The Squid's Ear Magazine
Jan 29-Feb 5: Creative Sources $9.95 Sale!
250 albums on sale @ more than 40% off!

  Recently Restocked

Albums which we have recently restocked, listed in most recently restocked order. Some quantities will be limited, particularly for older albums. This page is updated after every catalog refresh, typically Tuesdays & Thursdays.



Sergio Armaroli / Steve Piccolo / Elliott Sharp: Blue In Mind (Leo Records)

An unusual blend of jazz tradition, spoken word and soundscape, presenting mostly as a jazz album with spoken narration from Steve Piccolo (Lounge Lizards) guiding the album with abstract comments that interject with Sergio Armaroli's virtuoso vibe playing, Elliot Sharp adding both acoustic sax elements and inventive sonic environments underpinning many moments; conceptually fascinating.



Sergio Armaroli / Steve Piccolo / Elliott Sharp: What Went Wrong (Leo Records)

The fifth album on Leo Records for vibraphonist Sergio Armaroli, and his second with NY guitarist, saxophonist & electronic artist Elliott Sharp and bassist Steve Piccolo, using lyrical interpretations of jazz standards as a jumping off point for experimental and unusual approaches to improvisation, a unique balancing point in a fascinating collection.



Helene Breschand / Floy Krouchi / Zafer Tawil / Elliott Sharp: disPOSSESSION (zOaR Records)

Expanding the collaboration between guitarist, saxophonist and electronic artist Elliott Sharp and electric & acoustic harpist Helene Breschand, in a quartet with Zafer Tawil performing on oud, violin & percussion and Floy Krouchi on electric bass, for an exotic, globe-embracing, groove-oriented album of unusual and often ecstatic acoustic and electric orchestration.



Steve Lehman / Orchestre National De Jazz : Ex Machina (Pi Recordings)

A collaboration between NY saxophonist & composer Steve Lehman and the French Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJ), performing compositions by both Lehman and ONJ's artistic director, Frédéric Maurin that blur the boundaries between jazz, experimental and composed forms, using spectral harmonies and real-time interactive electronics developed at IRCAM; powerful!



Fieldwork: Door (Pi Recordings)

The NY trio of Steve Lehman, Vijay Iyer and new drummer Tyshawn Sorey in their 3rd Pi release, with wide influences from M-Base, Ornette Coleman, Art Ensemble, &c.



Fieldwork: Simulated Progress (Pi Recordings)



Jurg Frey / Apartment House: String Trio (Another Timbre)

Reworking a piece for string trio originally commissioned by the Concertgebouw Brugge and premiered by the Goeyvaerts Trio as part of the 2019 SLOW Festival, this new version expands on the original composition to bring elegant calmness and clarity to the work, performed by UK's Apartment House members Mira Benjamin on violin, Bridget Carey on viola and Anton Lukoszevieze on cello.



Morton Feldman : Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello (Another Timbre)

Morton Feldman's final composition, originally premiered in 1987, here performed by pianist Mark Knoop, violinist Aisha Orazbayeva, violist Bridget Carey, and cellist Anton Lukoszevieze, recording a year after their successful performance at London's Cafe Oto, maintaining focus and concentration on this large, unhurried work of micro-variations.



Morton Feldman played by John Tilbury & Philip Thomas: Two Pianos And Other Pieces 1953-1969 [2 CDs] (Another Timbre)

"Two Pianos" is one of Morton Feldman's most experimental and radical works, performed here by John Tilbury & Philip Thomas; plus lesser known works including 'Piece for Four Pianos', 'Between Categories', 'False Relationships and the Extended Ending' and 'Two Pieces for Three Pianos'.



Byron Coley / Mats Gustafsson / Thurston Moore: Now Jazz Now: 100 Essential Free Jazz & Improvisation Recordings (1960-80) [BOOK] (Ecstatic Peace Library )

Drawing from deeply personal listening histories, this richly illustrated volume assembles 100 essential free jazz and improvisation recordings from 1960-80, presenting album art, notes, and reflections that frame the music as non-hierarchical and interlinked, offering an immersive guide for adventurous listeners interested in the lineage, spirit, and lived culture of creative freedom.



James Lewis Brandon / Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia, With Love [VINYL 2 LPs] (Tao Forms)

Composer and tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' exceptional Red Lily Quintet quintet (Kirk Knuffke on cornet; William Parker on bass; Chad Taylor on drums; Christopher Hoffman on cello) pays homage to gospel and jazz singer Mahalia Jackson through a suite of original Lewis compositions, reimagining some of Jackson's best known works; CD & LP issues include a bonus download track.



MAP (Halvorson / Nakatani / Radding): Fever Dream [VINYL] (TAIGA)

A beautifully produced 3-sided double LP from New York's MAP, guitarist Mary Halvorson, percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani and bassist Reben Radding, amazing contemporary improvisation.



Fred: Frith Stone, Brick, Glass, Wood, Wire (Graphic Scores 1986-96)(2CDs) (Angelica)

RESTOCKED: Fred Frith's 1999 box set, presenting a large, flexible ensemble project using marked photographs and rules as scores while Frith directs and conducts as well as performing; permanent members are Ikue Mori and Zeena Parkins, otherwise the balance of the 44 strong ensemble changes; recordings here are taken from 5 concerts, including the first in 1992 at AngelicA.



Amado / Mcphee / Kessler / Corsano: A History Of Nothing (Trost Records)

Following up their 2015 Not Two album "This is Our Language", the quartet organized by tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado with Joe McPhee on soprano saxophone and pocket trumpet, Kent Kessler on double bass, and Chris Corsano, a superb album of intense communication and soloing from a collective that merges free and lyrical playing, from ballads to full-on fury.



Steve Lacy & Joe McPhee: The Rest [VINYL] (Roaratorio)

A previously unreleased, excellent improvised piece with two soprano saxophones from a concert in June 1977 in Basel, Switzerland when Steve Lacy invited Joe McPhee to join him to close his set.



Rova Saxophone Quartet: The Circumference of Reason (ESP Disk)

Four decades into their project, the SF Bay Area saxophone quartet ROVA of Bruce Ackley (soprano & tenor), Steve Adams (alto & sopranino), Larry Ochs (tenor) and Jon Raskin (baritone) continue expanding their magnificent repertoire with original compositions, collective improvisations, and a piece from Glenn Spearman (Cecil Taylor, Double Trio) arranged by Larry Ochs.



Columbia Icefield (Nate Wooley / Mary Halvorson / Ryan Sawyer): Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes (Pyroclastic Records)

The second outing for trumpeter and composer Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield band with Mary Halvorson on guitar, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, Ryan Sawyer on drums, plus violist Mat Maneri and bassist Trevor Dunn joining for one track; an album of sublime and subtly complex sondscapes in beautiful abstractions that evolve to exceptional group and solo interplay.



Ches Smith (w/ Bill Frisell / Mat Maneri / Craig Taborn): Interpret It Well (Pyroclastic Records)

Expanding drummer and composer Ches Smith's working band of violist Mat Maneri and pianist Craig Taborn with guitarist Bill Frisell, who had joined the band for one live gig that felt so natural that recording as a quartet was a natural conclusion, heard here in seven compositions that allow room for band members to improvise or "Interpret" on the compositions themselves.



Patricia Brennan Septet (Irabagon / Shim / O'Farrill / Gilmore / Herrera / Cass): Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic Records)

For her third album as a leader, NY vibraphonist and composer Patricia Brennan expands her band to a septet with bassist Kim Cass, drummer Marcus Gilmore, percussionist Mauricio Herrera, saxophonists Jon Irabagon and Mark Shim and trumpeter Adam O'Farrill also on electronics, for an exciting, widely embracing and fully modern album of compelling modern jazz, bound to be a 2024 top 10!



Sylvie Courvoiser / Mary Halvorson: Bone Bells (Pyroclastic Records)

Their third album in collaboration, pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and guitarist Mary Halvorson deepen their intuitive musical dialogue in a set of alternately composed pieces — melding percussive piano, swirling guitar effects, and poetic abstraction into a haunting, fluid, and visceral soundworld shaped by mutual experience, instinct, and a sense of sonic adventure.



Taborn / Cline / Gilmore: Trio of Bloom (Pyroclastic Records)

A formidable first meeting between keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Marcus Gilmore, where three singular voices of modern creative music converge in assertive, Downtown-NY-steeped, genre-defying interplay — originals, reimagined works, and spontaneous improvisations blooming into a vibrant, exploratory dialogue of texture, rhythm, and imagination.



Peter Brotzmann / Paal Nilssen-Love: Butterfly Mushroom (Trost Records)

The 2nd volume following Chicken Shit Bingo from a two-day 2015 studio session in Antwerp, capturing the deep rapport and evolving artistry of multi-reedist Peter Brötzmann and drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love through eight powerful and explorative improvisations, reflecting their nearly two-decade collaboration as they experiment with new instruments and demonstrate profound musical expression.



Fire! With Jim O'Rourke: Unreleased? (Rune Grammofon)

Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werlin are joined by Jim O'Rourke to add a driving guitar & electronic layer to the "hypnotic jazz psychedelia and sonic mayhem" of Fire!



Burkhard Beins (w/ Dorner / Elieh / Ermke / Neumann / Renkel / Tuerlinckx / Zapparoli): Eight Duos [3 LPs] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

Showcasing Burkhard Beins's versatile approach to collaboration, this 3-LP set recorded at Morphine Raum presents eight duo performances featuring partners such as Andrea Neumann, Axel Dörner, and Marta Zapparoli, blending acoustic and electronic instruments in conceptual explorations that range from the percussive "Expansion" to the dynamic "Transmission," reflecting Beins's broad artistic spectrum.



Burkhard Beins / John Butcher / Werner Dafeldecker: induction [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

The first of NI-VU-NI-CONNU's 5-LP John Butcher series, presenting concerts from 2019 in Berlin and Leipzig of acoustic free improvisation fueled by incredible technique, extreme concentration and open-minded approaches to free interaction, from the trio of Burkhard Beins on percussion, John Butcher on tenor & soprano saxophones and Werner Dafeldecker on double bass.



Liz Allbee / John Butcher / Ignaz Schick / Marta Zapparoli: Lamenti Dall'infinito [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

The 4th of NI-VU-NI-CONNU's 5-LP John Butcher series and part of a 2 night residency at ausland in Berlin coinciding with his 65th birthday, tenor & soprano saxophonist John Butcher is joined in a quartet by electroacoustic improvisers, trumpeter Liz Allbee, Ignaz Shick on turntables, sampler & electronics and Marta Zapparoli on tapes, reel-to-reel tape machines and antennas.



John Butcher / Magda Mayas / Tony Buck : Glints [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

The 5th of NI-VU-NI-CONNU's 5-LP John Butcher series and part of a 2 night residency at ausland in Berlin coinciding with his 65th birthday, tenor & soprano saxophonist John Butcher is joined by the long-running duo Spill of pianist Magda Mayas and drummer Tony Buck (The Necks) for two extended works of evolving, absorbing introspection and eruption.



Sophie Agnel / John Butcher: La Pierre Tachee [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

The 2nd of NI-VU-NI-CONNU's 5-LP John Butcher series, the duo of pianist Sophie Agnel and soprano & tenor saxophonist John Butcher is informed by previous collaborations as a duo and in a trio with cellist Márkos Albert, here in a superb 2019 concert of balanced tension and intense interaction captured at Ausland in Berlin, a meeting of two perfectly matched improvisers.



John Butcher / Thomas Lehn / Gino Robair: Shaped & Chased [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

The 3rd of NI-VU-NI-CONNU's 5-LP John Butcher series and part of a 2 night residency at ausland in Berlin coinciding with his 65th birthday, the long-running trio of tenor & soprano saxophonist John Butcher with Thomas Lehn on synthesizer and Gino Robair on percussion, Blipoo Box & found objects perform four perfectly complementary and startling improvisations.



Evan Parker / Jean-Marc Foussat: Insolence [VINYL] (NASHAZPHONE)

A collaboration between two towering improvisers — soprano saxophonist Evan Parker and synth/voice experimentalist Jean-Marc Foussat — presenting two incisive live duo performances from the 2023 Improtech Festival, paired with archival solo works from the early 1980s, in a release that bridges free improvisation’s enduring quest for expressive freedom across decades.



Taylor Bynum Sextet Ho: Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12 Records)

The first recording of Ho Bynum's new sextet, with guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, augmented by bassist Ken Filiano, saxophonist Jim Hobbs, and tubist/bass trombonist Bill Lowe, in a 4-part suite.



Mary Halvorson Quintet: Bending Bridges (Firehouse 12 Records)

Brooklyn-based guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson's second recording with her amazing working quintet of trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist John Hebert, and drummer Ches Smith.



Mary: Halvorson Bending Bridges [2 VINYL LPs] (Firehouse 12 Records)

Limited edition LP of Brooklyn-based guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson's second recording with her amazing working quintet of trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist John Hebert, and drummer Ches Smith.



Mary Halvorson Septet: Illusionary Sea [VINYL 2 LPS] (Firehouse 12 Records)

Mary Halvorson leads her Septet with Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Jon Irabagon (alto sax), Ingrid Laubrock (tenor saxophone), Jacob Garchik (trombone), John Hebert (bass) & Ches Smith (drums) through 6 original compositions and a Robert Wyatt cover!



Taylor Bynum Ho: Navigation (Possibility Abstracts XII & XIII) [2 CDs] (Firehouse 12 Records)

The 1st of 3 releases documenting composer/cornetist Taylor Ho Bynums' Navigation project, in 2 CDS of studio recordings with his Sextet: Jim Hobbs on saxophone, Bill Lowe on trombone & tuba, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Ken Filiano on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums & vibraphone.



Mary: Halvorson Meltframe (Firehouse 12 Records)

NY guitarist Mary Halvorson's solo album, worked out after a tour opening for King Buzzo, has her performing creative interpretations of works from modern composers like Roscoe Mitchell, Ornette Coleman, Oliver Nelson, & Tomas Fujiwara, back to Duke Ellington's "Solitude".



Mary: Halvorson Away With You [VINYL 2 LPs] (Firehouse 12 Records)

Mary Halvorson continues her string of excellent modern jazz albums with this octet release with fellow guitarist Susan Alcorn, Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Jon Irabagon & Ingrid Laubrock (sax), Jacob Garchik (trombone), John Hebert (bass) and Ches Smith (drums).



Melaine Dalibert / David Sylvian: Vermilion Hours (Ici d Ailleurs)

A refined collaboration between pianist Melaine Dalibert and David Sylvian, transforming Dalibert's algorithmic piano works through subtle, impressionistic electronic treatments that deepen their harmonic resonance, creating a luminous and contemplative soundworld shaped by spectral motion and quiet atmospheric detail.



Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double: March (Firehouse 12 Records)

"March" refers to the foundation of repurposed march rhythms NY drummer Tomas Fujiwara employs for the compositions in his second release with his Triple Double sextet, actually two trumpet-guitar-drum trios brilliantly interacting, with fellow drummer Gerald Cleaver, both Mary Halvorson & Brandon Seabrook on guitar and Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet & Ralph Alessi on trumpet.



John Butcher / Ute Wassermann / Martin Blume : Leaflight: Close Calls (FMR)

In a live Cologne performance the trio of Butcher (reeds), Wassermann (voice & bird-calls) and Blume (drums/percussion) transform ambient impulse and acoustic detail into a series of "close-call" ensemble gestures, where bird-like vocal fragments, saxophone multiphonics and micro-percussion co-here in porous space, yielding an improvised chamber of attentiveness, ecological flux and sonic shadow play.



Sabu Toyozumi / Richard Allan Bates / Rick Countryman: The Separation of Sound and Space (FMR)

The trio of Sabu Toyozumi, Richard Allan Bates, and Rick Countryman delve into a contemplative exploration anchored by Bates's electric upright bass, whose resonant tones foster rich harmonic dialogues between Toyozumi's textured percussion and Countryman's fluid alto saxophone, emphasizing the nuanced interplay of sound and space.



Countryman / Bucher / Yandsen: The Malaysia Live Fact Session (FMR)

Two 2022 live free jazz sessions from Malaysia, the first a saxophone duo between US ex-pat based in The Philippines, Rick Countryman on alto and Malaysian tenor saxophonist Yong Yandsen, appropriately recorded at The Saxophone Store in Kula Lumpur; then 5 trio improvisations recorded in concert at Live Fact in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia on the same tour.



Wilfrido Terrazas / Kyle Motl: Seven Gifts (FMR)

Seven Gifts as an offering through seven improvisations between double bassist Kyle Motl (Peter Kuhn Trio, Kyle Motl Trio) and Mexican flutist Wilfrido Terrazas, transforming their instruments through texture and tone to draw imagistic and free flowing stories in each conversation, applying unique and evocative approaches to their dialogs.



Szilard Mezei Quartet: Jaguar - Flower (FMR)

Revisiting previous works in new arrangements, particularly the title track "Jaguar" originally recorded as a septet in 2005 and here with violin Szilárd Mezei's current quartet orchestrated for violin, vibes, double bass and drums; or the large work "Hep 35", part of a decades-long series of compositions employing unison melodies that open facilitate extended improvisation.



Deep Joy Trio: Live in Austria (FMR)

Long time associates since their Mujician days, saxophonist Paul Dunmall, bassist Paul Rogers and drummer Tony Levin are recorded live in Austria for two extended and deeply joyful improvisations.



Frode Gjerstad / Peter Brotzmann: Soria Moria (FMR)

A great duo recording on clarinets and terrogoto from multi-reedist Frode Gjerstad and legendary free jazz musician Peter Brotzmann, incredible free improvisation from two masters.



The Articles (Thomas / Gustafsson / Turner): Goodbye Silence (FMR)

The trio of Mats Gustafsson on saxophone and electronics, keyboardist Pat Thomas and percussionist Roger Turner performing live in Derby in 1998, a challenging and fascinating set.



Frode Gjerstad / Kevin Norton / David Watson: Tipples (FMR)

Free improvising from saxophonist Frode Gjerstad and vibraphonist Kenvin Norton, recording in the same space as their previous duo CD, but with guitarist David Watson as a 3rd voice.



Dan Clucas / Kyle Motl / Nathan Hubbard: Daydream and Halting (FMR)

A collective West Coast trio from double bassist Kyle Motl (Treesearch) with cornetist Dan Clucas, also on violin and moxeno (an Andean wind instrument) and drummer Nathan Hubbard, imbued with a spiritual and natural chamber jazz feeling, their improvisations influenced by concepts of daydreams, incandescence and zephyrs; a beautiful and open-minded album.



Convergence Quartet, The: Live In Oxford (FMR)

The Convergence Quartet (Taylor Ho Bynum, Harris Eisenstadt, Alexander Hawkins and Dominic Lash) in their first FMR CD performing inspired modern jazz live in Oxford.



Szilard Mezei : Old Book For Quartet (FMR)

Rich in melody that's tinged with European folk music, beautifully orchestrated with viola, vibraphone, double bass, drums & percussion, Serbian violist Szilárd Mezei's compositions take listeners on a journey from melodic optimism to poignant moments of timeless history, indeed a narrative as from a timeless novel read with passion and sincerity; exquisite.



Frode Gjerstad / Fred Lonberg-Holm: Tistel (FMR)

Perhaps Norway's most creative multi-reedist Frode Gjerstad meets Chicago cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm for a series of freely improvised duets, a remarkable dialog from two tremendous improvisers.



Gjerstad / Edwards / Sanders: Bergen (FMR)

Finnish free jazz master Frode Gjerstad in a trio with drummer Mark Sanders and bassist John Edwards performing live at the 2008 NattJazz Festival in Norway.



Gjerstad / Lonberg-Holm / Sen / Nilssen-Love: The Cello Quartet (FMR)

Extraordinary reed player Gjerstad on alto sax and clarinet in a quartet with two cellos (Fred Lonberg-Holm & Amit Sen) and all around drummer Paal Nielsen-Love.



Udo Schindler / Peter Jacquemyn / Georg Karger: Hybride Synergetics [LowToneStudies] (FMR)

Reedist Udo Schindler continues his exploration into the double bass and low-tone reed instruments, here on bass & contrabass clarinets contrasted only with his soprano saxophone, in a 2022 live recording from MUCCA_Kommandozentrate in Munich of the five-part improvisation "Hybride Synergetic" in a trio with double bassists Peter Jacquemyn and Georg Karger.



Tret Trio (Rob Hall / Tobias Weindorf / Phillipp Van Endert): Crow Jam (FMR)

A beautifully lyrical and introspective trio recording from saxophonist Rob Hall, keyboardist Tobias Weindorf, and guitarist Philipp van Endert, sharing compositional duties across a set of chamber-like modern jazz works recorded in Germany, where nuanced improvisation, melodic sensitivity, and a refined sense of space define this elegant and democratic debut from the pan-European Tret Trio.



Viv Corringham / Lawrence Casserley: Anemoi (FMR)

Lawrence Casserley is a pioneer of real time electroacoustic music, since the 60s working with other artists and developing his Signal Processing Instrument, using physical gestures to process and morph sounds; here he works with British vocalist and Deep Listening teacher Viv Corringham in an other-worldly collaboration of voice and electonics.



Ernesto Rodrigues / Fala Mariam / Andre Hencleeday / Seu Barradas: February Find (Creative Sources)

Captured live as part of the Creative Sources Improvised Music Series in Lisbon, this quartet performance brings viola, crackle box, alto trombone, piano, and percussion into a finely balanced improvisation where texture and restraint guide the music's unfolding, revealing a deeply interactive dialogue shaped by close listening, fragile electronics, and quietly evolving sonic relationships.



Fohn Ensemble (Foschla / Duerinckx / Northover): Fohn Ensemble (Creative Sources)

Bringing together clarinets, sopranino, baritone, and soprano saxophones with kyotaku (a Japanese bamboo flute) and resonant percussion, this trio shapes a highly attentive improvisation where breath, extended techniques, and shifting timbres unfold through close listening, moving fluidly between fragile textures, explosive gestures, and an organic, imaginary folklore that emerges from collective intuition.



Schindler / Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Torres: Conspiratorial And Fulminate Things Happen [2 CDs] (Creative Sources)

The quartet of Udo Schindler on reeds, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello and Nuno Torres on saxophone are heard in Munich, first in a wildly interactive live performance at Schindler's Salon successor: BASIS_Soundscape at MUCCA; then live in the studio for 7 improvisations with track titles borrowed from and under the influence of the poetry of Allen Ginsberg.



Variable Geometry Orchestra: L'Heure Derniere du Silence (Creative Sources)

L'Heure Dernière du Silence stands as a testament to VGO's ongoing exploration of the interplay between silence and sound, solidifying their position as a leading force in contemporary improvised music as heard in this live recording captured during the cycle "A Hora Derradeira do Silencio" at St. George's Church, in Lisbon, Portugal in 2024.



String Theory [PORTUGAL]: Gravity (Creative Sources)

A sense of both lightness and weight drawn from Portuguese viola player's Ernesto Rodrigues' 18-piece String Theory, in a large and detailed improvisation using an incredible array of string sources, including viola, harp, violin, cello, viola da gamba, double bass, classical, acoustic and 12-string guitars, mandolin, zither, harpsichord, and piano.



Ernesto Rodrigues / Miguel Mira / Flak / Tiago Varela / Manuel Guimaraes: Genius Loci (Creative Sources)

Continuing Rodrigues' post-Cage series of single-track acoustic improvisations, this 2025 quintet with Miguel Mira, Flak, Tiago Varela, and Manuel Guimaraes blends viola, cello, electric guitar, fan organ, melodica, and piano in an evolving tapestry of mysterious breath, subtle continuity, and fragile sonic space recorded live in Lisbon with profound delicacy and restraint.



AGogol / NaabtalDeath / Ernesto Rodrigues / Guilherme Rodrigues: Mistika Jpeg Oscillations (Creative Sources)

In a surreal electroacoustic encounter recorded live in Hannover, the quartet of AGogol, NaabtalDeath (Jerome Noetinger), Ernesto Rodrigues, and Guilherme Rodrigues deconstructs chamber music into a visceral, alchemical performance of modified strings, electronics, and crackling noise, blending absurd vocalizations, brutal textures, and delicate atmospheres into a raw, dreamlike sound theater.



Ernesto Rodrigues / Ana Albino / Hernani Faustino / Carlos Santos: A Glimpse To An End Of A Cycle (Creative Sources)

Recorded live in Lisbon in 2025, this quietly immersive quartet session from Ernesto Rodrigues, Ana Albino, Hernani Faustino, and Carlos Santos unfolds as a single extended movement of enigmatic timbral interplay, blending modular synth, electric guitar, viola and bass in a sparse, introspective soundscape shaped by mystery, fluidity, and subtle dynamic shifts.



Udo Schindler / Olaf Rupp : HerzAtmungen (Creative Sources)

Quoting Piet Mondrian — 'I believe that the destructive element in art is neglected too much' — the duo of Udo Schindler (bass clarinet, alto saxophone, cornet, tuba) and Olaf Rupp (electric guitar) deliver a compelling 2023 live performance at MUCCA [BASIS-Buchsalon] in Munich, Germany, in the six-part collective conversation "HerzAtmungen," loosely translating to "Heart Breathings".



Tristan Honsinger & The House Of Wasps: Noisy Sadness (Creative Sources)

A personal and evocative suite written during the isolation of the COVID-19 period, bringing together the legendary Tristan Honsinger (cello, vocal, narration) with his long-standing Tokyo-based ensemble, The House of Wasps — Yuriko Mukojima (violin, voice), Takashi Seo (double bass), and Shuichi Chino (piano) — in a performance that seamlessly blends chamber improvisation, storytelling, and emotional intensity.



Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg / Nuno Torres / Ernesto Rodrigues / Joao Madeira / Carlos Santos : La Rambarde Des Songes, Les Congruences Des Soupirs (Creative Sources)

A hushed and enigmatic quintet improvisation featuring Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg's extended vocal techniques alongside Nuno Torres (alto saxophone), Ernesto Rodrigues (viola, crackle box), João Madeira (double bass), and Carlos Santos (modular synthesizer), unfolding in reductionist, pointillistic interplay that explores subtle texture, utterance, and resonance.



Baltschun / Dorner / Fagaschinski: No Furniture (Creative Sources)



Kerbaj / Ulher / Sehnaoui: 3:1 (Creative Sources)

Unusual acoustic improvisations from this double trumpet and acoustic guitar trio, creating music with electronic impressions and odd sound organization.



Rodrigues / Abdelnour / Dorner: NIE (Creative Sources)

A beautiful and subtle album presenting 3 extended improvisations from the patient and masterful hands of trumpeter Axel Dorner, violist Ernesto Rodrigues, and alto saxophonist Christine ABdelnour.



Paura: The Construction Of Fear (Creative Sources)

Excellent, fun and slightly twisted free improvising quintet with Dennis Gonzalez, Mark Sanders, Alipio Netom, and father/son team Ernesto Rodrigues and Guilherme Rodrigues.



Guionnet / Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Murayama: Noite (Creative Sources)

Saxophonist Guionnet guides this quartet of sax, viola, cello, & percussion, including label leader Ernesto Rodrigues, delicate yet detailed improv of a high order.



Stephen: Flinn Architect of Adversity (Creative Sources)

Arizona based percussionist Flinn, who has worked with Tim Perkis, Noah Phillips, in a solo work for drums, percussion and voice.



Otherlands Trio (Crump / Jones / McPherson): Star Mountain (Intakt)

Uniting bassist Stephan Crump, drummer Eric McPherson with alto saxophonist Darius Jones, this trio channels a deeply connected improvisational language built on evolving vamps, elastic grooves, and shared momentum, as Jones's emotionally direct alto moves freely through shifting forms shaped by trust, vulnerability, and a collective pursuit of intensity without hierarchy or hesitation.



James Lewis Brandon Quartet: Molecular Systematic Music: Live [2 CDs] (Intakt)

The first live recordings from 2021 in Switzerland of NY saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' Molecular concept of composition, inspired by molecular biology and yielding lyrical and sophisticated structures for his players, heard in nine compositions performed with the exemplary quartet of Brad Jones on bass, Chad Taylor on drums, Aruán Ortiz on piano and Lewis on tenor sax.



James Lewis Brandon Quartet : Transfiguration (Intakt)

With a rare ability to play hard-hitting jazz while maintaining a lyrical sense to his compositions, tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' new studio album from his quartet of Aruan Ortiz on piano, Brad Jones on bass and Chad Taylor on drums is the fourth album from this working band, demonstrating their strong group affinity that invokes impressive soloing from all four.



Ingrid Laubrock (w/ Jon Irabagon / Zeena Parkins / Tom Rainey): Monochromes (Intakt)

Saxophonist & composer Ingrid Laubrock's quartet with Jon Irabagon on sopranino sax, Zeena Parkins on electric harp and Tom Rainey on drums, in a work of conventional and graphic notation with text instructions, accompanied by fixed media tape pieces (monochromes), from Nate Wooley, Adam Matlock, Tom Rainey, and by JD Allen, David Breskin & Ingrid Laubrock manipulating Harry Bertoia sculptures.



Fred: Frith Guitar Solos/Fifty [VINYL 2 LPs] (Week-End Records)

While still a member of Henry Cow, guitarist Fred Frith released his first solo album simply titled Guitar Solos in 1974, a remarkable album of expression through preparations, treatments and effects; 50 years later Frith expands on that album with new compositions using a similar setup as the original, paired in this 2-LP release with the remastered original album.



Wooley / Corsano / Yeh: The Seven Storey Mountain II (Important Records)

Turbulent and ecstatic electronic improvisation in the 2nd installment of Seven Storey Mountain with Nate Wooley on amplified trumpet and tape, drummer Chris Corsano , and violinist C. Spencer Yeh.



Wolf Eyes / Anthony Braxton: Live At Pioneer Works, 26 October 2023 (ESP)

A monumental meeting between legendary saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton and noise pioneers Wolf Eyes (Nate Young & Johnny Olson), recorded live at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, NY, merging Braxton's expansive approach with the duo's visceral electronics, hypnotic textures, and raw energy in a collision of free improvisation, structured chaos, and uncompromising sonic exploration.



Fennesz: Venice 20 (20th Anniversary Edition) (Touch)

20th anniversary reissue of Fennesz's 2004 release Venice, as a deluxe version remastered by Denis Blackham, with new and extra tracks not on the previous CD or vinyl versions, in a DVD-format with a booklet of texts by Fennesz, Denis Blackham, and Jon Wozencroft, photographs from the 2004 sessions, and David Sylvian's original handwritten lyrics for "Transit."



Zoh Amba / Chris Corsano / Bill Orcutt: The Flower School (Palilalia)

An enthusiastic and well-balanced studio recording in San Francisco from the trio of Zoh Amba on tenor saxophone, Chris Corsano on drums and Bill Orcutt on electric guitar, following Amba & Corsano's duo tour of the West Coast; this is a first meeting between Amba & Orcutt, who perform as a duo on two tracks, including a guitar duo with Amba on acoustic.



Full Blast & Friends: Sketches & Ballads (Trost Records)

The Full Blast trio of reedist Peter Brotzmann, bassist Mario Piakas and drummer Michael Wertmueller are joined by Ken Vandermark, Thomas Heberer and Dirk Rothbrust for an excellent concert at Donaueschinger Musiktage, 2010.



Hedvig Mollestad Trio: Bees In The Bonnet (Rune Grammofon)

Reuniting after four years, guitarist Hedvig Mollestad with Ellen Brekken and Ivar Loe Bjørnstad deliver six tracks that fuse hard rock riffing, progressive jazz, and psychedelic exploration, balancing raw power with nuanced improv, from searing grooves and shifting meters to poignant balladry, in seamless interplay of exhilaration and deep expression.



Peter Evans / Being & Becoming: Ars Ludricra [VINYL + DOWNLOAD] (More Is More)

Expanding their language through dense composition and open improvisation, this iteration of Peter Evans's ensemble moves fluidly between explosive dynamics, electronic textures, orchestral color, and rhythmic propulsion, as brass, vibes, synths, and percussion interlock in a restless, polyphonic music driven by play, risk, and a continually evolving collective imagination.



Jean Jones Claude (JC) / and friends: Nucleous (Kadima)

The fifth in bassist, guitarist and Kadima label-leader JC Jones "Distance Series", works assembled through virtual sessions with associated artists, Jones performing on Spanish guitar which he plays as a lap guitar, on Nucleous creating a set of five unusual vocal works with internationally reknown vocalists Meira Asher, Esti Kenan-Ofri, Anat Pick and Josef Sprinzak.



La Sprezzatura Ensemble: Jones, Jean Claude (JC) / Esti Kenan Ofri / Oren Fried: Abstract Formative Discourse (Kadima)

Evocatively drawing on the exotic sounds and rigorous tenacity of the Middle East, The Sprezzatura Ensemble of Esti Kenan Ofri on voice, Jean Claude Jones on lap-style Spanish guitar and Oren Fried on drums and percussion, particularly classical & traditional drums & ringing tambourine bells, present five freely improvised chants recorded in Jerusalem between 2017-18.



Jean Jone Claude (JC) / Raymond Boni: Visions of Sound (Kadima)

Twelve studio improvisations between Kadima-label leader JC Jones playing on a lap-steel plugged in Spanish guitar and French guitarist & improviser Raymond Boni, also performing on harmonica and electronics, where Jones, leveraging his history of work as a double bassist, often takes on the role of percussive/rhythmic foundation against Boni's incredible explorations.



Meira Asher / JC Jones: Myelination 2 (Kadima)

Spontaneous organic interactions over sounds from the vibrations of the myelin sheath, the protective insulating cover of the nervous system, from bassist JC Jones and vocalist, no-input mixer and Doepfer synthesizer player Meira Asher.



Ariel: Shibolet Live at The Total Music Meeting (Kadima)

Solo saxophone recordings from Israeli artists Ariel Shibolet, performing at Berlins Total Music Meeting in 2007, joyful and complex work in the vein of Evan Parker.



Ariel Shibolet / Haggai Fershtman: Happiness for Things Unseen (Kadima)

A live concert from soprano saxophonist Airel Shibolet performing with drummer Haggai Fershtman live in Tel Aviv, 2010, part of Kadima's Cy Twombly live performance series.



Denman Maroney / Dominic Lash: All Strung Out (Kadima)

Double bass and hyperpiano meet in a transatlantic collaboration between pianist Denman Maroney and bassist Dominc Lash, a combination of exhilarating technique and invention from two remarkable players.



Golia / Phillips / Leandre / Turetzky / Mezzacappa: The Ethnic Project (Kadima)

Multi-reedist Vinny Golia playing ethnic woodwinds including danso, kaval, moxeneo, marori bone flute, &c. in a series of duets with Barre Phillips, Joelle Leandre, Bert Turetzky, and Lisa Mezzacappa.



Joelle: Leandre Solo: Conversations With Franck Medioni [BOOK + CD + DVD] (Kadima Triptych)

Frank Medioni interviewed bassist Joelle Leandre over two years at her home in Paris to create the narrative of this book; also included is a CD and DVD of two solo performances in Piednu and Guelph.



Mark: Dresser Sonic Brotherhood: DTFP by Five - Israel 2009 (Kadima)

Kadima's and Dresser's beautiful Deep Tones for Peace project, bringing bass players together to perform live at remote locations, here in configurations from solo to a 5 bass ensemble.



Rothenberg / Jauniaux / Phillips: While You Were Out (Kadima)

A fantastic trio of multi-reed and shakuhachi player Ned Rothenberg, avant vocalist Catherine Jauniaux, and bassist Barre Phillips recorded live in France, 2008.



Leandre & Cappozzo: Live aux Instants Chaivres` Monreuil (Kadima)

Bassist Joelle Leandre and Globe Unity Orchestra trumpeter Cappozzo performed these spontaneous and insightful dialogs live at Instants Chavires early in 2009.



Kowald / Golia: Mythology (Kadima)

Studio recordings from the late innovative bassist Peter Kowald and multi-wind phenomenon Vinny Golia, with both performers changing instruments for each improvisation.



JC: Jones Hosting Myself (Kadima)

Solo bass from acoustic and electroacoustic artist JC Jones, a distillation of his language in free improvised music incorporating electronic sound and noise.



Mark Dresser & Denman Maroney: Live in Concert (Kadima)

The duo of Denman Maroney on prepared piano and Mark Dresser on contrabass at the 2008 Vision Festival in NYC, and at the Storefront Theater, Chicago in 2001.



Joelle: Leandre Live in Israel (Kadima)

Double CD of bassist Joelle Leandre perforing Solo in Israel, then in duos, trios and a sextet with JC Jones, Assif Tsahar, Albert Beger, Ariel Shibolet, &c.



JC: Jones ReComp (Kadima)

Recomposing works from improvised sessions around the world, bassist JC Jones works with an excellent set of players including Ned Rothenberg, Ayal Maoz, Harold Rubin, &c.



Jason Alder / Thanos Chrysakis / Caroline Kraabel / Yoni Silver: Music for Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinets & Electronics (Aural Terrains)

Exploring the low end of the clarinet family with Jason Alder on bass, contra bass, B flat & E flat clarinets, Yoni Silver on bass clarinet, plus Caroline Kraabel on baritone saxophone & voice, Thanos Chrysakis expanding the sonic space with laptop & synthesizers, in a 5-part series of beautifully paced, absorbing and subtly detailed collective improvisations.



Jason Alder / Thanos Chrysakis / Charlotte Keeffe / James O' Sullivan: Inward Traces Outward Edges (Aural Terrains)

Embracing acoustic and electronic improvisation, this London-recorded session features Jason Alder's contrabass clarinet & sopranino sax, Charlotte Keeffe's trumpet & flugelhorn, James O'Sullivan's exploratory electric guitar and Thanos Chrysakis' laptop and synthesizers, collectively shaping a shifting, atmospheric soundscape of drone, spectral timbres, and dynamic textures.



Earle Brown / David Ryan / Christian Wolff / Morton Feldman / Thanos Chrysakis / Tim Hodgkinson: Music for Guitars, Bass Clarinets & Contrabasses (Aural Terrains)

Recorded live at London's Café OTO in December 2023, this extraordinary collective of guitarists, bass clarinetists, contrabassists, and trumpet interprets works by Earle Brown, David Ryan, Christian Wolff, Morton Feldman, Thanos Chrysakis, and Tim Hodgkinson, capturing a single evening of adventurous performances that merge contemporary composition with improvisatory spirit.



Evan Parker / Joelle Leandre: Long Bright Summer (RogueArt)

Drawing on decades of fearless improvising, saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Joëlle Léandre engage in an intense and unfiltered acoustic dialogue recorded live in France, their shared language enabling lightning reactions, extended techniques, surges of density and flow, hushed textural intimacy, and moments where Léandre's wordless voice merges seamlessly into their spontaneous interplay.



Jamie Branch / Isaiah Collier / Gilles Coronado / Tim Daisy: Stembells (The Bridge Sessions)

As part of the transatlantic network The Bridge connecting creative musicians for performance, the quartet of Jaimie Branch on trumpet, synthesizer & electronics, Isaiah Collier on soprano & tenor saxophones, Gilles Coronado on electric guitar and Tim Daisy on drums, recorded this wildly building live performance after a 2022 tour across Chicago and the Midwest.



Rupp / Kneer / Fischerlehner : Puna (Klanggalerie)

A new improvising trio from Berlin by Meinrad Kneer on double bass, Rudi Fischerlehner on drums & percussion and Olaf Rupp on electric guitar, an energetic project that borrows from free jazz with electroacoustic elements and clamorous intersections from Fischerlehner, as the trio runs the gamut from nearly chaotic interaction to deep contemplation in four diverse movements.



Sun Ra And His Arkestra: Saturn XIII [10-inch VINYL] (Presspop)

A collection of Sun Ra recordings from the 1970s to 80s, from a small pressings on Sun Ra's own Saturn label and now public for the first time - "Just Friends" live (alongside an unreleased, intimate living room solo recordings of the same), plus "Under the Spell of Love" from the Just Friends album, and a previously unissued and Sun Ra's only known recording of "Cherokee".



Dave Liebman (w/ Peter Evans / Leo Genovese / John Hebert / Tyshawn Sorey): Lost In Time, Live At Smalls (Cellar Live)

Part of the SmallsLIVE Living Masters series, masterful saxophonist Dave Liebman leads the stellar quintet of Peter Evans on trumpet, Leo Genovese on piano, John Hebert on bass & Tyshawn Sorey on drums through three Liebman compositions titled for their ordinal position, relaunching a highly focused Liebman post-pandemic with this stunning live concert at Smalls Jazz Club.





The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

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