What record labels do you go to in order to hear something new?

[A Lark Ascending]

Jazz, classical, rock, world....whatever.

And by 'new' I obviously mean 'new' music but also music that might lie neglected by the larger labels (assumption there!). So can be archive stuff.

Stick to current operators. Lyrita was great in the past but seems to have gone dormant again.

Edited October 12, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[mjazzg]

Fataka for London/UK improv. Never fails (yet)

[JSngry]

Pi

Albany

[clifford_thornton]

ugExplode

Three Lobed

[colinmce]

I generally buy music in a very focused way (ie I'm familiar with the artists) but these are labels I have bought unfamiliar music from on reputation alone:

FMP

Hat Hut, specifically hatOLOGY

Music & Arts

erstwhile

Family Vineyard

clean feed

Not Two

[sidewinder]

Trunk Records can be relied upon to offer something of a wide-ball..

[clifford_thornton]

FMP is no longer an active label, unfortunately.

[Dan Gould]

Ace, of course, for blues/R&B archival stuff. I'm particularly enjoying their recent Bayou blues/R&B comps. Some people say the obscurities they sprinkle in with the money stuff should remain obscure but I often disagree. There are forgotten gems in them thar hills, as far as I'm concerned.

[Clunky]

Nessa

Emanem

Intakt

Not Two

[A Lark Ascending]

Interesting responses.

I regularly pick things up from Emanem, Intakt and would add Ogun (like Emanem, mixing long lost reissues with new releases). Also have a fair bit from some of the others.

One I've started to access recently Catalytic Sound - not sure if that is a label or a shop but they keep a lot of Vandermark's recording there, available as dls.

I'd also include Criss Cross - might not be cutting edge, but does a great job at making available music in a boppish/modal style played by current players. To my ears, that's new.

The label that got me thinking of this was a classical one - NMC. They do an amazing job covering not just contemporary classical but British contemporary classical (two strikes against market place success!). Substantial catalogue, very encouraging of young composers alongside more established people and not afraid to experiment - themed discs, one work downloads etc. Very thoughtful.

Edited October 12, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Different labels at different times, as my interests have developed and widened.

In '59 I discovered I could reliably get great singles if I pre-ordered recordings by Atlantic/Atco, and then LPs.

In about 64, I started buying Prestige and Blue Note singles, then LPs, (when I could afford them - BNs were 80% more expensive than UK manufactured LPs). Good Prestige stuff was always hard to get over here - they changed their UK distributor often and the new firm insisted on reissuing Miles, MJQ, Rollins etc etc before moving into soul jazz ) Blue Notes were hard to get for a couple of years after Liberty bought the firm, then they started a UK branch and all was very well.

In the early 70s, I focused on Kudu/CTI.

In the early 80s, Nashboro/Creed, then Savoy, became a LOT easier to find than before and I bought lots of gospel albums.

In the early nineties, it was KSF, then Jololi and Syllart that guided my purchases of Sahelian West African releases.

In the last few years, it's been Decca West Africa/Afrodisia/Rogers All Stars, for Nigerian and Ghanaian albums.

Now, I'm beginning to explore Latin stuff and I'm finding Ansonia a good label, but don't yet know enough.

MG

[P.L.M]

FMP is no longer an active label, unfortunately.

Some records from FMP are now reedited on the Jazzwerstatd label. Of course, JW produced also new music (meaning produced new releases - it's to you to judge if it's "new" or not), more or less in the same spirit than FMP.

Edited October 12, 2014 by P.L.M

[clifford_thornton]

Definitely Emanem. A lot of archival stuff for sure, but it's always extremely well-done (as with Nessa - I'll be interested to see if the Bradford/Gjerstad leads to more new recordings coming out on the label).

AFAIK Catalytic Sound is a store, but perhaps there will be a label component.

[Chuck Nessa]

Definitely Emanem. A lot of archival stuff for sure, but it's always extremely well-done (as with Nessa - I'll be interested to see if the Bradford/Gjerstad leads to more new recordings coming out on the label).

Tough call. I can't remember the last time one of my issues broke even. I'm as interested as you may be.

[BillF]

For new music:

Criss Cross

Sharp Nine

HighNote

Smoke Sessions

Live at Smalls

Nagel Heyer

Arbors

Woodville

For reissues:

Fresh Sound

Edited October 13, 2014 by BillF

[David Ayers]

Definitely Emanem. A lot of archival stuff for sure, but it's always extremely well-done (as with Nessa - I'll be interested to see if the Bradford/Gjerstad leads to more new recordings coming out on the label).

AFAIK Catalytic Sound is a store, but perhaps there will be a label component.

I guess the most recent actually new release from Emanem was the 2012 CD from Haste (feat. the mighty Laubrock ). Looks like Martin has settled back to archival releases since but who knows if that can change.

[Big Beat Steve]

Ace, of course, for blues/R&B archival stuff. I'm particularly enjoying their recent Bayou blues/R&B comps. Some people say the obscurities they sprinkle in with the money stuff should remain obscure but I often disagree. There are forgotten gems in them thar hills, as far as I'm concerned.

all the way ...

[clifford_thornton]

Definitely Emanem. A lot of archival stuff for sure, but it's always extremely well-done (as with Nessa - I'll be interested to see if the Bradford/Gjerstad leads to more new recordings coming out on the label).

AFAIK Catalytic Sound is a store, but perhaps there will be a label component.

I guess the most recent actually new release from Emanem was the 2012 CD from Haste (feat. the mighty Laubrock ). Looks like Martin has settled back to archival releases since but who knows if that can change.

Well, there were some slightly delayed releases of material from Charlotte Hug and Doneda/Coxhill that came around a little later, but I see your point. It usually takes him a couple years to release something once it's been recorded, so we should see at least one or two 2013 recordings next year.

Haste is a good one, too. I think they might have a follow-up coming soon.

[Clunky]

Fataka for London/UK improv. Never fails (yet)

Recently got the Pat Thomas disc and a couple of others that seem excellent on first spin. Very nicely recorded too.

[Д.Д.]

Yes, Fataka releases are very strong. Monotype is good, although I can't keep up with them. I used to like Potlatch a lot, but have not checked there releases out for the last three years or so.

KAIROS releases some interesting new classical stuff.

[Leeway]

Relative Pitch-- great for NY scene.

[Steve Reynolds]

Not Two records for under the radar free jazz