Jazz /
Otoliths
Otoliths is the second album by the transatlantic quartet Earscratcher, which brings together Austrian pianist Elisabeth Harnik with three of her US-based cohorts – Dave Rempis on saxophones, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, and Tim Daisy on drums. Recorded live on tour in the US in December of 2024 - no small feat in an era when the longstanding xenophobic and insular tendencies of the country dominate more than ever - this sophomore outing finds a band whose roots have spread deep and wide. While t…
5 X Monk 5 X Lacy
*2025 stock* Silkheart Records is proud to present 5 x Monk, 5 x Lacy, a striking document from one of the most visionary voices in modern jazz, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy. This album is both a heartfelt homage to Thelonious Monk, one of Lacy’s lifelong inspirations, and an intimate showcase of his own groundbreaking compositional language.
Widely celebrated for bringing the soprano saxophone into contemporary jazz with a fierce individuality, Lacy distinguished himself not only as one of …
Edges
For whom you play, for yourselves, for the departed who live within you, for all the dilettantes who listen to you, for the young and the old, for the joyful and the sad, the melancholic of all stripes, for the innumerable, unnamed crowd that flits about on the earthly ball, these are the words of Baudelaire before he evoked the itinerant musicians, “one of the two played one of his compositions, and the other improvised beside him a variation, an accompaniment, an underscore”. I really like thi…
We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
Almost four generations of musicians; four very strong musical personalities, four very rich musical careers and, above all, four musicians who know how much the confrontation of different ideas pushes music forward; and it is exactly what we had hoped from this band, that they find a common language richer than the sum of the individual languages of each of them, a coherent musical material that respect each personality without reducing the great diversity of their individual approaches. If the…
Great Bliss Volume 1
*2025 stock* First released in 1991, Great Bliss Vol. 1 captures saxophonist David S. Ware at a pivotal moment, crystallizing his towering sound and visionary approach to ensemble improvisation. Joined by pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist William Parker, and drummer Marc Edwards, Ware leads a quartet that would go on to redefine the trajectory of free jazz in the 1990s and beyond.
This album presents the quartet in full command of their collective language, balancing unfettered exploration with d…
Joy (Within)!
Silkheart Records is proud to announce the release of Joy (Within)!, a historic duo recording by drummer William Hooker and violinist Billy Bang. Two uncompromising innovators of the New York avant‑garde scene come together in a meeting of fire, vision, and raw spirit, captured at a moment of rare clarity and intensity.
Forged in the legacy of free jazz but always reaching beyond it, Hooker and Bang find common ground in an unrelenting search for emotional truth. Hooker’s propulsive drumming d…
Naked Colours
*2025 stock* Silkheart Records proudly presents Naked Colours, a landmark release from the Hal Russell – Joel Futterman Quartet, bringing together four uncompromising voices in avant-garde jazz for a session that is as fearless as it is deeply human.
This recording captures the late Hal Russell, one of the most distinctive multi-instrumentalists in American free jazz, alongside visionary pianist and composer Joel Futterman, with Jay Oliver on bass and Robert Adkins on drums. Together, they pus…
Lifeline
Silkheart Records is proud to announce the release of Lifeline, the latest recording from visionary drummer, composer, and bandleader William Hooker, performed with his dynamic quartet. Lifeline captures the fierce urgency and expansive imagination that has defined Hooker’s work for decades, pushing the boundaries of jazz, free improvisation, and contemporary art music.
Throughout Lifeline, Hooker and his quartet dive deeply into music as a living, breathing force. Every piece reflects a profo…
Raining Fire
Silkheart Records proudly presents Raining Fire, a searing new statement from the legendary Charles Gayle Quartet, capturing the uncompromising spirit and transcendent intensity that define Gayle’s artistry. Known worldwide as one of the most powerful voices in free jazz, Gayle channels both ferocity and grace in music that pushes the limits of expression while remaining deeply human at its core.
On Raining Fire, Gayle leads his quartet with raw immediacy, sculpting sound into waves of relentl…
Spirits Before
*2025 stock* Silkheart Records proudly announces the release of Spirits Before, a powerful and deeply moving new recording from the legendary Charles Gayle Trio. Known for his fearless approach to improvisation and uncompromising spiritual intensity, Charles Gayle stands as one of the most vital voices in avant-garde jazz.
On Spirits Before, Gayle continues his lifelong exploration of music as a vehicle for truth, faith, and liberation. Joined by a dynamic rhythm section that both supports and…
One Fell Swoop
*2025 stock* Silkheart Records proudly presents the reissue of One Fell Swoop, a landmark recording by the legendary Steve Lacy Quartet. Originally released in the mid-1980s, this album captures the essence of Lacy’s uncompromising vision: rigorous, adventurous, and relentlessly lyrical.
On One Fell Swoop, Lacy is joined by an extraordinary ensemble of creative partners. Each brings a distinct voice to the music, forging a collective sound that is daring yet deeply connected. The quartet’s int…
The Gleam
*2025 stock* Silkheart Records proudly announces the reissue of The Gleam, a landmark recording by the visionary soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and his celebrated Sextet. Originally recorded during one of the ensemble’s most inspired periods, this album stands as a radiant example of Lacy’s uncompromising artistry and his lifelong pursuit of a sound both intimate and expansive.
The Steve Lacy Sextet—featuring longtime collaborators Steve Potts (alto & soprano saxophone), Irene Aebi (voice, vio…
Sustain
"In the quarter century since the members of AALY Trio were last in the studio together there have been countless performances and albums made by the core members of the band. The remarkable parallels that existed between the improvised music scenes in Stockholm and Chicago from 1995 to 2000 extended well beyond the collaboration with AALY and me. Those circumstances are no longer the same due to the shifting sands of the international scene: artists, venues, record labels, writers, radio DJs, a…
Kimatika
An irresistible splurge of sax, krautrock grooves and heavy modular doom that should excite fans of Bent Arcana, Holden/Zimpel and The Comet is Coming.” -- Uncut
"Blend of disobedient free jazz with krautrock" -- Louder Than War
Kimatika, the 3rd album by the Slovenian audio-visual trio Etceteral, is a visceral plunge into the raw undercurrents of futuristic jazz, motoric propulsion, free improv and elastic compositions. A growling baritone sax weaves through pulsating electronics and restless d…
Collected Works
*2025 stock* PainKiller's Collected Works presents the complete documentation of one of experimental music's most brutal and boundary-pushing collaborations. This four-CD compilation gathers all studio recordings and essential live performances from the trio of John Zorn (saxophone, vocals), Bill Laswell (bass), and Mick Harris (drums, vocals), documenting their three-year assault on the boundaries between avant-garde jazz and extreme metal. PainKiller was formed in 1991 when NYC downtown giants…
Reflectativity
Reflectativity, first released on Leo Smith's own label in the early 1970s is one of the most important extended compositions blending improvisation and composition, and one of Leo Smith's masterpieces. This exciting new version features the brilliant pianist/composer Anthony Davis (who performed on the original recording) and longtime friend and colleague Malachi Favors—the legendary monster bass player from the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Coupled with several new compositions, this CD brings toge…
New Africa
** Comes in a deluxe matte laminate digi sleeve and printed inner wallet + 16-page booklet featuring archival photos & exclusive essay by jazz ** A vital document of artistic resistance and spiritual searching, New Africa captures a transformative moment in jazz and global Black consciousness. Recorded in Paris in 1969, the album stands as a deeply personal and boldly experimental statement from American trombonist and composer Grachan Moncur III — one of the most compelling figures of the avan…
PorchBone
*2025 stock* Driff Records proudly announces the release of PorchBone, the latest project from Dutch saxophonist and composer Jorrit Dijkstra, leading an adventurous ensemble that brings new colors and textures to contemporary improvised music.
On PorchBone, Dijkstra assembles a singular front line that sets alto saxophone and lyricon alongside the rich, brassy voice of the trombone. This unusual pairing creates a wide palette of timbres—by turns muscular, playful, and surprisingly intimate. Th…
Out From Athens
*2025 stock* A cross-generation and cross-genre collaboration bringing together two musicians who share a common city of origin and who find a common music thread in their distinct backgrounds. This beautifully recorded set of piano and bass duets and solos from the summer of 2023 in Athens, Greece, features a mix of original compositions and improvisations.
Truss
*2025 stock* It’s not often that Aerophonic Records has put out recordings by bands that are first-time groupings. There are a few notable ones, including AR024 and 026 – Of Things Beyond Thule Volume 1 and 2 featuring Joe McPhee, Tomeka Reid, Brandon Lopez, and Paal Nilssen-Love. Another one was AR029 Stringers and Struts with Jeff Parker, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, and Jeremy Cunningham. Those lineups and performances were just too stellar to let them pass without being documented (and those reco…