Clean Feed Records

[Guy Berger]

Hi all,

I'm interested in recommendations on this insanely prolific label.  I know it's been discussed in the Funny Rat threads but those are challenging to wade through.

So far I've picked up:

Tim Berne, INSOMNIA

And I am definitely planning to pick up the two Chris Lightcap records (DELUXE, EPICENTER) and the Sclavis/Taborn/Rainey album.

Any other recommendations?

Edited July 10, 2018 by Guy Berger

[paul secor]

Roswell Rudd/ Mark Dresser: Air Walkers

[jlhoots]

Lots of choices. depends what you like - ? Martin Kuchen, ? Marty Ehrlich, ?Kirk Knuffke, Friends & Neighbors, Cortex etc.

[Д.Д.]

A lot of good stuff on this label. I like this one a lot: https://cleanfeed-records.com/product/so-soft-yet/ 

 

Edited July 11, 2018 by Д.Д.

[king ubu]

I have been perusing the annual spring sales for several years and have also started following their new releases to some extent, and occasionally stocking up on stuff that didn't yet make the sales (older items still get cheaper after a while).

There's tons of fine stuff there, but I would say hardly a true masterpiece.

Off the top of the mind, going by artist (and not looking up all the album titles, no time for that right now):

Eve Risser, young French pianist whom I like a lot ... she has a solo album that is minimalist and beautiful, a large group that is prob. composed for large parts, includin some solos I'd assume ... or they're "set"), and then there's a piano duo with Kaja Draksler, too

Kaja Draksler, another young pianist, from Slovenia ... her solo album is marvelous, her duo with Portuguese trumpet player Susana Santos Silva is beautiful, her octet with two singers is weird but pretty good (saw the group live as well - Ada Rave and Ab Baars on saxes - not too shabby!)

Susana Santos Silva, trumpet player from Portugal, she has a recent (early 2018) solo album out that is quite stunning, the duo with Kaja Draksler is wonderful, there are several albums by the group LAMA, two with guest Joachim Badenhorst and one with guest Chris Speed ... she is also on several collaborative albums (one "Life and Other Transient Storms", I also heard live and found it quite amazing), and she guests on the stunning fourth Volume of the "Basement Sessions"

Joachim Badenhorst does his stuff himself usually, but his large group, the Carate Urio Orchestra, is wonderful indeed (with Pascal Niggenkemper and Frantz Loriot, some other Clean Feed labelmates are part of the group, which again I heard live in an almost life-chaning concert).

Speaking of pianists, there is plenty of Kris Davis on Clean Feed, including a solo album, collaborations with various other musicians, and a pair of mighty good trio albums led by bassist Eric Revis, who again has more on the label.

There is also some fine stuff by pianist Angelica Sanchez (actually, having heard the Davis/Sanchez duo at Willisau last summer, there'd be another piano duo album in the making there, but so far we only got some bits on Davis' mighty good "Duopoly", not on Clean Feed).

Then, there is Tony Malaby, w/Sanchez, with his band Tamarindo, including a live set w/Wadada Leo Smith, there is also a pretty wonderful duo album by Wadada/Angelica Sanchez

... and there is so much more ... Joe McPhee ("Ticonderoga" by Jamie Saft with McPhee, Morris, Downs may be one of the masterpieces), there's some Brötzmann, some Evan Parker (including a duo with Alexander Hawkins of course, who provided liner notes to the Risser/Draksler duo album, btw), there's a Steve Lacy disc, there's Dennis Gonzalez, there's Gerry Hemingway, there's some BassDrumBone, Ralph Alessi, Nate Wooley, Harris Eisenstad ("Guewel" is big fun) ... and I'm sure once I'll be checking at home, I'll find I forgot plenty of fine ones

[Steve Reynolds]

Not my “go to” label as it's quality & sound are a notch below the true ‘concierge’ labels such as Not Two, Intakt, Ayler, Nessa, Trost & No Business. In the past I’d put Hat ART, Silkheart & even Okkadisc in the premium label category.

Clean Feed is kind of like Cunieform in that regard although the British label is much more attuned to self-editing. 

so I only dabble in their releases as there are so (too?!?!) many but a few of the ones I’ve heard that are close to classic/top notch include some mentioned above and the few mentioned below:

Ticonderoga: McPhee is great here as is the quartet - especially great to get a rare hearing of Charles Downs behind the kit

John Butcher with The Red Trio: Summer Skyshift. Great to hear the great trio in a blistering set with Butcher in his more agressive & expressive free jazz mode

Tamarindo - the first one with Malaby, William Parker & Nasheet Waits - the last one (Somos Agusti) is good as well but neither gets to the core power of the great trio when they hit the groove. Malaby’s Novella is also a good release but don’t expect much roaring tenor - the band is the story here.

avoid the Tamarindo with Wadada Leo Smith - the sound is hideous - one wonders if anyone listened to the recording before they released it!!!

Parker-Guy-Lytton with Peter Evans: Scenes from the House of Music - greatvsession but the sound doesn’t match what one would hear on Intakt & certainly not the depth of sound that happens on a Not Two release. 

“Soul Food” from Brotzmann with Edwards & Noble is an example of something NOT to get - again one wonders who is minding the store....way to many other tremendous Peter Brotzmann releases on better labels - I should have taken my own advice hear as well...

[Д.Д.]

I agree, the quality/quantity ratio is probably not the highest. But there is a lot of good stuff nonetheless. And lately their artwork has become really good.

Here is one more I enjoy:

https://cleanfeed-records.com/product/the-space-between/ 

 

 

[king ubu]

I'd say the ratio very good, it's the masterpieces that are quite rare, but the pace of good stuff they're churning out is totally nuts ...

[Д.Д.]

I don't disagree, all I've heard is mostly really solid stuff.

But enough about this new shit. Let's discuss a Coltrane's rehearsal tape!!!!!!!! Or wish Happy Birthday to somebody who's been dead for 30 years!!!!!!

[Joe]

This is a great record.

As is this one.

[Steve Reynolds]

37 minutes ago, Joe said:

This is a great record.

As is this one.

Let me give those another spin. I wasn’t so excited about these recordings when I got them a number of years ago. Maybe I didn’t give them the attention they deserved. What I remember is that this is about when Ellery Eskelin started playing in a much more reserved and traditional manner. Not to the point of playing 2/3rds ballads which is where he was at a few years ago when I last saw his organ trio. 

 

3 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

I don't disagree, all I've heard is mostly really solid stuff.

But enough about this new shit. Let's discuss a Coltrane's rehearsal tape!!!!!!!! Or wish Happy Birthday to somebody who's been dead for 30 years!!!!!!

So glad I’m not the only one who feels this way!!

as far as great modern classic recordings, yes only a few I know of on Clean Feed but I know of dozens of incredible releases on other labels over the past 15 or 20 or even 30 years that are not even included in the “so-called” Pantheon of Jazz Classics. When “The Marmalade King” or “Coming Down the Mountain” or “Searching for Adam” or “Blue Winter” or “Captain of the Deep” are heard by more than 2-3 of us here, then maybe there will be some hope of a more rational perspective.

[Guy Berger]

You guys are amazing.  Thank you.

[Guy Berger]

I went on a somewhat crazy CF binge this week, ordering:

 

Mark Dresser, Nourishments + Sedimental You + Cyber Coup

 

Marty Ehrlich, Frog Leg Logic + Trio Exaltation

 

Dennis Gonzalez, NY Midnight Suite + Idle Wild + Live at Tonic

 

Chris Lightcap, Deluxe + Epicenter

 

Herb Robertson, Elaboration + Real Aberration 

 

Steve Lehman, Dual Identity + Manifold

 

Sclavis/Taborn/Rainey, El Dorado Trio

 

Jacob Sacks, Fishes

 

Tony Malaby, Tamarindo

 

Ches Smith, Hammered

 

Pharoah and the Underground, Spiral Mercury

 

more acquired since:

 

Tony Malaby, Incantation Suite

 

Tony Malaby, Somos Agua

 

Tony Malaby, Scorpion Eater

 

Tony Malaby, New Artifacts

 

Dennis Gonzalez, No Photograph Available

 

Ralph Alessi, Wiry Strong

 

Tony Malaby, Novela

 

Tony Malaby, Tamarindo Live

 

Vinny Golia, Sfumato

 

Eric Revis, Sing Me Some Cry

 

Eric Revis, Parallax

 

Eric Revis, In Memory of Things Yet Seen

 

Michael Attias, Live in Greenwich Village

 

Ken Filiano, Scenes from a Clown Car

 

Michael Attias, Renku in Coimbra

 

Michael Attias, Nerve Dance

 

Michael Attias, Twines of Cohesion

 

Angelixa Sanchez, Wires & Moss

 

Michael Attias, Credo

 

Tony Malaby, Voladores

Edited February 21, 2021 by Guy Berger

[Rabshakeh]

Nice! That really is a binge. Let us know how you get on when you get to the crazy listening binge part. 

I'm planning something similar on Bandcamp this Friday (my self-deluding justification being that it is important to support artists at this time). If anyone has any crucial recommendations burning a hole in their head let me know - including any of the above (although Clean Feed's presence on Bandcamp is spottier than some of the other labels mentioned above). 

On 14/07/2018 at 1:18 PM, Steve Reynolds said:

as far as great modern classic recordings, yes only a few I know of on Clean Feed but I know of dozens of incredible releases on other labels over the past 15 or 20 or even 30 years that are not even included in the “so-called” Pantheon of Jazz Classics. When “The Marmalade King” or “Coming Down the Mountain” or “Searching for Adam” or “Blue Winter” or “Captain of the Deep” are heard by more than 2-3 of us here, then maybe there will be some hope of a more rational perspective.

I hadn't seen this list before. Thanks - there are a couple that had escaped my notice. Useful stuff when, as you say, these records aren't really being discussed. Given the barriers to entry, lists like this aren't just a pissing contest, but serve a real purpose as a route to discovery.

Edited August 6, 2020 by Rabshakeh

[Д.Д.]

Mark Dresser's solo bass record "Unveil" is great, I am listening to it often: https://cleanfeed-records.com/product/unveil/ 

[Rabshakeh]

8 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

Mark Dresser's solo bass record "Unveil" is great, I am listening to it often: https://cleanfeed-records.com/product/unveil/ 

I hadn't come across that one, but I've been listening to it all today at work. It's brilliant. It's such a wall of sound and technique. 

[colinmce]

I spent some time with these two recently, both very strong sessions. I also don't pay a ton of attention of this label, lots of watered-down music coming through.

I would also recommend this fairly recent one:

[mjazzg]

i rate "Tone Hunting" highly too.  I find the presence of Mazur is quite often a very good indicator of quality

[Д.Д.]

 

1 hour ago, colinmce said:

I spent some time with these two recently, both very strong sessions. I also don't pay a ton of attention of this label, lots of watered-down music coming through.

25 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

i rate "Tone Hunting" highly too.  I find the presence of Mazur is quite often a very good indicator of quality

"Tone Hunting" is OK. Same configuration (as, tr, b, dr) and very similar concept and style - but better execution (IMHO), and definitely better sound on early Clean Feed release "Transit" by Jeff Arnal (outstanding drummer, does not seem to be active - as a musician, that is - anymore), Nate Wooley, Seth Misterka and Reuben Radding: https://cleanfeed-records.com/product/transit/ 

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5Ds2YsFQaVkx9xhdD1BbGy

Edited August 11, 2020 by Д.Д.

[mjazzg]

Got that too, not sure I agree

[Guy Berger]

On 8/6/2020 at 8:42 PM, Guy Berger said:

I went on a somewhat crazy CF binge this week, ordering:

 

Mark Dresser, Nourishments + Sedimental You + Cyber Coup

 

Marty Ehrlich, Frog Leg Logic + Trio Exaltation

 

Have listened to these 5 so far.  I'd score them:

Dresser, Nourishments 5/5 (great quartet, great compositions; love Denman Maroney's prepared piano)

Dresser, Sedimental You 4/5 (I thought this one was a little lethargic relative to Cyber Coup)

Dresser, Cyber Coup 5/5 (love the Arthur Blythe tribute that opens the album)

Ehrlich, Frog Leg Logic 4/5 (nice but didn't grab me)

Ehrlich, Trio Exaltation 5/5 (really great playing by Ehrlich and his trio)

[Guy Berger]

Have listened to two more from my acquisition spree:

Chris Lightcap, Epicenter 5/5 (excellent songwriting and playing; stronger than the Fresh Sound albums)

Ken Filiano, Dreams from a Clown Car 5/5 (I really enjoy this one - a nice contribution to the 2-sax + bass + drums genre)

[Guy Berger]

More:

Friends & Neighbors, What’s Next 4/5 I bought this at the recent “stock off”.  Solid “retro” free jazz, the kind of thing you expected from a meeting of American and European musicians in the mid/late 60s though I think these guys are exclusively Scandinavian

Nick Fraser, Is Life Long? 5/5 really enjoyed this one w/Tony Malaby.  I’m a sucker for saxophone and cello I suppose

Vinny Golia, Sfumato 4/5 very good recording with Bobby Bradford, Ken Filiano and Alex Cline.  Not as good as Take Your Time on Relative Pitch

Dennis Gonzalez, NY Midnight Suite 5/5 this one is really great.  Strong compositions.  Gonzalez’s music has such a great feel.

Dennis Gonzalez, Idle Wild 5/5 this one really benefits from the great Oliver Lake joining Gonzalez, love it!

Dennis Gonzalez, No Photograph Available 4/5 not quite as great as the two other ones above

Dennis Gonzalez, Dance of the Soothsayer’s Tongue: Live at Tonic 4/5 didn’t love this one as much as NY Midnight Suite.  But dang, this group could even sound great while asleep

 

up next: Chris Lightcap, Epicenter

Edited October 11, 2021 by Guy Berger

[romualdo]

I generally pick up (or have done so) all of Dennis Gonzalez's CF releases - love his work

His Silkheart releases with Charles Brackeen are highly recommended IMHO as is his Ayler & Daagnim material

[Guy Berger]

Some more I’ve been listened to:

Lightcap, Epicenter 5/5: amazing album, maybe the best I’ve heard from this label

Steve Lehman, Manifold: 3/5 some good music on here but wasn’t passionate about it. Will revisit.

Jonas Kullhammar, Basement Sessions Vol 2 4/5: solid, relatively straight ahead saxophone trio

Edited January 5, 2023 by Guy Berger