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First time vinyl issue of a killer, impossibly rare document from NYC no wave pioneers Don King, the short-lived mid-'80s post-Mars band from Mark Cunningham, featuring Arto and Duncan Lindsay, Lucy Hamilton and John Erskine in their all-star lineup, on a hyper-sensual and humid, screwed Jazz tip.

Centred around two members of Mars - Lucy Hamilton and Mark Cunningham - renowned for featuring on Brian Eno’s legendary ‘No New York’ (1978) survey, as well as affiliates of Sonic Youth and Swans; Don King were a lesser known vehicle for the no wave rogues to follow their nose into the weirdo recesses of art-rock/free jazz that followed the rudimentary, DIY tenets of the original no wavers. The skronk quota is high on this one, but their performances are so much more sensual, humid and slower than the no wave bracket would suggest, revealing the band like some loose echo of Sun Ra or a spangled Arthur Russell jam with Peter Zummo in their performances surrendered from shows in Geneva, Lausanne, Toulouse, Barcelona, Padova and Parma, and first issued by Barcelona’s 4 Sellos label in 1987, in the years after their s/t debut and a 1985 single for Cabaret Voltaire’s Double Vision label.

The 10 pieces, room recorded in all locations, are replete with audience chatter in the air hovering through a brassy rabble in operation. Led by the twin trumpet and bass clarinet bleat of Mars’ Mark Cunningham and Lucy Hamilton, Sonic Youth producer John Erskine provides taped percussion tracks with backing from the Lindsays, and Toni Nogueira, as they roll out from the minimalist reps of ‘Fern Gully’ to a sonorous industrial tango, and Hamilton’s operatic wail on ‘Obsolescence’, taking in a skew of jazz standard ’Summertime’, fraying into proper no wave shred and racket on ‘Mediterrain’, and like a punk Sun Ra in ‘Don Rey’, reminding us of Alex Zhang Hungtai’s recent foray into voice-note recorded spiritual, concrète jazz.

Recorded in 1956 for Tom Wilson’s Transition label, Watkins At Large was the first of two albums bassist Doug Watkins made as a leader. With a first-rate band featuring Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Kenny Burrell, Duke Jordan, and Art Taylor, Watkins swings through a stellar set of blues, ballads and more. This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket with an 8.5” x 5.5” booklet.

“There is a German satellite falling to earth!” a woman’s voice urgently announces. “She says, what if it hits me? Welcome to anxiety group.” A dense cloud on the horizon heralds a fresh onslaught from that infamous swarm of free jazz killer bees, a new project from self-described “conceptual kleptomaniac post digital free jazz outfit” Drone Operatør. Riding hard along the line between experimental electronics, blockbuster sound design and the loosest jazz improvisation, this rogue’s gallery of players, headed up by art world provocateurs Paul Barsch and Tilman Horning, take the fevered pulse of the relentlessly flattened now and note down four key observations which presented together make up Welcøme TO Anxiety Group. Coaxing lively theatricality from a continually provoked altercation between acoustic instrumentation and synthetic sound, each of the project’s four tracks provides a new perspective on what it means to improvise through technological mediation. “Here we are now,” write Drone Operatør. “22 after 2k. mp4 flex to 32bit float. The sax - the heart. The quadcopter - the brain. Duo d'Allemagne not wasting a life time learning jazz standards.” To open proceedings, our faithful operatør whips up exquisite dissonance with ‘Bot Møther’, smashing together squalls of saxophone and ripples of percussion with the sounds of sci-fi artillery, like an amphetamine-fuelled, midnight jam hammered out oblivious to an ongoing alien invasion. Slowing to a furtive creep for ‘German Satellite’, picking out keenly felt anxiety in suggestive plucks, stuttering clacks and strained wails, their cosmic warning signalling a neurotic climax before settling back into a post-coital skitter, flourishes of keys, both digital and analogue, harmonising with Drone Operatør’s weary welcome to the group. Eschewing the electronic completely for the cacophonous gallop of ‘Røhrstøck’, we’re invited to hold on for dear life during a mad scramble towards the ‘The Vessel,’ a staggering sequence of tumbling synthetic chimes, embellished with peals of ornate sax that flare up and out to illuminate the track’s irregularity, alternately submerged and retrieved through a subtle manipulation of filters. It’s a session that has to be heard to be believed, crammed with as much difficulty and as much revelation as any good therapy should. As Drone Operatør describe: “From iconic spamming to intellectual nonsense. Always never predictable, never not cheesy. Battery life cycles full of joy. You say you like free jazz. We don’t believe you.” Welcøme to Anxiety Group will be released on July 29th, 2021 by Participant, on limited edition clear red vinyl, and digital download via the Participant Bandcamp. The release will be accompanied by a series of films by Drone Operatør, featuring editing, FX, and CGI by digital artist Darío Alva. Text by: Henry Bruce Jones Participant is a record label and creative studio run by filmmaker William Markarian-Martin and conceptual artist Richie Culver

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz, transcended the boundaries of time with his incomparable contributions to music. His career spanned more than five decades, during which he not only left a lasting mark on jazz, but also became a cultural icon. As a pianist, he was one of the most important inventors of the stride piano. As a composer, he wrote almost 2000 compositions (songs and suites), 100 of which soon became jazz standards. As a bandleader, he contributed to the development of swing as a big band style. Ellington's genius lay in his ability to elevate jazz from a danceable popular music form to a sophisticated art form that embraced complexity and nuance. His arrangements were intricate, emphasizing the individuality of each instrument while blending into a cohesive, harmonically rich tapestry. His compositions such as "Mood Indigo" or "Take the 'A' Train" are characterized by rich textures, harmonies and a sense of drama. Ellington's world tours as a cultural ambassador not only introduced audiences to jazz, but also challenged stereotypes about African-American musicians. His orchestra's performances were not just concerts, but cultural events that celebrated diversity and demonstrated the power of music as a universal language. In addition to countless awards, including Grammys and the Pulitzer Prize, he was also posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.

1977: In the middle of the era of punk groups, up-tempo music, high-energy rock and a mini rock-'n-roll revival, a record with the cheeky title Tranquility by the group Dutch Treat has come onto the market. A record - as the title suggests - that exudes tranquility. The record is a serious product by five of Holland's best-known and most-talented studio musicians: Jan Huydts, Wim Essed, Hans Hollestelle, Louis de Lussanet and Steve Boston. Jan Huydts: ‘We want to make music that brings people peace and tranquility. We are a recording group. We like each other. We are just close friends. The idea was to make non-aggressive music with aggressive instruments like synthesizers and electric guitars. You may even call it background music, maybe with a double meaning.’

Wim Essed in 2024: 'After decades it is still amazing that in all their diversity the pieces on this album fit together so well, taking the listener on an instrumental road trip through rainy as well as sunny landscapes.'

'When we had finished the original recording, the first and only issue was marketed by Polydor records, in quite a modest edition, instigating an equally modest success. Nowadays many more can get access through the web and Tranquility has since found a certain following and cult status, as the original record got harder to come by and more expensive on the second-hand market. So people started to ask for a reissue, which we can at last and proudly offer, bonus material included!'

‘tranquility’ by dutch treat was recorded, mixed and mastered between October 1976 and January 1977 at Procom Studio in Kirchhellen, West Germany

Remastered in August and September 2023 by Fritz Fey (original assistent engineer) at Double-D Mastering, Oberhausen, Germany For the remastering a direct transfer from the original master tape in 192 kHz and 24 bit was used. The master was cut in a lacquer and the actual reissue is a 180 gram hi quality pressing

Multi-Grammy winner, internationally celebrated pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger Eliane Elias returns to her signature style of Brazilian jazz with TIME AND AGAIN. Recorded in Sao Paulo, TIME AND AGAIN showcases Elias’ exceptional songwriting with eight new songs including three newly revisited and revised from across her storied career. Four of the songs were co-written with her partner and renowned bass player Marc Johnson. Joining her are section of noted Brazilian musicians along with special guests virtuoso guitarist Bill Frisell, and the legendary Brazilian singer Djavan. Produced by Eliane Elias, Marc Johnson and Steve Rodby.

The latest album release by acclaimed Norwegian band Erlend Apneseth Trio is made in collaboration with renowned experimental composer and vocalist Maja Ratkje. Their impromptu concert together in 2022 was a glorious kick-off for a five-day festival and was luckily put on tape. After reworking and reimagining the recorded material with their steady collaborator Jorgen Træen, the result is a refreshing take on improvisations-turned-compositions. Featuring innovative soundscapes with archival material and an engaging transitory state. Listening to the album is akin to being on a voyage of discovery, in and out of the dream state. From the very beginning, the listener is met by ancient voices on tape, surrounded by distorted and dispersed sounds. Like stars on a moonless night, the sounds fall in and out of perceptibility, most twinkling, some falling. You suddenly wake up on a speeding train. As it enters a tunnel, ghostly voices sing a lullaby. The music gradually unfolds from mesmerizing melancholia to a ritualistic blowout. The music always takes the route of the unexpected and reaches momentums which shows why this is one of Norway's most unique constellations. Orbiting sounds gather around and assemble themselves into scenes, forming uncanny rooms collectively dreamed up by the artists. The album's first track Tre Vegar follows an enthralling pathway layered with field recordings and intensified by noise, suddenly plunging into a delightful stream of chords fleeting in mid-air. The variety of sounds that make up this glorious and aptly named 'Collage' is astounding. Elemental sounds range from the howling wind and soft-bright ringing of sheep-bells to the timeless trickling of a small stream of water. Strings of many timbres soar over animated croaks and quacks, assembling into a swampy symphony. The well-balanced diversity of acoustic and electric sounds has become the band's trademark. It is ever-present, complementing and creating new improvisatory trails to follow. Erlend Apneseth: Hardanger f...

Pianist Fabian Kallerdahl (Musicmusicmusic, the World etc.) together with Ossian Ward on drums and Albin Lindgård on bass follow up their highly acclaimed live-album from Sweden’s hottest jazz club with volume 2. Hip and spontaneous arrangements of standards, folklore and 80s hits. Live jazz music at its absolute finest.

Fire! have always been about finding the essence by getting to the core of the music. Their 8th album sees the trio - for the first time on record - stripped down to the bare-bones essentials; with no flutes, no electronics, no guests and no extras, recorded live in the studio to analogue tape - the Steve Albini way - with the master himself at the controls in Electrical Audio in Chicago. Thus, this album stands as a true testament to the group´s expressive power and glowing intimacy. Musically, Testament can be seen as an extension of their previous full length album Defeat, released two years ago, to the month. A solitary bass figure from Johan Berthling, quickly joined by a stout drum groove, gets it all going in a familiar fashion before Gustafsson adds desolate cries and whispers from his baritone sax. This approach is even more honed on the second track, with the most simplistic groove you´re likely to hear in jazz and Gustafsson shifting between extended, lonely, tortured lines, only once abrupted by a series of short bursts. The third track starts with loose and relatively lively drums that continue throughout, but the mournful saxophone maintains a subdued atmosphere. Track four is a real beauty with the trio slipping into a trance-like dream state before shifting gear halfway into its nine minutes. The final track is the most dynamic of the lot, shifting between bursts of energy and lyrical beauty.