Squidco archives

Squidco's Top Selling Albums for 2024

Here are four 2024 Top Lists, four ways of looking at Squidco's top selling albums for the year 2024. The first is our favorite — our retail customer's Top 20 — reflecting a great diversity of interest. The second is our Top 20 for distribution and fulfillment, which are also sold as retail albums, but whose sales figures would otherwise eclipse the larger catalog we carry. Following those lists are Philz's Top 40, and Carl's Top 24 for 2024.

All lists are in alphabetic order.

2024 Top 20 Retail Albums by Customer Sales

AMM (Prevost / Tilbury): Aura
(Matchless)

Recorded in Turkey 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.

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".

Blythe, Arthur Quartet (Blythe / Booth / Abdullah / Reid): Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 2
(NoBusiness)

One of alto saxophonist and composer Arthur Blythe's earliest recordings as a leader, this 1976 session at Sam & Bea Rivers' Studio Rivbea in New York City features four Blythe compositions performed by an exemplary quartet: Steve Reid on drums, frequent Blythe collaborator Muhammad Abdullah on congas, and long-time Sun Ra bassist Juini Booth.

Borca / R. Brown / W. Parker / Workman / Nicholson / Murphy / Ibarra / Taylor-Baker: Good News Blues
(NoBusiness)

A vital member of groups led by Jimmy Lyons, Bill Dixon, Cecil Taylor, Joe Morris and William Parker, bassoonist Karen Borca is heard in two Vision Festival performances under her own name performing her own compositions in trio, quartet and quintet formations with luminaries Rob Brown, William Parker, Reggie Nicholson, Susie Ibarra, Todd Nicholson, Paul Murphy and Newman Taylor-Baker.

Bridge, The (Amado / von Schlippenbach / Haker-Flaten / Hemingway): Beyond the Margins
(Trost Records)

Assembled by Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado, this stellar quartet bridges nations with German pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, Norwegian double bass player Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, and American drummer Gerry Hemingway, presenting the extended, masterful collective title track, along with two shorter works, particularly revisiting Albert Ayler's "Ghosts".

Brotzmann / Kondo / Toyozumi: Complete Link
(NoBusiness)

Trumpeter Toshinori Kondo and drummer Sabu Toyozumi, who originally worked together in the band EEU, first played with saxophonist Peter Brotzmann as a trio in 2014, this live recording at Roppongi Super Deluxe in Tokyo captured two years later in a wild collective free jazz outing, Kondo augmenting his horn with electronics, as they explode three super-charged improvisations!

Butcher, John / Thomas Lehn / John Tilbury: Lights
(Fataka)

Recorded for the release concert of their 2013 album Exta, the trio of John Butcher on saxophones, Thomas Lehn on analog synthesizer and John Tilbury on piano captured this extraordinary live concert at Cafe Oto in London, only the second time the group had performed together, recording in two extended sets but segmented into four exceptional and dramatic improvisations.

Butcher, John + 13: Fluid Fixations
(Weight of Wax)

Commissioned for the 2021 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, John Butcher's fantastic work for 14 improvisers of unique approach employs what Butcher refers to as "psychological orchestration"--imagining how each performer might respond to particular ideas & their sonic company--the score, which includes photographic imagery, directing specific solos, duos & small groupings.

Crispell, Marilyn / Jason Stein / Damon Smith / Adam Shead: Spi-Raling Horn
(Balance Point Acoustics)

A collaboration between the working trio of bass clarinetist Jason Stein, double bassist Damon Smith, and drummer Adam Shead, adding pianist Marilyn Crispell, initiated by Smith & Crispell's admiration of painter Cy Twombly, whose artwork graces this album's cover, recorded live and complete in the studio after two live concerts between the quartet; masterful collective improv!

McIntyre / Thompson / Suggs / Fielder: Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 1
(NoBusiness)

The first in NoBusiness' Ribea Live! series from Sam & Bea Rivers' famous and influential 1970's NYC loft series is this dynamic July 12, 1975 concert led by saxophonist Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, in a quartet with Malachi Thompson on trumpet, Milton Suggs on electric bass and Alvin Fielder on drums, part of Studio Rivbea's Summer Music Festival 1975.

New Old Luten Trio (Petrowsky / Pauer / Lillinger): Trident Juncture
(Euphorium)

The last concert with late German saxophonist and wind-player Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, aka Luten Petrowsky, and his decade-long run with the New Old Luten Trio of younger generation improvisers, pianist Elan Pauer (aka Oliver Schwerdt) and drummer/percussionist Christian Lillinger, for a nearly 1-hour energetic performance at naTo, in Leipzig in 2016, "... And A Cutie for Good Bye".

Oxley, Tony Quintet: Angular Apron
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

British percussionist Tony Oxley returned to this piece multiple times after debuting it in the early 1970s, drawing on both European improv and contemporary composed music, heard in this previously unreleased 1992 live performance with the superb quintet of legendary trumpeter & flugelhornist Manfred Schoof, UK pianist Pat Thomas, US bassist Sirone and UK saxophonist Larry Stabbins.

Parker's, Evan Transatlantic Trance Map: Marconi's Drift
(False Walls)

Bringing together two groups of spectacular improvisers versed in free and electroacoustic improvisation for a live transatlantic performance, one group of seven musicians primarily from The UK & Europe performing from The Hot Tin venue in Faversham, Kent, UK, the other group of six musicians performing from Roulette, New York City, for this stunningly impressive group improvisation.

Quatuor Bozzini: Jurg Frey: String Quartet No. 4
(Collection QB)

The third string quartet that Swiss composer Jürg Frey has written for the Montreal string quartet Quatuor Bozzini of Alissa Cheung on violin, Clemens Merkel on violin, Stephanie Bozzini on viola and Isabelle Bozzini on cello, a beautiful work in five movements of illusory motion, slowly evolving through furtive and seemingly feigned momentum.

Schmid, Silvan / Tom Wheatley / Eddie Prevost: The Wandering One - High Laver Levitation Volume 2
(Matchless)

A live recording of freely improvised improv captured at All Hallows Church in High Laver, Essex in 2023 from the trio of AMM drummer and Matchless label-leader Eddie Prévost, Zürich and Maastricht trumpeter Silvan Shmid, and London double bassist Tom Wheatley of the group Widdershins, heard in three investigative conversations of great creative drive.

Schwerdt, Oliver / Barry Guy / Baby Sommer: Fucking Ballads
(Euphorium)

An enthusiastic and energetically powerful trio meeting between three masters--Oliver Schwerdt on grand piano & percussion, Barry Guy on double bass and Baby Sommer on drums & percussion--performing live in 2021 at naTo, in Leipzig for two extended improvisations of remarkable communication, incredible virtuosity, but most importantly, incredible and compelling creative drive!

Sea Trio, The (Satoh / Yoshihide / Turner): Live in Munich & Bonn [2 CDs]
(Confront)

Their second recording after their 2015 trio album Live at Hall Egg Farm on Doubtmusic, the now properly named Sea Trio of Masahiko Satoh on piano, Otomo Yoshihide on electric guitar and Roger Turner on drums & percussion reunite for two impressive 2023 concerts of masterful and often fiery free improvisation, captured in Munich and Bonn, Germany.

Smith, Wadada Leo / Joe Morris: Earth's Frequencies
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Delicately forceful, the live concert at Real Art Ways, in Hartford, Connecticut as part of the ImprovisatioNOW concert series, is a perfect encounter between two legendary New York improvisers--trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and guitarist Joe Morris--capturing five dialogs of impressive technique and creative expression, including references to Monk and Ma Rainey.

Tabbal, Tani Quartet (w/ McPhee / Bisio / Siegel): Intentional
(Mahakala Music)

Drummer with some of the most significant of free jazz icons--Roscoe Mitchell, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Anthony Braxton, &c.--Tani Tabbal's own trio with fellow New Yorkers Michael Bisio on bass and Adam Siegel on alto sax are joined by Joe McPhee on tenor sax, with compositions from each of Tabbal, Bisio and Joe McPhee, plus four collective improvisations.

Williams, Mars / Hamid Drake: I Know You Are But What Am I?
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

The second of three archival albums from late saxophonist Mars Williams' vaults, this 1996 recording is a rare duet with Chicago drummer Hamid Drake, and is also one of the first concerts of the Empty Bottle Jazz and Improvised Music series, a diverse set of four improvisations marked by energetic enthusiasm, doubling of reeds, and wild playing from both.

2024 Top 20 Distribution & Fulfillment Albums

Ackerley, Jessica / Patrick Shiroishi / Chris Williams / Luke Stewart / Jason Nazary: SSWAN: Invisibility is an Unnatural Disaster [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Rugged, experimental and avant jazz in the debut album from the SSWAN group of Patrick Shiroishi on saxophones, Chris Williams on trumpet, Jessica Ackerley on electric guitar, Luke Stewart on bass and Jason Nazary on drums, the group focused first on sound and velocity rather than pitch and harmonic information as they carve out a unique space between free jazz and free improv.

Amba, Zoh / William Parker / Francisco Mela: O Life, O Light Vol. 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The second volume from the trio of Tennessee-to-NYC transplant Zoe Amba on tenor saxophone & flute, legendary double bassist William Parker and Francisco Mela on drums, performing three compositions by Amba recorded in the studio in NYC; emphatic free jazz with a powerful rhythm section elucidating Amba's spiritually fueled approach to compelling, lyrical improvisation.

Braxton, Anthony: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022
(New Braxton House)

Documenting six live performances with Anthony Braxton's Lorraine Trio featuring trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, accordionist/vocalist Adam Matlock, and Anthony Braxton, plus four studio recordings featuring Braxton, saxophonist James Fei, and bassists Zach Rowden and Carl Testa, in a solid box set of 10 CDs in five gatefold wallets with a 28 page booklet of notes by Anthony Braxton.

Braxton, Anthony: Solo Bern 1984 First Visit
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Thirteen years after his breakthrough solo saxophone album For Alto, Anthony Braxton is heard in an inventive solo concert on the same instrument, performing at the Altes Schlachthaus Theatre in Bern, Switzerland for a set of original numbered compositions, the standards "Alone Together" and "I Remember You", and two Coltrane pieces: "Giant Steps" and "Naima".

Braxton, Anthony : Quintet (Tristano) 2014 [7 CDs]
(New Braxton House)

Newly Distributed in 2021: Composer and jazz master Anthony Braxton performing on piano in a septet with saxophonists Jackson Moore and Andre Vida, bassist Eivind Opsvik and drummer Mike Szekely, exploring the compositions of Lennie Tristano plus peers Billy Bauer, Connie Crothers, Warne Marsh, Sal Mosca, &c.

Carter, Daniel / Evan Strauss / 5-Track / Sheridan Riley: The Uproar In Bursts Of Sound And Silence [VINYL]
(577 Records)

A collage of styles and experimentation developed over several years by bassist and multi-instrumentalist Evan Strauss, using long-form graphically notated conceptual compositions based on bird calls along with thematic material from Ursula K. Le Guin, expanded with narration and poetry from Daniel Carter and titled from an excerpt by Virginia Woolf.

Carter, Daniel / Matthew Shipp / William Parker / Gerald Cleaver: Welcome Adventure! Vol. 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The 2nd of two studio albums from the quartet of Daniel Carter on saxophone & flute, Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums, recordings from the same sessions as the 1st volume with five shorter works, as the long-time collaborators and friends show their nearly telepathic rapport in adventurous and masterful modern jazz.

Carter, Daniel / Matthew Shipp / William Parker / Gerald Cleaver : Welcome Adventure! Vol. 1 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

After decades playing together, the quartet of Daniel Carter on tenor sax, trumpet & flute, Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass, and Gerald Cleaver on drums, release the first of two planned studio albums, with two extended and remarkably warm collective excursions bookending a shorter "Scintillate", in an exceptionally solid album of masterful modern jazz.

Carter, Daniel / Tobias Wilner / Djibril Toure / Federico Ughi: New York United [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(577 Records)

An excellent blend of electronics and acoustics as saxophonist, flutist and trumpeter Daniel Carter meets sound artist Tobias Wilner from world-renowned electronic pop band Blue Foundation, with Wu-Tang Clan bass player Djibril Toure and drum wiz Federico Ughi rounding out this forward-thinking album of hazy and rhythmic electroacoustic environments.

Carter, Daniel / Tobias Wilner / Djibril Toure / Federico Ughi: New York United Volume 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The second volume of this rich and exotic quartet in a sublime merging of jazz, electronics and compositional approaches yielding melodically dream-like music and environments, from reedist, flutist && trumpeter Daniel Carter, Tobias Wilner (Blue Foundation) on synth and keys, Wu-Tang Clan bassist Djibril Toure and Italian/NY drummer Federico Ughi.

Cleaver, Gerald: The Process [VINYL]
(Positive Elevation / 577 Records)

Taking his cues from the electronic music of his Detroit roots, free jazz drummer Gerald Cleaver presents an album of synthetic rhythms and sonic landscapes, each piece composed in detailed arrangements of compelling and adventurous structures, from propulsive grooves to sinuous soundscapes, a surprising and exciting twist showing Cleaver's strong compositional skills.

Coultrain: Phantasmagoria [VINYL]
(577 Records)

West Coast songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Coultrain, aka Aaron Michael Frison or Seymour Liberty, in an collection of songs based around a sequence of images reminiscent of a dream, capturing the hazy state of mind that drove the process behind this album, as well as its dreamy effect; soulful and introspective, an album of poetic observation and reflection.

Heroes Are Gang Leaders: LeAutoRoiOgraphy [BLACK VINYL]
(577 Records)

Led by tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and poet Thomas Sayers Ellis, this 12-piece ensemble of pointed and ecstatic free jazz and spoken word are heard at the 2019 Sons D'Hiver Festival in Paris, 2019, their sound influenced by chamber elements and sharpened through insightful and demanding observations and the influence of Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones).

[ism] (Pat Thomas / Joel Grip / Aontonin Gerbal): Maua
(577 Records)

Recordings from the Berlin club Au Topsi Pohl where the [ism] piano trio of Pat Thomas on piano, Joel Grip on double bass and Antonin Gerbal on drums played 4-nights in a row, May 18-21, 2022, Thomas performing on a Bösendorfer grand piano, creating an omnipresent and precise sound that drove the band to great heights of interactive, warmly diverse playing.

Mela, Francisco / Zoh Amba: Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2
(577 Records)

The second volume of powerful free playing and intimate conversation bringing together two New York-based improvisers, Cuban native drummer/percussionist Francisco Mela and Tennessee native reed & wind player Zoh Amba, both sharing a mountain region upbringing that brings a uniquely reflective quality to their playing, fortified by the exploratory NY improv scene.

Mela, Francisco / Zoh Amba: Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The second volume of powerful free playing and intimate conversation bringing together two New York-based improvisers, Cuban native drummer/percussionist Francisco Mela and Tennessee native reed & wind player Zoh Amba, both sharing a mountain region upbringing that brings a uniquely reflective quality to their playing, fortified by the exploratory NY improv scene.

Nagano, Sana (w/ Apflebaum / Matsuno / Filiano / Herternstein): Smashing Humans [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The debut of a new electric jazz quintet from NY violinist Sana Nagano, with Peter Appfelbaum on tenor saxophone & megaphone, Keisuke Matsuno on electric guitar, Ken Filiano on acoustic bass & effects, and Joe Hertenstein on drums, an inventive and energetic album of joyful urgency and tremendous group dynamic, fueled by Nagano's exuberant and lyrical compositions.

Nichunimu (Vergara / Carrasco / Mardones): Un Cacho de Metal, Un Resto de Vaiven [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Experimental improvisation that moves in and out of jazz territory from the Chilean trio of Benjamin Vergara on trumpet, Nicolas Carrasco on synthesizer and Matias Mardones on percussion, recording in the studio the day after their performance at the 2019 Relincha Festival in Ciudad de Valdivia, focusing on patterns of circularity and repetition to inform their playing.

Taylor, Cecil Unit (w/ Lyons / Silva / Cooper / Murray): Live At Fat Tuesday's February 9 - First Visit Archive [CD + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

A superb and 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.

Ughi, Federico (w / Leo Genovese / Brandon Lopez): Infinite Cosmos Calling You You You, Vol. 1 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The first album under 577 label leader and drummer Federico Ughi's name in five years brings together the incredible bass skills of Brandon Lopez and expansive Argentinean keyboard sonics of Leo Genovese, the first of two planned volumes recorded in the studio for a boundary-less album of acoustic and electric improv influenced by the music and philosophy of Sun Ra.

As the main buyer for Squidco, and an endless enthusiast for the music we sell, it's extremely difficult for me to select a limited set from the 731 albums we added to Squidco's catalog this year. I finally trimmed it down to these 40, from 60 I really would have liked to list. Many I excluded are found in the other 3 lists published here, so my selections include a number of distinct entries from those other lists.

Zorn, John (Riley / Lage): Her Melodious Lay
(Tzadik)

Featuring some of composer John Zorn's most lyrical work, the duo of guitarists Gyan Riley and Julian Lage continue their collaboration in the series that started in 2015 with The Bagatelles and continues through Midsummer Moons (2017), Book Beri'ah (2019), and Quatrain (2023), as they render Zorn's beautiful merging of eclectic forms inspired by William Shakespeare.

Vicente, Luis Trio: Come Down Here
(Clean Feed)

Led by Portuguese trumpeter Luís Vicente, his trio with double bassist Gonçalo Almeida and drummer/percussionist Pedro Melo Alves introduce a set of Vicente compositions and one traditional Brazilian piece, Vicente's frameworks and melodic structures opening to great space for all three player to shine through formidable and creative improvisation.

Trilla, Vasco: The Bell Slept Long In The Tower
(thanatosis produktion)

The seventh solo percussion album from Barcelona-based Vasco Trilla, here investigating the symbolic and historical use of bells in different regions and cultures around the world through ten unconventional observations of vibration, resonance, and rich tones performed on timpani, flat tuned bells, transducer speakers, snare drum and assorted percussions.

Taylor, Cecil 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.

Sanna, Claudio: Compositori Sardi Contemporanei II [2 CDs]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

The second volume in pianist and composer Claudio Sanna exploration of composers, improviser and experimenters from Sardinia, in a wonderfully diverse set of works and performances from Sanna himself, Anna Zeriotto (double bass), Federico Nicoletta (piano), Leoardo Zunica (piano), Sandro Mungianu (live electronics), and Paolo Pastorino (live electronics).

Rose, Jon: Aeolian Tendency
(Room40)

Aeolian instruments, which create sound by the action of wind, have been an occupation of Australian violinist Jon Rose since 1979, using central Australia's winds to exite vibrations on self-invented instrumented using piano wire and fishing line, here presenting beautifully exotic recordings from two instruments he created in 2021 (The Monolith) and in 2022 (The Tube).

Rempis / Adasiewicz / Abrams / Damon: Propulsion
(Aerophonic)

The debut of the Chicago quartet of Dave Rempis on alto, tenor & baritone saxophones, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Joshua Abrams on bass and Tyler Damon on drums, recorded after a year of performances to develop their propulsive and expansive force, as heard in this concert at Elastic Arts, which was also the last of the weekly Thursday night series Rempis curated for 21 years.

Polwechsel: Embrace [4 LP BOX SET]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

The current Polwechsel quartet of Werner Dafeldecker, Michael Moser, Martin Brandlmayr and Burkhard Beins — merging improvisation and contemporary forms for outstandingly paced and conceptualized performance — are joined by luminaries John Butcher, Klaus Lang, Magda Mayas, Andrea Neumann and Peter Ablinger, released in a deluxe 4-LP box set with a 32-page booklet.

Perelman, Ivo / Nate Wooley: Polarity 3
(Burning Ambulance Music)

Ten improvisations in the 3rd release of New York trumpeter Nate Wooley and tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman's Polarity series, their dialogs an incredible weaving of creative ideas and technical prowess that started in 2020 after recording a series of larger group albums, their affinity and cooperative approach to instrumental dialog exceptional and exemplary.

Parkins, Zeena: Dam Against the Spring Tide
(Relative Pitch)

Drawing inspiration from the archives of philosopher Walter Benjamin, Zeena Parkins leads an extraordinary ensemble of experimental and avant-garde musicians — including William Winant, Tony Buck, Magda Mayas, and Joan La Barbara — in two intricate multi-part compositions that weave acoustic and electronic textures through improv, experimental, and contemporary forms.

Ono Lennon, Sean: Asterisms
(Tzadik)

The chameleonic styles of Sean Ono Lennon are in full force on this instrumental record, merging rock, jazz, experimental and cinematic styles in captivating ways, performed with the spectacular ensemble of Devon Hoff (bass), Yuka Honda (electronics), Johnny Mathar (drums), João Nogueira (Wurlitzer), Ches Smith (drums), Michael Leonhart (trumpet) & Mauro Refosco (percussion).

Nabatov, Simon Quartet feat. Ralph Alessi: Lovely Music
(Clean Feed)

"Lovely" but also free to take some wild asides, Russian-American pianist Simon Nabatov's quintet with trumpeter Ralph Allessi, saxophonist Sebastian Gille, bassist David Helm and drummer Leif Berger pivots around melodic cores from Nabatov's alluring compositions as he explores themes of love, refraining from cloying approaches through sophisticated and often edgy direction for his players.

Moses, Ra Kalam Bob / Jerome Bryerton: The Jugglerdrum
(Balance Point Acoustics)

Drawing titles from a Paul Celan poem, legendary drummer Ra Kalam Bob Moses collaborates with Jerome Bryerton Ayotte in a subtly magical duo of sublime interaction, performing on a diverse array of percussion including drums, timbale, djembe, Zildjian and Sabian cymbals, Chinese jing cymbals, opera gongs, Paiste gongs, and sound discs to create a richly textured and deeply expressive sonic dialogue.

Mezei, Szilard : Old Book For Quartet
(FMR)

Rich in melody that's tinged with European folk music, beautifully orchestrated with viola, vibraphone, double bass, drums & percussion, Serbian violist Szilárd Mezei's compositions take listeners on a journey from melodic optimism to poignant moments of timeless history, indeed a narrative as from a timeless novel read with passion and sincerity; exquisite.

Merce, Sergio: Prosa
(Hitorri)

Buenos Aires sound artist & saxophonist Sergio Merce presents his third album on the Hitorri label, in two pieces recorded between 2023-24: "Segundo Paisaje", an organized composition using wind synthesizer, virtual instruments & field recordings; and "Glissotar" using a new wind instrument designed for extreme glissando effects, joined with wind synth & electronics.

Marsella's, Brian iMAGiNARiUM: Medietas [3 CDs]
(Tzadik)

Led by pianist Brian Marsella, the sonic theater supergroup iMAGiNARiUM unites a remarkable cast from the Downtown NY scene for a wildly creative 3-CD set that blends jazz, fusion, psych, experimental, and contemporary forms with a sense of awe, humor, and effortless ingenuity, resulting in a captivating journey filled with wonder and, yes, imagination.

Lavelle, Matt & The 12 Houses: The Crop Circles Suite
(Mahakala Music)

An album to absorb and get excited over, as Matt Lavelle pursues a long-running dream to bring his 12 Houses Orchestra to record, here in an incredible collection of compositions, just the first set of a larger concept of solid jazz pieces that pivot on astrology and numerology as reflected in time signature, bar lines, melody notes, chords, and intervals; powerful, lyrical, spectacular work!

Kaiser, Henry: The Lost Chord
(Metalanguage)

Focused around a poem by Adelaide Anne Procter titled "A Lost Chord", West Coast guitarist Henry Kaiser invokes the spirit of Procter's words through a stunningly beautiful album of both contemplative and technically excellent work, his first solo album performed on the lower tuned baritone guitar, in 10 tracks inspired by Frith, Xenakis, Evan Parker, Ligeti, &c.
Includes a free copy of Trouble with the Treble while quantities last!

Hubback, Steve: The Last Free City
(FMR)

Also known as Metal Moves, Welsh improvising drummer/percussionist and instrument-maker Steve Hubback creates metallic sculptures that he performs on alongside drums, gongs, bells & cymbals, this new album presenting three extended recording for sound sculpture and percussion, particularly the mesmerizing title track featuring a mobile sound sculpture made of aluminium.

Gustafsson, Mats: Hidros 9 Mirrors
(Trost Records)

Forming his NU Ensemble in 1997 to merge free-jazz, improv, noise and contemporary forms, Mats Gustafsson presented Hidros One for 9 improvisers, tape & conductor that same year, progressing over 25 years to this 9th conduction of the Hidros concept in his largest ensemble yet: 25 musicians in two 9-piece ensembles plus soloists, captured live at the 2022 Avant Art Festival in Warsaw, Poland.

Gush (Gustafsson / Sandell / Strid) + Guests: Gush 30 - Krakow 2018 [3 CD BOX SET]
(Not Two)

The Gush trio — Mats Gustafsson on reeds and flute, Sten Sandell on piano, and Raymond Strid on drums — celebrate 30 years since their original formation, in extraordinary concerts at Alchemia and Manggha Hall in Krakow, joined by guests in three dynamic configurations — two sextets and a septet — for an unforgettable series of performances of irrepressible collective improvisation.

Gentile, Kate (w/ Mitchell / Casss / Viner): Find Letter X [3 CDs]
(Pi Recordings)

Three CDs in a beautifully constructed fold-out cross with liner notes and recording data from NY drummer Kate Gentile, in a set of 41 studio recordings with her working band of Matt Mitchell on piano & keys, Kim Cass on acoustic & electric bass and Jeremy Viner on reeds, each disc exploring a distinct yet connected approach to her fascinating compositions and group interaction.

Fujii, Satoko Quartet (w/ Tamura / Takeharu / Yoshida): Dog Days of Summer
(Libra)

One of Satoko Fujii's wildest groups, the quartet of Fujii on piano, Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Hayakawa Takeharu (HAYAKAWA, Dr. Umezu Band) on bass and Magaibutsu label leader & Ruins drummer Tatsuya Yoshida present their first album since 2007, expanding their assertive approach to improv in an adventurous set that merges rock and jazz forms with lyricism and power.

Fowler, Chad / Shanyse Strickland / Sana Nagano / Melanie Dyer / Ken Filiano / Anders Griffen: Birdsong
(Mahakala Music)

Highlighting the parallel to changes in birdsong in urban areas because of anthropogenic ambient noise, this diverse ensemble demonstrates the evolution of improv approaches through unique origins and backgrounds; with Chad Fowler (stritch, flute), Shanyse Strickland (French Horn), Sana Nagano (violin), Melanie Dyer (viola), Ken Filiano (bass) and Anders Griffen (drums).

Foussat, Jean-Marc / Guy-Frank Pellerin / Eugenio Sanna : Escale
(Fou Records)

Four electroacoustic improvisations recorded in Italy between Jean-Marc Foussat on Synthi AKS, piano, toys & voice, Guy-Franck Pellerin on saxophones & percussion, and Eugenio Sanna on amplified guitar, metal strips balloons, cellophane & voices, an album of unconventional orchestration and approach that fascinates in its unusual sonic journey.

Eventless Plot: Structures
(Creative Sources)

Three configurations of delicately detailed, reductionist electroacoustic improv from the Greek Eventless Plot trio of Vasilis Liolios (inside piano, e-bow piano, objects & psaltiri), Yiannis Tsirikoglou (objects, guitar, MAX/MSP) and Aris Giatas (piano), in one piece as a trio, then with guest Chris Cundy on bass clarinet, and a third with Louis Portal on percussion.

Evans, Peter Being & Becoming (Evans / Ross / Jozwiak / Ode): Ars Memoria
(More Is More)

The second album from New York trumpeter Peter Evan's band Being and Becoming stretches out his concepts in five extended works that dovetails superb contemporary jazz — integrating extended techniques and solid vibraphone work — with beautifully rich and explorative passages, masterfully performed with Joel Ross (vibes), Nick Jozwiak (bass) and Michael Shekwoaga (drums).

Evans, Peter (Evans / Eldh / Black): Extra [VINYL]
(We Jazz)

An exhilarating trio with bassist Petter Eldh and drummer Jim Black, recorded in Lisbon in 2023, capturing inventive synergy across eight original compositions by Peter Evans, ranging from the fiery intensity of "Freaks" and "Boom" to the surprising twists of "The Lighthouse", as their close-knit rapport fuels rhythmic depth and jaw-dropping improvisation.

Elephant9 with Terje Rypdal: Catching Fire [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Rune Grammofon)

Recorded live in Oslo, the Norwegian jazz-rock trio Elephant9 of Torstein Lofthus (drums), Nikolai Haengsle (bass) and Stale Storlokken (keys) join with legendary guitarist Terje Rypdal, channeling the intensity of bands like King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra as they blend and evolve layered psychedelia with angular improvisation for a raw, electric fusion experience.

Dunston, Nick: Colla Voce
(Out Of Your Head Records)

A wild "Afro-Surrealist Anti-Opera" from composer & bassist Nick Dunston, performed with an ensemble of string players (including JACK Quartet) and vocalists, in a gripping hybrid of acoustic and electronic music, using the studio for post-processing to create Dunston's self-described "warped narrative", an understatement for this incredibly passionate, surreal and absolutely impressive work.

Courvoisier, Sylvie (feat. Wadada Leo Smith / Christian Fennesz / Nate Wooley / Drew Gress / Kenny Wollesen): Chimaera [2 CDs]
(Intakt)

Chimaera is the ensemble of Sylvie Courvoisier on piano, her core trio with Drew Gress on bass, Kenny Wollesen on drums & vibraphone, expanded by two trumpeters--Wadada Leo Smith & Nate Wooley--and affected by Austrian guitarist Christian Fennesz who provides sonic backdrops for the improvisations over Courvoisier's compositions, focusing on aura over pyrotechnics; absolutely sublime.

Cosa Brava (Frith / Parkins / Kihlstedt / Bossi / Ismaily): Z Sides
(Klanggalerie)

Guitarist & vocalist Fred Frith leads the highly creative quintet of Zeena Parkins on keys & voice, Carla Kihlstedt on violin & voice, Mathias Bossi on drums and Shahzad Ismaily on bass, merging free improv, rock and experimental forms; drawn from live performances recorded by The Normal Conquest, this set of compositions captures the group's dynamic interplay and remarkable inventiveness.

Coleman, Steve & Five Elements: PolyTropos / Of Many Turns [2 CDs]
(Pi Recordings)

Drawn from two absolutely energetic and exciting concerts in France, saxophonist and composer Steve Coleman's Five Elements ensemble — Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Sean Rickman on drums, and new electric bassist Rich Brown — blend spontaneous rhythmic and tonal transformations with Coleman's inventive, biologically-inspired compositions; exhilarating!

Cambien, Jonas: Maca Conu
(Clean Feed)

Commissioned by Norway's Motvind festival, Belgian-born, Oslo-based composer & keyboardist Jonas Cambien takes a sly approach to his compositions, incorporating contemporary & experimental forms with solid free jazz playing, performed with drummer Andreas Wildhagen, bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, saxophonist Signe Emmeluth and guest trombonist Guro Kvale (Scheen Jazzorkester).

Brennan, Patricia Septet (Irabagon / Shim / O'Farrill / Gilmore / Herrera / Cass): Breaking Stretch
(Pyroclastic Records)

For her third album as a leader, NY vibraphonist and composer Patricia Brennan expands her band to a septet with bassist Kim Cass, drummer Marcus Gilmore, percussionist Mauricio Herrera, saxophonists Jon Irabagon and Mark Shim and trumpeter Adam O'Farrill also on electronics, for an exciting, widely embracing and fully modern album of compelling modern jazz, bound to be a 2024 top 10!

Bowne, Dougie: The Stars Are Indispensable
(Tzadik)

A formidable sonic duo of guitar, bass, electronics, prepared bass, and drums, featuring Downtown NY pioneer Dougie Bowne and Brooklyn-based experimental rock bassist Matt Nelson (tUnE-yArDs, Weasel Walter Large Ensemble), delivering twelve intense and startlingly inventive improvisations, using every inch of their instruments to create a heavy, captivating set of soundscapes.

Banks, Dan / Trevor Taylor / Jose Canha : Sonifications 2: Humanity in Conflict
(FMR)

Transforming 200 years of war data — including defense spending, casualties, nuclear stockpiles, and peace — into a compelling sonic narrative, blending raw data with expressive improvisation as pianist Dan Banks, drummer Trevor Taylor, and bassist Jose Canha perform powerful and evocative improvised explorations while recording at Toucan Tango Studios in Hornchurch, UK.

One of Squidco's most listened ears, Carl Kruger lists his Top 24 for 2024.

Zajc, Rebeka Rusjan : Prelude
(Clean Feed)

The debut for young Slovenian pianist Rebeka Rusjan Zajc, living and working in Amsterdam, brings forward a new voice in lyrically elegant and virtuosically confident solo piano improvisation, her extended piece "Illusion" divided in natural segments that allow her progressions to develop through accomplished, lively runs and moments of suspended beauty.

Weirs and Magic Tuber Stringband : The Crozet Tunnel [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD]
(Notice Recordings)

Recorded live in Virginia's Crozet Tunnel, Magic Tuber Stringband (Evan Morgan and Courtney Werner) and Weirs (Justin Morris and Oliver Child-Lanning) present a captivating collaboration blending Appalachian traditions with contemporary drone and song forms, exploring vocal harmonies, resonant acoustics, and the profound interplay between music and place.

Weathers, Andrew: AW Walks to the West Bank of the French Broad Every Day
(Editions Glomar )

A 2-part work leveraging binaural recordings made in daily walks in Asheville, NC to different points of the French Broad River: Part 1 "Interior" is collaged as a room resonance study using hydrophone recordings of the French Broad, microtonal instruments by Ben Hjertmann plus piano & synth recordings; Part 2 "Exterior" is a layered alignment of the recordings from his walks.

Vaggione, Horacio: Schall / Rechant [VINYL]
(Recollection GRM)

Specializing in micromontage, granular synthesis, and microsound, Argentinian-born and Paris-based electroacoustic composer Horacio Vaggione recorded these four compositions at at INA GRM in Paris between 1994 and 2002, each a fascinatingly detailed work illustrating his research into sound and compositions, with a stunning aesthetic for dramatically unfolding concepts.

Salter Ensemble (Belorukov / Harnik / Kocher / Grom / Beiner / Klammer / Kutin / Lang / Tomazin / Badrutt): Tri Dela
(Bruit Editions / Zavod Sploh)

Operating on the border between free improvisation and composition, the international electro-acoustic ensemble Šalter Ensemble present three incredible works composed by members of the ensemble -- Tomaž Grom; Jonas Kocher & Gaudenz Badrutt; and Elisabeth Harnik -- developed with the full ensemble, incorporating jazz, free improvisation, electronics & sound art.

Phantom Orchard (Ikue Mori / Zeena Parkins): Hit Parade of Tears
(Tzadik)

Distilling their ensemble to its original duo configuration, New York improvisers Zeena Parkins and Ikue Mori reflect on the stories of Japanese author Izumi Suzuki through ten mysteriously eclectic and beautifully developed compositions of harp (acoustic and electric), electronics, percussion, harmonium, ondes martenot, and much more; wonderful, imaginative and evocative work.

Olsson, Henrik / Aviva Endean: Split Series Vol. 2
(FRIM Records)

Part of the split series from Swedish label FRIM (Association For Free Improvised Music), this album presents the two solo concerts from an evening at Rönnells Antikvariat during the 2022 Sound of Stockholm festival, first from drummer Henrik Olsson performing on turntables & objects; then from Aviva Endean on clarinets, electronics, voice & plastic pipes.

Northwoods Improvisers: Kuhtuhlpa [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD]
(Copy This!)

Active since 1976, the Northwoods Improviser collective founded by percussionist and drummer Mike Gilmore and bassist Mike Johnston, with drummer Nick Ashton joining in 1986, working with saxophonist Faruq Z. Bey after the 2000s; this live-in-the-studio recording is of the rhythmic trio captured joyfully jamming on the music they would record with Bey later that day.

Mitchell, Roscoe: One Head Four People
(Wide Hive)

"Following his 2024 grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Chicago saxophonist, percussionist, composer, and AACM legend Roscoe Mitchell recorded this quartet with bassist Damon Smith, guitarist Sandy Ewen, and drummer Weasel Walter, delivering nine uniquely fascinatingly approaches to free improv, bringing "Ruckus," "Ripples," "Shivers," and "The Final Bell."

Mayas, Magda Filamental (Mayas / Abdelnour / Caddy / Davies / Davies / Mayaas / Parks / Theriot-Ramos / Thieke): Ritual Mechanics
(Relative Pitch)

The 2nd release from Magda Mayas' Filamental octet of Mayas, Zeena Parkins, Michel Thieke, Christine Abdelnour, Angharad Davies, Rhodri Davies, Aimée Theriot and Anthea Caddy, is a fascinating studio composition developed from individual recordings provided by each musician, assembled into two detailed and cohesive works of impressive contours and almost ceremonial beauty.

Ironing & Juice Machine: S/T
(Hymns)

The Ironing project of Gainesville, Florida turntable and electronic artist joins with the Virginia-based Juice Machine duo of Roger Smith and late experimental musician Heather Chessman, both on electronics, tapes & sampler, for six unusual constructions of strange grooves over which concrete and obscure sounds swim about with a sense of wonder and humor.

Houtkamp / Tramontana / Beresford / Blume: Frush
(FMR)

Expanding the enduring free improvising trio of Netherlands tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Luc Houtkamp, British pianist and player of electronics and objects Steve Beresford, and German drummer and percussionist Martin Blume, with Italian trombonist Sebi Tramontana for this exceptional concert captured live in 2023 at LOFT, in Cologne, Germany.

Hirt, Erhard / Richard Scott / Klaus Kurvers / Willi Kellers: Trails
(Creative Sources)

Recording at Kuhlspot Social Club in Berlin, the quartet of Erhard Hirt (e-guitar & electronics), Richard Scott (live electronics), Klaus Kurvers (double bass), and Willi Kellers (drums & percussion) perform assertive and exploratory electroacoustic improvisations, taking listeners on 7 journeys that flow through dense forests, deep into watery worlds or traverse unearthly trails.

Gunnarson, Rosanna / Karin Johansson: I grunda vikar ar bottnarna mjuka
(OUTERDISK)

Inspired by August Strindberg's short story about a fortepiano being dropped into deep waters off an archipelago island, Stora grusharpan, and using composer Rosanna Gunnarson's underwater recordings including a piano being lowered into water, Swedish pianist Karin Johansson performs Gunnarson's graphic score and compositions on a prepared grand piano.

Gleaming Shard (Wang / Bryerton): Mirrors in Light Diamonds
(Balance Point Acoustics)

Sculpted sonics through prepared guitars, electronics, synthetics, drums, gongs, metal and percussion, the Chicago duo Gleaming Shards of guitarist Da Wei Wang and drummer Jerome Bryerton, both veterans of improvisation, experimental and avant rock groups, evoke the album title and group name through shimmering and subtly shifting expanses of sound and punctuated movement.

Futterman, Joel / William Parker: Why
(Soul City Sounds)

Having worked together as members of the Kidd Jordan Quartet, pianist Joel Futterman and bassist William Parker recorded these collective duo improvisations in the studio in New York City in 2020, a perfect match of technical mastery pushing the boundaries of free playing through creative use of tonality, rhythm, and harmony from two extraordinarily compatibile improvisers.

Elephant9 with Terje Rypdal: Catching Fire
(Rune Grammofon)

Recorded live in Oslo, the Norwegian jazz-rock trio Elephant9 of Torstein Lofthus (drums), Nikolai Haengsle (bass) and Stale Storlokken (keys) join with legendary guitarist Terje Rypdal, channeling the intensity of bands like King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra as they blend and evolve layered psychedelia with angular improvisation for a raw, electric fusion experience.

Deschepper, Philippe / Noel Akchote: MMXXIV AD
(Ayler)

Having worked together as sidemen in various bands but never together as a duo, Ayler Records brought electric guitarists Noel Akchote and Philippe Deschepper together to record in the studio in Zurich, choosing an informed selection of jazz repertoire that includes works by each performer, and compositions from Paul Motian, Henri Texier, Steve Swallow and Ornette Coleman.

Chabala, Barry / Clara Byom / David Forlano: Morning Music
(Roeba)

The second studio session for the freely improvising electroacoustic trio of Clara Byom, a contemporary classical and improvising clarinetist and accordionist, improvising guitarist Barry Chabala on acoustic, and multi-disciplinary artist David Forlano on electronics, in 11 succinct works to accompany a beautifully unconventional morning of open-ended conversations.

Bramnk, Falter: Music for Luminous Background
(Sublime Retreat)

A new solo project from French composer and improviser Falter Bramnk, exploring glass and crystal as exclusive sound sources, following his "Glassical Music" series; originally conceived for six Muzzix collective musicians, Bramnk reworked and expanded the compositions featuring glass struck, rubbed, blown, and shaken, on select tracks with contributions from Sam Bodart on Crystal Baschet.

Ambarchi, Oren / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin: Ghosted II [VINYL]
(Drag City)

Driven by compelling rhythms and subtle interactions that wind around them, the trio of guitarist Oren Ambarchi, bassist Johan Berthling and drummer Andreas Werliin expand their Ghosted concept in this second album, four diverse pieces fusing "funk-jazz heads, polyrhythmic skeletons, ambient pastorals, post-kraut drones and shimmering soundtrack reveries".

Alva Noto: HYbr:ID III
(Noton)

The third part of the HYbr:ID series from electronic composer Alva Noto, aka Carsten Nicolai, investigating new approaches to composition through unique systems of musical notation and graphic scores, rendered in beautifully paced multi-spacial sound, this part influenced by the movement and subtle gestures of the traditional Japanese theater form, Noh.

Almeida, Goncalo (Almedia / Silva / Costa): States of Restraint
(Clean Feed)

Recorded at Sonoscopia, the Porto, Portugal experimental music and sound art hub under the direction of percussionist Gustavo Costa, double bassist Gonçalo Almeida leads a trio with trumpeter Susana Santos Silva and Gustavo Costa performing the five-part Almeida composition "Restraint", fulfilling the title through commanding cliff's-edge control.

Agnel / Camps / Rieussec / Lazro: Quartet Un Peu Tendre
(Fou Records)

The duo of French sound artists J-Kristoff Camps and Carole Rieussec, whose long-running duo project Kristoff K.Roll creates sound labyrinths of electroacoustic and acousmatic sources, meets with pianist Sophie Agnel and saxophonist Daunik Lazro for two extended works of sonic twists and turns, acoustic improvisation infiltrated with mysterious and startling sound; fascinating.

Squidco, 332 Shipyard Blvd., Wilmington, NC 28412

Squidco has been in business as a mail-order store since 2003. In 2010 we moved to Wilmington, NC, giving regional and visiting customers access to our catalog of more than 10,000 items, which includes hundreds of discounted, used, and promotional items not listed on our website. We're open for you to visit by appointment during weekday afternoons, so if you're in the North Carolina coastal region please email us to set up a time to stop by and say hello, we'd love to play some music for you!

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SQUIDCO 2024 Top Lists and Top Sellers