The Squid's Ear
Recently @ Squidco:

Lotte Anker / Kamil Piotrowicz / Jacob Anderskov:
Antiworld I (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A stunning live performance from wild to instrospective from the 2019 Copenhagen Jazz Festival, where saxophonist Lotte Anker and two pianists — Jacob Anderskov and Kamil Piotrowicz — create a rare and extraordinary interplay of alto saxophone and dual grand pianos, blending frenetic intensity and dreamlike calm in an inspired and organically evolving dialogue of composed and improvised soundscapes. ... Click to View


Leandre / Lotte Anker / Kersten Osgood:
Worlds (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A riveting live performance from the 2023 Copenhagen Jazz Festival by Joëlle Léandre, Lotte Anker, and Kresten Osgood, whose trio of bass, saxophones, and drums delivers an enthralling journey through three improvisational worlds, blending spontaneity, profound interplay, and virtuosic intensity in a masterful exploration of sound and emotion. ... Click to View


Sophie Agnel / John Butcher:
RARE (Les Disques Victo)

Extraordinary and masterful performers Sophie Agnel (piano) and John Butcher (soprano & tenor saxophones) present a live recording from the 40th International Festival of Current Music in Victoriaville, Canada, featuring five improvised pieces that highlight their exceptional interplay and collective discovery of new musical forms while exploring the boundaries of free improvisation. ... Click to View


Alexandra Grimal / Giovanni Di Domenico:
Shakkei (Relative Pitch)

Five duets inspired by the Japanese concept of borrowed scenery (Shakkei (借景)) — integrating background landscapes into the design of a garden — are exquisitely realized in these spiritual and introspective performances, from the 20-year collaboration between French saxophonist Alexandra Grimal (tenor and soprano) and Italian pianist-organist Giovanni Di Domenico. ... Click to View


Brandon Lopez / DoYeon Kim:
Syzygy, Vol. 1 (577 Records)

A confluence of contrasting strings recorded in the studio in NYC, bringing bassist Brandon Lopez and gayageum master DoYeon Kim together in an acoustic dialogue of free improvisation, blending Lopez's explosive intuition with Kim's dynamic reinterpretation of tradition, resulting in a fascinating sonic journey that bridges ancient melodies and avant-garde exploration. ... Click to View


Francois Tusques / Sunny Murray 38:
Intercommunal Dialogue 1&2 [2LPS w/ DOWNLOAD] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

A historic reunion captured live at Le Triton in Les Lilas, France, in 2007, bringing together pianist François Tusques and drummer Sunny Murray for the first time in decades to renew their blues-infused, avant-garde dialogue, blending percussive exploration, evocative dedications, and rich improvisation that honors their shared history while forging new sonic landscapes. ... Click to View


Jason Kahn / Magda Mayas:
Night (Editions)

Captured live at the Werkstatt für Improvisierte Musik in Zurich, Switzerland, this debut release from Jason Kahn (electronics) and Magda Mayas (piano, objects) presents three improvised pieces that blend their complementary palettes into a poetic and intricately detailed electroacoustic dialogue, reflecting their 13-year collaboration with a mix of introspection, spontaneity, and mutual respect. ... Click to View


Jean-Jacques Birge :
Pique-nique Au Labo [2 CDs] (GRRR)

Jean-Jacques Birgé invited 28 improvising musicians to the studio to perform in duos and trios, the theme for each of the 22 recordings chosen just before each recording, with noted performers including Birgé himself, Sophie Bernado, Pascal Contet, Julien Desprez, Jean-Brice Godet, Alexandra Grimal, Sylvain Kassap, Edward Perraud, Eve Risser, &c. ... Click to View


Metal Chaos Ensemble:
A Great Python Spews Venomous Kerosene Upon the World (Evil Clown)

Exploring chaotic rhythms on metallic instruments, Metal Chaos Ensemble is one of the most prolific Evil Clown ensembles, producing over 50 albums with a signature sound of gongs, chimes, and horns, recently recurring as a sextet blending rock elements; here configured as a quintet without a bass performer, in a distinctive work that begins with a PEK narrative. ... Click to View


Joke Lanz / Dieb13 :
Musical Education (Klanggalerie)

Price Reduction: A startling and energetically exciting collision of cleverly eclectic sound sources when Swiss turntablist and sound artist Joke Lanz met Austrian improviser and turntablist Dieb13 (Dieter Kovacic) for this amazing 2020 concert at GrillX in Vienna, using three turntables to create an incredible collage of sounds from the humorous to the awe inspiring. ... Click to View


John Dikeman / Sun-Mi Hong / Aaron Lumley / Marta Warelis:
Old Adam on Turtle Island (Relative Pitch)

Saxophonist John Dikeman composed this diverse and expressively lyrical song cycle reflecting on colonization, and the double edged sword of religion which can lead to transcendence or tyranny, recorded in Amsterdam in a quartet with Marta Warelis on piano, Aaron Lumley on bass and Sun on Mi Hong on drums, presented in two extended improvisations. ... Click to View


Alexander Schlippenbach von / Daag Magnus Narvesen Duo:
KAIROS (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Marking their decade-long collaboration, pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach and drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen present a dynamic dialogue of free jazz and structured improvisation, blending generational and cultural perspectives into deeply focused and evolving musical narratives, where melodies and rhythmic patterns unfold organically through collective discipline and creativity. ... Click to View


Joe Fonda / Bass of Operation:
w/ Rabinovitz / Lederer / Sorgen (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Performing the lyrical compositions from the band's leader, this quartet — featuring Joe Fonda (bass), Michael Rabinowitz (bassoon), Jeff Lederer (clarinets & flutes), and Harvey Sorgen (drums) — explores a uniquely chamber-like soundscape, blending jazz and classical influences through intricately arranged compositions and inspired improvisations with a distinctively rich and unexpected ensemble voice. ... Click to View


Butcher / Durrant / Wastell:
Around the Square, Above the Hill (Confront)

Two 2024 sessions from the free improvising trio of John Butcher (tenor and soprano saxophones), Phil Durrant (electric mandolin and electronics), and Mark Wastell (drums and percussion): the two-part dialog "Around", recorded live at London's Vortex Jazz Club, and the four-part collective improvisation "Above", captured at The Rose Hill in Brighton, UK. ... Click to View


Peter Brotzmann / Paal Nilssen-Love:
Butterfly Mushroom (Trost Records)

The 2nd volume following Chicken Shit Bingo from a two-day 2015 studio session in Antwerp, capturing the deep rapport and evolving artistry of multi-reedist Peter Brötzmann and drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love through eight powerful and explorative improvisations, reflecting their nearly two-decade collaboration as they experiment with new instruments and demonstrate profound musical expression. ... Click to View


Peter Brotzmann / Paal Nilssen-Love:
Butterfly Mushroom [VINYL] (Trost Records)

The 2nd volume following Chicken Shit Bingo from a two-day 2015 studio session in Antwerp, capturing the deep rapport and evolving artistry of multi-reedist Peter Brötzmann and drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love through eight powerful and explorative improvisations, reflecting their nearly two-decade collaboration as they experiment with new instruments and demonstrate profound musical expression. ... Click to View


ES Trio (Steyer / Kwan / Zerang):
The Foreign In Us (Relative Pitch)

Recorded at Experimental Sound Studios following a powerful and inspired concert at Elastic Arts, this trio captures the distinct musical voices of Edith Steyer (alto saxophone & clarinet), Mabel Kwan (piano), and Michael Zerang (drums & percussion), weaving sound-oriented improvisations and diverse transatlantic influences from Berlin and Chicago. ... Click to View


Clifford Allen:
Singularity Codex: Matthew Shipp On Rogueart [BOOK] (RogueArt)

Price Reduction: Clifford Allen frames the work of pianist Matthew Shipp and his collaborators through his work on the RogueArt label of 25 albums and a book with poet Steve Dalachinsky, providing insight and context into Shipp's music through photographs, essays and interviews with William Parker, Rob Brown, Whit Dickey, Joe Morris, Yuko Otomo, Michel Dorbon, and Jim Clouse. ... Click to View


El Strom :
Long Time No Sea (GRRR)

Recorded across studios in France and Denmark and at the Festival Les Enchanteuses, the charming and experimental trio of Birgitte Lyregaard (vocals), Sacha Gattino (sampler, percussion, zither, &c.), and Jean-Jacques Birge (Theremin, keyboards, reeds, &c.) blend experimental, jazz, rock, and folk influences, in a genre-defying amalgam of songs, free improv, rare instruments, and cutting-edge technology. ... Click to View


Expanse Percussion Edition:
Clang-A-Thon Fantastique (Evil Clown)

Expanding on a decade of exploratory improvisation, this session unites a diverse septet of seasoned and new Evil Clown musicians in a dynamic live performance recorded at Evil Clown Headquarters, blending horns, percussion, electronics, and an extensive array of unique instruments to create concert-length transformations of groove, chaos, and textured sonorities in the ensemble's signature avant-garde aesthetic. ... Click to View


Agusti Fernandez feat. Barry Guy, Don Malfon, John Butcher, Jordina Milla, Liudas Mockunas, Lucia Martinez, Torben Snekkestad, Zlatko Kaucic:
Agusti Fernandez @70 - Aesthetic Of Prisms. [7 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Honoring Agustí Fernández's 70th birthday, this 7-CD box set captures his innovative artistry through live and studio collaborations with performers including Barry Guy, John Butcher, Lucía Martínez, &c., recorded across global venues, showcasing his mastery of the piano, free improvisation, and profound creative dialogue with fellow improvisers. ... Click to View


Zlatko Kaucic (Kaucic / Amado / Dorner / Grom / Guy / Fernandez / Snekkestad):
INKLINGS [4 CD BOX SET] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Marking drummer/percussionist Zlatko Kaučič's 70th birthday, this 4-CD set presents his collaborations with luminaries including Torben Snekkestad, Axel Dörner, Rodrigo Amado, Barry Guy, and Agustí Fernández, blending intimate and transformative improvisations recorded across Slovenian festivals, showcasing Kaučič's mastery and the profound synergy of these exceptional ensembles. ... Click to View


Andrea Centazzo :
Ictus@45 - Out Off Nights [4 CD BOX SET] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Celebrating 50 years of Andrea Centazzo's career and 45 years of ICTUS Records, this 4-CD set documents concerts over four nights at Milan's Teatro Out Off, vibrant sets of improvisation uniting global luminaries like Elliott Sharp, Ellen Burr, and Steve Swell in a boundary-pushing exploration of ICTUS's legacy and Centazzo's innovative artistry. ... Click to View


Painkiller (Harris / Laswell / Zorn):
Samsara (Tzadik)

Originally formed in 1991, the legendary PainKiller trio, known for merging jazz, metal, grindcore, ambient, and dub, returns after more than 25 years to explore an intense new direction, as electronic artist Mick Harris crafts a rich tapestry of beats and sounds, drawing inspired performances from bassist Bill Laswell and alto saxophonist John Zorn. ... Click to View


Sun & Rain (Morgan / Laplante / Smiley / Nazary):
Waterfall [VINYL] (Out Of Your Head Records)

Taking six years to compose through collaborative retreats, this five-part opus blends precision composition and improvisation, with saxophonists Nathaniel Morgan and Travis Laplante, guitarist Andrew Smiley, and drummer Jason Nazary crafting intense, cerebral jazz-rock influenced by art-rock, free jazz, and European experimentalism, resulting in a bold and immersive debut. ... Click to View


Giacomo Merega / Joe Morris:
Opus Dichotomous (Infrequent Seams Records)

Building on their collaborations in the Noah Kaplan Quartet albums on Hat Hut/ezz-thetics — Descendants, Cluster Swerve, and Out of the Hole — bass guitarist Giacomo Merega (also of Dollshot) and guitarist Joe Morris (with pedals) explore intricate and dichotomous interplay, weaving parallel and divergent lines into richly complex interactions, suffused with a deep and resonant sonic richness. ... Click to View


Jason Kahn:
Every Hand Is Lunatic That Travels on the Moon (Editions)

Recorded live at Kunstraum Walcheturm in Zurich, Jason Kahn's voice presents four improvised pieces blending voice, modular synths, and electronics, creating immersive soundscapes that explore sound's spatial and psychological dimensions, released in a limited edition of 100 hand-painted CDs by Editions. ... Click to View


Sun Ra:
Lanquidity (DELUXE EDITION) [VINYL] (STRUT)

Strut's deluxe 25th-anniversary edition of Sun Ra's Lanquidity, a highlight in the Arkestra's discography, features a tip-on sleeve with OBI strip, an A2 poster with a rare Veryl Oakland photograph of Sun Ra, and liner notes by Tom Buchler, Michael Ray, Danny Ray Thompson, and Bob Blank, celebrating this classic with a richly detailed and collectible repress. ... Click to View


Tim Berne (w/ Tom Rainey / Gregg Belisle-Chi):
Yikes Too [2 CDs] (Out Of Your Head Records)

Highlighting the profound skill and musical connection of alto saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey, and guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi, in a captivating journey through meticulously composed pieces, dynamic improvisation, and structured arrangements of spontaneous creativity, across 2 CDs contrasting live and studio recordings that emphasize their exploratory artistry and evolution within creative jazz. ... Click to View


Tim Berne (w/ Rainey / Belisle-Chi):
Yikes [VINYL] (Screwgun/Out Of Your Head Records)

Highlighting the profound skill and musical connection of alto saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey, and guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi, in a captivating journey through meticulously composed pieces, dynamic improvisation, and structured arrangements of spontaneous creativity in a studio recording that emphasize their exploratory artistry and evolution within creative jazz. ... Click to View



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The Squid's Ear

When The Squid's Ear first started it was with the idea of creating a magazine website that emulated the print medium. Hence we created structured covers for each "issue," which were purportedly delivered quarterly. Below are the 6 issues from our first 2 years.

The Squid's Ear 1st Or So
Anniversary Issue


Squid's Ear 1st Anniversary
Illustration: Madeleine Fix


FEATURES

    EEwAP+JB(10)
        Ellery Eskelin's Trio with Andrea Parkins and Jim Black
        Mark 10 Years Together

        By Kurt Gottschalk

    The Best Kept Secret in the East
        Tom Rainey Sits Behind the Kit for Tim Berne,
        Mark Helias and Tony Malaby. Surely You've Noticed

        By Matt Rand
         An Earful of Rainey
        By Steve Smith



FESTIVAL REVIEW

    Flying through Vancouver
        The 16th Annual Time Flies Festival
        By Paul Serralheiros



BOOK REVIEWS

    Helen Stapinski - Baby Plays Around (Villard)
        By Kristen Persinos

    Steve Dollar - Jazz Guide to New York City
    (The Little Bookroom)
        By Kurt Gottschalk


10 Pauline Oliveros Okk Yung Lee Steppenwolf XXXXX
The Best of
Last Year
Pauline Oliveros
on the Accordion
Okkyung Lee
Travelogue
Our Own
Bottom Shelf
Editorials










Previously Featured at The Squid's Ear

December 2003

Squid Sax SAXOPHONE TRIO

    Singing at the Threshold
        Kali Fasteau's Lifetime of
        Listening and Playing

        By James Keepnews

    Berlitz Jazz
        David Murray's Musical Travels
        By Kurt Gottschalk

    John Butcher
        Improvising from a
        Sound Perspective

        By Marc Chénard




    Outside the Chicken Shack
            Lars Hollmer Brings Sammla Mammas Manna to the U.S.
        By William Burke

    Festival Reviews

        Fiasco in Chicago
            The 2003 Jazz Festival, and the Story that Needn't Be Told
            By Kurt Gottschalk

        Guelph's Caring Adventure
            The Little Engine in Ontario
            By Mike Chamberlain

    Book Review

        John Fahey's Vampire Vultures
            By Kurt Gottschalk


Johnny Cash RIAA Marc Ribot Italian Flag Cabaret Laws
Ameri-chord: Johnny Cash Remembered The Upside of Dowloading Marc Ribot's Musical Activism Jim Pugliese's Travelogue Cheek to Cheek Misdemeanors






Previously Featured at The Squid's Ear

October 2003




Overview:

    Mike Hammer, Les Baxter and the Jewish People
    The Many Tribes of John Zorn
    By Skip Heller

    Charming the Cobra
    A first-hand account of organizing a performance of John Zorn's most famous game piece
    By Eyal Hareuveni



Interview:

    12 Stories About John Zorn and One About A Fan
    Claudia Heuermann's Documentary Shows Musician and Filmmaker in Action
    By Kurt Gottschalk

    Op Ed: The Zorn Non-Inteview
    Ah, John, We Hardly Knew Ye




In Review:

    A Month of Zorndays
    John Zorn's 50th Birthday Celebration at Tonic
    Updated througout the month!



Critics Picks: John Zorn on Record





July 2003



Susie Ibarra

Susie's Aria
Drummer Susie Ibarra Premieres her first Opera
By Steve Smith

Great Minds at Play
Finding Art in Science, Monthly at Cornelia Street Cafe
By Matt Rand

Goth Pop, The Ocean and Radio Shack
The Unique Sensibilities of Marianne Nowottny
By Florence Wetzel

Stop and Smell the Sewers
Psychogeographers Strive to Slow the Nonstop City
By Kurt Gottschalk and Urania Mylonas

Free Music Missionary or Professional Juggler
Evan Parker Discusses Four Decades in Free Improvisation
By Marc Chenard

Festival Reviews:

    Big Sounds in a Small Town
    The Victoriaville Festival celebrates, or at least notices, its 20th anniversary
    By Kurt Gottschalk

    Visions from the Past
    The 2003 Vision Festival Resurrects Legends from the '60s
    By Kurt Gottschalk
        Sound and Vision 2002
        Thirsty Ear's Vision Festival CD/DVD Reviewed


Op-Ed:

    Irving Stone Remembered,
    The Jazz Journalists Awards Noted,
    The Knitting Factory Lamented


 
Butch Morris
Butch Morris Interviewed Derek Bailey on the Guitar Perry Robinson on the Clarinet Anthony Coleman's Bottom Shelf


April 2003



Fred Frith

Destruction and Creativity
Fred Frith in Montreal
By Mike Chamberlain
    An Earful of Fred
    By Len 37 Siegfried

When They Write the Book
Pianist Lewis Porter's Creates an Encyclopedia of Jazz
By Matt Rand

Festival Reviews:

    Sound in the Balance
    Amplify 2003: Elemental
    By Nirav Soni
        An Electroacoustic Ear
        By Nirav Soni

    Swiss Harmony Knife
    Notes from After Yodel: New Swiss Music
    By Kurt Gottschalk




January 2003





Peter Kowald and the New York Unity Village
By Mike Heffley

Separatism and Sound in French Quebec
By Mike Chamberlain

Freedom of Suppression
By Urania Mylonas

The Manhattan Listening Tour
By Nirav Soni

With the Infidel
By Jon Rose

In the Air There's a Feeling of Boombox
By Kurt Gottschalk

Peter Kowald


The Squid's Ear presents
reviews about releases
sold at Squidco.com
written by
independent writers.

Squidco


Recent Selections @ Squidco:


Steve Lacy Three:
Live Lugano 1984 -
First Visit
[CD + 2 POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by
Hat Hut RecordsLtd)



Lotte Anker /
Kamil Piotrowicz /
Jacob Anderskov:
Antiworld I
(Listen! Foundation (
Fundacja Sluchaj!))



Sophie Agnel /
John Butcher:
RARE
(Les Disques Victo)



Joke Lanz /
Dieb13 :
Musical Education
(Klanggalerie)



Peter Brotzmann /
Paal Nilssen-Love:
Butterfly Mushroom
(Trost Records)



El Strom :
Long Time No Sea
(GRRR)



Alexander von Schlippenbach /
Daag Magnus Narvesen
Duo:
KAIROS
(Listen! Foundation (
Fundacja Sluchaj!))



Joe Fonda /
Bass of Operation:
w/ Rabinovitz /
Lederer /
Sorgen
(Listen! Foundation (
Fundacja Sluchaj!))



John Dikeman /
Sun-Mi Hong /
Aaron Lumley /
Marta Warelis:
Old Adam on
Turtle Island
(Relative Pitch)



Painkiller (
Harris /
Laswell /
Zorn):
Samsara
(Tzadik)



Sun & Rain (
Morgan /
Laplante /
Smiley /
Nazary):
Waterfall
[VINYL]
(Out Of Your Head Records)



Andrea Centazzo:
Ictus@45 -
Out Off Nights
[4 CD BOX SET]
(Listen! Foundation (
Fundacja Sluchaj!))



Zlatko Kaucic (
Kaucic /
Amado /
Dorner /
Grom /
Guy /
Fernandez /
Snekkestad):
INKLINGS
[4 CD BOX SET]
(Listen! Foundation (
Fundacja Sluchaj!))



Agusti Fernandez feat.
Barry Guy,
Don Malfon,
John Butcher,
Jordina Milla,
Liudas Mockunas,
Lucia Martinez,
Torben Snekkestad,
Zlatko Kaucic:
Agusti Fernandez @70
-
Aesthetic Of Prisms.
[7 CDs]
(Listen! Foundation (
Fundacja Sluchaj!))



Michael Sarian /
Matthew Putman /
Ledian Mola /
Federico Ughi:
The Sea,
The Space,
and Egypt,
Vol. 1
(577 Records)



Trance Map (
Evan Parker /
Matthew Wright):
Horizons Held Close
(Relative Pitch)



Tim Berne (
w/ Tom Rainey /
Gregg Belisle-Chi):
Yikes Too
[2 CDs]
(Out Of Your Head Records)



Butcher /
Davies /
Sanders /
Thomas:
Unlockings
[VINYL]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)



Butcher /
Davies /
Sanders /
Thomas:
Lower Marsh
[VINYL]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)



Burkhard Beins (
w/ Dorner /
Elieh /
Ermke /
Neumann /
Renkel /
Tuerlinckx /
Zapparoli):
Eight Duos
[3 LPs]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)







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