Labeled as “The creative label for creative music” ICTUS Records was one of the leading independent music labels in the late 70’s. Founded by Carla Lugli, producer and Andrea Centazzo, artistic director, the company focused mainly on improvised music, contemporary music and avant-garde jazz. In 1984, due to increasing financial problems, Ictus ceased to exist. Now, exactly after 30 years ICTUS is back in a special new edition including brand new as well old recordings.

ICTUS Records – Andrea Centazzo Complete Music Archives series is a special endeavor to present a broad selection spanning the 30-plus years of Andrea Centazzo’s artistic work. Each CD and DVD has a specific and separate character reflecting the cultural influence of the time and the place where the music and the images were composed and recorded: many artistic souls, one artistic vision. A vision that is on the edge of established musical and visual trends, a horizon that is Andrea Centazzo’s own captivating style.

I had not been aware of Andrea Centazzo or his music for much of his twenty-five years career, but it only takes a moment to recognize genius when you are fortunate to finally meet it. Maestro Centazzo as a musician and as a person is never black and white; rather, he is a kaleidoscope of distinctive colors: bright and bold in presentation; complex, introspective, muted hues in realization. Yet his work is very specific. Even in his early improvisation pieces there are no accidents – only occurrences of being wholly present with the music. Gifted in communication, Maestro Centazzo speaks many languages, but when he communicates with music, the world’s spirits and energies emerge through him. Beauty, pain, nature, fear, love are all presented eloquently, clearly and all completely accessible. Maestro Centazzo’s success is a result not solely of talent but the fusion resulting from diligent expertise guided by the certainty of skill and the perseverance to overcome any obstacle. Darrell Larson (director/actor/producer) Los Angeles 1999


INTRODUCTION TO ICTUS RECORDS’ 30th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

Comprehensive selection of 12 tracks from 12 disks of ICTUS Records’ 30the Anniversary Collection

This CD is aim to be an introduction to the most important collection of music in the ICTUS Records history, a 12 CD’s Box Set, a celebration for the 30th anniversary of the birth of one of the first independent labels of the 70’.

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.

Thanks to all those friends musicians for creating an astonishing body of art that will stay forever. All Tracks Digitally Re-Mastered and Edited By Andrea Centazzo 2005. Cover photo, text and art by Andrea Centazzo. Produced by Andrea Centazzo, executive producer Cezary Lerski.

For more detailed information and listening examples of all 12 tracks please click here…

only 3 EURO incl. shipment cost world-wide

ICTUS RECORDS | IMPROVISED MUSIC AND NEW JAZZ SERIES | Andrea Centazzo, Steve Lacy, Derek Bailey, Ken Carter, Evan Parker, Alvin Curran, R.O.V.A. Saxophone Quartet, John Carter, Tom Cora, John Zorn, Eugene Chadbourne, Mitteleuropa Orchestra, Lol Coxhill, Gianluigi Trovesi, Anthony Coleman, Marco Capelli, John Fisher, Lester Bowie, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Frederik Rambold, Carlo Actis Dato, Gunther Hampel, Franz Koglmann, Giancarlo Cardini, Henry Kaiser, Perry Robinson, Nobu Stowe, Toshinori Kondo, Hideki Kato, Guido Mazzon, Paul Rutherford, Hans-Peter Salentin, Sylwia Bialas, Andrew Cyrille, Motoko Honda, Kai Kurosawa and many others…please click the following cover for more detailed information and sound samples…

Limited Edition Box-Sets

Andrea Centazzo | The Retrospective | 9 CD/DVD Box-Set | Ictus 508

Ictus Masters of Creative Music | 10 CD’s Box-Set | Ictus 509

Guitars | Andrea Centazzo | 2 CD Set | Ictus 148

Percussion Music Series


New Music Series



Talent’s Series

Ictus Visual Music DVD Series


SOUNDTRACKS AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC SERIES



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