The Room Behind The Clock

One more set of selections out of the bottomless 80's underground deposit.

01What To Wear The robbery (1980)
02 Sub  Verse Science of fear (1981)
03 Yeah Jazz Julie and the sealions (1984)
04 Hellfire Club phases (1982)
05 Proof Of Utah Betty's pleasure (1984)
06 Bamboo Zoo Submarine (1981)
07 Eton Crop He didn't say anything (1984)
08 Observers This age (1980)
09 Matthew Young Objects in mirror (1986)
10 Nick Haeffner Breaths (1987)
11 Essential Bop Cenotaph (1985)
12 Brotherhood Of Lizards Clockwork train (1989)
13 Protege Protection (1980)
14 Gardez Darkx Bliss (1979)
15 Turquoise Swimming Pools Burst Balloons (1982)
16 22 Beaches Dust (1984)
17 41 Degrees White flowers (1982)
18 Front Lawn I 'll never have anything more (1989)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Listen Here

V.A. In His Own Sweet Way, A tribute to Dave Brubeck (Japan, 2000)

Fourteen Downtown (or Downtown-related) avantgardists celebrate the work of the famous jazzman, pianist, composer Dave Brubeck (who passed away just recently -December 2012). The artists not only leave the clear mark of their own idiosyncracy on the compositions but in many occasions their imaginative approach creates a surprisingly big distance from the originals. Nevertheless this "unfaithfulness" seems to work fine! The music is amusing and very eclectic; the overall result gives true honours to the innovative side of the legendary artist, revealing as well the deep influence of Brubeck's spirit in some of the most forward-acting musicians of the recent times. Released on John Zorn's Avant label in 2000.

01 Dave Slusser Blue Shadows In The Street
02 Uri Caine Far More Blues
03 Pachora  In Your Own Sweet Way
04 Bill Frisel Summer Song
05 Ruins Blue Rondo A La Turk
06 Medeski, Martin &Wood Tokyo Traffic
07 Antony Coleman The Duke
08 Eyvind Kang Calcutta Blues
09 Slowpoke Sixth Sense
10 Erik Friedlander Winter Ballad
11 Sex Mob Jumping
12 Dave Douglas Nomad
13 Joey Baron Three To Get Ready
14 David Krakauer Golden Horn

In His Own Sweet Way

Spun Out Of Time: 80s-90s Italian Psych

Artifacts from the 80s and 90s italian garage revival & psychedelic scene. A LFDJ compilation including -as usual- some rare or obscure stuff.

01 Acid Flowers Sancho Panza
(from "Lucifer's Friends", v/a, 1987)
02 Peter Sellers & The Hollywood Party apples & oranges
("Peter Sellers & The Hollywood Party", 1987)
03 Effervescent Elephants something to say
("Something To Say", 1987)
04 Birdmen Of Alkatraz dreamin' demon
("Glidin' Off", 1987)
05 Head & The Hares i think i'm going insane
("Head & The Hares", 1993)
06 King Holiday & The Shadowmen the king is back
("Lucifer's Friends", v/a, 1987)
07 The Backwards portrait (of an unbalanced mind)
("Eerie Thoughts Collection", 1990)
08 Not Moving baron samedi
("Strange dolls", 7'', 1982)
09 Birdmen Of Alkatraz sea of shadows
("From The Birdcage", 1989)
10 Peter Sellers & The Hollywood Party too much time
("To Make A Romance Out Of Swiftness", 1989)
11 Head & The Hares one against the world
("Autumn Songbook", 1998)
12 The Backwards she stared at her own feet
("Eerie Thoughts Collection", 1990)
13 Kim Squad & Dinah Shore Zeekapers macaibo
("Young Bastards", 1987)
14 No Strange scopro le carte
("L'Universo", 1987)
15 Gli Avvoltoi giardino dei fiori
("Il Nostro E Solo Un Mondo Beat", 1988)
16 Steeplejack and you walked away
("Pow Wow", 1988)
17 Peter Sellers & The Hollywood Party peter sellers
("Swiftness EP", 1989 )

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Listen here

Red Flame - Ink Records

Activated quite ambitiously in the field of 80's indie music, Red Flame and Ink Records, the two associated London based labels, presented an eclectic gamut of works (ranging from new wave and synth pop to post punk, industrial, experimental...) created mainly by british and australian artists. A sampler with representative selections from Red Flame / Ink Records catalogues you can listen here:

Red Flame - Ink Records
01 Dif Juz roy's tray
(from "Who Says So?", ep, RFM24, 1983)
02 Shiny Two Shiny grey
("Halfway Across The Rainbow", lp, RFM16, 1982)
03 Artery afterwards
("Oceans", ep, RFM4, 1982)
04 Decorators absent friends
("Tablets", lp, RF1, 1982)
05 Blurt arthur
("Blurt", lp, RF6, 1982)
06 The Nightingales insurance
("Hysterics", lp, INK001, 1983)
07 Philip Boa don't pull my whole life away
("Aristocracie", lp, RF52, 1986)
08 Camberwell Now green lantern
("The Ghost Trade", lp, INK19, 1986)
09 Moodists she cackles
("The Disciples Know", single, RF721, 1983)
10 Tactics hard hat nine iron
("Blue &White Future Whale", lp, RF58, 1988)
11 The Room Naive
("Jackpot Jack E.P.", ep, RF1242, 1985)
12 Severed Heads army
("Come Visit The Big Bigot", lp, INK22, 1986)
13 Pinkie Maclure different world
("Unman", lp, MINK21, 1986)
14 Patrik Fitzgerald domestication
("Drifting Towards Violence", lp, 1983)
15 Ruby Blue wintery day
("Glances Askances", lp, RF53, 1987)
16 Carmel track of my tears
("Carmel", mlp, RFM9, 1982)
17 C Cat Trance miss manners
("Khamu", lp, INK006, 1985)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

link   

The Geography Of Sound

A musical journey through the paths of Ethno-Jazz and World music.

BADAWI a voice from six corners (from "The Heretic Of Ether", 1999, U.S.A.) 

YASUAKI SHIMIZU  Utukushiki tennen ("Kakashi", 1982, Japan)

LOWZYL/TIMANSKI/ KLEBBA/CHANDRAN afrodyzjak ("Nisani", 1999, Poland)

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS Fui piedra ("Navigatore", 2001, France)

CARLO ACTIS DATO QUARTET Bossa di mafia ("Fes Montuno", 2000, Italy)

UNE ANCHE PASSE Chanson du feu follet ("Serpent d' Etoiles", 1997, France)

FREY/TIEPOLD/THIERFELDER Tabasheer ("Ziyada", 1979, Germany)

FLORIDIS/SKOPELITIS/TEMIZ pitch ("Our Trip So Far", 2001, Greece)

MARCO ZURZOLO Chi e...n' aggie capito... chi e ("Pulcinella", 2002, Italy)

LA KUMPANIA ZELWER C'est pas tous les jours shabbat ("Daissa", 2003, France)

ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ Cuando vuelvo a tu lado ("Cuba Linda", 1996, Cuba)

MIRTHA POZZI ceci-cela ("Acadacoual", 1996, Uruguay)

MEGADRUMS (REINHARD FLATISCHLER) Mahakal ("Layers Of Time", 1996, Austria)

FODAY MUSA SUSO spring waterfall ("Jali Kunda: Griots Of West Africa..", 1996)

MALHERBE/ELHRICH  Caspienne blues ("Hadouk", 1999, France)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Listen (approx. 68 min.)

Australian Compilations Vol.5

The fifth part of LaFolieDuJour tribute to australian acts.

Severed Heads in flesh (v.a. Live At The Wireless, ep, 1983)
Birds Of Tin Slothy tank (ep, 1981)
Wreckery bending the bars ("Laying Down Law", 1988)
The Moodists chatter shapes ("Engine Shudder", 1983)
Naked Lunch teenage blues ("Little Too Late", single, 1986)
Crystal Set drop in the ocean (single, 1985)
Bo-Weevils illusions ("Where Particular People Congregate",1989)
Pray TV where do i get off ("Swingers Paradise", 1994)
Celibate Rifles back on the corner ("On The Quiet", 1996)
Kim Salmon & The Surrealists sea anemone ("Essence", 1991)
Tendrils Hands are tied ("Soaking Red", 1998)
My Friend The Chocolate Cake algeria ("Good Luck", 1996)
Jackson Code do you feel the pull ("Things you need", 1995)
Steve Kilbey shell ("This Asphalt Eden", single, 1985)
Not Drowning, Waving another pond ("Another Pond", 1984)

Volume 5

A Sudden Stroll

One hour in the company of the "small heroes" of 80's...

ALGEBRA SUICIDE horizon
("Big Skin", cassette, 1986)
POLISH AUGUST ten tips for beautiful nails
("No Platform For Heels", V.A., LP, 1982)
PERFORMING FERRET BAND bar room
("Performing Ferret Band", LP, 1981)
FACTION tired of love
("Faction", LP, 1981)
METHODISHCA TUNE orchestras
("Orchestras", 7'', 1981)
THE PLUGS bat brain moon man boiler boy
("Rupert Preaching At A Picnic", V.A., LP, 1981)
SCREEN 3 the dividing line
("Come Into My Jungle", 7'', 1983)
CAS CARNABY 5 death of a 1000 public houses
("Mr Morris' Funeral", LP, 1988)
INCA BABIES ramblin' man
("Opium Den", mLP, 1987)
THE LEGEND! talk open
("Some Of Us Still Burn", EP, 1985)
YEAH YEAH NOH prick up your ears [peel session]
("Fun On The Lawn Lawn Lawn", LP, 1986)
4000000 TELEPHONES we' re not coming out
("4000000 Telephones", LP, 1985)
IN EMBRACE to friends (an open letter)
("Passionfruit Pastels", LP, 1982)
THE LINES blow a kiss
("Therapy", LP, 1981)
JESUS COULDN'T DRUM frosty
("Ruttling Orange Peel & Blind Lemon Pie", LP, 1988)
SCATTERBRAINS lopen
("Musical Marriage", LP, 1983)
ZRU VOGUE do the zru
("Zru Vogue", LP, 1982)
D.J. LEBOWITZ holiday in cambodia
("Beautiful Hapiness", V.A., LP, 1988)
HAIGINSHA lusefeea
("Obscure Independent Classics vol.4", V.A., 1987)

A Sudden Stroll (19track comp. -by LaFolieDuJour )

Y RECORDS: Adventures In Rhythm

Y Records was one of the Rough Trade associated independent record companies, and one which paved the way for the evolution of  funk-dub-ska-jazz influences in post-punk/new wave era. The label was created in 1980 by music producer-manager Dick O'Dell and hosted several bands, specially ones derived from Bristol's indie scene: The Pop Group, Glaxo Babies, Pigbag, Mouth, Maximum Joy...
Y lasted up to mid-80s; then became part of bigger music companies.
Most well known artists: Pigbag and (early) Shriekback. A remarkable Y release: Sun Ra's legendary single "Nuclear War" (1982).

The Y Collection 
01 MOUTH take your coat off (1982)
02 MAXIMUM JOY building bridges (1982)
03 PULSALLAMA devil lives in my husband's boby (1982)
04 POP GROUP colour blind (1980)
05 SHRIEKBACK my spine (is the bassline) (1982)
06 CHRIS REEVES after the romance (1982)
07 PIGBAG six of one... (1982)
08 TESCO BOMBERS hernando's hideaway (1982)
09 MAXIMUM JOY man of tribes (1982)
10 THE VINCENT UNITS carnival song (1981)
11 SHRIEKBACK despite dense weed (1982)
12 PIGBAG dozo don (1982)
13 DISCONNECTION bali ha'i (1982)
14 SHRIEKBACK mothloop (1982)
15 GLAXO BABIES dahij (1980)
16 SUN RA nuclear war (1982)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Y Records  

Polish Avant Jazz, The Yass Scene

Milosc

Trytony

Jacek Olter

Mikolaj Trzaska

Yass forms one of the most interesting chapters in history of recent polish music. As a term, Yass, used  initially at the dawn of 90's by the avant-jazz outfit Milosc in order to describe the band's musical differentation to Polish Jazz status of that time. Not much after though, the term extended its meaning to manifest the innovative music direction  of many other similar bands, (activated mainly in the cities of Gdansk and Bydgoszsz)...until finally to become synonymous with a whole new avantjazz stream, a movement  that would play an influential role to the development of  contemporary jazz and the new improvised music in Poland.
Guided mostly by the free-jazz spirit the Yass musicians and their successors explore both the native origins of polish jazz and its modern position into the international field. They suggest crossings with radical rock (R.I.O., post-punk...), world music, improvisation, new technologies; even encounters with other art forms such as theatre or poetry...

A mini introduction to Yass artists and other polish jazzmen:

01 Mikolaj Trzaska serpent transparent
("Jacek Olter i 50 Artystow", 2006)
02 Tomas Gwincinski & NonLinear Ensemble fool moon august 2001
("The Moon Music", 2002)
03 Mikrokolektyw running without effort
("Revisit", 2010)
04 Meritum pieciolini
("Meritum", 2004)
05 Niebieski Lotnik spruty jak sweter
("Love Surprise", 2000)
06 NRD ojczyzna nasza dobroc, dobroc dobroc
("Sport I Religia", 1998)
07 Mazzoll ropa swietej anny
("Single 3", 2000)
08 Tymon Tymanski looking for Kusto
("Jacek Olter i 50 Artystow", 2006)
09 Cukunft utwor 5
("Itstikeyt/Fargangenheit", 2010)
10 Mazzoll & Knuth Diffusion Ensemble piesn powracajacych dzieci
("Azure Excess", 1999)
11 Leszek Mozdzer golenie glowy
("Pub 700, 2004)
12 Trytony nieudany black sabbath pod woda
("Tance Bydgoskie", 1992)
13 Gwincinski, Richter, Skolik ufologia trumn
("Jupiter, Urizen, Wernyhora, Trungpa", 1998)
14 Milosc luke the skywalker
("Milosc", 1993)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Yass / Polish Avant-Jazz  

V.A. F/ear This! (ITA, 1987)

Italian double cassette/double vinyl compilation (plus booklet) released in 1987 for benefit of  A/Rivista Anarchica monthly magazine. Subtitled as "a collection of unheard music, unwritten words and unseen images inspired by fear", it includes contributions from italian (Two Tone, Detonazione, La 1919, Gregorio Bardini, Franti, 2+2=5, Thelema, Giancarlo Toniutti...) and international artists (Embryo, Annie Anxiety, Don King, Possession, Body & the Buildings, etc.).

A + B sides
C + D sides

German Noises

  AG GEIGE [formed in East Germany in 1987]

Hannover's MYTHEN IN TUTEN  
[with singer Emilio Winschetti, the "The Hidden Gentleman"]

Further explorations in the back pages of "deutsche musik" of 80's and early 90's. Obscure sides of minimal/experimental electronics, neue deutsche welle, krautrock... plus avant sounds from former GDR.

A
Die Werkpiloten the today (1984)

Phantom Band nervous breakdown (1984)
Deutsche Schäferhunde gasmasken (1982) 
Comrad don't worry (1988) 
Vono mauertanz (1982)
Bodenpersonal tote räume (1980)
Pension Stammheim madox mutanten (1981)
Ostzonensuppenwurfelmachkrebs and by passes the truth (1990)
Broken Jug A.C. (1987)
The Blech viel fress mi 2 (1987)
Electric Orange the return of Eugene, be careful! (1993)
Splitter ich freß dir aus der hand (1981)
Schönheit Siegt kalter krieg (1981)
Hans-A-Plast tuaregs (1980)
Die Gesunden sometimes-manchmal (1982)
Heinz & Franz immer (1987)

B
Conrad & Gregor Schnitzler pro 1 (1982) 
Vier Kaiserlein einsam (1982) 
Thorax-Wach ruhe im carton (1981) 
Perc Meets The Hidden Gentleman towersong (1989)
No More venus in furs (1986)
Die Lemminge Im Himmel (1983)
Aloa seltsame ranken (1982) 
Mythen In Tüten das erste mal (1981)
Kastrierte Philosophen strawberry vibes (1990)
AG Geige kosmonauten (1989)
Pension Stammheim hippiepunk (1981) 
Elektronische Musik Aus Köln was kann der papst da sagen (1982) 
Ur-Tacheles nino (80's) 
3Tot zaghaft (1989)
Matador sun (1989)
Hermann Kopp amanda am nudistenstrand (1983)
Strafe Für Rebellion santa maria (1986)

 

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

German Noises:  A  +  B

V.A. Australian Compilations vol.4

The fourth volume of LaFolieDuJour tribute to Australia's underground  music scenes...

Prod n.w.o.d. (1981)
Persia q-girl (1984)
Fungus Brains death dance (1983)
Denial weatherman (1982)
The End my confession (1983)
Famous pockets (80's)
The Yapocks passionfruit creek (1983)
The Unstrung Harp sticks and stones (1985)
Tactics birthday girl (1986)
Blackeyed Susans enemy mine (1989)
Plug Uglies johnny panic (1990)
Sacred Cowboys canned goods (1988)
Cruel Sea down below (1990)
Distant Locust little boy and the fatman (1988)
Gondwanaland landscape (1983)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour
Vol 4

Aspects Of Jazz In Nineties

Sixty cuts out of the jazz labyrinth of nineties. A variety of styles, and directions.. focused partly on not so well known names...

I 
SHARROCK, PUSCHNIG, GODDARD breath of life (1997)
URS LEIMGRUBER, FRITZ HAUSER l'enigmatique (1991)
ANDREW CYRILLE Dakar darkness (1994)
AESOP QUARTET egyptian knights (1999)
RED SUN / SAMULNORI kil kun ak (1994)
RON MILES bath (1997)
PETER APFELBAUM Phoenix hill (1996)
DENISON KIMBALL TRIO downriver (1997)
RODNEY KENDRICK last chance for common sense (1995)
SLOW LORIS max sabbath (1996)
COX, SALUZZI, FRIEDMAN los them (1995)
ULRICH LASK geometry 1005 (1995)

II
JOE McPHEE say that to say his (1990) 
RAIZ DE PEDRA tempos de minuano (1996)
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS goodjinns(1997)
RICHARD GALLIANO soleil (1996)
ALAIN GIBERT hiver (1995)
RAN BLAKE throw it away (1999)
RABIH ABOU KHALIL solitude (1994) 
DAVE DOUGLAS TINY BELL TRIO vanitatus vanitatum (1994)
LOL COXHILL, PAT THOMAS that's it (1993) 
ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO lotta colada (1998) 
CHARLES TYLER life can be so beautiful (1992) 
COMBUSTIBLE EDISON one eyed monkey (1996) 
HiM of the periphery (1999)

III 
GIANLUIGI TROVESI OCTET tango (1996)
CLUSONE TRIO el condor pasa (1999)
JEAN-FRANCOIS BOVARD polka des moussaillons (1995)
ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE sweat meat (1997) 
EMBRYO 7x7 (1996)
DON PULLEN indio gitano (1990)
STEVE LACY i feel a draft (1990) 
MICHAEL WINTSCH SEXTET arabic song (1994) 
GLEN VELEZ golden seal (1996) 
CURLEW neither, baby (1998)
SWEDISH SAX SEPTET frog tune (1996)
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND TRIO pisces (1999)
GRAHAM HAYNES nameless river (1997)

IV
GLENN FERRIS refugees (1997)
UNE ANCHE PASSE je me suis fait  tout petit (1995)
CHRIS SPEED east europe rundown (1999)
HUMAN FEEL yesterday i passed (1994)
JOHN LINDBERG QUARTET soaring hawk (1994)
THE NECKS nice policeman nasty policeman (1990)
ISOTOPE 217 kryptonite smokes the red line (1997)
SQUAREPUSHER theme from vertical hold (1998)
BEN NEILL syntonic (1998)
MARKUS STOCKHAUSEN adentro (1996)
CHRIS BOWDEN mothers too (1996)
WILLIAM HOOKER + DJ OLIVE archetypal space (1997)

V
A.D.D. TRIO cerulean blues (1995)
SUSIE IBARRA radiance dreams (1999)
HANK ROBERTS my favourite things (1992)
MOKAVE fall '92 (1992)
ZENTRALQUARTETT soul plexus (1994)
ORANJ SYMPHONETTE experiment in terror (1996)
LES PIRES impedimenta (1999)
PINO MINAFRA quando dormi (1995)
CRITTERS BUGGIN i ain't no adobe hut (1996)
NRD o miro! (1997)
ENRICO RAVA & ENRICO PIERANUNZI canzone di nausicaa (1993)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

part I
part II
part III
part IV
part V

SEPTEMBER GURLS RECORDS

 Folk-acid-space rock stories from psychedelia's home in Nurnberg, Germany.

DISCOLOR thodol dub ("Discolor", 1997)
LINUS PAULING QUARTET sunn beta ("Killing You With Rock", 1998)
MOOSEHART FAITH STELLAR GROOVE... rah dureh ("Coronal Mass Ejection", 1997)
WOBBLE JAGGLE JIGGLE we are the human beings ("It Came From Nowhere", 1999)
BREATHE STONE candle, corpse, candle ("Hex Thistle", 2003)
FIT & LIMO born in the eleventh month ("Serpent Unrolled", 1998)
MOOSEHEART FAITH STELLAR GROOVE.. unconvectional F.O. ("Coronal Mass...")
LAMP OF THE UNIVERSE earth, spirit and sky ("Earth, Spirit and Sky", 2005)
FIT & LIMO september 13th ("A Garland Of Flowers", 2006)
DUNLAVY forsaken ("I Ruined America", 1996)
PRIMORDIAL UNDERMIND temporal landscape ("Yet More Wonders... ", 1994)
MOOSEHART FAITH STELLAR GROOVE... the hollow earth ("Hollow Earth", 1996)
ADRIAN SHAW & R. GOODWAY (may you) never be thirsty ("Oxygen Thief", 2009)
WOBBLE JAGGLE JIGGLE witch in my picture ("It Came From Nowhere", 1999)
TEMPLE OF L.I.B. in liquid worlds ("My Name Is Magic", 2010)

September Gurls

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

V.A. A Wicked Good Time! (US)

A 1981 release from Boston's Modern Method label comprising local punk, indie, avant-postpunk acts. Rare and obscure stuff, some time-resistant, some not. Gems from Boys Life, Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic, Bound And Gagged, Loners and others... Bosstown's always got the way to keep our ears busy!

A Wicked Good Time (13 bands - 17 tracks)

Producing The Future: Adrian Sherwood & his On-U Sound label

 Adrian Sherwood

 On-U artists circa 1993 [photo from skysaw site]

 Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound is one of the most influential labels in the field where the mixing and producing technologies meet music. Sherwood's productions, marked by the heavy use of dub techniques (echo sounding, samples, effects) have created since 1981 (and especially for the first 10-15 years) a unique space of pioneering flavours backgrounded in post-punk, reggae, industrial, funk, dance, spoken word, experimental music. The huge influence of On-U can be detected in many music scenes and movements in previous decades, even in contemporary genres ranging from ambient, hip hop, house and dubstep to electronic jazz and world music.

Joining the celebration for the 30th Anniversary of On-U Sound label (1981-2011), LaFolieDuJour selects essential On-U productions:

01 African Head Charge Free chant (1990)
02 Noah House Of Dread Wicked Kingdom (1982)
03 New Age Steppers Animal space (1981)
04 Judy Nylon Room without a view (1982)
05 Mothmen factory/teapoint/factory (1981)
06 Revolutionary Dub Warriors creation (1996)
07 Annie Anxiety sad shadows (1984, corpus christi)
08 African Head Charge healing father (1990)
09 London Underground Animosity (1983)
10 Headley Bennett little dove (1982)
11 Dub Syndicate haunting ground (1986)
12 2 Badcard rock to sleep (1995)
13 Little Annie le manger hereux (1994)
14 Bim Sherman can i be free from crying (1996)
15 Singers and Players revolution (1982)
16 Creation Rebel space movement section 2 (orig.1980, 1981 on-u)


On-U Sound

compiled by semilunio + paramo

AVANT Label: In the Constellation Of John Zorn

Japanese AVANT label was formed by John Zorn and Kazunori Sugiyama in 1992 as a home for music created by Zorn, his colleagues and yet plenty other avant-gardists, jazzmen and related artists. Part of the broad and ambitious Zorn's music plan, AVANT label reflects a spirit similar as its founder's, innovative, adventurous and subversive. Apart from labelman, composer and performer John Zorn has been involved himself in many other artists releases as a producer and although his music visions has been served since 1995, mainly by his own TZADIK label, AVANT continued offering up to the middle of the next decade exciting episodes of contemporary open-minded art, counting overall about 80 releases.

A selection of essential AVANT moments compiled by LaFolieDuJour:

WAYNE HORVITZ - FOUR PLUS ONE ENSEMBLE crispin and lisa's duet

("From A Window", 2001)

ANTHONY COLEMAN trend man

("Disco By Night", 1992)
DIM SUM CLIP JOB jive stalking
("Harmolodic Jeopardy", 1995)
JOE MANERI why don't you go away
("Paniots Nine", 1998)
SLOWPOKE sixth sense
(V.A. "In His Own Sweet Way", 2000)
CYRO BAPTISTA dansa do indio branco
("Vira-Loucos / Villa-Lobos", 1997)
IKUE MORI, MARC RIBOT, ROBERT QUINE mojave
("Painted Desert", 1995)
WAYNE HORVITZ - FOUR PLUS ONE ENSEMBLE willy's music
("From A Window", 2001)
DRAGON BLUE fragments realm
("Hades Park", 1998)
VIVIAN SISTERS a gift from france
("Vivian Sisters", 2001)
DAVE SOLDIER graffiti from a ninth century manuscript
("Smut", 1994)
HARRIET TUBMAN chief of police
("The Prototype", 2000)
JENNY SCHEINMAN QUARTET 25 at 2525
("Live At Yoshi's", 2000)
MARK FELDMAN, SYLVIE COURVOISIER gugging

("Music For Violin and piano", 1999)

Avant Label Compilation

V.A. He Didn't Even Draw A Fish On My Shower Curtain (GER,1992)

Limited Mermaid Records (Germany) CD compilation with a A5 size booklet. 22 small bands carrying the amateurism spirit in early nineties. Indie popers, psych popers, lo-fi janglers, humorists, obscurities armed  with tiny melodies and innocense continue the never ending (for them) story of sixties and early eighties.Television Personalities and Deep Freeze Mice are main influences here.

Listen Here

The JazzWorld of The ACT Company

German ACT Company, one of the most successful world-music labels of the current era, founded in 1992 by Siegfried Loch. Internationally acclaimed for its debut -inspired and produced by Loch himself- projects, ACT extended activities and soon became home to many popular jazz artists. ACT's releases are focused on german new jazz scene, nordic contemporary music and ethno-fusions of mediterranean, african, latin, far east and american origins... This remarkable global-sound profile is portraited here:

Act One
TORBJORN SUNDE arctic
("Meridians", 1998)
NGUYEN LE mangustao, pt 2
("Tales From Viet-nam", 1996)
HUONG THANH the soaring of the heron
("Moon and Wind", 1996)
MARKUS STOCKHAUSEN lonconao
("Sol Mestizo", 1996)
JONAS KNUTSSON, JOHAN NORBERG resan
("Skarren:Norrland III", 2008)
NGUYEN LE, DHAFER YUSSEF kithara
("Homescapes", 2006)
ULF WAKENIUS u-dance
("Notes from the Heart", 2005)
BEIRACH, HUEBNER, MRAZ around dubrawuschka
(V.A. "Global Magic", 2001)
ESBJORN SVENSSON TRIO serenade for the renegade
("Strange Place For Snow", 2002)
ACTRONIC frontside backside
("Hamlet", 2001)
ODDJOB where eagles dare
("Clint", 2010)
MICHAEL RIESSLER orange
("Orange", 2000)
CORYELL, CATHERINE, KUHN deus xango
("Twin House + Splendid bonus tracks" [reissue], 1992)
GERARDO NUNEZ templo de lucero
("Andando El Tiempo", 2004)
KNUT ROESSLER, JOHANNES VOGT canaries
("Between the Times", 2007)
NILS LANDGREN emil kahl
("Gotland", 1996)


Act Two
GERMAN JAZZ MASTERS song for bam bam
("Old Friends", 2000)
SORIBA KOUYATE, DIDIER MALHERBE diya
(V.A. "Global Magic", 2001)
PAOLO FRESU predagoria
("Sonos E Memoria", 2001)
ROBERTO DI GIOIA TRIO sahara
("Abracadabra" [celebrating Klaus Doldinger], 2006)
RENAULT GARCIA-FONS, GERARDO NUNEZ un amor real
(" Jazzpaña II, 2000)
JAVIER PAXARINO, GLEN VELEZ temura
("Temura", 1994)
KLAUS PAIER, ASJA VALCIC tango loco
("A Deux", 2008)
CARSTEN DAERR, DANIEL ERDMANN reveal your identity
("Berlin Calling", 2007)
JONAS KNUTSSON polska efter jon marsen (trad)
("Cow Cow: Norrland II", 2005)
LARS DANIELSSON, LESZEK MOZDZER follow my backlights
("Pasodoble", 2007)
ODDJOB sewerside blues
("Sumo", 2008)
ELBTONALPERCUSSION st agnes & the burning train
("Four Elements", 2005)
LAUER, GODARD, HUSBAND de cuir et de cuivre
("Blues In Mind'', 2007)
JENS THOMAS sakyi's song
(V.A. "Global Magic", 2001)
PETER APFELBAUM & NY HIEROGLYPHICS it is written
("It is Written, 2005)
NILS LANDGREN, ESBJORN SVENSSON song from the valley
("Layers Of Light", 2001)

ACT one + ACT two

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Music From No Man's Lands

world experimentalists Armchair Traveller


avant vocalist Shelley Hirsch


japanese jazz ensemble Gato Libre

A collection of avant/experimental sounds & obscurities selected from the releases of the specialized in innovative music No Man's Land and its sister label Review Records.

NE ZHDALI & BILLY TIPTON MEMORIAL SAX QUARTET Stitch
("Pollo D'Oro", 1998)
SKELETON CREW Birds of Japan
("Country of Blinds", 1986)
LES HALMAS 67 piranhas
("Hop", 1997)
SEMANTICS Split shift
("Semantics", 1986)
DAVID GARLAND I'm here
("On the other side of the window", 2003)
SHELLEY HIRSCH & DAVID WEINSTEIN R-mania
("Haiku Lingo", 1989)
MOTOR TOTEMIST GUILD Amaterasu
("All America City, 2000)
GUY KLUCEVSEK Old woman who dances with the sea
("Scenes from a mirage", 1987)
GATO LIBRE In Budapest, in April
("Nomad", 2006)
CHRIS NEWMAN I know it's so
("New songs of social conscience", 1998)
ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER 45'03' n + 16'23' e
(" The perfect record for the armchair traveller", 2001)
SUGARCONNECTION track 09
("Play Allien cakes", 1994)
DAVID WEINSTEIN The economist (for P Fox-Penner)
(V.A. "A classic guide to No Man's Land - Pieces & Songs", 2003)
WORLDS OF LOVE Flowers
("Worlds of love", 1989/2000)
DAVID GARLAND Tea time
("On the other side of the window", 2003)
LINDSAY COOPER Assassination waltz
("Music for other occasions", 1986)
GATO LIBRE In Barcelona, in June
("Nomad", 2006)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

link: No Man's Land / Review Records