Jazz /
Keep Your Heart Straight
It was May 2009 when I first heard Alexander Hawkins play at the Vortex Jazz Club, with the Anthony Braxton s cornet-playing protégé Taylor Ho Bynum, bassist Dominic Lash and drummer Harris Eisenstadt in the Convergence Quartet. The music was an idiomatic white-knuckle ride, and all the players were variously fascinating but the then 28 year-old Hawkins was a revelation, for the audacity of his ideas, the depth of his understanding of both thematic and free-form musics, and for his Cecil Taylor-…
Before the Wind Changes
Ogun presents Before the Wind Changes, the quartet of Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Johnny Dyani and Louis Moholo-Moholo recorded live at Jazzclub De Hoop, Waregem, Belgium on 1st July 1979.
An Open Letter to my Wife Mpumi
Ogun presents An Open Letter to my Wife Mpumi by Louis Moholo-Moholo Unit. Louis Moholo-Moholo - drums and vocals. Jason Yarde - soprano, alto & baritone saxophones. Ntshuks Bonga - alto & tenor saxophones. Pule Pheto - piano. Orphy Robinson - vibraphone. John Edwards - bass. Francine Luce - vocals. Recorded in London, Nov 2008. "It's a ragged and jam-like studio set with a raucous live feel - but it confirms Moholo-Moholo's presence on the scene as a blast of fresh air." - The Guardian
Khumbula (Remember)
A duo recording from October 2004, produced by Evan Parker, which marked the first time that Louis Moholo-Moholo and Stan Tracey had worked together for thirty years and the first time ever as a duo. The pair entered Gateway Studios in Kingston, London with no prior discussion on what form the music should take, choosing instead to let the music take them. This glorious album is the result.
Mpumi
An album of piano / drums duets that Louis named for his beloved, and now tragically departed, wife Mpumi. The recordings took place in London in September, 1995, though the album was not actually released until 2002.
"Louis Moholo-Moholo, Son of the soil, has embarked on this musical journey with two of South Afrika's treasures - pianists Mervyn Africa and Pule Pheto. The third Pianist being his old favourite and friend, Keith Tippett. Louis's vibrant, warm and marvellous sounds celebrate the m…
Bò Kay La Vi-a
Ogun presents Bò Kay La Vi-a by Francine Luce. One of the lesser-known gems in the Ogun catalogue - check the the list of participating musicians to start with! Francine, originally from Martinique but a long-time resident of the UK, has contributed her unique vocals to Louis Moholo-Moholo's Unit and Septet, and to the Dedication Orchestra, but this her debut album from 1999 remains her only recorded output under her name on Ogun.
Different Times Vol 2
A second volume of valuable documents from the Ogun archives by label co-founder Harry Miller. the tracks come from three sessions spanning 1977-1982. All feature Harry on bass with Louis Moholo-Moholo behind the drum kit and Trevor Watts on sax, other musicians included are Alan Wakeman (sax), Bernie Holland (guitar), Keith Tippett (piano), Alan Tomlinson (trombone), Dave Holdsworth (trumpet). This joyful music, at times rough around the edges but full of life and spirit, conviction and enthusi…
Pipedream
King Crimson/Soft Machine alumnus Mark Charig played in Keith Tippett's group and Centipede big band, and here on his sole Ogun album Keith and vocalist Ann Winter formed a trio to create a gem of free improvisation. Recorded over two cold days in January 1977, in a Bristol church, it was released on LP as OG 710, then reissued in 2010 on CD (OGCD033) with an extra previously unreleased track.
Live at Willisau
This famous recording previously released as an LP now on CD with extra music launched the Ogun label. Recorded live at the Willisau Jazz Festival, Sept. 1974. Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath big band was exciting packed audiences throughout Europe, and needed an outlet provided by this new label, home of the South African family. The cover was designed by Niklaus Troxler with sleeve notes by Val Wilmer.
Recorded live at Willisau, Switzerland, 27 January 1973 by Roland Janz. Edited and re…
Madagascar Now - Maintenant 'Zao
** Carefully remastered. 4 page booklet with rare and unpublished photos ** While he was working on the repertoire for the new version of his group Malagasy, with young Malagasy musicians he had met in Paris in 1972 (and who can be heard on the album "Malagasy At Newport-Paris"), Jef Gilson realised that two of his new discoveries, in addition to being established polyinstrumentalists (who both had sharpened their skills in the legendary seja-jazz band from La Réunion, Le Club Rythmique), were a…
Malagasy
** Carefully remastered. 4 page booklet with rare and unpublished photos.** Paris, May 13th 1968. There was a general strike. One last plane left the runway, strewn with flaming oil drums. On board were three jazz musicians wondering whether they would be able to return home one day. But for the time being they really want to make it to Madagascar where concerts and workshops with young local musicians were waiting for them. Pianist and bandleader Jef Gilson was accompanied by his bassist Gilber…
Live in Munich
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…
Cardinal Point
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,…
Scratching Fork
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…
Spectral
** 2021 Stock ** Aerophonic Records presents Spectral by Dave Rempis, Darren Johnston and Larry Ochs. This free-improvising trio came together in the fall of 2011, when Rempis journeyed to the West Coast to discover some things about his compatriots on the Bay Area improving scene. Trumpeter Johnston, a frequent visitor to Chicago, where the two had collaborated in several different settings in the years prior, suggested this trio lineup for a performance at Oakland’s Uptown Nightclub. Although …
From Here from There
He is la giusi, I am il piera. We'll explain why we have these nicknames another time. We started rehearsing in 1996. Three years and three recordings passed before we decided to release our first CD, "19 Calefactions" Takla Rec. Since then we have never stopped seeing each other and sharing experiences and paths. As a duo we have released three more works: "Due" Z.rec., "Big Margotta" Brokenresearch, and "Nel margine" Red Toucan. We have always liked trio collaborations and we have released the…
Directions
If you thought that Rafael Toral’s quartet was named after some reference to Sun Ra’s spatial jazz, here is the confirmation that there’s much more at stake than that, even if the many allusions to the Saturn envoy are also true. Space is the valorization of pauses, interstices, a certain measure of expression and narrative, a way to create transparencies and, most of all, a return to a human dimension, aware of its heart beating, its organic, silent thinking/ inner living of bodily functions. I…
Nature Hath Painted the Body
Clean Feed presents Nature Hath Painted the Body by Jonas Cambien Trio. André Roligheten soprano and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet | Andreas Wildhagen drums | Jonas Cambien piano (soprano saxophone on track 4, organ on tracks 6, 11). Belgian-born, Oslo-based pianist Jonas Cambien couldn’t have chosen better partners than Andreas Wildhagen and André Roligheten to perform his cleverly constructed compositions. On its third studio album, his trio shows itself as a tightly interacting ensemble, …
The Moment
** 2021 Stock ** Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre provides us with a rare glimpse into his live performance. Perhaps one of the most influential and under-recorded artists of the AACM, Kalaparush is joined by Ravish Momin on percussion and Jesse Dulman on tuba. Jesse's tuba recalls the pre-bass second line of jazz music and Ravish provides worldly polyrhythmic sequences. All of the playing comes together with the elegance of Kalaparush's compositions and improvisations. Recorded at one night's perfor…
The Eighth House - Riding with Pluto
** 2021 Stock ** The 8th House is a disc of solo clarinet and saxophone improvisations with a few duets with Juma Santos thrown in. Wendell Harrison and the Tribe were pioneers along with BAG in St. Louis and the AACM in Chicago. Here Wendell recalls some of the freedom and soul from his early work with the Tribe in Detroit. He is joined by percussionist Juma Santos on a few tracks. You may recall Juma from his work with Miles Davis on the Bitches Brew record, or some of his work with Marion Bro…