Thanks to Eyal Hareuveni for writing this lovely review on COLIN WEBSTER’s TEXTURAL STUDIES release on A New Wave Of Jazz.  A beautiful black vinyl on 140 gram, limited to 100 copies so do get that copy over here.

Textural Studies is the seventh solo album of prolific British sax player Colin Webster, focusing on the alto sax. These focused studies allow Webster to keep investigating his rich sound, as a physical entity shaped in distinct acoustics, space and time, often an abstract and noisy one, and as an evolutionary, elastic ethereal ingredient within loose textures while employing, obviously, extended breathing techniques. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Webster’s close comrade, Belgian guitarist Dirk Serries at Oude Klooster, a recently renovated old chapel in Brecht, Belgium, in February 2023, and released by Serries’ label, A New Wave of Jazz as a limited edition of 100 vinyl plus download option. Webster is well versed in the pioneering solo works of British sax players such as Evan Parker, John Butcher, Paul Dunamll, Trevor Watts, John Surman and Mike Osborne but has his way of structuring and deconstructing repetition, pressure, volume, percussive elements and other extended techniques through twelve concise and arresting pieces.

Eyal Hareuveni, one of the active critics in the jazz/free jazz and impro scene, was so gracefully enough to write something about the magnificent ZWOSCH, ZWOSCH, ZWOSCH album on A New Wave Of Jazz. A gathering of 3 pivotal Portuguese musicians GUILHERME RODRIGUES, JOSÉ OLIVEIRA and CARLOS ‘ZINGARO’. Album is sill available here.

“Zwosch, Zwosch & Zwosch captures a live performance of three innovative Portuguese improvisers – legendary, master violinist Carlos «Zingaro», Berlin-based cellist Guilherme Rodrigues, known for his ongoing free improvised meetings with his father, violist Ernesto Rodrigues (the head of Creative Sources Recordings) and percussionist (and visual artist) José Oliveira, known from the band of trumpeter Sei Miguel. This ad-hoc, intergenerational trio was recorded at Lisboa Incomum during Festival Dias de Música Electroacústica (DME) in July 2021. The 32-minute piece alternates between bold and restless free improvisation, abstract exploration of sound-oriented extended techniques and experimental contemporary chamber music. It is performed with a sense of urgency but keeps a cohesive interplay and form. As Guy Peters observes in his liner notes, the trio moves harmoniously, «like a flock of birds following a mysterious, shared course».” Salt Peanuts – Norway

KEN WAXMAN, one of the great reviewers and a person who supports and believes in the music we produce, just published his review of LIVE AT PLUS-ETAGE, our 3cd compilation that covers 3 different concerts, in our label series, at the fantastic Plus-Etage venue in Baarle-Nassau (The Netherlands). The album is available here.

“…Instrumental virtuosity, but expressed in a minimalist fashion is what distinguishes next generation of improvisers as the three-CD set Live at Plus-Etage Volume 1 (New Waves of Jazz nwoj 0060) demonstrates. The duos of trumpeter/flugelhornist Charlotte Keeffe and drummer Andrew Lisle from the UK; double bassists Martina Verhoeven from Belgian and Portuguese Gonçalo Almeida; and the trio of Belgian guitarist Dirk Serries, UK violist Benedict Taylor and German saxophonist Stefan Keune show that collaborating improvisers are as international as always and with one CD for each configuration, all have space to display what they can do. Except for an unaccompanied interlude of cymbal vibrations and drum rumbles during the second and concluding set Lisle mostly limits himself to claves-like resonations, bass drum plops and rim shots accents. That way the figurative spotlight shines on Keeffe’s brass prestidigitation. Emphasizing non-valve movement breaths, broken-chord smears, aviary-like peeps, throaty squalls and tremolo brassiness her spikey asides don’t preclude portamento affiliation however. As much as her tongue jujutsu, swerves and swallows exposing usually unexplored inner portions of her horn’ lead pipe for unexpected tone variations each time sections are repeated, passages of near-lyrical melodies and feathery brassiness are also heard. Vaguely related to the “William Tell Overture”, a riff that gallops through her improvised variations during first set is sounded again before the concert is completed adding a connective leitmotif. Contrasting arco and pizzicato techniques characterize the Verhoeven/Almeida single track as they constantly switch roles with buzzing spiccato tones from whistling screams to woody rubs met with repeated strums and lowing stops that sometimes approximate a washtub bass’ single-string thud. More sophisticated than that primitivism, the sequences include interludes of ratcheting slices, string pops, vibration of implements placed among the strings, and heightened pressure that suggests the bow is cutting through the instruments’ wood finish. During the penultimate section bell shakes and ratcheting whirs add novel patterns as stropped strings expose the highest pitches and col legno pops the lowest. Eventually billowing arco strokes are heard from both, which gradually fade from staccato to connective. Interestingly enough the two improvisations from three players seem most separated. The transformative program includes multiple instances of almost complete silence, while, except near the conclusion where Serries unleashes a string of mandolin-like twangs, the guitarist restricts himself to connective comping. Emphasis is on how Keune’s often singular irregularly vibrated split tones and narrowed peeps meet Taylor’s equally jagged bow slices, stops and sul tasto pressure. Although the two confront one another head on at intervals, fury among the calm is commonly given over to sequential timbral elaboration. Emphasizing melodic and rhythmic ambiguity, alternating expressions include the saxophonist’s dexterous bubbling trills, tongue stops and vibrated tone scoops, while the violist’s strained glissandi and squeaky rests are as distinctive as they are numerous. Preceding and expanding on the guitarist’s one showcase, linear advancement is emphasized in a climatic motif as pointed string scrubs, reed whorls and finger-style guitar chords are patched together. Sometimes exemplary creativity must be expressed in larger than usual forms and these multiple sets prove that truism.” Jazz Word – Canada

We slowly heading toward the end of one year and the beginning of another one. From our headquarters, we wish everyone a joyful week of however you spend your holidays. We hope we can continue with our vision in 2024 but for now, here’s a toast to what we achieved this year, bringing you an array of incredible music, fantastic artists, and great people closer to your home and ears. Thank you for all your support !

Belgium’s JAZZ & MO jazz magazine just published a brief (slightly inaccurate) review of our LIVE AT PLUS-ETAGE release but still grateful for the exposure. This fantastic collection of live performances is available through our bandcamp store.

“PlusEtage is een kleine venue in Baarle-Nassau, Nederland, binnen een multifunctioneel gebouw, waar vrijwilligers en musici de cultuur van de vrije improvisatie sterk houden. Zoals de titel zegt, is dit het eerste volume op drie cd’s van een reeks concert-captaties. Interessante concerten met diversiteit, die de werking van de Plus-Etage schetsen. Een mooie collectie voor de liefhebbers en benieuwden” Jazz & Mo – Belgium