Other German labels

 

CMP, the recording home for David Torn, Mark Nauseef, Jack Bruce, Trilok Gurtu  during the late 80s and early 90's  and not forgetting two outstanding jazz fusion albums under Michael Shrieve's name - Fascination (with Bill Frisell) and Two Doors (a relatively odd double set, one of outtakes from the Fascination sessions and the second  being the first recording of Jonas Hellborg with Shawn Lane - only Shrieve being common to both discs of this double).

 

The other being MPC- BASF which SPV are remastering and gradually reissuing as CDs. Perhaps the most innovation jazz fusion here came from a live recording of Pastorius, Mouzon and Mangeldorf. But George Duke's earliest solo recordings (some whilst still with Zappa) were with MCP and find him at his most jazziest, although the jazz funk is there too. Then you get a whole host of unusual  recordings occasionally with unusual pairings. For instance one of Jan Hammond's earliest, whilst still using the Hammond; violinist Don Sugar Harris, and how about this for an unusual support band:  Terje Rypdal (guitar, electric guitar); Volker Kriegel (electric guitar); Wolfgang Dauner (keyboards, electronics); Neville Whitehead (electric bass); Robert Wyatt (drums). Charlie Mariano's  Helen 12 Trees album with Jan Hammer, Jack Bruce, John Marshall amongst others in support.

 

A couple of other German labels which have released some interesting music: Lipstick ( e.g. Matalex's albums) and Escapade. Where else (for instance it is difficult to keep up with Susan Weinert's output as she seems to chop and change labels regularly - at least it appears so from this side of the North Sea)?