The Squid's Ear Magazine
Squidco Freedom Sale! July 3-6, Save 10% to 15% on all new items!



Borbetomagus: Black Album (Agaric)

The Borbetomagus trio of Jim Sauter (sax), Don Dietrich (reeds) and Donald Miller (guitar) in a 1982 release on their own Agaric label, high volume jazz compiled from concerts in 1979 and 1981.
 

Price: $12.55
Price Was: $13.95
Squidco Freedom Sale



Quantity:

Out of Stock

Quantity in Basket: None

Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 6.00 units

Sample The Album:





product information:

Personnel:



Jim Sauter-reeds

Don Dietrich-reeds

Donald Miller-guitar


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 786497136124

Label: Agaric
Catalog ID: Agaric 1982
Squidco Product Code: 15557

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2011
Country: USA
Packaging: Jewel Tray
Recorded at various dates and locations in NY between 1979 and 1981 by Serban Stanciulescu and Ted Goldberg.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"This recording, compiled from concerts in 1981 and 1979, explores the range of sound that this trio could generate. It is best played at high volume, for this is the only way that the subtleties of the music can get through the sheer barrage of sound. This is music to scare your pets; at first listen this record may be mistaken for random noise. A closer listen will reveal that the sound is tightly controlled. The art happens in texture and timbre, rather than melody or harmony. Recording quality a bit shoddy; much of the sound of the music is also highly dependant on the acoustics of the hall and the quality of the microphones (the group themselves would more than likely endorse this type of listening)."-Mark W.B. Allender, All Music


Get additional information at All Music

Artist Biographies

Multi-reedist Jim Sauter was born July 23, 1953 in Nyack, NY. He currently lives in Sparkill, NY. He is a primary member of Borbetomagus.

-Squidco 7/1/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Don Dietrich is a saxophonist and founding member of New York City based improvisational group, Borbetomagus. Recently, he has become involved with the noise/free jazz "supergroup" The New Monuments (with C. Spencer Yeh and Ben Hall)."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Dietrich_(musician))
7/1/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Donald Miller was born on 7 May 1958 in Washington, DC, and raised in suburban Maryland. At age 13, he began formal guitar lessons. At 18, he moved to New York City, where he was educated at Columbia University's College and the School of Visual Arts, receiving a BFA from the latter in 1982. He remained in The City for a quarter century.

Miller entered the NYC New Music scene in 1978, already possessing a strong background in the avant-garde. His first regular band was the now cult-status group Sick Dick & the Volkswagens, which featured infamous critic/crooner Lester Bangs as an auxiliary member. In February 1979, Miller met and first played with saxophonists Jim Sauter and Don Dietrich, giving immediate birth to Borbetomagus.

From 1984-99, Miller also worked closely with free jazz drummer William Hooker, in both duo and larger band formats. In this milieu, Miller met saxist Blaise Siwula, with whom he has worked in duo and trios with drummers Mike Evans, Jeff Arnal and Matt Hannafin, and the late synth guru Doug Walker.

In August 2001, Miller and his wife moved to New Orleans, four weeks ahead of the September 11 attack on NYC, and into a house 90+% unscathed by the wrath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. There he formed The Death Posture with fellow guitarist Rob Cambre and Butoh dancer Vanessa Skantze in early 2002. This ensemble performed over two dozen butoh actions, later including dancer Alex Haverfield, in the Gulf Coast area, mostly to a stunned New Orleans, until late 2004 when Skantze and Haverfield took themselves and the name (with Miller's blessing) to Seattle. Miller and Cambre have continued to perform in solo and ensemble lineups, and gave two notable reunion performances with Vanessa in 2006."

-Discogs.com (https://www.discogs.com/artist/329415-Donald-Miller)
7/1/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Aimi Studio 18:38

2. In Roads 6:50

3. Bergen Community College 9:42

4. The Wreck Room 7:26

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
NY Downtown & Jazz/Improv
Trio Recordings
Instant Rewards

Search for other titles on the label:
Agaric.


Recommended & Related Releases:
Dietrichs
No Bahdu
(Relative Pitch)
An uncompromising and electrifying studio set from father-daughter duo Don and Camille Dietrich, whose ferocious blend of distorted tenor saxophone and overdriven cello pushes sonic boundaries through four intense improvisations, merging free jazz, noise, and amplified effects into a blistering, high-voltage assault of raw energy and experimental fire.
Nakatani, Tatsuya / Donald Miller / Rob Cambre / Emmalee Sutton
Moisant Stock Yards
(Nakatani-Kobo)
A recurring trio in New Orleans between touring percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani and guitarists Rob Cambre (Malevitus, Rough Seven, The Death Posture) and Donald Miller (Borbetomagus) performing at Mudland Public Theatre in 2018 for two extended, gritty and ringing exchanges.
New Monuments (Don Dietrich / Ben Hall / Camille Dietrich / Tony Gordon)
Language is the Skin [CD w/ DOWNLOAD]
(Torn Light)
Recording in Detroit in 2021 the ruggedly extreme free jazz quartet New Monuments of Don Dietrich (Borbetomagus) on saxophone, Ben Hall on percussion, Camille Dietrich on cello and Tony Gordon on electric bass guitar shred through six collective improvisations, taking time for burning solo moments and electrically-fueled exchanges; scorching!
Borbetomagus
Trente Belles Annees
(Agaric)
Live recordings from Instants Chavires in Montreuil, France as the final concert of the Borbetomagus 2009 tour, a blistering 46 minute improvisation celebrating 30 years of this groundbreaking noise jazz trio's work.



Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
Larsen, Stian / Colin Webster / Ruth Goller / Andrew Lisle
Temple of Muses
(Relative Pitch)
Norwegian guitarist Stian Larsen joins UK musicians Colin Webster on alto sax, Ruth Goller on bass, and Andrew Lisle on drums in a high-energy fusion of free jazz, post-rock, and noise, weaving dynamic improvisation that moves from sparse textures to explosive climaxes, embracing ecstatic intensity, cathartic interplay, and expansive creative exploration.
Grimal, Alexandra / Giovanni Di Domenico
Shakkei
(Relative Pitch)
Five duets inspired by the Japanese concept of borrowed scenery (Shakkei (借景)) — integrating background landscapes into the design of a garden — are exquisitely realized in these spiritual and introspective performances, from the 20-year collaboration between French saxophonist Alexandra Grimal (tenor and soprano) and Italian pianist-organist Giovanni Di Domenico.
Dikeman, John / Sun-Mi Hong / Aaron Lumley / Marta Warelis
Old Adam on Turtle Island
(Relative Pitch)
Saxophonist John Dikeman composed this diverse and expressively lyrical song cycle reflecting on colonization, and the double edged sword of religion which can lead to transcendence or tyranny, recorded in Amsterdam in a quartet with Marta Warelis on piano, Aaron Lumley on bass and Sun on Mi Hong on drums, presented in two extended improvisations.
Agnel, Sophie / Michael Zerang
Draw Bridge
(Relative Pitch)
French classically trained pianist Sophie Agnel and percussionist Michael Zerang explore unconventional techniques in nine captivating improvisations recorded at Chicago's Experimental Sound Studio, blending Agnel's prepared and extended piano methods with Zerang's nuanced percussion to create a strikingly compatible and dynamic sonic dialogue.
Parkins, Zeena / Chris Brown / William Winant / Ben Davis
Scree
(Relative Pitch)
Recording in the Mills College Concert Hall in Oakland, the quartet of Zeena Parkins (harp), Chris Brown (piano and electronics), William Winant (percussion), and Ben Davis (cello) work in an ethereal mode of electro-acoustic improvisation, drawing unconventional sounds from their instruments as they weave a virtuosic and intricately creative sonic tapestry evoking the rugged unpredictability of the album's title.
ES Trio (Steyer / Kwan / Zerang)
The Foreign In Us
(Relative Pitch)
Recorded at Experimental Sound Studios following a powerful and inspired concert at Elastic Arts, this trio captures the distinct musical voices of Edith Steyer (alto saxophone & clarinet), Mabel Kwan (piano), and Michael Zerang (drums & percussion), weaving sound-oriented improvisations and diverse transatlantic influences from Berlin and Chicago.
Jackson, Keefe / Raoul van der Weide / Frank Rosaly
Live at de Tanker
(Kettle Hole Records)
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.
Lai, Clara (Lai / Reviriego / Roca)
Corpos
(Phonogram Unit)
The debut album from pianist Clara Lai's Barcelona-based trio with Alex Reviriego on double bass and Oriol Roca on drums, Lai's background in classical and jazz improvisation felt in the precision of her playing as the trio explores collective construction and structural improvisation, coaxing active and contemplative moments among uniquely experimental approaches.
Ayler, Albert (incl. Milford Graves, Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Lyons, Sunny Murray, &c)
More Lost Performances, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Remastering previously unavailable and vital performances from three configurations of saxophonist Albert Ayler's bands, including their 1967 Newport Festival concert with Milford Graves, their performance at John Coltrane's 1967 Funeral at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in NYC, and an incredible 1962 concert with Cecil Taylor's group with Jimmy Lyons and Sunny Murray in Copenhagen.
Superposition (Todd A. Carter / Michael Hartman)
Glaciers
(Kettle Hole Records)
Members of the Chicago free improvising, collaborative band TV Pow--Todd A. Carter and Michael Hartman--as a duo are Superposition, recording improvisations and composed improvisations primarily on piano, Rhodes, organ, and synthesizers, then mixing, adding and editing them into appealing tracks that merge electronics, jazz forms and soundscape.
Henry Cow
Glastonbury, Chaumont, Bilbao And The Lions Of Desire
(ReR Megacorp)
Expanding on the history of Henry Cow in new recordings discovered after the 19-CD Cow Redux box, including: a well-recorded concert at the the first Glastonbury Fayre in 1972, the earliest recordings of the quartet of Martin Ditcham, Fred Frith, John Greaves and Tim Hodgkinson; a 1978 grouping with Phil Minton; unrecorded compositions from 1977 in Bilbao; and a 1976 Chaumont Concert.
Davies, Rhodri
Trem
(Amgen Records)
Reissuing his 2003 album on the Confront label, Rhodri Davies' first solo album is a captivating set of uniquely voiced free improvisation, using a pedal harp, radio and tape recorders and percussive devices, and recorded in the natural resonance of All Angels, St Michael and All Angels Church in London, creating narrative and drama through Davie's intuitive sense of timing.
Minton, Phil / Pat Thomas / Dave Tucker / Roger Turner
Scatter: On A Clear Day Like This
(577 Records)
Formed in 1992 by UK keyboardist Pat Thomas, originally with the intention of exploring the energy of rock forms within non-idiomatic ea improv, this 2017 album with Dave Tucker on acoustic & electric guitars, Roger Turner on drums & percussion and Phil Minton on voice, was captured live at Cafe OTO in London for two extended, sometimes perplexing, but consistently amazing improvisations.
Carnalisme (Gargaud / Grente / Ziemniak)
De Profundis
(nunc.)
Formed by double bassist Patrice Grente and drummer Etienne Ziemniak in 2010, the French band Carnalisme, meaning "This fuzzy, troubled and slippery place, which everyone owns and no one can spot", produce a raucous blend of hard rock and free improvisation, here in their 4th release and joined by guitarist Guillaume Gargaud for a profoundly blistering album.
Yoshida, Tatsuya / Dairo Suga
Root
(Doubtmusic)
Driven by a passionate intensity, this first meeting of drummer Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins, Korekyojinn, Koenji Hyakkei, &c) and pianist Dario Suga at 7th Floor in Shibuya, Japan begins at high speed, the sheer technical brilliance of both players dazzling, their unbridled energy eventually yielding to passages of introspection that recur to fervor and fraternity; exceptional!
Tamura, Natsuki
Summer Tree
(Libra)
A stunning album of solo trumpet performance from Natsuki Tamura, who's name in Japanese translates as 'Natsu' meaning 'summer' and 'Ki' means 'tree', performed as layers of remarkable technique led by clarion playing over trumpet drones, sonic turbulence and percussive interaction on a wok, each layer using his extended vocabulary without studio manipulation.
This Is It! (Fujii / Itani / Tamura)
Mosaic
(Libra)
Circumventing pandemic lockdowns, the trio of husband & wife, pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, recorded this album at their home in Kobe, Japan using an internet connection to perform in real time with drummer/percussionist Takashi Itani in Tokyo, their joyful and sophisticated improvisation a testament to close listening and magnificent communication.
Wandering The Sound Quintet (Satoko Fujii / Guillermo Gregorio / Natsuki Tamuyra / Rafat Mazur / Ramon Lopez)
What Is...?
(Not Two)
The first Wandering The Sound album in 2018 was the trio of Argentinian reedist Guillermo Gregorio, Spanish drummer Ramón López and Polish bassist Rafał Mazur, here extended to a quintet with pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura for a 2019 concert at Alchemia in Poland, a masterful example of free improv based on a poem by Ikkyu Sojun, a Zen master from the 15th century.
Blonk's, Jaap Retirement Overdue (w/ Petruccelli / Stadhouders / Rosaly)
New Start [2 CDs]
(Kontrans)
The first working band for Dutch vocal improviser Jaap Blonk in 20 years, as he passes 65 years and is clearly NOT ready for retirement, assembling Miguel Petruccelli (Native Aliens Ensemble) on guitar, Jasper Stadhouders (Cactus Truck) on bass, and Chicago ex-pat Frank Rosaly on drums for a double CD of new work, collective improvisation and reworked Blonk classics.
Leandre, Joelle
No Comment
(Fou Records)
Two exemplary solo sets from the truly distinctive and commanding French double bassist and vocalist Joelle Leandres recorded at Vancouver Jazz Festival, Western Front, Vancouver, Canada, in June 1995 and at The Ibleo Jazz Festival in Ragusa, Italy in October, 1994.
Various Artists
30/4
(Fragment Factory)
Germany's Fragment Factory released this compilation to celebrate their 4th anniversary, with artists Joachim Montessuis, AMK, Aaron Dilloway, Philip Marshall, Krube., Michael Barthel, GX Jupitter-Larsen, Michael Muennich, Giuseppe Ielasi, Leif Elggren and Michael and Basil Esposito.
Ballister (Lonberg-Holm / Nilssen-Love / Rempis)
Mi Casa Es En Fuego
(Ballister Music)
A live show from Montreal's Casa Del Popolo in 2012 from the amazing transnational free jazz trio of saxophonist Dave Rempis, cellist/guitarist/electronic artist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love.




The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC