Avant Records
Encyclopedia
Avant Records was a record label
based in Japan
specializing in avant-garde
and experimental music
. The label was started by composer and saxophonist John Zorn
in 1992
, as an offshoot of the DIW label. 80 albums were released on Avant before Zorn started Tzadik Records
in 1995
.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
based in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
specializing in avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
and experimental music
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
. The label was started by composer and saxophonist John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
in 1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
, as an offshoot of the DIW label. 80 albums were released on Avant before Zorn started Tzadik Records
Tzadik Records
Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by the eclectic composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995; Zorn is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases...
in 1995
1995 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
.
Discography
- Avan 001: Naked CityNaked City (band)Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
- HereticHeretic (Naked City album)Heretic is the third studio album by the band Naked City, used as a soundtrack for the underground S/M film Jeux des Dames Cruelles. The album utilises different combinations of band members in duos and trios with the entire band performing together on only one track "Fire and Ice".According to... - Avan 002: Naked CityNaked City (band)Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
- Grand GuignolGrand Guignol (album)Grand Guignol is the second full-length studio album released by John Zorn's band Naked City in 1992 on the Japanese Avant label. The album followed Torture Garden, which was a compilation of "hardcore miniatures" from Naked City and Grand Guignol... - Avan 003: Naked CityNaked City (band)Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
- RadioRadio (Naked City album)Radio is the fourth studio album by the band Naked City, and their first to be composed entirely by bandleader John Zorn. The album was also released as part of Naked City: The Complete Studio Recordings on Tzadik Records in 2005.... - Avan 004: Naked CityNaked City (band)Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
- AbsintheAbsinthe (album)Absinthe is the final recording from the band Naked City. Unlike the band's other genre-mixing releases, the music on Absinthe is consistently in an ambient and noise style.... - Avan 005: Various Artists - In His Own Sweet Way: A Tribute to Dave Brubeck
- Avan 006: DNADNA (band)DNA was a No Wave band formed in 1978 by guitarist Arto Lindsay and keyboardist Robin Crutchfield. Rather than playing their instruments in a traditional manner, they instead focused on making unique and unusual sounds...
- Last Live A CBGB's - Avan 007: BucketheadBucketheadBrian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
- BucketheadlandBucketheadlandBucketheadland is the debut album by musician Buckethead, released on John Zorn's Japanese record label Avant in 1992. It features several samples of the 1960s Japanese television series Giant Robot amongst guitar riffs by Buckethead... - Avan 008: FushitsushaFushitsushaFushitsusha is a Japanese rock band specialising in the psychedelic rock, space rock and noise rock genres. The band consists of electric guitarist and singer Keiji Haino, and a shifting cast of complementary musicians. The group released the majority of its material in the 1990s.-History:Haino...
- Allegorical MisunderstandingAllegorical MisunderstandingAllegorical Misunderstanding is a 1993 album by the band Fushitsusha. The album was produced by John Zorn and was the first studio album from the band.-Track listing:# "Magic I" - 2:38# "Magic II" - 8:39# "Magic III" - 1:08# "Magic IV" - 3:29... - Avan 009: Anton FierAnton FierAnton Fier, , is an American drummer, composer and bandleader. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio.Fier was an early member of The Lounge Lizards and The Feelies. He was in The Lodge , worked with Pere Ubu, was briefly in the Voidoids and founded The Golden Palominos...
- Dreamspeed - Avan 010: Blind Idiot GodBlind Idiot GodBlind Idiot God is an instrumental rock trio formed in the mid 1980s in St. Louis, Missouri by guitarist Andy Hawkins, bassist Gabe Katz and drummer Ted Epstein. They socialized with the St. Louis hardcore punk scene, including members of Drunks with Guns and Ultraman...
- Cyclotron - Avan 011: Anthony ColemanAnthony ColemanAnthony Coleman is an American musician. Coleman is a piano and keys player, trombonist and vocalist mainly working within the free improvised and avant-garde jazz scenes in downtown New York during the late 1970s through to the present day.His greatest impact was during the 80s and 90s when he...
- Disco By Night - Avan 012: Peter Garland - Nana & Victorio
- Avan 013: David Shea - Shock Corridor
- Avan 014: George LewisGeorge Lewis (trombonist)George E. Lewis is a trombone player, composer, and scholar in the fields of jazz and experimental music. He has been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians since 1971, and is a pioneer of computer music.- Biography :Lewis graduated from Yale University with a...
- Voyager - Avan 015: Lee Hyla - In Double Light
- Avan 016: John Oswald - Plexure
- Avan 017: Rough Assemblage - Construction And Demolition
- Avan 018: Zeena Parkins - Isabelle
- Avan 019: Dave Soldier - SMUT
- Avan 020: David Weinstein - Perfume
- Avan 021: Min Xiao-Fen - With Six Composers
- Avan 022: Stephen Drury - Faith, The Loss Of Faith, And The Return Of Faith
- Avan 023: Romero Lubambo - Lubambo
- Avan 024: John French - O Solo Drumbo
- Avan 025: Naked CityNaked City (band)Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
- Radio, Vol. 2 (Never Recorded) - Avan 026: Boredoms - Wow 2
- Avan 027: Pigpen - V As In Victim
- Avan 028: James Plotkin - The Joy Of Disease
- Avan 029: Cake Like - Delicious
- Avan 030: Ikue MoriIkue Mori, also known as Ikue Ile, is a drummer, composer, and graphic designer.-Biography:Ikue Mori was born and raised in Japan. She says she had little interest in music before hearing punk rock...
- Painted Desert - Avan 031: Various - Disco Bhangra: Wedding Bands From Rajasthan
- Avan 032: God Is my Co-Pilot - Mir Shlufn Nisht
- Avan 033: Marc RibotMarc RibotMarc Ribot born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and composer John Zorn.-Biography:Ribot was...
- ShrekShrek (album)Shrek is a 1994 album by Marc Ribot. It was recorded at Low Blood Studios in New York City and released on the Japanese Avant label.-Reception:... - Avan 034: Z'EV - Heads & Tales
- Avan 035: Ben Goldberg - Twelve Minor
- Avan 036: Bobby Previte's Empty Suits - Slay The Suitors
- Avan 037: Philip Johnston's Big Trouble - The Unknown
- Avan 038: Misha Mengelberg Trio - Who's Bridge
- Avan 039: Steve Beresford - Signals For Tea
- Avan 040: Duck Baker - Spinning Song
- Avan 041: Bob Ostertag - Fear No Love
- Avan 042: Chris Cochrane - Bath
- Avan 043: Weird Little Boy - Weird Little BoyWeird Little BoyWeird Little Boy is a one-off album by a band of the same name consisting of John Zorn , Trey Spruance , William Winant , Mike Patton and Chris Cochrane...
- Avan 044: Eugene Chadbourne - Pain Pen
- Avan 045: Jenny Scheinman Quartet - Live At Yoshi's
- Avan 046: Sola & Wu Man - China Collage
- Avan 047: Smarnamisa! - Resia Valley Music
- Avan 048: Andy Haas - Anthem Land
- Avan 049: Makigami Koichi - John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94John Zorn's Cobra: Tokyo Operations '94 is a live performance of John Zorn's improvisational game piece, Cobra recorded in Tokyo in 1994 featuring Japanese musicians and instruments...
- Avan 050: Derek Bailey & Min Xiao-Fen - Viper
- Avan 051: Dim Sum Clip Job - Harmolodic Jeopardy
- Avan 052: Jad Fair & The Shapir-O'Rama - We Are The Rage
- Avan 053: Prelapse - PrelapsePrelapsePrelapse is an album by the Boston-based band of the same name featuring John Zorn. The album was released on the Japanese Avant label in 1999 and features 10 tracks originally written by Zorn for the band Naked City...
- Avan 054: Pieces - I Need 5 Minutes Alone
- Avan 055: Larval - Larval
- Avan 056: Derek Bailey/John ZornJohn ZornJohn Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
/William ParkerWilliam Parker (musician)William Parker is an American free jazz double bassist, poet and composer.-Biography:Parker was not formally trained as a classical player, though he did study with Jimmy Garrison, Richard Davis, and Wilbur Ware and learned the tradition. Parker is one of few jazz bassists who regularly plays arco...
- HarrasHarras-Track listing:# "Morning Harras" - 12:35# "Noon Harras" - 8:59# "Evening Harras" - 36:00-Personnel:*Derek Bailey – guitar*John Zorn – alto*William Parker – bass... - Avan 057: Erik FriedlanderErik FriedlanderErik Friedlander is an American cellist and composer based in New York City.A veteran of NYC's experimental downtown scene, Friedlander has worked in many contexts, but is perhaps best known for his frequent collaborations with saxophonist/composer John Zorn...
- Chimera - Avan 058: Arcado String Trio - Live In Europe
- Avan 059: Joey Baron & Barondown - Crackshot
- Avan 060: Derek Bailey - Guitar, Drums N Bass
- Avan 061: Cyro Baptista - Vila Lobos Vila Loucos
- Avan 062: Drums Of Death
- Avan 063: Bernard Woma - Live At The Pito Bar
- Avan 064: Abdulai Bangoura - Sigiri
- Avan 065: Mark Feldman & Sylvie Courvoisier - Music For Violin And Piano
- Avan 066: Dave DouglasDave Douglas (trumpeter)Dave Douglas is an American jazz trumpeter and composer whose music derives from many non-jazz musical styles, including classical music, folk music from European countries and Klezmer. He has been a member of the experimental big band Orange Then Blue...
- SanctuarySanctuary (Dave Douglas album)Sanctuary is the seventh album by trumpeter Dave Douglas and his second live album. It was released on the Japanese Avant label in 1997 and features performances by Douglas, Cuong Vu, Yuka Honda, Anthony Coleman, Mark Dresser, Hilliard Greene, Chris Speed and Dougie Bowne.-Track listing:*Part One #... - Avan 067: Joe Maneri - Paniots Nine
- Avan 068: Jamie Saft/Cuong Vu - Ragged Jack
- Avan 069: Bruce Ackley - The Hearing
- Avan 070: Marie McAuliffe - Plays The Music Of Burt Bacharach
- Avan 071: Whistling Hangmen - Barhopping
- Avan 072: Alva - Fair-Haired Guilletine
- Avan 073: EasSide Percussion - ESP
- Avan 074: Haino Keiji - An Unclear Trial: More Than This
- Avan 075: Dragon Blue - Hades Park
- Avan 076: Dying Ground - Dying Ground
- Avan 077: David Watson - Skirl
- Avan 078: Harriet Tubman - Prototype
- Avan 079: Vivian Sisters - Vivian Sisters
- Avan 080: Wayne HorvitzWayne HorvitzWayne Horvitz is an American composer, keyboardist and record producer.-Biography:Horvitz, a "defiant cross-breeder of genres", has led the groups The President, Pigpen, Zony Mash, and the Four Plus One Ensemble...
- From A Window - Avan 081: Bill LaswellBill LaswellBill Laswell is an American bassist, producer and record label owner....
vs. Submerged - Brutal Calling