The JazzHausMusik label has existed since 1979 together with the Kölner Jazz Haus initiative (today's Stadtgarten) as a result of the self-organisation of Cologne musicians. JazzHausMusik is the only European label in the field of improvised music that has been completely in the hands of the producing musicians from the very beginning. The managing director of JazzHausMusik is the Cologne pianist Georg Ruby. In spring 2023, 302 releases are available. JazzHausMusik's back catalogue has been completely released on CD since JHM 33 CD.
JazzHausMusik publishes eight to twelve different productions per year in April and October. It is no coincidence that JazzHausMusik is based in Cologne, Germany's media capital, whose jazz scene is recognised by almost all German specialist journalists as undoubtedly the most interesting. JazzHausMusik's reputation among European labels for jazz and improvised music is based on its creative release policy: the label represents the diverse currents of the Cologne scene just as much as it integrates projects from regions far beyond Germany's borders into its productions. Seven German Record Critics' Awards for JHM productions to date document the attention the label has received. Most recently, the production of the duo "Georg Ruby-Michel Pilz", "Deuxième Bureau", was voted Album of the Year by New York City Jazz Record and Georg Ruby's recording "Village Zone" was voted one of the "twelve best productions of 2019" by All About Jazz.
Groups like those of Karoline Höfler, Bill Elgart, Kölner Saxophon Mafia, the Niels Klein Tentett, formations with Hannes Zerbe, Michel Pilz, Robert Landfermann, Henning Berg, Pinguin Moschner, Andreas Willers, Günter Baby Sommer, Rudi Mahall, Claudio Puntin, Hazel Leach or the projects of extraordinary musicians such as Christina Fuchs, Laia Genc, Sascha Ley or Lauren Newton continue to point the way for new developments in the field of improvised music, and not only in Europe. The productions of outstanding musicians such as Christof Thewes or the trio Frank Gratkowski/Dieter Manderscheid/Gerry Hemingway are projects that have been received with great enthusiasm by the national and international press.
"JazzHausMusik is a label that I follow to keep in touch with European jazz and with each album they release they show that they're a powerhouse for European jazz."
(Emre Adam, Jazz Dergisi, 02.12.2020)