It's been an exciting week at Squidco, with a remarkable assortment of new releases arriving and making their way into the catalog, and plenty more waiting in the wings. At the top of my list is ALAY's spectacularly remastered reissue of Miles Davis' legendary 1960s quintet performing in Antwerp, Copenhagen, and Paris during their 1967 European tour. The restoration is genuinely revelatory, bringing extraordinary clarity and presence to these historic performances (more on that below).

The amusingly named Matchlessless label brings us a 1996 Chicago concert from AMM's celebrated trio of Eddie Prévost, Keith Rowe, and John Tilbury. Four new Intakt releases also arrived, featuring Alexander Hawkins; Punkt.Vrt.Plastik (Kaja Draksler, Petter Eldh, and Christian Lillinger); the Co Streiff/Russ Johnson Quartet with Christian Weber and Gerry Hemingway; and a solo recording from the incomparable Irene Schweizer. We also completed cataloging the latest album from George (Anna Webber, Aurora Nealand, Chiquita Magic, and John Hollenbeck), along with a new Balance Point Acoustics double album featuring Wolfgang Fuchs, Damon Smith, and Jerome Bryerton. Meanwhile, Nate Wooley offers a particularly evocative work in Memorial, combining trumpet and field recordings in a tribute to sections of the Columbia River now submerged beneath its waters.

We're also continuing to catch up with the newly managed ezz-thetics now series, part of the enduring Hat Hut Records legacy. This week we completed cataloging three albums, each fascinating in its own way. The transatlantic trio of Joe Hertenstein, Anthony Coleman, and Jon Irabagon is especially intriguing, with Coleman approaching the organ in ways far removed from the familiar Hammond B3 sound of the Blue Note era. From Argentina, Santiago Lamisovski's trio with pianist Nataniel Edelman and drummer Fermín Merlo explores territory reminiscent of Herbie Nichols and Andrew Hill, balancing angular invention with a distinctly personal approach. Ellery Eskelin, meanwhile, presents an intimate solo concert at New York City's Fire Lotus Temple, where the setting and the concentrated attention of a small audience create an atmosphere of extraordinary freedom and immediacy. It's a compelling performance from a masterful saxophonist whose long association with Hat Hut is reflected in the depth and assurance of his playing.

Our largest catalog addition this week comes from Creative Sources, with a long-awaited shipment we've been anticipating since summer. First and foremost, we were finally able to restock Pataphysique, the trio recording by Carlos Zingaro, Ernesto Rodrigues, and Guilherme Rodrigues. Recorded live at Cosmos in Lisbon, it's an outstanding example of the Rodrigues' distinctive approach to string improvisation, enriched by Zingaro's remarkable imagination and command of his instrument. We also completed cataloging the excellent triple-CD set The Waldberta Tapes, featuring Udo Schindler, Nicola L. Hein, and Nikolaus Neuser in duo and trio configurations, exploring a wide range of spontaneous interactions and instrumental possibilities.

And those are just two of the fifteen (!) Creative Sources albums in this shipment. We'll be working through the rest over the coming weeks, with plenty of adventurous listening ahead.

AMM (Prevost / Tilbury / Rowe): Goodspeed Hall, University of Chicago, April 20, 1996 [VINYL] (Matchlessless Records)

A rare 1996 live recording from AMM's enduring trio of Eddie Prevost on percussion, John Tilbury on piano, and Keith Rowe on guitar, capturing their radical approach to collective improvisation at the University of Chicago's Goodspeed Hall, where subtle textures, dynamic interplay, and spontaneous invention transcend the limitations of the original recording quality.

Wooley, Nate: Memorial [VINYL] (Discreet Archive)

Drawing on his work with Annea Lockwood documenting the Columbia River, trumpeter Nate Wooley creates Memorial, combining trumpet, field recordings, and generated voice to reflect on the submerged Kettle Falls, once a vital gathering place for Indigenous peoples, exploring the relationship between sound, memory, and landscape, and the persistence of what remains beneath the altered river.

Lamisovski, Santiago Trio : Perel (ezz-thetics now)

Argentine bassist and composer Santiago Lamisovski makes his debut as a bandleader with Perel, joined by pianist Nataniel Edelman and drummer Fermín Merlo in seven original compositions that draw on the harmonic adventurousness of Herbie Nichols and Andrew Hill, blending lyrical modern jazz, rhythmic complexity, and spontaneous trio interplay developed through years of collaboration.

Eskelin, Ellery: Across Breath, Voice, Silence (Solo) (ezz-thetics now)

Tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin performs three extended improvisations at the Fire Lotus Temple in New York City, exploring the relationship between breath, expression, and silence through a deeply personal approach to solo performance, drawing on his interest in Zen practice to create a contemplative yet dynamically expressive music where subtle articulation, resonance, and spontaneous invention shape the unfolding sound.

Hertenstein, Joe / Anthony Coleman / Jon Irabagon: Future Drone (ezz-thetics now)

Drummer Joe Hertenstein joins Anthony Coleman on Hammond B3 organ and Jon Irabagon on tenor saxophone for a dynamic live performance at Vienna's Porgy & Bess, exploring four original compositions built on riffs, melodic fragments, and open-ended structures, with the trio transforming Hertenstein's material through adventurous collective improvisation, rhythmic interplay, and richly contrasting textures.

Zingaro, Carlos / Ernesto Rodrigues / Guilherme Rodrigues : 'Pataphysique (Creative Sources)

Portuguese improvisers Carlos Zíngaro on violin, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, and Guilherme Rodrigues on cello perform six explorations of free improvisation in 'Pataphysique, recorded in Lisbon in 2025, drawing on their shared interest in extended techniques, microtonality, and timbral transformation to create an intimate and exploratory string trio dialogue.

Schindler, Udo / Nicola L. Hein / Nikolaus Neuser : The Waldberta Tapes [3 CDs] (Creative Sources)

Recorded at Villa Waldberta in Germany in 2021, this three-CD set brings together Udo Schindler on bass clarinet, sopranino saxophone, and tuba, Nicola L. Hein on electric guitar and devices, and Nikolaus Neuser on trumpet, presenting two discs of intimate duo improvisations followed by a third of expansive trio interplay, exploring acoustic and electronic textures through spontaneous musical dialogue.

Miles Davis Remaster:

Miles Davis' 2nd Quintet: Reference: Live 1967 in Europe [3 CDs] (ALAY)

Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet — Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams — captured during its 1967 European tour in Antwerp, Copenhagen, and Paris, presenting three CDs of adventurous post-bop improvisation, rhythmic elasticity, and collective interplay as the ensemble transforms familiar compositions into fluid, unpredictable performances.

I want to highlight this new triple-CD release of three 1967 European concerts by Miles Davis' legendary Second Great Quintet, featuring Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. These performances were previously issued by Columbia/Legacy in 2011 as *Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1*, but this new ALAY edition is a revelation.

Restored and mastered by Michael Brandl at Hardstudios AG, these recordings are vastly superior in sound quality. I compared the two editions side by side, and the difference is remarkable: greater clarity, brighter sound, more punch, and significantly more detail. To my ears, they approach studio quality, bringing renewed vitality to one of my favorite periods in Miles' career and one of his two greatest and most enduring ensembles.

I've owned the Columbia/Legacy set for years and know these performances well, which made the transformation all the more surprising. This was a particularly adventurous period for Miles, moving far beyond the hard bop of his 1950s work into increasingly open, exploratory territory. Brandl's restoration doesn't simply add sonic punch; it recovers the resonance and atmosphere of the concert halls while revealing nuances and instrumental details I'd never fully appreciated before. The music feels more immediate, spacious, and alive, without sacrificing the energy of the original performances.

The Columbia/Legacy edition now commands considerably higher prices, making this new release especially welcome at a much more reasonable cost.

Superb restoration work from ALAY, one of the labels carrying forward the Hat Hut legacy, and absolutely exhilarating music from the Miles Davis Quintet. Nearly 60 years later, these performances remain as inventive, adventurous, and compelling as ever. An essential document of creative jazz at its finest.

The Facts About Facsimiles:

Some time ago a musician performing here told me that he thought that downloads should come with a physical object that would be useful. He suggested, humorously, a pot holder. I don't make that connection personally, my pot holders always end up burnt and dirty... but the idea stuck in my head, and came to fruit when we started Squid Note Records.

The concept I came up with is a CD sized cardstock album facsimile, professionally printed in full color, where the front of the card was the album cover, and the back the track listing, personnel and recording information. Also on the back is a download code. We've printed these cards for the most recent six albums on the label, and send copies to the artist with scratch off stickers over the download code, so that they can be sold to audience members.

This seems to resonate with the performers on our label, and we've sold a few ourselves as a trial. This week we went all in and created entries in our catalog to sell those same cards. Each card sold through Squidco will receive an email with a download code when we process the order, then the card will be sent via regular postal mail. This is an advantage to our international customers, as you'll only receive a letter and not a parcel, so there are no additional charges.

Remergency (Hirsh / Hollenberg / Sewelson): Wave Benders [5x5 ALBUM FACSIMILE WITH DOWNLOAD] (Squid Note Records)

Drummer Steve Hirsh, guitarist Matt Hollenberg, and baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson forge a volatile trio language that blends avant-rock intensity, free-jazz elasticity, and raw electric blues impulses, channeling tightly focused improvisations where ferocious energy, abrupt shifts, and deep mutual trust drive the music beyond genre boundaries into a space that feels both unruly and sharply intentional.

Chabala, Barry / Clara Byom: Bella's Ghost [5x5 ALBUM FACSIMILE WITH DOWNLOAD] (Squid Note Records)

Blending acoustic guitars, clarinets, accordion, voice and found objects, Barry Chabala and Clara Byom craft a deeply intuitive duo session that moves between unedited studio improvs and expanded "extractions," weaving folk-inflected fragments, graphic score realizations and haunting textures into a raw yet lyrical free improv language shaped by trust, contrast and evolving interplay.

Levin, Daniel: At Dropa House [5x5 ALBUM FACSIMILE WITH DOWNLOAD] (Squid Note Records)

Blending classical cello lineage with fearless experimentalism, Daniel Levin presents a solo performance recorded at Dropa House in Antwerp, exploring the instrument's full expressive range through extended techniques, resonant bow work, and theatrical gestures using paper, chair, and stage, creating a fluid dialogue between structured tone, abstract texture, and the physical presence of sound.

Perelman, Ivo / Damon Smith: Duologue: Core of Existence [5x5 ALBUM FACSIMILE WITH DOWNLOAD] (Squid Note Records)

The sixth entry in Ivo Perelman's expanding Duologues series, and the sixth album in Squidco's digital label Squid Note Records, pairs his searching tenor saxophone with Damon Smith's commanding double bass, a freely improvised exchange of raw physical immediacy and deep listening, where intertwining lines, extended techniques and spontaneous form turn dialogue itself into the core of the music.

The Stateless Trio: In the Sunrise of Some Other World [5x5 ALBUM FACSIMILE WITH DOWNLOAD] (Squid Note Records)

Developed through remote, spontaneously layered exchanges between the Philippines, Malaysia, and Minnesota, Rick Countryman's alto flute, replacing his customary alto saxophone, joins Richard Allan Bates' electric bass and effects and Steve Hirsh's reflective drumming in an organically connected improvisation of spacious textures, subtle rhythmic tension, and lyrical interaction.

Perelman, Ivo / Matthew Shipp: Duologues 7: Distillation [5x5 ALBUM FACSIMILE WITH DOWNLOAD] (Squid Note Records)

Marking three decades of collaboration, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp distill their remarkably intuitive improvisational language across two Park West Studios sessions recorded weeks apart, their spontaneous exchanges moving through melody, silence, density, rhythmic momentum and abrupt shifts of register with the immediacy of a conversation shaped by years of shared musical experience.

Squidco Publishing Roundup:

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.

November 12, 2026: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Studer / Strinning / Weber - Cut (Creative Sources) by Nick Ostrum.

November 12, 2026: New @ Squidco:
Miles Davis' 2nd Quintet - Reference: Live 1967 in Europe [3 CDs] (ALAY)
Wolfgang Fuchs/Damon Smith/Jerome Bryerton - Now This Was Clear: Three October Meetings Live In Berlin & Chicago [2 CDs] (Balance Point Acoustics)
Matthew Shipp/William Parker - A Whole System Of [CD] (Tao Forms)
George (Webber/Rossy/Magic/Hollenbeck) - Looking For Consonance [CD] (Out Of Your Head Records)
George (Webber/Rossy/Magic/Hollenbeck) - Looking For Consonance [VINYL] (Out Of Your Head Records)
Bishu Chattopadhyay - Fragments [CDR] (577 Records)
Teresa Riemann - Can I Stare At You Publicly? [CDR] (577 Records)

November 10, 2026 New @ Squidco:
Joe Hertenstein/Anthony Coleman/Jon Irabagon - Future Drone [CD] (ezz-thetics now)
Ellery Eskelin - Across Breath, Voice, Silence (Solo) [CD] (ezz-thetics now)
Santiago Lamisovski Trio - Perel [CD] (ezz-thetics now)
James Lewis Brandon/Red Lily Quintet - Calling Antonin [CD] (Tao Forms)
James Lewis Brandon/Red Lily Quintet - Calling Antonin [VINYL] (Tao Forms)
Alexander Hawkins (w/ Drake/Mitchell/Wright) - No Nation But Imagination [CD] (Intakt)
Nate Wooley - Memorial [VINYL] (Discreet Archive)
Carlos Zingaro/Ernesto Rodrigues/Guilherme Rodrigues - 'Pataphysique [CD] (Creative Sources)
Udo Schindler/Nicola L. Hein/Nikolaus Neuser - The Waldberta Tapes [3 CDs] (Creative Sources)
Ecorchure (Jeremy Baysse/Jean-Luc Petit/Fabrice Favriou) - Ecorchure [CD] (Creative Sources)

November 9, 2026: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Stephen Flinn / Sylvain Monchoce / Jung-Jae Kim - Quark (Creative Sources) by Jeph Jerman.

A big thank-you to everyone who shopped our Harvest Sale! You kept us busy packing orders early in the week and sending out rewards to eligible mailing-list members. That gives me a good excuse to say a little more about our mailing list and our popular reward program, which go hand in hand.

I understand why anyone would hesitate before joining yet another email list. We're tired of inbox clutter, too-I personally receive around 500 junk, spam, and phishing messages a day! When I started Squidco, I made a promise to our customers and to myself: we would never share our mailing list with anyone. We never have, and we never will. Period.

Our regular mailing goes out on Fridays, usually just once a week. Occasionally, we also contact recent customers with access to unadvertised sales and some of our very best prices. My goal is to make every mailing useful, informative, and easy to read-a way to discover extraordinary music without adding to the noise. And from the beginning, we've offered mailing-list members our reward program: each qualifying purchase of a new album priced at $9.95 or more earns a $1 reward. Over 21 years, we've returned $28,190 to customers in rewards!

Between checking that the hackers can't get through either our front door or our back door (seriously, go find someone else to annoy!), we've also been following the U.S. midterm elections with renewed hope. To me, the results send a powerful message to the Trump administration: many Americans reject the xenophobia and isolationism being pushed in their name, and want kindness over cruelty. I don't expect the next two years to be peaceful-there's plenty of political fighting ahead-but I do hope this marks the beginning of the end for much of the Trump agenda. And perhaps, at last, some meaningful accountability.