Squidco is an online music store and distribution service that sells improvised, composed, experimental, unusual, and other music from labels and artists around the globe. We sell physical media - CDs, LPs, DVDs, magazines, books - cultural objects of significance and permanence that represent the efforts of accomplished musicians.
Squidco's primary catalog revolves around improvised music: jazz, free jazz & free improv, electroacoustic-improv, Downtown New York, European Free Improv, West Coast/Bay Area, Chicago, Musique Actuelle, free vocal improv. We also have a solid contemporary music section for composed and cross-genre styles, and a sections for experimental, electronic, Musique Concrete, &c.
Our goals are to introduce and provide interesting new and contemporary music; to educate and connect related artists and scenes through detailed biographical inforamation; to be a link between music enthusiasts and dedicated artists & labels; and to provide excellent customer service while doing so, including meticulous packaging and tracking for your orders. Our catalog has continued to grow over the years with our never-ending discoveries of adventurous and creative music.
Latest releases by Major Categories & Genres in Squidco's Catalog:
Organized by the month they were added to our catalog, each page displays the albums that are either in stock or available for special order.
Frode Gjerstad / Alexander von Schlippenbach / Dag Magnus Narvesen
Seven Tracks
(Relative Pitch)
A dynamic trio session from Frode Gjerstad on alto sax & clarinet, Alexander von Schlippenbach on piano, and Dag Magnus Narvesen on drums & percussion, their first collaboration unfolds in seven spontaneous improvisations that balance fierce intensity with lyrical openness, revealing a seasoned interplay that blends deep exploration with collective free jazz sensibility.
Daunik Lazro / Tristan Honsinger / Jean-Jacques Avenel
True & Whole Tones in Rhythms
(Fou Records)
Recorded live in 1982 at Paris' 28 rue Dunois, the trio of Daunik Lazro (alto saxophone), Tristan Honsinger (cello, vocals), and Jean-Jacques Avenel (double bass) create a spirited interplay of strings and reeds, shifting from intricate pizzicato and arco textures to exuberant collective outbursts, in a performance brimming with freedom, wit, and unbridled invention.
Georg Graewe / Brad Jones / Hamid Drake
More Than Anything
(Random Acoustics)
A long-awaited reunion between pianist Georg Graewe and drummer Hamid Drake, joined for the first time by bassist Brad Jones, captured live at the 2024 Konfrontationen Festival in Austria in three expansive improvisations, the trio's chemistry igniting in deep rhythmic interplay, fluid abstraction, and Graewe's seamless movement between jazz traditions and contemporary sensibilities.
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.
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.
Karl Evangelista's Apura + Andrew Cyrille
Bukas
(577 Records)
West Coast Bay Area guitarist Karl Evangelista leads his Apura ensemble — Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), Francis Wong (tenor sax), Rei Scampavia (keys, electronics), and Lewis Jordan (alto sax) — joined by drum legend Andrew Cyrille in a powerful statement of free improvisation, blending expressive intensity and forward-looking vision with deeply rooted passion and creative openness.
Ivo Pereleman / 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.
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.
Sun Ra
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght [4 CD BOX SET]
(STRUT)
An essential document of Sun Ra's first European performances, recorded live in France in 1970 with a full Arkestra, delivering expansive, theatrical sets of cosmic jazz, ritualistic improvisation, and avant-garde fire, newly restored in a 4-CD box with rare photos, original programs, and liner notes that highlight the interstellar scope of these legendary concerts.
Marteau Rouge (Foussat / Pauvros / Sato) / Evan Parker
Gift
(Fou Records)
A fiery live performance recorded at Instants Chavires in 2009, reuniting Marteau Rouge's raw and electrified trio of synth, guitar, and drums with saxophonist Evan Parker, erupting in extended collective improvisations that dissolve structure in favour of texture, power, sonic friction and ecstatic freedom through waves of noise, silence, combustion, and control.
Paul Rogers
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.
Jean-Jacques Avenel / Daunik Lazro
Duo
(Fou Records)
The duo of bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel and alto saxophonist Daunik Lazro are captured live in 1980 at the Massy Library in France in an essential document of French free music, a marvel of liberated improvisation where Lazro's uncompromising voice meets Avenel's inspired and multifaceted playing, captured with clarity by engineer Jean-Marc Foussat in a performance both intense and deeply authentic.
Daunik Lazro / Paul Lovens / Annick Nozati / Fred Van Hove
Resume Of A Century
(Fou Records)
A live 1999 document of four European improvisation masters — saxophonist Daunik Lazro, percussionist Paul Lovens, vocalist Annick Nozati, and pianist/accordionist Fred Van Hove — unfolding in two dynamic improvisations blending dramatic vocal invention, piano and accordion textures, dexterous percussion, and razor-sharp saxophone interplay, a visceral chamber of free expression.
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.
Cecil Taylor / 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.
Joe McPhee & Strings (w/ Maneri / Lonberg-Holm / Bisio)
We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
(RogueArt)
Uniting Joe McPhee on tenor saxophone and spoken word with violist Mat Maneri, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and bassist Michael Bisio, this remarkable quartet of long-time collaborators and distinct musical voices forges a deeply cohesive work of lyrical chamber jazz and free improvisation, balancing individual expression with a collective language of striking originality and emotional depth.
Kaze (Fujii / Tamura / Orins / Pruvost) with/ Koichi Makigami
Shishiodoshi
(Circum-Libra)
A joyful and unpredictable meeting of Japanese quartet Kaze — pianist Satoko Fujii, trumpeters Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost, and drummer Peter Orins — with avant-rock icon Koichi Makigami, recorded live in Lille in a kaleidoscopic blend of free improv, surreal humor, textural exploration, and exuberant interplay that celebrates spontaneity and sonic invention.
Martin Escalante / 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.
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.
Cecil Taylor Unit (w/ Lyons / Silva / Cooper / Murray)
Live At Fat Tuesday's February 10, 1980 First Visit [CD + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
The 2nd night of the superb, extended live performance from 1980 at NYC's Fat Tuesday jazz club, from the outstanding sextet of forward-thinking free improvisers, Jimmy Lyons on alto sax, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Alan Silva on double bass & cello, Jerome Cooper on drums & African Balaphone and Sunny Murray on drums, led by Cecil Taylor on piano in an ecstatic concert never previously released.
Kim Jae Jung
Shamanism
(Relative Pitch)
A powerful and ritualistic session from South Korea's free improvisation scene, with tenor and soprano saxophones (Jung-Jae Kim & Sunjae Lee) and dual drum kits (Junyoung Song & Sunki Kim) channeling ancestral Korean shamanic ceremony through raw, primal energy, breath-driven phrasing, and a spiritual aesthetic that bridges indigenous tradition and contemporary free jazz expression.
Cosmic Ear ( Bothen / Gustfsson / Kajfe / Zetterberg / Romero)
Traces
(We Jazz)
A rich and spiritually resonant quintet featuring Christer Bothén, Mats Gustafsson, Goran Kajfeš, Juan Romero, and Kansan Zetterberg, drawing inspiration from Don Cherry's transcultural legacy as they weave meditative global grooves with donso n'goni, karignan, electronics, and deep improvisation into a vibrant and exploratory sonic journey.
Tony Orzano / Bryan Rohmer / Jeremy Wexler
Balloons On Grass
(577 Records)
Debuting as a trio after meeting on the Long Island scene, Tony Orzano (saxophone, clarinet), Bryan Rohmer (guitar, pedals), and Jeremy Wexler (drums) deliver an unplanned 2025 studio session of raw, high-energy interplay, blending avant-punk edge, noise textures, and free improvisation into an immersive, genre-defying set of inventive and electrifying sonic collisions.
Sun Ra
Sleeping Beauty [VINYL]
(STRUT)
A soulful and serene 1979 session from Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Sleeping Beauty brings lush grooves, celestial soul, and meditative funk through gently swaying vamps, gospel-tinged chants, and sublime ensemble interplay, featuring June Tyson's luminous vocals and understated performances that reveal a rare, late-night tranquility within Ra's cosmic jazz vision.
John Butcher / Phil Durrant / Mark Wastell
Poznan: Appropriate Density
(Confront)
A trio of iconic UK improvisers — John Butcher on saxophones, Phil Durrant on electric mandolin and electronics, and Mark Wastell on percussion — perform at Poland's Spontaneous Music Festival in a richly textured set of acoustic and electronic interplay, where density, space, and responsiveness converge in a uniquely dynamic and nuanced session of free improvisation.
Top Sellers in Squidco's catalog added in 2024 and listed in alphabetic order. We consider this our most important list for the year, as it speaks from the community of our customers about what they are really interested in and listening to.
Link to the ListTop Sellers added to Squidco's catalog for in 2024 albums for which we distribute or provide fulfillment services, listed in alphabetic order.
Link to the List