Erstwhile Records

Erstwhile Records is an independent record label devoted to free improvisation, particularly the electroacoustic variety, and contemporary, experimental composed music, and combinations of both. Erstwhile was founded by Jon Abbey in 1999, whose personality and tastes are closely identified with the label.

Characteristic label artists include guitarist Keith Rowe, percussionist Günter Müller, guitarist/turntablist Otomo Yoshihide, homemade electronics group Voice Crack, sine wave improviser Sachiko M, Jason Lescalleet, guitarist/laptop composer Fennesz, guitarist Burkhard Stangl and synthesizer player Thomas Lehn, as well as younger musicians such as clarinetist Kai Fagaschinski. In recent years, also artists connected to the Wandelweiser group started releasing albums on the label, such as American composer Michael Pisaro.

The first few Erstwhile releases were something of a mixed set in terms of the music, ranging from the melancholy avant-blues of Loren Connors to the rather traditional free jazz of VHF.

With Tom and Gerry, an epic double-disc duet between Lehn and drummer Gerry Hemingway, however, Erstwhile gradually shifted. Perhaps even more important was the fifth Erstwhile release, World Turned Upside Down, featuring a trio of guitarists Keith Rowe, Taku Sugimoto and percussionist Günter Müller. Rowe and Müller would both become fixtures of the label, and are a generation older than many of their younger collaborators.

...
Wikipedia