brownie Posted February 11, 2005 Report Share Posted February 11, 2005 The excellent French label Sketch filed for bankrupcy last week. Sketch was started in 1999 and issued 31 albums. They sold pretty well but sales went down by half in 2004. This is their current website: http://www.sketch-studio.com/sketch-jazz/sketch-jazz.html where you can see what they published and listen to samples of their music. The CDs all had distinctive album covers that were designed by the label's creators. Among their best releases were the 3CD set 'HUM' which gathered three different sessions by the great trio of Rene Urtreger, Pierre Michelot and Daniel Humair, also 'Armistice 1918' by Bill Carrothers and Mal Waldron's 'One More Time' (with Steve Lacy and Jean-Jacques Avenel. What's currently available in the US is on view at their US distributors site: http://www.sketch-us.com/ I'm sure some of those releases will soon become hard to get collectors' items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted February 11, 2005 Report Share Posted February 11, 2005 Sad news! A very nice label! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Posted February 11, 2005 Report Share Posted February 11, 2005 I only have one SKETCH release: Marc Copland & Gary Peacock - What it says It's a nice duo recording. Another independent bits the dust. Sad news indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted February 11, 2005 Report Share Posted February 11, 2005 Two more fine Sketch releases.. Daniel Humair -- "Liberté Surveillée", with Marc Ducret and Ellery Eskelin http://www.indiejazz.com/ProductDetailsVie...px?ProductID=92 Steve Lacy / Daniel Humair / Anthony Cox -- "Work" http://www.indiejazz.com/ProductDetailsVie...px?ProductID=91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankin Posted February 12, 2005 Report Share Posted February 12, 2005 I only have one SKETCH release: Marc Copland & Gary Peacock - What it says It's a nice duo recording. Another independent bits the dust. Sad news indeed! Sad news about the label. They issued some very nice titles. The Copland/Peacock title made my 2004 best of year list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted February 12, 2005 Report Share Posted February 12, 2005 That's a shame. ANother thing that distingushed SKETCH recordings is their beautiful sound (recorded in Studios la Buisonne) - i.e. Anthony Cox's solo bass record "This & That", while probably not essential for musical merits, has to be heard for the bass sound alone. Lacy's "Work" is perhaps one of the best-recorded CDs in recent years (and excellent music as well). SKETCH website has full-track mp3s from each of their releases available, and I would encourage everybody to check them out - there is a lot of beautiful music there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 It's always sad when these small labels fold. (Over 30 releases in five or so years seems to be a pretty hefty output, though.) brownie: What type of bankruptcy filing was it? Reorganization? Or is it truly the end for this label? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted February 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 Tony, this is really is the end of the label. Unfortunately. There was an AFP story in French about this last week. The story indicated Sketch was some €180,000 in debt. Roughly $220,000! Label creator/owner Philippe Ghielmetti was giving up! The AFP story also pointed out that some of the Sketch albums sold pretty well. Bestseller was Italian pianist Giovanni Mirabasse's 'Avanti' which sold 21,130 copies. The story also added that the planned issue of Sketch's forthcoming album - Ricardo del Fra's 'Roses and Roots' had been canned! That one might be issued on another label. Other details are available on this French website: http://www.jazzbreak.com/news.php?ID=1667&...984c9502fbc34c4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 Thanks brownie. Unfortunately, even as I asked my question, I feared that I knew the answer. I'd be very surprised if reorginazation is ever an option for these small labels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 Guy, thanks for the link. What is surprising is that out of 230K discs sold (quite a good number, I'd say) - nearly 200K are in France and Japan alone! This implies very low sales in the US (despite at least a couple of fairly big names - Waldron and Lacy, present in the catalogue) - I wonder whether this is (was ) a distribution problem or an indication of trends in the US jazz purchasing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 I urge everybody to get this fantastic disc as long as it's still around: I'm aware it's been mentioned above, and I'm also aware I championed it in some Lacy thread last year. It's a great one. ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted February 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Ubu is damn right. That Steve Lacy 'Work' is one to get now if you do have it yet. Music flows from the three players along the nine tunes that move on to form a full suite that ends with Monk's 'In Walked Bud'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Besides the fantastic HUM 3CD set, here's another one that I was very impressed by: Why are those discs so expansive!?! I'd love to get a whole bunch of them, the Humairs, the Mirabassis, Oliva's Sept variations..., Waldron's "One more time", Urtreger's solo disc... Anyone has opinions/reviews on the Graillier, Viret/Ferlet/Banville, Carrothers or any other Sketch releases? The other two that I own, besides those I already mentioned, are Marc Ducret's "Qui parle" and the Taylor/Wheeler/Del Fra disc. Don't know the Ducret very well so far, the Taylor/Wheeler/Del Fra is ok, but not a must-have, in my opinion. ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 I urge everybody to get this fantastic disc as long as it's still around: I'm aware it's been mentioned above, and I'm also aware I championed it in some Lacy thread last year. It's a great one. ubu Thanks for the heads up, ubu. I was unaware of this title, and will be ordering it soon. Cadence has it for $16. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Sal: The Lacy is less expensive if ordered from Indie Jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 (edited) (...) Among their best releases were the 3CD set 'HUM' which gathered three different sessions by the great trio of Rene Urtreger, Pierre Michelot and Daniel Humair... Available from Cadence for only $21! My proposed new avatar: Edited February 14, 2005 by Chaney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 (edited) Anyone has opinions/reviews on the Graillier, Viret/Ferlet/Banville, Carrothers or any other Sketch releases? I have the latest Carrothers - "Armistice 1918", and I am not too certain what to make of it. It has quite a bit of "nostalgic" war-time songs singing, and the rest is in overly pastoral-sentimental-romantic-billevans mood. Now, there is another ealrier one on Sketch which I haven't heard. I have Carrothers' duo with a drummer (forgot his name) on another label (forgot the label!) - and that one is excellent. Yes, the title I also forgot. But it is good. Edited February 14, 2005 by Д.Д. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 (...) Among their best releases were the 3CD set 'HUM' which gathered three different sessions by the great trio of Rene Urtreger, Pierre Michelot and Daniel Humair... Available from Cadence for only $21! I just sent an e-mail to indiejazz guys, asking if they can procure the rest of the Sketch catalog (including HUM). New avatar is good. The birdie should hold a funny-looking rat in the beak, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted February 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 That 'Armistice 1918' album by Bill Carrothers grows on me each time I listen to it in a Ran Blake sort of way. Quite intriguing and attaching! Some Sketch I also like: - Mal Waldron's 'One More Time' (with Steve Lacy on several tracks) - Rene Urtreger 'Onirica' a reflective solo piano album. The HUM 3CD is also a Must! I have also heard good things about the 'Sept Variations Autour de Lennie Tristano' album by Stephan Oliva and Francois Raulin. I'll get more now that I know those albums will disappear soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 As I believe I forgot to say it... THANKS brownie for word on the current unfortunate state of this label. Certainly not happy news to share but at least we're given the opportunity to pick these up before they disappear. ~~~~~~~~~ ubu: Ordered the Lacy and Pentacle. qui parle? sounds . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 brownie, I heard some very nice things on Oliva's Tristano disc, too! Seems that's one I need to check out! Chaney: hope you'll like the Lacy and Domancich! I find these two really really good! As I said, I don't know the Ducret that well, will need to give it a close and concentrated listen to find out... got it in a sale for very few $$. How about the Mirabassis? Anyone knows these discs? I didn't even know he played the piano, too, and here is a solo and a trio recording! He's a fantastic clarinet player, for sure! ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Anyone run across this one: Sound sample sounds charming. (say three times fast!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 qui parle? sounds . Don't have the disc, bit I saw the band live - pretentious, boring, cliuche-infested stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 How about the Mirabassis? Anyone knows these discs? I didn't even know he played the piano, too, and here is a solo and a trio recording! He's a fantastic clarinet player, for sure! Ubu, I htink there are two Mirabassis (at least ) -one plays the piano, another one - clarinet. I have the solo paino disc, haven't listened to it yet. Will do soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Uh, oh... I was skipping through the site fast while at work yesterday... me big fan of Gabriele (clarinetist) Mirabassi... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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