Emanem Records is a record company and

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

founded in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, England in 1974 by Martin Davidson and Madelaine Davidson to record

free improvisation Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician(s) involved. The term can refer to both a technique (employed by any musician in any genre) and as a recognizable genre in its ...

. Its headquarters moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

(1975–76),

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

(1979, recordings released as Quark Records),

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

(1979, recordings released as

QED Records Emanem Records is a record company and independent record label founded in London, England in 1974 by Martin Davidson and Madelaine Davidson to record free improvisation. Its headquarters moved to New York City (1975–76), New Jersey (1979 ...

), and

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

(1986–88), releasing about 25 records before returning to London in the 1990s and issuing compact discs. Since 2013 it has been based in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. The slogan of the label is "Unadulterated New Music For People Who Like New Music Unadulterated". It has become a prolific source of both new recordings and archival recordings, notably its extensive documentation of the work of John Stevens and the

Spontaneous Music Ensemble Spontaneous may refer to: * Spontaneous abortion * Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis * Spontaneous combustion * Spontaneous declaration * Spontaneous emission * Spontaneous fission * Spontaneous generation * Spontaneous human combustion * Sponta ...

. In the 2000s, Emanem joined

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

's Psi and

Eddie Prévost Edwin John Prévost (born 22 June 1942) is an English percussionist who founded the free improvisation group, AMM. Early years Of Huguenot heritage, Prévost's silk weaving ancestors moved to Spitalfields in the late 17th century. He was bor ...

's Matchless label to present Freedom of the City, an annual improvised-music festival in London. Though its size and scope vary from year to year depending on funding, it continued as an annual event for several years, with many of the recorded performances issued on either Emanem or Matchless.

Partial discography

* 4001 Derek Bailey – ''Domestic & Public Pieces'' (1975–7) * 4002

Paul Lytton Paul Lytton (born 8 March 1947, London) is an English free jazz and free improvising percussionist. Lytton began on drums at age 16. He played jazz in London in the late 1960s while taking lessons on the tabla from P.R. Desai. In 1969 he began ...

''Three Other Stories'' (1971–4) * 4003

''Face to Face'' (1973) * 4004 Steve Lacy ''Weal & Woe'' (1972–3) * 4005 Spontaneous Music Ensemble – ''Summer 1967'' * 4006

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chica ...

& Derek Bailey – ''

First Duo Concert ''First Duo Concert'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Anthony Braxton and British guitarist Derek Bailey recorded in 1974 at the Wigmore Hall in London and released by Emanem.

'' (1974) * 4007 Paul Rutherford & Paul Rogers – ''Rogues'' (1988) * 4008 Spontaneous Music Ensemble – ''Hot & Cold Heroes'' (1980/91) * 4009 Evan Parker & Paul Lytton – ''Two Octobers'' (1972–5) * 4010 John Russell & Roger Turner – ''Birthdays'' (1996) * 4011 John Carter &

Bobby Bradford Bobby Lee Bradford (born July 19, 1934) is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. In addition to his solo work, Bradford is noted for his work with John Carter, Vinny Golia and Ornette Coleman. In October 2009, Bradfo ...

''Tandem 1'' (1982) * 4012 John Carter & Bobby Bradford ''Tandem 2'' (1979–82) * 4013 Derek Bailey ''Lace'' (1989) * 4014 Roger Smith ''Unexpected Turns'' (1993–6) * 4015 Spontaneous Music Ensemble – ''Quintessence 1'' (1973–4) Replaced By 4217 * 4016 Spontaneous Music Ensemble – ''Quintessence 2'' (1973–4) Replaced By 4217 * 4017 Nigel Coombes &

Steve Beresford Steve Beresford (born 6 March 1950) is a British musician who graduated from the University of York He has played a variety of instruments, including piano, electronics, trumpet, euphonium, bass guitar and a wide variety of toy instruments, suc ...

''Two to Tangle'' (1997) * 4018 Paul Rutherford & Iskra 1912 ''Sequences 72 & 73'' (1972–4) * 4019 Paul Rutherford ''

The Gentle Harm of the Bourgeoisie ''The Gentle Harm of the Bourgeoisie'' is a live solo trombone album by Paul Rutherford, his first release under his own name. It was recorded at Unity Theatre, London during 1974, and was initially released on LP in 1976 by Emanem Records. In 19 ...

'' (1974) * 4020 Spontaneous Music Ensemble – ''Withdrawal'' (1966–7) * 4021

Lol Coxhill George Lowen Coxhill (19 September 1932 – 10 July 2012) known professionally as Lol Coxhill, was an English free improvising saxophonist. He played soprano and sopranino saxophone. Biography Coxhill was born to George Compton Coxhill ...

& Veryan Weston ''Boundless'' (1998) * 4022 Evan Parker /

Barry Guy Barry John Guy (born 22 April 1947, in London) is an English composer and double bass player. His range of interests encompasses early music, contemporary composition, jazz and improvisation, and he has worked with a wide variety of orchestras ...

/ Paul Lytton ''At the Vortex'' (1996) * 4023 Spontaneous Music Ensemble – ''For You to Share'' (1970) * 4024 Steve Lacy ''Saxophone Special +'' (1973–4) * 4025

Phil Minton Phil Minton (born 2 November 1940) is a British avant-garde jazz/ free-improvising vocalist and trumpeter. Minton is a highly dramatic baritone who tends to specialize in literary texts: he has sung lyrics by William Blake with Mike Westbrook's ...

A Doughnut in Both Hands ''A Doughnut in Both Hands'' is a live album by British vocalist Phil Minton. His first solo album, it was recorded during 1975–1982 at various locations, and was initially released on LP in 1981 by Rift Records. In 1998, Emanem Records reissued ...

'' (1975–82) * 4026 Rottor ''The First Full Turn'' (1998) * 4027 Derek Bailey ''Fairly Early With Postscripts'' (1971–98) * 4028 Veryan Weston / John Edwards / Mark Sanders ''Mercury Concert'' (1998) * 4029 John Butcher / Phil Durrant / John Russell ''The Scenic Route'' (1998) * 4030 Evan Parker / Paul Rutherford / Hans Schneider / Paul Lytton ''Waterloo 1985'' * 4031 Spontaneous Music Ensemble ''Low Profile'' (1977/84/88) * 4032 Roger Smith ''Extended Plays'' (1993–7) * 4033

Kent Carter Kent Carter (born June 14, 1939 in Hanover, New Hampshire) is an American jazz bassist. His father, Alan Carter, founded the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He is also the grandson of American artist, Rockwell Kent. He worked in Steve Lacy's group, ...

& Albrecht Maurer ''The Juillaguet Collection'' (1996) * 4034

''Alone and Together'' (1991–9) * 4035 Evan Parker / Steve Beresford / John Edwards /

Louis Moholo Louis Tebogo Moholo (born 10 March 1940), is a South African jazz drummer. He has been a member of several notable bands, including The Blue Notes, the Brotherhood of Breath and Assagai. Biography Born in Cape Town, Moholo formed The Blue ...

''Foxes Fox'' (1999) * 4036 John Russell /

Maarten Altena Maarten van Regteren Altena (born January 22, 1943) is a Dutch composer and contrabassist. Altena attended the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (he studied contrabass) and graduated in 1968. Between 1980 and 1985, he studied composition with Robert ...

Terry Day Terence Day (born 17 October 1940) is a musician specialising in free improvisation, a poet and a visual artist. He is a founding member of the ''Continuous Music Ensemble'' and ''The People Band''. Some of his musical partners include Derek Ba ...

''The Fairly Young Bean'' (1981) * 4037

Karl Berger Karl Hans Berger (born March 30, 1935 in Heidelberg, Germany) is a German jazz pianist, composer, and educator. Career Berger played piano in Germany when he was ten and worked in his teens at a club in Heidelberg. He learned modern jazz from v ...

Ed Blackwell Edward Joseph Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992) was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, known for his extensive, influential work with Ornette Coleman. Biography Blackwell's early career began in New Orleans ...

''Just Play'' (1976) * 4038 Three & Four Pullovers (1975–8) * 4039 Spontaneous Music Orchestra ''Mouthpiece'' (1973) * 4040 Tony Bianco /

Paul Dunmall Paul Dunmall (born 6 May 1953) is a British jazz musician who plays tenor and soprano saxophone, as well as the baritone and the more exotic saxello and the Northumbrian smallpipes. He has played with Keith Tippett and Barry Guy. In the early ...

/ Simon Picard ''Utoma Trio'' (1999) * 4041 Masashi Harada Condanction Ensemble ''Enter the Continent'' (1999) * 4042 Steve Lacy ''Hooky'' (1976) * 4043

Frank Lowe Frank Lowe (June 24, 1943 – September 19, 2003) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Born and brought up in Memphis, Tennessee, Lowe took up the tenor saxophone at the age of 12. As an adult he moved to San Fra ...

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar when he was eleven or twel ...

''Don't Punk Out'' (1977 + 1979 & 2000) * 4044 Howard Riley / Barry Guy /

Tony Oxley Tony Oxley (born 15 June 1938) is an English free improvising drummer and one of the founders of Incus Records. Biography Oxley was born in Sheffield, England. A self-taught pianist by the age of eight, he first began playing the drums at se ...

''Synopsis'' (1973) * 4045 John Butcher ''Fixations (14)'' (1997–2000) * 4046 Pat Thomas ''Nur'' (1999) * 4047 The Kryonics (2000) * 4048 Veryan Weston & Caroline Kraabel ''Five Shadows'' (1999–2000) * 4049 John Butcher With Derek Bailey & Rhodri Davies ''Vortices & Angels'' (2000) * 4050 Quatuor Accorde ''Angel Gate'' (1998–2000) * 4051

Iskra 1903 ''Iskra 1903'' is an album by trombonist Paul Rutherford, guitarist Derek Bailey and bassist Barry Guy which was recorded at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in 1970 and in a studio in 1972 and first released as a double album on the Incus ...

''Frankfurt 1991'' * 4052 Lol Coxhill ''Digswell Duets'' (1978) * 4053 Spontaneous Music Ensemble ''Challenge'' (1966–7) * 4054 Howard Riley / Barry Guy / Tony Oxley ''Overground'' (1974–5) * 4055 Evan Parker '' The Ayes Have It'' (1983 & 1991) * 4056 Chris Burn Ensemble ''The Place 1991'' * 4057 Sylvia Hallett ''White Fog'' (1998–2001) * 4058 John Russell & Roger Turner ''The Second Sky'' (2001) * 4059 Ian Smith ''Daybreak'' (2000) * 406
Milo Fine
Free Jazz Ensemble ''Koi/Klops'' (2000–1) * 4061 Kent Carter ''Beauvais Cathedral'' (1974–5) * 4062 Spontaneous Music Orchestra ''Plus Equals'' (1974–5) * 4063 Chris Burn / John Butcher / Rhodri Davies / John Edwards ''The First Two Gigs'' (2000) * 4064 Steve Beresford / Pat Thomas / Veryan Weston ''3 Pianos'' (2001) * 4065 Frode Gjerstad / John Stevens / Derek Bailey ''Hello Goodbye'' (1992) * 4066 Iskra 1903 ''Buzz Soundtrack'' (1970/1) * 4067 Tony Wren / Larry Stabbins / Howard Riley / Mark Sanders ''Four in the Afternoon'' (2001) * 4068 Maggie Nicols / Caroline Kraabel / Charlotte Hug ''Transitions'' (2001) * 4069 Trevor Watts & Veryan Weston ''6 Dialogues'' (2001) * 4070 Barry Guy / Howard Riley / Philipp Wachsmann ''Improvisations Are Forever Now'' (1977–9) * 4071 John Russell ''From Next to Last'' (2001–2) * 4072 Paul Rutherford ''Trombolenium'' (1986–1995) * 4073 Roger Smith ''Green Wood'' (2002) * 4074 Lol Coxhill & Veryan Weston ''Worms Organising Archdukes'' (2000–1) * 4075 Lines ''In Australia'' (2000) * 4076 Paul Lovens / Paul Hubweber / John Edwards ''Papajo'' (2002) * 4077 Mike Adcock & Clive Bell ''Sleep It Off'' (1999–2001) * 4078 Paul Rogers ''Listen'' (1989/99) * 4079 Lunge ''Strong Language'' (2000/2) * 4080 Chris Burn Ensemble ''Horizontals White'' (2001) * 4081 Roland Ramanan ''Shaken'' (2001–2) * 4082 Paul Rutherford ''Chicago 2002'' * 4083 Roger Smith ''Spanish Guitar'' (1980/92/97) * 4084 Markus Eichenberger ''Domino Concept for Orchestra'' (2001) * 4085 Charlotte Hug ''Neuland'' (2001–2) * 4086 Lol Coxhill ''Out to Launch'' (2001–2) * 4087 Frode Gjerstad & Derek Bailey ''Nearly A D'' (2002) * 4088 Howard Riley / John Tilbury / Keith Tippett ''Another Part of the Story'' (2002) * 4089 John Butcher & John Edwards ''Optic'' (2001–2) * 4090 London Improvisers Orchestra ''Freedom of the City'' 2002 * 4091 The Gathering ''For John Stevens'' (2002) * 4092 Alan Tomlinson / Steve Beresford / Roger Turner ''Trap Street'' (2002) * 4093 Larry Stabbins ''Monadic'' (2002) * 4094 John Edwards & Mark Sanders ''Nisus Duets'' (2002) * 4095 Veryan Weston ''Tessellations For Luthéal Piano'' (2003) * 4096 Bobby Bradford ''Love's Dream'' (1973) * 4097 Lol Coxhill / Torsten Müller / Paul Rutherford ''Milwaukee 2002'' * 4098

Elliott Sharp Elliott Sharp (born March 1, 1951) is an American contemporary classical composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. A central figure in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City since the late 1970s, Sharp has released ...

– ''The Velocity of Hue'' (2003) * 4099 Derek Bailey & Milo Fine ''Scale Points on the Fever Curve'' (2003) * 4100 ''Mopomoso Solos 2002'' * 4101 Paul Dunmall & Paul Rogers ''Awareness Response'' (2003) * 4102 People Band 1968 * 4103 Gail Brand & Morgan Guberman ''Ballgames & Crazy'' (2002) * 4104 Tony Bianco / Dave Liebman / Tony Marino ''Line Ish'' (2003) * 4105 Kent Carter String Trio ''The Willisau Suites'' (1984/1997) * 4106 John Russell / Ute Völker / Mathieu Werchowski ''Three Planets'' (2003) * 4107 Paul Rutherford Trio '' Gheim – Live at Bracknell 1983'' * 4108 Masashi Harada Condanction Ensemble ''Enterprising Mass of Cilia'' (2001) * 4109 Fred Lonberg–Holm ''Dialogs'' (2002) * 4110 London Improvisers Orchestra ''Responses, Reproduction & Reality'' (2003–4) * 4111 Paul Dunmall ''In Your Shell Like'' (2003) * 4112 Clive Bell &

Sylvia Hallett Sylvia Hallett (born 1953) is an English musician and composer. She plays many instruments including the violin and she is known for improvisations on unusual instruments. She has appeared at international festivals, often in collaboration with ...

''The Geographers'' (2004) * 4113 Anthony Braxton & Milo Fine ''Shadow Company (2004)'' * 4114 Roger Smith & Louis Moholo–Moholo ''The Butterfly and the Bee'' (2004) * 4115 Spontaneous Music Ensemble ''A New Distance'' (1993–4) * 4116 Free Base ''The Ins and Outs'' (2003) * 4117 John Stevens Quartet ''New Cool'' (1992) * 4118 Paul Rutherford ''Neuph'' (1978/80) * 4119 Olaf Rupp / Tony Buck / Joe Williamson ''Weird Weapons'' (2002) * 4120 Badland ''The Society of the Spectacle'' (2003) * 4121 News From The Shed (1989) * 4122 Collectif Inaudible ''Cardo'' (2001–5) * 4123 Roland Ramanan ''Caesura'' (2003) * 4124 Malcolm Goldstein & Masashi Harada ''Soil'' (2002) * 4125 Terry Day ''Interruptions'' (1978–1981) * 4126 ''Supermodel Supermodel'' (2002–3) * 4127 Howard Riley ''Two Is One'' (2005) * 4128 Ross Bolleter ''Secret Sandhills And Satellites'' (2001–5) * 4129 Michael Keith / John Oswald / Roger Turner ''Number Nine'' (2005) * 4130 Kent Carter String Trio ''Intersections'' (2004/5) * 4131 Roswell Rudd ''

Blown Bone ''Blown Bone'' is an album by trombonist Roswell Rudd. It was recorded in March 1976 at Blue Rock Studios in New York City, and was released on LP by Philips Japan in 1979. On the album, Rudd is joined by clarinetist Kenny Davern, saxophonists Ste ...

'' (1976) * 4132 Milo Fine & Viv Corringham ''Senilità'' (2005) * 4133 Elliott Sharp & Reinhold Friedl ''Feuchtify'' (2001) * 4134 Spontaneous Music Ensemble ''Frameworks'' (1968/71/73) * 4135 Adam Bohman & Roger Smith ''Reality Fandango'' (2004/6) * 4136 Lol Coxhill ''More Together Than Alone'' (2000–5) * 4137 Terry Day ''2006 Duos'' * 4138 John Russell ''Analekta'' (2004/6) * 4139 ''Freedom of the City'' 2006 * 4140 Phil Minton Quartet ''Slur'' (2006) * 4141 Trio of Uncertainty ''Unlocked'' (2007) * 4142 John Butcher ''The Geometry of Sentiment'' (2004/6) * 4143 Elliott Sharp & Charlotte Hug ''Pi:K'' (2004/5) * 4144 Paul Rutherford ''Solo in Berlin 1975'' * 4145 Pascal Marzan & Roger Smith ''Two Spanish Guitars'' (2006/7) * 4146 Grosse Abfahrt ''Everything That Disappears'' (2007) * 4147 Barkingside (2006/7) * 4148 Phil Minton ''No Doughnuts in Hand'' (2007) * 4149 Caetitu (2007) * 4150 Spontaneous Music Ensemble & Orchestra ''Trio & Triangle'' (1978/1981) * 5301 Rivière Composers' Pool ''Summer Works 2009'' with

Theo Jörgensmann Theodor Franz Jörgensmann (born 29 September 1948) is a German jazz clarinetist. Activities Theo Jörgensmann belongs to the second generation of European free jazz musicians. He was part of the clarinet renaissance in the jazz and improvisin ...

(2010) * 5311 Iskra 1903 ''Chapter One 1970–1972'' :Source
emanemdisc.com/cds.html

References

External links

Official site
{{Authority control Free improvisation British independent record labels Jazz record labels British jazz record labels Record labels established in 1974