Tri-Cornered Tent Show
The Foolkiller
Edgetone Records EDT4033 - Exp
format CD - $9.00

Tri-Cornered Tent Show presents The Foolkiller, a post-apocalyptic poetry, music, and song portraying rage, revenge, and redemption, transcending the acts of murder madness and mayhem commonly defined as war religion and politics. Sporting an extended ensemble of some of the finest improvisers from the San Francisco Bay Area, The Foolkiller spreads its shadow across a wide array of style and sound creating one this year’s most innovative operatic improvisational theme pieces. A must have for those who like to collect abstract and obscure reference music.

Permanent Flow was founded in 1995 by bassist Joscha Oetz as an ensemble dedicated to improvised music. Based in Cologne, Germany at the time, Oetz conceptualized the group as a playing field for experimentation and a space to encounter musicians from various geographical and artistic origins. In 1997, saxophonist Andreas Wagner joined the project and soon became an important musical partner for Oetz. In 2002, Wagner and his fellow composer-colleague Hans W. Koch spent three months as artists in residence at the Villa Aurora in Pacific Palisades, California. Thus, Oetz decided to organize a Southern California tour with an edition of Permanent Flow featuring Wagner, Koch and Greg Stuart. The energy and inspiration of this formation continued to manifest itself in trio format without Koch when Wagner returned to the Villa in the fall of 2003. Recorded live on October 14th '03 at Dizzy's, San Diego.

Different Strokes, featuring violinist Yehudit and cellist Beth Snellings, creates a fusion of jazz and classical influences, incorporating arrangements of tried and true jazz classics, compositions by contemporary jazz masters, and some very unique and lush originals. The project manifests the warmth that only strings can provide. The duo's classically influenced arrangements create melodic and rapturous pieces full of emotion and lyricism, while their deft arrangements of jazz standards remain true to the style and spirit of these classic tunes. The result is a powerful combination of beauty, elegance, sophistication, and swing. A must have for any jazz fan.

Created at the Visibly International Centre for Composers on Gotland, Sweden in 2003 by Jonathan Segel.

Matt Davignon has developed a unique form of improvisation over the last 10 years, focusing on textures, arrhythmic patterns and musical imperfections. Creating music that is at once elemental and intricately ambient, he explores the outer dimensions of experimentation, exploring the dynamic relationship between chaos, order, and indeterminism. His latest project, “Bwoo”, evokes biology, and the mystery of elemental structure in nature and in sound. Using a drum machine as his singular sound source, he warps, bends, and multiplies the beats, creating sound-scapes as diverse and ambient as they are complex and organically beautiful.

Everything’s Going Everywhere, featuring pianist Thollem Mcdonas and drummer Rick Rivera bring to the jazz world a sonic journey bursting with excitement well needed in jazz and improvisation in the 21st century. Drawing from such diverse forms of inspiration as nuclear bombs, modern classical and Arabic music, to free jazz, punk, and traffic sounds, these two musical Iconoclasts transcend the past, and the limits of their influences, re-organizing traditional ideas into a sonic commentary about the space between rebellion, politics, and hummingbirds.

Novo Navigatio (New Journey) is the Abstractions' third release of innovative and cutting sonic landscapes. This is "Vision music" that consists of a colorful orchestration of vocals, saxophones, guitars, percussion, strings, electronics and more. Also included is the wonderful sinking commentary about the disillusioned atmosphere of the current political climate we live and breathe in today’s world.

This is the second release from  The Abstractions entitled,  ARS VIVENDE (the art of living)
This growing West Coast collective continues to explore music in all its elements foregoing the rules and demolishing walls. “…more daring, more complex, more puzzling…all the more disturbingly brutal…Ars Vivende takes their art much further than before.” 
François Couture All Music Guide

The Abstractions named by poet/author C.J. Reaven Borosque, was created by Bay Area musician/producers Ernesto Diaz-Infante and Rent Romus. From that creation out grew the collective ensemble you see before you.  Taking elements from a cross section of music genres and backgrounds, The Abstractions present an unclassifiable raw set of new sonic surreal textures forcing thought and feelings about life and culture in the real world.  Drawing from an improvisational body of knowledge, the unspoken words transformed to music, history, and social insight make up the musical repertoire. "Psychotic and gorgeously bludgeoning take on improv  death-jazz, with harrowing and paint-peeling vocals, careening, falling-down-the-stairs guitar..." -Cactus, KUSF Muzzle

The debut release of Gustavo Aguilar's Get Libre Group brings together prominent creative voices in improvised music from Northern and Southern California. Destinations explores a variety of compositions designed to highlight improvisation. Their preservation exists neither on paper, nor even on the recording itself, but within the space, place, and time of their realizations. These compositions are a study in organic awareness in the sense that the trail they leave in their wake gives musical form to the resonance between order and disorder.

Music for Curt Haworth Dance Company performances at Danspace in New York. Composed by Jonathan Segel.

“If ‘eclectic' to you is when Green Day change their guitar tone or McDonald's puts two burgers in one bun, then steer clear of this album. If however you take your pepperoni pizza with extra cream and can stomach the idea of an album with something other than one song reworked ten times, then you should buy Stimmung now.” (so says some English writer type, and he ought to know…)

Maverick San Francisco composer/improviser Ernesto Diaz-Infante and Brooklyn's Chris Forsyth, known for his critically-acclaimed guitar work in such groups as psi and All Time Present, are frequent collaborators and key figures in the American underground scene. (as is stated...), their 4th studio recording in 4 years, continues and extends their joint investigation of the full range of the guitar. A kaleidoscopic range of approaches, including quiet modal folk-influenced fingerpicking, atonal noise, drones, pointilistic micro-melodies, lower-case electro-acoustic improv, and feedback are juxtaposed as they subtly bridge the gap between composition and free improvisation, creating a thoroughly unified, wholly unclassifiable music in the process. A limited edition of 500 copies worldwide.

Extreme-ambient sound collage mixing Diaz-Infante's electronics, field recordings, and radical turntablism with Hannafin's's extended-technique percussion. Unfolds in slow waves and jump-cuts, moving from meditations on bus engines and amplified acoustic guitar ground hum to bowed cymbal drones, TV-tube musique concrète, and the rumble-clatter of low drums and metals. 77 minutes to turn your head outside in.. A limited edition of 150 copies worldwide.

5th solo release and most diverse yet! The result covers a varied sonic terrain including avant folk-like outsider songs, field recordings, noise and lowercase improv for accordion, guitars, didgeridoo, drums, prepared piano, radio, turntable, violin, vocals and zither rod.

Probably one of the more accessible experimental, improvised noise cds you are going to hear...if there is such a thing. On this CD, Diaz-Infante is joined by Texas underground, psychedelic-drone, minimalist guitarists St. Chaos and bohol in a mesmerizing work of layered prepared drones and lo-fi 4-track songs.

New compositions for guitars, vocals, drums, and piano. Their third duo release was recorded in Brooklyn, New York following their three week European tour in early 2002. The result covers a varied sonic terrain, incorporating spare, gestural preparations, electronic static, ringing open strings, and delicate piano/guitar interplay, all with an overarching compositional vision.

Improvised duets for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and piano by San Francisco based multi-instrumentalist Ernesto Diaz-Infante and Brooklyn, NY based electric guitarist Chris Forsyth. The results are a varied combination of jagged, percussive guitar duets, free jazz inspired piano/guitar romps, and meditative post-Feldman piano joined with the electric static of a guitar's input jack.

Solus is a collection of free improvisations for solo piano by San Francisco-based composer/improviser Ernesto Diaz-Infante. Solus is comprised of 13 short abstract improvs, allowing the listener to experience a new dimension of Diaz-Infante's piano work.

Ucross Journal is a collection of new improvisations for solo piano by San Francisco-based composer Ernesto Diaz-Infante. The Ucross Journal is comprised of 25 short pieces, written one each day the composer was in residence on the Ucross Foundation Ranch. Each daily entry bears the composer's impressions of that particular day. The Ucross Improvisations are a series of five free improvisations, based on the journal material.

Tepeu is a CD collection of six new improvisations for solo piano by San Francisco-based composer/improviser Ernesto Diaz-Infante. The improvisations flow into one another, gently drawing the listener in with an organically evolving narrative.

Itz'at (Mayan word for artist) is a collection of compositions for solo piano by San Francisco-based composer Ernesto Diaz-Infante. Itz'at features pieces composed to use as spring-boards for improvisation; the compositions have a spacious, minimalist feel while retaining focused intention.

Hans Fjellestad: analog & digital synthesizers, sampler, electronics Damon Holzborn: guitar, sampler, electronics They come, riding fog, thirsty mules. A new breed with eyes on their arms, moving like hungry hunters, not yet poised to sleep. Inspecting valleys, terrain shifts, ambitions of the electric. Boasting blades and breathing machines, with ivory handles, and sharp edges. "Hares and boars: targets for today."

Hans Fjellestad - keyboards, electronics Damon Holzborn - guitars, electronics They come, riding fog, thirsty mules. A new breed with eyes on their arms, moving like hungry hunters, not yet poised to sleep. Inspecting valleys, terrain shifts, ambitions of the electric, performing in such far-flung territories as California, the Pacific Northwest, Japan and Mexico. Donkey is keyboardist Hans Fjellestad and guitarist Damon Holzborn in a decade-long collaboration, exploring improvisation and noise art with an intensity just as capable of growling as it is signaling the landing of an alien spaceship.

Explorations into new music composition by Northern California composer David Dvorin. With(In)Communicado approaches art music through the use of untraditional and unusual instruments. Bowed psaltery, electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, sampler and computer are featured throughout the work.

This new nine-piece ensemble, with strings, woodwinds, guitar, accordion, and tuba, performs the structured improv compositions of Aaron Bennett, an active member of the vital San Francisco improv scene. Featuring Bay Area musicians Aaron Bennett - woodwinds; Mark Chung - violin; Jeff Hobbs - violin; Merlin Coleman - cello; Adam Lane - cello; George Cremaschi - bass; Joe Sabella - tuba; Dan Cantrell - accordion and John Finkbeiner - guitar.

On Hybrid Vigor, percussionist/improviser Marcos Fernandes presents a collection of globally informed pieces reflecting his multicultural identity and a continuing fascination with musical cross-fertilization. Born in Yokohama, Japan of Portuguese/Irish/Japanese heritage, and raised a Catholic in a Buddhist land, hybridization defines Fernandes' world view. Hybrid Vigor offers a sampling of his musical process, a narrative style incorporating improvisation, avant rock, trance and sound art. Guests include Michael Dessen, Lisle Ellis, Philip Gelb, David Gould and the Trummerflora Collective.

Scott Fields - electric guitar Peggy Lee - cello Dylan van der Schyff - drum kit Recorded March 5, 2000 at Blue Wave Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia by Shawn Pierce. Mixed and mastered at Ultimate Audio, Madison, Wisconsin by Tom Blain. All compositions by Scott Fields (BMI). Guitarist, composer, improviser Scott Fields has been performing and recording around the globe over the last three decades. A native of Chicago, his earliest improvisations were influenced by the AACM. Although as a leader he performs with a number of line-ups, he calls them all The Scott Fields Ensemble, largely in homage to the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

Dual Resonance finds Fjellestad, Reason, and Robinson in a variety of duets, trios, and quartets with the influential German bassist Peter Kowald. Half of the album was recorded in 2000 while Kowald was on tour in the United States; the other half was recorded on January 1, 2003, after Kowald's unexpected and sudden passing. Because of this double nature, Dual Resonance is a "living tribute" of sorts, documenting both Kowald's time in San Diego while on tour, as well as his enduring influence in improvised music in California. The sonic textures contained on the album range from densely packed acoustic environments, to heavy electronic-laden sounds. The music is informed by a wide variety of influences, including jazz and African-American improvisation, European improvisation, new music, and electronica.

"33" is the new piano-oriented project by maverick musician, artist and filmmaker Hans Fjellestad. Fjellestad's relationship with the piano began in 1973, at age 5. In this new collection of 13 tracks he attacks the instrument, inside and out, with bows, plectra, slides, loose change, electronics, fists, fingers, megaphone, computer and whatever was handy, accompanied by synthesizers, accordion, sampler and field recordings from across the globe. "33" is no shuttle service to the expected solo piano spaces. This is an exploration of uncharted textures and strange tangents that often venture far from the piano keyboard into fantastical electronic soundscapes, but eventually always returning to the black and whites, hammers and strings, the source.

The WIRE calls Red Sauce Baby a "spicy concoction... refusing to behave itself, it screams, throws things and makes a mess." Featuring piano improvisations, vocalizations, percussion, woodwinds, church organ, bagpipes, basketball, electronics and sounds from Southern California, Tijuana, Chicago and Copenhagen, XLR8R calls it "an exercise in unbridled sonic freedom... raw, almost shamanic energy that embodies the true essence of unrestricted music."

Original music from the documentary film, Frontier Life, featuring members of Nortec Collective (Tijuana) and Trummerflora Collective (San Diego), including some of the borderland's most adventurous artists: Panóptica, Titicacaman, Las Cajas del Ritmo, Clorofila, Latinsizer, Point Loma, Discar, Marcelo Radulovich, Marcos Fernandes and Hans Fjellestad.

Gianni Gebbia, alto saxophone and flute; Matthew Goodheart, piano and prepared piano; Garth Powell, drums – percussion – musical saw.
“Possessed of a natural fire and remarkable sense of intuition, this collection is a singular testament to the virtues of deep listening and the practice of instant composition when in the able care of three master improvising musicians…” - Brad Winter – Cadence Magazine – Portland Creative Music Guild

Michael Gold, saxophone; Paul Mindrup, piano, Matt Montgomery, bass; Sean Nelson, drums
Classic jazz quartet play modern standards by Alan Broadbent, Charles Lloyd, Sam Rivers, and others

Jazz that embraces both the avant-garde and the straight-ahead. Drawing on all forms of world, popular and folk music to create their refreshingly unique sound, which engineer/producer Myles Boisen has dubbed "Heavy-Metal Country Jazz". Featuring Aaron Bennett - saxophone; John Finkbeiner - guitar; Adam Lane - bass; Vijay Anderson - drums.

Phillip Greenlief
Stalking Andrei
Evander Music EM 023- Improv
format CD - $8.50

Phillip Greenlief, soprano, alto, & tenor saxophones, Bb clarinet
Compositions by Oliveros, Leandre, Gratkowski, Mitchell, and Greenlief. Improvisatory forms and deconstructions of works by Stravinsky, Monk, & Berio. A similarity between playing solo and Tarkovsky’s Stalker. The individual explores a zone where landscape (compositions) are forever changing, bringing new challenges. The solitude provides a place to confront our innermost desires and questions for humanity. The outcomes are always a surprise

7 compositions for two guitars and two wind instruments by Phillip Greenlief, based on his experiences of living in Saint Petersburg in the summer of 1998. Features Greenlief, Vinny Golia, Nels Cline & GE Stinson

With Phillip Greenlief – Sax, Trevor Dunn - Bass
“10 improvisations by Greenlief & Dunn” - Music Hound Jazz Essential Album Guide

Em release by bassist Devin Hoff (Nels Cline Singers) and drummer Ches Smith (Jettison Slinky - Mr Bungle) Features 8 comositions by Hoff & Smith and one Ornette Coleman composition.

Bill Horist's newest solo guitar work, Lyric/Suite, was developed in 2002 for Canadian choreographer Davida Monk's dance performance and recorded at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Horist's dynamic musical score showcases his virtuosity and sensitivity with thirteen pieces ranging from ambient soundscapes to frenetic loop-based constructions, lush chordal sweeps to percussive prepared guitar. According to Davida Monk: Lyric takes it's cue from the work "Lyric Philosophy" by Jan Zwicky in which she champions the non-rational meanings wrought through the artistic creation process. Through the use of theme and variation, Horist weaves an abstract yet coherent sonic narrative for this multi-media performance piece.

Bill Horvitz, guitar; Steve Adams, reeds; Joe Sabella, drums This long-running SF Bay Area trio plays compositions by Horvitz.

Born On Tuesday is percussionist Nathan Hubbard's debut solo album. The recording is a varied look into Hubbard's interests and excitements throughout the last few years. Throughout this time, Hubbard completed a challenging “12-step program” - 12 solo concerts in 12 months - in which he explored wide-ranging possibilities for percussion, electronics and drumset. This recording captures many of the different settings, varied responses, outcomes and changing notions of place and time inherent in the concert series. The works are primarily improvisations, with the titles derived from life experiences, suggesting that music and improvisation are intimately connected to living. Circumvention Music's “Stand Alone Series” is dedicated to releasing the finest in solo creative improvised music.

Risen from the ashes of Hieronymus Firebrain, Jack and Jill rocket forth divining greater meaning for the sordid world of pop music. A powerful trio based in the San Francisco Bay Area, J&J have so far recorded two CDs, "Chill and Shrill" (1995) and "Fancy Birdhouse" (1997). They mean everything that they say.

Dr. Geronimo Firebrain as Jack, Jane Err as Jill , Russ Blackmar as the pail of water

This 3 CD package actually has a few titles...CD #1 is by the Sour Note Seven, and is entitled "Because of Wayne" - a live recording by Jeff Cressman at Bruno's. CDs 2 & 3 are by Jettison Slinky and are entitled "The Only Song We Know" - and are studio recordings. All CDs are filled with Connah compositions and represent a large range of music, from electric, post prog rock/jazz to electronics, post Sun-Ra horn lines and lots of improv. The releases feature the usual Sour Note Seven lineup and the usual supects of Jettison Slinky, and are augmented by Scott Amendola, Dan Seamans, Devin Hoff, Steve Adams, Ches Smith, and Paul Hanson.

Recording of 9 compositions by Graham Connah for his new, more electric, 10 piece band, featuring Connah, Trevor Dunn, Smith Dobson Jr, Marty Wehner, Nancy Clarke, Jewlia Eisenberg, Noel Jewkes, Alex Candelaria, Ben Goldberg, Lee Alexander, & Rob Sudduth

Jon Raskin, Bob Bassara: jawharps; Linda Elvira Piedra: percussion
The music on this CD was recorded on April 10, 2004 in a 538 gallon ceramic vase, used in the manufacturing of dynamite. Making use of Clayton Bailey’s extensive field research of the Kaolithic era and Bob Bassara’s study of shamanistic mouth harp traditions, we were able to establish a time-continuum link to the Pre-Credulous Age. The case is situated in the largest find of Kaolithic fossils in the world and the sonic properties of the vase enabled the researchers to tune into the vibrations from that long forgotten age. The unique acoustic environment amplified the vibrations in the fossil field and enabled the research team to translate them into the music on this recording.

KLiP's music comes from so many divergent sources that "pigeon-holing" it is nearly impossible. Influences range from Albert Ayler, John Cage, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Cecil Taylor, John Zorn, and many others. Elliot and Garth are the primary composers and arrangers for KLiP. Though each of their pieces may have a finely honed interior structure, there is often room for improvisational explorations. Be it a contemplative melodic study or a fierce electronic onslaught, the music of KLiP is that of surprise and discovery. 

In his third (and so far best) solo album, co-founder of Camper Van Beethoven and Monks of Doom, Victor Krummenacher, takes the stage with his best friends around him and his heart on his sleeve. This labor of loves lost and found finds Krummenacher in fine mettle, with eleven tales of affairs of the heart that range from country-inflected ballads so sweet they'll linger on your tongue like grandma's cherry cobbler, to intense folk-rock and pop tunes that frame Krummenacher's strong songwriting and authoritative singing with an engaging sound that is rich and polished but never precious.

Saint John's Mercy is the second solo release from former Monks of Doom and Camper Van Beethoven bassist Victor Krummenacher. His followup to 1995's acclaimed Out In The Heat, Saint John's Mercy features Krummenacher reuniting with the talents of fellow CVB/Monks alumni Chris Pedersen, David Immergluck, and Greg Lisher, as well as appearances by steel player Bruce Kaphan (David Byrne, American Music Club, Chris Isaak) and Mommyhead bassist Jeff Palmer. The recording was produced by former King Missile keyboardist/bassist Chris Xefos.

Victor Krummenacher, Chris Xefos, John Nelson, Jason Fessel, Greg Lisher

Wind On The Firecracker Of The Building Next Door is Marina's first solo collection of songs. Soon to be published is its companion book of poems that shares the same name. The songs on Wind... attempt to re-envision the symbolic plasticity of the pop-folk ballad and to dig into the spontaneous expression of song as nature. Noise folk... where the "experimental" meets the "song". Individually, they are exercises in the reestablishing of personal ideals about love, ancestry and politics. These songs are Marina's emotions. These songs are her blues. A limited edition of 150 copies worldwide.

In the spirit of Bay Area artistic experimentation and exploration, THE LEFT COAST IMPROV GROUP (TLCIG) has crystalized from divergent musical and geographic backgrounds to form a unit of unprecedented talent. Its members are products of deep dedication, long study (both in and outside of academia), and many years of performance experience. The emphasis of the group's approach is on relaxation, freedom, and listening, rather than individual virtuosity which, nevertheless, underlies the ensemble as an unfailing support for its cohesive expressiveness. The Left Coast Improv Group an ever-changing configuration and brainchild of the Improv Wizard himself Jim Ryan presents their most stellar recording to date now available on Edgetone Records.

Former Loud Family keyboardist Alison Faith Levy's THIRD solo cd, produced again by the prodigious Chris Xefos, mixed by Bruce Kaphan, features Alison on keyboards and vocals.

Loud Family keyboardist Alison Faith Levy's second solo cd, produced by the prodigious Chris Xefos, features Alison on piano and vocals and each song has one other guest musician.

Greg Lisher played guitar in Camper Van Beethoven off and on from 1986-1990, and in the Monks of Doom, (1986-1993) after Chris Molla didn't show up to a gig one night in Santa Cruz because nobody showed up to pick him up at the train station in San Jose. And as if that isn't enough devotion for one soul, he also played with A Great Laugh and sometimes backing up Victor Krummenacher or Mark Goodman's Magnet. The Syd Barret of CVB, Greg lives in Sant Cruz and plans a solo CD for 1999.

Featuring carol genetti, voice; damon smith, double bass; and fred lonberg-holm, violoncello (tracks 9-12)

In a sea of solo piano recordings this one stands alone. Eight musical adventures riveted with high energy and subtle softness keeps the listener engaged while weaving sound scapes and vivid musical colors.  In addition to Looney's intriguing brand of originals, he also presents unique arrangements of some favorite standards such as "take the "a" train and stardust.

With Phillip Greenlief – Saxophones, Dan Seamans-Bass, Tom Hassett-Drums

With Phillip Greenlief – Saxophones, Dan Seamans-Bass, Tom Hassett-Drums

Miba (Kristin Miltner & Mark Bartscher) uses various self-created software patches to scan audio files, creating rhythmic granular textures ranging from harmonic washes to dense noise. Their installation work is made of suspended objects that trigger fragments of found sound. On this CD they perform their latest sample-based audio compositions. A limited edition of 250 copies worldwide.

A leader in monster ensemble formations and percussionist for Sleepy Time Guerrilla Museum, Moe! Staiano is a unique bay area percussionist/composer who on this recording leads a mass amount of stellar bay area musicians playing in huge clusters in a dissonant array, forming a wall of musical noise. Presenting the pure vision of the artist without compromise or preconception. This album is a tri-release of: Dephine Knormal Musik/Pax Recordings/Edgetone Records.

The bi-coastal musical collaborative between ld beghtol (frontman/mastermind of nyc chamberpop ensemble flare, at least one-third of the three terrors, and featured vocalist on the magnetic fields’ "69 love songs") and chris xefos (ex-king missile, current producer/engineer in sf). the two came together as a phenomenon in 1998, as a means by which beghtol and xefos would explore their mutual love of obscure pop histrionics and arcane instrumentation, and perhaps as a creative way to use up some frequent-flyer miles.

South African-born Shaun Naidoo holds a DMA in Composition from the University of Southern California, where he previously taught at the Thornton School of Music. He currently teaches music theory at Chapman University in Orange, CA. This date has Naidoo improvising on piano, percussion and electronics alongside colleague/guitarist Sean Heim and multi-instrumentalist Scot Ray on trombone and dobro.

Inspired by the paintings of Salvador Dali and bassist Bill Noertker's journeys in Catalonia, Suite for Dali takes you to the place were jazz melts into surrealism. What Dali did for painting, this CD does for jazz. Deep swing morphs into circus melodies. Beauty fades into cacophony. At times raucous, at times pensive, always soulful, this CD takes you on an aural pilgrimage to Catalonia, birthplace of many innovative artists.

This suite was inspired by a haiku exchange between Noertker and one of his bass students. These tunes were composed using the 5-7-5 syllabic structure of the haiku as a jumping off point for musical phrases and rhythms. Solo, duo and trio compositions. Is it jazz? Is it classical? Is it chamber jazz? Who cares...?
In the last decade, Bill Noertker has composed over 150 original pieces of music for jazz ensemble. His compositions point to the continuity between the jazz tradition and the avant-garde. His use of group improvisation and his attention to the individual voices of each of his bandmates call forth the human element so sorely missing from much of today's jazz.

What is acid jazz anyway? This is the organic version...peyote jazz. If you need a soundtrack for your journey to the forgotten fringes of your mind, look no further. Recorded at San Francisco's infamous Crib Studios by Lemon DeGeorge (of Genghis Blues fame), the AEWC 's third recording, " 13 ", is the aural equivalent of Castaneda's meetings with the Yaqui doctor. From the clarion call of "Rugae," to the quirky swing of "Hop, Skip, Jump," from the mysterious sound sculpture of "Forsythia," to the deep groove of "Chartreuse" and the mystical chant of "My Navajo Grandmother," this is what psychedelic jazz is really all about.

Permanent Flow was founded in 1995 by bassist Joscha Oetz as an ensemble dedicated to improvised music. Based in Cologne, Germany at the time, Oetz conceptualized the group as a playing field for experimentation and a space to encounter musicians from various geographical and artistic origins. In 1997, saxophonist Andreas Wagner joined the project and soon became an important musical partner for Oetz. In 2002, Wagner and his fellow composer-colleague Hans W. Koch spent three months as artists in residence at the Villa Aurora in Pacific Palisades, California. Thus, Oetz decided to organize a Southern California tour with an edition of Permanent Flow featuring Wagner, Koch and Greg Stuart. The energy and inspiration of this formation continued to manifest itself in trio format without Koch when Wagner returned to the Villa in the fall of 2003. The present CD is the recording of a complete set the trio performed at a double concert also featuring Oetz's other West Coast project Perfektomat on October 14th '03 at Dizzy's, San Diego.

Contrabassist Joscha Oetz presents a collection of improvised music in solo and duo settings culled from his creative investigation of this form over the last two and a half years. Oetz is joined on this cd by renowned bassist/improviser Barre Philips. Since their initial meeting in 1995, Oetz and Phillips have continued to build a musical relationship ( the duo which they call "Two Generations of Contrabass") whose particular sound is captured on these recordings for the first time. Also featured are three of Oetz's solo performances, a piece recorded in Germany with saxophonist Andreas Wagner, and a collaboration with percussionist Greg Stuart produced in San Diego.

This is the newest quartet from saxophonst Tony Passarell. This live recording presented at the Harbor Winery in Sacramento California is dedicated to the memory of Chuck Ehils.  The quartet weaves through an exciting set of originals and a  modern arrangement of the age old traditional favorite how dry I am.  If you like modern jazz then epicenter will satisfy your needs.

Radulovich's latest production, HELLO, showcases audio, visuals, literature, live performance, and introduces the legend of TITICACAMAN: Instrument maker, ignorant scientist. Composed of looped voice and samples, ruled by infectious essence shrouded in mystery, HELLO is uplifting and one of a kind.

Recursive Heretics explores the concept of feedback at all levels between a performer and a processor in a live improvisational setting.  Together they explore the concept of feedback in live performance as the saxophone sound is transformed by live, automated and manipulated signal processing using a customized Max/MSP setup.  The results of this processing vary from subtle shifts in the original sound to a completely unique and distinct voice. 

David Michalak, lap steel guitar; Adam Hurst, cello; Joe Sabella, samples; Andrew Voigt, woodwinds; Phillip Greenlief, woodwinds; George Cremaschi, double bass; Tom Nunn, homemade instruments.
A mysterious and haunting journey into the soundtrack world of veteran filmmaker David Michalak featuring a unique "visual" music by Reel Change.

Hopes and Dreams finds Return to One continuing their integration of improvisation with notated material and extended structures. A wide range of compositions from Nathan Hubbard are featured, from the orchestral size of A Search for Truth, to the open groove of Josh Jones, to the simplistic beauty of Bells for You. The CD also finds a new level of harmonic sophistication with special guest, pianist Rick Helzer.

This is the second CD from Rev.99, the multimedia collective led by New York saxophonist, spoken word artist, and filmmaker 99 Hooker. Filtering real-time inputs from sources such as video, field recordings, live improv, and spoken word through post-production shaping and sculpting. Featuring 99 Hooker, Jeff Arnal, Ross Bonadonna, Anita DeChellis, Ernesto Diaz-Infante, Chris Forsyth, Jody Kurash, Donald Miller, Akio Mokuno, m2, LX Rudis, Glenn Sorvisto, Rotcod Zzaj, Bob Marsh, and Brother Russell Scholl.

Environmental improv: composition by temperament & inheritance, playing as one walks in a group, conscious of sound, economics and disdaining The Jam. rev. 99 pairs two duos: Akio Mokuno & 99 Hooker who have been performing out of NY for the last three years and Chris Forsyth & Ernesto Diaz-Infante who have just released their third CD 'march' (Pax Recordings/Evolving Ear).

Eric Glick Rieman - modified extended prepared rhodes and harmonizer Berkeley muuti-imstrumentalist and composer Eric Glick Rieman presents four new solo improvisations performed on his extended prepared rhodes: "I modified a Rhodes electric piano by installing two extended sound boards which house vertical tuned zinc rods. These can be played by bowing or striking. I also prepare the inside of the Rhodes, which is left exposed so I can play the tines and resonaters. I play the insides with my hands, with files, with mallets, with rocks and chains, and occasionally with the keyboard."

Saxophonist Jason Robinson steps out as composer, bandleader and producer on this debut solo release. Rooted in the progressive jazz of the 1960s, Robinson’s compositions propel highly explosive playing from a San Francisco bay area all-star lineup. 

Reedist/improviser/composer Jason Robinson pulls together an assorted cast of influential figures on this conceptual "duo" release - trombonist George Lewis, bassist Peter Kowald, pianist Anthony Davis, Marcelo Radulovich, Hans Fjellestad, and others. Creating collaborative dialogues with his musical partners, Robinson blurs traditional music boundaries and floats easily between jazz, ambient, electronic and experimental soundscapes. In Robinson's words, "this recording attempts to prove a modest point - that the 'duo' is a floating signifier, a word without a fixed meaning."

"[Romus] is most impressive on "Better Git". Using his best Hank-Crawford- out-of-John- Handy tone, he manages to play both the solo and the backing figures from the original performance. "Lunch" is treated unusually as well. Starting with a fusty, Dixieland sound he doubles its concentration by playing alto and soprano at the same time, at one point even getting involved in duetting with himself." - Ken Waxman, Jazz Weekly

This raw, gut level, on the edge recording places the listener smack dab in the middle of Blondie's Jazz Bar in San Francisco on a cold night in February 1995. 
YOU'LL NEVER BE THE SAME is a musical journey combining a primal sense of groove and improvisation with Romus' "X" generation angst. This seven-cut release pushes the envelope with Romus' original compositions, which follows a gut level groove, and then builds upon that structure with free form improvisation.

Rent Romus extends his ethos "to continually be on the path for something new" with the self-explanatory Adapt... or Die!. This recording revamps the Lords of Outland into a more deviant configuration joined by drummer Dave Mihaly and sousaphonist Jon Birdsong.  This project is also blessed with the immense presence of master tenor saxist John Tchicai. The shift in instrumentation provides a punchier, more expansive format for Romus' self-proclaimed "Nordic Viking Jazz" or "Bull in China Shop" attitude toward improv. With a post-grunge audacity, Romus kicks solos that he says come "straight from the groin" -- all of which bodes well for this sonic explorer.

From three of San Francisco's leading experimental/new music purveyors, Crashing The Russian Renaissance finds the trio in some seriously adventurous compositions for electronics and guitar. Reflecting the artists' continued musical evolutions, the music constantly evolves over 30 compositions from thin soundscapes to heavy improvisational dialogues.

This latest release from one of the last living poet/musicians of the beat generation presents his powerful group Forward Energy in Where Are They?. In one of Jim Ryan's best recordings to date you get full bodied jazz exploration from lyrical flute work to full force high energy driving free wheeling swing. Guests include the legendary former Blue Note trumpet player Eddie Gale as well as young lionesses tenor saxophonist Alicia Mangan. Employing his unique classic poetry and slamming saxophone work, Jim presents thought provoking music that will keep you on your toes.

Recorded live to DAT in concert at 21 Grand Gallery, Oakland Ca 2000. With, Jim Ryan - alto/tenor saxes, word; Alicia Mangan - tenor sax; Scott Looney - piano; Damon Smith - bass; Donald Robinson - drums

Recorded at 1502 Studios 1999 with, Jim Ryan - alto/tenor saxes; Damon Smith - bass; Milo Francis - drums

Recorded live to DAT in concert at the now defunct Yellow Room, Oakland Ca 1997. With, Jim Ryan - reeds & words; George Cremaschi - bass; Peter Valamis - percussion

“holy hell, it's truly amazing…the live closer of the record, shreds completely through 10 minutes of paralyzing improv/metal mayhem, using its stops and quiet spaces to as stunning effect as the outburts/freakouts and pure sheets of screech laid down by Jesse.”
WFMU – 91.1 FM , NJ

Canto-Core:
A NEW CHINESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Say Bok Gwai is a Chinese American band that pushes the envelope of musical, social, and political extremes. Say Bok Gwai shows a new face of Chinese American
music and is not for the timid or easily offended.

Created at the Visby International Centre for Composers on Gotland, Sweden in 2003 by Jonathan Segel.

An all-Electronic music CD, this 80-minute collection combines music composed for dance companies, theatre presentations and just plain-old weirdness. Lots of samples and synthesis, field recordings and feeling.

Jonathan Segel returns with a new CD full of pop oddities, kinda like Eno’s pop records of the mid-70s but a whole lot more now. All sorts of upbeat and downbeat tunes. Smells like summer hits.

Jonathan Segel is the Puppet Figurehead of Magnetic, a company run by unseen forces. Born September 3rd 1963, grew up in Davis, California (with a couple years' side trip to Tucson, AZ. ), went to college at UCSC in Santa Cruz, CA, where he hooked up with Camper Van Beethoven, moved up to San Francisco in 1989, moved to Los Angeles in 1997 to work for Dane Davis at Danetracks, a film sound post production facility, then back to Oakland in 2001 gettin' a graduate degree in Music Composition at Mills College.

"Hieronymus Firebrain holds the mirror up to nature."

Jonathan Segel, Fredericko Ordini, Theodore Ellison, Russ Blackmar, Chris Davis, Dave Costanz, Katl B. Traler

8 Original Compositions for quintet by bassist Todd Sickafoose in a CD that was named "best new release of 2000" by the Los Angeles Times. Featuring Sickafoose: bass, Peter Epstein: saxophones, Alan Ferber: trombone, Jusin Morell: guitar, & Mark Ferber: drums

Skeleton Key Orchestra draws upon a wide cross section of Southern California's improvised and creative music world. Nathan Hubbard's compositions seamlessly blur the distinction between improvisation and composition and highlight the strengths of the 35+ members of the orchestra. In the tradition of jazz and large ensembles, Hubbard's music is influenced by the free jazz ensembles of Ornette Coleman, Mike Mantler, John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor and William Parker, the european ensembles led by Barry Guy, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Tony Oxley, Evan Parker, Wolfgang Fuchs, Peter Brotzmann and Pierre Favre as well as the West Coast ensembles led by Vinny Golia, Glenn Spearmen, Jeff Kaiser, Marco Eneidi, Scott Rosenberg, the NOW orchestra and the sorely missed New Art Orchestra. The music traverses an array of territories, from complex grooves to surreal electronic landscapes, free-wheeling high-energy collective improvisation to meditative woodwind fugues, improvised street marches to minimalistic repetition.

Spirit speaks through the drum.  Here he plays gongs, bells,  rain    stick, singing bowl, donno (West African talking drum), sheet metal, rachet, cymbals, & rototom, as well as his modified trap kit. “First of all, my thing is spiritual.  Every human has a spirit – without it you're dead – so your spirit is what I'm dealing with.  Each note I play represents a certain message, so it depends on where I put the beat, on how I hit the drum that makes you respond to a certain thing.  For me it's a religious matter.  Drumming goes with my religion.  Drumming is a language – this language belongs to my religion.  So, every time you see me walking, you see a religious person walking with a spirit.  Everybody's got spirit.  Wherever you are, you're a spirit of your own.  So you have to find out about your spirit and make sure it gets on with other people's spirits.  That's what happens when I play music with people.”  -Kwasi Asare Adae  Senior drummer,  Akonedi Shrine, Larte

Everything’s Going Everywhere, featuring pianist Thollem Mcdonas and drummer Rick Rivera bring to the jazz world a sonic journey bursting with excitement well needed in jazz and improvisation in the 21st century. Drawing from such diverse forms of inspiration as nuclear bombs, modern classical and Arabic music, to free jazz, punk, and traffic sounds, these two musical Iconoclasts transcend the past, and the limits of their influences, re-organizing traditional ideas into a sonic commentary about the space between rebellion, politics, and hummingbirds.

Tri-Cornered Tent Show presents The Foolkiller, a post-apocalyptic poetr,y music, and song portraying rage, revenge, and redemption, transcending the acts of murder madness and mayhem commonly defined as war religion and politics. Sporting an extended ensemble of some of the finest improvisers from the San Francisco Bay Area, The Foolkiller spreads its shadow across a wide array of style and sound creating one this year’s most innovative operatic improvisational theme pieces. A must have for those who like to collect abstract and obscure reference music.

With Phillip Greenlief - Tenor Saxophone, Adam Levy – Guitar, Dan Seamans - Bass

Recorded live at The Casbah, San Diego; KPBS' "The Lounge," San Diego; The luggage Store, San Francisco; The Artisan's Hand, Carmel Valley, California. Marcos Fernandes - percussion, electronics; Hans Fjellestad - keyboards/electronics/accordion; Damon Holzborn - guitars/electronics; Nathan Hubbard - percussion/electronics; Robert Montoya - sampler,/percussion; Marcelo Radulovich - bass/guitar/electronics/radio/vocals; Jason Robinson - woodwinds with George Lewis - trombone; Le Quan Ninh - percussion; Mike Keneally - guitar; Ellen Weller - woodwinds No Stars Please is a collection of live concert recordings featuring a capricious roster of performers, including collective members Marcos Fernandes, Hans Fjellestad, Damon Holzborn, Nathan Hubbard, Robert Montoya, Marcelo Radulovich and Jason Robinson, with guest appearances by George Lewis, Le Quan Ninh, Mike Keneally and Ellen Weller.

Voices In The Wilderness was created out of the anxiety and disillusionment of Bush's reelection on November 3, 2004. This composition of twenty-six artists transcends music genres and ideologies with the common purpose of dissent towards the havoc and bloodshed cause by Bush and the U.S. military's dominance. This collection of political protest music spans experimental, rock, free-improv, electronic, folk, field recordings, and spoken word. This CD is ultimately a reminder and wake-up call that we can not be silent during these times.

Featuring aurora josephson, phillip wachsmann, jacob lindsay, damon smith, martin blume

Spirits, Little Dreams and Improvisations (Yiddish - Dybbuks, Dremls und Doinas): Judaism, like Christianity and other religions, developed its own possession myth during the Middle Ages - that of the dybbuk. Weller's project explores the powerful place of the dybbuk in explaining aberrant human behavior, and to connect such explanations to musical creativity, especially improvisation. Many cultures throughout the world acknowledge the power of music to summon spirits, human or otherwise. Other myths connect various mental illnesses with spirit possession.

Different Strokes, featuring violinist Yehudit and cellist Beth Snellings, creates a fusion of jazz and classical influences, incorporating arrangements of tried and true jazz classics, compositions by contemporary jazz masters, and some very unique and lush originals. The project manifests the warmth that only strings can provide. The duo's classically influenced arrangements create melodic and rapturous pieces full of emotion and lyricism, while their deft arrangements of jazz standards remain true to the style and spirit of these classic tunes. The result is a powerful combination of beauty, elegance, sophistication, and swing. A must have for any jazz fan.

Yehudit's first independent release of original jazz.