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OF ALIEN FEELINGS
BY CALVIN WESTON


Karl produced, co-wrote and plays guitar (electric, acoustic, lap steel) and bass (electric, fretless, upright) on the new album by Calvin Weston, legendary drummer for Ornette Coleman, James "Blood" Ulmer, Derek Bailey, Marc Ribot, James Carter and many others.

The album features a lineup of virtuoso instrumentalists from modern jazz and progressive rock: Todd Rundgren (Utopia), John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood), Jack Walrath (Charles Mingus Quintet), John Helliwell (Supertramp), Jay Beckenstein (Spyro Gyra), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Nik Turner (Hawkind) and Thijs van Leer (Focus).



PORTRAIT OF JACK JOHNSON
BY KARL E. H. SEIGFRIED


The critically-acclaimed straight-ahead jazz album features The Boxing Bassist Suite - portraits of three African-American boxing champions of the 20th century who also played jazz bass: Jack Johnson, Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles. Karl – who writes for East Side Boxing and trained as a boxer – has composed pieces capturing the flamboyant styles of the champs inside and outside the ring.

Portraits in Jazz rounds out the recording with dedications to jazz artists Karl has worked with or who have inspired him. The pieces span rural blues, New Orleans street music, swing, bebop, funk and free jazz.



BLUE RHIZOME
BY THE NEW QUARTET


Karl's extended composition for mixed quartet brings together four exceptional performers with greatly varied backgrounds to create a work that crosses musical boundaries and finds common ground between different world music traditions.

The album - recorded straight through, live in one continuous take - moves through jazz, rock, hip hop, Carnatic music, New Music and other forms as it follows the psychological trajectory of a journey inspired by a crisis of faith.



CRIMINAL MASTERMIND
BY KARL E. H. SEIGFRIED


After years of playing in and leading ensembles, Karl steps forward on his own with this groundbreaking album of original music for solo bass. The ten tracks tread a stylistic path from Delta blues to Gregorian plainchant to open soundscapes to hip hop intensity to speaking in tongues to a séance with the spirit of Charles Mingus.

The album features The Malachi Favors Suite, a three-part composition written and performed by Seigfried on the passing of the great Art Ensemble of Chicago bassist.



WALK ON
BY THE LOST CARTOGRAPHERS


The debut album by the Chicago quintet features tales of train tracks, setbacks, leaving, love and loss. Sultry lead vocals and haunting harmonies light the way as the group travels through a landscape filled with the sounds of Americana.

Recorded at Delmark / Riverside Studios in Chicago, the album was made using vintage equipment from the legendary Chess Records. The Lost Cartographers revel in the romantic nostalgia of a time gone by, but push forward into new territories, hell-bent on never standing still.



SPIRIT SONG
BY BERTRAM & NANCY TURETZKY


Karl produced this long-awaited new recording by the groundbreaking innovator who redefined the bass as a solo instrument. The album features Bert’s wife and musical partner, flutist Nancy Turetzky. Over the past 50 years, the couple has created a vast repertoire of new works for this surprisingly simpatico instrumental pairing.



RECITAL OF NEW MUSIC
BY BERTRAM TURETZKY


Karl also produced this historical reissue of the classic 1964 album by New Music innovator Bertram Turetzky, working with accomplished Delmark Records engineer Eric Butkus to digitally remaster the album - which had been out of print for nearly half a century.

BOYKIN, SEIGFRIED & REED
BY BOYKIN, SEIGFRIED & REED


Karl is joined on this trio date by Chicago South Side legend David Boykin and the inimitable Mike Reed. For several years, the trio hosted the Avant-Garde Jazz Jam Session, the first ongoing session in Chicago to feature completely improvised music. Their 2004 US Tour generated rave reviews, and the notoriety of the trio helped to jumpstart the individual careers of the three performers.

The album serves as a true and honest representation of improvised music from Chicago in the early 21st century.

SHEEP IN WOLVES' CLOTHING
BY VARIOUS ARTISTS


This unique album features a wide range of artists doing unorthodox interpretations of classic songs by the legendary British rock band Motörhead. The recording features members of Blue Öyster Cult, Curved Air, Girlschool and Pink Fairies - plus all three original members of Motörhead.

Karl is featured on upright bass with the all-star group Spirits Burning for a psychedelic Latin jazz version of "Ace of Spades." The band includes members of Hawkwind, Gong, Psychic TV and Jefferson Starship.

THE ROADMAP IN YOUR HEAD
BY SPIRITS BURNING

The progressive rock supergroup Spirits Burning teams up with legendary French prog rock band Clearlight for a groundbreaking album featuring members of Camper Van Beethoven, Fairport Convention, Gong, and Hawkwind. Karl has played on several Spirits Burning albums and continues to record with the band.
BEHOLD THE ACTION MAN
BY SPIRITS BURNING


Spirits Burning takes "a space rock journey into film noir" on this all-star recording inspired by the works of author and Hawkwind lyricist Roger Neville-Neil. Performers include members of Blue Öyster Cult, Helios Creed, Osiris, Silver Convention and the Todd Rundgren Trio.

On Behold the Action Man, Karl plays upright bass on tracks featuring members of Gong, Hawkwind, Cartoon and Quiet Celebration.

CRAZY FLUID
BY SPIRITS BURNING


More progressive rock from the all-star supergroup.

BLOODLINES
BY SPIRITS BURNING & BRIDGET WISHART


This album prominently features Hawkwind vocalist Bridget Wishart - plus members of Van der Graaf Generator and Silver Convention.

HEALTHY MUSIC IN LARGE DOSES
BY SPIRITS BURNING & CLEARLIGHT


Karl plays both upright and electric bass on this collaboration with the 1970s French progressive rock band Clearlight. The lineup of musicians includes members of The Cure, Gong, Hawkwind, Broun Fellinis, The Bevis Frond and many other groups.
RECORDED MUSIC OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: FLORENCE B. PRICE
BY THE NEW BLACK MUSIC REPERTORY ENSEMBLE


Karl plays bass for premiere recordings of historic works by Florence B. Price.

RECORDED MUSIC OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: MARY WATKINS & OLLY WILSON
BY THE NEW BLACK MUSIC REPERTORY ENSEMBLE


Karl plays Principal Bass for premiere recordings of chamber and orchestral works by Mary Watkins and Olly Wilson.
LIVE AT THE JAZZ SHOWCASE
BY N.S.A. ENSEMBLE


Karl and Harrison Bankhead power this big band recording with a two-bass attack. The all-star ensemble features members of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) including Edward Wilkerson (8 Bold Souls) and Steve Berry (Chicago Jazz Ensemble).
EMPTY VESSEL
BY RENEE BAKER'S CHICAGO MODERN ORCHESTRA PROJECT


Karl is featured as bass soloist on this live recording of improvised music from Fred Anderson's legendary Velvet Lounge in Chicago. The ensemble includes members of the AACM and the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Notable Chicago jazz musicians on the recording include Steve Berry, David Boykin and Nicole Mitchell.

NAPPY HAIR'S BEST FRIEND
BY RENEE BAKER'S CHICAGO MODERN ORCHESTRA PROJECT


Karl is again featured as bass soloist on the second live recording from this all-star large ensemble.

The recording also features AACM members Avreeayl Ra, Steve Berry, Ben Lamar and Samuel Williams.

BODY AND SOUL
BY RENEE BAKER'S CHICAGO MODERN ORCHESTRA PROJECT


Karl is featured as bass soloist on the this limited edition DVD of the 1925 silent film with Renee Baker's new soundtrack.

As always, the Chicago Modern Orchestra features members of the AACM and Chicago's top classical and jazz musicians.
MUSIC COLLECTION IV
BY WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA


Karl performs with Chicago Modern Orchestra Project on Renée Baker's composition Itadakimasu – I Humbly Receive.

THE NEXT DESCENDANT
BY ALLIES & CLANSMEN

This new collection features exclusive tracks by progressive rockers Anubis, Omenopus, Osiris the Rebirth, Nigel Potter and others. Karl is featured on two songs.

"One for Lok" is a jazz duet with Hawkwind founder Nik Turner (saxophone); Karl plays upright bass and percussion. "Pretty" is by Night Flyer, a new band with Hawkwind's Bridget Wishart and German multi-instrumentalist Detlev Everling; Karl plays all guitars and basses.

Music videos for both songs can be found on the video page.


FAR CORNERS
BY ASTRALFISH


This new instrumental project features Karl as soloist and in the rhythm section on upright, electric and fretless bass. The ensemble includes members of Gong, Hawkwind, Citizen Fish and other prominent progressive rock bands. The material on this wide-ranging recording spans jazz, rock, ambient and world music.

FROM VIVALDI TO PUCCINI
BY ERATO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA


Karl plays Principal Bass with the Erato Chamber Orchestra on a recording featuring soloist Michael Antonello performing Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (composed 1723) on his Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu violin (built 1742).

THIS BURNING SHIP OF FOOLS
BY MATTHEW SANTOS


Karl plays Principal Bass with the Erato Chamber Orchestra - special guests on the track "December's Ghost."

LIVE AT THE SPAREROOM
BY THE MICROCOSMIC SOUND ORCHESTRA


Karl plays sousaphone in this large ensemble featuring Chicago jazz notables David Boykin and Nicole Mitchell.

DETRITUS
BY HORSES AND CORPSES


This album documents a quintet of Chicago improvisors - featuring Keefe Jackson and Frank Rosaly.

E.C.F.A.
BY E.C.F.A.


Recorded live in Austin, this album features German bass legend Peter Kowald performing with the quintet of improvisers.

A MADISON CHRISTMAS
BY THE MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA


A holiday album recorded while Karl was a member of the orchestra.