Jazz & Improvisation / Free Improvisation

*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…

The ECM folks do much better by Wadada Leo Smith than ever before with this solo recording, a true masterwork of its kind and one of the purest, most enlightening demonstrations of the connected natures of folk, blues, jazz, and creative music. That Smith is the man to do this is certainly no surprise; he laid it all down in print years before this release in his self-published books and liner notes. But the way he does it, with so much grace and style (and with the excellent production by Steve…

"I believe that the destructive element in art is neglected too much." - Piet Mondrian

"Drawing on a sound poem from French poet Stéphane Malarmé published in 1875, pianist Michel Wintsch and multi-reedist Udo Schindler on bass clarinet and alto saxophone tubax (a modified contrabass saxophone) perform five expressive and assertive improvisations with titles "borrowed from Stéphane Malarmé, who sees his texts as instruments." - SquidCo.com

"Confidently forceful German free improvisation with an eccentric approach, from multi-instrumentalist Udo Schindler on clarinets, cornet & tuba and artist & improviser Etienne Rolin on basset horn, Glissotar (a continuous wind instrument) & a Bansuri flute, as they improvise over Schindler's poem (jetzt/now) from his cycle frequenz schaukelt / frequency swings." - SquidCo.com

"Lately I’m seeing that it would be nice to turn one’s thoughts inside-out, which is possible for me, because I don’t compose in a straight line. I always compose around the periphery, you know." - David TudorUdo Schindler, b-flat, bass & double bass clarinets, cornet. Werner Dafeldecker, double bass.Udo 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 Ma…

Audio & video live recordings November 26th, 2023 at BASIS_Klangraum at MUCCA & dasvinzenz (Munich) by Udo Schindler (arch-musik). Mix & editing by Thoma Lehn. Music by Schindler & Lehn (GEMA). Cover photo by Udo Schindler. Gaphic design by Udo Schindler. Produced by Udo Schindler/arch-musik & Thomas Lehn. Udo 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…

Live rec. at April 18th, 2024 by Udo Schindler at StudioUS / Krailling-Munich. Mix by Wolfgang Obrecht / Tonstudio RichArt. Cover photo by Udo Schindler. All compositions by Udo Schindler (GEMA), NOID (SKM). Udo 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 (Blashaus Luzern)

"... it's not about cleaning the music from the non-music or trying to destroy all disturbing noises, but to perceive the music as such, which exists in the midst of the noise of life. The more open the ear is to everything audible, the more strongly the music radiates its speciality. Because a musical instrument has a material body, its sound cannot be frictionless and clean. ..." - From Portrait of a Spinning Top / Portrait eines Kreisels by Yoku Tawada (Berlin) Udo Schindler plays a bflat-cla…

A live album featuring the unit Ten-Shi, consisting of Takayuki Kato and Masataka Fujikake, with two improvising giants, Junji Hirose and Yoshihide Otomo. From the beginning of the album, which begins with a guitar duo, the two groups respond to each other and express themselves in diverse ways one after another, developing a sound that is full of originality throughout.

Big Tip! In 1971, Dr Tree emerged as a highly innovative jazz-fusion ensemble from Auckland, formed by two of New Zealand's most seasoned session musicians, Frank Gibson Jr. and Murray McNabb - the pair had jammed together since grammar school. Drawing sizable crowds while working the Auckland circuit, the band caught the attention of EMI scout, Alan Galbraith, who wasted no time signing them up for an album. Galbraith, a trained musician and adventurous producer, brought in additional support f…

Romanian born trombonist, composer/arranger Peter Herbolzheimer led one of the most hard-swinging, innovative, successful European big bands with a heavy roster onboard, including Art Farmer, Palle Mikkleborg, Herb Geller, Philip Catherine, Tony Inzalaco, Dieter Reith and virtuoso latin jazz percussionist Sabu Martinez. His 1973 MPS album, Wide Open, remained unissued since the '70s – this first ever all-analogue 45 7" single features the two brassy big-band funk highlights from the LP – 'Babo' …

Bora Rokovic's MPS album, Ultra Native, is one of the most elusive titles in the catalogue and, until now, remained unissued since its original release in 1971. Inzalaco's 'J.B.W.' is a hard-grooving fusion piece with dark minor chords, opening with an almighty drum break – found here in a new all-analogue mastertape edit for this 45 release. 'Soft Hands Had the Rain' features Trunk strutting his stuff on Fender bass, as well as cello overdubs, with Rokovic's brooding improvisations on electric …

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "Releasing their first album in 2017, the collective trio of Chicago improvisers Bill Harris on drums, Gerrit Hatcher on tenor saxophone and Eli Namay on bass (now based in Pittsburgh), this third release is their first studio album, in two long-form improvisations that work on a spontaneous canvas of edgy contemplation and assertive conversation." - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independent record label, which special…

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "Keefe Jackson on tenor & bass clarinets, Raoul Van Der Weide on bass & cracklebox, and Frank Rosaly on drums are heard in this 2022 live performance at De Roze Tanker in Amsterdam, reuniting the Chicago reedist with Rosaly, who is now based in Amsterdam, for six free jazz tunes: two Jackson compositions and four superb collective dialogs." - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independent record label, which specializes in …

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "Members of the Chicago free improvising, collaborative band TV Pow - Todd A. Carter and Michael Hartman - as a duo are Superposition, recording improvisations and composed improvisations primarily on piano, Rhodes, organ, and synthesizers, then mixing, adding and editing them into appealing tracks that merge electronics, jazz forms and soundscape." - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independent record label, which specia…

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "An often raucous and always informed debut from the dual reed & drums Chicago trio Near Miss of Rob Magill on tenor & soprano sax and bass clarinet, Gerrit Hatcher on tenor sax and Bill Harris on drums, Magill and Hatcher having collaborated previously on Triplet Fawns with Patrick Shiroishi, and Whole Abandoned Star, while Hatcher & Harris are a part of Devouring the Guilt." - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independen…