''Produced and arranged by enigmatic mystical traveller Eyvind Kang, Blue Marble is a CD of surreal folk songs by singer/songwriter Aiko Shimada. Born in Japan and now based in Seattle, Aiko's music is fresh, original and heartfelt. For this latest rel...

"David Simons is an enigmatic figure in the Moondog/Partch mold who has been doing things his own peculiar way for decades. An instrument builder and virtuoso thereminist, David has written music for theater, dance, film, sound installations and...

For over thirty years Alvin Singleton has been devising compositions blending written music with improvisation in the restrictive world of contemporary concert music. His work skillfully joins the European tradition of Lutoslawski and Ligeti with the A...

Ches Smith : drums, xylophone, timpani, glockenspiel, chimes, tam-tam, small percussion

“One of the most versatile and in-demand percussionists in the Downtown scene, Ches has worked with everyone from Marc Ribot, Tim Berne, and Dave Holland to Secret Chiefs 3, Terry Riley, and John Zorn. He has released over a dozen CDs under his own name in duo, trio, quartet, and large group contexts—and for his first CD for Tzadik he has recorded his first solo project.
Performing on drums, percussion...

''A longtime dream project of Wadada Leo Smith, one of creative music's most original voices, Tzadik is proud to present the first recording by a modern jazz supergroup. The four instrumental giants that comprise the Golden Quartet are veterans of some...

A relentless musical innovator since his early days in the Chicago AACM, Wadada Leo Smith is one of the most consistently creative composer/performers in new music. In his sixth Tzadik release he once again explores new territory, bringing six absolute...

This is a re-recording of an early 1970's release that was originally released on Leo's own label. It is ''is one of the most important extended compositions blending improvisationand composition, and one of Leo Smith's masterpieces. This exciting new ...

"Tzadik introduces its new SPECTRUM series with a very special and exciting new group featuring three of the most creative wind players in new music. Friends and colleagues since the ’70s, these three musicians share a vision of improvisation and...

An exciting meeting of two eclectic Jewish masters. Ronny Someck, a poet born in Iraq, now living in Israel and composer Elliott Sharp born in Cleveland, now living in NYC. Revenge... is a collaboration of sounds -- sounds as word and sounds as music, ...

Tim Sparks-Little Princess $13.00 "Another fabulous CD of traditional Jewish music arranged for fingerstyle guitar and performed by the wonderful trio of Tim Sparks, Greg Cohen and Cyro Baptista, whose CD Tanz was released in 2000 to great acclaim...

''Following the success of his first CD for Tzadik, Neshamah, the amazing Tim Sparks is joined here by extraordinary bassist Greg Cohen (Masada, The Charms of the Night Sky) and Brazilian percussionist Cryo Baptista (Herbie Hancock, Laurie Anderson) fo...

"Splintered Stories is the brilliant new CD by Sam Eastmond of the Spike Orchestra, whose sparkling arrangements of Masada compositions were a highlight of both "The Book of Angels" and Zorn's Book "Beri'ah."
Filled with startling instrumental colors, fiery solos, driving rhythms and moody harmonies, the music is brilliantly performed by this tight 15-piece big band and lovingly mixed by Marc Urselli. Cutting edge big band music for the 21st century by one of the most powerful ensembles working today!

One of the originators of the Klezmer Revival, Andy Statman is one of the most important figures in modern Jewish Music. A talented instrumentalist, composer and bandleader, his recent music looks out from the traditional towards a more modern Jewish s...

''Sung's debut album, a collection of his works from 1992 to '95, was never intended for commercial release. The subject matter of this work is deeply personal, dealing with the people and things around him, especially his family and friends, and as su...

The talented singer from After Dinner, an environmental composer now living in New York, a legendary pioneer of laptop electronics and a multi-instrumentalist from Kansai come together to create a beautiful CD of experimental pop songs. Working togethe...

Showcasing the inspired, quirky lunacy that seems to only be possible in Japan, Syzygys was a remarkable instrumental duo of two women who performed original pop songs...built upon the framework of Harry Partch's 43 notes to the octave microtonal organ(!!!!) as well as synthesizer, violin, viola, oud, fretless bass and vocals. If I didn't know that it really were true, I wouldn't have believed it possible, but here it is! It also features guests on guitar (including, in another unbelievable twist...

“Craig Taborn and Vadim Neselovskyi are two of the most acclaimed and brilliant pianists working today and here they perform a select set of Masada compositions in solo, duo and trio permutations. Created as a bonus disc for the "Book Beri'ah," it is a beautiful program and highlights the incredible versatility of the Masada compositions themselves as well as and the stunning virtuosity and imaginative creativity of these two keyboard masters. Featuring pieces for solo piano, two amazing piano duets...

''One of the foremost pianists of the 20th century, composer Yuji Takahashi makes a long-awaited return to solo piano composition along with intriguing works for shamisen, bass shamisen and sho (Japanese mouth organ), applying his own techniques to the...

"David Taylor is one of the world's greatest virtuosos on the bass trombone—a musician of incredible charisma and eclecticism who has worked with everyone from Gil Evans, Charles Wuorinen, and Frank Sinatra, to Yo-Yo Ma, Barbara Streisand, Duke...

Trevor Dunn: Bass
Louie Belogenis: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Ryan Sawyer: Drums

“Remaining true to the alchemical beginner’s mind, Terton is a band that places exploration and improvisation first and foremost. Featuring saxophonist Louie Belogenis, bassist Trevor Dunn, and drummer Ryan Sawyer, the music pushes the envelope of free jazz and points in many directions at once. In Tibetan Buddhism, a terton uncovers and reveals esoteric spiritual teachings currently unknown and...

This was written by me a long time ago, long before we worked together on their unbelievably great final album, Namesake Caution. But you can still see my enthusiasm, which would only get greater!

This is the fourth album by this NYC-based band. I heard their previous album and it was very good, but of lesser interest to the readers of this catalog, whereas this one hits closer to the spot, I think.

"Time of Orchids blurs the line between metal, classical and industrial with stunning...

Adachi Tomomi Royal Chorus is an experimental vocal group based in Tokyo. Drawing upon influences as diverse as the Fluxus movement, hardcore punk, contemporary classical, TV commercials, cartoon music, Conceptual Art and more, Adachis complex composit...

"A lynchpin of the Oakland rock/improv scene and now based in Brooklyn, Ava Mendoza has been taking Downtown NY by storm, performing with many of the best musicians around and leading her own dynamite bands. Her cutting edge guitar playing is front and center here in nine hard-edged and steely blues-tinged rock instrumentals. With a twisted sensibility and plenty of shredding, psychedelic effects and surprises, the music features Tim Dahl (Child Abuse, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, Pulverize the Sound) on bass...

I gotta say that Bolan was never one of my personal favorites, although I did buy one 45 by T. Rex when I was 12. Arto Lindsay, Vernon Reid, Marc Ribot & Buckethead, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Chris Cochrane & others play the music of man so in touch with...

'Tom Cora's premature death in 1997 was a tragic blow to contemporary music. One of the founding members of the downtown improvising scene, Tom was a vital member of some of the most important cutting-edge groups of the the past twenty years, including...