New Arrivals
Overcloseness
Started around a decade ago, "Overcloseness" has been a long time coming. It is Colorist's debut album on paper, but already has a magnum opus feel to it. The beginnings of Colorist lay in the Cologne music community. Being small, it was always influenced by the art and the film scene. (In fact, the label Magazine originates from the same crossing point.) The large cast of guest appearances underlines how much Antonio de Luca and Caroline Kox are in the center of that Cologne community. On "Over…
Banquet of consequences
Berlin-based Banquet of Consequences is the new sextet led by double bassist Antonio Borghini. In addition to the valuable lesson of Charles Mingus, clear references to Dutch, Italian and South African jazz traditions are mixed in the group. The group's eponymous debut album oscillates between completely improvised works - a series of numbered "Dialogues" - and compositions that swing wildly between chaos and tenderness.
Empty smile
*100 copies limited edition* This solo could have been titled "16 Caprices for cello.” As in Paganini's Caprices, all the techniques and virtuosity of the classical tradition are used here, expanded and enriched by the sounds and research of the contemporary one. However, the approach to the instrument is physical and bodily characteristic of European free improvisation and jazz. But as in Tristan Honsinger, Leroy Jenkins or in Cage's Freeman Etudes for violin the focus is always The Music, whos…
Lichtung
With over a dozen releases on Karlrecords, and a total output of more than 100 albums in general, Reinhold Friedl doesn't need much of an introduction to anyone interested in contemporary music / avantgarde: his ensemble zeitkratzer is as respected as it is feared for its radical approach on music, and it seems redundant to mention all collaborators and projects.
Friedl is known for his unique piano sound, his advanced techniques, and his musical intensity paired with precise exuberant sound con…
s/t
Johannes Björk is a musician and literary critic based in Gothenburg. His music combines drones, pop melodies and field recordings to produce refined sketches rather than fully formed songs – resembling slowly refurnished interiors, rather than scenes with a clearly discernible subject. Originally released in a mini-edition of 12 copies for a show in Stockholm earlier on in the year, it is now presented in an expanded LP form with two tracks added in, and another two re-recorded.
Accompanied in…
Windshift
Michael Atherton is a writer, composer and educator from Sydney, Australia. Originally born in Liverpool, England, to Welsh-Irish and German parents, his family later migrated to Australia in 1965. Moving to the suburbs in La Perouse, he grew up in a mixed, multicultural community, where he fostered friendships with existing indigenous members and Iberian migrants. His formative migrant experience and his curiosity about vernacular, as well as notated music, led him to study music formally where…
Transmissions From The Radio Midnight
Tip! *200 copies limited edition* This project, entitled Transmissions From The Radio Midnight, started around 2006, when I acquired a Sony TCM F59 — an AM/FM radio and cassette recorder combined in a slim, handheld body. Since then, whenever I went on a trip, I would throw it into my suitcase and take it around with me. No matter which country I was in, upon returning to the hotel room I made a habit of listening to the radio into the late hours of the night. As soon as I would snuggle into bed…
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.
Jazz A Maison De Japon, Paris
*Limited Edition* Embark on a wonderful French journey with the Japanese duo of saxophonist Mototeru Takagi and pianist Takashi Kako, accompanied by the exceptional Kent Carter on bass and cello, along with Ron Pittner on drums and percussion. This performance showcases Takagi and Kako in a slightly different light, possibly influenced by the Paris ambiance. While their creativity remains modern and distinctive, there's a nuanced sentimentality in their playing, evoking a special undercurrent th…
Flash
*Limited Edition* This trio, led by drummer Motohiko Hino and featuring Masahiko Satoh on piano and Nobuyoshi Ino on bass, delivers truly unique work that transcends the typical piano trio conventions of its time. The trio breaks open the format with their creative exploration on the album. Satoh's piano work initially leans towards lyricism before expanding, while Ino's bass rolls and dips with its own beautiful sense of melody. Hino's drumming diverges far from a straight rhythm, often adding …
850113
*Limited Edition* Japanese guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi's performance in this set is bold and powerful, not entirely "angry" but striking nonetheless. His sharp-edged guitar work, reminiscent of Sonny Sharrock's experiments, avoids noise for its own sake. Balanced by Nobuyoshi Ino on bass and Hiroshi Yamazaki on percussion/drums, the trio creates a freer, fuzzier take on older guitar modes. The album's titles, numbered variations of the album's name, include four selections.
Valencia
*Limited Edition* Percussionist Masahiko Togashi collaborates with the exceptional piano accompaniment of Takashi Kako in a unique and captivating musical journey. Kako's piano work, marked by a distinctive sense of touch and tone, complements Togashi's drumming. Kako's ability to extract guitar-like sounds from the piano, characterized by an airy chromatic quality, adds a warm and poetic dimension to the moments of freer improvisation on the record. While the music remains rooted in free jazz, …
Trinity
*Limited Edition* Japanese pianist Masahiko Sato joins forces with Peter Warren on bass and Pierre Favre on drums in an enthralling collaboration. Recorded live at Studio 70 in Munich, the two expansive tracks showcase the trio's boundless creativity. Sato's piano work, reminiscent of the era's best free improvisation, occasionally channels a Cecil Taylor-like intensity, interspersed with moments of reflective pause. Favre adeptly balances restraint and bursts of energy, complementing Warren's b…
Superlike
Edition of 300 copies. Giovanni Di Domenico has now achieved a personal and unmistakable style within contemporary minimalism. His music always expresses a state of concentration, of recollection and contemplation toward a focal node. Repetition is experienced as alchemical state, as truth contained in the small nuances of change, in a crescendo that never reaches a climax. The atmosphere is intuition and is made up of a few compositional touches. To compose is to make synthesis, to unearth puri…
Maracaibo
*Limited Edition* Japanese drummer George Ohtsuka reunites with the Maracaibo group, creating a fusion of Latin influences on extended tracks that diverge from the smoother sounds of the contemporaneous scene. The ensemble includes Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenor and soprano sax, Tsunehide Matsuki on guitar, and Toshiyuki Sekine on Fender Rhodes. Special guest appearances by Miroslav Vitous on bass and Nana Vasconcelos on percussion and vocals add depth to the musical landscape. In contrast to other J…
Topology
*Limited Edition* Harold Land shines in this fantastic, rare Japanese album, possibly surpassing his '70s work. Pianist Makoto Tarashita leads with a strong, spiritual, and modal style, setting Land free on vibrant, imaginative solos. The ensemble, including bassist Yasushi Yoneki, drummer Mike Reznikoff, and percussionist Takayuki Koizumi, adds an organic and rhythmic richness.
Live Life
*Limited Edition* In this early 80s trio collaboration, Japanese pianist Kunihiko Sugano teams up with the legendary American drummer Jo Jones, resulting in a pleasingly traditional vibe. Sugano opts for the acoustic piano, and the album features laid-back tracks adorned with lyrical nuances. Kunihiko delivers soulful and warm solos, subtly propelled by Jo Jones' drumming expertise, while receiving solid backing from bassist Kunimitsu Inaba. The album's lengthier tracks showcase a delightful fus…
Opa! Brasil
*Limited Edition* Dive into the groovy sounds of pianist Kunihiko Sugano with this album, where he skillfully maneuvers the Fender Rhodes to produce a blend of sharpness reminiscent of an acoustic piano. The bossa nova flavor promised in the title is delivered with a post-bossa twist, akin to the bossa jazz trio style of the 60s but updated. Think of it as a 70s take on the genre, akin to the works of Tamba Trio and Milton Banana but arguably even better. Sugano's dynamic approach is complemente…
Black Orpheus: Date In Daté
*Limited Edition* Album released in 1977 by Japanese jazz pianist Kunihiko Sugano, who started playing in a trio with Isao Suzuki and George Otsuka in the early 1960s and recorded the classic album Blow Up with the aforementioned two and Takashi Mizuhashi on Three Blind Mice in 1973. Recorded live in Date City, Hokkaido in 1976 as a trio with Osamu Kawakami and Hiroshi Murakami. The air from the venue was recorded to give a realistic impression, and standard numbers such as Luiz Bomfa's A1, whic…
Live!
*Limited Edition* Immerse yourself in the charm of a Japanese piano trio session, elevated by the rhythmic enchantment of conga player Yohichi Ogawa. The trio, featuring Kunihiko Sugano on piano, Eizoh Honda on bass, and Teruhiko Takada on drums, takes on a sweet and dynamic quality. Ogawa's conga rhythms add a distinctive flair, injecting energy into Sugano's music—a blend of lyrical imagination, gentle swing, and freewheeling vitality. With extended tracks this session is a delightful explorat…