Tzadik label new releases

Spectacular arrangements of Masada compositions by mad alchemist Trey Spruance, mastermind of Secret Chiefs 3 and one of the most brilliant musicians around. Drawing upon an astonishing array of musical styles from Exotica and Surf to Ethiopian Funk and Gypsy Swing, Trey ’s colorful orchestral arrangements perfectly compliment the lyricism and dynamic rhythmic complexity of Zorn ’s evocative Book of Angels. Featuring some of the best musicians from the Bay Area, LA and Seattle scenes, this is one of the most compelling installments in the entire Masada series.

PLEASE NOTE: This CD has been delayed until Spring 2008.

Jeremiah Cymerman is a remarkable clarinetist and conceptualist who now resides in Brooklyn. He has performed and recorded with Matt Welch, Sam Kulik, Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone among many others. The bulk of his work centers around creating a new language for the clarinet through extended techniques and the manipulation of microphone placement and Pro Tools editing. This CD presents several radical studio compositions that take the sonic language of the clarinet to some startling and surprising places. A fascinating and extreme debut by this brave young explorer of reed music.

Maja Ratjke is a remarkable vocalist and composer based in Norway. Her work ranges from orchestral and chamber works to electronics, improvisation and creative combinations of all of the above. This special collection of Maja’s work showcases several aspects of this composer’s unique and intense approach to sound and features two of her most personal chamber works along with electronic and electro-acoustic works for voice, saxophone and more.

A new recording by the band that pioneered laptop ensembles over twenty years ago coupled with an historic overview of their recordings, unreleased tracks and video clips of the band in performance. Functioning in the West Coast tradition of composer as instrument builder—redefining music from the ground up—The Hub makes music using electronic and digital systems of their own devising. A natural extension of the late 1970’s ensemble the League of Automatic Music Composers, the group has performed worldwide over the past two decades and continues to break new ground in the ever-growing laptop medium.

This is the definitive document of this important west coast collective and contains recordings covering three decades of activity. Most of this material is being issued here for the first time, much of it has been unavailable for years, and all of it is some of the most imaginative and compelling electronic music ever made. This specially priced 3 CD set includes a deluxe booklet with photos, technical diagrams and written testaments by group members and collaborators giving new insights and historical perspective to one of the most infamous electronic ensembles since Musica Elettronica Viva.

This is the second CD in a series presenting the complete string quartets of composer/performer/producer/instrument builder Elliott Sharp, one of the busiest and
most consistently inventive figures in the downtown scene Elliott has forged a unique language blending computer science, fractals, improvisation and mathematics, and his dynamic compositions for string quartets are some of the best work in his catalog. Brilliantly performed by the dynamic Sirius Quartet who has a history with Sharp’s music that goes back decades, this is intense and imaginative new music from one of the most unique compositional voices working today.

A new recording by a legendary duo! Following up on their acclaimed CD New Rap, two of the Tokyo Underground ’s most extreme artists get together again for another twisted exploration of the outer limits of sound. Performing on voice, guitars, drums, keyboards, samplers, theremin and more, Haino and Yoshida take full advantage of studio techniques and digital editing in creating this bizarre and masterful suite of songs and instrumentals. Ghostly, intense and howlingly funny!

Friends and colleagues since 1988, Ikue Mori and Zeena Parkins are two of the strongest musical voices out of the downtown scene. Lynchpins of bands as diverse
as DNA, Skeleton Crew, Electric Masada, Hemophiliac and Bjork, their duo project Phantom Orchard is the perfect outlet for their unique and personal musical languages and their rapport is evident in each and every track. Here they create eleven compositions of unique cutting edge music with the help of some of the brightest lights in improvised music. Mystery, lyricism and electronic soundscapes from this most dynamic of all dynamic duos.

Tangele explores the fascinating nexus of Yiddish song and Tango and features songs from European Ghettos and Concentration Camps, and from the Yiddish Theatre in Buenos Aires and New York, radically transformed into the language of Tango by the renowned composer/arranger Gustavo Beytelmann. Together since 2002, this virtuosic trio has been presenting this delightful program, created by singer Lloica Czackis to enthusiastic audiences all over the world and now they have entered the studio for a perfect reading of their repertoire. Tzadik is proud to present this distinctive project, created with a JMI Millennium Award (UK) and recorded with a grant from the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah (France.)

Daniel Zamir, whose first three CDs for Tzadik contain some of the most passionate and sophisticated blending of Jewish Music and Jazz ever recorded returns to Tzadik after a five-year hiatus in Israel to present his complex musical vision with a dynamic new quartet. Joined by three of the most exciting musicians in the New York Jazz scene, pianist Uri Caine, bassist Greg Cohen and percussionist extraordinaire Joey Baron, Zamir’s music takes on a more mature and spiritual quality. This is New Jewish instrumental music at its very best