Jazz /
Bitches Brew
One of those records that keeps cropping up on Greatest Albums of All Time lists, and one whose historical significance can’t be denied — the crazy rhythms, the spirit of unconstrained innovation - and it's pure listening pleasure. "Thought by many to be among the most revolutionary albums in jazz history, Miles Davis' Bitches Brew solidified the genre known as jazz-rock fusion. The original double LP included only six cuts and featured up to 12 musicians at any given time, some of whom were alr…
Guitar Solo 2015 Left
Reflecting on his studies with guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi, Otomo Yoshihide plays one of Takayanagi's favorite electric guitars, a 1963 Gibson-175, to record 6 extended and informed free improvisations, including Ornette's "Lonely Woman" and "Song for Che"."It's been a quarter-century since I broke away from my teacher, Masayuki Takayanagi. In recording this album, I used a 1963 Gibson-175 electric guitar that had been one of Takayanagi-san's favorites. The occasion that led to this guitar com…
Ssi-5
As a sax player, Junji Hirose has been a prominent figure on the free jazz-improvised music scene since the 1970's. But he has another side: he collects everyday odds and ends and puts them together to create instruments which he uses in noise performance. Hirose calls these noise instruments SSI (self-made sound instruments). In 2013, he released the CD SSI-4 (hitorri-997). This is his new release, SSI-5. To make the SSI No. 5 instrument, he put together about 30 vinyl chloride pipes and, using…
With ...
British free improvising guitar master John Russell's 60th birthday gig at London's Cafe Oto is celebrated in a duo with Phil Minton, a trio with Henry Lowther & Satoko Fakuda, in a trio with Evan Parker and John Edwards, and in a duo with Thurston Moore. John was off the scene for several months prior to this gig (Dec, 2014), mainly in hospital under observation for a serious heart condition, but he was determined to play this ... "On approaching my sixtieth birthday and how to celebrate the fa…
Chapter one: 1970 -72
Much needed reissue of Emanem 4301, a classic concert and studio performances from '70-'72 by the innovative trio of Paul Rutherford (trombone, piano) Derek Bailey (guitar) and Barry Guy (double bass), which was a much expanded reissue of the early and legendary Incus LP of the same name. "What a feast! A three-CD set (totaling more than 190 minutes) compiled from six concerts featuring three of the leading British free-jazz improvisers of the 20th century: trombonist Paul Rutherford, guitarist …
Intricacies
The title's a good one – given the complex layers of sound and interaction going on here – as this avant quintet find a way to come together in these varied and compelling ways over the course of the long improvisations in the set! Pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach may well be the biggest name in the group – but all players contribute equally, and the lineup also includes Frank Paul Schubert on alto and soprano sax, Paul Hubweber on trombone, Clayton Thomas on bass, and Willi Kellers o…
Moon
After performing at a night dedicated to Ed Blackwell and Don Cherry, vibraphone legend Karl Berger invited trumpeter Knuffke to Woodstock to teach and perform with him, from which this lovely album of duets was born, 2 CDs of original compositions of free and lyrical playing. "Karl and I met when we shared the bill for an "Arts for Art" night of music dedicated to Ed Blackwell. Karl was a longtime associate of Ed's. There were two duets featured that night. Karl played duo with the gre…
Live At Maya Recordings Festival
Bomb! 500 copies. After twenty one recordings there may not be too much more to say about the superlative English threesome of saxophonist Evan Parker, bassist Barry Guy and drummer Paul Lytton. Some 30 years on since their debut Tracks (Incus, 1983), they converse in a language entirely of their own making, which relies on a staggering density of ideas, chops to burn and a preternatural responsiveness. Live At Maya Recordings Festival, captured at Winterthur, Switzerland in 2011 forms another t…
Live At Kassiopeia
A never earlier released duo recording that was played back in 1987 at Kassiopeia, Wuppertal brings these two great musicians and composers together for this unique and unforgettable session. There are times when one fantasises about the possible collaborations that might have been: Hendrix with Miles Davis, Jeffrey Lee Pierce with R.L Burnside, Capt. Beefheart with Sun Ra ― imagination is a wonderful thing. But when a vault somewhere pops open and a collaboration of two of improvised music's ti…
Upcoming Hurricane
"I was already familiar with Pascal Niggenkemper's work as a result of the release, Klippe by Thomas Heberer, early this summer and a superb trio with Robin Verheyen and Tyshawn Sorey, PN Trio. So this was always going to be an exciting adventure to see what his new trio would put forth. And the new album, Upcoming Hurricane, pretty much says it all. This is a heavy storm of sound that comes on quietly but resonates brightly over 60+ minutes. Clean, open and improvised, Niggenkemper is a brillia…
Turbina Anthem
"It's almost a given that any new release on the Lithuanian No Business label is going to be a bit out of the ordinary. As the catalogue grows, so does its depth and breadth. Turbina Anthem vouchsafes that proposition, comprising an unusual guitar and trumpet duet by two Portuguese improvisers who deserve a wider audience. Trumpeter Sei Miguel boasts a discography stretching back to 1998 in the company of compatriots, but in recent years has made a number of appearances with American free guitar…
Februari Fedontes
This is the first recording of Szilard Mezei released on LP. Synthesis of free jazz with some elements of folk music makes it an intrigue and challenging recording."Februári Fadöntés documents a fairly rare appearance on wax of Serbian-Hungarian violist / composer Szilárd Mezei, who's worked in formats ranging from string trio to orchestra, mostly in situations that allow a commingling of Hungarian folk forms (he also plays traditional music) and free improvisation. He's joined here on three sui…
Sensor
Joe Morris is primarily known as a guitar player, but he's equally good on bass, with a somewhat different approach. He started playing double bass in the year 2000 only, and this album celebrates his 10th anniversary on the instrument. Other Joe Morris albums on which he plays bass as the leader are "Wildlife", "High Definition", or as co-leader with "The Flow" or "The Story Of Mankind", and playing bass with other artists such as Jim Hobbs, Steve Lantner, Petr Cancura, Rob Brown and Whit Dic…
Boom Boom
There are albums that you can‘t stop listening to. That is “Boom Boom” by Atomic. Earlier released on CD only, this reissue on LP will provide a great joy for vinyl addicts. Now already a classical Atomic album includes a unique design with a special numbered insert."Great work from one of the most groundbreaking combos in the current Norwegian scene – Atomic, a group who really bring strong promise to a long tradition of modern Scandinavian jazz! The set, which has an endorsement by Ken Vanderm…
Fractions
Free work from a real power trio – one driven by the drums of Steve Noble, who also plays a lot of percussion, and the bass of Dominic Lash – while Stefan Keune lays out some very bold work on tenor and sopranino sax over the top! The trio have a great way of mixing intense passages with much more subtle, spacious ones – so much so that the sonic range of the record is really wonderful – as the dynamic energy of the group continues to keep things interesting. Titles include "Two Far", "Cuts", "A…
Owl Jacket
"A really great group, and one who may well have chosen their name because of the way all their individual sounds come together so well! There's a sense of structure here that each musician seems to participate in equally – Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, Harris Eisenstadt on drums, Alexander Hawkins on piano, and Dominic Lash on drums – all players who use their instruments in ways that are unconventional, yet very purposeful too – never with a sense of freedom for freedom's sake, but instead really…
10.11.12
300 copies. All compositions by Howard Riley (PRS / MCPS), except “Lush Life” by Billy Strayhorn. Recorded live at VDU Jazz Festival Kaunas on the 10th November, 2012 by Areas Zujus. "Brilliant work from pianist Howard Riley – the British modernist who's been making amazing music for decades, but often through very obscure records like this! Riley's got this sense of balance, tone, and timing that sits justly in a legacy that starts with Herbie Nichols and runs up through Alexander Von Schlippen…
Resistance
Resistance recorded live in 2013 is an expected performance of unforeseen music. That said, it boosts Vandermark's stock (not that he needs it) as a soloist. He has, of late, stepped out of his role as composer, arranger, and organizer of ensembles to perform solo and in improvising duos with Nate Wooley, Agustí Fernandez, Mats Gustafsson, and Tim Daisy. Freed from all the duties associated with large ensembles, he can focus on improvising. Here his saxophone and various clarinets weave, bounce,…
Look Up
2012 release. Born in Buffalo in 1939, Charles Gayle had hit New York City by the early '70s. He almost made his mark with an album on ESP-Disk' in 1974, but the label shut down before it came out. When he next recorded in 1988, he had been homeless for a while, sheltering in an empty Brooklyn storefront. The Knitting Factory gigs and concurrent CDs from Swedish imprint Silkheart, the Knit's own house label, the Italian label Black Saint, and a particularly well-received-in-Europe album on FMP, …
Blues For Albert Ayler
2012 release. ESP-Disk is now releasing Frank Wright's tribute concert to tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler titled Blues For Albert Ayler in a 6 part suite. This high energy performance was recorded live at Rashied Ali's club 'Ali's Alley' on July 17th, 1974. This is the Right Reverend Frank Wright, live and raw, in his element, with a most impressive band. Frank Wright plays tenor sax and bass clarinet, with an electrifying performance from guitarist James 'Blood' Ulmer, bassistBenny Wilson and dr…