist extraordinaire Pat Thomas, celebrated saxophonist Rachel Musson, and sonic transcendent drummer Mark Sanders. The group derives its name from the Arabic word for healing and the music they make aspires to do just that. This album follows their acclaimed, Downbeat 4-star debut ‘Shifa Live at Cafe Oto’. Listen to ‘Shifa Live in Oslo’ and discover contemporary master musicians celebrating the mo…

Limited and numbered edition of 100 copies. Hand printed recycled sleeves. Different ink color than on the first pressing. No OBI, no stamp on the label as the first one.  Wild, slapping, bashing, tribal freak-outs - an acoustic tidal wave exploding into shards of dynamite from the legendary Finnish unit Paanin Kuoro.

'Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes' is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann (SML, Anna Butterss, Duffy x Uhlmann, Perfume Genius), Josh Johnson (SML, Jeff Parker ETA IVtet & New Breed, Meshell Ndegeocello, Anna Butterss, Leon Bridges), and Sam Wilkes (Sam Gendel, Louis Cole, Chaka Khan). The three improviser/arranger/producers’ impressive individual credits encompass such a wide stylistic pendulum swing that a collection of group music from the trio could mine any number of musical territories with masterf…

Torche! is a Euro-Quebec supergroup bringing together French clarinetist Xavier Charles, Austrian trumpeter Franz Hautzinger, and Quebec musicians Philippe Lauzier (bass clarinet), Éric Normand (bass), and Michel F. Côté (drums). All specialists in extended techniques and textured noise, the quintet delivers music that is mesmerizing, hypnotic, and abstract."It’s a highly evolved art…" - Stuart Brommer, Musicworks "…captivating bursts of fire, crackling energy, and beautiful incandescence—enough…

Absolute K.O. bout of free jazz poetry by a spry, 85 year old Joe McPhee, adapting his renowned improvised practice to words - juxtaposed with Mats Gustafson’s sparing brass and electric gestures. It’s an utterly timeless and transfixing salvo, another shiny notch for Smalltown Supersound’s brilliant Le Jazz Non Series.

*2025 stock* Debut album from the Judy Bailey Trio, recorded 1962. The theme is the night and the trio give you new and exciting arrangements of 'night' tunes like 'Night And Day', 'In The Still Of The Night' and 'Night In Tunesia'. Possibly the swingin’est jazz album ever to come from Australia.Pianist Judy Bailey was active on the Sydney studio scene in the early '60s, and was the choice rhythm section of Australian bandleaders. It was as a composer that her reputation began to grow in the fol…

*2025 stock* It's a fact that Bjarne Rostvold has won relatively little recognition to this day -in contrast to some of his Danish fellow jazz musicians. Quite unjustly, as we think. For many years Rostvold played with the Danish Radio Big Band before forming the Bjarne Rostvold Trio (Bent Axen: piano and Erik Moseholm: bass) and the Bjarne Rostvold Quartett, which included the trio's musicians plus trumpeter Allan Botschinsky. Both groups represent brilliant Danish jazz from the '60s. That's wh…

The hard-swinging Three Out were attracting large and enthusiastic crowds in Sydney and shared the bill with such names as Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Teddy Wilson and Sarah Vaughan. Here we find them continuing in the same exciting manner as their first album, 'Move'. The Three Out are joined by four horns on the second half of this album from 1960. The session has the flavour of the hard jazz of the American Masters of the sixties, particularly the "Big Soul Band" type from Chicago and N…

*2025 stock* Jazz in Australia at its best with incredible sessions by The Three Out from autumn 1960 – three masters with unbelievable musical control and understanding. This album was recorded at the El Rocco club six weeks after the group was formed, and the boys claim they were only just becoming accustomed to one another’s playing. In all, they cut thirty different titles in two 3-hour sessions, all of which were one take only. This in itself is incredible as the resulting takes never fall …

*2025 stock* Beautiful work from Joe Haider – a lesser-known pianist on these shores, but an important force in the German scene – best remembered for some wonderful music on the Ego Records label! This set captures Joe in a very similar setting – working on both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes – in a trio with Allen Blairman on drums, and the mighty Isla Eckinger on bass. If you don't know Eckinger, you're really in for a treat – as he's a tremendous talent who has this way of shaping notes an…

Onilu is an all-percussionist trio utilizing the extensive family of drummed and tuned percussion instruments to deliver beautifully composed, arranged and executed small ensemble music. Nothing about this all-percussion band feels rarified, or missing anything musical. To the contrary, Onilu create a soundworld where nothing is missing, and everything is musical -- defying the stereotype of modern percussion ensembles as esoteric or academic pursuits, reaffirming the powerful social and sacred …

Following the recent archival release of Primitive Art Group’s studio albums “1981-1986”, we are pleased to announce the release of this 65-minute album of live PAG performances recorded between 1981 and 1983. These recordings document the beginnings of the PAG in all its raw beauty and chronicle its development into a unique improvising unit. Made from original cassettes tapes, this fills a missing part in the story of free music and in the story of underground music from New Zealand. “Live Cut…

Jim Black may be one of the most respected avant jazz drummers on the planet, but when leading his AlasNoAxis quartet, jazz often seems to be the farthest thing from his mind. Perhaps one need only consider the title of the fifth AlasNoAxis CD, 2009’s Houseplant, to realize there’s probably not a lot of jazz here; the title itself doesn’t exactly suggest swinging exuberance or, given the history of Black’s “jazz” output, even crisp and incisive grooves. After all, when contemplating the nearest …

"This CD is a documentation of a concert which was recorded on July 21st, as one of three concerts. The reproduction of the concert is one-to-one, without cuts. On July 19th I played a duo concert in my studio with Max Arsava, on July 20th I played an identical trio concert at the Freie Musikzentrum in Munich.mMy collaboration with Gunnar Geisse goes back almost a decade. In recent years, he has discovered and developed a partly unexplored cosmos with his extended electronic techniques and sound…

Bomb! The debut recording by The Ancients, the intergenerational coalition of Isaiah Collier, William Hooker and William Parker formed by Parker to play concerts in conjunction with the Milford Graves' “A Mind-Body Deal” exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and now a working group. Across 2LPs of side-length long-form improvised sets recorded at 2220 Arts & Archives in LA and The Chapel in San Francisco, The Ancients bring the free jazz trio languages first explored by t…