German-American bandleader, arranger, composer, and producer Heiner Stadler was noted for his involvement in the international avant-garde jazz movement. Having moved from Germany to New York City in the mid-'60s, Stadler led groups that reflected the influences of Ornette Coleman, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and late-period John Coltrane. Often highly regarded by avant-garde and free jazz fans, his recordings from the 1970s included Brains on Fire (1973), Jazz Alchemy (1976), and A Tribute to Monk and Bird (1978). Stadler was founder of the Labor Records label, and also served as head of A&R, director of operations, and executive producer at Tomato Records, where he supervised the initial four-LP release of Philip Glass' landmark Einstein on the Beach in 1979. Stadler died from complications of pneumonia in Silver Spring, Maryland in February 2018; he was 75 years old. ~ Ron Wynn