monsteratapes

[monsteratapes]

leaf20 brings to light the 2nd release of Leipzig's own Gregor Forbes on the label, this time in duo with guest star and fellow scotsman Raymond MacDonald on alto sax. Both have played together before and find a beautiful melodic language on this completely improvised session. When Gregor hits the keys of the grand piano in his almost percussive style one may be reminded a bit of Cecil Taylor while Raymond's playing ranges from gentle notes to raging outbursts, even using his voice in intense moments. Something really special is cooking here that's surely not to be missed.

21 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf19 washes all Jazz away getting lost in the Beefheart'ian desert of Mik Quantius. Struggling through life Mik is literally a survival artist of his own. The streets and underground venues of Köln are normally his matchfield but one night last year shortly before X-mas he landed savely at Villa Plagwitz and moved himself through primtive rhythms, dusty keyboards and his one of a kind deep'n'dirty voice. Find out what's going on in this wonderland of joy!

21 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf18 features a relatively new solo recording from Leipzig's own Simone Weißenfels. With the instantly composed piece 'Nevertheless' she is exploring the possibilities of a grand piano, creating a dark soundtrack-like masterpiece. Get inspired yourself and listen here: https://soundcloud.com/mspianotaste/nevertheless.

21 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf17 marks the first recording from Berlin. The label was always intended to release local gigs only but especially since the two pandemic years and relatively rare Leipzig gigs Berlin was the place to go. From my first visit in summer 2019 I found a second home in the heartwarming Au Topsi Pohl in Schöneberg. With Tony Buck being not able to play that night in October 2021 the band shrunk to the trio of Maurice Louca on synth, Tony Elieh on electric bass and Sam Shalabi on oud. From Louca's glitchy synth vibes to Sam Shalabi's warm but also harsh oud shredding and Tony's minimalistic bass lines the trio sends you on a trip with shorter or longer stops at always different places. They played two long fantastic and unique sets which are both presented here.  

21 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf16 offers the spontaneus collaboration of four Leipzig residents. Stephan Deller stands behind his huge five string double bass, Bruno Angeloni changes to bass clarinet while Johannes von Buttlar sits behind his pounding drum kit and last but not least Gregor Forbes enters the scene on piano. Without any collusion they meander through their half hour set and come together in realtime.

17 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf15 slows down the pace and presents the new release of transatlantic quartet Elastic Social Structure with David Whitwell (trombone), Jonathan Strauch (alto sax), Marius Moritz (fender rhodes) and Steffen Roth (drums) aboard. They keep their sounds dense and decelerated with high and low altitudes culminating in a surprising ending. Let's hope they continue their travels.

17 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf14 is quite a departure from the label's pure improvisation politics and presents local psychedelic spacerock heroes ACID ROOSTER with the complete set of the release party for their first album from September 2019. Special guests include Chris Kunz on tenor saxophone, Jan Werner on electric guitar and Syncboy on synth. The extralong tape contains most of the debut's great songs in often extended versions with spacey intermissions and an impro edge. Get lost on lovely wahwah guitar excursions and let yourself go!

21 copies, this time due to the length of the recording on used TDK SA 100 or Maxell XL II 100 chrome tapes.

[monsteratapes]

leaf13 documents a show from this year’s Potentiale Festival in Kalbe/Milde. A bit far from town but still with strong local connection since the festival has been co-organized by Leipzig's own Steffen Roth. The set was led by trumpet player Mazen Kerbaj, who also chose the rest of the troupe: Michel Doneda on (mostly) soprano sax, Joel Grip and Jonas Gerigk on double bass and, yes, Steffen Roth on drums & percussion. The quintet offered an almost spiritual taste on improvisation and combined with the fantastic sound and setting at the Festscheune it turned out to be more a ritual than the usual concert experience.

21 copies this time, of course on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf12 goes back to Ascension day 2020. This was the first concert after a couple of months at the end of the first wave of the pandemic. As Leipzig didn't had any shows, we decided to go on a trip to the small village Pohrsdorf with it's famous Saxstall, a sax museum & music venue. Jonas Gerigk's solo double bass set fell in love with lots of bowed strings and overtones. And it felt like an awakening.

12 copies, again on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf11 presents the debut release of Gohan Quartett, led by Leipzig drummer Philipp Scholz alongside Chris Kunz on sax, Philipp Martin on electric bass and Konni Behrendt on electric guitar. On Side A they follow John Coltrane's path while Side B sees them wildering in Paul Motian terrain. One of those nights at Subbotnik we miss so much now.

12 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf6 is already the 2nd Spirale release on Monstera Tapes. As the title suggests the playing is totally different from leaf1 as the room absorbed all the sounds immediately. The duo has a very dry and direct sound here with drums and sax relentlessly marching forward.

12 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf10 is a special outing. There's tuba, drums & ewi and a hole lotta space to actually dance! Is it dirty drum'n'bass, psychedelic techno or just repetitive jazz? Decide yourself, dive deep into Tekno Tante Tesla's universe and get your dancing shoes on! Even more unbelievable: this has been their first gig.

12 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf9 presents the 2nd gig of the fabulous quartet of Johannes von Buttlar on drums, Chris Kunz on tenor sax, Paul Brauner on double bass and Philipp Reinsch on trumpet. On their unrecorded first concert they found a free and intense language full of melodies continued by this diverse 2nd coming.

11 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf5 anticipates the fantastic Lunochod trio combining the drum forces of Johannes von Buttlar and, again, Steffen Roth with Michi Breitenbach's thrilling EWI sounds and some soprano saxophone excursions. Hear the early moon rover's movements!

13 copies on chrome tape. 

[monsteratapes]

leaf3 comes with two solo recordings of the one and only Steffen Roth. „Solo“ on Side A sees him following the path of his first solo tape on Ana Ott with a long repetitive track recorded on a warm late summer evening at the best record store in town. B-side „Rausch“ is a completely different affair serving a super slow percussion meditation. 

12 copies on chrome tape.

[monsteratapes]

leaf2 sees the Spirale duo extending to a quartet on “Reha”. Combining the already mindblowing duo abilities with Paul Lapp's double bass and Malte Sieberns' electric keys there's a heavy 70's fusion vibe going on. Will they ever play again?

Only 9 copies on chrome tape. 

[monsteratapes]

leaf1 is finally ready to roll. The free improv duo Spirale of Leipzig’s own Bruno Angeloni (sax) and Steffen Roth (drums) deliver their unique taste of spiritual sax blasts and super dynamic percussion mayhem on this live set with their first studio album coming this fall on Jazzwerkstatt. Follow them! 

12 copies on chrome tape.