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The album Ashac, initially released in 2017, a true gem that Discogs speculators have been coveting, is finally getting a repress.

King Chino's first full length instrumental album.

February of 2021 marked an eventful month for visionary Western Massachusetts electro-acoustic percussionist Jake Meginsky: the birth of his daughter Luce, the death of his friend and mentor (and the subject of his celebrated 2018 documentary, Full Mantis) Milford Graves, and the creation of Trinities. A four-piece suite heavily inspired by Graves’ notion of the primacy of threes as “a fundamental pattern in the universe - and the lowest, strongest and most generative structure in rhythm” the album showcases Meginsky’s adventurous vein of pointillist minimalism: stark, oblique, cerebral, fluid. It’s free music in both form and function, liberated from rhythm, pattern, or expectation. Abrupt flurries of metallic reverberations ping and echo against charged silences like avant-garde morse code. Textures clang and hang in low-lit air. Presence and absence commingling in elusive ballets of resonance and negative space.

Among the many influential teachings of free jazz icon Milford Graves was the idea of three-ness as “the underlying structure… the grounded being of all music.” It’s a concept both dialectical and divine – the sacred geometry of an idea, its opposite, and the synthesis that binds the two. For Trinities, Meginsky developed modular synth patches that allowed him to explore triplet structures in an intuitive way, “the threes as a structural principal, the building blocks, felt rather than heard”. During sleep deprived sessions with his newborn infant listening, he channeled the grief of Graves’ passing in early morning improvisations alternately quiet and questing, inquisitive and defiant.

The outlier is “2521,” a celestial lullaby of suspended frequencies composed on a 4-track in the birthing room of the hospital during a particularly strict phase of quarantine lockdown (no coming or going, or visitors, for a week straight). Meginsky played the piece for his daughter “as she came into this world, and while she slept.” Its harmonic tranquility ebbs and radiates in soft arcs like a soft dawn glowing on the horizon – welcoming those newly here, and waving warmly to those in the hereafter

He"s known as a versatile soloist, a forward- thinking composer and an expert leader, having fronted his long-time quartet of guitarist Jesse van Ruller, bassist Frans van der Hoeven and drummer Martijn Vink for over 20 years. Together, they present Polyphony 3, the newest instalment of Blom"s Polyphony cycle, which follows the widely acclaimed 2019 Whirlwind release Polyphony. Cologne based pianist Pablo Held, joins the line- up as a guest throughout this record and saxophonist Ben van Gelder and bass clarinettist Joris Roelofs feature on one track.

Trumpeter Raynald Colom immediately captivates with the hauntingly beautiful dream-like opening notes of his live recording, A Million Dreams. Colom demands the listener"s attention throughout the cohesive eight-track outing, alongside pianist Tony Tixier, Joe Sanders on double bass and Francesco Ciniglio on drums. French- born and Barcelona-based, Colom is a seasoned musician inspired by many genres and artforms, but with firm roots in flamenco

Pianist John Escreet, hailed by Time Out London as a "transatlantic jazz genius," continues his artistic ascent with the bold, exploratory album Seismic Shift. It is Escreet"s ninth album as a leader but his first at the helm of a trio, and also one of the first to see release since his move to the West Coast in early 2020. The UK native, former Brooklynite and now Los Angeles transplant teams up with fellow Angelenos Eric Revis (bass) and Damion Reid (drums) for a set brimming with fire and invention.

John Surman's Jazz in Britain '68-'69 is an overview disc of his '60s band and one of the more enjoyable vintage British jazz records. These tunes come from several different sessions recorded in the late sixties, as evidenced by the alternate drummers - Alan Jackson and Tony Oxley - and the use of different instrumentation, like the three-horn modal piece "Bouquet Garni," from 1968 that places Surman in the company of only two other horn players - Alan Skidmore and Mike Osborne - and no rhythm section, in the configuration that would emerge in the mid-'70s as S.O.S. For most of the other tracks, Oxley is the drummer, Kenny Wheeler plays flugelhorn, and John Taylor plays piano (acoustic and electric). The music here is all over the place stylistically, but it hardly matters because all the players are fully engaged, and as an ensemble, they all shine and were seemingly looking forward to the impact the new jazz would have.

Die Verbindung Mensch und Maschine, Körper und Geist, Analoges und Digitales in unsere Musik
zu bringen, hat auf uns immer schon eine Faszination ausgeübt und uns auf eine gemeinsame
Reise geschickt, bei der wir nie genau wussten, wohin sie uns führt.
(Cats & Breakkies)
Cats & Breakkies wirbeln die Stile durcheinander. Club trifft Techno, flirtet mit Jazz, erinnert sich an Art Rock
und Fusion. Es ist Musik für Publikum, für Menschen, die sich in Clubs bewegen. Und die Spaß haben an
der Nacht, an Beats, die ihre Magie über lange Distanzen entwickeln. Wer hören will, darf tanzen. Wer
zuhören will, kann sich in die Details vertiefen, in den eleganten Studiosound der Band und die vielen
Assoziationen für die Spezialisten, die Vintage-Synthie-Klänge und fein flirrenden Gitarrenfiguren, in den
präsenten Flow des Schlagzeugs und den funky souveränen Bass. Es ist eine Musik mit vielen Wurzeln,
ganz entspannt im Hier und Jetzt, offen für die Ideen von morgen.
„New World“ ist Album Nummer drei des Berliner Quartetts. Alles fing an in den frühen Zehnerjahren, als der
Gitarrist Benedikt Schnitzler, der Keyboarder Johannes Gottschick und die Rhythmus-Brüder Bastian und
Raphael Kaletta beschlossen, ihre Musik an dem zu orientieren, was sie selbst gerne hörten. Und das war
eine urbane Mixtur aus jazzgetönten Beats, die man nachts in Clubs oder auf den Plattentellern von Bars
hören konnte. Die Herausforderung war, diesen Sound nicht mit Festplatten und DJ-Controllern, sondern mit
Instrumenten und eigenen Kompositionen umzusetzen. Von 2013 an wurde die Idee konkret, zwei Jahre
später entstand das erstes Album in Zusammenarbeit mit Produzent David August und dem
programmatischen Titel „Organic Electro“.
Das Konzept funktionierte. Es gab ein Publikum, das Laptop-Sets satt hatte, Acoustic Techno aber mochte.
Die Presse zog nach, Cats & Breakkies wurden 2016 für den Bremer Jazzpreis 2016 in der Kategorie „Jazz
& Electronics“ nominiert. Vor allem aber wurden Veranstalter auf das Quartett und dessen fulminante Shows
aufmerksam. Man lud sie ein, in heimische Gefilde zum Festival Berlinistanbul, in die Club Kantine des
Berghains, auch europaweit bis nach Tallinn. Cats & Breakkies veröffentlichten 2018 ihr zweites Album
„Spectral“, kooperierten mit Sänger Stephan Noë und spielten über die Jahre hinweg mehr als 300 Gigs. Sie
verfeinerten die eigene Klangsprache durch die Arbeit auf der Bühne und es wurde Zeit für „New World“, der
Quintessenz aus ihrer gemeinsamen "musikalischen Reise“, die nun seit über einer Dekade andauert und
Ihren Blick auf das Vergangene, das Gegenwärtige und Zukünftige freigibt.
Inzwischen sind sie auch nicht mehr allein. Techno-Crossover floriert in vielen Variationen und Cats &
Breakkies haben sich rechtzeitig ihre Pole Position im Rennen um die Aufmerksamkeit gesichert. „New
World“ ist ihre Definition der musikalischen Gegenwart mit dem Anker in der Zukunft. Sieben Songs, in den
Arrangements noch kunstvoller gebaut als früher, ausgeweitet im kontrastreichen Miteinander von
Electronics, Geräuschen, analogen Instrumentalsounds und künstlerischer Dramaturgie. Manches hat Nähe
zum Trap, anderes zu Fusion-Soundgebäuden und zur avancierten Clubmusik mit Konzertsaalqualitäten.
Pressetext_2024_Cats&Breakkies_New World_Ralf Dombrowski.pdf
Man hört den Jazz im Stammbaum, in der Entwicklung der Songs und der ausgefeilten Dramaturgie der
Lieder. Improvisationen und klare Songstrukturen ergänzen sich, die Musiker fliegen weit, aber verlieren sich
nicht. Denn Cats & Breakkies lassen sich von den Möglichkeiten zwischen den Stilen inspirieren und
verknüpfen verschiedene Hörwelten zu ihrer „New World“. Man kann hören und tanzen, schwelgen und
entrücken. Es ist hypnotische Musik mit dem Link über die eigenen Sphären hinaus.

Paddan's Sigtryggur Baldursson and Birgir Mogensen are lifelong friends from Kópavogur, Iceland, who started as mates on the local football team, then graduated to making music together as teenagers, and even later as young men doing time in the experimental punk collective Kukl, from 1983 - 1986.

Kukl was populated by survivors of the post-punk scene in Iceland in the early 80s, which is well documented in the film Rock in Reykjavik from 1982. The band was released by the Crass collective in London and featured members, apart from Birgir and Sigtryggur, like Guðlaugur Óttarsson, Einar Melax, Björk and Einar Örn, some of whom would become better known later in outfits like the Sugarcubes and their respective solo work and other collaborations.

Sigtryggur has a long career in music, having worked with among others, Emiliana Torrini, Howie B, Les Negresses Vertes, Tomas R. Einarsson, Petur Ben, KK, Kaktus Einarsson, and many many others. He also produces an award-winning documentary music show for RUV called Hljómskálinn.

Birgir Mogensen is a classically trained classical guitarist and bass player who has worked through the years with artists ranging from Kukl to Killing Joke to Spilafifl and Inferno5.

Birgir and Sigtryggur formed Paddan during the 2010s, and are now preparing to release their EP Fluid Time, which has been inspired by their perception of time and space. Birgir Mogensen says, "As a duo, we trusted our musical intuition and were guided by allowing the first idea to remain unchanged during the recording process"Recorded, produced, and arranged by the pair, Sigtryggur and Birgir play basses and drums along with various other instruments.

All recordings are played on live instruments except a modular synth which is

programmed in the background of two tracks The duo is joined by the great harmonica and lap steel player Gaukur Davidsson on "Vaguely" and "Bug," and trumpet player Eirikur Orri Ólafsson on "Splash," not to mention the mixing expertise of Vaccines bassist Arni Hjörvar Árnason on "Bug," "Splash," and "Kokka," and sound-mixer Albert Finnbogason on "Vaguely."

A few miles away, in their studio fired up by analog funk, the Muscovites had been put back on the Nilovic track by multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee. A few passionate discussions later, and the desire for a joint album was already lighting up the amps, making the bass strings shiver and the drum skins tighten. Initiated by the coming and going of scores, the collaboration finally continued in studio for a real exchange, instantly bouncing off proposals, developing ideas in a live group dynamic that distance would have made impossible.

43°c, the debut LP by French electronic producer Basile3, is the result of a decade of cultivating a musical identity that focuses on hybridization, sonic recycling, and playfulness. The enigmatic title "43°c" signifies a haze of bliss (4+3=7, the producer's lucky number) backdropped by the ecological state of a world that’s grown slightly but surely warmer.

In this anticipation fiction, Basile3 offers a soundtrack that is an exploration of club music, electronica infused with r&b and ambient synths. The French producer warmly invites listeners to his state of mind, blooming with genre-bending floating soundscapes.

Featuring Telma Cappelo, Daisy Ray, Loydfears, Lucy Sissi Miller and Minor Science.

"Step into the enigmatic realm of ‘Funest Human Nature’, an audacious collaboration between avant-garde luminaries Jac Berrocal, Pascal Comelade, and Vincent Epplay. In this mesmerizing sonic odyssey, the boundaries of experimental music are shattered as Berrocal's haunting trumpet, Comelade's whimsical piano, and Epplay's immersive soundscapes converge to create a kaleidoscope of textures and emotions. A journey through the depths of the human psyche, where surrealism meets primal instincts and the absurd dances with the profound. The trio's fearless exploration of sound, inviting listeners to unravel the mysteries of the human condition through an eclectic tapestry of sonic experimentation. From the eerie whispers of forgotten dreams to the jubilant cacophony of uninhibited joy, 'Funest Human Nature' is a testament to the boundless possibilities of artistic collaboration. Embrace the unexpected, embrace the sublime, and immerse yourself in the haunting beauty of this extraordinary musical venture." Pascal Comelade, born in Montpellier, France in 1955, is a prolific Catalan musician and composer known for his distinctive blend of minimalism, surrealism, and musical primitivism. He started his music career in the mid-1970s and has since created a unique sound using toy instruments, pianos, and traditional ensembles. Comelade's work is characterized by its eclectic influences, ranging from rock and folk to classical and avant-garde. He has collaborated with various artists, including PJ Harvey and Robert Wyatt. Over the decades, Comelade has built a cult following with his unconventional approach to music and his impressive discography that spans numerous albums and soundtracks. Jac Berrocal, born in 1946 in Saint-Jean d'Angély, France, is a pioneering avant-garde trumpeter and composer known for his fusion of jazz, rock, and experimental music. His career, which began in the early 1970s, is marked by innovative albums like "Musiq Musik" and extensive collaborations with artists from Nurse With Wound to Vince Taylor. Berrocal is celebrated for his theatrical live performances, which often incorporate elements of poetry and drama. His work continues to defy conventional music boundaries, maintaining a cult following and influencing diverse musical genres. Through his distinctive approach, Berrocal has carved out a niche in the avant-garde music scene, continuously exploring the intersections of sound, performance, and art. Vincent Epplay, born in 1964 in France, is an innovative sound artist and musician known for his work in creating immersive audiovisual environments. His artistic approach often involves the manipulation of sound to explore its interaction with space and audience perception. Epplay's works are characterized by a keen interest in the experimental music tradition, incorporating elements of chance and the use of unconventional sound sources. He has collaborated extensively with other artists, including Jac Berrocal and David Fenech, contributing to a dynamic and exploratory sound art scene. Through installations, performances, and recordings, Epplay continually challenges and expands the boundaries of auditory and visual experiences.

Back in print with new artwork !

The Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra was created in 1971 by French free jazz pianist legend, François Tusques. Free Jazz, was also the name of the 1965 recording Tusques made along with and other Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin and Charles Saudrais. Six years later, in 1971 Tusques would go ahead of free jazz.

Wondering if free jazz wasn’t a bit of a dead end together with Barney Wilen (Le Nouveau Jazz) or even solo (Piano Dazibao and Dazibao N°2), Tusques formed the Inter Communal Free Dance Music Orchestra, an association under the banner of which the different communities of the country would come together and compose, quite simply. If at first the structure was made up of professional musicians from the jazz scene it would rapidly seek out talent in the lively world of the MPF (Musique Populaire Française).{French Popular Music, ndlt}

As with L’Inter Communal a few years earlier, Le Musichien follows on from the group of varying musicians that Tusques had conceived as a “people’s jazz workshop”. In 1981, at the famous Paris address, 28 rue Dunois, the pianist sang with his partner Carlos Andreu “Le Musichien”, an Afro-Catalan tale over an exceptional bass line from Jean-Jacques Avenel backed by percussion from Kilikus, saxophones from Sylvain Kassap and Yebga Likoba and trombone from Ramadolf which presented a myriad of constellations. The sky has no limits, let’s make the most of it.

“Les Amis d’Afrique” is recorded the following year, at the ‘Tombées de la Nuit’ festival in Rennes, bassist Tanguy Le Doré would weave with Tusques the fabric on which would evolve an explosive “brotherhood of breath”: Bernard Vitet on trumpet, Danièle Dumas and Sylvain Kassap on saxophones, Jean-Louis Le Vallegant and Philippe Le Strat on... bombards. With hints of modal jazz inspired by Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders, the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra is an ecumenical project which speaks to the whole world.

The Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra was created in 1971 by French free jazz pianist legend, François Tusques. Free Jazz, was also the name of the 1965 recording Tusques made along with and other Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin and Charles Saudrais. Six years later, in 1971 Tusques would go ahead of free jazz.

Wondering if free jazz wasn’t a bit of a dead end together with Barney Wilen (Le Nouveau Jazz) or even solo (Piano Dazibao and Dazibao N°2), Tusques formed the Inter Communal Free Dance Music Orchestra, an association under the banner of which the different communities of the country would come together and compose, quite simply. If at first the structure was made up of professional musicians from the jazz scene it would rapidly seek out talent in the lively world of the MPF (Musique Populaire Française).{French Popular Music, ndlt}

Compiling extracts from concerts given between 1976 and 1978, L’Inter Communal demonstrate the “social function” which inhabited free jazz and popular music at the time calling upon Spanish singer Carlos Andreu along with Michel Marre, Jo Maka, Adolf Winkler and Jean Méreu. Andreu, claimed Tusques, was a griot “who created of new genre of popular song improvised with our music, based on events going on at the time”.

L’Inter Communal can start the festivities: on “Blues pour Miguel Enriquez”, it is first Thelonious Monk who is invoked in an homage to one of the leading figures of the Chilean revolution, and a victim of Pinochet. The circumstances may be serious, the music, though, is not. The musicians light a bonfire to bring together on the same frequency France and Spain, the Americas and Africa: “L’heure est à la lutte” (the time to fight is here ndlt), is the new song offered by the l’Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra... As if proof were needed that their music is still more than timely!