Jon Irabagon | Hernani Faustino | Gabriel Ferrandini | Absolute Zero | Not Two Records

Jon Irabagon impresses with his authoritative, bold sound that sometimes recalls Coleman Hawkins as much as anyone. But Irabagon is a sensitive player for the 21st century, with winding, confident lines that snake in and out of conventional harmonies and a deep understanding of melody. He is just as effective on the understated compositions on album.” — Steven Loewy, All Music Guide Continue reading

Satoko Fujii Ma-Do | Time Stands Still | Not Two Records

SATOKO FUJII MA-DO is a quartet I formed in October 2007 with Natsuki Tamura, Norikatsu Koreyasu, and Akira Horikoshi. Though the format turned out to be a standard one-horn quartet, I wasn’t thinking about instrumentation when I invited these members to join me. Any time two or more people gather together, they create a “society.” What I wanted to do was make a society composed of these four individuals, I was absolutely sure that a very interesting society would arise from their particular combination of musical abilities and personalities.– SATOKO FUJII [July 19, 2012] Continue reading

Konstrukt (feat. Peter Brötzmann | H. Ertunç | D. Doğusel | B. Tan Özemek | Eklisia Sunday | Not Two Records

Eklisia Sunday (Not Two) was recorded near Bodrum, Turkey on May 15 2011, seven months before the Wels festival. The event presumably marked the belated release of a Konstrukt/Brötzmann album, Dolunay (ARES), which they had recorded in 2008. Konstrukt is an Istanbul-based improv group; not one I’ve previously known, although it also collaborated in 2011 both with Marshall Allen and—as documented on the album Live at Akbank Jazz Festival (Re:konstruKt)—Evan Parker. The usual Konstrukt lineup—Korhan Futaci, tenor & soprano saxophones; Umut Çağlar, electric guitar; Özün Usta, double bass, djembe, gong, bells; Korhan Argüden, drums and “old k zildjian cymbals” — here becomes an septet with the addition of Brötzmann (tenor & alto saxophones, clarinet) and additional guests: Hüseyin Ertunç, acoustic piano, küstüfon, gong; and Doğan Doğusel, double bass, küstüfon. An eighth player, Barlas Tan Özemek stands in for Umut Çağlar on the third and longest track. — Dalston Sound Continue reading

Christian Skår Winther | Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard | Joakim Heibø Johansen | Mats Gustafsson | Ich Bin Nintendo & Mats Gustafsson | Va Fongool Records

The three wildlings in ICH BIN N!NTENDO trooped up with The Thing’s critically acclaimed saxophone player, Mats Gustafsson, on their debute album released in october, 2012. Recording it during a live gig in Oslo, they managed to fully absorb the ultimate scolding energy of trembling musicians the album deserved and would not get from any studio. To fulfill the noise-soundscape to this record, Lasse Marhaug mixed and mastered it to perfection. ICH BIN N!NTENDO is a purely improvised trio and can be compared to bands like The Ex and the more experimental releases from ZU. Though, in the company with Mats Gustafsson, the closest comparison would be, if anything, the Original Silence recordings. Continue reading

Halvor Meling | Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson | Jan Martin Gismervik | Wolfram | Va Fongool Records

Wolfram Trio is a group that seeks inspiration in acoustic free jazz, with heroes such as Eric Dolphy, Albert Ayler, Peter Brotzman and Even Parker. Wolfram plays a mixture of improvised music and their own compositions. The three members in Wolfram is also very good friends and therefor it is very fun for them to play together, as if the musical amusement should not be enough. On April the 20th, 2012, they gave out their debut album «Wolfram», labeled as acoustic speed-improv. Full of fierce energy, this is a great listen for all fans of improvised music. The album was recorded in Stavanger, Norway, 8th -9th of september 2011, and is produced, mixed and mastered by Frode Gjerstad. Continue reading

Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson | Jan Martin Gismervik | PGA | Va Fongool Records

Va Fongool is proud to present the duo PGA consisting of Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson on the double bass (Wolfram Trio, Moskus, Skadedyr) and Jan Martin Gismervik on drums (Sagstuen, Karokh, Wolfram Trio). After many years of cooperation and sharing the joy of playing in each others company, they´re now ready with their debut album “Corrections”.

PGA works with a clear framework and specific ideas, and delves deeply into the basic elements, which form the basis for their improvisation. This adds an originality and uniqueness to the music that also have been further fulfilled by the guest musicians Torstein Lavik Larsen on trumpet and Henrik Munkeby Nørstebø on trombone. Corrections is both extremely silent and minimalistic, and really intense at the same time, and provides a unique listening experience where you get sucked into the sounds of the PGA world. To complete the overall thoughts the German artist Danny Gretsch made the cover design. Recording and mixing are done by Greener Productions, while the Italian Guiseppe Ielasi did the mastering. Continue reading

Harvey Sorgen | Herb Robertson | Steve Rust | Rumble Seat | Not Two Records

Harvey Sorgen – drums and sounds | Herb Robertson – trumpets and sounds | Steve Rust – basses and sounds Recorded and mixed Jan, 2008 at Applehead Studios, Woodstock, N Y. Engineered by Michael Birnbaum. Mastered by Ted Orr at Serto Studios, Woodstock, NY. Design by Marek Wajda. All compositions by Sorgen – Rust – Roberston, except “Beauty in the Fan” written by Harvey Sorgen. Continue reading