UPDATE
March 15, 2024 "Jazz music is a language of the emotions." —Charles Mingus |
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Essential Artists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Marc Baron/Mark Vernon • Peter Brotzmann/Paal Nilssen-Love • CHANGES TO blind • Jean Derome • Giuseppe Doronzo/Andy Moor/Frank Rosaly • Nikolaus Gerszewski • Sven-Ake Johansson/Alexander Von Schlippenbach • Franz Koglmann • Leap of Faith • Charles Mingus • Musicworks • Norbert Pfammatter/Florestan Berset/Francesco Losavio • Hal Russell/Mars Wiliams • Elliot Sharp • Simulacrum • Federico Ughi (w/Leo Genovese/Brandon Lopez) • Void Patrol (Sharp/Stetson/Martin/MacDonald) • Witches & Devils (Williams/Vandermark/Lonberg-Holm) |
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Essential Labels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Jazz & Improvisation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Brotzmann, Peter / Paal Nilssen-Love: Chicken Shit Bingo (Trost Records) Often performing together as a duo after their initial 2004 Chicago Tentet encounter, drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen and multi-reedist Peter Brötzmann typically released albums of live performances, this 2015 studio date in Antwerp unique in their catalog, an exemplary set of recordings, particularly with Brötzmann on a new contra-alto clarinet and Paal adding gongs to their improvisations. |
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Brotzmann, Peter / Paal Nilssen-Love: Chicken Shit Bingo [VINYL] (Trost Records) Vinyl edition of the CD listed above. |
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Doronzo, Giuseppe / Andy Moor / Frank Rosaly: Futuro Ancestrale (Clean Feed) Having worked together in other collaborations, this was the first meeting as a trio by Giuseppe Doronzo on baritone sax & Iranian bagpipe, Andy Moor on electric guitar and Frank Rosaly on drums, performing live at BIMHUIS in Amsterdam for a contemplatively charged set of unorthodox instrumental approaches using contemporary improv attitudes through structured and collective playing. |
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Johansson, Sven-Ake / Alexander Von Schlippenbach: uber Ursache und Wirkung der Meinungsverschiedenheiten beim Turmbau zu Babel [VINYL 2 LPs & PAL DVD] (Trost Records) Documenting the 1994 avant music drama composed by pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach and accordionist Sven-Ake Johansson, uber Ursache und Wirkung der Meinungsverschiedenheiten beim Turmbau zu Babel (on the cause and effect of the disagreements over the building of the Tower of Babel) through a double LP, DVD, libretto and 16-page booklet in a solid box set. |
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Koglmann, Franz: Near Blue - A Taste of Melancholy (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd) Presented in two versions--a stereo mix and a binaural mix for headphones--flugelhorn improviser and composer Franz Koglmann leads his septet of exceptional players through 10 original Koglmann compositions, sophisticated works that show influences from Ellington to Franz Joseph Haydn or Johann Strauss, in pieces influenced by or tipping the hat to modern artists, musicians and writers. |
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Leap of Faith: Quest for Uncertainty (Evil Clown) Joining the Boston free improvising duo of David Peck on clarinets, saxophones, clarinets & flutes, and Glynis Lomon on cello, aquasonic & voice--the core duo of Leap of Faith Orchestra--are Bonnie Kane on tenor sax, flute & electronics, and John Loggia on drums and percussion, capturing the extended title track and a brief, "possible outcome" as a summation. |
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Mingus, Charles: Presents Charles Mingus To Pre Bird, Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd) Three sides of Charles Mingus in this remastered reissue set: the 1961 Candid album Mingus Presents Mingus with the classic quartet of Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson and Dannie Richmond; then the Mercury release Pre-Bird from the same year, in ensembles performing the music of or influenced by Duke Ellington, along with the ambitious and brilliant through-composed work, "Half Mast Inhibition". |
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Pfammatter, Norbert / Florestan Berset / Francesco Losavio: A Vol D'Oiseau (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!)) The Swiss guitar trio of Florestan Berset on electric guitar with Norbert Pfammatter on drums and Francesco Losavio on double bass perform a mix of lyrical compositions from Berset, along with lyrically inclined collective improvisation from the group, each player bringing unique approaches to their instruments in a highly compatible set of conversations. |
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Russell, Hal / Mars Wiliams: EFTSOONS [VINYL] (NESSA) Eftsoons (defined as "soon after") is the 1981 duo album from NRG Ensemble leader Hal Russell with ensemble saxophonist and Chicago mainstay saxophonist Mars Williams, who also performs on slide whistle, bells and "lots of other stuff", Russell also performing on cornet, vibraphone and toys; an exciting and energetic album of truly free, inspired playing! |
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Sharp, Elliot: Arbor (zOaR Records) A collection of arboreal pieces for solo acoustic guitar--wood transformed into a resonator with the help of metal oscillators and digital manipulation--performed in the studio by NY guitarist and improviser Elliott Sharp, developing the works around trees, "austere and intense", each piece unfolding like delicate branches of acoustic and ethereal framework. |
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Simulacrum: Mechatronics (Evil Clown) This ensemble features 3 core Evil Clown members--David Peck on reeds, winds, percussion & electronics; Eric Woods on analog synth; and Bob Moores on space trumpet, guitar & electronics--with guests Michael Caglianone on reeds & percussion, Robin Amos on electric zither and keyboards; Faruq Hassan on samplers & keys; Albey OnBass on bass; and Michael Knoblach on military devices. |
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Ughi, Federico (w/ Genovese / Lopez): Infinite Cosmos Calling You You You, Vol. 1 (577 Records) The first album under 577 label leader and drummer Federico Ughi's name in five years brings together the incredible bass skills of Brandon Lopez and expansive Argentinean keyboard sonics of Leo Genovese, the first of two planned volumes recorded in the studio for a boundary-less album of acoustic and electric improv influenced by the music and philosophy of Sun Ra. |
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Ughi, Federico (w / Leo Genovese / Brandon Lopez): Infinite Cosmos Calling You You You, Vol. 1 [VINYL] (577 Records) Vinyl edition of the CD listed above. |
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Void Patrol (Sharp / Stetson / Martin / MacDonald): Live @ Victo (Victo) A wild and adventurous concert and one of the highlights of the 39th Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville from the electric improvising quartet of Elliott Sharp on electric guitar & electronics, Colin Stetson on bass, alto & tenor saxophones, Billy Martin on drums & percussion and Payton Macdonald on marimba, vibraphone & African xylophone. |
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Witches & Devils (Williams / Vandermark / Lonberg-Holm): At the Empty Bottle (Knitting Factory Works) Before his ecstatic Xmas series, An Ayler Xmas, Chicago saxophonist Mars Williams led the Witches & Devils quintet of Mars Williams on reeds, Ken Vandermark on reeds, Jim Baker on keyboards, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and Kent Kessler on bass, an incredible and passionate free jazz group paying tribute to the music of Albert Ayler, heard live at The Empty Bottle in 1997. |
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Experimental/Electronic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Baron, Marc / Mark Vernon: post-chance (erstwhile) Mailing unspooled 1/4" tape to each other along with a magnet to randomly erase part of each tape, Marc Baron & Mark Vernon captured these fragments and placed them into sequence based on the minute past the hour each was originally recorded, contrasting the degraded recordings with the original; an exacting but fascinating method of creating something unexpected and uniquely engaging. |
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CHANGES TO blind: Volume Eight: Before Birth to Expiration (Squidco Records) The eighth album from the long-running CHANGES TO blind project of Phil Zampino, eight works drawing on compositions & improvisations, acoustic & synthetic instruments, field recordings & samples, with guests Levi Erik providing field recordings & voice and Wilmington, NC's 910 Noise Members of Carl Kruger, subterrene, John Bishop, Authorless and Ryan Lewis. |
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Compositional | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Derome, Jean: La Chaleur De La Pensee (Ambiances Magnetiques) Concepts of community, dialog, sharing and transmission, or "recontre", are the linking ideas between these four works commissioned of Montreal composer and wind player Jean Derome, developed for four Quebec ensembles, these pieces combine contemporary and improvisational forms, the scores shaped by constraints from the combinatorial mathematics of Marin Mersenne. |
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Gerszewski, Nikolaus: 3 Works For Strings, Giusto Chamber Orchestra (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd) Giusto Chamber Orchestra performs three works for twelve strings by German composer and visual artist Nikolaus Gerszewski, whose music of shifting pitches, vibrations and volumes--compared with experimental sound & noise work--is influenced by composers Radulescu and Dumitrescu's spectral music, James Tenney's "swell form" and Cornelius Cardew's graphic scores. |
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Books & Magazines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Musicworks: #147 Winter 2024 [MAGAZINE + CD] (Musicworks) Winter 2024 issue of Canada's premiere new music magazine, with Saxophonist Andrew MacKelvie on the cover; plus features on Indonesia's Music Subculture; Sonny-Ray Day Ride; Solidaridad Tango; A History of the Canadian Electronic Ensemble; plus album reviews, essays and a CD of tracks from artists covered in the magazine. |
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Recent Reviews on The Squid's Ear | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stay Current With Squidco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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