Ben LaMar Gay’s de facto debut album, Downtown Castles Can Never Block The Sun, was our attempt to introduce the legendary Chicago composer / improviser / renaissance man to the rest of the world with a compilation of tracks from 7 albums he made over 7 years (though he hadn’t yet made the effort to actually release).

Makaya McCraven’s International Anthem debut In The Moment is the album that properly introduced the then-burgeoning drummer/producer to the world. IA11 Edition is Out Now on all digital music platforms. Vinyl LP out March 28th, 2025

Rob Mazurek’s Alternate Moon Cycles was our first release. The incredibly spare single-note-centered cornet, bass and organ chant was recorded to tape at pint-sized Chicago bar Curio as part of a performance series that predates any notion of our label’s existence. Documenting this performance – highly unique even within the depths of Mazurek’s vast catalog – stirred those notions, and soon talks began of releasing the recording on a fresh imprint.

Over the course of 2025 we will be celebrating our eleventh year (under the IA11 chrysanthemum banner) by revisiting some of the most celebrated entries in our decade of releases.

Over the next year, we'll be rolling out a series of releases, reissues, miscellaneous media and events under the IA11 banner.