Jazz /
Tibet
Grey-area LP reissue, originally released as Eternal Now on Sonet Records in 1973. Don was living in Sweden at the time and made 2 great spaced-out records (in the freeform "Universal Music" style) for Sonet (Live Ankara being the other) -- the prior CD reissue of this material has seemingly disappeared into the wind. If this album had been made by some Vietnam vet living in a windowless cove in Northern California -- with a picture of leaves on the cover, no less -- it would have made the NWW l…
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Heralded by many as Charles Mingus' masterwork, "Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" stands as one of his most powerful and difficult compositions. Recorded during his brief tenure on Impulse! (1963, during which Mingus turned out three of his best works), "Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" is a suite for a ballet, perhaps a representation of the tortured psyche of the composer. It is dark, haunting, and probably the most difficult work Mingus has ever done-- drawing as much from contemporary classi…
Mingus Plays Piano
Superior Viaduct's second Mingus reissue shows a more introspective side of the composer with Mingus Plays Piano. One of his most straightforwardly beautiful recordings, there is a meditative calm found in Mingus' piano work, touching on shades of Debussy, Satie, Bill Evans, and Duke Ellington. There's no showboating, and not an ounce of amateurism considering Mingus was primarily known as a bassist. Making its way through standards, original compositions, and the blues, Mingus Plays Piano is a …
Pakistani Pomade
One of the truly legendary recordings from the early period of European free improvisation Pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Cien Fuegos presents a reissue of Pakistani Pomade by the Schlippenbach Trio, originally released on FMP in 1972. Evan Parker: soprano and tenor saxophone; Alexander von Schlippenbach: piano; Paul Lovens: drums. Recorded by Dietram Köster in November 1972, Bremen. Artwork by Benjamin von Schlippenbach; layout by Peter Brötzmann. One of the truly legendary recordings from the earl…
Complete Communion
2015 reissue. Not counting a couple of sessions he co-led with John Coltrane and Albert Ayler, Complete Communion was the first album Don Cherry recorded as a leader following his departure from the Ornette Coleman Quartet. It was also one of the earliest showcases for the Argentinian tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, who Cherry discovered during a stay in Rome. While the music on Complete Communion was still indebted to Coleman's concepts, Cherry injected enough of his own personality to begin d…
Brown Rice
2007 release. "CD reissue of this 1975 album from jazz trumpeter Don Cherry, originally titled Don Cherry. Certainly one of his best releases during the '70s, Brown Rice is an album that takes the tripped-out spacey jazz sound he was working on, and adds some nice electric moments, with occasional slight touches of funkiness. It has a cool vibe and a tightness that only adds more to his great playing. Features guest appearances from Ricky Cherry on piano, and Frank Lowe on tenor sax."
Another Outbreak Of Iconoclasm (1976-1978)
Three early recordings by the long lasting duo of Milo Fine (clarinet, percussion and piano) and Steve Gnitka (electric guitar). The first two sessions, HAH! from 1976 and "The constant extension of inescapable tradition from 1977, were issued on two hat Hut LPs (with two tracks missing). The third, "When I was five years old I predicted your whole life" from 1978, was scheduled to appear on Horo, but that label went bust before it happened, so this material is now making a very belated first ap…
Conceits (1987/1992)
A reissue of the first LP by the exceptionally fine improvising trio of John Russell (guitar), Phil Durrant (violin and trombone) and John Butcher (saxophones). This group came into being in 1984 after Russell and Durrant had spent the previous two years performing in private with another saxophonist. For this debut LP, made in 1987, they performed eleven short pieces. This CD has been expanded by the inclusion of a previously unissued extended concert performance made a few years later. The str…
Solos (1998-2010)
Marcio Mattos has been an important member of the free improvisation and free jazz scenes since moving to London in the early 1970s. This, however, is his first solo album. There are six short solos on cello, three of which also use electronics, and three brief double bass solos, followed by an extended concert performance on bass with electronic enhancement. An overdue chance to hear this consistently fine musician in the foreground. 59 minutes.From the linernotes "Marcio Mattos’s first instrum…
Monoceros
Milestone reissue! Evan Parker's monolithic 1978 solo record Monoceros was originally released on Incus in 1978, and distinguishes itself in several respects: first, because it was recorded by the direct-cut process, whereby the sound pathway went directly from the microphone to a vinyl master. By virtue of eliminating the tape intermediate, the hope was to reduce noise and limit the need for processing and filters. The important functional consequence of this technology was that the musician (…
First Detail
If anybody deserves to be called a living legend in Norwegian free jazz it must surely be saxophone, flute and clarinet player Frode Gjerstad. Born in 1948 in Stavanger, he has since the early 80s been central on more than fifty records and played with a number of free jazz players such as Evan Parker, Johnny Dyani, John Stevens, Derek Bailey, Barry Guy, Bobby Bradford, Paul Rutherford, Hamid Drake, William Parker, Peter Brötzmann, John Edwards, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Han Bennink and several…
Enter
Gatefold double LP version. It can't be easy gathering 28 of Northern Europe's finest jazz and improvising musicians in one place at the same time, which is why Sweden's Fire! Orchestra has been one of the continent's best-kept secrets so far. After playing rare shows a handful of times a year, this incredible mass ensemble is getting ready to unleash its full power with Enter, its first studio recording. This isn't jazz: this is Nordic dynamite. Fire! originated as the trio of Swedish …
Det Flygande Barnet
"Det Flygande Barnet" is a theatre piece that has its premiere performance on 7th February at Orionteatern in Stockholm, Sweden. The piece will run through March and Fire! will be performing live as an important part of the piece. This 7" is being released as a souvenir in a limited edition of 700. Guests on this 7" is Mariam Wallentin (Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Fire! Orchestra) and David Sandström from legendary hardcore punk group Refused. There might be a couple more singles from this th…
A Duo(s)
In case you weren't there, Bocian present documentation of a pretty unhinged Cafe Oto session between gifted improvisers, Mats Gustafsson (reeds), John Russell (guitar) & Phil Minton (voice). Just imagine stumbling in on this one unprepared - a trio of blokes bleating, parping and yanking like Reeves & Mortimer after three days on the sauce. Of course, that description does a disservice to their well-honed extended technique and dexterity, but we'd defy anyone to keep a totally straight face at …
Features
Schlippenbach Trio's magic chemistry is founded on years of working together, both on intuitive listening and interaction – the ability to respond in an instant – andon the match between their characters, each adding to the whole as well as challenging each other – a stroke of fortune. Alexander von Schlippenbach likes to talk about the 'impetus of music making'. Impetus means drive, initiative, force, momentum, temperament. Three 'travelling fellows' on a Winterreise. The motto is: never …
Two City Blues 1
A pair of discrete releases, each documenting a separate set of a concert given by the trio, along with "Two City Blues 1", recorded on one intense night at Tokyo's Shinjuku Pit Inn. A trio of three towering figures, German free jazz legend Peter Brötzmann, Japanese avant-garde wizard Keiji Haino, and wildly versatile American composer and musician Jim O'Rourke, recorded by Yasuo Fujimura on November 23, 2010. Brötzmann: alto and tenor saxophones, tarogato, and clarinet; Haino: guitar, voice, sh…
Nigemizu
The brilliant sax player John Butcher continues to expand the boundaries of free improvisation. This is his latest solo release. An inexhaustible outpouring of ideas blends with phantasmagoric, wondrous technique to create a richly colored, dynamic world of sound. Not only is this John Butcher's greatest masterpiece, but as a solo saxophone album it is a valuable document that can even be said to rank alongside Evan Parker's 'Monoceros''. The 3 pieces were performed at Shimanouchi Church …
Live In Paris
A superb collection of modern jazz, recorded in 1973 and available for the first time. The pressing is limited to only 35 copies on a one-sided picture disc with a paste-on back (photos & notes).
Collective Improvisations
Previously only available on CD, these amazing jazz compositions with a '60s vibe were recorded at NYC's Air Studio in 1981. The musicians are Charles Tyler (alto & baritone sax), Wilber Morris (bass) and drummer Denis "Jazz" Charles. The pressing is limited to only 70 copies with a paste-on cover (front and back with notes).
Live In Germany
Available for the first time, this LP offers two beautiful side-long compositions, recorded live at th Jazztage in Leverkusen, Germany 1986. The musicians are Billy Bang (violin), Roy Campbell Jr. (trumpet), Oscar Sanders (guitar), William Parker (bass) and Zen Matsuura (drums). Limited editions of only 70 copies with paste-on cover (front and back with notes).