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SQUIDCO Email Update + Squid Note Records, September 5, 2025

Squidco Weekly Update

Squidco & The Squid's Ear

UPDATE
September 5, 2025

"Improvisation is the most widespread of all musical activities.
Why did so many people spend so long pretending it never happened?"
—Dave Douglas

 Essential Artists

• Angles 11
• Jaap Blonk/Damon Smith/Michael Zerang
• Erez Dessel
• Dave Douglas (Douglas/Ridout/Adewumi/Brennan/Pass/Royston)
• Martin Escalante
• Martin Escalante/Charlie Mumma/Tete Leguia
• Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Williams/Baker/Wilkerson/Sandstrom/Hunt)
• Marcin Halat/Maciej Garbowski
• Alexander Hawkins/Taylor Ho Bynum
• Joseph Holbrooke (w/ Derek Bailey/Gavin Bryars/Tony Oxley)
• Zeena Parkins
• Ivo Pereleman/Nate Wooley/Matt Moran/Mark Helias/Tom Rainey
• Matthew Putman/Hill Greene/Francisco Mela
• Paul Rogers
• Cecil Taylor/Tony Oxley

 Essential Labels

577 Records
Burning Ambulance Music
Corbett vs. Dempsey
Fundacja Sluchaj!
Greenleaf Music

Kontrans
RogueArt
Tzadik
Wash and Wear Records



 New Releases





   Jazz & Improvisation

Angles 11: Tell Them It's The Sound Of Freedom
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)


Martin Küchen's Angles returns as an 11-piece — two trumpets, expanded reeds, vibraphone and amplified violin, Fender Rhodes/synth, and a three-drummer engine — lifting songful, anthemic themes into free, melody-rich interplay and propulsive grooves, the ensemble shifting from playful exchanges to surging peaks as its close-knit rapport balances warmth, bite, and momentum.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $15.95      Listen          

 
Blonk, Jaap / Damon Smith / Michael Zerang: Improvisers
(Kontrans)


The first meeting as a trio between Jaap Blonk on voice, Damon Smith on bass, and Michael Zerang on percussion, captured live in Chicago and continuing the Kontrans Improvisors series, bringing together three longstanding collaborators in new formation for an inventive and uncompromising set of free improvisation that highlights their commanding spontaneity and creative rapport.
   
     Buy      $17.95      Listen          

 
Dessel, Erez: PRO FAKE NO REJECT
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)


A remarkable solo statement from Chicago pianist Erez Dessel (b.1998), whose explosive energy, intuitive form, and darkly Romantic lyricism channel influences from Cecil Taylor, Don Pullen, or even shades of Mussorgsky, while embracing playful contrarianism, captured in ten concise improvisations and presented with notes by pianist Sharon Udoh.
   
     Buy      $13.95      Listen          

 
Douglas, Dave (Douglas / Ridout / Adewumi / Brennan / Pass / Royston): Alloy
(Greenleaf Music)


Created for the Festival of New Trumpet Music, Dave Douglas leads a sextet with a trio of trumpeters — Douglas, Alexandra Ridout & Dave Adewumi — plus Patricia Brennan on vibes, Kate Pass on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums, their collaboration unfolding from Douglas' lyrical compositions that highlight the breadth of brass voices, collective interplay, and vibrant ensemble synergy.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $14.95      Listen          

 
Escalante, Martin / Charlie Mumma / Tete Leguia: This Molten Salt
(Wash and Wear Records)


A searing trio of saxophonist Martin Escalante, bassist Tete Leguia, and drummer Charlie Mumma, captured across sessions in Nashville and Grand Rapids, unleashing an uncompromising pedal-free noise assault that fuses the extremity of free jazz with noise music intensity, their ferocious interplay creating dense, volatile structures that channel chaos into a raw, intuitive sonic onslaught.
   
     Buy      $10.95      Listen          

 
Escalante, Martin: Playing Harsh Noise on the Saxophone since 2012
(Wash and Wear Records)


An uncompromising solo debut from Mexican saxophonist Martin Escalante, recorded live in Japan and presenting an unrelenting storm of harsh acoustic noise without electronics, his ferocious technique transforming the saxophone into a raw conduit of layered textures, tones, and vocalizations for an intensely passionate and overwhelming performance.
   
     Buy      $14.95      Listen          

 
Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Mars Williams / Jim Baker / Ed Wilkerson / Brian Sandstrom / Steve Hunt): The Last Quintet [2 CDs]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)


An historic document of Chicago's Extraordinary Popular Delusions in their final quintet performance with the late Mars Williams, recorded live in August 2023 at Elastic Arts Foundation, capturing Williams' fiery, life-affirming playing alongside Edward Wilkerson Jr. (tenor sax0, Jim Baker (piano & kesy), Brian Sandstrom (bass), and Steve Hunt (drums) in a two-set suite of fearless improvisation.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $19.95      Listen          

 
Halat, Marcin / Maciej Garbowski: The Dialogues [2 CDs]
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)


An intimate and reflective duo album from Polish improvisers Marcin Halat on violin and Maciej Garbowski on bass, recorded in Wojkowice and exploring a conversational interplay that draws from jazz, contemporary, and classical traditions, as the long-time collaborators create spacious, subtle, and emotionally resonant dialogues marked by deep mutual understanding.
   
     Buy      $22.95      Listen          

 
Hawkins, Alexander / Taylor Ho Bynum: A Near Permanent State Of Wonder
(RogueArt)


Performing two Bill Dixon works alongside pieces by pianist Alexander Hawkins, Hawkins and cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum unite in a deeply intuitive duo recorded live in New Haven, their spacious and lyrical exchange balancing improvisational freedom with structural grace as two distinct voices attuned to form, texture, and expressive subtlety.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $16.95      Listen          

 
Joseph Holbrooke (w/ Derek Bailey / Gavin Bryars / Tony Oxley): Last Live 2001 - In Memoriam Derek Bailey And Tony Oxley [2 CDs]
(Tzadik)


The legendary trio Joseph Holbrooke — guitarist Derek Bailey, bassist Gavin Bryars, and drummer Tony Oxley — reunited after decades for one final performance in 2001, captured in this historic live recording that highlights their uncompromising commitment to free improvisation, the set resonating with both the radical spirit of their 1960s origins and the profound artistry of three pioneering voices in avant-garde music.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $22.95      Listen          

 
Parkins, Zeena: Modesty Of The Magic Thing
(Tzadik)


Harpist and composer Zeena Parkins, a defining voice in the Downtown NY experimental music scene for four decades, presents an extended work inspired by fearless Beat-era visual artist Jay DeFeo, performed with percussionist William Winant on an array of resonant bells and gongs, their collaboration weaving bold textures and hypnotic patterns into a richly expressive and deeply imaginative sound world.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $15.95      Listen          

 
Pereleman, Ivo / Nate Wooley / Matt Moran / Mark Helias / Tom Rainey: A Modicum Of the Blues
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)


Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman joins Nate Wooley (trumpet), Matt Moran (vibes), Mark Helias (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) in a tempered yet highly active quintet that nods to the blues, moving through free, melody-rich dialog; vibes replace piano to color the space as the group shifts from playful exchanges to surging peaks, their seemingly telepathic interplay balancing warmth and power.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $15.95      Listen          

 
Putman, Matthew / Hill Greene / Francisco Mela: Believe That Was Me
(577 Records)


The first collaboration between pianist Matthew Putman and drummer Francisco Mela, joined by bassist Hilliard Greene, in a trio whose remarkable chemistry balances lyrical melodies with adventurous free jazz, experimental energy, their performance radiating both spiritual intensity and the creative synergy of long-standing artistic bonds.
   
     Buy      $16.00      Listen          

 
Putman, Matthew / Hill Greene / Francisco Mela: Believe That Was Me [VINYL]
(577 Records)


The first collaboration between pianist Matthew Putman and drummer Francisco Mela, joined by bassist Hilliard Greene, in a trio whose remarkable chemistry balances lyrical melodies with adventurous free jazz, experimental energy, their performance radiating both spiritual intensity and the creative synergy of long-standing artistic bonds.
   
     Buy      $20.00      Listen          

 
Rogers, Paul: Peace And Happiness
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)


On a custom 7-string double bass, Paul Rogers delivers a powerful eight-part solo recital where deeply melodic lines and harmonically rich textures meet commanding technique — bowed chords, ringing harmonics and agile counterpoint — shaping fluid narratives that balance intensity and lyricism into a remarkable, satisfying journey.
   
     Buy      $15.95      Listen          

 
Taylor, Cecil / Tony Oxley : Flashing Spirits
(Burning Ambulance Music)


A previously unreleased 1988 live performance from the legendary partnership of pianist Cecil Taylor and drummer Tony Oxley, recorded at the Outside In Festival in the UK just months after their initial collaboration, presenting a fiercely dynamic and poetic duo of free improvisation, revealing the spark and spiritual force that would define their decades-long artistic relationship.
 
Squidco Pick

     Buy      $14.95      Listen          

 


The Squid's Ear

The Squid's Ear is Squidco's companion online magazine,
featuring reviews of Squidco items from independent writers.



Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley: Flashing Spirits (Burning Ambulance Music)
Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley: Flashing Spirits (Burning Ambulance Music)

Pellegrini Quartet: Luigi Nono Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima; Ludwig van Beethoven Streichquartett a-moll op. 132, First Visit (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd.)
Pellegrini Quartet: Luigi Nono Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima; Ludwig van Beethoven Streichquartett a-moll op. 132, First Visit (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd.)


Joel Futterman
Reflective


Joel Futterman
Absorb

Brandon Seabrook: Object Of Unknown Function (Pyroclastic Records)
Brandon Seabrook: Object Of Unknown Function (Pyroclastic Records)

Jean-Jacques Birge: Pique-nique Au Labo 4 (GRRR)
Jean-Jacques Birge: Pique-nique Au Labo 4 (GRRR)


Karl Evangelista
The Squid's Ear Interview

Giovanni Maier / Alexander Hawkins: Two For Keith (Long Song Records)
Giovanni Maier / Alexander Hawkins: Two For Keith (Long Song Records)


Josh Sinton
The Squid's Ear Interview

GPS (Guillermo Gregorio / Jeff Pearring / Charley Sabatino): Directions + Destinations (577 Records)
GPS (Guillermo Gregorio / Jeff Pearring / Charley Sabatino): Directions + Destinations (577 Records)

Kory Reeder / Apartment House: Homestead (Another Timbre)
Kory Reeder / Apartment House: Homestead (Another Timbre)

Paul Flaherty: A Willing Passenger (Relative Pitch)
Paul Flaherty: A Willing Passenger (Relative Pitch)



 Stay Current With Squidco

• You can see the newest additions to our catalog in our Just In Stock Section.

• You can see the latest fully cataloged items in our store by using our New Releases section.

• You can see Recently Restocked items on this page.

• You can ask to have us email you when Upcoming Releases are in stock.



Squid Note Records

On September 5th, Squidco introduces a new and unexpected dimension to our work: Squid Note Records, a digital and streaming label. Our first two releases feature pianist Joel Futterman — Absorb, two expansive improvisations, and Reflective, a collection of improvisational miniatures. While Squidco as a store and distributor has always centred on physical media (with the occasional download code), Squid Note Records will focus exclusively on digital releases.

Squid Note Records
 
 


 
 

Squid Note Records, a division of Squidco LLC, is proud to present the first two digital releases on our label: two distinct solo albums from pianist Joel Futterman, Reflective and Absorb. These works showcase Futterman's uncompromising creativity and his visionary approach to improvised music. Both albums are releasing on September 5, 2025, and are available for sale now.

Joel Futterman is a pioneering pianist and improviser known for his intensely original style and innovative "three-hand" technique. With more than seventy recordings and appearances at major festivals in North America and Europe, he has collaborated with leading figures including Jimmy Lyons, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Joseph Jarman, William Parker, Alvin Fielder, Hal Russell, and his longtime associate Edward "Kidd" Jordan. Recognized as one of the foremost voices in creative music, Futterman continues to push the boundaries of the piano and the art of spontaneous improvisation.





Squidco has been in business as a mail-order store since 2003. In 2010, we moved to Wilmington, NC, providing regional and visiting customers access to our catalog of over 9,000 items, including hundreds of discounted, used, and promotional items not listed on our website. We're open for visits by appointment during weekday afternoons, so if you're in the North Carolina coastal region, please email us to set up a time — we'd love to play some music for you!

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