August 28, 2025:
Despite unusual global shipping issues caused by our petulant president, this has been a stand-out week of new music. And a short list of new albums as we prepared for our annual Labor Day Holiday sale.
Highlights for me have been the quintet album from the collective group of Ivo Perelman, Nate Wooley, Mark Helias, Matt Moran and Tom Rainey, A Modicum of the Blues. With exceptional communication this 5-part album brings together some of my favorite New York players, and they don't disapppoint. Listen! Foundation also released a sophisticated solo album from double bassist Paul Rogers, a suite performed on a 7-string double bass - I've listened through this album several times for its depth of expression and masterful technique.
I was also delighted to see more Mars Williams material emerge from Corbett vs Dempsey, Williams joining the exceptional Extraordinary Popular Delusions band in 2023 playing almost literally for his life, having just been diagnosed with cancer; the power and creative skill he brought to a lifetime of music is on full display.
Angles 11 is the latest from Swedish saxophonist Martin Küchen's variably orchestrated band, this album being one of the largest groupings to date. Blending acoustic and electrified instruments over three drummers, the sound is tightly controlled in warm melodic themes and deeply infectious grooves. Little wonder this remains one of my favorite and most important modern ensembles, alongside Fire! Orchestra (or Gustafsson's Hidros series), Henry Threadgill Ensemble, or Satoko Fujii Orchestra(s)), Isotope Ensemble or Ensemble SuperMusique.
This comes after the disturbing news that most European and UK post offices are suspending shipments to the US until they have guidance on how the new tariff requirements will be handled. As with so many things from the current US administration, the roll-out has been chaotic and troublesome, shifting in a whiplash of uncertainty and demands. With luck this will be sorted out sooner than later, the UK expecting only a few days delay. We're fortunate that we jumped on the new Listen! Foundation albums quickly, but a few other expected shipments will likely be delayed. As we wait we're digging through our catalog for additional sale opportunites, and we hope you'll stick with us as we get through these troubling times. Meanwhile, this weekend we share discounts accross the board for all new albums as part of our annual sale for the US holiday of Labor Day.
 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.
 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.
HARMONIZED SYSTEM (HS) CODES:
Meanwhile, today Discogs.com published a guidance on how to ship albums and other media to the United States, in particular explaining the harmonized system codes that should be used to send recorded material to the US. I've summarized the descriptions and codes here, and copy the text from Discogs below.
USING THESE CODES IS VERY IMPORTANT for anyone shipping media to the US! They should prevent anyone from paying tariffs, and they should help keep packages flowing as easily as possible through the international postal systems.
Description: Materials: phonograph (compact discs) records
HS CODE: 8523.49.2020
Description: Materials: phonograph (vinyl) records
HS CODE: 8523.80.1000
Description: Materials: phonograph (cassette) records
HS CODE: 8523.29.1000
Quoting from Discogs.com:
"Vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, and other recorded media should be exempt from any tariffs under US presidential executive order.
The executive order going into effect on August 29, 2025, removes a long-standing "de minimis" tariff exemption for most goods valued under USD $800. However, this change does not apply to "informational materials” like music media, which are still exempt from tariffs under US law 50 USC 1702(b)(3).
Simply put, music and informational media have always been exempt from tariffs and continue to be so at this time. This means neither sellers nor collectors on Discogs should be charged additional customs fees.
[...] we have a few recommendations that should help with the processing of your shipments into the US:
Provide clear descriptions. We strongly recommend including precise descriptions. For example, instead of “vinyl,” use "Informational Materials: phonograph (vinyl) record” as this phrase is more in line with the legal terminology.
Use the correct HS codes. Please use the appropriate Harmonized System (HS) codes, which can be found on the commercial receipt provided by Discogs. Here are the codes for the three most common media formats in Discogs’ Marketplace:
Vinyl Records: 8523.80.1000
CDs: 8523.49.2020
Cassettes: 8523.29.1000
Squidco Publishing Roundup:
These are the updates to Squidco and The Squid's Ear over the last week. You can view our latest fully cataloged albums in the Recently Section.
You can also browse new titles as they enter our Just In Stock Section — meaning we physically have the album and can ship it, though we may still be updating additional information about the release.
To see restocks of previously listed titles, visit our Recently Restocked page.
And if you're interested in a future release, you can ask us to notify you by email via our Upcoming Releases page — no obligation necessary.
August 22, 2025:
You've probably noticed that we've been running a number of sales on our site over the past few weeks. Like many music vendors, we've felt the effects of slower sales this year — not only from the usual summer slump, but also from broader economic uncertainties. Global trade shifts and tariffs have made things more complicated, and we remain firmly opposed to any barriers placed on culture and art. Music is, after all, a universal language of peace and connection, and it thrives best when freely exchanged.
Our response to these challenges isn't to cut back or ask for help, but to keep the music moving by offering overstocked albums at reduced prices. Every purchase helps fuel the next round of releases we bring into the shop, sustaining a cycle where musicians, labels, listeners, and Squidco are all part of the same creative network. Together, we can keep this music alive, reaching the ears and hearts that need it most.
And what a time it is for music! We're living through one of the most excitingly creative eras, as artists around the globe continue to dissolve borders — musical, cultural, and political — through their work. While some try to build walls, musicians are building bridges, crafting new sounds that speak to our shared human experience.
So we invite you to take advantage of our current sales, discover something new, and support the musicians who make this vibrant moment possible. Your purchases help us keep the music flowing — and in turn, keep this extraordinary creative movement thriving.
On September 5th, Squidco will introduce 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.
Next week we’ll share the 1-sheets, pre-order details for both albums, and samples for you to hear. In the meantime, here’s what William Parker had to say about Absorb:
"This solo piano music by Joel Futterman called ABSORB is like no other music that was, or will be, created. Futterman has reached deep into his soul and captured a prophetic flow of sound full of rhythmic essences and beautiful contrasts, guiding listeners to the heart's deeper places. These places are rarely touched upon in schools of musical thought. This music goes beyond thought; it is about feelings and compassion - these sounds, songs, and poems. Swing, in the truest sense, is fueled by the movement of blues and cosmic delight. "Absorb" connects to the sacred history of the unknown - the joy of music and the experience of living another day. Joel touches the piano keys like there is no tomorrow, both robust and sensitive. In the meantime, through the corner of my eye, I can see Charlie Parker digging this music all the way. Each stanza of the music is about building mountains made from modal hymns for the rest of the world to follow. Play Joel Futterman, dance, sing, shout at the top of your lungs, and sketch, reaching the next level.
Continue, stop, and remember: the message is to love all human beings every day. This is the information in Joel Futterman's music: the more we listen, the more apparent it all becomes. The closer we come to the fundamental concept of love."-William Parker
Squidco Publishing Roundup:
These are the updates to Squidco and The Squid's Ear over the last week. You can view our latest fully cataloged albums in the Recently Section.
You can also browse new titles as they enter our Just In Stock Section — meaning we physically have the album and can ship it, though we may still be updating additional information about the release.
To see restocks of previously listed titles, visit our Recently Restocked page.
And if you're interested in a future release, you can ask us to notify you by email via our Upcoming Releases page — no obligation necessary.
With just over a month to go, we're already planning our fall releases, which promise another exciting season of new music! So far this summer we've added 97 new albums from an impressive list of labels: 4DaRecord, 577 Records, Aerophonic, Artifact Recordings, Asian Improv, Aural Terrains, Aut, Balance Point Acoustics, Bathysphere Records, Bead, Black Truffle, Bu Lang Tribute Cake, Circum-Libra, Confront, Copy This!, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Creative Sources, Eternal Music Projects, Fou Records, Innovo Editions, Klanggalerie, Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!), Love Earth Music, Machinefabriek, Musicworks, Nakama Records, NASHAZPHONE, Public Eyesore, Random Acoustics, Relative Pitch, RogueArt, Sacred Realism, Self, Silkheart, Skin Graft, STRUT, Stunt, Swarming, Tao Forms, thanatosis produktion, Trost Records, Tzadik, We Jazz, Weird Cry Records, and West Hill Records. As I write this, new releases from Listen! Foundation, Corbett vs. Dempsey, and Relative Pitch are on their way to us, along with a new album from Queen Bee (Lisa Mezzacappa), Akousis Records (Bertrand Gauget), and the Jérôme Noetinger-curated label UnRec.
This week we extended our National Vinyl Day Sale at distribution prices, after several customers mentioned they were away on summer holidays and disappointed to have missed it. Next week we'll hold a Friends of Squid private cost sale for mailing list subscribers who have placed an order within the past year. Our mailing list goes out weekly, and — as someone who receives hundreds(!) of spam messages each week — I promise your email address will never be shared or sold. So consider joining our mailing list, and maybe even placing an order, to take part in this special cost sale.
I was thrilled to hear that Satoko Fujii and Natsuki Tamura's Kaze would be collaborating with the wonderfully unorthodox free vocalist Koichi Makigami. Alongside artists like Jaap Blonk, Shelley Hirsch, and Ute Wassermann, Makigami is one of my favorite truly "outside" vocalists-perhaps the strangest of them all. Recorded live at La Malterie in Lille, France, this new album draws out fresh and unexpected responses from Kaze. At times, the group boasts three trumpeters-core members Tamura and Christian Pruvost joined by Makigami, who also plays shakuhachi. Peter Orins' drumming and percussion are by turns quirky and rock-solid, perfectly complementing Makigami's unconventional approach.
The name Kaze (風) is the Japanese word for "wind," chosen by Fujii and Tamura for its dual nature: gentle yet forceful, subtle yet unstoppable. It reflects both the breath-powered voices of the trumpets and the group's philosophy of sound moving and transforming as freely as the wind across shifting landscapes.
We currently have ten Kaze albums in stock, including Trouble Kaze with drummer Didier Lasserre and pianist Sophie Agnel, and one with Fujii's Orchestra Tokyo. Every release is inventive and unpredictable, with brilliant improvisation that gleefully colors outside the lines. Even the titles evoke the band's gusty energy, such as Sand Storm and Tornado. The new album, Shishiodoshi (鹿威し), translates to "deer scarer," a reference to the traditional bamboo water feature found in Japanese gardens. As water fills one end of the pivoting bamboo tube, it tips to spill the water, then swings back to strike a rock with a hollow clack. Historically designed to startle animals away from plants, today it is cherished for its rhythmic, meditative sound-an apt metaphor for Kaze's blend of surprise and serenity.
 Kaze: Rafale (Circum-Libra)
Kaze brings together Japan's incredible improviser-composers, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and pianist Satoko Fujii, with trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins from the French improvisers collective Muzzix.
 Kaze: Tornado (Circum-Libra)
With two trumpets, drums and piano, Kaze's 2nd release with Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, and Muzzix members Christian Pruvost and Peter Orins, hits like the album title, but surprises with contrasts from torrential power to beautiful melodic interplay.
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Pellegrini Quartet:
Joel Futterman:
Joel Futterman:
Brandon Seabrook:
Jean-Jacques Birge:
Karl Evangelista:
Giovanni Maier / Alexander Hawkins:
Josh Sinton:
GPS (Guillermo Gregorio / Jeff Pearring / Charley Sabatino):
Kory Reeder / Apartment House:
Pereleman, Ivo / Nate Wooley / Matt Moran / Mark Helias / Tom Rainey: A Modicum Of the Blues (Fundacja Sluchaj!)
Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Mars Williams / Jim Baker / Ed Wilkerson / Brian Sandstrom / Steve Hunt): The Last Quintet [2 CDs] (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
