Cuneiform Records FEBRUARY 2025 Newsletter

CUNEIFORM RECORDS FEBRUARY 2025 NEWSLETTER:  New Releases & Concerts   read this newsletter online LAPTOP/ COMPUTER:   navigate via colored links  or scroll down MOBILE:  scroll email or read online if images don't open ~~~~~~ COMING OUT FEBRUARY 28, 2025 EXPERIMENTAL / ROCK ROGER CLARK MILLER – CURIOSITY FOR SOLO ELECTRIC GUITAR ENSEMBLE Guitarist/ composer Roger Clark Miller (Mission of Burma, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Alloy Orchestra/Anvil Orchestra) releases his second Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble album on Cuneiform - an extravaganza of guitars, electronics and looping)  [USA] – Additional Roger Clark Miller releases & Guitar Ensemble video on Cuneiform ~~~~~~ OUT NOW! RELEASED JANUARY 31, 2025 JAZZ JOHN SURMAN – FLASHPOINTS AND CROSSCURRENTS Double CD release of jazz recordings from April 18,1969 in Germany by British saxophonist John Surman's large ensemble with Kenny Wheeler, Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne, Harry Miller, Alan Jackson, Ronnie Scott, Fritz Pauer, Malcolm Griffiths & Erich Kleinschuster  [UK] – Additional John Surman and S.O.S. releases on Cuneiform ~~~~~~ OUT NOW! RELEASED JANUARY 1, 2025 AVANT MUSIC SAMPLER CUNEIFORM RECORDS – CUNEIFORM RECORDS: THE ALBUMS OF 2024 – CUNEIFORM'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY YEARS – A  Pay-What-You-Wish 16 track sampler featuring selections from each of the albums released by Cuneiform Records during its 40th Anniversary year. A scrumptious avant-music smorgsbord of jazz, rock, classical, electronic & more.  – A List of Albums Cuneiform Released in 2024  ~~~~~~ SNEAK PEEKS WITH SOUNDS COMING OUT IN MARCH 2025 HAPPY FAMILY – 4037 AVANT PROGRESSIVE / ROCK A new studio EP made by Japan's Happy Family celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Cuneiform Records and the 37the Anniversary of Happy Family as a band. [JAPAN] – Official video "Pygmalion" for Happy Family's 4037 CURLEW – EAST / WEST / ALSO JAZZ Previously unreleased 1990 concert recordings by the ‘classic quintet’ line-up (Pippin Barnett, George Cartwright, Tom Cora, Ann Rupel, Davey Williams) of Curlew, best live band of the Knitting Factory / Downtown NY scene  [USA] COLLAPSIBLE SHOULDER BIG BAND – LIVE 2019: A MAP OF BOOKS ROCK Recorded live at Brooklyn's Roulette, composer / guitarist/ vocalist Chris Cochrane leads his 19-piece Collapsible Big Band through thrilling big band versions of his original works and tunes written by Robert Pollard, Fred Frith, This Heat & Erik Satie [USA] PATRICK FORGAS – COCKTAIL PROGRESSIVE ROCK Reissue of the legendary 1977 album by drummer / composer Patrick Forgas – hailed as France's answer to England's Canterbury sound  – with 13 additional tracks. [FRANCE] THE REFERENCE GROUP – FILE UNDER UNPOPULAR ROCK Sole extant recordings by The Reference Group (2007-2008), a Swedish avant rock band featuring composer/ drummer Michael Maksymenko,  composer/ bassist Ralf Nygård and guitarists Jimmy Ågren and Mathias Danielsson. [SWEDEN] ~~~~~   SNEAK PEEKS OF WHAT'S COMING OUT IN 2025 A LIST OF UPCOMING JAZZ , ROCK, & EXPERIMENTAL/ ELECTRONIC RELEASES ~~~~~ CUNEIFORM ARTISTS ON TOUR: LIVE CONCERTS & TOURS   ~~~~~ ENJOY A WORLD OF MUSICAL ADVENTURE with  CUNEIFORM RECORDS ONLINE:   • EXPLORE Cuneiform Records'  SOCIAL MEDIA //  BANDCAMP PAGE // YOUTUBE CHANNEL //  SOUNDCLOUD PAGE ~~~~~ • Purchase music from 100s of labels at WAYSIDE MUSIC, our sister store, estab.1980 ~~~~~ • Missed seeing a CUNEIFORM NEWSLETTER? Access prior issues at cuneiformrecord.blogspot.com/    ~~~~~                                                                      read this newsletter online return to top COMING OUT FEBRUARY 28, 2025 ROGER CLARK MILLER CURIOSITY FOR SOLO ELECTRIC GUITAR ENSEMBLE   Roger Clark Miller is best known as the guitarist in Mission of Burma, where he expanded the vocabulary of rock guitar by incorporating elements of free jazz and 20th Century classical music.   Curiosity for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble is an expansion upon his previous ground-breaking release on Cuneiform Records, Eight Dream Interpretations for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble Listen to/ share "Russian Spy Canisters" via Soundcloud, from Roger Clark Miller's Curiosity for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble:   Roger Clark Miller has performed his “Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble” music from Toronto, Canada to Washington, DC. It is performed on multiple guitars with multiple loops and devices. While the sounds produced are sometimes dizzying, they are always physical and made in real time. In performance, Miller sits in his cockpit, able to reach all four guitars and a plethora of pedals from one position. It requires intense concentration to play these compositions, but they could not have occurred any other way. Curiosity for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble is Roger Clark Miller's second Cuneiform Records release of Guitar Ensemble music structured by dreams from his dream journal. There are four Dream Interpretations on this album, in contrast with his first one, Eight Dream Interpretations for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble.  While numbered in the order they were composed, these new Dream Interpretations are also given titles, the same titles the dreams were in fact named in Miller's dream journal. Miller has developed new performance and composition techniques since his previous Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble album. Lap-steels are used more extensively. In addition, the piece “Curiosity on Mars” is a longer composition which partakes of Miller's “Natural Phenomena” composing technique for generating structure / form. Five photographs taken by NASA's Mars Rover “Curiosity” are used to organize the five sections of the piece. Occasionally the music is impressionistic, but mostly the music follows the specific arrangement and shapes of rocks and minerals in the photographs.   Listen to / Pre-Order CURIOSITY FOR SOLO ELECTRIC GUITAR ENSEMBLE on Bandcamp CD or Digital High Resolution Digital CREDITS ROGER C. MILLER: Modified Stratocaster electric guitar, three prepared/altered lap steel guitars on legs, Boomerang III Looper, foot pedals. Miller uses multiple Source Audio devices. Recorded and mixed January 15 – June 14, 2024, at Guilford Sound in Guilford, VT. Engineered by Dave Snyder (with Matt Hall). Produced by Roger C. Miller and Dave Snyder. Mastered by Ian Beabout at Shed Sound Recordings. All compositions by Roger C. Miller, Fun World Music, B.M.I. ~ ~ ~ BIO INFORMATION photo Jack Fraser / alterations Joanne Kaliontzis Roger Clark Miller is a guitarist, pianist, composer, bassist, singer, percussionist and occasional cornet player. His recordings have appeared on Cuneiform, Matador, Fire, Ace of Hearts, SST, New Alliance, Forced Exposure, Feeding Tube, World in Sound, Atavistic, Sublingual and Fun World. A band leader since 1967, Miller has toured nationally since 1979 and internationally since 1998. Miller's career officially began in 1979 when he co-founded the influential post-punk band Mission of Burma, in which he served as guitarist and on vocals. The band was a major indie-rock phenomenon, and is featured in a full chapter in Our Band Could be Your Life, the bible of indie rock history, and the subject of the documentary “Not a Photograph”, listed in Huffington Post's 18 must-watch documentaries. Mission of Burma folded in 1983 due to Miller's tinnitus. Focusing on piano for a new group, Miller formed Birdsongs of the Mesozoic in 1981 and continued in it until 1988. The group blended minimalism, classical, and rock, releasing numerous recordings on Ace of Hearts and Cuneiform Records. From 1983-1989 Miller created his Maximum Electric Piano work, utilizing prepared piano and loops. In the last decade of the 20th Century, from 1989 until 1998, Miller then released numerous records as leader, all quite different from each other, on both guitar or keyboards. The 21st Century presented a wide range of new musical opportunities for Miller. In 1998, performing on keyboards, he joined the silent film accompanying ensemble Alloy Orchestra, which Roger Ebert called “Alloy Orchestra is the best in the world at accompanying silent film”. Alloy, now under the new name The Anvil Orchestra, continues to perform nationally today at such high profile venues as the AFI (American Film Institute). From 2002-2015, Mission of Burma reformed to high acclaim, and Miller split his touring time between Burma (guitar) and Alloy (keyboards). During this time, he composed many soundtracks for documentary films, four of which have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2010, Miller began composing chamber music again, and his compositions have been performed at the New England Conservatory, Tufts University and elsewhere, continuing to the present. He also began creating multi-media works. Miller's art installation, "Transmuting the Prosaic", showed at the Brattleboro Art Museum in 2020 and 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, NH, in 2022. He continues working in multiple formats, and plans to do so into the far distant future. ~ ~ ~ Read the Article on Roger Clark Miller in Premier Guitar: Bill Murphy, "Mission of Burma’s Roger Clark Miller: Guitar Dreamscapes," Premier Guitar, January 12, 2023 "From Mission of Burma to one-man guitar orchestra, Roger Clark Miller remains one of the most quietly influential guitarists of the post-punk era, working to the calendar of his own creative impulses." – Premier Guitar return to top ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS FEATURING ROGER CLARK MILLER ROGER CLARK MILLER photo by Jesse_Kreize  Eight Dream Interpretations For Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble (2022) Select quotes from the press about this 2022 release: Popmatters "[Miller's] skills as a guitar player and his bottomless imagination have collided in a perfect encapsulation of the two traits, bringing forth a third strand that just can’t be imitated by anyone else, no matter how hard anyone should try. The technically proficient has officially met the sonically fearless on Eight Dream Interpretations for Solo Electric Guitar, a project that deserves to be considered more than just a Mission of Burma offshoot. Rating: 8/10."                    Premier Guitar: “The post-punk 6-string hero takes a deep dive into sonic surrealism with his new album, a loop-driven collection of riveting soundscapes.”    The Best Experimental Music on Bandcamp, Sept.2022: “Most impressive is the guitarist's tonal control - this music may emerge from the fog of sleep, but Miller's deft handling is crystal clear.”    MOJO, March 2023 (4 stars): “Miller finds plenty of room to operate fruitfully in the terrain between the more challenging Fripp led instrumental segments of a King Crimson live show and a lost American Primitive classic from 1971."   All About Jazz (it was also in their “Best of 2022”): “The dance between composition, performance and improvisation is unique, the end result of Miller's long journey into these lands.”   The Arts Fuse, Boston. Dec. 2022: “As fluid and experimental as Eight Dream Interpretations is, the album’s rambunctious sonic palette is nothing if not inviting.” Roger Clark Miller "Dream Interpretation #17" (Official Video) for Eight Dream Interpretations for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble (Cuneiform Records) ROGER CLARK MILLER in   BIRDSONGS OF THE MESOZOIC   Miller on far right; photo by f-stop Fitzgerald   DAWN OF THE CYCADS                                                          THE FOSSIL RECORD 1980-1987   ROGER CLARK MILLER in FOURTH WORLD QUARTET 1975       Miller at piano; photo by Deborah Randall Fisher return to top                   !! OUT NOW !!                  RELEASED JANUARY 31, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS:                          JOHN SURMAN                   FLASHPOINTS AND           UNDERCURRENTS                     Bio information: JOHN SURMAN Title: FLASHPOINTS AND UNDERCURRENTS (Cuneiform Rune 515 / 516) Format: CD  / DIGITAL www.cuneiformrecords.com FILE UNDER: JAZZ “Cuneiform’s combing of vaults, archives and collections for Brit Jazz rarities has yielded some real treasure…" – Point of Departure "For fans of 60s Brit-jazz, the band is an absolute dream team featuring the era’s most vibrant players...  As a snapshot of deep 60s jazz, British or otherwise, this is 100% gold." – BBC Music Reviews BBC.co.uk, reviewing Flashpoint in 2011 ~ ~ ~ ~                             listen to / share "listen to/ share "Once Upon a Time"  from FLASHPOINTS AND UNDERCURRENTS" by JOHN SURMAN      Double CD release of jazz recordings from April 18,1969 in Germany by British saxophonist John Surman's large ensemble with Kenny Wheeler, Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne, Harry Miller, Alan Jackson, Ronnie Scott, Fritz Pauer, Malcolm Griffiths & Erich Kleinschuster  One of Europe’s foremost jazz musicians, John Surman is a masterful improvisor, composer, and multi-instrumentalist (baritone and soprano sax, bass clarinet, and synthesizers/electronics).  Recently celebrating his 80th birthday, Surman has been a major musical force and for nearly 60 years, producing a prodigious and creative body of work that expands beyond jazz. Surman’s extensive discography as a leader and a side man numbers more than 100 recordings to date and has featured dozens of prominent artists worldwide. He was a member of John McLaughlin's final UK-based group, and recorded McLaughlin's famous first solo album, Extrapolation, with him in January 1969, four months before recording the music on this Cuneiform Records release, Flashpoints and Undercurrents. Between 1968 - 1974, Surman released 8 albums under his own name for mainstream labels such as Deram and Island. Surman is most popularly known for his longstanding association with the German label ECM, who in 1979 began releasing dozens of recordings with Surman as both a leader and sideman.  Every period of Surman's career is filled with highlights, which is why Cuneiform is exceedingly pleased to release – for the first time ever – this amazing, double-disc document of the late 60s 'Brit-jazz' scene, Flashpoints and Undercurrents, recorded on April 18, 1969 in Hamburg, Germany.  It is the most extensive Surman studio session released by Cuneiform, recorded during the busiest year of Surman's lengthy career. John Surman Born in Tavistock, in England, Surman discovered music as a child, singing as soprano soloist in a Plymouth-area choir. He later bought a second-hand clarinet, took lessons from a Royal Marine Band clarinetist, and began playing traditional Dixieland jazz at local jazz clubs. Surman found his instrument of choice, however, when he discovered baritone sax. He recalled in an interview: “When I was 16 or 1,  I saw two saxophones in a music store, an alto and a baritone. They were both the same price, and I thought, “Wow, all that much more saxophone!” (Laughing) But I really liked the look of the instrument. It was a very old French instrument that had been reconditioned. So I gave it a try. I sort of worked my way down to low C and my whole body vibrated. It was pretty much my first sexual experience (Laughing).”  Harry Miller & John Surman Surman attended the London College of Music, where he studied clarinet. In an interview with Tom Erdmann, he explained that  “in those days, you weren’t allowed to study the saxophone. It wasn’t considered a legitimate choral instrument.”  Surman later learned to play synthesizers, and began incorporating them in his music by the mid-70s - a radical notion for jazz. Even early in his career, Surman was recognized as a world-class talent, the most innovative voice on baritone sax since Gerry Mulligan in early 50s. Surman  lived in London during the 1960’s and thrived in the exploding music scene. ‘60s London was the world’s center of popular music, and Surman was a key figure in its core, working with dozens of notable jazz and rock musicians. First appearing on record on a 1966 Peter Lemer recording on ESP, during the 60s, Surman played with Mike Westbrook, John Mclaughlin, Dave Holland, Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath, Alexis Korner, Mike Gibbs and many others. He listened to everything and worked with scores of bands in London’s melting pot, playing everything from free jazz to hard bop, mainstream jazz, blues, the then-emerging jazz rock, and South African township music. Surman's 10-piece ensemble  By the end of the 60s, the British Jazz emerging from London was recognized world-wide as one of jazz’s most vital and creative manifestations. In 1968, Miles Davis visited Ronnie Scott’s and subsequently recruited two Surman collaborators, Dave Holland and John McLaughlin, for his American band. Surman’s activities intensified; he appeared on at least 8 recordings, including a compilation live at Ronnie Scott’s, and then played the ‘68 Montreux Jazz Festival with his Octet, winning its award for best soloist. He began recording solo albums, his first in ’68 featuring pianist John Taylor and bassist Dave Holland. Surman would surpass these activities in 1969, his busiest year of the decade. He appeared on 11 recordings that year, including McLaughlin’s Extrapolation, and by the end of the year, he left England to begin working as part of a new, Belgium-based unit called The Trio, which would prove to be a watershed in Surman’s career, launching his international profile.  At the time of the recording released here, Surman had just finished recording his second album as a leader, How Many Clouds Can You See (Deram: 1970).  Flashpoints and Undercurrents is thus a unique chance to get an expanded view of both Surman's formative work as a leader, and also at the early work of his musical compatriots appearing with him here. For this occasion, Surman led a ten-piece ensemble featuring the cream of modern British jazz players as well as two Austrian musicians.   Mike Osborne, Kenny Wheeler, Malcomb Griffiths What's doubly valuable about this release is that it contains a large amount of Surman pieces never recorded or released elsewhere. High quality audio recordings of the musicians in this ensemble, from this period, are quite rare. Captured in excellent stereo sound, this release is a exceptional and hugely important document that will blow the minds of Brit-jazz fans and open the ears and eyes, hearts and minds of those unfamiliar with the early years of European jazz and the great, adventurous and distinctive jazz musicians in both Britain and the Continent.    Listen to / Buy  FLASHPOINTS AND UNDERCURRENTS  on Bandcamp buy Double-Disc CD or DIGITAL  ALBUM CREDITS: JOHN SURMAN - soprano and baritone saxophone, bass clarinet ALAN SKIDMORE - tenor saxophone and flute RONNIE SCOTT - tenor saxophone MIKE OSBORNE - alto saxophone MALCOLM GRIFFITHS - trombone ERICH KLEINSCHUSTER - trombone KENNY WHEELER - trumpet and flugelhorn FRITZ PAUER - piano HARRY MILLER - bass ALAN JACKSON - drums Recorded April 18, 1969 at Studio 10, Grosser Sendesaal des NDR Funkhauses, Hamburg, Germany John Surman  ~ ~ ~ ~  Surman recalls the 1960s and early 1970s period of his career: “An eye-opener for me. It taught me a lot about music and life, and it was a turning point when an identifiable jazz music that reflected American achievements but liberated us as Europeans, was invented.”  – John Surman, in an interview with The Guardian, cited in Stuart Nicholson's article "John Surman: A Lust for Life", Jazzwise, September 2024   return to top OTHER JOHN SURMAN RECORDINGS ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS   Available in both Digital (download & streaming) and CD formats.  click on image to hear / buy: JOHN SURMAN                           WAY BACK WHEN                        CUNEIFORM PRESS RELEASE: http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/press/jsurman-wbw-pr.pdf CREDITS: John Surman : baritone and soprano saxes John Taylor : electric piano Brian Odgers : electric bass John Marshall : drums Mike Osborne : alto sax (Owlshead and Out And About) Recorded on October 7th, 1969 Tangerine Studios, located in London’s East End. ~ ~ ~ ~ “Cuneiform have done it again. It still startles me that a tiny record company in Maryland, USA is turning out some of the best reissues and rediscoveries of 60s and 70s British Jazz (think Brotherhood of Breath, Graham Collier, Nucleus) as well as giving a home to more recent work…this recording is just a snapshot of where Surman and his mates...were at the time. …it's a rewarding listen…electric bass and piano suggests rockist tendencies, and…there's a strong whiff of  In a Silent Way in the air. The title track…theme…turns up as "Glancing Backwards" on John McLaughlin's Where Fortune Smiles… A must-have for anyone interested in 60's Brit jazz or the early days of fusion. Thank God for Cuneiform…” – Peter Marsh, BBC: Music, www.bbc.co.uk, June 7, 2005 “To hear Surman at his youthful best… the previously unreleased Way Back When – a 1969 studio session teaming Surman with altoist Mike Osborne…provides a splendid introduction. …when he switches to baritone for “Owlshead” and “Out and About”–oh, boy, there wasn’t an American baritonist taking the horn up as high or down as low and exhibiting as much muscle and smarts until Hamiet Bluiett.”  – Francis Davis, The Village Voice, June 13, 2005 “Critical reappraisal of modern British jazz circa 1969-72, long overdue, can’t hurt John Surman. His long association with ECM chronicles a nurturing and productive relationship… What it has obscured is the passionate soloist who has done as much to expand the baritone saxophone as Steve Lacy did for the straight horn. Way Back When is thus both a good surprise and a healthy reminder."  – Randal McIlroy, CODA, Issue 325, Jan/Feb 2006 “Cuneiform is a trusty US label that does a roaring trade in contemporary American jazz, and modern progressive rock. They’ve also cornered the market in re-releasing important and long-lost albums from the fertile late 60’s / early 70’s British Jazz scene...the ‘Golden Years of Brit-Jazz’. …and occasionally digs up tapes that have never seen the light of day. J... ‘Way Back When’ will transport you directly back to late 1969 and the eve of the jazz-rock revolution. … ‘Way Back When’ is invigorating, exuberant and alive to the possibilities of jazz integrating with rock, made at a time when those worlds were just beginning to collide. It’s a very welcome addition to Surman’s large discography and well worth tracking down. Thumbs up, Cuneiform. Keep digging!” – Kami, “Golden Years Revisited”, funhouse, July 10, 2005   JOHN SURMAN     FLASHPOINT: NDR JAZZ WORKSHOP - APRIL '69                                                    CUNEIFORM PRESS RELEASE:  http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/press/John_Surman-Flashpoint-PR.pdf CREDITS John Surman - soprano and baritone sax Alan Skidmore - tenor sax and flute Ronnie Scott - tenor sax Mike Osborne - alto sax Kenny Wheeler - trumpet and flugelhorn Malcolm Griffiths - trombone Erich Kleinschuster - trombone Fritz Pauer - piano Harry Miller - bass Alan Janckson - drums Recorded Thursday April 17, 1969 at the studios of Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), Hamburg, Germany for NDR Jazz Workshop No. 62. Originally broadcast on May 25, 1969. ~ ~ ~ ~ "For fans of 60s Brit-jazz, the band is an absolute dream team featuring the era’s most vibrant players... The clincher is the inclusion of a DVD, which presents the original German TV show from which the cuts are taken. ... As a snapshot of deep 60s jazz, British or otherwise, this is 100% gold."  – Daniel Spicer, BBC Music Reviews BBC.co.uk   "Cuneiform Records...landed a superior session by John Surman and a ten-piece big band. It’s an exhilarating date of Coltrane-influenced, modal-based free jazz that been cross-fertilized with other influences and stamped by Surman’s own unique voice. ....The two-disc set includes a DVD of the full television broadcast ..rich in details that audio alone can’t reveal.This was a committed, creative little big band, helping to establish a distinctively British style of jazz, and playing with all the power and enthusiasm it could muster. An important addition to Surman’s already impressive catalog." – Ed Hazell, Point of Departure   "Flashpoint: NDR Jazz Workshop—April '69, a golden find of a German television performance, rescued from obscurity by Cuneiform Records and released as a double-disc set with both an audio CD and DVD of the same five-track set. .... Flashpoint adds further detail to the picture of Surman's early years, where a myriad of promises emerged concurrently, to ultimately merge into one of jazz's most distinctive voices on the big and little horns. 4.5/5 stars" –  John Kelman, All About Jazz, February 1, 2011   "This audio and DVD package is a precious fragment of the jigsaw for students of British jazz emancipation, and for Surman fans fascinated by his journey from free-jazz turbulence to more reflective music in later years. It also represents a remarkable one-off lineup..." – John Fordham, The Guardian, April 14, 2011    "The confidence and energy are palpable, and confirm the hugely creative talents that flourished in London in the late 60s. 4/5 stars" – Mike Hobart, Financial Times, March 25 2011   "...an incisive glance into the creative eminence of this formative musician. ...Cuneiform Records has unearthed a hidden treasure of British jazz. " – Robbie Gerson, Audiophile Audition, March 17, 2011   "...the music comes up fresh and powerful. ...4/4 stars" – Brian Priestly, Jazzwise   "NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD: UNEARTHED GEMS: BEST OF 2011 John Surman : Flashpoint " – New York City Jazz Record, Best of 2011 John Surman, Alan Skidmore                S.O.S. RECORDINGS ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS     S.O.S. [John Surman - Mike Osborne - Alan Skidmore] LOOKING FOR THE NEXT ONE CUNEIFORM PRESS RELEASE: http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/press/SOS-LOOKING-PR.pdf CREDITS Mike Osborne – alto saxophone, percussion Alan Skidmore – soprano and tenor saxophones, drums John Surman – baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, synthesizer, keyboards with Tony Levin – drums (tracks 5-6) 1-3 recorded late 1974, London, UK. 4-6 recorded September 14, 1975, London, UK. 7-11 recorded at Balver Hoehle Jazz Festival, July 27, 1974, Balver, Germany. ~ ~ ~ ~    "This 2 CD set from the brilliant American label Cuneiform (who are also responsible for unearthing many other buried Britjazz treasures...) brings together unreleased studio sessions and a live festival set from 1974, and serves to underline what a singular group this was; there’s really been no-one else quite like them since.  ....It’s with the lengthy Looking For The Next One that the trio start to show what made them such a unique proposition. Beginning with angular cosmic synth pulses worthy of Tangerine Dream...they shift to a dark, brooding Coltrane-esque dirge with the oft underrated Skidmore reeling off an ecstatic, knotty tenor solo over Surman’s churning piano.... Hats off (again) to Cuneiform; this is required listening for anyone interested in British jazz of the time, though its appeal goes way beyond historical interest. Essential." – Peter Marsh, London Jazz News, Jan. 15, 2024   "Before Cuneiform released the two-disc archival collection Looking for the Next One in 2013, S.O.S. had only one album to their name, an eponymous disc on Ogun in 1975, although the trio members were all major contributors to various other '60s and '70s British jazz projects. ....a must-hear for fans of the inimitable world-class electric jazz that emerged from Britain during the '60s and '70s era. 4/5 stars" – Dave Lynch, All Music   "Looking for the Next One, is a 2-CD set comprising of studio and live material that offers previously unreleased material that is grounded on the trio's innovative unification of electronics to supplement the sax trio concept. It's one of those unearthed treasures that hold its value several decades after the fact. ....Looking for the Next One is surely one of the premier archival reissues of 2013. It is ahead of its time artistically and technically. The trio's striking ingenuity and convivial demeanor emerges in leaps and bounds from start to finish. 4.5/5 stars"  – Glenn Astarita, Al About Jazz, August 19, 2013  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ return to top               !! OUT NOW !!                 RELEASED  JANUARY 1, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS               CUNEIFORM RECORDS: THE ALBUMS OF 2024 – CUNEIFORM'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR A Sampler Featuring Some of the Best, Most Progressive &  Visionary Avant Garde Music on the Planet – Jazz, Classical, Rock, Electronic, Minimalist / Experimental, R.I.O., Post/Beyond Genre & More –  Containing Sixteen Tracks Selected from Albums Released by Cuneiform Records in 2024 to Celebrate the Label's 40th Anniversary    TRACKS: 1.    Janel and Anthony - "Surf The Dead"   03:53 2.    Dirk Bruinsma - "Bassconstruct 3 aka Pale Drops 3"   05:00 3.    Present - "This Is Not The End, part 1 [extract]"   06:10 4.    Volapük - "Impro Cloche"   04:03 5.    Radio Massacre International - "Galactic Furnace part 2 [edit]"   09:22 6.    Tomeka Reid Quartet - "Sauntering With Mr. Brown"   08:37 7.    Thumbscrew - "Orange Was the Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk"   05:53 8.    Soft Machine - "Virtually"   11:47 9.    Denman Maroney - "Nits Musica 1 [edit]"  08:50 10.   Angling - "Who Wrote What"   05:00 11.   Janel Leppin // Ensemble Volcanic Ash - "As Wide As All Outdoors"   06:40 12.   Yang - "Step Inside"   05:02 13.   CHEER-ACCIDENT - "Range"  02:55 14.   Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Co // David Borden - "The Continuing Story of Counterpoint, part 1"   09:46 15.   Antistatic - "Angels vs. Peasants  "08:07 16.   Janel and Anthony - "Crystal Grove Monarch"   04:06 GET / PAY-WHAT-YOU-WISH : THE 16-TRACK SAMPLER  The Albums of 2024: Cuneiform's 40th Anniversary Year IN DIGITAL FORMAT ON BANDCAMP In Celebration of our 2024 Releases & 40th Anniversary "Truly this is one of the most challenging yet rewarding catalogs ever known. Long live Cuneiform."– QoBuz    "The Cuneiform catalog is rich: a long string of revelatory releases..."                            – Jim Allan, Rock & Roll Globe FOUR DECADES in the biz: this IS an avant-music micro-business landmark. Cuneiform is honored to have spent  40+ years working with some of some of THE best, most creative, distinctive and visionary musicians, composers, and improvisors on the international avant garde scene. We have worked with many of these musicians - including David Borden of Mother Mallard and Roger Trigaux of Present, both with 2024 releases  - for multiple decades. Cuneiform Records could not have existed without our artists' inspired music and collaboration, and we thank ALL of the musicians we've worked with, since our start. We were humbled and especially honored this month to learn that one of our artists, Happy Family from Japan, has created an EP honoring our 40th Anniversary, titled 4037, which Cuneiform will release in March. In the band's own words:    "The EP title, 4037, holds particular significance: the "40" celebrates Cuneiform's milestone anniversary, and the "37" marks the years since the founding of Happy Family. This album stands as a gesture of gratitude towards Cuneiform and its founder, Steve Feigenbaum, who reignited our momentum and inspired [the band's] return. .... In honor of 40 years of perseverance and creative passion."  – Kenichi Morimoto, Happy Family  ~~~~~~ Our sincere thanks to the media professionals who've published articles on Cuneiform Records' 40th Anniversary. We greatly appreciate the support you've given to our artsts and label. – Mathew Schumer, CapitalBop, "How Cuneiform Records Has Remained a Label ‘IN OPPOSITION’ for the Pas 40 Years" – Jeff Laughlin, QoBuz Magazine, "40 Years of Cuneiform Records" – Jim Allan, Rock and Roll Globe, "Steve Feigenbaum on 40 Years of Cuneiform Records. An American institution of unconventional music has a big birthday" – Mike Borella, Avant Music News, "Cuneiform Records Overview" – Mario Calvitti, All About Jazz, "Una Gemma Soft Machine per il Quarantennale Cuneiform" /  "A Soft Machine Gem for the Forty-Year Anniversary of Cuneiform" return to top A LIST OF ALBUMS RELEASED IN 2024 BY CUNEIFORM RECORDS (click image to BUY ALBUM ON BANDCAMP)  JAZZ & BEYOND                                     ELECTRONIC ELECTRONIC / CLASSICAL +  ELECTRONIC / ROCK        Click image to read Bandcamp's January 2025 article on David Borden & Mother Mallard  ROCK & BEYOND (CHAMBER ROCK, R.I.O., EXPERIMENTAL, MINIMALIST, PROGRRESSIVE, POST)                           return to top ! SNEAK PEEKS WITH SOUNDS! COMING OUT MARCH 2025 MARCH 15 on CD and on DIGITAL FORMAT (DOWNLOAD, STREAMING) HAPPY FAMILY – 4037 MARCH 28 on DIGITAL FORMAT (DOWNLOAD, STREAMING) CURLEW – EAST / WEST / ALSO COLLAPSIBLE SHOULDER BIG BAND – LIVE 2019: MAP OF BOOKS PATRICK FORGAS – COCKTAIL THE REFERENCE GROUP – FILE UNDER UNPOPULAR COMING OUT IN CD & DIGITAL FORMATS   MARCH 15, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS HAPPY FAMILY 4037 CREDITS: Kenichi Morimoto - keyboards Takahiro Izutani - guitar Hidemi Ichikawa - bass Keiichi Nagase - drums   recorded by Naoki Hayami at Orpheus Studio, Tokyo, Japan. mixed by Takahiro Izutani. mastered by Soichiro Nakamura.   "In honor of 40 years of perseverance and creative passion." – Kenichi Morimoto, Happy Family    tracks 1 "Pygmalion" written by Takahiro Izutani 2 "Hypocrisy" written by Hidemi Ichikawa 3 "The Flying Man" written by Kenichi Morimoto 4 "Itchu" written by Keiichi Nagase listen to/ share "Pygmalian (excerpt)" on Soundcloud Kenichi Morimoto of Happy Family describes the genesis of 4037:   "Following the release of our previous album, Minimal Gods (Cuneiform Records), and a European tour, we found ourselves slipping into a state of near burnout, leading the band into a complete hiatus that stretched over a decade, with no sign of revival in sight. During this dormant period, we were fortunate to receive an offer from Cuneiform Records to participate in their 40th-anniversary celebration. After much deliberation and numerous twists and turns, we are proud to announce the release of our new EP, 4037. In our first rehearsal in ten years, we experienced a gratifying reconnection with our ensemble sound, showing no trace of the long gap and moving smoothly into the composition of new pieces we had prepared. The EP title, 4037, holds particular significance: the "40" celebrates Cuneiform's milestone anniversary, and the "37" marks the years since the founding of Happy Family. This album stands as a gesture of gratitude towards Cuneiform and its founder, Steve Feigenbaum, who reignited our momentum and inspired this return. In an unprecedented approach, each of the four members contributed an original piece, crafting a distinctive album of collaborative expression. Additionally, and uniquely, all tracks were recorded without prior live performances. For the piece “Itchu” each member performed individually, with their recorded performances layered sequentially to create a composition that emerged entirely through an online session. We are now thrilled to see how, after this long silence, the world's progressive rock community will respond to this new work from Happy Family. And we eagerly look forward to the day we can perform it live for all of you. In honor of 40 years of perseverance and creative passion." – Kenichi Morimoto, Happy Family    Pre-Order on Bandcamp: Happy Family - "Pygmalion"" (Official Video) from 4037  (Cuneiform Records) return to top COMING OUT IN DIGITAL FORMAT MARCH 28, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS CURLEW EAST / WEST / ALSO CREDITS: George Cartwright - saxophones Ann Rupel - bass Pippin Barnett - drums Tom Cora - cello Davey Williams - guitar EAST / WEST / ALSO features previously unreleased live recordings made by the CURLEW ‘classic quintet’ of PIPPIN BARNETT, GEORGE CARTWRIGHT, TOM CORA, ANN RUPEL & DAVEY WILLIAMS at venues in Stockholm, Sweden and San Francisco, California during a 1990 Knitting Factory global tour listen to/ share:  "Kissing Goodbye" from Curlew's East/ West/ Also on Soundcloud Digitally released on Cuneiform, East / West / Also features one complete show [DNA Lounge, San Francisco, CA] and one nearly complete show [Fasching Club, Stockholm, Sweden] from fairly late in the timeline of the Barnett / Cora / Cartwright/ Rupel/ Williams version of the band. ~ ~ ~ return to top COMING OUT IN DIGITAL FORMAT MARCH 28, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS COLLAPSIBLE SHOULDER BIG BAND LIVE 2019: A MAP OF BOOKS   Guitarist / composer / vocalist / bandleader CHRIS COCHRANE leads his thrilling 19-piece COLLAPSIBLE SHOULDER BIG BAND through original compositions as well as tunes by Fred Frith, Robert Pollard, The Heat and Erik Satie. Recorded live at Brooklyn's Roulette.   listen to/ share:  "Interdependence" by The Collapsible Big Band  from Live 2019: A Map of Books on Soundcloud CREDITS: Chris Cochrane – guitar / vocals Gordon Beeferman - keyboards Brian Chase – drums Richard Dworkin – drums Kato Hideki – bass Stuart Popejoy – bass Stew Stewart – vocals Gelsey Bell – vocals Syd Straw – vocals Marlon Cherry –vocals Sarah Bernstein – violin Eszter Balint – violin and vocals Kevin Bud Jones – electronics Jim Pugliese – drums, vibes and additional percussion Hanna Fox – drums - percussion Eddie Gormley – drums - percussion Killian Karlsson – guitar Zeena Parkins – harp John Thayer – drums and electronics return to top COMING OUT IN DIGITAL FORMAT MARCH 28, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS: PATRICK FORGAS COCKTAIL   Composer / drummer PATRICK FORGAS has been hailed as “the French answer to the Canterbury scene” ever since his debut 1977 release COCKTAIL (recorded with members of MAGMA and ZAO). Cuneiform Records is proud to reissue that famed album, with 13 bonus tracks from the same period.   listen to/ share 2 tracks:  "Automne 1969" and "Monks (La Danse de Moins)"  from Cocktail on Soundcloud CREDITS: Patrick FORGAS - drums, vocals, percussion, guitar, toy organ, musical box, bass,synthesizer with Jean-Pierre FOUQUEY - keyboards Laurent ROUBACH - guitar Gérard PREVOST - bass Patrick TILLEMAN -violin Patrick LEMERCIER - violin François DEBRICON - saxophones & flute return to top COMING OUT IN DIGITAL FORMAT MARCH 28, 2025 ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS THE REFERENCE GROUP FILE UNDER UNPOPULAR CREDITS: Jimmy Ågren : Electric slideguitar Mathias Danielsson : Electric guitar Ralf Nygård : Digital bass Michael Maksymenko: Drums   FILE UNDER UNPOPULAR features eight previously unreleased original tunes recorded by THE REFERENCE GROUP.  It is the only extant music by this great, brief-lived (2007-2008) Swedish rock quartet, which consisted of composer/ drummer Michael Maksymenko, composer/ bassist Ralf Nygård, and guitarists Jimmy Ågren and Mathias Danielsson   listen to/ share:  "Leatherreport" from File Under Unpopular by The Reference Group on Soundcloud return to top SNEAK PEEKS OF DISTANT TREASURES   COMING OUT IN 2025 & BEYOND ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS (Listed in alphabetical order. Sound samples to come out in future newsletters) ~~~~~ JAZZ ~~~~~ GHOST RHYTHMS – MISSING TIMES  (New studio album by young French avant progressive ensemble [FRANCE] ~~~~~ HEAT ON – HEAT ON (Debut release from new quartet led by composer / drummer Lily Finegan and featuring Nick Macri [bass], Ed Wilkerson, Jr (of 8 Bold Souls) [saxes] & Fred Jackson, Jr [saxes]) [USA] ~~~~~ LED BIB – HOTEL PUPIK (New studio album from these award-winning UK stalwarts; now a quartet) [UK] ~~~~~ LUKE STEWART / SILT REMEMBRANCE ENSEMBLE – THE ORDER (New jazz recording by a quintet ensemble featuring Luke Stewart, Chad Taylor, and Brian Settles – the members of Luke Stewart's Silt Trio – with Jamal Moore (sax & percusison) and Daniel Carter (sax & trumpet)) [USA] ~~~~~~     ROCK ~~~~~~ MIKE JOHNSON – GARDEN OF LOSS (Mike Johnson, leader/ composer/ guitarist of Thinking Plague, releases an album under his own name featuring orchestration - strings, brass reeds, etc - combined with rock instrumentation.) [USA] ~~~~~~ GILLES LAVAL – 100 GUITARS SUR UN BATEAU IVRE  [100 GUITARS ON A DRUNKEN BOAT] (100 electric guitars, conducted by Gilles Laval. Designed for public performances) [FRANCE] ~~~~~~ NEBELNEST – LIVE AT PROGDAY 1999 (Hard hitting, French instrumental, zeuhl / dark symphonic rock ensemble)  [FRANCE] ~~~~~~ NEBELNEST – unreleased fourth album  (Previously unreleased 4th album by this hard hitting, French instrumental, zeuhl / dark symphonic rock ensemble) [FRANCE] ~~~~~~ SKULLCAP – SNAKES OF ALBUQUERUE  (Instrumental rock / Americana as only Janel Leppin (cello), Anthony Pirog (guitar) and Mike Kuhl (drums) can deliver.) [USA]   return to top CUNEIFORM ARTISTS ON TOUR 2025 CALENDAR IMPORTANT REMINDER: In an evolving (and now endemic) COVID-19 world, and with adverse weather "events" happening in increasing frequency, these dates are ALL tentative. Please check with venues, close to the concert date, to confirm. We're ecstatic that live concerts are happening worldwide, but we remain aware that emergent variants - as well as severe weather - can unexpectedly affect schedules. See also the Tours Page at Cuneiform Records.   CHEER–ACCIDENT Cheer-Accident celebrate Vacate,  released in Cuneiform Records 40th Anniversary year.                  "...one of the most impressive concerts I saw was the Dragon Drop/Cheer Accident/Free Salamander Exhibit show in Indianapolis. ...Cheer Accident blew me away... The music was innovative and powerful and brave and everything I’d hoped it would be."- Proglodytes "Cheer-Accident are the quintessential Chicago post-rock band... They've been exploring head-scratching, creatively fucked-up time signatures and sideways guitar shenanigans for 20 years now, leaving a pronounced influence on the Windy City's art-rock scene. Their playful musical approach is a ripe aesthetic of absurdist humor." – Pitchfork _______________________________ February 13 - Martyr's - 3855 N Lincoln Ave - Chicago, IL   Listen to & buy Vacate  Chicago XX, Putting Off Death,          No Ifs, Ands or Dogs, Fear Draws Misfortune      "Tons of weird rock records have streamed out of Chicago over the past two decades, but none have blended pop smarts and avant-garde impulses as skillfully as this marvelous brainteaser..." – Time Out New York EMPIRICAL Featuring Nathaniel Facey (alto saxophone), Shaney Forbes (drums), Lewis Wright (vibraphone) and Tom Farmer (bass), Empirical buildson the extroverted improvisational ethos of the 1960s New Thing, embracing oblique harmonies, translucent textures and jagged, quick shifting rhythms, transformed for new generations.   "The coolest of Britain's young jazz bands." – Daily Telegraph February 21 - Reading Jazz Festival - Progress Theatre - Reading, UK February 22 - Stapleford Granary - Cambridge, UK April 4 - Stamford Arts Centre - Stamford, UK April 11 - Birmingham Jazz Club - Birmingham, UK May 8 - Music Spoken Here - Worcester, UK May 9 - Derby Jazz Club - Derby, UK May 15 - The Nutshell Arts Centre - Winchester, UK   Listen to & buy:        Connection                            "[Empirical] remains enthusiastically devoted to remaking jazz for a contemporary audience... This fine set is a significant renewal of Empirical’s commitment to giving 1960s hard bop and free jazz (probably still their deepest loves) a 21st-century identity." – John Fordham / The Guardian HENRY KAISER Grammy winner Henry Kaiser is widely recognized as one of the most creative and innovative guitarists, improvisers, and producers in the fields of rock, jazz, world, and contemporary experimental musics. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– THE HENRY KAISER MONTHLY SOLO SERIES, presented exclusively on the CUNEIFORM RECORDS YouTube Channel  When Covid pandemic lockdowns began in 2020, Henry Kaiser began curating & presenting a weekly series of pre-recorded music videos exclusively on Cuneiform's YouTube Channel for music lovers isolating at home. These "live" concerts are taped beforehand and not streamed - Henry discusses the process in a Guitar Moderne interview, "The New "Live"".  Many videos in the series depict duets and larger bands, despite the program being called the "Henry Kaiser Weekly Solo Series".  While many depict new or recent performances, other videos in this series are vintage footage of performances not available elsewhere (The Valentines' 1994 concert in the Fukuoka Dome). Over time, the series converted to monthly and currently, a quarterly release schedule.  All 52 videos from the Henry Kaiser's Weekly Series, the entire two year Monthly Series and all current quarterly videos are archived & available on Cuneiform's YouTube Channel.  We invite you to visit and follow Cuneiform Record's YouTube Channel to see the videos that Henry regularly presents. A must see: the WINTER 2024 video is HENRY KAISER QUARTERLY #4: BARITONE GUITAR SPECIAL, featuring Henry's awesome guitar work along with Special Guests: Luciana Bass, Jim Clark, Janet Feder, Sandy Ewen, Vanessa Gould, Sandor Nagyszalancy, Anthony Pirog, Gregory Stephen, Sid Stephen, & Carl Weingarten. Just released, the SUMMER 2024 video , HENRY KAISER QUARTERLY SHOW #6 : You Can't Get There From Here, features Morgan Ågren  Jennifer Burnes,  Jaya Drats, Trey Gunn, Killick Hinds, Michael Manring,  Ed Petterson, Damon Smith, Jim Thomas, and Bill Walker. In addition to his video series, Kaiser occasionally presents special videos:  some focusing on current events and guitar legends, and some providing free guitar lessons, focusing on tunes associated with legendary guitarists. For instance, his September 2022 guitar lesson video, focusing on the whole tone scale and Sonny Sharrock, is titled The Whole Tone Scale! Sonny Sharrock’s DICK DOGS lesson with Henry Kaiser.  His video for 2025's 1st quarter, HENRY KAISER QUARTERLY SHOW #8 : The Backwards Guitar Solos Lesson, is both instructional for players and highly entertaining for non-musicians. Besides his work as a musician, Kaiser is also a scientific diver and underwater videographer in the U.S. Antarctic program. Several of his Solo Series videos on the Cuneiform channel feature Henry's stunning underwater videography in addition to his guitar playing, as in this stunning video from May 2020:  HENRY KAISER : Cuneiform Weekly Solo #2 : Under The Ice Again . Because all videos are archived on the Cuneiform Records' YouTube Channel, you can watch anything in the series at any time.   Listen to & buy: Albums by Henry Kaiser & Friends  on Cuneiform A Love Supreme Electric [Vinny Golia / John Hanrahan / Henry Kaiser / Wayne Peet / Mike Watt]: A Love Supreme Electric: A Love Supreme and Meditations  Yo Miles!: Henry Kaiser & Wadada Leo Smith: Sky Garden & Upriver     Five Times Surprise [Henry Kaiser / Anthony Pirog / Tracy Silverman / Jeff Sipe / Andy West]:  Five Times Surprise Henry Kaiser & Ray Russell:  The Celestial Squid Henry Kaiser: Lemon Fish Tweezer; Fred Frith & Henry Kaiser: Friends & Enemies     Healing Force [Vinny Golia • Aurora Josephson • Henry Kaiser • Mike Keneally • Joe Morris • Damon Smith • Weasel Walter]: Healing Force:  The Songs of Albert Ayler                       V.A.: 156 Strings: Nineteen Totally Original Acoustic Guitarists JANEL LEPPIN A composer and cellist who’s honed a singular synthesis of composition, orchestration and improvisation, Janel Leppin is an avant-jazz luminary. Besides performing as half of the experimental duo Janel and Anthony, which she co-leads with her husband guitarist Anthony Pirog, she leads the seven-piece chamber-jazz Ensemble Volcanic Ash, as well as performing and recording with other jazz, rock, and experimental  groups. In June 2024, Cuneiform released Ensemble Volcanic Ash's second album, To March Is To Love "An Absolute Virtuoso - 4 Stars" - Downbeat Magazine, reviewing the first EVA album "Leppin is a rarity..ahhh-vant garde at its finest." - Capital Bop JANEL LEPPIN  [solo cello - opening for Mdou Moctar] February 5 - Higher Ground - Burlington VT February 6 - Iron Horse - Northhampton, MA February 7 - Bearsville - Woodstock, NY February 8 - Home Center For The Arts - Homer, NY February 10 - Arden Gild Hall - Wilmington, DE February 11 -  The Birchmere - Alexandria, VA February 12 - Carnegie Lecture Hall  -  Pittsburgh, PA February 13 - Woodward Theatre - Cincinatti, OH February 14 - Castle Theatre - Bloomington, IL February 15 - Space - Evanston, IL February 16 - Delmar Hall - St Louis, MO February 17 - Cannery Hall - Nashville, TN February 19 - The Southern - Charlottesville, VA February 20 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA February 21 - Sony Hall - New York, NY JANEL LEPPIN RESIDENCY May 19, 2027 - The Stone - Stone Residency - 55 West 13th St - NYC, NY May 20, 2027 - The Stone - Stone Residency - 55 West 13th St - NYC, NY May 21, 2027 - The Stone - Stone Residency - 55 West 13th St - NYC, NY May 22, 2027 - The Stone - Stone Residency - 55 West 13th St - NYC, NY   Listen to & buy: Janel Leppin Ensemble Volcanic Ash  To March Is To Love                 Ensemble Volcanic Ash Janel & Anthony New Moon In the Evil Age,   Where Is Home          ROGER CLARK MILLER Roger Clark Miller is a guitarist, pianist, bassist, composer, singer, percussionist and occasional cornet player. His career officially began in 1979 when he co-founded the influential post-punk band Mission of Burma on guitar and vocals. He formed Birdsongs of the Mesozoic on piano in 1981, and from 1983-1989 he began his Maximum Electric Piano work. Miller joined the Alloy Orchestra in 1998 - "the best [orchestra] in the world at accompanying silent film" says Roger Ebert – which continues today as The Anvil Orchestra. In February 2025, he releases his second album of solo looping-based music structured on dreams on Cuneiform - Curiosity for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble. Boston Globe: "Less a recital than a musical minefield... Miller is a man in constant motion, a one-man symphony."   Roger Clark Miller Hosting Surrealist Games February 14 - A Night of Surrealist Games hosted by Roger C. Miller - Real Art Ways - Hartford, CT March 21 - A Night of Surrealist Games hosted by Roger C. Miller - Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, VT   Roger Clark Miller performing with the Anvil Orchestra [live soundtracks for silent films] March 1 - Coolidge Corner Theater - Brookline, MA [The Adventures of Prince Achmed] March 28 - The Dundee Theater (Film Streams) - Omaha, Nebraska [Metropolis] April 26 - Roger Ebert Film Festival -  Champaign, IL [The Adventures of Prince Achmed] April 28 - Milwaukee Film Festival - Milwaukee, WI [Nosferatu]   Roger Clark Miller performing Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble May 8 - Normals - 424 E 31st St, Baltimore, MD - Baltimore, MD May 9 - Rhizome DC - 6950 Maple St., NW - Washington, DC May 10 - Pageant: Soloveev -  Philadelphia, PA May 15 - Myrtle - Providence, RI May 16 - Thing in the Spring Festival - Keene, NH May 17 - Lilypad - Cambridge, MA   Listen to & buy: Roger Clark Miller, Eight Dream Interpretations for Electric Guitar Ensemble      --------- The Fourth World Quartet, 1975 ---------- Birdsongs of the Mesozoic Dawn of the Cycads // The Fossil Record       THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND "Twenty-first century big-band music doesn’t get more exciting and impressive than this." – Jazz Times An astounding 18 piece jazz ensemble of five woodwind players, four trumpeters, three trombonists, two keyboardists, guitar, violin, bass and drums, led by arranger, composer & saxophonist Ed Palermo, one of America's most singular arrangers who draws on jazz, pop and rock tunes for his top-notch band. There are a number of ensembles performing the music of Frank Zappa, one of the greatest American composers of the 20th century, but no one does it with the ease, skill and originality that Ed and his band do! –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Don't miss seeing the ED PALERMO BIG BAND live!  THEIR SHOWS SELL OUT, so buy your tickets well in advance. ~~~~ February 22 - The Falcon - 1348 Rte 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542 March 24 - Iridium - 1650 Broadway (corner of 51st and Broadway) - New York, NY 10019 April 26 - The Falcon - 1348 Rte 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542 May 19 - Iridium - 1650 Broadway (corner of 51st and Broadway) - New York, NY 10019 June 28 - The Falcon - 1348 Rte 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542 July 28 - Iridium - 1650 Broadway (corner of 51st and Broadway) - New York, NY 10019 August 23 - The Falcon - 1348 Rte 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542 October 25 - The Falcon - 1348 Rte 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542 December 20 - The Falcon - 1348 Rte 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542     Listen to & buy Ed Palermo Big Band albums on Cuneiform: The Adventures of Zoyd Zundgren // The Great Un-American Songbook Vols. 1&2  // One Child Left Behind // Oh No! Not Jazz!!  // Eddy Loves Frank. //  Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance                               RICHARD PINHAS One of France's major experimental musicians, guitarist/ electronic musician / writer Richard Pinhas is a key figure in the global development of electronic rock via his group Heldon and solo projects. In 2025, he'll tour in England and beyond. __________________________ March 4 - Just Dropped In - Coventry, UK March 5 - Just Dropped In - Coventry, UK March 7 - Café Oto - London, UK March 8 - Café Oto - London, UK May 30 - Punctum - Prague, CZ   Listen to & buy releases by Richard Pinhas & friends on Cuneiform: Richard Pinhas: Process and Reality, Desolation Row, Metatron, Metal/Crystal, Tranzition, Event & Repetitions                      Richard Pinhas & Oren Ambarchi: Tikkun    Richard Pinhas & Merzbow:  Keio Line, Rhizome, Paris 2008            Richard Pinhas & Yoshida Tatsuya: Welcome in the Void    Schizotrope (Richard Pinhas & Maurice Dantec): The Life & Death of Marie Zorn   ANTHONY PIROG "[Palo Colorado Dream] covers a sprawling musical terrain–avant jazz, atmospheric soundscapes, earthy Americana, math-rock...with an arsenal of effects hardware and studio production techniques..." – JazzTimes "One of jazz’s most reliable conduits to a living, breathing audience is electric-guitar heroism, and Anthony Pirog, from Washington...seems poised to become a hero of the instrument." – The New York Times ________________________________ Anthony Pirog [featured with The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis] [ * without James Brandon Lewis]   February 7 - The Grand Social - Dublin, Ireland February 8 - Black Box - Belfast, Ireland February 10 - Nice and Sleazy - Glasgow, Scotland February 11 - Yes - Manchester, England   February 12 - Hare and Hounds -  Birmingham, England February 13 - Boat Club - Nottinham, England February 14 - Lantern Hall @ The Beacon - Bristol, England February 15 - Con Club - Lewes, England February 16 - 100 Club - London, England February 21 - Black Cat - Washington, DC * Listen to & buy: Anthony Pirog: Pocket Poem; Palo Colorado Dream .       Janel & Anthony,     New Moon in the Evil Age,     Where Is Home            in other groupings: Location Location Location: Damaged Goods Five Times Surprise: Five Times Surprise The Spellcasters, Music from the Anacostia Delta   Janel Leppin/ Ensemble Volcanic Ash To March Is to Love,  Ensemble Volcanic Ash            TOMEKA REID QUARTET 2022 MacArthur Award winning cellist Tomeka Reid's all-star Quartet  (Jason Roebke-bass,Tomas Fujiwara-drums, 2019 MacArthur Award recipient Mary Halvorson-guitar, Reid-cello) plays material on tour from 3+3, its 2024 release on Cuneiform Records and Old New (2019). Both releases have been prolifically reviewed and featured on Best of Year jazz lists worldwide. In 2025, they tour northern Europe. Reid was recently named THE top Miscellaneous Instrumentalist (cellist) in Downbeats' 2024 Jazz Critics Poll.   "as transportingly good as jazz gets." – All About Jazz The Wire - July 2024, Issue 485 TOMEKA REID QUARTET 2025 EUROPEAN TOUR  February 1 -  Muziekpodium Paradox - Tilburg, The Netherlands February 2 - Bimhuis - Amsterdam, The Netherlands February 4 - NOSPR - Chamber Hall - Katowice, Poland February 5 - Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria - Oslo, Norway February 6  - Jazz Offensive Essen  - Essen, Germany February 7 - Kulturzentrum  Gems -  Singen, Germany February 8 - Gemeindehalle Gschwend - Gschwend, Germany February 9 - El Molino Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain   Listen to & buy: 3+3 //  Old New       RAY RUSSELL "Like contemporaries Sonny Sharrock and Terje Rypdal, Russell makes it sound as if the guitar is not enough, as if he's reaching for something wilder, something that can't be contained within the 6 string cage" - Jim O'Rourke Read Ray Russell Interview, “Music is fluid architecture,” Psychedlic Baby Magazine, January 6, 2025 _____________________________ February 22 - Hailsham Pavillion - George Street - Hailsham, United Kingdom Listen to & buy: Ray Russell: Fluid Architecture // Secret Asylum  // Goodbye Svengali       Ray Russell & Henry Kaiser: The Celestial Squid “Russell isn’t merely a fine jazz player, but a truly original music thinker and an improvisational force to be reckoned with.”  – AllMusic Guide SKULLCAP Cuneiform's newest signing: Skullcap, the DMV-based, post-rock/post-jazz+beyond trio of Mike Kuhl (drums/ percussion), Janel Leppin (vocals, cello, electronics), Anthony Pirog (guitar, electronics). Album coming out on in 2025. _____________________________   2025   February 2 - Fadensonnen - Baltimore, MD   WADADA LEO SMITH Trumpeter, composer, and improviser Wadada Leo Smith is one of America's foremost creative musicians.  His epic tribute to the American Civil Rights movement, Ten Freedom Summers, was one of 3 finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Music, and his albums have won Album of the Year awards in jazz polls worldwide.  “Smith uses his magisterial instrumental voice, his inspirational leadership and his command of classical, jazz and blues forms to remind us of what has gone down and what's still happening.” –Bill Meyer, DownBeat’s 80 Coolest Things in Jazz Today _____________________________   2025   March 27-30 - Big Ears 2025 - Knoxville, TN     Listen to & buy: WADADA LEO SMITH America's National Parks // Ten Freedom Summers        Heart's Reflections  //  Spiritual Dimensions              Tabligh ________________________ HENRY KAISER & WADADA LEO SMITH: YO MILES! Upriver  // Sky Garden       LUKE STEWART SILT TRIO Called “one of the 25 most influential jazz artists of his generation” by DownBeat Magazine and a member of several earth-shaking ensembles, including Irreversible Entanglements and Heroes Are Gang Leaders, polymathic bassist Luke Stewart, a creative catalyst on the Washington D.C. (and beyond) music scene for almost two decades, introduces his protean trio with Chicago drum legend Chad Taylor and powerhouse DC saxophonist Brian Settles.  2025 March 27-30 - Big Ears 2025 - Knoxville, TN     Listen to & buy: The Bottom        UPSILON ACRUX Upsilon Acrux is an instrumental quintet (dual guitars, keyboards, bass and drums) playing aggressive, intricate, athletic, complex and composed post-punk / avant-progressive instrumental rock. Their music fuses the animalist attack of punk rock with a daring complexity and unusual instrumental techniques and sonorities. The music that results is very powerful but upon further listening, you'll realize that it features strangely beautiful melodies that unfurl like some anaerobic Martian flower.  "...a refreshing ability to reference artists from Robert Fripp to John Coltrane with crushing irreverence. Maybe the last of the cool guitar bands."  – Exclaim!   November 25 - 220 Arts - 2220 Beverly Blvd - Los Angeles, CA 90057   Listen to & buy: UPSILON ACRUX RECORDINGS ON CUNEIFORM RECORDS: GALAPAGOS MOMENTUM //. RADIAN FUTURA   // IN THE ACRUX OF THE UPSILON KING          .       VOLUCRIS AVIS DIRAE-​ARUM // LAST TRAIN OUT // THE LAST PIRATES OF UPSILON               To set up press and radio interviews with Cuneiform Artists while on tour or at home, please contact: promo@cuneiformrecords.com return to top SPEND 2025 WITH MUSIC & VIDEOS ONLINE !   CUNEIFORM RECORDS has a treasure chest of interesting music to serve as soundtrack, inspiration and solace during these evolving and challenging times. Our mammoth catalogue of over 500 releases by artists from around the world includes many of avant music's most esteemed icons as well as young rising stars, and is available for purchase in digital and physical formats at the CUNEIFORM RECORDS BANDCAMP store, and in physical formats at one of our sister companies, WAYSIDE MUSIC as well as in RECORD SHOPS worldwide (see our DISTRIBUTORS).  Your purchases of our CDs, LPs, and digital downloads supports or indie musicians, indie labels, and small businesses.    • VISIT the official CUNEIFORM RECORDS WEBSITE  for extensive information on the artists and recordings on our label,  upcoming concerts & much more.   • WATCH VIDEOS on Cuneiform Records' YOUTUBE CHANNEL Cuneiform Records has an extremely active YouTube Channel which you should bookmark as a favorite:  free music videos, videos of live shows, & samples from 500+ adventurous releases!   And we began expanding our video content during the pandemic, most notably with an ongoing video series curated  and produced by guitarist Henry Kaiser.  • PURCHASE & LISTEN to releases on CUNEIFORM RECORDS BANDCAMP PAGE  Discover new music on our Bandcamp Page, and support artists & our indie label by purchasing music.   • PURCHASE music from100s of LABELS from around the world at  WAYSIDE MUSIC, our sister store.  At our internet store, WaysideMusic.com (established in 1980!), you can purchase hard-to-find CDs and LPs from ALL your favorite labels!  • ENJOY and SHARE SAMPLES of music by releases of countless Cuneiform artists on the Cuneiform Records' SoundCloud Site. • VISIT, LIKE & FOLLOW  Cuneiform Records' Official FACEBOOK PAGE.  • JOIN the Cuneiform Records FACEBOOK GROUP:  FANS Of Cuneiform Records.  • FOLLOW @CuneiformRecord on TWITTER (now X) • LICENSE music from Cuneiform for movies, ads etc via our sister site TheMusicOutpost.com. • SIGN UP for the CUNEIFORM RECORDS NEWSLETTER if you're not already one of our subscribers, and  get BOTH this monthly newsletter in your email box AND receive notices for Cuneiform's weekly "$5 Friday" offers – Cuneiform selects a special album from its archive each weekend,  to be sold in download format via Bandcamp, that weekend only,  for half price. • VISIT our TOURS PAGE for upcoming concerts WORLDWIDE by our artists.   • ACCESS PRIOR ISSUES of the CUNEIFORM RECORDS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER at cuneiformrecord.blogspot.com/     Cuneiform Records' Monthly Newsletter announces and gives in-depth info on ALL of the label's NEW RELEASES - both physical and digital formats - and also provides TOUR / CONCERT info from its artists.   return to top CUNEIFORM RECORDS SOCIAL ONLINE Cuneiform YouTube Cuneiform Website Facebook FanGroup Facebook Page Cuneiform Twitter Cuneiform SoundCloud Cuneiform Bandcamp Instagram Email Cuneiform return to top Cuneiform Records' Monthly Newsletter is compiled by Joyce (Joy) [Nalewajk] Feigenbaum, DIRECTOR OF THE MUSIC OUTPOST – PUBLICITY FACEBOOK PAGE: MusicOutpostPublicityAndLicensing TWITTER: @TheMusicOutpost return to top Copyright © 2025 Cuneiform Records, All rights reserved.   Washington, DC // Silver Spring, MD Our mailing address is: Cuneiform Records P.O. Box 8427 Silver Spring, MD 20907 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Was this email forwarded to you from a friend? Subscribe to the Cuneiform Records Newsletter. Read this email online   return to top