Recent Reviews:
Sharp, Elliott (w/ Coleman / Dulberger / Green II / Insell / Jiang / McKenzie / Salomon / Wooley):
Hudson River Compositions 1973-74
(zOaR Records)
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Tadd Dameron:
Fountainbleau & Magic Touch Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
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Szilard Mezei Quartet:
Jaguar-Flower
(FMR Records)
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AMM:
Aura
(Matchless Recordings)
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Don Ellis:
How Time Passes To Essence, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
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Rasmus Persson & Lee Noyes:
Ratios
(Idealstate Recordings)
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Tony Oxley Quintet:
Angular Apron
(Corbett vs Dempsey)
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AALY Trio (Gustafsson / Nordeson / Janson):
Sustain
(Silkheart)
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Akira Sakata / Rie Nakajima:
Roughly Random
(Ftarri)
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Michael Foster / Ben Bennett / Jacob Wick:
Carne Vale
(Relative Pitch)
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Facebook: Squidco Sales
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Op-Ed
(Opinions and Editorials)
March 28, 2025:
This week Squidco presented a show at our local alternative venue Barzarre, the 30th in our Hooked on Sonics series. The performance brought together eight performers from Wilmington, NC to perform two conductions that I led — "Driving to the Spaceport" and "The Argument" — and a reprise of Carl Kruger's "Waiting Pool". That took up most of the week, along with the arrival of a pile of new albums on FMR, two of which made it into this mailing list; Munich Sound Studies Vols. 4, 5 & 6 from the incredible trio of Udo Schindler, Sandy Ewen and Damon Smith; David Lee Meyer's book and download of plundered poems; and the return of Long Song Records to our catalog, with a tribute to Keith Tippett from Giovanni Maier and Alexander Hawkins, and Joe Fonda's Quartet with Wadada Leo Smith and Satoko Fujii.
With luck and a little more time I'll have more to write to next week, but in the meantime check out this list of Squidco Picks from this week. Happy listening and Happy Spring!
 Myers, David Lee : Tin Drop Tear [BOOK w/ DOWNLOAD] (pulsewidth)
Experimental composer and feedback artist David Lee Myers (Arcane Device) ventures into literary territory with a limited-edition book of fifty "Plunder-Lit" poetic pieces, complemented by fifteen spoken-word audio readings set to experimental soundscapes, evoking Tristan Tzara's work, William S. Burroughs' cutups, and the sensibilities of Captain Beefheart.
 Maier, Giovanni / Alexander Hawkins: Two For Keith (Long Song Records)
Recorded live in the studio in Trieste, Italy, bassist Giovanni Maier and pianist Alexander Hawkins deliver a deeply expressive and adventurous duo session dedicated to the late, great Keith Tippett, weaving spontaneous improvisations and dynamic interplay in a heartfelt homage that reflects Tippett's profound influence and creative spirit.
 Fonda, Joe 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.
 Fujii, Satoko Tokyo Trio: Dream A Dream (Libra)
Pianist Satoko Fujii's Tokyo Trio, featuring bassist Takashi Sugawa and drummer Ittetsu Takemura, expertly balances structured compositions with intuitive improvisation on their third album, recorded in Paris after touring the material across Japan and Europe, exploring shifting moods and intricate interplay through richly lyrical piano lines, subtle rhythmic dialogue, and inventive collective expression.
 Transcendence (Bob Gluck / Christopher Dean Sullivan / Karl Latham): Music Of Pat Metheny (FMR)
Inspired by the compositions of Pat Metheny, the Transcendence trio of pianist Bob Gluck, bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan, and drummer Karl Latham blends intent listening and explorative improvisational mastery into an expressive and dynamic performance, recorded in parallel with Gluck's book Pat Metheny: Stories Beyond Words in a heart-felt and sincere tribute to the guitarist's work.
 Dunmalll, Paul (Dunmall / Sanders / Bellatalla / Adams): Jazz Suite Outcome Of Choice (FMR)
Recorded at Birmingham's Custard Factory in 1999, tenor saxophonist Paul Dunmall leads drummer Mark Sanders, bassist Roberto Bellatalla, and guitarist John Adams through a set of Dunmall compositions, delivering lyrically expressive free jazz improvisations that blend dynamic interaction with inventive melodic exploration.
 Gjerstad, Frode: Stavanger 9 9 2024 (FMR)
A live 2024 performance at Spor 5 in Stavanger, Norway, uniting saxophonist Frode Gjerstad with pianist Margaux Oswald and drummer Ivar Myrset Asheim in an engaging set of collective free improvisation marked by dynamic interplay, impressive dialog from reserved introspection to expansive kinetic energy across shifting textures and intensities.
 Schindler, Udo / Sandy Ewen / Damon Smith: Munich Sound Studies Vols. 4, 5 & 6 [3 CDs] (Balance Point Acoustics)
An expansive 3-CD document recorded live across three Munich venues in May 2023, featuring Udo Schindler (clarinets, saxophones, brass), Sandy Ewen (electric guitar), and Damon Smith (double bass), each session enhanced by collaborators Karina Erhard, Jaap Blonk, and Sebastiano Tramontana, in an inventive series of improvisations of dynamic interplay and innovative sonic experiments.
Squidco Publishing Roundup:
These are the updates to Squidco and The Squid's Ear over the last week. You can see our latest fully cataloged albums in our Recently Section.
You can see new albums as they enter our Just In Stock Section, meaning that we physically have an album and are able to ship it with an order, but that we're not satisfied that we've added all the information we can about that release.
You can also see recent restocks of previously listed items at our Recently Restocked page.
You can ask us to inform you via email of any upcoming release that you're interested in, with no obligation.
March 27, 2025: New @ Squidco:
Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio -Dream A Dream [CD] (Libra)
Paul Dunmalll (Dunmall/Sanders/Bellatalla/Adams) -Jazz Suite Outcome Of Choice [CD] (FMR)
Transcendence (Bob Gluck/Christopher Dean Sullivan/Karl Latham) -Music Of Pat Metheny [CD] (FMR)
Frode Gjerstad -Stavanger 9 9 2024 [CD] (FMR)
Ackerley/Prymek/Turner -All Hope With Sleeping Minds [CASSETTE] (Full Spectrum)
David Myers Lee -Tin Drop Tear [BOOK w/ DOWNLOAD] (pulsewidth)
Leap Of Faith -Decoding the Evolution of Meaning [CDR] (Evil Clown)
Zilmrah -Hallucinatory X-Ray Visions [CDR] (Love Earth Music)
March 25, 2025: New @ Squidco:
Peter Brotzmann/Heather Leigh -Ears Are Filled With Wonder [CD] (Not Two)
Joe Fonda Quartet (w/ Wadda Leo Smith/Satoko Fujii/Tizano Tononi) -Eyes On The Horizon [CD] (Long Song Records)
Giovanni Maier/Alexander Hawkins -Two For Keith [CD] (Long Song Records)
Ernesto Rodrigues/Carlos Santos/Miguel Mira -The Knowledge That Our Time Is Limited Can Inspire Us [CD] (Creative Sources)
Der Vierte Zustand -Layers [CD] (Creative Sources)
Udo Schindler/Sandy Ewen/Damon Smith -Munich Sound Studies Vols. 4, 5 & 6 [3 CDs] (Balance Point Acoustics)
Thanos Chrysakis -Psyche [CD] (Eternal Music Projects)
Luke Martin -To Be Worthy of Pessoa [CD] (Editions Verde)
Turbulence Orchestra & Sub-Units -Smear Out the Difficulties (Double Live) [2 CDs] (Evil Clown)
God Pussy -Rudimentar Desejo De Liberdade [CDR] (Love Earth Music)
March 25, 2025: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Tadd Dameron - Fountainbleau & Magic Touch Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd) by Paul Serralheiro.
March 24, 2025: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Szilard Mezei Quartet - Jaguar-Flower (FMR Records) by Nick Ostrum.
March 21, 2025:
I took a day to plant a garden and put up a fence. Sometimes, you just have to pause and prepare for beauty — like jazz composers crafting something marvelous and never before heard, creating wonder, light, and shadow from sound. As I worked, I played improvised music from my portable CD player and let jazz and free improv reverberate over my nascent plants as we all soaked in the sun and sound.
Of course, one day off in a busy Squidco schedule is enough to leave me well behind! That, combined with our very successful ezz-thetics by Hat Hut, Ltd. sale, the arrival of a large and fascinating set of Creative Sources albums, and a powerful — at times even frightening — group of Love Earth Music experimental releases, all added up to an incredibly busy week!
So, another short entry here, but I want to point out four important releases from the Listen! Foundation label that are featured in this week's mailing list. Of those, the fourth, *SoundScapes #4*, produced by Harri Sjöström, has had plenty of airplay in the office — a great and diverse set of performances that span a wide range of styles and approaches to expanding improvisational form. The transatlantic trio of Simon Nabatov with New Yorkers Mark Helias and Tom Rainey has also spent a lot of time in my CD player. I'm still working my way to the duo of Ivo Perelman and Tyshawn Sorey, but first listens are impressive.
The fourth album in the set truly captivated me: the trio of Thomas Heberer, Joe Fonda, and Joe Hertenstein — aka Remedy — pay tribute to a "lost" bop pianist and composer from the 1950s: Yutta (Jutta) Hipp. I had never heard her name before this album, but a bit of research revealed she was born in Leipzig and began touring as a refugee after World War II, performing to survive. Blue Note's Leonard Feather heard her play in Germany and helped her emigrate, eventually to New York City, where she recorded several albums, including a notable session with Zoot Sims. In 1956, she stopped performing and spent the next 35 years working in the textile industry. Having heard so many stories of jazz musicians ending up as janitors or drivers, I found her story fascinating — and the Remedy trio's performance, heartfelt and beautiful.
 Sjostrom, Harri: SoundScapes #4 Festival Berlin 2023 [3 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
A remarkable live document of Finnish saxophonist Harri Sjöström's SoundScapes #4 festival in Berlin, bringing together 19 extraordinary musicians from across Europe, Australia, and the U.S. for a series of improvised performances from intimate duos to expansive octets, highlighting spontaneous collaborations all driven by creative risk-taking, deep listening, and a profound sense of musical trust.
 Nabatov, Simon / Mark Helias / Tom Rainey: Assamblage (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
A far-ranging transatlantic trio session from pianist Simon Nabatov, bassist Mark Helias, and drummer Tom Rainey, capturing a dynamic fusion of composed and collective free jazz, as Nabatov's intricate compositions burst with frenetic energy, shifting between exuberant rhythmic interplay, explosive improvisation, and richly textured sonic landscapes in an electrifying set of performances.
 Remedy (Thomas Heberer / Joe Fonda / Joe Hertenstein): Hipp Hooray - Celbrating Centenial of Yutta Hipp (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Trumpeter Thomas Heberer, bassist Joe Fonda, and drummer Joe Hertenstein celebrate the centennial of pioneering German pianist Jutta Hipp with Hipp Hooray, a set of nine compositions inspired by her life and legacy, not as a recreation of her sound but as a vibrant and personal tribute, capturing the resilience, innovation, and artistic spirit of a musician whose influence transcended generations and borders.
 Perelman, Ivo / Tyshawn Sorey: Paralell Aesthetics [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
A fearless and fluid exchange between saxophonist Ivo Perelman and drummer/pianist Tyshawn Sorey, this double album captures the duo's extraordinary chemistry, shifting between blistering intensity and spacious, exploratory passages as Sorey alternates between drums and piano, forging intricate dialogues with Perelman's masterful phrasing in a boundless and deeply expressive sonic journey.
Squidco Publishing Roundup:
These are the updates to Squidco and The Squid's Ear over the last week. You can see our latest fully cataloged albums in our Recently Section.
You can see new albums as they enter our Just In Stock Section, meaning that we physically have an album and are able to ship it with an order, but that we're not satisfied that we've added all the information we can about that release.
You can also see recent restocks of previously listed items at our Recently Restocked page.
You can ask us to inform you via email of any upcoming release that you're interested in, with no obligation.
March 20, 2025: New @ Squidco:
Simon Nabatov/Mark Helias/Tom Rainey -Assamblage [CD] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Harri Sjostrom -SoundScapes #4 Festival Berlin 2023 [3 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Ivo Perelman/Tyshawn Sorey -Paralell Aesthetics [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Remedy (Thomas Heberer/Joe Fonda/Joe Hertenstein) -Hipp Hooray - Celbrating Centenial of Yutta Hipp [CD] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Musicworks Magazine -#150 Winter 2024/25 [MAGAZINE + CD] (Musicworks)
March 18, 2025: New @ Squidco:
Tristan Honsinger & The House Of Wasps -Noisy Sadness [CD] (Creative Sources)
Chris Jonas/David Forlano/Gregg Koyle -Trio [CD] (Creative Sources)
Fred Loisel/Philippe Lenglet/Christian Vasseur -Priced And Cheap (Two Graphic Scores) [CD] (Creative Sources)
Ernesto Rodrigues/Helena Espvall/Tracy Lisk -Illuminations [CD] (Creative Sources)
Heule/Leguía/Rivero/Escalante -An Inscrutable Bodily Discomforting Thing [CD] (Kettle Hole Records)
Howard Stelzer -The Flemish Giants (Suburban Observances Vol. 5) [CDR] (Love Earth Music)
Turbulence -Cyclonic and Anticyclonic Streams [CDR] (Evil Clown)
Jordan Glenn -Flustered [CASSETTE] (Full Spectrum)
Metal Chaos Ensemble -A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream [CDR] (Evil Clown)
March 18, 2025: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: AMM - Aura (Matchless Recordings) by John Eyles.
March 17, 2025: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Don Ellis - How Time Passes To Essence, Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd) by Ken Waxman.
March 15, 2025:
Apologies for the lack of a new entry this week. We were caught off guard when our metering company unexpectedly raised the price of tracking stickers from free to $0.50 per sticker (!) To avoid passing that cost on to you, we spent the week evaluating a replacement metering system, which we will be implementing over the next few weeks. In addition, setting up for our highly anticipated ezz-thetics by Hat Hut, Ltd. "Spring Hat Sale" kept us extremely busy!
A quick highlight from this week's mailing list: If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend the Don Cherry / Krzysztof Penderecki Actions album. It has been reissued in various formats over the years and is an essential addition to any Don Cherry or Penderecki collection. Also notable is our addition of Cecil Taylor's Enja release, featuring a stunning live solo performance in Austria in 1976.
For new improvisation, the Isotope Ensemble's performance at CreativeFest #18 in Lisbon showcases their subtle and sophisticated approach to free improv and conduction. Likewise, the trio of Zingaro, Bechegas, and Rodrigues demonstrates the superb interplay that Creative Sources fosters, captured in their performance at the 2024 Reverso Festival. Another standout release is Rick Reger's new album on Aural Terrains, a fascinating blend of soundscape and meditative exploration. It pairs well with Another Timbre's release featuring Teodora Stepančić working with the ensemble Ordinary Affects, which includes two artists I've been particularly impressed by: J.P.A. Falzone and Jordan Dykstra.
Looking ahead, more Creative Sources albums will be activated next week, along with a range of experimental releases on Love Earth Music. The latest Listen! Foundation albums are set to arrive on Monday and will be featured in next week's mailing list. Also expected is the much-anticipated arrival of Bone Bells by Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson. Plenty of great listening coming to our Squid's Ear!
 Cherry, Don / Krzysztof Penderecki: Actions (Intuition)
Recorded live at the Donaueschingen Music Festival in 1971, this extraordinary collaboration between Don Cherry, Krzysztof Penderecki, and The New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra merges free jazz with avant-garde composition, blending fiery improvisation, unconventional orchestrations and global influences into a powerful experience that challenges traditional genre boundaries.
 Taylor, Cecil: Air Above Mountains (ENJA RECORDS)
Recorded live at Moosham Castle in Austria in 1976, Cecil Taylor's solo piano performance is an unyielding exploration of percussive intensity and harmonic abstraction, unfolding in torrents of kinetic energy, intricate melodic leaps, and structural invention, demanding deep engagement as he fuses free jazz and contemporary classical influences into a towering and uncompromising artistic statement.
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