It captures boundary‑breaking music with honesty, intensity, and a deep commitment to the art of improvisation. Founded in Kraków, Poland in 1998, Not Two Records began by releasing straight-ahead sessions by Polish musicians before its focus shifted toward a more open aesthetic. Since around 2002, the label has recorded almost exclusively avant-garde music — and built one of the most adventurous
catalogs in creative music anywhere. A host of significant contemporary players have graced the Not Two catalog, including David Murray, Ken Vandermark, Sonny Simmons, Michael Marcus, Daniel Carter, Gebhard Ullmann, Steve Swell, Sirone, Anthony Braxton, ROVA, Szilárd Mezei, Satoko Fujii, Joe Morris, Mats Gustafsson, Barry Guy, Joëlle Léandre, Joe McPhee, Rodrigo Amado, and Peter Brötzmann — alongside the most progressive voices of the Polish improvised-music scene. Not Two releases have long been treasured as objects in their own right: lavish five-inch gatefold cardboard sleeves, laminated and finished with crisp, often abstract graphics. Inspired by Japanese CD design yet wholly distinct, they remain some of the most striking packages in the music. Now the label is entering a new chapter. After nearly three decades in Kraków, Not Two has relocated to the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California, with founder Marek Winiarski passing the torch to longtime executive producer Cezary Lerski. The complete catalog of nearly 350 releases is being brought online, with most titles also available to stream and buy on Bandcamp. The philosophy that built the label hasn't changed. As Marek Winiarski once put it: "My philosophy is very simple. I want to release music that I really like, even if I know from the very beginning that I'll lose money. Mixing musicians from various countries and traditions is especially important — there's always a chance to get great results." The mission has not. The signal carries on.
