Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

On Dybbuk Tse!, Yoni Mayraz turns Jewish possession lore into a groove‑driven exorcism: live‑wire jazz, 90s NYC hip‑hop grit and Middle Eastern modes colliding in a story where a wandering spirit is forced out beat by beat.

On Grzyby, Błoto complete their mycelium cycle with a compact blast of medicinal‑and‑toxic club jazz: five mushroom‑named cuts of broken beats, sub‑heavy low end and live improvisation that argue for dialogue and interdependence in a world addicted to walls.

Massada is a dynamic Dutch Latin band with deep roots in the Moluccan community, renowned for their unique blend of African, Brazilian, and Balearic grooves fused with soulful world music styles. Their music is a rich tapestry of rhythms and melodies that seamlessly cross cultural boundaries, captivating audiences with its infectious energy and heartfelt emotion. Since their formation, Massada has been celebrated for their ability to innovate within the Latin and world music genres, creating sou…

On Anthem for Peace, Alan Braufman leads a razor‑sharp quartet through compact, hook‑rich tunes that braid spiritual jazz, buoyant post‑bop and modal, Eastern‑tinged themes into a forward‑moving set that feels both steeped in history and fully present tense.

Sixty years after Horace Tapscott founded the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra in Los Angeles, the flame burns bright in Berlin. Efuru is the first album by the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arktet, led by saxophonist and composer Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq - former assistant conductor, arranger and longtime member of Tapscott's legendary UGMAA collective. This is not nostalgia. This is continuation. This is the real deal. Recorded live at the Schlot Jazz Club in Berlin on May 20, 2024, Efuru brings together the larg…

On Scenery, Ryo Fukui turns a late‑start passion into a quietly astonishing debut: airy, confident trio swing and luminous ballads that distil a distinctly Hokkaido sense of space, light and seasonal melancholy into six perfectly breathing performances.

On A Letter From Slowboat, Ryo Fukui makes a late‑career return to the studio that feels like a love note to his Sapporo club: standards and originals rendered with stronger touch, deeper emotion and an almost glowing lyricism shaped by a lifetime at the piano.

On My Favorite Tune, Ryo Fukui steps out alone at the piano for the only time on record, revisiting “Scenery” and “Mellow Dream” while unveiling northern‑lit originals that fuse bebop depth with a distinctly Hokkaido sense of stillness and space.

On In New York, Ryo Fukui steps into a Manhattan studio with Barry Harris’s rhythm team and delivers a straight‑ahead bebop session: standards and a newly ignited “Mellow Dream” played with weighty touch, elastic swing and an unmistakable sense of intent.

On Moon Stone, Mikio Masuda channels the plush 70s crossover of Bob James and Ramsey Lewis into a distinctly Japanese fusion: electric keys, supple grooves and subtly psychedelic guitars gliding between jazz, rock and mellow funk.

2024 Repress. Eastern-infused outstanding album by German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff – recording here in 1964, but sounding years ahead of his time, with an amazing a blend of jazz and Asian styles! The album's one of Mangelsdorff's best ever – a set of rhythmic tunes that seem clearly informed by the work of Ornette and Joe Harriott, but also based along eastern themes picked up by the group on a tour of the Orient – and performed by a sharp-edged quintet that includes Heinz Sauer on tenor …

Jaki Byard was a visionary multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, teacher, and pianist. His early experiences with classical music fused seamlessly with a deep passion for jazz, shaping his unique style. While he mastered numerous instruments including trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and drums the piano became his main voice. By the early 1960s, he had established himself as a dynamic and forward-thinking player, joining Charles Mingus's ensemble and contributing to seminal works like Mingus, …

“Francesco Sotgiu has forged a unique and very swinging project of songs. With a quintet consisting of Luigi Bonafede on piano, Emanuele Cisi and Riccardo Luppi on woodwinds, Salvatore Maiore on bass, Francesco on drums, and with special guest Paolo Fresu on trumpet to cap off this heartfelt collection. There is also a nice diversity of groups within this larger collection. A nice trio piece called “Calm” featuring Paolo Birro sitting in with Marco Micheli and Francesco. And one called “Lotus Bl…

Originally recorded in 1961 and released on the New Jazz label, 'Into Something' showcases Yusef Lateef's innovative fusion of hard bop with Eastern musical influences. Accompanied by pianist Barry Harris, bassist Herman Wright, and drummer Elvin Jones, Lateef delivers a compelling set that balances lyrical standards with adventurous originals. This limited edition reissue includes two bonus tracks and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl, offering enhanced sound quality for audiophiles and jazz enthusi…

2024 Stock  The arrival of English tenor saxophonist Tubby Hayes in New York during the autumn of 1961 caused a sensation in American jazz circles. The first British jazz soloist to ever make a guest appearance in a US club, his opening night at the Half Note was attended by figures including Miles Davis, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, with Metronome describing Hayes as a swinging ambassador from Britain who definitely can hold his own in fast company. At the end of his visit Hayes recorded the album Tu…

Orchestrated by legendary producer Alan Lorber, this talented cast of musicians weave their way through Eastern-influenced and psychedelic interpretations of pop gems and some way-out-there originals, in an album touted as the first in the fusion of raga and jazz. Brimming with the sounds of sitar, tabla, and Gamelan percussion, this eccentric blend of Eastern and Western music includes four originally unissued bonus tracks! Packaged in a gorgeous replica of the original gatefold jacket, featuri…

The Middle Eastern Soul of Carlee Records collects the early works of Baronian who's probably best known as a key contributor on John Berberian's Middle Eastern Rock. This set includes his early 50s work with the Nor-Ikes, and his early 70s albums Hye Inspiration and Middle Eastern Soul. This monster is a barrage of middle eastern clarinet, oud, dumbek, kanun, sax, tambourine, wild percussion, and kaval, along with finger cymbals and the occasional vocal from some of his favorite belly dancers. …

On Masao Yagi Plays Thelonious Monk (1960), Masao Yagi leads a sharp Tokyo quintet through an all‑Monk program, translating Thelonious’s craggy angles into a supple, swinging Japanese modern‑jazz dialect without smoothing away the music’s built‑in mischief.

This album was made in celebration of the ancestors who carried the Music in their blood and bones and spread it around the Earth, from the earliest times until now. Music crosses continents and cultures and time, and when it speaks of the truth it transcends musical genealogy and continues a timeline from the earliest sources up to the present day. This album pays tribute to the music and musicians that spoke to me from their hearts to mine, inspiring me in so many ways, not just musical ones. …

With drummer Kenny Wollesen (Tom Waits, John Zorn, Norah Jones) and Dave Harrington (of electronic duo Darkside) guitar/bass/electronics, New York-based Swedish/Turkish saxophonist, composer, club-label owner Ilhan Ersahin captures the vibe of impromptu, cross-pollinating, and heavily grooving late-night jam sessions at Nublu, his “East Village Club where everything goes” (New York Times). The telepathy and intuition that flows between these three musicians is one that has developed over many ye…

A fascinating blend of jazz and contemporary classical influences, How Time Passes is the debut album from the envelope pushing trumpeter and composer Don Ellis. Known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of time signatures, Ellis began his long career in the New York Citys post bop and avant-garde jazz scenes of late 1950s. Most notably he appeared on Charles Mingus Mingus Dynasty, and albums by George Russell and Maynard Feguson. But he also worked with, among ot…

This is one of three albums made by one of the best formations led by saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley during his whole career. This “Cannonball” Adderley Quintet included his brother Nat Adderley on cornet, pianist Junior Mance, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Jimmy Cobb.Together they made the classic LPs Sophisticated Swing, Cannonball Enroute and the present album Cannonball’s Sharpshooters.

2025 stock Silver is Ilhan Ersahin's latest project and a bit of a departure from his other musical undertakings A group consisting of himself on Rhodes keyboards and Tenor Saxophone, trumpet icon Eddie Henderson, bass legend Juuini Booth and drums, percussion sorcerer Kenny Wollesen. Silver emphasizes on mood and tone. The "bite-sized" approach of this ensemble translates as a string of 5-minute individual pieces. Silver couldn't sound the way it does if it weren't for the presence of two certi…

2025 stock When Lonnie Liston Smith left the Miles Davis band in 1974 for a solo career, he was, like so many of his fellow alumni, embarking on a musical odyssey. For a committed fusioneer, he had no idea at the time that he was about to enter an abyss that it would take him the better part of two decades to return from. Looking back upon his catalog from the period, this is the only record that stands out -- not only from his own work, but also from every sense of the word: It is fully a jazz …

Spiritual keyboard improvisations performed by Laraaji and recorded in a Brooklyn Church by Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs, Mary Lattimore). Sun Piano finds Laraaji fulfilling a lifelong ambition to return to his first instrument, learnt whilst growing up in 1950s New Jersey. A departure from his FX-soaked cosmic zither jams, these elegant miniatures nevertheless reveal enough personality and inner light to be clearly identifiable as ‘Laraaji Music’. This release is the latest step in…

In July 1984, the otherworldly entourage of over fifty musicians of Urban Sax swarmed across the coastal town of Pori, Finland, to perform a historic concert at the Pori Jazz Festival. The masked musicians, veiled in space suits and fencing masks, arrived at the scene of the concert in the Central Pori Church by fire engines, forklifts and water buses from all over the town, followed by an ecstatic and bewildered crowd of festival-goers and amazed locals alike. For those present, the explosively…

On Compass Rises, Compass condense the grit and openness of early‑’70s upstate jazz into one privately pressed statement, an acoustic‑electric set that threads post‑Coltrane toughness, modal burn and soulful swing into a clear, straight‑ahead identity.

Talented jazz composer, conductor, arranger, trombonist and keyboardist Michael Gibbs’ two albums for Deram, dating from 1970 and 1971. Gibbs recorded with Graham Collier, Johnny Dankworth, Kenny Wheeler and  in the late 60s, before starting his recording career. As a producer and arranger, Gibbs has worked with a who’s who of artists including Whitney Houston, Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Peter Gabriel and many more. Digitally remastered and slipcased. Extensive new notes by Cha…

Available for the very first time, the intergalactic icon Sun Ra and his Arkestra’s Lights On A Satellite: Live at the Left Bank was recorded on July 23, 1978 at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, Maryland by the Left Bank Jazz Society. The limited-edition 2-CD set contains audio from the Sun Ra Archives and was researched and compiled by Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson. The critically acclaimed independent filmmaker Robert Mugge has also provided audio from the recordings he made at the Lef…

Reissuing and remastering eight landmark albums released between 1956 and 1962, this collection traces iconoclastic pianist Cecil Taylor's evolution from bop-influenced beginnings to the groundbreaking free jazz forms he helped pioneer, featuring collaborations with Steve Lacy, John Coltrane, Kenny Dorham, Archie Shepp, Clark Terry, Roswell Rudd, and others, culminating in his trailblazing trio with Jimmy Lyons and Sunny Murray.

Big tip! This is it! Chicago spiritual jazz master Kahil El'Zabar delivers one of the most powerful live recordings in recent memory! Captured over two unforgettable nights at "mu" in London - July 15th & 16th, 2024 - this is music as ancient ritual, as communion, as healing force. El'Zabar created new material specifically for these performances, alongside reimagined arrangements of classics like Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", Gershwin's "Summertime", and Duke Ellington & Juan Tizol's "Caravan".…

Florida-born saxophonist, composer, poet, actor and playwright Archie Shepp was one of the most articulate exponents of politicized black culture in the late ‘60s, a time of enormous upheaval and radical thought. Relocating to Paris he made a number of highly influential albums, such as Blasé, that broached the essential themes of freedom and racial equality, and tapped into the bedrock of African-American music. Gospel and blues were a major part of the work, which also had a strong avant-garde…

On a Sunday in the early 70s in South LA, you could easily find yourself standing in a high school auditorium, watching Horace Tapscott conduct the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra as they poured out music like a benediction. No tickets, no VIP list—just the community, gathered. This was music as civic duty, as spiritual practice, as revolution by other means. Live at Widney High December 26th, 1971 captures one such afternoon, previously unreleased and now arriving like a dispatch from a parallel u…

"We’re listening to Blue Train, which to me is one of the most beautiful pieces on one of the most beautiful records that Coltrane recorded in the fifties. It’s his first real mature statement and he wrote all but one of the tunes on this album which was very rare in the fifties and each one is a gem, particularly the title tune Blue Train. And while it’s kind of easy to play the blues, this has a suspended and haunting kind of quality to it." - Michael Cuscuna

A groundbreaking session of European jazz – one of the first true moments of genius from singer Karin Krog! Tracks are long and experimental without getting too far out – and Karin's icy voice flows out magically over compelling tunes that still remain some of the most striking jazz vocals ever recorded! The set has Karin singing with a group of young, hip Scandinavian players that include Jan Garbarek on saxes, Arild Andersen on bass, and Terje Bjorklund on piano – all of whom stretch out in lo…

Renowned British saxophonist and composer Nat Birchall proudly presents his latest album, Liberated Sounds, a vibrant homage to the golden era of Jamaican ska. Drawing inspiration from the fiery horn instrumentals of the early 1960s, Birchall channels the spirit of legendary musicians such as Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, and Roland Alphonso—artists who helped shape the sound of groups like The Skatalites and Prince Buster’s All Stars. The album captures the energy, soul, and improvisational flair…

Double LP version. Black Vinyl. Their first two albums, Exit and Enter, were presented with sizable and ambitious line-ups of 28 musicians. Ritual saw it reduced to 21 and with Arrival it's been trimmed down to a "mere" 14, with the core trio of Fire! (Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling, and Andreas Werliin) and the two singers Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg being the only constant members since the beginning. Apart from this reduction, the main line-up difference is the introduction of a str…

Fire! tracking new paths and reaching new levels of excellence, still honoring their 12-year-old vow of presenting a fresh approach to improvised music. Their debut album, You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago, was released in 2009 to wide international acclaim. "The basic strategy of pairing the expressive energy of free jazz with a sturdy sense of groove has yielded something potent and self-contained" --New York Times. Between this and Defeat there´s been five albums, including collaborations with Ji…

that includes bonus CD, edition of 500. Fire! is a Swedish trio comprising Mats Gustafsson (The Thing), Johan Berthling (Tape), and Andreas Werliin (Wildbirds & Peacedrums), which came together with the idea of a fresh approach to improvised music drawing upon a number of influences from free jazz, psychedelic rock, and noise. Fire! is also these musicians' vehicle for rekindling their instrumental skills, playing outside their comfort zones, and collaborating with such prestigious guests s…

Their previous album Arrival of The New Elders presented a more varied and reflective trio, still as groovy as ever, but more structured and less jam oriented, earning them a 9/10 review in Uncut and a spot in their albums of the year list, noting their telepathic communion and concluding with “this is an Elephant9 you´ll never forget”. Reviews in Jazzwise, Shindig, Prog, Electronic Sound, The Quietus and several others followed in the same fashion. We´re delighted to confirm that Mythical River…