Jazz & Improvisation / Avant-Garde Jazz

*2024 stock* Kirk Knuffke: trumpetFederico Ughi: drums, percussion, fluteChris Welcome: guitar Recorded in Brooklyn, New York

*2024 stock* Piano-drums duo, recorded in Shanghai.

"Drummer/composer Federico Ughi presents a collection of songs dedicated to four cities in which he has lived and that have made an impact on his music. His gentle and beautiful approach bridges European and American jazz, but mostly it filters the current New York scene through a silky translucent gauze. This album of music (explain to your kids that, at one time, artists recorded collections of music and not just singles) maintains a consistent dialogue between the players, the melodies, and t…

*2024 stock* Daniel Carter: alto and tenor sax, flute and clarinetSteve Swell: tromboneFederico Ughi: drums Recorded in Brooklyn, New York

*2024 stock* Matt Glassmeyer: tenor saxophone, misc. soundsNathan Hanson: tenor saxophone, electronicsSean Moran: guitarDan Fabricatore: acoustic bassFederico Ughi: drumsDaniel Carter: alto saxophone on tracks 6-7-8-9 All music by Federico Ughi Recorded at Lunchbox Studios, Brooklyn, New York, on January 4th, 2003 Mastered at Bang Zoom Mastering, NY

CD version. In 1972, trumpeter Baikida Carroll and some of his colleagues from the Black Artists Group (more precisely saxophonist/flutist Oliver Lake, trombonist Joseph Bowie, drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw and trumpeter Floyd LeFlore) took the advice of their friends in the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and left their native Missouri to come and discover the bright lights of Paris for themselves. The following year they would even get the chance to record their only album which would rapidly attain myt…

"Resavoir - the collaborative project led by Chicago producer/composer Will Miller - presents their second self-titled album. The new 'Resavoir' is a subtly radiant symphony interweaving modern-day soul-jazz with bedroom beats, synth serenades and twilight sonatas. It represents Miller’s most assured and refined work to date. Imagined, instigated and produced by Miller, who ties the diverse sounds into an expansive, coherent whole, 'Resavoir' features a wide and vibrant cast of collaborators, in…

On July 16 and 17 2021, Shiver met up with Pianist Matthew Bourne at his house in Airedale, Yorkshire. Hungry to make music following various lockdowns, cancellations and disappointments, the quartet embarked on a ferocious two-day journey of exploratory music-making. The weather was good, the connection was immediate. There was much laughing, tea-drinking and storytelling. In the evening, the stove was lit and we listened to music: Stanley Clarke, Paul Simon, Sarah Vaughan, Scott Walker, Eugene…

"The almost five year span bookended in this particular Ayler revisitation marks, in a certain sense,  the beginning and end points of the most lasting and creative portion of his remarkable, though  sadly brief, career." – Brian Olewnick

*200 copies limited edition* Truly an honor to have these 4 exceptional artists on our label. Hugo Costa already graced our label with his outstanding duo album with Philipp Ernsting but here with Garuda Trio he's in company of some of the top players from the Portuguese free jazz scene : Hernãni Faustino on the bass, João Valinho on drums and the fantastic Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano. "Listen how these four move around each other, and work with volume, density, textures, iridescent atmospheres an…

Tip! "This album features Pharoah Sanders playing some no-nonsense tenor in a quartet with pianist John Hicks, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Idris Muhammad. Sanders performs "It's Easy to Remember" (in a style very reminiscent of early-'60s John Coltrane), an original blues, and two of his compositions, including the passionate "You've Got to Have Freedom." The musicianship is at a high level and, although Sanders does not shriek as much as one might hope (the Trane-ish influence was partic…

** Deluxe Vinyl Version Vinyl 180 gr. remastered from original analogue tapes. Single cover with 30cm 8-page booklet. **  From Gleam Records, one of Italy's most engaging imprints dedicated to the outer reaches of jazz - comes a true marvel: the first ever vinyl reissue of Modern Art Trio's lone self-titled LP, originally released by Vedette in 1971. A rare and thrilling artifact that utilizes serialism and 12 tone technique within the idiom of freely improvised jazz and hard bop, its absolute s…

For the first time ever, the Bobby Wellins Quartet albums – Jubilation and Dreams Are Free - expanded with bonus tracks. The original albums, and the extra tracks, were all recorded by the same quartet in 1978 or 1979. Released in partnership with Spike Wells, the drummer in the quartet, who provided the extra recordings from his own tape archive, and wrote the booklet notes as well as providing many previously unseen photographs, Fiona Wellins, Bobby’s daughter, and the bassist in the quartet A…

This album is the sonic representation of diverse episodes experienced by a being called Sameer during their life. Chronologically, the music heard in this work was created before such events, without conscious awareness of those who produced it. This is also the recording of the first time Felice Furioso, Jorge Nuno and Felipe Zenicola played together. All tracks were arranged and produced by the 3 musicians.

"Cloud at rest" is the long-awaited debut record from the trio formed in 2016 by Pedro Alves Sousa on tenor saxophone, Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Gabriel Ferrandini on drums and percussion. The music is the result of a five days residency at the Goethe-Institut Lisbon in 2019,  where the band tried to find a different approach to its playing in order to distance themselves from the fast and highly energetic music normally associated with them. This record shows a different perspective of thei…

Hyper.object was formed in 2019 by three veterans from the Lisboa free improvised scene (Rodrigo Pinheiro on the piano, Hernâni Faustino on the double bass and Carlos Santos on the electronics) and by two young musicians (João Almeida on trumpet and João Valinho on drums). Since its beginnings. the group had frequently joined for rehearsals but as soon the pandemic hit, the gatherings were restricted to only when there was an opening on the frequent lockdowns. During one of these openings "inter…

"corpos" is the first album by the Barcelona-based trio, formed by pianist Clara Lai, double bassist Àlex Reviriego and drummer Oriol Roca. Recorded at Rosazul Studio in Barcelona on April, 2022. The music of this album explores collective construction in trio format, visiting different sound zones, compositional possibilities and improvisational languages. Music that is energetic but also contemplative, aleatoric, some noise and silence, coexist with melodic sketches. Pieces as sound bodies tha…

*2024 stock* Made of Bones was formed in 2020 with: Duarte Fonseca on drums, João Clemente on guitar, Nuno Santos Dias on waldorf, and Ricardo Sousa on double bass. Drawing from rock, experimental, and noise influences, their music captivates listeners with its unique blend of genres. The members of Made of Bones have been playing together for over 15 years in various bands, including Slow is Possible and Cat in a Bag (both released on Clean Feed), Salad Ensemble, Sideways, TMR & The Sea Wolves,…

"Two" is the first and smallest even prime number, signifying divisibility by both one and itself. It is a fundamental concept in mathematics. It´s associated with duality, symmetry and balance, providing an advantage in problem solving, as it allows comparison, choice and contrast. With two alternatives, decisions can be made, dilemmas can be solved and paths can be chosen.  Bruno Parrinha - Alto saxophone (on the right channel)João Gato - Alto saxophone (on the left channel)

Leo Genovese - Piano, saxWilliam Parker - BassFrancisco Mela - Drums Recorded November 13, 2020 by Jeremy Loucas at Douglass Recording, Brooklyn, New YorkAssistant engineer: Juanma TrujilloMixed and mastered by Jeremy Loucas at Sear Sound, New York City

Shinya Lin: Piano, prepared pianoFrancisco Mela: Drums Recorded October 24, 2021 by Yushu Bao and Hao Jen Lam at Berklee College, Boston, MARecording assistants: Qi Wang, Yimu Feng, Ziyan WangMixed and mastered by Yushu Bao

"Teiku arranges our unique family Passover melodies into vehicles for sonic exploration. This ancestral music, much like the tradition of Creative Music through which we interpret it, is liberation music. As its humble stewards we offer it as a call for justice for all oppressed peoples; as Jews, we decry the senseless violence, displacement, and killing perpetrated in our name." - Josh Harlow and Jonathan Barahal Taylor, bandleaders  Teiku’s origin story feels almost pre-ordained. Co-leaders pi…

*100 copies limited release* Recorded and mixed by Daniel Bengtson at Studio Rymden, Stockholm, Feb 2021Produced by Alex Zethson & Johan BerthlingMastered by Daniel Ögren All music by Johan Berthling except For Turiya by Charlie HadenDedicated to Maria, Arvid & Vidar Produced with support from the Swedish Arts Council

*2023 stock* Issued via Reid's own Mustevic Sound imprint in 1977, the album features bassist David Wertman, percussionist Mohammad Abdullah, trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah and Saxophonists Arthur Blythe and Charles Tyler. Reid's music needs no introduction to contemporary audiences; the legendary drummer and band leader was more prominent than ever in the years before his untimely death in 2010, collaborating with Four Tet's Kieran Hebden on a succession of releases as well as being the subject of an…

If Zeuhl is any indication, it's not only a French phenomena. This great Japanese group, well-known in the Japanese underground, proves that. Their work, which spans from rock to fusion to experimental to ethnic and draws more from the European school (Magma) than the Japanese new music movement, concentrates on avant-garde jazz structures, loud, blaring rock 'n roll, and occasionally all-out discord. They make extensive use of the violin, contrebass, and vibraphone in addition to the standard r…

*In process of stocking* "Sting And Grid is an album of great joy and great sensitivity which bears repeated listening due to its relatively calm nature. A real delight for any improv lovers." – Mr Olivetti, FREQ Two world class players from the Manchester UK free improvisation scene deliver here a beautifully recorded set of pieces founded on pure instrumental skill. Hanslip's elegant, singing lines are delivered with calm and precision, driven by Cheetham's multi-textural percussion.

Hilton Felton's Family & Friends is a rare groove classic that now gets reissued for the first time ever courtesy of P-Vine. The master keyboardist has a cult following thanks to his magically mellow and sophisticated playing style. He was prolific, too, recording several great albums but none as definitive as this one, which is a sought after and pricey gem if you want an original. It has many highlights such as the fantastic jazz-funk cover of the Delfonic's classic 'La, La Means I Love You', …

Funky groove master Les Demar's legendary live recordings have been sampled by numerous artists and DJs, and have captivated jazz funk listeners and rare groove freaks alike with their raging drum breaks and intense grooves. Recorded at Concerts by the Sea in Redondo Beach, California, in August 1978, the eight-piece big combo's frenetic night is back in its original 1970s release! The fusion-like 'Quetzal' (A1), which starts with an opening MC and cheers, quickly raises the tension, followed by…

Recorded live on tour in Germany in 1986, here we have "Mystery Mr. Ra" leading a quite rare tentet version of the Arkestra featuring the historical reed section of John Gilmore, Marshal Allen, Eloe Omoe, Danny Ray Thomson and James Jackson, plus trombonist Tyron Hill and an electric rhythms section featuring Marvin "Boogaloo" Smith on drums. This is a beautiful document from an era when Ra, in addition to his usual sound explorations and space hymns, began to introduce a good number of jazz sta…

Basil Kirchin, a forgotten genius of post-war British music, was an influential jazz drummer, creative free-spirit and pioneer of Musique Concrète. Kirchin wrote a lot of albums, Mind on the run is one of the most representative Library record he wrote with fellow John Coleman. A milestone in british avantgarde.

The members of the all-star Artifacts Trio – flutist Nicole Mitchell, cellist Tomeka Reid and drummer Mike Reed – have long been recognized as torchbearers of Chicago’s innovative jazz scene, as well as the most prominent performer-educators in the third generation of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM), the historically vital, leading-edge Chicago arts organization. The trio served on the organization's executive board from 2009–2011, and their music advances the organi…

Tip! Mats Gustaffson and the Fire! Orchestra return with an album recorded in the company of Jim O'Rourke entitled Echoes and to be released on 14 April 2023 by Rune Grammofon. For the 14th anniversary the Fire! Orchestra presents itself with a gigantic line-up of 43 elements. Within the big band we also find the confirmation of singer Mariam Wallentin, as well as the addition of the voices of David Sandström and Joe McPhee (also present as tenor sax). Echoes is a new chapter within the discogra…

Arto Lindsay is an influential American guitarist, singer and record producer. He was a member of the pioneering no-wave group DNA in the late 70s. He can be heard as singer and guitarist on the first album of the Golden Palominos and as guitarist on the debut of the Lounge Lizards, which was dismissed as fake jazz. He later founded the group Ambitious Lovers with Peter Scherer.  He has an unmistakable soft voice and an often loud, self-taught guitar corruptions that consists almost exclusively …

Don Cherry collaborator and Bolon Bata founder Christer Bothén (b. 1941) delivers three CDs devoted to his highly personal expression on the bass clarinet and contrabass clarinet. To quote the artist himself: ”Those empty pipes have possibilities enough to cover several lives”. Sounds and silences are delicately carved out in different acoustic spaces, from a rainy soundscape in Spain to a peculiarly resonating church in Sweden. The album also includes a composition inspired by Tarkovskij’s mast…

Capturing a pre-Covid performance (just weeks before the pandemic really hit) in Switzerland, composer, trumpeter and singer Jaimie Branch has just released an incredible live album via International Anthem. Recorded in January 2020 at Moods in Zurich, and features live versions of tracks from Branch’s Fly Or Die Live I and II, compounded & flawlessly communicated in a singular epic of raw cosmic brilliance.  It sees Branch on trumpet and vocals, Chad Taylor on drums and mbira, Lester St. Louis …

In July of 2022, just one month before Jaimie Branch’s death sent shockwaves around the world, the trumpet player and composer was in Chicago at International Anthem studios putting finishing touches on an album. It was a suite of music she had composed and then recorded with her flagship ensemble, Fly or Die, over the course of a residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska. In her wake, the album was near complete, with only mixing tweaks, final titles, and artwork to…

*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 (…

*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.…

*2023 stock* "Recorded in Hasparren, in the French basque county, we find two of the country's most eloquent free improvisers in a fantastic duo album. Daunik Lazro is on baritone sax and Joëlle Léandre on bass. Their music is a sheer delight. It is subtle, nuanced, powerful and sensitive, flowing in the most natural kind of way, together in the same direction. [...] Beautiful, beautiful ... and rich." - Stef Gijssels

*2023 stock* "In December 2018 I had a four-night residency at the Bitches Brew jazz club in Yokohama. These concerts were organized by Mr Kenny Inaoka, founder and editor-in-chief of the webzine JazzTokyo.com and a prodigious jazz record producer and Seiichi Sugita, the owner of the Bitces Brew. They managed to invite some of the greatest improvisers from the Tokyo area to join me for four concerts in a row. This album captures some sound memories of those unforgettable performances with fantas…