Jazz & Improvisation / Free Jazz

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* Debut release by Omaha, NE based free improvising duo, Smith & Jessen.

William Parker - double bassHugo Costa - alto saxophone Philipp Ernsting - drums Recorded at Codarts, Rotterdam, October 11th, 2023 by Philipp ErnstingMixed and mastered by Arūnas Zujus at MAMAstudiosCover art by Martynas IvinskasPhoto of Hugo Costa by Rui SilvaPhoto of William Parker by Peter Gannushkin / downtownmusic.netPhoto of Philipp Ernsting by Florian CramerDesign by Danas Mikailionis

"Innervoice is perfection filled with beauty, power and grace of the celestial blues where the changes are happening all the time; the tonic is love; the seventh is the absence of war; peace is the melody redefined moment to moment; all are guided by the inner voice" - William Parker

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…

"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.

2024 Stock A new collaboration between John Coxon (Spring Heel Jack) and american trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith.

*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.* "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…

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "An intimate set of solo expressions from Chicago tenor saxophonist and Kettle Hole label-leader Gerrit Hatcher, seven improvisations recorded in the studio that bring together the soloist's interests in free jazz, lyrical playing and intricate technical passages on the sax, infused with a sense of whimsy alongside serious concentrative playing." - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independent record label, which specializ…

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "A series of reed and wind improvisations, including two pieces with electronics, from Southern California composer and improviser Rob Magill, each of the 9 tracks on this album focusing on a different instrument: alto saxophone, soprano saxpohone, clarinet, flute, bass clarinet, bass recorder, sheng and tenor saxophone, plus a multi-instrumental "misc"". - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independent record label, which …

*Edition of 300 glass-mastered CDs in wallet with spine.* "Three leaders in the Chicago free improv scene -Keefe Jackson on tenor & sopranino saxophones, Jim Baker on piano & synthesizer and Julian Kirshner on drums - in a collective album of concentrative conversation, a group of equals that function together through close listening and interactive support in expressive playing that leaves ego out of the equation." - squidco.comKettle Hole Records is a Chicago-based independent record label, wh…

Último Sosiego is a collaboration between Chilean musicians Benjamín Vergara on Trumpet and Amanda Irarrazabal on Double Bass, both active South American musicians. Both artists have previously released music with the label, but this is the first project where they unite forces for a 577 record. On the album, textures, melodies and spaces draw from Chile’s extreme southern territory and soundscape, building slowly from open, sparse arrangements to the explosive, like a silent eruption of a volca…

Untethered Mind Warps Sound Time-Space. The bear, code-named KM-53, passed away in June 2023. Unlike other Asiatic black bears, which Koreans refer to by ‘bandal gasum gom’ or ‘half-moon chest bears,’ KM-53 embarked on a journey of nearly 80 km from its original habitat in its second year of life, tirelessly moving through the backbone of South Korea's major mountain range. He could not confine himself to the assigned territory. Wild or not, we are all children of nature. Whether successful or n…

Iconic New York music master Daniel Carter is perhaps best known for his masterful command of saxophones, trumpet, and many other instruments. However, his immense talent doesn’t just manifest through his considerable musical ability, Carter’s genius also lies in his ability to create ensembles. Daniel knows how to put just the right musicians together even when externally everything about them seems completely different. Once he’s created these groups, Daniel operates in gentle ways to guide ar…

Building off of their debut album last year, legendary musicians and 577 mainstays reunite for a second volume. As in the first, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, pianist Leo Genovese, bassist William Parker (also playing Gralla and Shakuhachi on this album), and drummer and vocalist Francisco Mela, unite for another cosmic album. This project again draw from classic jazz arrangements, juxtaposed with a modern experimentalism and a huge range of instrumentation. Shine Hear, Vo…

After performing and recording together for over fifteen years as members of various bands, musical genius Daniel Carter, pianist Matthew Putman, and drummer Federico Ughi have come together as a trio for the first time.  Whether you recognize them individually, as the core team at 577 Records, or from their involvement in ensembles like the legendary quintet Telepathic Band (which released seven spectacular albums of its own), you’ve never heard them like you will in their debut album, Stream o…

UK piano maestro Pat Thomas is back with his project BleySchool. This is the project’s second album. Music inspired by Paul Bley.

A new album by UK monster improviser Paul Dunmall on 577 Records! This time featuring bassist virtuoso Paul Rogers and the late, fantastic, Tony Levin! This album is a true historical document - a studio album never released before - so we are very glad we have the opportunity to present it to worldwide audiences. The whole band shines in the music!Paul is a master improviser. We are proud to release his music on our label (Paul’s 6th album on 577 Records)!!!

Released at the occasion of their 2024 Japan tour, it follows their debut LP Troubled Water (TT005 – LP). The album’s title aptly captures the essence of their music. In Japanese, “Tagiru” describes the act of boiling or seething, whether it pertains to water or other liquids reacting to heat or agitation. Metaphorically, it illustrates heightened emotions or situations of intense fervor. This theme of boiling intensity runs through the six tracks, each piece brimming with emotional depth and en…