Jazz & Improvisation / Free Jazz

When Mars Williams dove into his vault to excavate several recordings for a Mars Archive series on Corbett vs. Dempsey, he immediately landed on a concert date from a decade earlier. The event, recorded at Chicago's Elastic Arts Foundation in 2012, featured a trio with Williams on reed instruments, Darin Gray on bass, and Chris Corsano on drums. This configuration had already been highly enough estimated by Williams that he'd posted one set on Bandcamp, but he saved the other set for future rele…

At the tail end of 1996, saxophonist Mars Williams and drummer Hamid Drake took the tall corner stage at Chicago's Empty Bottle for two sets of duets. The rock club had just started a weekly Jazz & Improvised Music Series, curated by Ken Vandemark and John Corbett, which would run for nearly a decade. This rare pairing brought together two pivotal figures in the city's creative music scene, both of whom had extensive experience in diverse areas of music, from the free jazz focus of this intimate…

2026 much-needed small repress. Hardcover Edition, large format. Labyrinth is a massive hardback book, 375pp in length, printed on high-quality art paper, with an embossed cover and cloth quarter-binding, written by Richard Morton Jack. This beautiful, limited edition hardback is the most comprehensive overview of the subject ever published. It celebrates over three hundred albums, offering detailed background info about each, alongside excerpts from original reviews and masses of high-quality i…

“A blissfully ecstatic sprawl of spiritual-jazz explorations of the most transcendent order” – Brooklyn Rail

“A blissfully ecstatic sprawl of spiritual-jazz explorations of the most transcendent order” – Brooklyn Rail

2024 stock. With her new album, I Went This Way, (due October 23, 2020), Rachel Musson debuts her own ambitious compositions, incorporating spoken word text and daring instrumental experimentation, alongside eight other accomplished musicians. The ensemble was built around the close working relationship between saxophonist Rachel Musson and drummer Mark Sanders. The music, a blend of compositions and improvisation designed to highlight all of the different musical voices in the ensemble, is susp…

2024 stock. The Telepathic Band is named after the sort of improvisational style that can only be accomplished with a decade or two of collaboration, playing a signature ghostly, boundary-pushing music between friends. In their fourth album, Daniel Carter, Patrick Holmes, Matthew Putman, Hilliard Greene, and Federico Ughi exemplify the possibilities of in-person improvisation, offering extemporized performances with their characteristically daring instrumentation. Telepathic Mysteries, Vol. 1 ma…

2024 stock. Legendary downtown music master Daniel Carter meets Tobias Wilner from world-renowned electronic band Blue Foundation. Featuring Wu-Tang Clan bass player Djibril Toure & drum wiz Federico Ughi. As a band, they have played a number of concerts in NYC, including the Forward Festival 2016 and 2018, and are currently promoting their debut album. This group is the ultimate mix between the classic New York sound of the avant-garde (i.e., John Coltrane & Albert Ayler) combined with electron…

2024 stock. In the first lockdown, Matthew Putman (on keyboard) and Michael Sarian (on trumpet and flugelhorn) began to meet up (with precautions) for semi-regular sessions in Sarian’s makeshift home studio. The conditions were less-than-ideal—a borrowed 20-year-old keyboard, an inadequate microphone, and cramped NYC apartment acoustics—but they continued their “weekly pilgrimages, searching for [their] cadences, rhythms and melodies through the Fall.” The sessions gave them much-needed sanity, …

Eddie Prévost, a preeminent musician in the UK improvised music scene and founding member of legendary AMM, might be equally renowned for his generous, decades-long mentorship. Both talent and Prévost’s mentorship are on display in this new album, The Secret Handshake with Danger, Volume One which features five musicians (Binker Golding on Saxophones, Henry Kaiser on Guitar, N.O. Moore on Guitar, Olie Brice on Double Bass and Eddie Prévost on Drums) improvising from a lifetime of collaboration. …

2024 stock. After decades of collaboration, scores of musical projects and 28 releases, old friends and professional musicians might find themselves searching for either novelty or a return to the foundations. In the case of UK-based saxophonist Paul Dunmall and UK-based drummer Mark Sanders, it was both. The two musicians have had prolific careers—and made much of their work together—but in a recent phone call, they realized that they had never created a project that featured just their preferr…

2024 stock. That’s right, Carter plays piano on this date! It’s the first thing heard as this disc kicks immediately into definite but mature overdrive. It’s a blast to hear William Parker, bassist for Cecil Taylor’s much-lauded Feel Trio, free-walking under Carter’s percussive attacks, certainly indebted to Taylor but even more pointalistic. The case is made on “Zero Softly”, a spare minimalist musing where notes hang in the air like galaxies only to fade beneath Federico Ughi’s carpet of brush…

Few copies back in stock, sold out at source! ‘Står op med solen’ (Rising with the sun) is the second album by Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie. With this album, the band continues the exploration of their collective sound. We hear influences from both old school free jazz, and contemporary Scandinavian jazz like Fire! Orchestra and Christian Wallumrød Ensemble, as well as clear connection to the Trondheim milieu, where the group was founded in 2020. The energetic and expressive band explores their more sub…

Recorded in Oslo in September 1970, Afric Pepperbird was released on New Year’s Day in 1971. Half a century later, it still conveys the freshness and excitement of discoveries being made. The album signalled the arrival of four Norwegian improvisers – Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen – at the fledgling ECM label. It was the start of a lifelong association with each of the musicians, whose influence was soon to reach far beyond the borders of their homeland. In exten…

*2024 stock* "Prophecies Come to Pass is the debut recording of Sabir Mateen's compositions by his group The Shapes, Textures, and Sound Ensemble. Recorded live in Brooklyn in September 2005, the CD was edited by Mateen and Swell and mastered under Mateen's direction. It's dedicated to the late great Raphe Malik, who at one time played with the group. The ensemble is composed of an impressive roster of creative musicians: Mateen on saxophones, flute, and clarinets; Matt Lavelle on trumpet, fluge…

*2024 stock* Piano-drums duo, recorded in Shanghai.

*2024 stock* Daniel Carter: alto and tenor sax, flute and clarinetSteve Swell: tromboneFederico Ughi: drums Recorded in Brooklyn, New York

*2024 stock* Matt Glassmeyer: tenor saxophone, misc. soundsNathan Hanson: tenor saxophone, electronicsSean Moran: guitarDan Fabricatore: acoustic bassFederico Ughi: drumsDaniel Carter: alto saxophone on tracks 6-7-8-9 All music by Federico Ughi Recorded at Lunchbox Studios, Brooklyn, New York, on January 4th, 2003 Mastered at Bang Zoom Mastering, NY

*2024 stock* This eclectic group features the legendary multi instrumentalist Daniel Carter as well as the scientist/pianist Matthew Putman, drum wizard and 577 Records co-founder Federico Ughi, together with the brilliant up-and-coming member of the New York downtown scene, Texas-born clarinet player Patrick Holmes plus veteran bassist Hilliard Greene, a mainstay of the avant-garde for the last 20 years.

*2024 stock* "The music of The Moon can surge like molten lava or flow like a quiet stream. It's a purist form of improvisation -- noise-attuned but rooted in jazz fundamentals, abstract but built on the unusually sturdy bond between guitarist Adam Caine and drummer Federico Ughi. These two play free, while operating like an old-school working band." - Hank Shteamer  The Moon was conceived in an instant. Drummer Federico Ughi happened to run into the guitarist Adam Caine just before setting out …

*2024 stock* Kirk Knuffke: trumpetFederico Ughi: drums, percussion, fluteChris Welcome: guitar Recorded in Brooklyn, New York

On July 16 and 17 2021, Shiver met up with Pianist Matthew Bourne at his house in Airedale, Yorkshire. Hungry to make music following various lockdowns, cancellations and disappointments, the quartet embarked on a ferocious two-day journey of exploratory music-making. The weather was good, the connection was immediate. There was much laughing, tea-drinking and storytelling. In the evening, the stove was lit and we listened to music: Stanley Clarke, Paul Simon, Sarah Vaughan, Scott Walker, Eugene…

*200 copies limited edition* Truly an honor to have these 4 exceptional artists on our label. Hugo Costa already graced our label with his outstanding duo album with Philipp Ernsting but here with Garuda Trio he's in company of some of the top players from the Portuguese free jazz scene : Hernãni Faustino on the bass, João Valinho on drums and the fantastic Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano. "Listen how these four move around each other, and work with volume, density, textures, iridescent atmospheres an…

Jazz In Britain is proud to be publishing Chris Searle’s new book, ‘Talking The Groove: Jazz words from the Morning Star’. The book is a collection of reviews and interviews with over 150 jazz artists that have appeared in the paper in recent years.And, like our last three books, there’ll be companion audio (two CDs) of rare, previously unreleased, music relevant to the book… some from our archives and some specially donated by musicians featured in the book. When we shared the tracklisting with…

This book, a comprehensive, annotated, discography, discusses the great British trumpeter Ian Carr’s recorded works and includes up to the minute additions to the Carr canon. It is the most complete discographical text on the works of Ian Carr. The discography is divided into 2 parts with archival releases being covered in the second part. Three appendices detail Carr’s appearances in the Melody Maker jazz polls, biographies either by or about him, and finally details of Ian’s miscellaneous medi…

CD Deluxe reissue edition. Restoration and digital transfer from original analogue tapes.. The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was founded in 1973 by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar and had a huge impact on jazz. They have put out several sublime and hotly in demand albums over the years since - the excellent Be Known: Ancient Future Music being one of them - and are rooted in free-jazz improvisations and inspired workouts. Their second album Impressions came in 1982 and is now remastered and reissued fo…

This album is the sonic representation of diverse episodes experienced by a being called Sameer during their life. Chronologically, the music heard in this work was created before such events, without conscious awareness of those who produced it. This is also the recording of the first time Felice Furioso, Jorge Nuno and Felipe Zenicola played together. All tracks were arranged and produced by the 3 musicians.

"Cloud at rest" is the long-awaited debut record from the trio formed in 2016 by Pedro Alves Sousa on tenor saxophone, Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Gabriel Ferrandini on drums and percussion. The music is the result of a five days residency at the Goethe-Institut Lisbon in 2019,  where the band tried to find a different approach to its playing in order to distance themselves from the fast and highly energetic music normally associated with them. This record shows a different perspective of thei…

This recording happened during a two gig tour with Leo Genovese and Drew Gress. We had a day off and since I had written new music for the occasion, I thought it would be a good opportunity to record it. I've known Leo for almost 20 years and we've played together many times ever since, and I've been a huge fan of Drew since I remember and it was a blast to play for the first time and share these musical moments with him. Over the years I've recorded different formats of my bands, from trios to …

Common Ground explores new sonic possibilities in a quintet format. There is dialogue and interaction in a searching mode, as the musicians are looking to find unity in language and sound within their different approaches and backgrounds. Intense and soft music at the same time. Contemporary, abstract, but also free and groovy.Emotions delivered with honesty and passion by José Lencastre on alto sax, Carlos Zíngaro on violin, Clara Lai on piano, Gonçalo Almeida on double bass, and Joāo Sousa on …

Hyper.object was formed in 2019 by three veterans from the Lisboa free improvised scene (Rodrigo Pinheiro on the piano, Hernâni Faustino on the double bass and Carlos Santos on the electronics) and by two young musicians (João Almeida on trumpet and João Valinho on drums). Since its beginnings. the group had frequently joined for rehearsals but as soon the pandemic hit, the gatherings were restricted to only when there was an opening on the frequent lockdowns. During one of these openings "inter…

"corpos" is the first album by the Barcelona-based trio, formed by pianist Clara Lai, double bassist Àlex Reviriego and drummer Oriol Roca. Recorded at Rosazul Studio in Barcelona on April, 2022. The music of this album explores collective construction in trio format, visiting different sound zones, compositional possibilities and improvisational languages. Music that is energetic but also contemplative, aleatoric, some noise and silence, coexist with melodic sketches. Pieces as sound bodies tha…

*2024 stock* Made of Bones was formed in 2020 with: Duarte Fonseca on drums, João Clemente on guitar, Nuno Santos Dias on waldorf, and Ricardo Sousa on double bass. Drawing from rock, experimental, and noise influences, their music captivates listeners with its unique blend of genres. The members of Made of Bones have been playing together for over 15 years in various bands, including Slow is Possible and Cat in a Bag (both released on Clean Feed), Salad Ensemble, Sideways, TMR & The Sea Wolves,…

"Two" is the first and smallest even prime number, signifying divisibility by both one and itself. It is a fundamental concept in mathematics. It´s associated with duality, symmetry and balance, providing an advantage in problem solving, as it allows comparison, choice and contrast. With two alternatives, decisions can be made, dilemmas can be solved and paths can be chosen.  Bruno Parrinha - Alto saxophone (on the right channel)João Gato - Alto saxophone (on the left channel)

Drummer and Composer David Lee Jr.’s stunning and rare album Evolution (1974) blends the deep experimentalism of John Coltrane and Sun Ra with the pulsating second-line and parade rhythms of New Orleans to create a stunning sonic and rhythmical tour de force. In a lineage of incredible New Orleans drummers that includes James Black, Idris Muhammed, Zigaboo Modeliste of The Meters, and stretching back to Earl Palmer and Baby Dodds - David Lee Jr. stands out for his fire, experimentalism and an ou…

Deluxe reissue edition. Restoration and digital transfer from original analogue tapes. Reissue of a 1979 duo recording of legendary South African bassist Johnny Dyani (of The Blue Notes) and drummer Clifford Jarvis (who played with Sun Ra for over two decades). 180g vinyl presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve - limited edition manufactured by German audiophile specialist, Pallas Group. Johnny 'Mbizo' Dyani was a jazz musician who performed during the apartheid era. He played for almost his entir…

2024 Stock. New edition of this seminal album available as a 1000 copies edition only on new premium red vinyl! As a radical jazz artist, Steve Reid played with an extraordinary group of artists – including Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Ornette Coleman, Lester Bowie, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Dionne Warwick, Archie Shepp, Chief Bey, Olatunji, Arthur Blythe, Dextor Gordon, Gary Bartz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sam Rivers, Leon Thomas, Lonnie Smith and Horace Silver! Reid was born …

Leo Genovese - Piano, saxWilliam Parker - BassFrancisco Mela - Drums Recorded November 13, 2020 by Jeremy Loucas at Douglass Recording, Brooklyn, New YorkAssistant engineer: Juanma TrujilloMixed and mastered by Jeremy Loucas at Sear Sound, New York City

Shinya Lin: Piano, prepared pianoFrancisco Mela: Drums Recorded October 24, 2021 by Yushu Bao and Hao Jen Lam at Berklee College, Boston, MARecording assistants: Qi Wang, Yimu Feng, Ziyan WangMixed and mastered by Yushu Bao

"Teiku arranges our unique family Passover melodies into vehicles for sonic exploration. This ancestral music, much like the tradition of Creative Music through which we interpret it, is liberation music. As its humble stewards we offer it as a call for justice for all oppressed peoples; as Jews, we decry the senseless violence, displacement, and killing perpetrated in our name." - Josh Harlow and Jonathan Barahal Taylor, bandleaders  Teiku’s origin story feels almost pre-ordained. Co-leaders pi…