Things have been moving fast at the new jazz label Odradek Jazz… Back in January 2015 the original, classical label Odradek – hitherto mainly associated with classical pianist Artur Pizzarro – announced a tote bag …and some intentions, to bring its democratic ethos for releasing recordings to jazz :

Here is the original statement: Three years ago Odradek Records embarked on a new way of doing classical: put the artists in charge – a democratic, artist-controlled, non-profit cooperative, promoting new artists and fresh repertoire. Artists are selected through our democratic, blind judging platform, ANONYMUZE.com, which means that our catalogue is based purely on outstanding musicality rather than image, publicity or background.

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What label model could be better for jazz: an art form in which each performer is valued for their skill and input, each is given their time in the spotlight, where variety is a virtue. The genre which encourages musical democracy more than any other now has the choice of being represented by a democratic label.

It has just announced an opening line-up of six releases for September

Paul Fox Collective – “Breaking the Silence”
Gert Zimanowski, with Bill Ramsey and Barabara Dennerlein – “UBUNTU – We Are One”
Philip Clouts Quartet – “Umoya”
Thollem McDonas – “Valley Of Heart’s Delight”
Alice Zawadzki & Dan Whieldon – “Lela”
George King & Carl Raven – “Scenes from a life”

The Alice Zawadzki duo album was recorded at around the same time as her Whirlwind Release for larger forces, China Lane, and includes a bewitching version of Nina Simone/ Rudy Stevenson I’m Gonna Leave You. (Her new Songs to the Moon project also deserves to be recorded – soon!) Philip Clouts has an Umoya album launch tour of Scotland planned for October.

LINKS: Odradek Jazz on Facebook
Alice Zawadzki interview from 2013
Philip Clouts interview from 2013