Swedish Iskra and the first Acta release

I've had this record for years, but only now realized that there really is no CD-issue of this. Insane, as this happens to be one of the very few really good free folk improv records ever. Without any more unnecessary hype, here we go:

ISKRA - JAZZ I SVERIGE '75 (Caprice CAP 2006, 1975 / 2LP)

get it here.

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Second record is a trio by John Butcher, Phil Durrant and John Russell. Their first actually, on Butchers Acta label. A good bit of British improv.

This really ought to be re-released on Emanem, kinda weird it hasn't been.

John Russell, Phil Durrant, John Butcher - Conceits (Acta 1, 1987)

get it here.

enjoy these treats and please do comment.

A top fiver and another obscure one

Here it is, I finally got this one, one of the very best improv records ever and number one record on my want list.

No need for further words, just grab this.

Derek Bailey & Han Bennink: Lijm / ICP 004 (Instant Composers Pool, 1969/71)

HERE

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And here's the other disc:

Turner and Russell are some of my favorite improv-dudes, so I've been looking for this for some time, being one of their earliest recordings.

Toshinori Kondo / John Russell / Roger Turner: Artless Sky (CAW Records 001, 1980)

Kondo: trumpet
Russell: guitar
Turner: percussion

(Sorry for the absence of a cover shot. There has just been no goddamn daylight around these parts lately.)

HERE

enjoy there, and please comment.

Another obscure Incus LP

Garry Todd & Roger Turner: Sunday Best (Incus 32, 1979)

I like Turners drumming a lot, so I've been looking for this (his first recording) for some time, and finally got it last week. This turned out to be a curious little record, not highly original, reminding me a lot of other British improv acts, not entirely essential either, but still a very nice and intimate feeling set, and it does warrant repeated hearings. So get it here, and enjoy.

Roger Turner -percussion, trombone
Garry Todd - tenor saxophone

Nicolette Amette - cover design
David Maclagan - cover drawing
Anthony David - engineer
James Lauritz - photography
Evan Parker - producer

a Po Torch release

A rare duo recording by Paul Lovens and the late Urs Voerkel.

Urs Voerkel & Paul Lovens: Goldberg (Po Torch PTR/JWD 15, 1990)

Urs Voerkel: piano
Paul Lovens: percussion





Get it here

Focus on Ganelin Trio

Here are three albums from the Lithuanian free jazz / improv - combo, Ganelin Trio. These are all Soviet releases on Melodiya, from the late 70's to the early 80's.

These are all very interesting records, but not entirely successful. They tend to overreach a bit, and could've benefited from less formal compositions and more open ended and spontaneous improvisations. Nevertheless, they are very enjoyable and worthwhile. Do check them out.

Ganelin Trio: Con Anima (Melodiya 1977)

Vyacheslav Ganelin - piano, basset
Vladimir Chekasin - alto saxophone, clarinet, chalumeau
Vladimir Tarasov - percussion




get it here




Ganelin Trio: Poi Segue ... (Melodiya 1982)

Vyacheslav Ganelin - piano, basset, guitar, bugle, flute
Vladimir Chekasin - saxophones, trombone, flute, percussion, violin
Vladimir Tarasov - percussion, flute





get it here




Ganelin Trio: Semplice (Melodiya 1984)

Vyacheslav Ganelin - keyboard, acoustic piano, basset, Casiotone, hunting horn, percussion
Vladimir Chekasin - alto saxophone, trombone, end blown flute, percussion
Vladimir Tarasov - drums, percussion





get it here


If you like them, plz comment.

Musica Sacra Nova with Wolfgang Dauner & Reinhold Finkbeiner

Well now, back again with another rarity, this time a bit different than the other posts. The record is Musica Sacra Nova II on Schwann, and it could be classified as modern music, new music or whatever; so not the usual bun I serve here, but it does have some free improv parts.

And what's most interesting here is that this is one of the more obscure recordings of Wolfgang Dauner.

Here's more info:

Wolfgang Dauner/Reinhold Finkbeiner: Musica Sacra Nova II (Schwann 602)

A. Dauner: Beobachtungen für Stimmen und Instrumente
B. Finkbeiner: Epiphanie für Sopran-, Alt- und Baritonsolo, drei Schlagzeuggruppen und Orgel

recorded circa 1969

personnel on side A:

Albert Mangelsdorff, trombone
Wolfgang Dauner, prepared piano, electronic instruments
Eberhard Weber, cello, bass
Fred Braceful, percussion
Vocal Ensemble Kassel, conducted by Klaus Martin Siegler

personnel on side B:

Dorothea Förster-Dürchlich, Margret Reuter-Edzard, Eric Stumm, voice
Reinhold Finkbeiner, organ
Percussion Ensemble Kassel, conducted by Klaus Martin Siegler

Get it HERE

Lokomotiv Konkret - Stockholm Augusti, 1978 (Urspår URS 1)

Here's an interesting piece of Swedish free jazz. It's weird that this hasn't been reissued, since Dror Feiler is a bit of a Name these days. I picked a copy of this on my trip to Stockholm, never seen it before.

Some info:

Cello, Piano - Sören Runolf
Drums - Tommy Björk
Alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, contra bassoon, synthesizer - Dror Feiler
Bass trombone - Lars Liljeholm
Bass trombone - Pär Nordfält

HERE

Quintet Moderne: Ikkunan takana (BEAD 26)

Some Finnish (well, mostly) free improv, rare shit that.

Quintet Moderne: Ikkunan takana from 1987.

A nice disc, if not entirely essential. Somebody asked for some BEAD's, and here's one.

The players are

Harri Sjöström, soprano saxophone & mouth organ
Teppo Hauta-aho, bass & cello
Jari Hongisto, trombone & recorders
Philipp Wachsmann, violin & electronics
Paul Lovens, percussion & saw

dload from HERE

and again, do comment.

John Russell / Richard Coldman: Home Cooking / Guitar Solos (INCUS 31)

This one's John Russell's first solo and second (published) recording ever. Richard Coldman is pretty unknown to me, so if anyone knows about his later steps, let me know.

The record has two separate sides, no A nor B, instead JR and RC. There's even two front covers, no back's. So an early SPLIT disc is what this is. Could it even be that this is the FIRST SPLIT LP EVER? shiiet, I don't know.

Anyway, enough with the bullshit. Take it now:

INCUS 31

Side JR:

John Russell - guitar,
Bob Woolford - recording.
Recorded 17th December 1978,
Ruckinge, Kent.

Side RC:

Richard Coldman - 6 string and 12 string amplified
acoustic guitars, metal items, Barry Leigh's motorised bow,
vocal utterance, foam, no overdubs, nothing else.
Evan Parker - producer
Engineer - Anthony David
Recorded 11th April 1979 at Riverside Recording Studios.


enjoy, and please comment. drop a line.

A Tyyfus Records compilation, a sidestep from the usual

I decided to post a sampler of a newish Finnish Free Jazz / Improv record label, Tyyfus.

So shameless promotion here, but for a good cause. If you dig any of this shit, do grab a copy while you can. So far 5 LP's and 3 CD's are out and in small quantaties.

Copies can be obtained from http://www.tyyfus.com/

Or by emailing viima ---- aaaattt ---- yahoo ---- dooot ---- com.


Get it here: TYYFUS SAMPLER




Tracklist:

01 - Paul Flaherty / Chris Corsano: Rhino Grey
02 - Topias Tiheäsalo - Untitled 2
03 - Frode Gjerstad & Paal Nilssen-Love - Black Fire
04 - Mats Gustafsson - The Fire!
05 - Flaherty & Corsano & Shoup - Emereald City Boogie
06 - Anders Dahl & Christian Munthe - Ground 3
07 - Christian Munthe - No 05
08 - Mohel - Down Here

John Butcher & Chris Burn: Fonetiks (Bead Records BEAD 24)

Just got this one today. To my knowledge this is the first John Butcher record. As can be imagined, it's a bit rougher case than the later ones, but maybe because just of that, quite interesting and delightful. Burn plays a lot of percussion and your typical piano playing is pretty absent.

---

FONETIKS

Released in 84 on Bead Records. John Butcher - soprano & tenor saxophones, Chris Burn - piano, percussion, trumpet.

Not very common, even as MP3's, so get it while you can.

The Ferals

I found this one on my latest trip to Stockholm. A kinda hard to come by, even in mp3-form, so grab it while you can. I'ts pretty much what you would expect from this combination of players and a good set at that. Seven improvisations clocking around 46 minutes.

The Ferals: Ruff (Leo Records LR 138, 1987)

Phil Minton, voice
Roger Turner, percussion
Hugh Davies, electronics
Alan Tomlinson, alto and tenor trombones


update:

I just noticed that there's some glitch on this one. I was too busy to let my computer record it unbothered, so it isn't perfect. IMO it's still very much listenable. Msg me if you find it unbearable, I'll try to rip it again, I just don't have the time to do it right away.

Mats Gustafsson: Trees & Truths 3x7" BOX

This one's a limited and numbered edition of 300 copies which came in a sturdy cardboard box. Obviously OOP, and somebody requested this, so here goes:

Trees & Truths


More info

Han Bennink & Misha Mengelberg: ICP 010

One of the more obscure (is that actually possible?) Instant Composers Pools, but rather good. Han is my god.

Enjoy

ICP 010

a cover shot:

Peter Brötzmann, Juhani Aaltonen, Peter Kowald & Edward Vesala - Hot Lotta

Hot Lotta (Blue Master 1973)

EDIT: This will be reissued 2.3.2011 by Rocket Records, so I'm removing the link. Get your copy here:

http://www.recordshopx.com/rocket/artist/aaltonen_juhani/hot_lotta/#cd-2

Not necessarily as good stuff as the line-up suggests, but still quite the furious racket.

more info:

@discogs.com

Alexander von Schlippenbach: Globe Unity (SABA/MPS 1967)

here:

not available anymore, sorry.

a great free big band blowout.

more info on the fuckker:

@discogs.com