Digital

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten New York Quartet

2012

"Together, this drummer-less quartet floats differing pulses, favoring interactions such as the conversation between Morris and Flaten on "Pent," and Wooley's fluttering notes against bowed bass on "Knicks." The startling speed of "Giants" represents a heart-pounding four minutes of spontaneous felicity, while Wooley and Flaten open "As If" by setting the table for the quartet's harmonies. McPhee and Morris slide inside this and other pieces, working each track and maintaining the originator's framework. Each brief improvisation—the longest running 9:34 and the shortest a brief 2:13—is a well-woven tapestry of sound."

Atomic / School Days

2004

"The 3rd release by Ken Vandermark's School Days is a double CD of studio material recorded with the Oslo quintet Atomic. Both bands have the same rhythm section of Paal Nilssen-Love on drums and Ingebrigt HÂker Flaten on bass. The group includes Magnus Broo: trumpet, Jeb Bishop: trombone, Fredrik Liungkvist: reeds, Ken Vandermark: reeds, Hevard Wiik: piano & Kjell Nordeson: vibraphone. 9 new compositions 1 each by all the members (2 by Mr. Liungkvist)."

Ken Vandermark & Barry Guy

2015

"For British bassist Barry Guy the concert that produced this fine double disc package occurred at the end of a four day intensive residency in Krakow culminating in the premier of an ambitious new work by his Blue Shroud Band. While for Chicago reedman Ken Vandermark, the event was the final episode in two months on the road. But whether relief or exhaustion were the dominant feelings, neither resulted in any lowering of standards or resting on laurels. Occasional Poems captures in unvarnished fidelity both sets in their entirety from the storied Alchemia club before a packed and enthusiastic audience."

Tim Daisy

2014

"Relay Records is proud to present the latest release in it’s catalog: “October Music (vol 1) 7 Compositions For Duet” (relay 009) documents a set of duet compositions written by Chicago based percussionist Tim Daisy, each piece performed in a duo format, and each written specifically for seven Chicago based musician"

Tim Daisy

2018

"Relay Records is proud to present the third volume in it’s October Music catalog: "Tim Daisy October Music (vol 3) 7 Compositions For Duet" (relay 024) documents a set of new compositions written by Chicago based percussionist and composer Tim Daisy; each work performed in a duo format and written specifically for these seven Chicago based musicians. "

Joe McPhee & Jerome Bourdellon

2016

David Grubbs / Mats Gustafsson

2002

"Their second duo recording, the follow-up to 1999's Apertura. Off-Road finds the two of them forsaking their earlier, glacially meditative m.o. for a shower of digitally recomposed slivers, the metal-on-metal timbre of a saxophone equipped with contact mics, Grubbs's chiming electric guitar, and Gustafsson's pro rhythm analog synthesizer clipped to the bell of his horn."

Jeb Bishop & Tim Daisy

2012

"Daisy and Bishop eschew the groove-oriented nature of some of their larger groups, namely The Engines and Vandermark 5. Old Shoulders is heavy on smart and playful extended investigations of textures and tones, of atmosphere and mood more than rhythm, aggression or melody."

Trio X

2001

"With the caliber of musicians comprising the trio, it is not surprising that there is a consistently high quality to these unusual interpretations, which, for the most part, merely hint at recognizable melodies. For example, "Monkin' Around" skirts around "Blue Monk" without totally absorbing it, while "My Funny Valentine" just touches on the melody. - Steve Loewy, AllMusic"

Günter Christmann / Mats Gustafsson

1997

"this is music that challenges as it subverts, its highly esoteric, yet disarmingly attractive lines an attractive hook. Highly ambitious, subtly exciting, and always formidable, Christmann and Gustafsson make a delightfully revolutionary pair. Not easy listening, but rewarding listening, and continuously challenging listening, these guys shake the heavens with heartfelt cries of mercy. There are no liner notes but what could be said? Powerful stuff, but you have to look below the surface."

Vandermark / Drake / Trovalusci / Ceccarelli

2020

"The music on Open Border defies musical conventions and boundary lines. Instead it focuses on a search for creative ground without categories. It is a recording of improvised music invented at the highest level, spontaneous and timeless, energized and austere, always exhilarating. "

Anders Jormin / Christian Jormin / Mats Gustafsson

1996

"Recorded at Bohus Sound Recording May 1996 and mixed at Orca Musicproduktion June 1996 it follows the encounter of Mats Gustafsson with Anders and Christian Jormin."

Powerhouse Sound

2007

"Vandermark conceived Powerhouse Sound in the summer of 2005 to explore composition focusing on the bass, rather than writing from the proverbial "top down." Inspired by the rhythms of James Brown, the dub experiments of Lee Perry, and the textural collages of Public Enemy, Vandermark arrived at a concept more funky, electronic and rockin' than anything he's done before."

ADA

2013

ADA

2013

"The ADA Trio of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love performing live at Cafe OTO in London on February 20, 2012, joined by percussionist Steve Noble"

Otomo Yoshihide & Paal Nilssen-Love

2014

Powerhouse Sound

2010

Double Tandem

2012

"Double Tandem has build up music whose real expression lies below the surface. It injects an unsettling sleaziness into a funny, occasionally wild and boastful collection of tracks that walk the line between postmodernism and sincerity. The tracks are all living, breathing entities, not blank slates to project my plain ideas and desires of how to review music on. This is music about honesty and truthfulness."

Mats Gustafsson

2020

"Available to exclusively to Catalytic Sound members. For more info on this and other perks, visit https://www.patreon.com/catalyticsound"

XT

2016

"Pah’ is a monolithic document of the shared improvisational language of saxophonist Seymour Wright and percussionist Paul Abbott, also known as XT...Recorded live in 2015 at London’s Café Oto, the duo almost immediately ejects/(r)ejects the typical free jazz tropes as Abbott and Wright spin off into conflicting repetitions and cycles, only to morph and move again just at the point that the listener becomes comfortable. "