Jon Lundbom and Bryan Murray – Beats by Balto! Vol. 1

Jon Lundbom and Bryan Murray – Beats by Balto! Vol. 1

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Artist links:
bryanmurray.net
jonlundbom.com

‘Beats by Balto! Vol. 1’ is the result of a years-long collaboration between guitarist Jon Lundbom and saxophonist, beat constructor and visual artist Bryan Murray (aka Balto!). Inspired by the music of J. Dilla, Madlib and MF Doom, Murray sampled old albums from Lundbom’s Big Five Chord catalog (and related Hot Cup Records albums, notably Moppa Elliott’s “Still, Up in the Air”) and constructed beats to which Lundbom then composed new music. The tracks were then sent the tracks back and forth to record live performances of the new music along with improvised solos and accompaniment. This process of self-reference and recontextualization results in a collage of melodies and rhythms that are at once familiar and a sharp departure into something truly new and groundbreaking for jazz.

Bryan Murray – tenor, alto, soprano, and balto! saxophones
Jon Irabagon – alto, mezzo soprano, and slide saxophones
Jon Lundbom – guitar
Beats by Balto Exclamationpoint

All compositions by Jon Lundbom © 2018, composed to beats constructed by Balto Exclamationpoint.
All samples from the Hot Cup Records catalog, used with permission.
Produced by Balto Exclamationpoint and Jon Lundbom.
Mastered by Seth Foster at Universal Mastering.

Tracks

  1. Booberonic
  2. Cereal
  3. Basic Bitches
  4. Prednisone
  5. Three Plus

Catalog Number CR1903JO

Laushaus

Laushaus

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Artist links:
kylesanna.com
mathiaskunzli.com
toddsickafoose.com
jonathangoldberger.com

What do Regina Spektor, Ani DiFranco, Yo-Yo Ma and Red Baraat have in common? For one thing, they’ve all worked with at least one member of Laushaus. The instrumental, two-guitar quartet draws on a vast range of experience to create music rooted in deep groove but stretching into the wide-open space of the unknown. Exploring the adventurous fringes of jazz, rock and blues, Laushaus features Kyle Sanna and Jonathan Goldberger on guitars, Todd Sickafoose on bass and Mathias Künzli on drums and percussion.

Mathias Künzli, drums & percussion, synth bass on “Lucy’s Disco”
Kyle Sanna, guitar (mostly right side), synth, samples, organ
Jonathan Goldberger, guitar (mostly left side)
Todd Sickafoose, bass

all songs by Laushaus
produced by Kyle Sanna and Mathias Künzli
recorded by Jeff Hill at The Bass Station (Brooklyn, NY) November, 2014
additional recording by Kyle and Mathias at Summercamp Studios (Brooklyn, NY and Pasadena, CA)
mixed by Kyle Sanna
mastered by Jonathan Goldberger

Tracks

  1. Sonne Noire
  2. Lucy’s Disco
  3. More Than 7 QNS
  4. Elk Drive
  5. Stick Horse Drifters
  6. Slow Wake
  7. Haze
  8. Magic Carpeting
  9. Grillin’ With My Parrots (Coda)

Catalog Number CR1903LA 

Related: We The Gleaners (featuring Kyle Sanna)

Randi Pontoppidan – ROOMS

Randi Pontoppidan – ROOMS

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randipontoppidan.com
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Randi Pontoppidan’s new album ‘Rooms’ is constructed using only her voice, filtered through various electronic effects and machines. The Danish vocalist, composer and improviser uses this unique and intimate palette to create vast sonic landscapes full of organic warmth and poetic sensibility. Pontoppidan is an internationally acclaimed artist, having worked with jazz luminaries including Greg Cohen, Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Sissel Vera Pettersen and with Danish poet Morten Søndergaard. She’s also an in-demand vocalist in the contemporary classical world, working with Paul Hillier’s Theatre of Voices and performing works by Steve Reich, David Lang, Karlheinz Stockhausen, John Cage and others. On ‘Rooms,’ a follow-up to her previous Chant Records album ‘Space Geode’ with Greg Cohen, Pontoppidan explores the outer limits and deepest secrets of the human voice while drawing on inspirations including free jazz, electroacoustic composition and sound poetry.

Produced by Randi Pontoppidan
Recorded May 2017 in studio 2, The Royal Danish Academy of Music
Mix & Recording by Weronika Wierzba
Master by Morten Bue
Photos and cover art by Sigrún Gudbrandsdóttir

Tracks

  1. Hush of Expectation
  2. Dunh
  3. Purr
  4. Sub-Zero
  5. Industrious – Moving Castle
  6. Arctic
  7. Dis Appearence
  8. Gigongi – Three Geishas
  9. Troll
  10. Dreamy
  11. Mauritzu
  12. Mari Si
  13. Tidal

Catalog Number CR1901TO

Related: Event Horizon (Greg Cohen and Randi Pontoppidan) – Space Geode »

Alberto N. A. Turra – The TAAN trio Live at Easy Nuts Lab

Alberto N. A. Turra – The TAAN trio Live at Easy Nuts Lab

Joint release with Felmay Records 
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“The Taan Trio live at Easy Nuts Lab” is the second joint release between Chant Records and Italy’s Felmay record label. It follows Alberto N.A. Turra’s 2017 solo album “It Is Preferable Not To Travel With A Dead Man” and finds the Italian guitarist, composer and bandleader in a live set along with bassist William Nicastro and drummer Stefano Grasso. Both Turra and Nicastro also appear on the Chant Records album “Zeuhl Jazz” by the band Sonata Islands Kommandoh.

The Taan Trio formed in late 2017 and quickly began touring in Italy and the US, allowing their interplay and musical relationship to develop quickly through extensive live performances and rehearsals. The musicians each bring their own personal language to the TAAN Trio’s repertoire of original songs by Turra along with two cover songs. Evoking the sound of such influential bands as Pat Metheny with Jaco Pastorius and Bob Moses or Bill Frisell with Kermit Driscoll and Joey Baron, the Taan Trio adds in a healthy dose of live electronics and jazz-core to create a uniquely 21st century take on the classic guitar trio format.

Alberto N. A. Turra: electric guitar, live electronics
William Nicastro: electric bass
Stefano Grasso: drums, live electronics
Recorded and mixed by Maurizio Nardini at Easy Nuts Lab December 23 2018. Mastered by Roberto Zanisi at Easy Nuts Lab. Graphic concept by Marzia Ardissono / Fuoco Fisso. Photos by Serena Rose Zerri, Gianni Grossi
All compisitions by Alberto N. A. Turra execpt ‘If You Want Me To Stay’ (Sly Stone) and Wights Waits For Weights (Steve Coleman)

Tracks

  1. Darvish
  2. Trevor
  3. Toni Boselli
  4. Balcano
  5. Andrea Rainoldi
  6. Wights Waits for Weights
  7. Black Madonna
  8. If You Want Me To Stay
  9. Cellule

Related: 
Alberto N. A. Turra – It Is Preferable Not To Travel With A Dead Man »
Sonata Islands Kommandoh – Zeuhl Jazz »

TORU – Anthology 1

 TORU – Anthology 1

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TORU Bandcamp
Sam Eastmond
Spike Orchestra
Andy Watts

Free improvisation from a core of trumpet players Sam Eastmond (The Spike Orchestra, John Zorn), Celeste Cantor-Stephens and Andy Watts (London Afrobeat Collective). Releasing an album every month with a different guest, Anthology collects six new tracks from each of the first six monthly volumes. Filled with love, anger, energy and catharsis TORU is an outrageous and unpredictable journey through the alchemy of spontaneous musical creation. Featuring Sam Day Harmet, Mike Wilkins, Sarah Gail Brand, Otto Willberg, Moss Freed & Marco Quarantotto.

Sam Eastmond, Celeste Cantor-Stephens and Andy Watts – Trumpet (all tracks)
Sam Day Harmet – Clarinet & Mandolin (track 1)
Mike Wilkins – Soprano/Alto/Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet (track 2)
Sarah Gail Brand – Trombone (track 3)
Otto Willberg – Bass (track 4)
Moss Freed – Guitar (track 5)
Marco Quarantotto – Drums (track 6)

recorded, mixed and mastered by Andy Watts at Chadar Shenah Studios
July-August 2018
London, England
Design by Mark Allender
All tracks are spontaneous compositions by
1. Eastmond/Cantor-Stephens/Watts/Harmet
2. Eastmond/Cantor-Stephens/Watts/Wilkins
3. Eastmond/Cantor-Stephens/Watts/Brand
4. Eastmond/Cantor-Stephens/Watts/Willberg
5. Eastmond/Cantor-Stephens/Watts/Freed
6. Eastmond/Cantor-Stephens/Watts/Quarantotto

Tracks

  1. Mango Mussolini (featuring Sam Day Harmet)
  2. That Is A Deeply Complex Question Filled With Nuance And Context, But I Think I’ve Got It Nailed In This Cat Meme (featuring Mike Wilkins)
  3. Haemorrhoid Rees-Mogg (featuring Sarah Gail Brand)
  4. A Child’s Vegetable Garden Of Foreign Policy Cadavers (featuring Otto Willberg)
  5. If You’re Not Offended I’ll Have Another Go (featuring Moss Freed)
  6. Deep Red (featuring Marco Quarantotto)

Catalog Number CR1901TO

Strength in Numbers, Vol. 2

Chant Records celebrates its first year of life with a compilation featuring one track from each of our releases. Indifferent to musical boundaries, this is a collection to widen your perspective and bring you deep into the sonic world of uncompromising, adventurous music.

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Tracks:

  1. Zion80 – Pardes
  2. The Fugu Plan – The Sun
  3. Darshan – Raza
  4. Sandcatchers feat. Erik Friedlander – What We Found Along The Way
  5. Alberto N. A. Turra – Black Madonna
  6. Jessica Lurie – Patience
  7. Eyal Talmudi – For Smoking.
  8. Expanseplane – Commemoration
  9. Yemen Blues – Eli
  10. John Lee – Intro Song
  11. Koby Israelite – Milf Cake
  12. We the Gleaners – Opening
  13. Meg Okura, Sam Newsome and Jean-Michel Pilc – Bells, Whistles and Sirens
  14. Sonata Islands Kommandoh – Terza Lamentazione
  15. Welf Dorr Unit – Sympathicus
  16. Curha – Respect the Pedestrian
  17. Matt Mottel – Clunk Rok
  18. Bret Higgins’ Atlas Revolt – Astral Soul Shake
  19. Midwood – Ansky
  20. Alon & Joca with NDR Bigband – Jogo do Viver
  21. Dark Ages – Golem
  22. Event Horizon: Greg Cohen and Randi Pontoppidan – Alfalfa
  23. The Modulators feat. Cyro Baptista – TP Is Coming Back In Style
  24. Action Friend – Night Brunch
  25. XOL – still water has no mind
  26. The Invisible Party – Book Chin
  27. The Lie Detectors – Rice

Related:
Strength in Numbers, Vol. 1 – free with mailing list signup
Strength in Numbers vol. 3

Mick Rossi’s Anti-Matter – Live At Barbes

 Mick Rossi’s Anti-Matter – Live at Barbes

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‘Perverse, gnarly, and self-challenging.’ – All About Jazz
Anti-Matter is six extremely accomplished musicians who sound as if they’ve barely had a music lesson. Composed by Mick Rossi (Philip Glass / Paul Simon), the group is a mix between a twisted funk ensemble and new-music surf band. Featuring Billy Drewes (Bill Frisell), Ron Horton (Andrew Hill), Alan Ferber (Charlie Hunter), Michael Sarin (Myra Melford), Michael Bates (Chris Speed) and Mick Rossi.

Performing diverse and progressive work rooted in the NY Downtown scene at venues including the Knitting Factory, The Stone, MoMA and most recently as curator and artist-in-residence at Spectrum NYC (Outliers Series), Rossi is celebrated as “an exemplar of the cross-fertilization between jazz and classical music worlds” and “one of the most lucid, original and creative minds of the New York scene” (All About Jazz). He is simultaneously a longtime member of the Philip Glass Ensemble as well as the Paul Simon band as pianist and percussionist, showcasing not only technical proficiency but capable of divergent idiomatic disciplines. He has appeared on eleven recordings with Philip Glass, and eight with Paul Simon (including “Koyaanisqatsi Live with the NY Philharmonic,” “Einstein On The Beach” and “Austin City Limits” respectively). Rossi has also conducted for Mr. Glass, including “Book of Longing” (Sydney Opera House) and “Dracula.” Rossi has served as music director and curator of the MATA Festival, music director of the Public Theater’s “The Bacchae” (dir. JoAnne Akalaitis), percussionist with Philip Glass and Laurie Anderson at Carnegie Hall, and conductor and co-orchestrator of Renée Fleming’s “Dark Hope.” Recent feature articles include The Sydney Morning Herald (“A prodigiously gifted musician and composer”) and Keyboard Magazine (“Pyrotechnics with Paul Simon”). Additional releases include “Live At MoMA” (Supertrain Records) and recordings with John King and Peter Hess, respectively. Mick Rossi’s music reveals a commitment to a strong classical foundation and rigorous approach to improvisation. Rossi’s recent accomplishments include his “String Quartet No. 3” at Merkin Hall premiered by JACK QT (“Bartokian and energetic” – NY Times), “OMNI” commissioned and performed by yMusic, “Songs From The Broken Land” “…virtuosic, intense and humorous – a master improviser is at work” – AAJ (OMM), MoMA Live, and his tenth solo album “160” released by Innova (“A masterpiece difficult to label” – AAJ).

Billy Drewes, reeds
Ron Horton, trumpet
Alan Ferber, trombone
Michael Sarin, drums
Michael Bates, bass (studio guest)
Mick Rossi, keyboard

All music composed and produced by Mick Rossi
© ℗ Blue Shift Music, ASCAP
Mastered by Mick Rossi
Recorded live at Barbes (Brooklyn, NY) January 17, 2010
Recorded by Scott Friedlander

Tracks:

  1. Hostage
  2. Middle Of The Middle
  3. Quick-Drewes McGraw
  4. Dovebot
  5. Future Man
  6. Dood
  7. Dingo
  8. Natural Selection
  9. The Turn Of The Wheel
  10. Spider Teeth

The Invisible Party – Shumankind

The Invisible Party – Shumankind

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Artist links:
Jon Lipscomb Bandcamp
Jon Lipscomb Twitter
Kurt Kotheimer Bandcamp

Shumankind is the debut record by The Invisible Party, an improvising trio that plays hard and takes no prisoners. The three-pronged attack of guitar, bass and drums creates splatters of spontaneity, off-kilter phrases and distorted shrieks and scrapes, all done with merciless joy and abandon. Shumankind rewards repeated listening as new shapes and colors take form to reveal a truly one-of-a-kind musical universe. Guitarist Jon Lipscomb is based in Malmö, Sweden and has worked with Brandon Lopez, Jarrett Gilgore, Anders Lindsjö, Ole Mofjell, Jaimie Branch and others. Brooklyn-based bassist Kurt Kotheimer has worked with Bobby Previte, Chris Cohen (Deerhoof), Michael Coleman (Michael Rocketship), Ava Mendoza, Matt Nelson (Tune-Yards) and others. Also based in Brooklyn, drummer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Treut has worked with Crystal Fighters, Kaki King, Chris Taylor (Grizzlybear), Wild Yaks, Brandon Seabrook and others.

Jon Lipscomb – Guitar
Kurt Kotheimer – Bass
Dave Treut – Drums
Engineered and mixed by Kurt Kotheimer at Figure 8 in Brooklyn, NY summer of 2017.
Mastered by Jon Lipscomb
Cover art by Alexandra Costin

Tracks:

  1. Invisible Party
  2. Eye Forms
  3. Plain Words
  4. Conquest of Bread
  5. Book Chin
  6. Thirteenth Cone
  7. Sleep Ship
  8. Perpetuate the Fuzz

The Lie Detectors – Part III: Secret Unit

The Lie Detectors – Part III: Secret Unit

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Eyal Maoz & Asaf Sirkis

The Lie Detectors is a duo of Eyal Maoz on guitar and Asaf Sirkis on drums. Close friends since they were 10 years old growing up in Rehovot, Israel, Maoz and Sirkis formed a Top Secret organization called The Lie Detectors. That organization gives their current band its name and at least partially explains their uncanny, telepathic style of making music together. Now based in New York, Maoz is a staple of the avant-garde scene with his bands Lemon Juice Quartet (with trumpeter Avishai Cohen) and Edom (featuring John Medeski and releasing albums on John Zorn’s Tzadik Records) and as a member of Shanir Blumenkranz’ Abraxas and John Zorn’s Cobra. Sirkis, now based in London, is one of the most active drummers on the European music scene, working with Larry Coryell, John Abercrombie, Jacob Collier, Dave Holland, Soft Machine and many others. The Lie Detectors is at once rooted in the rich tradition of jazz yet always willing to smash it wide open, bringing in other influences including rock, punk and whatever else might cross their Top Secret path.

Eyal Maoz – guitar
Asaf Sirkis – drums
Recorded at Cowshed Studios, London, UK
Recording engineer: Joe Leach
Mixed at The Bunker Studios, Brooklyn, NY by John Davis
All compositions by Eyal Maoz (ASCAP) except Tree by Asaf Sirkis
Art work by Victor Melamed
Asaf Sirkis plays Remo drum heads, Vic Firth Sticks, and Istanbul Agop cymbals

Tracks:

  1. Rice
  2. Go
  3. Closer
  4. Here and There
  5. Follow
  6. Flying Horse
  7. Sting
  8. Circles
  9. Tree
  10. Zoo
  11. Green Shirt
  12. Quiet ME

XOL – XOL Plays X.EN

XOL – XOL Plays X.EN

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facebook.com/xolband
harrisjostrom.com

XOL is a quartet of veteran improvisers on the vibrant European free music scene, with Guy Bettini on cornet, trumpet and fluegelhorn, Harri Sjöström on soprano sax, Luca Pissavini on bass and Francesco Miccolis on drums and percussion. Going beyond traditional structures and tonalities and composing collectively in the moment, they take the listener on a sonic journey to the outer reaches of the universe. XOL has toured extensively with the legendary Peter Brötzmann, and members have worked with other luminaries including Derek Bailey, Cecil Taylor, Gerry Hemingway and Tiger Okoshi.

Guy Bettini: cornet, trumpet, fluegelhorn
Harri Sjöström: soprano sax
Luca Pissavini: double bass
Francesco Miccolis: drums, percussion
Recording, mix and master by Eliyah Reichen – Beyond Groove Studio – Switzerland
photo and graphic by guy bettini
produced by guy bettini CircoRu, circoru.org

Tracks:

  1. still water has no mind
  2. to receive the image
  3. of the migrating geese
  4. the whole moon
  5. and the entire sky
  6. are reflected in one
  7. dewdrop on the grass