Jazz /
West and East Baying
West and East Baying by Oakland Reductionist Orchestra investigates the porous boundaries between acoustic improvisation and electronic sound, favoring the subtle friction and microdynamics of “lowercase” performance practice. Across two extended pieces—one live, one studio-crafted—this Bay Area supergroup reveals the intricate textures, restrained intensity and deep listening that define the West Coast reductionist scene.
New Conference Call
New Conference Call brings together Gebhard Ullmann, Uwe Oberg, Joe Fonda and Dieter Ulrich for an engaging session rooted in deep listening, spirited interplay and exploratory textures. Their varied compositional voices and dynamic rapport yield music that stretches from reflective lyricism to intricate rhythmic conversations, underscoring their ability to blend innovation with ensemble empathy.
The Bliss of Bliss
With The Bliss of Bliss, Pat Thomas distills four decades of radical pianism into a transcendent live improvisation. Recorded in Geneva in 2024, the album transforms the solo piano into a realm of shifting densities and ecstatic form, where each note seems to create and erase the space it inhabits.
Breakthrough
On Breakthrough, Muriel Grossmann envelops her quartet in a vibrant exploration of spiritual jazz, interlacing tradition with fresh, forward momentum. The record distills Grossmann’s lyrical saxophone voice and trademark rhythmic interplay into a rich, organic sound, balancing meditative introspection and eruptive, soulful drive. Each composition furthers her pursuit of transcendence, unfolding as both a deeply personal statement and a communal celebration.
Way To
Way To, the debut album by Eero Savela, released August 2025, marks a persuasive, understated move into the spotlight for the Helsinki trumpeter. Blending the sinuous pulse of '70s jazz-funk with a modern Scandinavian restraint, the album—clocking in at just 37 minutes—opts for dialogue over display, its six tracks assembled as layered conversations between empathetic musicians and understated lyricism.
Tiny Hands Gathering Wonder, The World Becomes Magic
Kadi Vija’s new album, Tiny Hands Gathering Wonder, The World Becomes Magic, is a narrative jazz suite released in October 2025 that explores the tactile, the playful, and the vividly imaginative, blending synth colors, hand claps, and intimate vocals into a singular rainbow-hued sonic journey. The album’s ten tracks move through shifting moods that conjure both childlike awe and jazz sophistication, opting for miniature landscapes over grand statements.
It’s Always About Love
Ancient Infinity Orchestra’s It’s Always About Love is a lush outpouring of melodic, communal jazz, where improvisational freedom and thoughtful orchestration balance earthiness with cosmic ambition. Led by double-bassist Ozzy Moysey, the album draws inspiration from spiritual jazz icons and blends folk, jazz, and classical leanings within a 15-member ensemble, presenting a heartfelt meditation on connection and celebration.
World Without Form Volume 1
World Without Form was originally released in 2012 on CD format only, the album is now being made available on vinyl for the first time, in two separate volumes because of the length of the recording. Each of the two volumes also contain a previously unreleased track from the sessions. Volume 1 has ‘Ithnaan’ which is an earlier version of the track released as ‘Man From Varanasi’ on Nat’s ‘Cosmic Language’ album.
Megalopolis
"Even if it doesn't sell well, let's create records that carry the scent of culture. I want you to perform Japanese jazz by Japanese people." Inspired by these words from the director, Hiroshi Matsumoto decided to record the album "Megalopolis." The concept is "Tokyo." Drawing inspiration from the rapidly changing cityscape seen from the airplane window, Matsumoto began production. Together with Hideyo Ichikawa, Kunimitsu Inaba, and Motohiko Hino, the four musicians positioned themselves in a ci…
Strode Road
'Strode Road' marks the debut of Japanese pianist Toshiyuki Sekine, recorded on May 3, 1978, at ARU Studio. The album presents a collection of jazz standards delivered with a vibrant and cohesive trio performance. Sekine's piano work, complemented by the rhythm section, offers a fresh take on classic compositions, reflecting the burgeoning Japanese jazz scene of the late 1970s.
Homage
2005 release ** Cardboard sleeve. "This project is the product of over thirty years of musical collaboration and personal friendships. The three of us met in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early seventies and worked together in many contexts, exploring improvisation and new music. When I moved to New York in 1983, there was a brief hiatus, and then, on hearing a composition of Mel Graves played here, I asked him to write me a piece. This led to my premiering many works of his and making sever…
Nosferatu
Created for a modern Polish stage production of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale, John Zorn has created a music filled with nostalgia, tenderness, violent power and a great sense of mystery. Featuring the dark ambient bass tones of Bill Laswell, the sensitive keyboards of Rob Burger, Kevin Norton on drums, vibes and percussion and Zorn on sax, this is a moody and menacing program of music for late night listening. Romantic ballads, ambient soundscapes and hardcore intensity!
John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 4
From March to 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. Volume four features the scintillating soundscapes of electronic music wizard Ikue Mori, and she has arranged these pieces with grace, elegance, and a …
Give the Vibes Some
Philadelphia vibraphonist Khan Jamal's 1974 Palm masterpiece receives its first proper reissue. Recorded during Parisian exile, this exploratory album showcases revolutionary vibraphone techniques across four essential tracks - a crucial document of jazz's global underground network.
How You Been
SML is the quintet of bassist Anna Butterss, synthesist Jeremiah Chiu, saxophonist Josh Johnson, percussionist Booker Stardrum, and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann. Their second album, How You Been, finds the supergroup of prolific composer/producers pushing ever further into the hyperrealist, collectivist approach to music creation nascently explored on their debut Small Medium Large, which was lauded as “awe-inspiring” by Glide, “exuberant” by the Los Angeles Times, and “an exciting milestone” by Pi…
Shattered Stone
Frostlake, the atmospheric and visionary project of musician and composer Jan Todd, unveils her new album Shattered Stone through the renowned label Discus Music. Known for her haunting soundscapes and delicate layering of sonic textures, Frostlake continues to push the boundaries between ambient, folk, and experimental music with this latest body of work.
Shattered Stone is a deeply evocative album that reflects both fragility and resilience, weaving together shimmering electronic environment…
Music For Black Pigeons
*2025 stock* After 14 years of filming/recording some of today’s most influential musicians, the music from Andreas Koefoed’s and Jørgen Leth’s celebrated film “Music For Black Pigeons” is now available for the first time (vinyl only). The soundtrack is based on compositions by Jakob Bro, performed by Bill Frisell, Lee Konitz, Craig Taborn, Paul Motian, Andrew Cyrille, Arve Henriksen, Midori Takada and many others.
Venice Film Festival title “Music for Black Pigeons,” directed by Danish filmmake…
Sound Flower
*2025 stock* In essence, group improvisation is a conversation. It relates to a certain point in time, its current surroundings, personal expression and the stories each performer choses to tell from their musical paths. On Sound Flower three masters of improvised music from different generations meet for the first time as a trio and their world of sound (in Danish: klangverden) is immediately captivating. You can listen to each performer and they will tell you a story of their own, or you can t…
We Raise Them To Lift Their Heads
Longtime collaborators Mark Turner and Jakob Bro play central roles in the feature-length documentary film “Music for Black Pigeons”, which premiered at the 79th Venice Biennale, played across film festivals worldwide and portrays the unique artistic processes of Paul Motian, Lee Konitz, Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn, Andrew Cyrille, Manfred Eicher and many others. Mark Turner is heard on three albums with Jakob Bro, all from Avatar Studios in New York, and enters the film in a session from Copenha…
Colors
Duo improvisation can be such a rare space to enter. Creating a common language in an open sea of infinite options, everything stands out. Especially with such fundamental natural instruments as the voice and bass. So what happens if you bring together Maria Laurette Friis, the Copenhagen-based composer, multi-instrumentalist and one of Scandinavia’s unique voices, and the exceptional double bass player Thomas Morgan in an improvised session? Well, it continues for more than three hours and deve…