An Introduction to Ictus Records

At that time for a young musician like me, the recording scene was fairly discouraging especially in my country of origin, Italy. Record companies were not interested in producing “avant-garde music”, and this music found its way out through few small musicians - owned labels. In order to have the music that I loved recorded, I had to create my own label: Ictus Records, the first Italian label to solely distribute music on the cutting edge of improvisation.

Ictus was born to be a forum for musicians that the institutionalized market refused, and, also by design, was a hands on operation; one that encouraged the artist to express himself freely, without restrictions, and to have control over all the phases of production of the record. All this was possible due to the dedicated work of my wife Carla Lugli, who saw to the daily operation of the record label. Ictus was born not as a commercial but as a cultural operation. Distribution of the records was carried out through certain music magazines, and by mail order at a strictly recovering-cost price. Musicians joined the innovative Ictus with enthusiasm most willing to record for the pleasure of making music together; and most of the times even co-producing the albums, sharing costs with us. But due to the increasing of the production costs, the changes in my life and my career, ICTUS ceased its operations in 1985. Looking back to those years and remembering the hopes, the struggles and the joy of making that beautiful music, I thought that it could have been almost a must, 30 years later, put together the best of those recording sessions, including some unreleased tapes, in 12 CD’s Set as a tribute to all great artists that made ICTUS exist just for love of music.

2 from: Back To The Future, Back To The Future #1 6:57 Anthony Coleman - piano Marco Cappelli - guitars Andrea Centazzo - percussion digital percussion & sampling Recorded live in concert at TONIC, New York City April 2005

3 from: In Concert, Bone (Tao 3) 5:48 Steve Lacy - soprano saxophone Kent Carter - double bass Andrea Centazzo percussion, drum set, vocals Recorded in concert in Udine (Italy) December 5, 1976

4 from: Thirty Years From Monday, The Gipsy Part One 8:03 Carlos Zingaro - violin Andrea Centazzo - percussion Recorded at ICTUS Studios, Bologna, Italy, July 1983.

5 from: Doctor Faustus 5 Lost In The Mist 6:57 Andrea Centazzo Mitteleuropa Orchestra Franz Koglmann Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Gianluigi Trovesi Bass Clarinet, Alto Sax; Carlos Zingaro Violin; Radu Malfatti Trombone, Carlo Actis Dato Bass Clarinet, Baritone Sax, Roberto Ottaviano Soprano Saxes; Sauro D'Angelo Clarinet, Alto Sax; Roberto Manuzzi Soprano Saxes; Andrea Anzola French Horn; Roberto Bartoli, Stefano Ferri, Franco Feruglio Basses; Bruno Cabassi Xilophone, Percussion; Gianpaolo Salbego, GuidoPercussion; Andrea Centazzo Drums, Percussion, Conductor recorded live at Alassio Jazz Festival, Alassio July 5 1982

6 from: Clangs, The New Moon 6:01 Steve Lacy - soprano saxophone, bird calls, pocket synthesizer Andrea Centazzo - percussion, drum set, vocals Recorded live in concert in Casarsa (Udine, Italy) February 20 1976

7 from: Rebels, Travelers and Improvisers, The Innsbruck Session #1 5:13 Lol Coxhill - soprano saxophone Franz Koglmann - trumpet & flugelhorn Andrea Centazzo - percussion Recorded at Krinzinger Gallery, Innsbruck, Austria, January 1983

8 from: Drops, Drop Two 4.16 Derek Bailey - electric & acoustic guitars Andrea Centazzo - percussion Recorded and mixed by Andrea Centazzo at Centazzo Studio Moruzzo (Italy) - 3 & 4 April 1997

9 from: The Bay, O Ce Biel Cisciel Da Udin 3.00 Rova Saxophone Quartet: Larry Ochs Tenor & Soprano Sax / Jon Raskin Baritone, Alto & Soprano Sax, Clarinet / Bruce Ackley Clarinet, Soprano Sax / Andrew Voigt Alto & Soprano Sax, Flute Andrea Centazzo - percussion Recorded At Walden Studios, Carmel Highlands, California (USA) – December 1978

10 from: Us Concerts, Live In Woodstock 5.33 Tom Cora - cello Andrea Centazzo - percussion Recorded Live At Creative Music Studio, Woodstock, NY - December 1980

11 from: The NY Tapes, NY Sextet improvisation 4.00 Polly Bradfield - violin Eugene Chadbourne - guitars Tom Cora - cello Toshinori Kondo - trumpet John Zorn - reeds Andrea Centazzo - percussion Recorded live at WKCR Radio Station New York City November 7, 1978

12 from: In Real Time, In Real Time #6 6:19 Alvin Curran - synthesizer, piano, trumpet Evan Parker - soprano & tenor saxophones Andrea Centazzo percussion, percussion synthesizer Recorded live in concert Rome, Italy