The Squid's Ear Magazine
Clean Feed Spring Sale!
   147 albums — CDs & LPs — On Sale up to 50% 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.



Ava Mendoza / Gabby Fluke-Mogul / Carolina Perez : Mama Killa (Burning Ambulance Music)

The debut of guitarist Ava Mendoza, violinist Gabby Fluke-Mogul, and drummer Carolina Perez as a power trio, invoking the Inca moon goddess Mama Killa through eight electrifying tracks that fuse free improvisation with the raw energy of doom, death, and black metal, channeling country, blues, and psychedelia into a ferocious and feedback-laden sonic onslaught.



Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson: Verses (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Surprisingly after long partnerships with Peter Brotzmann's Tentet and the saxophone trio Sonore, this is the first time that Ken Vandermark & Mats Gustafsson have recorded as a duo, here in 6 incredible improvisations balancing technique, power, and beauty.



Peter Kowald / Kent Kessler / Fred Lonberg-Holm: Flats Fixed (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Three bassists converged on WNUR Studios, in Evanston, Illinois in 1998 to record these tracks, finally released after 16 years: 5 freely improvised trio sessions, 6 miniatures suggested by Kowald and performed by the trio, and 6 duos between Kowald and Lonberg-Holm.



Peter Kowald Quintet: Peter Kowald Quintet (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

First ever CD reissue of the only band under bassist Peter Kowald's own name, remastered; originally released by FMP in 1972, this is exemplary European Free Jazz from one of the orignal innovators in a quartet with Peter Kowald on tuba, bass, & alphorn, Gunter Christmann and Paul Rutherford on trombones, Peter van der Locht on alto saxophone, and Paul Lovens on drums.



Alexander Schlippenbach von : Globe Unity [VINYL] (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Wild, nearly unprecedented and an exhilarating direction in European Free Improvisation heard in the 1st recordings from 1966 of pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach's Globe Unity band, a 14-piece ensemble that included young saxophonists Peter Brötzmann, Gerd Dudek & Kris Wanders, bassist Peter Kowald, bass clarinetist Willem Breuker, trumpeter Manfred Schoof, &c.



Ken Vandermark / Hamid Drake: Eternal River [VINYL] (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Focused on the music of Don Cherry and recorded at Corbett vs. Dempsey's gallery space on the closing day of an exhibit of art by Cherry's partner Moki Cherry (whose tapestry "Spirit" is the LP's cover) this concert finds drummer Hamid Drake, who lived with the Cherry family in Sweden, and Ken Vandermark on tenor sax, reworking medleys of Cherry's tunes from across his discography.



Jason: Adasiewicz Roy's World [VINYL] (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Titled for the film by Rob Christopher — Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago, — whose soundtrack includes segments of this album, vibraphonist and composer Jason Adasiewicz's lyrically upbeat album is performed in a quintet with Chicago mainstays, Jonathan Doyle on saxophones, Josh Berman on cornet, Joshua Abrams on bass and Hamid Drake on drums.



Various Artists: Music is a Message From Space [VINYL] (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A cosmic tribute to Sun Ra's legacy, this limited-edition LP opens with a rare 1950s home recording of Ra performing a cappella, followed by archival and new works from Joe McPhee, Raymond Boni, Jason Adasiewicz, Wolfgang Voigt, and Spaceways Inc. (Ken Vandermark/Nate McBride/Hamid Drake) with Zu, reimagining Ra's soundworld through homage, remix, and exploratory improvisation.



Milford: Graves Babi [2 CDs] (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Recorded in 1976 at WBAI-FM/Free Music Store in New York, drummer percussionist Milford Graves goes head to head with two reedists, Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover, an absolute stunner of percussive momentum and force, drawing the reeds into a frenzy of unbridled free playing; issued with a 2nd CD of a private recording of Graves plus unpublished photos.



Fish-Scale Sunrise (Ab Baars / Kaja Draksler / Joe Williamson: No Queen Rises (Relative Pitch)

Their name taken from a poem by Wallace Stevens, the Netherlands-based trio of Ab Baars on sax and clarinet, Kaja Draksler on piano, and Joe Williamson on bass represent the spirit of the poem in seven compositions from Ab Baars plus two collective improvs, a great mix of serious and playful performance that diverts from detailed interaction to spacious reflectiveness.



Susan Alcorn Quintet: Pedernal (Relative Pitch)

An innovator in integrating pedal steel guitar into modern improvised music, Cleveland-born, Baltimore-based pedal steel guitar player Susan Alcorn's quintet enlists a superb set of New York players--Mark Feldman on violin, Michael Formanek on double bass, Mary Halvorson on guitar, and Ryan Sawyer on drums--taking on a diverse set of Alcorn compositions.



Dietrichs (Camille Dietrich / Don Dietrich): Catch the Leaves (Relative Pitch)

Definitely of the Borbetomagus mold, the duo of tenor saxophonist Don Dietrich and cellist Camille Dietrich, his daughter who grew up under the influence of that band's relentlessly aggressive free jazz, here in a live performance at Tubby's in Kingston, New York for four burning improvisations that take apart a tree, leaving the audience to catch the fragments; terrifyingly intense!



Camila Nebbia (feat/ Marilyn Crispell / Lesley Mok): A Reflection Distorts Over Water [CD + DOWNLOAD] (Relative Pitch)

Recorded at Nevessa Studio in New York, Camila Nebbia joins Marilyn Crispell and Lesley Mok in a fiercely intuitive trio session blending open scores and full improvisation, where elastic group interplay, textural sensitivity, and eruptive momentum allow the music to breathe as a single organism while leaving space for sharply defined individual voices to emerge.



John Butcher / John Edwards / Mark Sanders: Last Dream Of The Morning (Relative Pitch)

A studio album between three UK master improvisers -- John Butcher on sax, John Edwards on double bass, and Mark Sanders on drums -- the trio pushing the envelope in technique and dialog in nearly telepathic playing that transports the listener into their environment, as the music builds and releases in effortless ways that are stunning and exulant; highly recommended.



Peter Brotzmann / Lonberg-Holm, Fred: Memories Of A Tunicate (Relative Pitch)

While both improvisers were in New York City for the 2019 Vision Festival, multi-reedist and European Free Improv legend Peter Brötzmann met Chicago cellist and electronics artist Fred Lonberg-Holm to record their 3rd album together, their 1st album in the studio a diverse set of incredible concentration, with Brötzmann performing on tenor saxophone, woodwind, and clarinet.



Dietrichs: No Bahdu (Relative Pitch)

An uncompromising and electrifying studio set from father-daughter duo Don and Camille Dietrich, whose ferocious blend of distorted tenor saxophone and overdriven cello pushes sonic boundaries through four intense improvisations, merging free jazz, noise, and amplified effects into a blistering, high-voltage assault of raw energy and experimental fire.



Camila Nebbia / Kit Downes / Andrew Lisle: Exhaust [CD + DOWNLOAD] (Relative Pitch)

Recorded live in Berlin, the debut from Camila Nebbia's working trio with Kit Downes and Andrew Lisle captures six dynamic, unrestrained pieces that navigate shifting textures and rhythms, fractured lyricism, and tightly woven interplay, avoiding individual soloing as the group explores contrast and transformation through raw energy, deep listening, and collective momentum.



Lao: Dan To Hit a Pressure Point (Relative Pitch)

Recorded solo in Hangzhou, China, saxophonist and suona player Lao Dan merges Chinese folk motifs with the raw energy of punk, the spontaneity of free jazz, and the abrasiveness of noise and rock forms, creating a fiercely expressive and unpredictable improvisational landscape driven by aesthetic tension and fearless experimentation.



Lori: Goldston Open Space (Relative Pitch)

A meditative and immersive solo cello work from Lori Goldston, performed in one continuous take with amplifier and distortion pedal, unfolding in ten resonant segments that evoke the gradual transformation of light and landscape, offering listeners an expansive and contemplative space for breath, reflection, and quiet communion with the natural world.



Gregorio / Smith / Bryerton: The Cold Arrow (Balance Point Acoustics)

The second trio release from clarinetist Guillermo Gregorio, double bassist Damon Smith and Jerome Bryerton on gongs, selected metal & cymbals (but no drums), in a sophisticated album of eight collective improvisations numbered as "The Planar Effect" and two Gregorio compositions, an absolutely impressive set that obscures the line between "spontaneous" and "composition".



James McKain / Damon Smith / Weasel Walter: ... Seeing the Way The Mole Tunnels... (Balance Point Acoustics / International School of Evidence)

Energetic trio interplay from saxophonist James McKain with Damon Smith and Weasel Walter, recorded in Collinsville, Illinois, where taut lines, volatile textures, and razor-cut dynamics sketch "free jazz by way of the European tradition," six concise pieces whose titles nod to Thomas Bernhard and whose restless momentum — anchored by springy bass and splintered drums — turns spontaneity into vividly shaped form.



Directives: Glimmer (Aubjects)

A series of instrumental compositions from D. Petri (Dog Hallucination), structured as songs of a rhythmic nature using synths, samples, field recordings and effects, eight embraceable and upbeat work with layers of detail, influenced by Petri's love of explorative electronic music including YMO or Tom Ellard, or labels like Mille Plateau and Raster.



Directives : Protenomaly [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Aubjects)

Aubjects label leader D. Petri (Amalgamated, Dog Hallucination) continues his work in unusual and sometimes aggressive exploration of the guitar as a sound source, looking for "novel anomalies" in amorphous compositions, seeking an extreme mixture of audio fidelities, peculiar equipment configurations, personally significant field recordings & various multi-level manipulations, in parts joined by Hillary Ulman on percussion.



Amalgamated: Amalgamated (Aubjects)

An album of hallucinogenic and melodic rhythhm and sound from the Amalgamated collective, who take their influence from 80's industrial / cassette culture, as heard in these 8 tracks, balancing modern electronics with lo-fi/home taper instruments and sensibilities.



Homogenized Terrestrials: The Contaminist (IntangibleCat)

Phil Klampe , aka Homogenized Terrestrials, uses acoustic instruments, sparse, often ethnic percussion, human voice and analog synth sounds to create a tapestry of emotional electronic work, eerie and dreamlike music with a warm accessibility.



Cassiber: The Cassiber Box redux [6 CDs, 1 DVD and Book] (Recommended Records)

Reissuing the 2013 box set of the 1980s UK/Euro improvising rock band Cassiber, including their 4 remastered studio albums + 2 additional CDs, a 2 hour DVD, and a 32-page color book, revealing an amazing band merging experimental rock, fringe jazz, punk, pop, plunderphonics, improvisation, & musique concrete with an energetic and complex form of studio composition - superb!



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.



Roscoe Mitchell / Michele Rabbia: In 2 (RogueArt)

The duo of Roscoe Mitchell on bass and sopranino saxophones with percussion, and Michele Rabbia on percussion and electronics, engage in a meticulous and expressive dialogue where the smallest breath or strike is amplified into vivid detail, redefining improvisation as an inclusive and responsive art of conversation that balances order, disorder, and creative transformation.



Henry Cow: Leg End (Original Mix) (Recommended Records)



Kenny Wheeler Sextet: What Was (False Walls)

Produced by Evan Parker and drawn from a shelved 1995 studio date, this first full release of the Kenny Wheeler Sextet captures the flugelhorn master at 65 balancing post-bop sophistication with open-ended improvisation alongside Ray Warleigh, Stan Sulzmann, John Parricelli, Chris Laurence and Tony Levin, in harmonically rich compositions that favor nuance, collective trust, and deeply lyricism.



Ivo Perelman / Nate Wooley / Mat Moran / Matt Maneri / Fred Lonberg-Holm / Joe Morris: Seven Skies Orchestra [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A rare setting for tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman in a larger ensemble: an exemplary sextet with trumpeter Nate Wooley and vibraphonist Matt Moran over a string section of Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Joe Morris on bass and Mat Maneri on viola, recording a ten-part work sans drums or piano, allowing fascinating new orchestral possibilities performed with utmost creative mastery.



Savina Yannatou / Julius Gabriel / Agusti Fernandez / Barry Guy / Ramon Lopez: In the Light Of The Current Myth (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

During double bassist Barry Guy's time in Porto Portugal with the Blue Shroud Band, he also took time to join in the studio with a quintet of like-minded improvisors — Savina Yannatou on vocals, Julius Gabriel on tenor & baritone saxophones, Agusti Fernandez on piano, and Ramon Lopez on drums — to record this exceptional collective improv session.



Charles Gayle / Szilard Mezei Quartet Bass: Oils (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A 2009 live performance at the 15th Magyarkanizsa Jazz Festival in Serbia between Hungarian violist and composer Szilárd Mezei and US saxophonist Charles Gayle, an evocative meeting of transcendent free jazz and compositional precision, weaving Mezei's intricate scores with Gayle's profound, soul-searching improvisations; a dynamic and fiery celebration of freedom and expression.



Zlatko Kaucic (Kaucic / Amado / Dorner / Grom / Guy / Fernandez / Snekkestad): INKLINGS [4 CD BOX SET] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Marking drummer/percussionist Zlatko Kaučič's 70th birthday, this 4-CD set presents his collaborations with luminaries including Torben Snekkestad, Axel Dörner, Rodrigo Amado, Barry Guy, and Agustí Fernández, blending intimate and transformative improvisations recorded across Slovenian festivals, showcasing Kaučič's mastery and the profound synergy of these exceptional ensembles.



Jerome Deupree / Sylvie Courvoisier / Lester St. Louis / Joe Morris: Canyon [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Recorded at Firehouse 12 Studios, Canyon brings together four exceptional improvisers — drummer Jerome Deupree, pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, bassist Joe Morris, and cellist Lester St. Louis — for a double album of fluid, high-stakes interaction, balancing volatility and restraint as they carve out richly detailed sonic terrain with spontaneous precision.



Cecil: Taylor Respiration (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

An incredible solo concert from legendary New York pianist Cecil Taylor in October, 1968 at the Sala Kongresowa (Congress Hall, Palace of Culture and Science) in Warsaw during the Jazz Jamboree, recorded by Polski Radio and remastered in 2021, an excellent example of the nimble mind and quick technical skills of Taylor's personal take on improvisation; stunning!



Cecil Taylor : Music From Two Continents feat Stanko, Rava, Frank Wright, Lyons, Borca, Barker, Hampel (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A truly wild concert of free jazz from Cecil Taylor's transatlantic orchestra, captured live at the 1984 Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw, Poland, bringing together impressive improvisers from the US--William Parker, John Tchicai, Jimmy Lyons, Karen Borca, Frank Wright, & Henry Martinez--with European Free Jazz leaders Tomasz Stank, Enrico Rava, Conrd Bauer & Günter Hampel.



Last Dream of the Morning (John Butcher / John Edwards / Marc Sanders): Sharp Illusion (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

The third release from the trio of John Butcher, John Edwards and Mark Sanders captures a live performance in Lublin that unfolds across four extended improvisations, balancing explosive collective energy and deep listening restraint as saxophones, bass and percussion interweave in a fluid, highly responsive dialogue shaped by decades of shared experience within the UK and European free improv community.



Bruce Coates / Paul Dunmall / John Edwards / Trevor Lines / Mark Sanders: Five On A Die (FMR)

Uniting saxophonists Bruce Coates and Paul Dunmall with bassist John Edwards, bassist Trevor Lines, and drummer Mark Sanders, this quintet session delivers an intense exploration of collective free improv, with intertwining reed lines rising over the dense resonance of dual basses and Sanders� fluid percussion, the ensemble shaping energetic and richly textured spontaneous interactions.



Peter Brotzmann / Steve Hubback : Treforest 82 (FMR)

A previously unreleased duo encounter pairing Peter Brötzmann's ferocious saxophone with Welsh percussionist Steve Hubback's compact and inventive drum setup, captured at the 1982 Treforest festival in the UK in a brief but explosive burst of free improv where probing textures erupt into cathartic climaxes through raw, intensely focused interplay.



Evan Parker / John Edwards / Tony Marsh: Medway Blues (FMR)

A superb 2009 concert at Command House, in Chatham, UK from the trio of saxophonist Evan Parker, double bassist John Edwards, and late drummer/percussionist Tony Marsh, a single 36 minute improvisation of cohesive and energetic free jazz where all three pull together as a nearly telepathic unit, plus two extended duo sections between Edwards and Marsh and a Marsh solo.



Dunmall / Bianco / Kane: Ritual Beyond (FMR)

Live recordings from 2009 at Delbury Hall with the mighty Paul Dunmall on tenor and clarinet; blistering music from an incredible trio playing seriously smoking free jazz.



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.



Tony Bianco / Paul Rogers / Paul Dunmall: Dig Deep Trio (FMR)

The British improvising trio of tenor saxophonist Paul Dunmall, 7-string bassist Paul Rogers and drummer Tony Bianco performing two long and serpentine improvisations at Delbury Hall, Shropshire in 2010.



Ensemble Var (Gustafsson / Lindal / Lindstrom / Nordwall): VAR (Confront)

A fully free improvisation of subtly disruptive, extended electroacoustic mastery, recorded during the Svensk Musikvår Festival at Aliasteatern, Stockholm in 2021, in a piece conceived by Mats Gustafsson who performs on saxophone & flute, with Anna Lindal on violin, Mats Lindstrom on electronics, effects & sampler and Joachim Nordwall on analog synths, effects & tapes.



Joe: Morris Perpetual Frontier The Properties of Free Music [BOOK] (Riti Publishing)

Joe Morris wrote this book to discuss aspects of free music, including responses to his questionnaire written by Joe McPhee, William Parker, Jamie Saft, Ken Vandermark, Marilyn Crispell, Nate Wooley, Jack Wright, Matthew Shipp, &c.



Joe Fonda Quartet (w/ Wadada Leo Smith / Satoko Fujii / Tizano Tononi): Eyes On The Horizon (Long Song Records)

NY Bassist-composer Joe Fonda leads an exceptional quartet featuring trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, pianist Satoko Fujii, and drummer Tiziano Tononi in a profound tribute to his mentor Smith, skillfully blending compositional clarity with collective improvisation in a deeply resonant and lyrically intricate musical conversation that reflects inspiration, respect, and artistic integrity.



Alan Silva / Burton Greene: Parallel Worlds (Long Song Records)

Free jazz pioneers and electronic improvisers Alan Silva and Burton Greene together playing vintage synthesizers and keyboards, exploring new sounds and pushing boundaries.



Satoko Fujii / Joe Fonda: Duet (Long Song Records)

First meeting of Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii and New York bassist Joe Fonda, initiated at the suggestion of Fonda, recording in Portland, Maine at the Dimensions in Jazz Series, a beautifully recorded and intimate duo of superb dialog between two seasoned improvisers.



Irene Schweizer / Hamid Drake: Celebration (Intakt)

Having performed together a number of times in festivals both in Europe and Chicago, the duo of drummer Hamid Drake and pianist Irene Schweizer reveals the familiarity and confidence their history brings to their improvisations, both in intense exchanges and playful melodic passages, as heard in this exemplary 2019 concert at Jazzgallery, in Nickelsdorf, Austria.



Wadada Smith Leo & Tumo: Occupy The World [2 CDs] (Tum)

Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith composed these 5 works inspired by the Occupy movement for the 22-piece orchestra TUMO, an improvising orchestra that is assembled specifically for each project they participate in.



Butcher / Prevost: High Laver Levitations Vol 1: Unearthed (Matchless)

Long-time collaborators and iconoclastic improvisers, drummer Eddie Prévost and saxophonist John Butcher, met at All Hallows Church, in High Laver, Essex in 2023, using the natural ambience of the space to capture these three improvisations, Prévost playing primarily on a drum kit and both in a more jazz-oriented sax and drum duo, extended by both players' exceptional technique.



AMM (Cardew / Gare / Hobbs / Prevost / Rowe): The Crypt - 12th June 1968 The Complete Session [2 CDs] (Matchless)

Perhaps the most iconic and "classic" of AMM albums, recorded at The Crypt in London in 1968 with AMM as the quartet of Cornelius Cardew on piano & cello, Lou Gare on saxophone and violin, Christopher Hobbs on percussion, Eddie Prevost on percussion, and Keith Rowe on guitar & electronics.



AMM (Previost / Rowe / Tilbury): An Unintended Legacy [3 CDs] (Matchless)

A beautiful 3-CD set with a hardcover book presenting 3 full concerts from 2015 & 2016 of the AMM trio configuration of John Tilbury (piano), Keith Rowe (guitar) and Eddie Prevost (percussion). The 70 page book, dedicated to saxophonist Lou Gare, includes an AMM discography, plus photos, and essays by Paige Mitchell and Allen Fisher; Keith Rowe; Eddie Prevost; and Seymour Wright.



AMM (Prevost / Tilbury): Aura (Matchless)

Recorded in Finland in 2016, this extended improvisation features a core duo from later AMM configurations — percussionist Eddie Prévost and pianist John Tilbury, who also performs on harpsichord — captured in the exceptional acoustics of The Sibelius Museum concert hall where the intimate setting elicits profound, beautifully recorded dialogue between these two masterful performers.



Eddie: Prevost Material Consequences (Matchless)

An engrossing solo statement from AMM percussionist Eddie Prévost, recorded in 2001, using bowed cymbals, found objects, resonant drums, and extended techniques to explore a wide sonic palette, transforming his percussion into a nuanced instrument of texture, tone, and timbral abstraction in a focused, contemplative, and remarkably expressive improvisation.



AMM with Sachiko M: Testing (Matchless)

A rare meeting between Japanese minimalist Sachiko M and AMM's Eddie Prévost and John Tilbury, recorded in 2004 at London's Museum of Garden History, where sine wave precision meets tactile percussion and spacious piano in an intricate electroacoustic improvisation that explores silence, texture, and the fragile tension of deep collective listening.



AMM (Prevost / Rowe / Tilbury): Generative Themes (Matchless)



AMM (Prevost / Rowe / Tilbury): Newfoundland (Matchless)



AMM (Prevost / Rowe / Tilbury): Combines + Laminates + Treatise '84 (Matchless)



AMM: Laminal [3 CDs] (Matchless)



AMM (Prevost / Rowe / Tilbury): Tunes Without Measure or End (Matchless)



AMM (Prevost / Rowe / Tilbury): Fine (Matchless)



AMM: Sounding Music (Matchless)

AMM's performance at the 2009 Freedom of the City Festival with AMM regular members Eddie Prevost and John Tilbury extended with John Butcher, Chritian Wolff and Ute Kanngiesser.



AMM (Prevost / Tilbury): Two London Concerts (Matchless)

Two live recordings by master improvisers John Tilbury (piano) and Eddie Prevost (percussion) playing two emotional sets that are quiet at just the right times and allow for a balanced amount of white space, creating beautiful music.



AMM (Tilbury / Prevost): Place Sub. V (Matchless)

AMM (Eddie Prevost on percussion and John Tilbury on piano(+)) performing a 1 hour, 1 minute and 1 second live concert at the 2012 Festival of Traditional and Avant-Garde Music in Lublin, Poland in a beautiful melding of unconventional approaches to improvisation.



Barry Guy / Eddie Prevost / Evan Parker / Keith Rowe: Supersession [REMASTERED, REPACKAGED, ADDITIONAL TEXT] (Matchless)

Recorded at a concert in London, September 1984, this supersession brings AMM stalwarts Keith Rowe and Eddie Prevost together with saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Barry Guy for an amazingly diverse and cohesive long improvisation.



AMM: Spanish Fighters (Matchless)

Recorded at the festival Neposlusno (Sound Disobedience) in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2012, the AMM duo of Eddie Prevost on percussion and John Tilbury on piano perform an extend improvisation of tension and dynamic, delicately balancing sound in a rich dialog.



9!: None (-t) (Matchless)

The transnational ensemble of acoustic improvisers Nathaniel Catchpole on tenor saxophone, Elk calls, Jamie Coleman on trumpet, Alex James on piano, Ross Lambert on guitar, pocket trumpet, preparations, John Lely on piano, Sebastian Lexer on piano, Marianthi Papalexandri on moving objects, Eddie Prevost on percussion, and Seymour Wright on alto saxophone.



AMM (Tilbury / Prevost): Industria (Matchless)

The title Indústria was chosen by Eddie Prevost in tribute to the history behind the Museu Industrial de Bala do Tejo, in Portugal where this concert took place by the legendary free improvisation band AMM, represented here as the duo of percussionist Eddie Prévost and pianist John Tilbury, performing as part of the 2015 OUT.FEST - Festival Internacional de Musica Exploratoria do Barreiro.



Turbulence: Currents (Evil Clown)

Formed from an unexpected shift in personnel, this agile quartet channels a tightly honed horn section, layered electronics, and Joel Simches' real-time signal processing into a richly textured free improv set, where fluid interplay and rapid adaptation drive an evolving, high-density sonic environment shaped by both precision and spontaneity.



Metal Chaos Ensemble: Studying The Pattern (Evil Clown)

Emerging from a shifting lineup, this iteration of the ensemble trades its usual rock-driven intensity for a more restrained, electroacoustic chamber feel, as layered horns, dense metallic percussion, and evolving electronics intertwine with spoken narration, shaping a fluid free improv performance that navigates a wide spectrum of textures and timbral transformations.



Leap Of Faith: Spatial And Temporal Aspects (Evil Clown)

Blending a core duet with an expanded ensemble, this richly orchestrated free improv performance weaves three-horn front lines with contrasting string approaches, dense percussion, and a vast electroacoustic palette, unfolding as a continuous transformation of texture and form where acoustic interplay and subtle signal processing shape an immersive, multidimensional sonic environment.



Harriet Tubman (Ross / Gibbs / Lewis) & Georgia Anne Muldrow: Electrical Field of Love [VINYL] (Pi Recordings)

Uniting the long-running trio Harriet Tubman with vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, this expansive set channels collective, largely spontaneous composition into a powerful blend of jazz, funk, rock, and electronics, where incantatory vocals and dynamic interplay drive a deeply expressive free-flowing exploration of texture, groove, and emotional resonance.



Harriet Tubman (Ross / Gibbs / Lewis) & Georgia Anne Muldrow: Electrical Field of Love (Pi Recordings)

Uniting the long-running trio Harriet Tubman with vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, this expansive set channels collective, largely spontaneous composition into a powerful blend of jazz, funk, rock, and electronics, where incantatory vocals and dynamic interplay drive a deeply expressive free-flowing exploration of texture, groove, and emotional resonance.



Henry Threadgill Ensemble Double Up: Old Locks and Irregular Verbs (Pi Recordings)

Henry Threadgill's tribute to friend, composer-conductor Lawrence D. Butch Morris, in a detailed 4-part work with an excellent set of improvisers: Henry Threadgill, Jose Davila, Jason Moran, Christopher Hoffman, David Virelles, Roman Filiu, Curtis Macdonald, and Craig Weinrib.



Fieldwork: Your Life Flashes (Pi Recordings)



Art Ensemble of Chicago: Sirius Calling (Pi Recordings)



Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Mesmerism (Pi Recordings)

An alluring album of piano trio music from the NY trio led by drummer Tyshawn Sorey with Aaron Diehl on piano and Matt Brewer on bass, allowing the excitement of a first meeting between the players as they perform compositions from the American Songbook, and some songs that Sorey feels should be included in the Songbook; lyrical, sophisticated, virtuosic, beautiful.



Tyshawn: Sorey The Inner Spectrum of Variables [2 CDs] (Pi Recordings)

New York drummer Tyshawn Sorey's impressive work for double trio is an ambitious chamber jazz composition using multiple harmonic, formal, rhythmic, and modal vocabularies in an exploratory and improvisational framework, inspired by the work of Lawrence D. Butch Morris.



Barry Chabala / Clara Byom: Bella's Ghost (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.



Paul Dunmall Quartet: Afghan Women (RogueArt)

A powerful free improv statement from saxophonist Paul Dunmall and his quartet with Sophia Domancich, James Owston, and Miles Levin, blending composed themes — including a rendition of "Spiritual" by John Coltrane — with collective improvisation, as the ensemble's masterful interplay unfolds with fluid cohesion, balancing explosive energy and introspective nuance in a deeply expressive album.



Sam Ospovat / Expressive Olympics: Blight Music (Eclipse Music)

Blending the raw energy of New York's loft jazz lineage with a transatlantic avant-garde sensibility, drummer Sam Ospovat leads a fiery ensemble through polyrhythmic intensity and expansive improvisation, where searing guitars, layered horns, and driving rhythms converge in a volatile and immersive session that channels historical influence into a bold, unfiltered contemporary expression.



Larry Stabbins / Keith Tippett / Louis Moholo-Moholo: Live In Foggia (Ogun)

The formidable trio of Larry Stabbins (saxophones, flute), Keith Tippett (piano, voice), and Louis Moholo-Moholo (drums, voice, bass) ignite with ferocious intensity and explosive interplay, unleashing torrents of fiery improvisation that surge with wit, lyricism, and raw power, captured live in Foggia, Italy in 1985 when each was at the peak of their artistry.



Mats Gustafsson / Ken Vandermark / Tomeka Reid / Chad Taylor: Pivot (Silkheart)

Four master improvisers (Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Tomeka Reid, Chad Taylor) from overlapping creative circles engage in a set of powerful interactions, where dense low-end reeds, lyrical cello, and rhythmic elasticity create shifting terrain; through deep listening and long-forged connections, they navigate spontaneous form with urgency, restraint, and a shared sense of sonic purpose.



PNY Quintet (Swell / Brown / Edelin / Giron / Betsch): Over The Wall (RogueArt)

While NY trombonist Steve Swell and alto saxophonist Rob Brown were in Paris, flutist Michel Edelin, who has recorded and performed with Swell over more than a decade, organized this session with Paris-based American ex-pats, drummer John Betsch and bassist Peter Giron, recording three Swell compositions, two by Brown, one from Edelin and four collective improvisations; magnifique!



Kenny: Dorham The Classic Albums 1960-1962 [4 CDs] (Enlightenment)

A 4-CD/8 album survey of Kenny Dorham's early-1960s output, compiling sessions from Show Boat through Una Mas, where his warm, lyrical trumpet leads shifting ensembles including Joe Henderson and Herbie Hancock, bridging hard bop, modal jazz, and Latin-tinged explorations with refined compositional clarity.



Joe: Henderson The Classic 1960s Albums [4 CD BOX SET] (Enlightenment)

Bringing together seven landmark 1960s sessions, this 4-CD set captures Joe Henderson at the height of his early career, leading stellar ensembles through a compelling range of post-bop expression, from hard-driving grooves to exploratory improvisation, showcasing his commanding tone, compositional strength, and enduring influence on modern jazz.



Birgit Ulher / Jaap Blonk: Breezes - Improvisers (Kontrans)

Birgit Ulher and Jaap Blonk engage in an eccentric duo of trumpet, radio, electronics, and voice, where drifting textures, interference, and extended techniques shape a spacious, volatile improvisation balancing delicate detail with sudden, fractured gestures, recorded at the artist-run collective, gallery, and cultural venue Westwerk in Hamburg, Germany.



Ricardo Arias / Jaap Blonk: Lucht - Improvisers (Kontrans)

A duo of breath and air, recorded in Bogotá in 2025, Colombian sound artist Ricardo Arias and vocalist Jaap Blonk explore microscopic improvisations using balloons, fragments, and extended voice, where fragile textures, elastic tones, and near-silence merge human and object into a tactile, minimal, subtly uncanny, and occasionally absurdist sonic dialogue.



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.



Mark: Dresser In the Shadow of a Mad King (Tzadik)

Originally a foundational member of the Downtown NY scene now living on the West Coast, bassist Mark Dresser presents an album of inventive and engaging solo bass improvisations, performing on the double bass, and 4 and 5 string basses, on the epic title track accompanying the inspired and depictive words of celebrated late poet and close friend Jerome Rothenberg.



John Zorn / The Gnostic Trio (w/ Frisell / Wollesen / Emanuel): Sing Me Now Asleep (Tzadik)

Reuniting Bill Frisell, Kenny Wollesen, and Carol Emanuel as The Gnostic Trio, John Zorn presents a refined set of compositions that blend chamber minimalism, early music influences, and ambient textures, where delicate interplay, spacious forms, and a touch of electronics from Ikue Mori yield a serene, introspective, and subtly cinematic exploration of tone and atmosphere.



John Zorn / Brian Marsella: The Bagatelles Vol. 7 (Tzadik)

Performing thirteen selections from John Zorn's 2015 Bagatelles collection, pianist Brian Marsella delivers a dynamic solo recital that navigates angular, atonal forms and moments of striking lyricism, blending classical precision with jazz spontaneity to create an intimate, virtuosic, and emotionally resonant interpretation of Zorn's expansive compositional language.



John Zorn / John Medeski Trio: The Bagatelles Vol. 8 (Tzadik)

A fierce interpretation of John Zorn's Bagatelles by the organ trio of John Medeski with guitarist David Fiuczynski and drummer Grant Calvin Weston, this release channels funk, jazz, and psychedelic rock into explosive, high-energy performances, transforming Zorn's concise compositions into a dynamic, groove-driven and sonically adventurous set.



Vadim: Neselovskyi Perseverantia (Tzadik)

A powerful chamber work from Ukrainian pianist and composer Vadim Neselovskyi, this release blends classical composition and improvisation, as piano and string trio merge structured writing with spontaneous expression, aligning his lyrical, introspective voice with modular, improvisation-driven aesthetics shaped by the tensions and resilience of his homeland.



Simulacrum: Modeling Personas (Evil Clown)

The Simulacrum ensemble expands its electroacoustic palette on Modeling Personas, bringing together a fluid septet of winds, strings, percussion, and extensive electronics in a dense and highly textural session where layered improvisations, shifting instrumental permutations, and rich sonic experimentation create a dynamic and immersive exploration of timbre, form, and collective interplay.



Neurodivergent Orchestra: The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight (Evil Clown)

Expanding the Evil Clown universe with a humor-driven electroacoustic improvisation, the Neurodivergent Orchestra blends dense ensemble interplay, electronics, and an extraordinary array of instruments with fully improvised spoken-word banter, where playful, absurdist narrative threads intertwine with dynamic sonic exploration to create a richly textured, unpredictable, and engaging collective performance.



Leap Of Faith: Matter Self Organizes (Evil Clown)

Expanding from the long-running Leap of Faith core duet, bringing together a sextet of reeds, brass, cello, bass, percussion, and electronics in a fluid electroacoustic improvisation where shifting instrumental doublings, richly varied global percussion, and evolving textures drive a continuous transformation of sonority, creating a deeply immersive and dynamically unfolding exploration of collective free improv.



Vinny Golia / Marco Eneidi / Lisa Mezzacappa / Vijay Anderson: Hell-Bent in the Pacific (NoBusiness)

Insanely great free improvisation for the West Coast in this quartet of Vinny Golia (multi-reeds), Marco Eneidi (alto sax) Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), and Vijay Anderson (drums).



Simon Nabatov / Barry Guy / Gerry Hemingway : Luminous (NoBusiness)

Twelve dialogs of burning, intuitive and astute free improvisation from three players steeped in the form--Simon Nabatov on piano, Barry Guy on double bass, and Gerry Hemingway on drums & marimba, performing live at LOFT in Cologne, Germany in 2015, an essential example of modern creative playing that surprises and enlightens with repeated listens.



Billy Bang Survival Ensemble: Black Man's Blues / New York Collage [2 CDs] (NoBusiness)

Never before released material from 1977 of Billy Bang's seminal NY loft band, Survival Ensemble: 2 CDs and a 40 page booklet of essays, images and flyers - essential!



Julius Hemphill and Peter Kowald: Live at Kassiopeia [2 CDs] (NoBusiness)

The late great saxophonist Julian Hemphill and bassist Peter Kowald, essential free jazz players from NY and Germany, performing solo and as a duo live at Kassiopeia, Wuppertal in 1987.



Evan Parker / Barry Guy / Paul Lytton: Live at Maya Recordings Festival (NoBusiness)

Superb improvisation from three masters - Evan Parker on sax, Barry Guy on bass and Paul Lytton on drums - performing at the Maya Recordings Festival, September 23 - 25, 2011 at Theater am Gleis, Winterthur, Switzerland.



Rodrigo Amado Motion Trio & Peter Evans: The Freedom Principle (NoBusiness)

Lisbon saxophonist Rodrigo Amado's trio with Miquel Mira on cello and Gabriel Ferrandini on drums is joined by New York trumpeter Peter Evans for 3 dynamic and exciting studio recording of superb TransAtlantic free improvisation.



Katarsis4 (Bizys / Janonis / Pancerovas / Jusinskas): Katarsis4 (NoBusiness)

A diverse, unique and sometimes explosive saxophone quartet from Lithuania founded by Arminas Bizys, Kazimieras Jusinskas, Algirdas Janonis, and Danielius Pancerovas, using extended techniques, the saxophones themselves, and found objects as they articulately merge structurally free improvisation, academic approaches and motives from Lithuanian folk music.



Rodrigo Amado Motion Trio / Alexander von Schlippenbach: The Field (NoBusiness)

Portuguese tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado's Motion Trio with cellist Miguel Mira and drummer Gabriel Ferrandini in his bands 7th full album, recorded live at the 2019 Vilnius Jazz Festival in Lithuania performing with special guest, pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, for an extended improvisation of masterfully evolving changes and dynamics.



Howard Riley / Keith Tippett: Journal Four (NoBusiness)

Having collaborated as a duo first at Goldsmiths College in 1981, UK pianists Howard Riley and Keith Tippett met for this spectacular 2016 concert as part of The Steinway Spirio Two-Piano Festival in Soho, London, each bringing decades of experience as lyrical and inventive players, together complementing each other in merging disparate forms from Joplin to Debussy to Mujician.



Brotzmann / Toyozumi: TRIANGLE, Live at OHM, 1987 (NoBusiness)

Never before issued, this stunning concert between long-time collaborators, Japanese drummer Sabu Toyozumi and German multi-reedist Peter Brötzmann performing on tenor saxophone and tarogato, was captured live at OHM, in Koiwa, Tokyo in 1987, in an energetic and enthusiastic free concert of impressive skill and expression, a vital addition to the discography of both.



Bailey / Toyozumi: Breath Awareness (NoBusiness)

Derek Bailey's 1987 trip to Japan yielded a number of important recordings, including a duo with Mototeru Takagi, a trio with Sabu Toyozumi & Peter Brötzmann, and this concert at IMAI-Tei with Toyozumi, one of the first generation Japanese free improvisers and the only non-American to become a member of the AACM; here in three duos and Bailey's solo "Diaphragm".



Kaoru Abe / Sabu Toyozumi: Mannyoka (NoBusiness)

NoBusiness continues their essential 70's reissue series of renowned Japanese free improvisers, here in an LP and extended CD edition of the live duo of percussionist Sabu Toyozumi and saxophonist Kaoru Abe on alto, soprano & sopranino saxophones, the LP presenting their 1978 concert at Gaja, Hatsudai in Tokyo, the CD extended with a live set at Minor, Kichijoji the same year.



Eva Novoa: Solo (I) [VINYL] (577 Records)

On her first solo piano recording, Brooklyn-based pianist and composer Eva Novoa explores an intimate and adventurous sonic palette across six original pieces, combining grand piano with Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, gongs, percussion, voice, and whistling, creating a rhythmically charged and cinematic performance that expands the expressive possibilities of the solo format.



Re-Ghoster Extended: The Zebra Paradox [VINYL] (Konnekt)

Expanding the Re-Ghoster trio of Nicolas Field on drums, Thomas Florin on piano, and Valerio Tricoli on revox and electronics with the addition of Nate Wooley on acoustic and amplified trumpet and Fritz Welch's visceral vocal work, the group explores surreal electroacoustic improvisation through dense, transdimensional soundscapes, fractured time, deranged textures, and ritualistic intensity; incredible!





The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

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