In its article on the two-day Women’s Music Festival Canaille, which took place on October 17 and 18, 1986, at the „Rote Fabrik“ (a cultural center located in an old red-brick factory), Zurich’s largest daily newsaper called it „one of the most exciting jazz events to happen in Zurich“. During the two evenings 13 female musicians from the current European improvised music scene could be heard in different group formations. Invited were some of the central figures and founders of women’s jazz in Europe.

The recording of the Canaille Festival in Zurich in 1986 is intended to give the broad public a survey of the musical diversity of the current women’s improvising scene in Europe. At the same time we wanted to give not only an impression of he musical breadth of these musicians and a taste of the what was at times almost euphoric, certainly exciting and varied performances, but also to represent all 13 musicians. This record has an important documentary value. Especially because I suspect that the emergence of a broad scene of free improvising women musicians is the most exeptional and innovative moment of the 80s as regards the history of free improvisation. However, this recent history of free improvisers can only be found on a small number of records. There are no recordings of the „Feminist Improvising Group“ (FIG) or the „European Women Improvising Group“ (EWIG) available to the public.

Cover design: Ruedi Wyss
Fotos: Dany Gignoux
Liner Notes: Rosmarie A. Meier
Translation: Susan Kaufmann

Digital Recorded October 17Th / 18Th, 1986 At The Red Factory, Zurich, Switzerland
Engineer: Peter Pfister
Mastered At Studio Peter Pfister, October 10Th, 1987 by Irene Schweizer, Rosmarie Meier, Patrik Landolt. Engineer: Peter Pfister
Produced By Intakt - Records
Special Thanks To Igrf (Interessengemeinschaft Rote Fabrik), Zurich , Switzerland