Jazz & Improvisation / Contemporary

Skeleton Crew was founded in the early 1980s by Fred Frith and Tom Cora. The original idea was to create a new group out of the ashes of Massacre. Hey started experimenting with what they could achieve by themselves, recorded the fantastic debut album Learn to Talk and finally decided to take the new project out on the road. After several years of searching for recordings, mixing and mastering, and held up by the global pandemic, we are proud to finally offer you this double CD of live recording…

The furious double LP "Al Azraqayn" documents Karkhana (with members of Konstrukt, The Dwarfs of East Agouza, Land of Kush, Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet, "A" Trio) at their very best and intense: live on stage. Consisting of seven of the most adventurous and innovative artists from the Middle Eastern experimental scene (and a veteran jazz Percussionist from Chicago), Karkhana are surely among the most unique and interesting ensembles around. When Maurice Louca (The Dwarfs oF East Agouza), Sam …

"There is an expression that string players use: the wolf tone. It refers to a floating sound, an unpleasant vibratory acoustic phenomenon, which occurs when the instrument emits a sound like the cry of a wolf when the bow is drawn across a string. This illustrative metaphor arises from the instrument’s physical properties, due to which it will never be a docile sheep: from time to time its “wolven genes” show through. Owing to its shape, the double bass is like a large wild beast, particularly …

These three brand new recordings made between 2020-21 were all written specifically for bassist Chris Laurence by his close friend and long-time colleague, the late great jazz trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler. Of the three, Piece for Double Bass and Low Strings and Baroque Piece have never previously been recorded in any form. C-Man first appeared in this form on Kenny’s album ‘Kayak’ but was also rearranged and retitled as Ma Belle Hélène for his album ‘The Widow In The Window’. Whilst Kenn…

Fundacja Sluchaj! presents a new thrilling recording by Susana Santos Silva (trumpet), Yedo Gibson (tenor sax & soprano sax) and Vasco Trilla (Drums), performed live at the 24th Jazz Cerkno, 18th May 2018.

** Edition of 300 copies ** Istanbul based multi-instrumentalist Umut Çağlar founded the Turkish free jazz band Konstrukt at the beginning of 2008. Since then the band went through many line-up changes and collaborated with with the likes of Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, William Parker and Keiji Haino, continuosly evolving its sound. The band is currently formed by Çağlar, Korhan Futacı, Apostolos Sideris, Erdem Göymen and Berkan Tilavel and this EP - recorded at Hayyam Studio in Istanbul in 2017…

Jinya Disc presents a live concert by New Direction recorded at Jazzbed, Tokyo on September 27, 1970. The album includes 2 tracks performed by Masayuki Takayanagi - Guitar, Kaoru Abe - Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Performer, and Hiroshi Yamazaki - Drums, Percussion. Masayuki 'Jojo' Takayanagi was a Japanese jazz / free improvisational musician. He was active in the Japanese jazz scene from the late 1950s. Was one of the earliest noise guitar improvisers, and the first (with Keith Rowe) to use …

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Blue City by Isao Suzuki Quartet. Art Direction, Cover – Ben Nishizawa, Bass, Cello – Isao Suzuki, Drums – Tetsujiro Obara, Engineer [Recording], Mixed By – Yoshihiko Kannari, Executive-Producer – A. Fukutomi, K. Saga, Y. Uozu, Guitar – Kazumi Wanatabe, Liner Notes – Osamu Uchida, Teruo Isono, Photography By [Cover] – Isao Suzuki, Piano – Kunihiko Sugano, Producer – Takeshi Fujii.

Composer, clarinetist, singer and spiritual jazz soothsayer Angel Bat Dawid descended on Chicago's jazz and improvised music scene just a few years ago. In very short time, the potency, prowess, spirit and charisma of her cosmic musical proselytizing has taken her from relatively unknown improviser to borderline ubiquitous performer in Chicago's avant-garde. On any given night you can find Angel adding aura to ensembles led by Ben LaMar Gay, or Damon Locks, or Jaimie Branch, or Matthew Lux, or e…

** 2021 Stock ** The Belgian Ghent-based quartet Kabas releases its debut album ʻAbelʼ in April 2016. The international release tour starts on the 7th of April in Antwerp. Later that month Kabas will play in Berlin, Amsterdam, The Hague, Lille, Ghent, Liège, Brussels, Lokeren and Herent. ʻAbelʼ will appear on the El Negocito Records label (eNR044) both on vinyl and on cd. The production and recording of the album were made possible by crowd-funding and the support of the Ghent Jazz Festival, Jaz…

Tip! **300 copies, with Obi and translucent insert** Diving forward into a mind-blowing, contemporary expressions of improvisation, the next offering in Holidays’ latest batch of releases, And Life Also Same, captures a recent collaborative artefact from the long-standing, prolific partnership between the seminal Japanese saxophonist, Akira Sakata, and the Italian pianist and composer Giovanni Di Domenico.Born in 1945 and trained as a marine biologist, for decades Akira Sakata has stood at the f…

**500 copies** The debut release from the long-running Chicago based collaboration of Quin Kirchner, Daniel Van Duerm and Matthew Lux aka KVL. Also featuring super special guest Jaimie Branch on Peaceable. KVL sits nicely in the same headspace as recent modern improv that eschews a more traditional "jazz" label. Think Matthew Lux's Contra/Fact, Jaimie Branch's Fly or Die, Shabaka Hutching's Sons of Kemet or The Comet Is Coming, Ben Lamar Gaye, Rob Mazurek and others. Of course, many folks will p…

"Back in 2018, I was invited by Dave Rempis to participate in the Exposure Series at Elastic Arts in Chicago. The Series was for me a shining example of artist-lead organizing of different yet connected communities around the Music. From my standpoint, it is yet another in the continuum of such actions, specifically in Chicago, and has been a major inspiration for my work as an artist and for the material on this recording. The ensemble was assembled by Mr. Rempis, and was the first time the gro…

** Reissued for the first time with its original gatefold sleeve and cover ** Four Units is a kind of Japanese jazz "all star". Recorded in Tokyo on April 1969, it was released the same year on Union records. On the first two long songs that open this album, “Four Units” and “Dull Slumber”, we can feel the influence of the “avant-garde” scene of US jazz (and in particular ESP Disk), without however the music sounding too "free". A whole new vibe on the astonishing cover of "Scarborough Fair", in…

**New 3LP Deluxe Edition** Makaya McCraven's early 2015 offering In The Moment was pared from nearly 48 hours of live, improvised performance recorded at 1 venue over 12 months and 28 shows. Working with instrumental contributions from an array of Chicago jazz players (including Jeff Parker, Joshua Abrams, Marquis Hill, and Matt Ulery), Makaya culled, cut, rendered and remixed the mass of sounds into 19 potent pieces of organic beat music for the original 80-minute, 2xLP issue.At the close of a …

**In process of stocking** BBE Music presents J Jazz volume 3, the latest in its definitive compilation series exploring the finest modern jazz from Japan. Since the first volume in February 2018, the J Jazz compilation series has showcased some of the most creative, inspired, and sought-after jazz recorded in Japan during a golden period spanning the 1960s to the 1980s. Illustrating the richness and versatility of the composers and musicians on this collection, the music spans a wide yet cohere…

Here is the long awaited vinyl reissue of the debut masterpiece of Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake. Produced by "Third Stream" genius Gunther Schuller and originally released in 1961 "The Newest Sound Around" stands as one of the most original and creative vocal-piano duet albums in Jazz history. This is deep, intimate and atmospheric music that naturally flows through transformed jazz standards, mournful gospels and  highly imaginative originals. It's time to rediscover Jeanne Lee's enchanting voice a…

Drum and voice – a more archaic pairing could hardly be imagined. Under this motto, in 2016 the festival “Ad libitum” in Warsaw invited Charlotte Hug and Lucas Niggli as an improvisation duo. Although they live in the same city of Zurich, this was a first for both musicians. The electrified audience was just as overwhelmed by this recent discovery as the duo themselves: if they had known that their meeting would release such an exceptional, electrifying energy, this duo would have been born long…

Six sounds, six perspectives, six personalities. The “Sestetto Internazionale” is unique in different ways. You won’t find this line up a second time: two soprano saxophones, violine, piano, turntables and quartertone accordeon. Three high melody instruments and three instruments which act rhythmically and harmonically and melodically. But those cathegories don’t exist here. The only thing that counts is listening. These six worldclass improvisors like to create and expend sound scapes. It’s not…

Astral Spirit presents The Glass Delusion by Kuzu. Recorded October 13th, 2018 at Elastic Arts in Chicago and October 14th, 2018 at The Sugar Maple in Milwaukee, WI. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Dave Zuchowski. All compositions by Rempis/Dorji/Damon. Special Thanks to Adrienne Pierluissi and Bob Szocik. Artwork & Layout by Robert Beatty. Dave Rempis - alto/tenor/baritone saxophonesTashi Dorji - guitarTyler Damon - drums

** First pressing of 200 with artwork by Tiny Little Hammers ** Astral Spirits presents Unity in Isolation by Landon Caldwell & Nick Yeck-Stauffer. Crazy Doberman were holed up at A-Space in Indianapolis for their Illusory Expansion sessions, an amorphous span of organic and guided jams punctuated by smoke breaks, meals, and sleep. Players came in and went, sometimes in the middle of jams. I had never met Nick before. Most everyone went outside to smoke and give their ears a rest. I was sitting …

Fundacja Słuchaj! presents Tempranillo by Evan Parker & Agusti Fernandez. Recorded on November 24th, 1995 at Estudi 84, Barcelona (Spain). Recording and mixing engineer: David Casamitjana. All music by Evan Parker and Agustí Fernández. Piano tuning: Xavier Clascà. Original mastering: Coque Vázquez. New mastering: Ferran Conangla. Liner notes: Miquel Jurado. English version: Oriol Rogent. Photos: Sònia Balcells. Cover art: Zuza Ustjan. Recording produced by Agustí Fernández. Original CD released …

First time ever in the studio! Two great musicians! Double bass virtuoso from France, Bernard Santacruz and drum wizard Michael Zerang from the USA. Beautifully recorded in the legendary studio La Buissone in Pernes les Fontaines, where was made some most excellent recordings in such labels like for example ECM. Recorded on October 14th 2019 at Studio La Buissonne by Gérad de Haro. Mixed by Gérard de Haro. Mastering Nicolas Baillard. Liner Note: Michel Dorbon. Photo: Michel Dorbon. Cover design,…

** First pressing of 200 with artwork by Tiny Little Hammers ** Recorded over the course of 2019 by Don Forks at Palliative Studios. Dedicated to Steve Dalachinsky 1946-2019. Michael Foster: saxophones, Ben Bennett: drums, percussion

A tremendous pair of brand new studio albums created by drummer-leader Whit Dickey together with two distinct yet interrelated Quartets. All involved here have long been deep seekers of truth through sound, and between them is a luminous web of deeply affecting work, which now spans decades. This Yin & Yang pair presents their very latest work together. Peace Planet features Matthew Shipp - piano, Rob Brown - alto sax, William Parker - bass. Box of Light features Rob Brown - alto sax, Steve Swel…

* Edition of 100 * While working on a filmmusic job, Bjorn Eriksson started to fool around with a philharmonic orchestra plugin, and created his own crazy jazz combo. Music Iinfluenced by his heroes Django Reinhardt, Eric Dolphy, Duke Ellington, Raymond Scott, Ennio Morricone, Universe Zero and many others. This collection of compositions could be a soundtrack for a East European saga or a French strange  detective serie.  Although The Easywood KIller is a solo project, there will be a live grou…

** 2021 Stock ** Following in the footsteps of the landmark 1966 double-quartet recording by Joe Harriott and John Mayer, Indian born musician Amancio D’Silva produced some of the most adventurous and sophisticated recordings within the canon of ‘indo-jazz’, a term used to define a pioneering east meets west synthesis that reflected the shifting musical and cultural landscape of post-war Britain. An experiment which reached a pinnacle in 1972 with D’Silva’s seminal recording Dream Sequence by Co…

** First pressing glass mastered edition of 500 copies. Cinderblocks, safety glass, enfolded glass etched with text ** “Often, when finding titles for improvised music I go through poetry that I feel might have some relation to the way the music turned out. I look for two or three word phrases that capture something related. I think of this as “consulting a professional” when it comes to titles. When it came time for these titles, I found myself reaching for Fred Moten’s fantastic book “The Feel…

Teranga Beat proudly presents the drummer-composer Yannis Angelopoulos, aka Jan Van and his last project "Streams". A well known musician in the Athens jazz scene, accompanied by three fellow musicians, he created an album with a tough background story. Jan Van started as a drummer in clubs playing popular greek music (laïka) even before he was 18, a typical first step for a musician in Greece. In this way he experienced the underground and in fact the surrealistic atmosphere of the laïka greek …

** Original 1984 copies ** GRRR presents L'Homme à la Caméra by Un Drame Musical Instantané. Un Drame Musical Instantané is a collective of French composers led by Jean-Jacques Birgé. The French group, founded in 1976 presents original, unclassifiable, inventive music, which drifts from jazz to electronic music and contemporary music. In 1984, they composed their own score to Dziga Vertov’s groundbreaking 1929 film The Man with a Movie Camera.

We don't need to explain anything. Pianist Agusti Fernandez and bass player Barry Guy, probably two most important and creative masters of their instrument and incredibly creative musician work together with great success from many years. Recently they invited to company a young Catalan saxophonist Don Malfon, one of the most promising voice on the scene. Result? Fully improvised cycle of seven miniatures recorded live on Kultur-Schranne in Dachau (Germany) that portray these marvelous artists i…

Fundacja Słuchaj! presents Room of the Present by Guillermo Gregorio, Damon Smith and Jerome Bryerton. Recorded by Todd Carter, Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago 2007 & 2008. Mixed & mastered by Ryan Edwards. "Madipiece 1," "Madipiece 2," "Coplanar 1+2," "Moholy 2," and "Otra Musica 4b." by Guillermo Gregroio, Copyright Guillermo Gregorio "Cards" by Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble Of Chicago Publishing Co. Ascap. This album is structured around two performances of Guillermo Gregorio’s graphic scor…

Fundacja Słuchaj! ‎presents Known / Unknown by Paul Lytton and Nate Wooley.  Recorded January 2018 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Engineered and Mixed/Mastered by Bojan Vuletic. Special Thanks to Bojan and Maciej. All Music by Paul Lytton (GEMA) and Nate Wooley (fourwordseamusic BMI). Paul Lytton photo by Gerald Schauder. Nate Wooley photo Frank Schneeman. Graphic Design: Małgorzata Lipińska. Executive Producer: Maciej Karłowski. It had been awhile since we'd made a real studio recording in which I cou…

Fundacja Słuchaj! presents Scratching Fork by Marek Malinowski, Robert Rychlicki-Gąsowski and Wojciech Zadrużyński. Recorded at A/V Studio in Bydgoszcz, 11-12.11.2017. Recorded, mixed by Artur Maćkowiak. Mastered by Marcin Bociński. All compositions by Marek Malinowski. Photos by Wojciech Woźniak. Liner Notes: Robert Rychlicki. Graphic Design: Zuza Ustjan. Executive Producer: Maciej Karłowski. Special thanks to Tomasz Łuczak.  A place between structure and fluctuation where planning and spontane…

Legendary British saxsophoneist Evan Parker, and two great improvisers from Denamark Lotte Anker and Torben Snekkestad. Three reed's masters from different generations in beautiful perfomance where logic, philosopy and emotions build astonishing space. Recorded live at “KoncertKirken – Blågårds Plads” in Copenhagen, 24th Of September, 2016 By John Fomsgaard. Mixed And Mastered By John Fomsgaard at Karmacrew. Cover Design: Małgorzata Lipińska. Executive Producer: Maciej Karłowski.

The gifted American pianist Keith Jarrett is one of the jazz world’s greatest musicians. Born in suburban Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1948 with a mixed European cultural heritage, Jarrett was a child prodigy that played piano at the age of two, appeared on television, aged five, and gave his first classical recital, aged seven. After studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, he moved to New York in 1964 to perform at the Village Vanguard and then joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. D…

Astral Spirit presents Nights on Saturn (Communication) by [Ahmed]. Recorded live at Cafe OTO, London, December 5th, 2019. Recording: Shaun Cook. Mixing: Billy Steiger. Mastering: Mikey Young. Inner-sleeve text: ' Origins Revisited' by Pat Thomas (2004). Cover photo of Ahmed Abdul-Malik at the Cabana Club, New York City, 1965. "The journey of self-discovery, communing with the eternal sound. A musician steeped in multiple worlds; oceans apart yet closely connected in ancestral memory. Musicians …

Rogueart presents Joshua Abrams' Cloud Script. All compositions by Joshua Abrams. Recorded by Ken Brown on September 26th 2016 at Electrical Audio, Chicago, IL, USA. Joshua Abrams (double bass), Ari Brown (tenor saxophone), Jeff Parker (guitar), Gerald Cleaver (drums). “Sharp, deeply interactive, and soulful music; brilliant quartet!” - Rogueart

**In process of stocking** BBE Music presents the seventh release in its highly acclaimed J Jazz Master Class Series: ‘Evolution’ by Shintaro Quintet. Recorded in 1984 and originally released on the private label Streetnoise Records, ‘Evolution’ is a perfect example of stately modal jazz with every one of its five tracks composed by band leader and bassist, Shintaro Nakamura. A cut from the album, ‘A Blind Man’, was included on the BBE Music compilation ‘J Jazz – Deep Modern Jazz from Japan 1969…

BBE Music is proud to present another instalment in the J Jazz Masterclass Series: East Plants by Takeo Moriyama, one of Japan’s finest jazz drummers. A genuine ‘under the radar’ album known only to a handful of Japanese jazz collectors, East Plants is now available again, reissued for the first time as a double 180g LP, with exact reproductions of the original artwork, obi strip and insert. It also comes with the original notes fully translated. This reissue is fully endorsed by Takeo Moriyama …