Jazz & Improvisation / Free Improvisation

Federico Ughi Together with Leo Genovese and Brandon Lopez Explores the Spaceways in the New Multidimensional CD ‘Infinite Cosmos Calling You You You, Vol. 1’

In January of 2016, Jaimie Branch launched a monthly free jazz series with a new ensemble at Brooklyn’s now debunked Manhattan Inn. Sharing the first night of her series with a trio on tour from Chicago (Nick Mazzarella, Anton Hatwich and Frank Rosaly), the trumpeter Branch assembled a quartet to match: cellist Tomeka Reid, bassist Jason Ajemian, and drummer Chad Taylor. Between visitors and expats, it was a night of performers exclusively from The Windy City. “I wanted New York to hear what Chi…

Dunmall continues his run of very special releases on Discus Music. Working with a nine piece group centered around his Birmingham based colleagues, and which includes double keys and electronics, Dunmall delivers a swirling mix of spacey big band music which breaks down into atmospheric and exciting open ended improvisations from time to time. Paul considers this to be a milestone release, and one which is unlike anything else in his extensive discography. Edited and produced with respect, love…

“For me this music felt like coming home. Or perhaps I should say this feels where I should really be; proud to be associated with it.” - Sam Richards

What Happens Has Become Now is Jessica Pavone's fifth solo viola album and her fourth for Relative Pitch Records. Over the past twenty years, Pavone has been developing solo music based on the pitches of the open strings intended to accentuate the natural sympathetic resonances of her particularly loud viola. Over the years, she has incorporated and experimented with electronic effects to give herself a "partner" to play with and more texture to her compositions. This album features a track perf…

"This recording of solo improvisations was initiated and realized by my longtime friend and collaborator David Bailey. We recorded nearly all of these pieces on the evening of a lunar eclipse, after David brought his vintage reel-to-reel tape machine to my old warehouse living room. The process and timing created an energy of focused intensity and stark intimacy, which is apparent in the music. I am grateful for the support, diligence and patience of my friend, whose unending faith in the myster…

ONCEIM (Orchestre de Nouvelles Créations, Expérimentations et Improvisations Musicales) is a French new music ensemble, established in 2012 by pianist Frédéric Blondy, and comprising over 30 European improvisers and members of prominent jazz, free jazz, free improv and contemporary classical groups. Through the in-depth exploration of improvisational practices, the Onceim musicians have developed a rich and unique panel of know-how. It’s as if each musician were one tool within a toolbox, all at…

At the crossroad of different worlds, Hubbub comprises five musicians with activities in various fields. Together, they work on the sound matter to create a moving electro-acoustic space inhabited by layers, distensions, imbrications, pulsations, dots and lines. Thanks to the longevity of the group, Hubbub has developed its own universe, which is more than just the sum of its parts.

SORBD brings together 5 musicians from the European improvised music and free jazz scene who have distinguished themselves as strong artistic personalities. The five instrumentalists and composers are characterized by their own sound language and the development of contemporary concepts of ensemble playing. The improvisation in various constellations, as well as conceptual composition sketches, lead to a high degree of interactive playfulness, surprising moments of noise and sensual sound images…

Tobias Klein, Marta Warelis and Frank Rosaly have been playing trio since 2020. Right from the start there was a remarkable chemistry between them — intense and relaxed at the same time — and very personal.

*300 copies limited edition* Excited to unveil the self-titled debut record from a new duo of Rob Mazurek & Nick Terry - C6Fe2RN6! The Marfa-based duo's music sprouted from a mutual admiration for each other's visual art (Nick Terry primarily being known for his visual art, but get ready to hear more of his musical work) and eventually turned into regular get togethers to chat and play music. What you hear in C6Fe2RN6 is what happened in Mazurek's Marfa Experimental Studio, haunting and ephemera…

2nd Volume of the perfect pairing Brötzmann & Nilssen-Love!  Recorded at Zuiderpershuis in Antwerp, August 2015.  Liner notes-transcription of an interview with Peter Brötzmann.

*200 copies limited edition* Again recorded live at Cafe Oto (London, UK), Colin Webster re-assembled his large ensemble, with the exception of John Edwards (who couldn't make it) being replaced by Caius Williams on the double bass, for another performance that pushed the barrier. Released on Colin's own Raw Tonk Records.

*100 copies limited edition* Freshly on Creative Sources is this debut duo collaboration by French 11 string guitarist Christian Vasseur and Belgium's Dirk Serries on his archtop guitar. Performed and recorded at the stunning Oude Klooster chapel in Brecht (Belgium). Both musicians met each other for the first at the Alternative Guitar Festival, organised by Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg in 2023 at Haekem Theatre (Brussels, Belgium) and immediately felt a kindred spirit for the abstract and immense…

*200 copies limited edition* "Almost a throwback to the glory days of 1970s Free Jazz, Driven’s one lengthy improvisation is played with fire and determination by a pan-European quintet. But with several generations of creative musicians now exploring that style, New Thing excesses have been pared to mature interaction. Consisting of Belgians, pianist Martina Verhoeven and guitarist Dirk Serries, Portuguese bassist Gonçalo Almeida, Dutch drummer Onno Govaert and British alto saxophonist Colin We…

*200 copies limited edition* This is Lemadi Trio's 2nd album for A New Wave Of Jazz. The trio consists of José Lencastre on alto sax, Martina Verhoeven on piano and Dirk Serries on archtop guitar. On contrary to its debut on which Martina plays the electric Crumar piano, she plays the grand piano here. Truly a game changer as the timbre is quite different from tis predecessor, with the clear and pristine acoustics at the home 'Canonical Discourse' is an album that furthermore expands the communc…

*200 copies limited edition* Connaisseurs of the label are most likely familiar with Tonus, the minimalist rotating ensemble curated by Dirk Serries.  6 years after Texture Point the trio configuration of Martina Verhoeven (piano), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Dirk Serries (archtop guitar) returns with a new album. This session was performed and recorded at the home studio. Still playing with the trademark pacing of Tonus, this album definitely takes a dive into more abstract and intense phrases …

*200 copies limited edition* Transition Unit is the brand-new trio of Rodrigo Pinheiro (piano), José Lencastre (alto and tenor sax) and Dirk Serries (archtop guitar). When Dirk Serries flew to Portugal in 2023 at the invitation of José for a number of concerts in duo, he received an surprise invitation from Rodrigo for a studio session. Rodrigo Pinheiro is a class act, a fantastic pianist who has earned his place in both classical free jazz and contemporary music with, among others, his magnific…

Live rec. at June 21st, 2024 by Udo Schindler at Kulturbahnhof München-GiesingMix by Wolfgang Obrecht / Tonstudio RichArt. Cover photo by Udo Schindler.All compositions by Udo Schindler, Erhard Hirt, Ove Volquartz. Produced by Udo SchindlerUdo Schindler plays a bflat-clarinet mod.3000 by Seggelke Klarinetten, a Leblanc metal doublebass clarinet modified till low C by Bruno Waltersbacher (& Benedikt Eppelsheim†) with a mouthpiece by Max Geller & use a bass clarinet heavy neck by Martin Suter (Bla…

A live recording of an amazing performance by Sabu Toyozumi, Claudia Cervenca and Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg. Recorded live at Schnittpunkte Festival, Heiligenkreuz, Austria, 2015 and at Karel, Brussels on 26 June 2012.

John Butcher is interested in particular people and their personalities. He prefers not to work in a generic situation, where there's an agreement in advance to play a certain kind of thing, and the music cannot swerve in a sudden fresh direction. As he told me a few years back: "What got me so interested in the type of improvising I ended up really spending time on was, at least at a personal level, there was a feeling you could start from scratch. Now you might well be mistaken, and rediscover…

The record can be considered a sort of farewell note to one of London’s most crucial venues for improvised music and sound art after its unexpected closure in late 2023 due to gentrification. John Butcher had previously collaborated with these three musicians in different contexts, but Unlockings documents a first-of-its-kind quartet line-up. "I wanted a new combination, but made of players I’d worked with over the years" says Butcher. "Choosing is probably 75 % about the player and 25 % about t…

Saxophonist Omicil builds atmospheres then upends expectations in this free-jazz homage to Haiti’s successful 18th-century slave insurrection - The Guardian

*2024 stock* A collaboration between saxofonist Evan Parker and drummer John Stevens. Recorded on 8 June 1993 at Angel Studio, Islington, London Recorded direct to U-Matic master using Schoeps and Neumann microphones.

Remastered from the original analog tapes of the duet between Anthony Braxton and Gino Robair from sessions recorded on August 6th and October 9th 1987 at Cal State University, Hayward, California. This release includes all of the music from the original, limited-edition LP as well as extra tracks from the same sessions.

What becomes quickly apparent when the music ends is that the parts of the brain wired for multi-tasking and instant contextualization have been swamped by Masaoka and Braxton’s palette, their bold strokes and the vaulting arcs they form.

2009 release ** "Creative music making is a matter of energy, heart, and trust, and when all three are present the music flies. A meeting of three old Chicago friends and collaborators, flutist Nicole Mitchell, drummer Hamid Drake, and bassist Harrison Bankhead, the Indigo Trio soars with the kind of spiritual energy that has inspired Great Black Music from its inception... Building a bridge between composition and improvisation, Bankhead, Drake, and Mitchell have created an inspiring album. Wit…

Evan Parker and Matthew Shipp!Two (exceptional) musicians, two backgrounds, two approaches to music, two generations, an ocean between them: at the end, only one music, unique, outstanding, made of listening and respect of each other. The purpose is not to limit themselves to what they might have in common, but to expand the realm of possibility by assimilating in the moment what the other can bring.

"The long-standing duo of German multi-reedist & brass player Udo Schindler and drummer Eric Zwang Eriksson are joined by percussionist Erwin Rehling (HAMMERLING) for the 4-part free and eclectically authoritative improvisatory work "Ritual Sound Exposure", recorded live at the music venue and bookstore BASIS_Klangraum at the Munich Community Arts Center." - SquidCo.com

"An extended improvisation captured in 2023 at ASIS_Klangraum in MUCCA & dasvinzenz (Munich) from the trio of long-time collaborators Eric Zwang Eriksson on drums and Udo Schindler on bass clarinet, cornet & Tubax (an Eb contrabass saxophone) with guitarist Andreas Willers of Grid Mesh, for an evolving and exploratory work of deep reflection and extreme catharsis." - SquidCo.com

"Experimental chamber music from the German trio of Udo Schindler on tenor saxophone, bass saxophone & cornet, Eric Zwang Eriksson on percussion and Sebastiano Tramontana on trombone & voice, performing at BASIS_Klangraum in MUCCA, Munich, the title translating to "singing without words" from the poetry cycle "Il taccuino del vecchio" by Guiseppe Ungaretti." - SquidCo.com

"Unique voicing through the orchestration of saxophones, basset horn, glissotar (a modern continuous pitch wind instrument) and vibraphone, heard in this recording at the international artist house Villa Waldberta, in Feldafing-Munich, Germany, for seven recordings that blend free jazz forms with chamber jazz approaches with remarkable sophistication and composure." - SquidCo.com

"The quartet of Udo Schindler on reeds, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello and Nuno Torres on saxophone are heard in Munich, first in a wildly interactive live performance at Schindler's Salon successor: BASIS_Soundscape at MUCCA; then live in the studio for 7 improvisations with track titles borrowed from and under the influence of the poetry of Allen Ginsberg." - SquidCo.com

"Reedist Udo Schindler continues his exploration into the double bass and low-tone reed instruments, here on bass & contrabass clarinets contrasted only with his soprano saxophone, in a 2022 live recording from MUCCA_Kommandozentrate in Munich of the five-part improvisation "Hybride Synergetic" in a trio with double bassists Peter Jacquemyn and Georg Karger."  SquidCo.com

"Quoting Danish painter & sculptor Asgar Jorn - "To get anywhere, one must choose one's mistakes. I chose experimental acts." - the quartet of Udo Schindler on alto sax, bass & double bass clarinets & cornet, Eric Zwang Eriksson on drums, Ardhi Engl on self-invented instruments and Nikolaus Neuser on trumpet, are heard live at Munich's FMZ for 3 masterfully risk-taking sound poems." - SquidCo.com

*Limited to 50 copies* Four tone studies - each an individual note for trombone, finding (un)resonant locations of unique tonal and physical resistance.

*Limited to 50 copies* "Eighth release in the Solo Horn series. Andrew Weathers works with the resonance of a movie theater lobby in Santa Fe, NM." - Sound Holes

*Limited to 50 copies* Debut release by Omaha, NE based free improvising duo, Smith & Jessen.

Joining Attic Trio, pianist Eve Risser collaborates now with Rodrigo Amado on tenor, Goncalo Almeida on bass, and Onno Govaert on drums, contributing an additional dimension to their intricate soundscape. Risser exhibits a frequently variable tone on the piano, effectively complementing the soulful expressions of Amado's tenor. The horn is played in a manner that is often free yet consistently cohesive, which is further enhanced by Eve's more assertive passages on the keys. Bassist Almeida effec…

An extraordinary, previously unheard session by alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe originally recorded on July 6, 1976 in New York City, and performed in the expansive, unconfined environment of the loft jazz movement, delivering remarkable extended solos on alto saxophone. The minimalist ensemble comprises Juni Booth on bass, Steve Reid on drums, and Muhammad Abdullah on conga, devoid of piano or additional horns, allowing Blythe ample opportunity to showcase his improvisational skills. The initial…