Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

"Furthered" is the new album by Alex Ward Item 4. The quartet's music is the fullest realization of Ward's long-standing desire to create a context where his compositional concerns can coexist with improvisation of the most unfettered stripe. Given a line-up which would be perfectly capable of creating compelling music without recourse to pre-written elements at all, Ward's compositions aim to function as another "personality" within the overall mix, subject to the same spontaneous interrogation…

2025 stock Mats Gustafsson plays slide, tenor, baritone, bass saxophones. Christof Kurzmann uses special ppooll software and voice, live processing. Recorded, mixed & mastered at Garnison 7, Vienna by Martin Siewert. Artwork by Jimmy Draht. Liner notes by Ken Vandermark. Limited vinyl edition of 300 with screen-printed covers. Ken Vandermark, from the liner notes: "On the surface, its fundamental components seem to come from the 20th century: the saxophone (invented in 1846, but not coming to th…

This is the debut album of a group dedicated to the invisible world. Some people operate invisibly by choice, some are invisible because of the nature of events in their life, some remain invisible and unknown against their will.

Under the driving force of drummer extraordinaire Beaver Harris, the 360-Degree Music Experience was one of the great ensembles of the late 70's / early 80's. A stellar collective playing music deep in the African-American Jazz tradition. A bunch of heavyweights like Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Ken McIntyre on alto sax and bassoon, Rahn Burton on piano, and Cameron Brown on bass.  First released in 1979 and reissued here for the first time on vinyl, "Beautiful Africa" stands as a fierce stat…

Back in the mid 80's, Paul Motian, one of the greatest jazz drummers of all times, assembled one of the most inventive groups of the decade. Motian invited four highly individual players such as Joe Lovano and Jim Pepper on tenor sax, Bill Frisell on electric guitar and Ed Schuller on bass, and the result was a unique sound in perfect balance between post-Ornette free-bop and a new and spacier form of interplay. First released in 1987 "Misterioso" stands as a stunning example of modern jazz!

Il Giro Del Giorno In 80 Mondi by Enrico Rava is a landmark of early 1970s European jazz, blending burning trumpet invention with eclectic grooves and poetic improvisation. Recorded in 1972, this album stands out for its adventurous spirit, balancing fiery expressiveness with delicate textures.

On their new album "Kammin Jaaretti," the renowned jazz trio Hot Heros craft mesmerizing forest jazz. Saxophonist Sami Sippola and double bassist Ville Rauhala have been navigating the depths of jazz together for over two decades. Originally part of the wild and unpredictable Black Motor, their musical journey evolved into Hot Heros when they combined forces with the masterful drummer and percussionist Janne Tuomi. Hot Heros have made a name for themselves as a fierce live band and a hardworking…

When Angels Speak of Love, released in 1966 on Sun Ra's Saturn label, is a rarity, with limited pressings (150 copies, by one estimate), which were sold thru the mail and at concerts and club dates. The tracks were taped in New York during two 1963 sessions at the Choreographer's Workshop, a rehearsal space/recording den with warehouse acoustics. Ra spent countless hours at the CW from 1961 to 1964 sharpening the Arkestra during exhaustive musical huddles. John Corbett calls this "one of the mos…

★ First reissue ★ With obi ★ Gary Marks, a folky jazz singer-songwriter with a career spanning 50 years, has left behind a long list of works, and the second album in his highly acclaimed trilogy released in the 1970s is finally being reissued for the first time on LP! Gary Marks is a folky jazz singer-songwriter with a unique musical style. Born in New York in 1950, he moved to the West Coast in 1976 after releasing his first album, where he worked with Art Rande and Oregon member Paul McCandle…

★ First reissue ★ With obi ★ Gary Marks, a folky jazz singer-songwriter with a career spanning 50 years, has left behind a long list of works, and the second album in his highly acclaimed trilogy released in the 1970s is finally being reissued for the first time on LP! Gary Marks is a folky jazz singer-songwriter with a unique musical style. Born in New York in 1950, he moved to the West Coast in 1976 after releasing his first album, where he worked with Art Rande and Oregon member Paul McCandle…

How Many Clouds Can You See? is the second album by English saxophonist John Surman featuring  Alto Saxophone – Mike Osborne; Baritone Saxophone, Flute – John Warren; Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Surman; Bass – Barre Phillips, Harry Miller; Drums – Alan Jackson, Tony Oxley; Piano – John Taylor; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Alan Skidmore; Trombone – Chris Pyne, Malcolm Griffiths; Trumpet – Dave Holdsworth; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Harold Beckett; Tuba – George Smith. John …

Ornette! is the seventh album by Ornette Coleman as a bandleader and the second credited to his quartet (following This Is Our Music). Though considered one of his early works, by the time it was recorded on 31st January 1961, Coleman was already an established jazz legend. His reputation had been cemented by the release of ground-breaking albums such as The Shape of Jazz to Come and Free Jazz. These two albums embody the central, seemingly contrasting, elements of Coleman's early career: a meti…

When Ira Gitler, jazz journalist and producer at Prestige, curated this album, the term "collector" was already well-established among music enthusiasts. The pursuit of out-of-print recordings, old 78 rpm discs, and unreleased material had reached an intensity comparable to the fervor seen in the vinyl-collecting market decades later. Gitler aimed to offer jazz fans unreleased Prestige recordings while meeting expectations for the amount of music on an LP. Initially dismissed as a mere compilati…

Doble Mano a two-way street, or anything with opposite directions within one road. One-way and two-way roads, imperceptibly moving in one and opposite directions. Similar instruments but from different geographies mirror each other, evoking ambiguity and unlike realities. Likewise, composer, conductor and performers all mirror each other, reflecting the shifting sounds. Laura Andel: "One of the focal points in my search as a composer is the concept of identity linked to the search of ambiguity. …

"Teshuvah' reflects a first meeting between of two experienced veteran improvisors: Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow, Konk Pack, etc.) and Milo Fine. The career of Fine goes back to 1969 when he started The Milo Fine Free Jazz Ensemble. Throughout his career he was dedicated to free improvised music. I guess both gentlemen are more or less of the same age. Also Hodgkinson has a longlasting relation with free improvisation, as it was already part of the Henry Cow. They combined rock and free improvisati…

bastille musique presents its twenty-eighth release »DLW: Extended Beats« featuring world premiere recordings by Dell-Lillinger-Westergaard, Klangforum Wien, Sonar Quartett, Tamara Stefanovich (piano), Martin Adámek (clarinets) and Johannes Brecht (electronics). Together with the guests, Dell-Lillinger-Westergaard extend their beats in terms of co-composition and form as well as instrumentation. In addition to the recordings produced at the Paul-Robeson-Studio, the set also contains a 48-page bi…

A member of the radical black nationalist US Organisation, percussionist James Mtume championed the Kawaida way of life, aiming for collective creativity linked to its pan-African and Socialist ideals. With uncle Albert and father Jimmy Heath on board, Mtume cut this intense modal jazz concept album in December 1969 with Don Cherry, Herbie Hancock, Ed Blackwell and Buster Williams, yielding a masterpiece of percussion-heavy jazz, with every player on exceptional form, the five extended tracks re…

May 1961. The Concertgebouw - Amsterdam's cathedral of classical music, where symphonies and string quartets had held court for decades - opens its doors to something entirely different. Thelonious Monk, the high priest of bebop, one of the most important and enigmatic figures in modern jazz, walks onto that hallowed stage with his quartet. The audience is packed, expectant. They have no idea what's about to happen. What happened was magic. Pure, uncut, Monkian magic. This isn't Monk as studio p…

Norwegian guitarist Stian Larsen joins London-based musicians Colin Webster (alto sax), Andrew Lisle (drums), and Ruth Goller (bass) for an exciting collision of energetic free jazz, post-rock and noise that is dynamic, playful and hard-hitting.

These duets exemplify a compelling musical interplay, characterized by symmetrical encounters and an organic, intuitive dialogue that seamlessly weaves together elements of core improvisation, contemporary classical influences, and jazzy choruses, resulting in a rich tapestry of sound that is captivating in its spontaneity and depth.Alexandra Grimal: tenor and soprano saxophonesGiovanni Di Domenico: acoustic grand pianos, celesta, pipe organ

The Amsterdam based improvisers quartet performs a song cycle composed by John Dikeman reflecting on colonisation, and the double edged sword of religion which can lead to transcendence or tyranny.

"Sophie Agnel and Michael Zerang are relentless on every surface and in the diving pit of improvisation. You've got to hear it to see it to believe it: it's a water lily drum set in the soundboard of a pond piano. At times, it seems as if a single instrument is being played by two people, with razor-sharp clarity" - Alexandre Pierrepont

After a wonderful concert at the Elastic Arts Foundation, Chicago, the ES Trio (Kwan/Zerang/Steyer), decided to record their music to document this inspiring collaboration. In their trio work they focused on sound oriented pieces, that were nurtured by the individual approaches to their instruments. The duo works of Zerang and Steyer also reflect the work of Steyer concerning instrumental ornamentation, that is inspired by the multi-ethnic, mostly near eastern sounds of the streets in Berlin.

"We hear harp, electronics, piano, cello and percussion convene in clash and collusion, setting forth a dazzling array of sound and expression. Plains of disarticulation and misdirection are cut by moments of inextricable entanglement, where we hear discrete sounds fuse, instruments bleeding into one another, at times taking on the warp and weft of a companion. The recording is of an extraordinary performance of improvisational prowess by four musicians working at the very limits of their techni…

"This record has stark aesthetic shifts, going between bluesy and abstract territory. After the first two pieces, which “set the ends of the spectrum”, the others move between these two languages. What’s cool is that this allows you to pay close attention to textural qualities of Luciana’s playing. She gets good snap on her pull offs and picking. There is a personal quality to this record that comes out of the juxtaposition of these sounds. As someone who started with rock music and now improvis…

Mega Tip! Purple Trap, the powerful trio of Keiji Haino (voice, guitar), Bill Laswell on bass, and Rashied Ali (drums), recorded live on stage at The Stone. Recorded in December 2005, this furious live album by what can easily be called a super group remained unreleased till in 2023 Bill Laswell made it accessible in a rough-mixed digital version for his bandcamp subscribers program exclusively. For this vinyl version, the music has been newly mixed by Dirk Dresselhaus (SchneiderTM) and mastered…

Respected Swedish Drummer and Composer Dennis Egberth Introduces New Sextet in His First Album with 577 Records. If you love the era in which electronic elements began to enter contemporary jazz, you’ll LOVE what Sweden’s Dennis Egberth has been creating. The esteemed drummer/composer introduces us to his hand-chosen ensemble, The Dennis Egberth Dynasty, in the artist’s first album with 577 Records. The self-titled release highlights his creativity, painting a hypnotic soundscape that soothes th…

'High quality music to be enjoyed by many people all around the world, no matter where they are' Andreas Brunner-Schwer, MPS Records

Phil Dawson, UK guitarist and producer, learned his trade with legends like South African jazz trumpet giant Hugh Masekela, Nigerian Afrobeat co-creator Tony Allen, Ethio- jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke, and Ghanaian afro-rock dons Osibisa as well as a large handful of Brit Jazz and cultural fusion projects. 'Don't Waste Your Ancestors' Time'creates a new blend of Afro- and Afro-Brazilian grooves, high-level improv and dub, and boasts an array of collaborators that push the music in new directions …

*100 copies limited edition* As always in U Jazz Me Rec. there is 100 copies of numbered black vinyl and a colored vinyl version made only for the band's live shows. Both 180g vinyl records with insert. Twoosty Mayonez is a duo consisting of Bartosz Wolert (drums) and Kornel Karolak (synthesizers), creating post-jazz music and is considered to be part of the new Polish wave of this genre. The album is a continuation of the story begun in 2123, when Captain Harrison Focus, as a result of an emerg…

Original copy in great condition of the first edition of Wolfgang Dauner's 1970 album on MPS with Eberhard Weber and Roland Wittich. Modal jazz weirdness by a composer loosely connected with krautrock with his band Et Cetera.

For Those Who Chant, a record by trumpeter Luis Gasca that was published in 1972 and recorded at Columbia Studios in San Francisco, included a "who's who" of the city's A-tier musical scene from that time period with the participation of musicians. Carlos Santana and a pre-Journey Neal Schon on guitar, a rhythm unit consisting of Lenny White on drums, Stanley Clarke on bass (who were about to leap into a new band named Return to Forever), and the indefatigable Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, t…

Extempore, formerly known as Ad Libitum Quartet, is a band located in Vienna, Austria. It consists of Mark Holub on drums, Villy Paraskevopoulos on piano, Vinicius Cajado on double bass and Werner Zangerle on saxophone. The band was formed by Paraskevopoulos for a festival in Graz in 2021 as a trio, after which they became a quartet with varying bass players. Since this year Cajado is the definitve fourth member of the group, himself being an outstanding bass player that is active with many diff…

Flowers We Are consists of the versatile, Serbian-based exceptional pianist Marina Džukljev, the sound architect Matija Schellander on bass and electronics and the cello extremist noid /aka Arnold Haberl. The three musicians move with equal ease, playfulness and elegance from minimal electronic sounds to melodic fragments to orchestral fullness. The trio convinces with the wide spectrum of its musical languages. Marina Džukljev is a pianist and educator renowned for her dynamic performances in f…

Sainkho Namtchylak is a singer originally from Tuva, an autonomous republic in the Russian Federation just north of Mongolia. She is known for her Tuvan throat singing or Khöömei. Her music encompasses avant-jazz, electronica, modern composition and Tuvan influences. Once the Soviet Union had collapsed, she moved to Vienna, making it her base, although she traveled widely, working in any number of shifting groups and recording a number of discs that revolved around free improvisation. Amongst th…

"The special qualities of this music emerge from the focus on Lacy’s soprano saxophone in this unique instrumentation; the transparency and intimacy of the bass and guitar create a nuanced background set against the variety of improvisational strategies." - Art Lange"The removal of two recorded compositions and the editing here is based on notes originally written by Steve Lacy on the cassette he sent me to listen to and evaluate the music for release. I acquired the original recording in 1985 f…

"This, it seems to me, is the great strength of Sophie Lüssi’s music here on Atlantic Puffin. It is clearly skilled and doesn't deal in casual approximations. It is built on solid technique, a brilliant appropriation of classical violin methods in the interests of improvisation. But her music, which draws on folk as well as canonical forms, is one that emanates from and addresses the whole person. It's generous music, kindly and open, and in its gentle humour it engages a part of the spirit that…

"Keep Your Soul Together" (1973)  is Freddie Hubbard’s fifth studio album released on Creed Taylor's CTI label. The album features Hubbard alongside an ensemble that includes Junior Cook on tenor sax, George Cables on keyboards, Aurell Ray on guitar, Kent Brinkley or Ron Carter on bass, Ralph Penland on drums, and Juno Lewis on percussion. The album’s sound, though occasionally funky, is rooted in creative jazz, showcasing Hubbard in peak form across four of his original compositions. Though som…

William Hooker is a musician, composer, and poet with over 70 recordings as a leader, encompassing jazz, new music, experimental music and multi-disciplinary forms of expression (e.g. dance, silent film and spoken word). He has been recognized as “an iconoclast, and one of the most innovative musicians and drummers of his generation”  - The Wire,  which is evident nowhere more than on his latest album, Jubilation. The new work features collaborators Matt LaVelle on trumpet, Sarah Manning on alto…

Recently celebrating his 80th birthday and one of Europe’s foremost jazz musicians, John Surman is a masterful improvisor, composer, and multi-instrumentalist (baritone and soprano sax, bass clarinet, and synthesizers/electronics). For nearly 60 years, he has been a major force, producing a prodigious and creative body of work that expands beyond jazz. Surman’s extensive discography as a leader and a side man numbers more than 100 recordings to date and has featured dozens of prominent artists w…