Current Email Update
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UPDATE
April 12, 2024 "You have to allow yourself to hear others And accept changes that happen with that To form a new conversation." —Kahil El'Zabar |
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| Essential Artists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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• Anthony Donofrio • Bruno Duplant/Rutger Zuydervelt • Ethnic Heritage Ensemble • Expanse • Simon Hanes • Eva-Maria Houben (Kei Kondo/Takahiro Kuroda) • Eva-Maria Houben (Takahiro Kuroda/Kei Kondo) • JAKAL (Fred Lonberg-Holm/Keefe Jackson/Julian Kirshner) • Kimmel.Ali.Harris (Jeff Kimmel/Ishmael Ali/Bill Harris) • Leap Of Faith • Jorge Nuno • Felix Profos/Peter Conradin Zumthor • The Remote Viewers • Oliver Schwerdt/Barry Guy/Baby Sommer • Simulacrum • Teiku (Harlow/Taylor/Shahid/Formanek/Leafar) • Rutger Zuydervelt |
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Essential Labels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jazz & Improvisation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Open Me, A Higher Consciousness Of Sound And Spirit (Spiritmuse Records) Celebrating 50 years, percussionist Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble as the trio of El'Zabar, Corey Wilkes (trumpet) and Alex Harding (bar. sax), joined on tracks by James Sanders (violin) and Ishmael Ali (cello), reinterpret classics including "Great Black Music", "Ornette" and Aretha Franklin's "Compared to What", along with Miles' "All Blues" and McCoy Tyner's "Passion Dance". |
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Expanse: Reach (Evil Clown) Perhaps the most synthetic of Evil Clown releases, Expanse represents space and restraint, this the 8th album from the Boston improvising collective of David Peck on reeds, winds, synths and percussion, Robin Amos on synths, Michael Knoblach on percussion (including egg beater, humpty dumpty toy, and teething rings) and Joel Simches providing real-time processing; inexplicably interesting. |
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| Jazz & Improvisation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Futterman, Joel: Perspicacity (Soul City Sounds) Five extended improvised piano solos from Joel Futterman recording in his home base of Virginia Beach, each an incredible journey in free playing that quotes and comments on the history of jazz piano, living up to the album's title through insight, perceptiveness, wit and intuition, Futterman's technique and mastery expressing narratives of amazing confidence and solid direction. |
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Hanes, Simon: Tsons of Tsunami (Tzadik) Drawing on a far-ranging set of influences--jazz, rock, contemporary, surf & exotica--California-born improvising guitarist Simon Hanes (of Trigger, who covered Zorn's Bagatelles) now resides in NYC, appropriately releasing an album of eclectic, generally upbeat, sometimes quirky, typically melodic instrumentals performed with an octet ensemble of incredible musicianship. |
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JAKAL (Fred Lonberg-Holm / Keefe Jackson / Julian Kirshner): Peroration (Amalgam) Formerly known as J@K@L, this Chicago trio has explored hard hitting improvisation since 2014, the band name an amalgamation of the performer's names--Keefe Jackson on tenor & sopranino saxophone & tube, Julian Kirshner on drums and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, tenor guitar and electronics--in a dynamic and exciting 2022 concert at Elastic Arts, in Chicago. |
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Kimmel.Ali.Harris (Jeff Kimmel / Ishmael Ali / Bill Harris): Flora Oblique [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Amalgam) The third release for the Chicago collective improvising trio of Jeff Kimmel on clarinet & electronics, Ishmael Ali on cello & electronics and Bill Harris on drums & feedback, acoustic interplay in the foreground with electronics adding layers of intriguing sonic pressure as their playing evolves through clear and cohesive conversation over punctuated & textural foundations. |
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Leap Of Faith: Emergent Spacetime (Evil Clown) The core of the Boston improvising collective Leap of Faith Orchestra are the duo of cellist Glynis Lomon and reedist and multi-instrumentalist David Peck, here joined by Eric Woods on analog synth and new collective member Jared Seabrook on drums & percussion, for two examples of Peck's broad palette concept yielding evolving transformations through free playing |
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Nuno, Jorge: Labirinto (Phonogram Unit) After recovering from heart surgery, Portuguese guitarist Jorge Nuno (Ensemble MIOA, Isoptope, Voltaic Trio, &c) records this solo improv album to show his resilience, performed primarily on acoustic guitar in a balanced journey of assertive and introspective playing, accompanied by an insert of a text work by Rui Baião. |
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Remote Viewers, The: Inside The Blizzard / Trivia (Remote Viewers) UK Composer David Pett's Remote Viewers present two large works: "Inside the Blizzard" in five parts of configurations from solo to quintet; and "Trivia", a quintet work in eight parts; solid, compelling work of forceful confidence from members Adrian Northover, Sue Lynch, Caroline Krabbel & Petts on sax, John Edwards on bass, Hutch Demouilpied on trumpet and Rosa Theodora on piano. |
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Schwerdt, Oliver / Barry Guy / Baby Sommer: Fucking Ballads (Euphorium) An enthusiastic and energetically powerful trio meeting between three masters--Oliver Schwerdt on grand piano & percussion, Barry Guy on double bass and Baby Sommer on drums & percussion--performing live in 2021 at naTo, in Leipzig for two extended improvisations of remarkable communication, incredible virtuosity, but most importantly, incredible and compelling creative drive! |
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Simulacrum: Mimesis (Evil Clown) Expanding on their 2023 Homunculus, the Boston-based collective ensemble Simulacrum with a core of David Peck on reeds, percussion, keys and direction, Eric Woods on analog synth and Bob Moores on space trumpet & guitar are expanded with Cecil Taylor bassist Albey OnBass, synthesist Eric Zinman, reedist Michael Caglianone and drummer Michael Knoblach. |
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Teiku (Harlow / Taylor / Shahid / Formanek / Leafar): Teiku (577 Records) Teiku, a Talmudic acronym that roughly translates to "unanswered question", was co-founded by pianist Josh Harlow and percussionist Jonathan Barahal Taylor to explore each of their family's unique Passover vocal melodies through improvisation and sonic exploration, performed in a quintet with Art Ensemble/Sun Ra bassist Jaribu Shahid and reedists Peter Formanek & Rafael Leafar. |
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| Experimental/Electronic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Duplant, Bruno / Rutger Zuydervelt: Edge Of Oblivion (Machinefabriek) The third collaboration between sound and electronic artists Bruno Duplant and Rutger Zuydervelt (Machinefabriek) is a darkly heavy and dramatic work of subtle motion that slowly unfolds and shifts through vast sonic environments, fueled by acousmatic sources that take the listener to the edge of darkness and then pulls them back in warm waves or rich ambiance. |
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Zuydervelt, Rutger: Kites (music for a performance by Roshanak Morrowatian) (Machinefabriek) Music for a solo dance piece performed by Roshanak Morrowatian and composed by Netherland electronic artist Rutger Zuydervelt, the subject of the dance reflecting on the experience of young asylum seekers forced from their native countries to grow up somewhere unfamiliar, the music in seven parts weaving fragments of Iranian popular music into Zuydervelt's abstract electronics. |
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| Compositional | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Donofrio, Anthony: These Calm Words (Edition Wandelweiser Records) An exquisite recording of composer Anthony Donofrio 1972 work for solo vibraphone captured at the University of Nebraska where Donofrio teaches and directs their new music ensemble, this extended work for solo vibraphone performed by Donofrio himself, living up to its title in a delicate advancement from clear playing to unusual vibraphone timbres and technique. |
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Houben, Eva-Maria (Kei Kondo / Takahiro Kuroda): His Master's Voice / Aus Den Fliegenden Blattern Eines Fahrenden Waldhornisten / Lose Verbunden (Ftarri Clasical) One of two albums capturing a May 15th, 2023 concert in Tokyo by composer Takahiro Kuroda at the Ftarri performance space, titled "Square of Thoughts Vol. 2: Eva-Maria Houben and Horn + x", this album presenting two Houben works for solo horn performed by virtuoso horn player Kei Kondo, and one solo piano piece performed by Kuroda on upright piano. |
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Houben, Eva-Maria (Takahiro Kuroda / Kei Kondo): Echo Fantasy II (Ftarri Clasical) The second of two albums capturing a May 15th, 2023 concert in Tokyo by composer & pianist Takahiro Kuroda at the Ftarri performance space, titled "Square of Thoughts Vol. 2: Eva-Maria Houben and Horn + x", this album presenting a 2018 Houben composition for horn and piano titled "Echo Fantasy II", performed by virtuoso horn player Kei Kondo and Takahiro Kuroda on upright piano. |
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Profos, Felix / Peter Conradin Zumthor: Grund (Edition Wandelweiser Records) Since 2021 Swiss composer Felix Profos and drummer Peter Conradin Zumthor have performed as the duo Grund, Profos performing on harmonium and on the 1973 Italian organ Bontempi Pop3, Zumthor on bass drum, gong, bells & snare, their extended work on this self-titled album a tranquil and meditative work of slow transitions with moments of terse activity, receding with grace and serenity. |
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| Recent Reviews on The Squid's Ear | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Stay Current With Squidco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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We're never quite caught up with new releases that constantly come in our door, and we don't like to rush a release to our homepage. That said, the following releases have already been stocked at Squidco, and are able to be ordered. In most cases we have images, often have samples, and some basic description of each release.
• You can see the newest additions to our catalog in our Just In Stock Section.
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because: |
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