Agusti Fernandez Trio (w. William Parker / Susie Ibarra): One Night At The Joan Miro Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

A formidable meeting of three powerhouses of modern creative improvisation of diverse backgrounds -- Filipina-American drummer/percussionist Susie Ibarra, legendary New York bassist William Parker, and Spanish pianist Agusti Fernandez, in a spirited, masterful and stunning live performance at the Joan Miro Foundation in Barcelona recorded in 1998. ... Click to View

Francois Carrier / Alexander Hawkins / John Edwards / Michel Lambert: Nirguna [2 CDs] (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Powerful and complete performance at London's Vortex club from the indefatigable quartet led by Canadian saxophonist Francois Carrier, featuring one of the finest European young piano virtuosos, Alexander Hawkins, one of the most in-demand bass players on the Euro/London free improv scene, John Edwards, and long running partner to Carrier, drummer Michel Lambert. ... Click to View

Ben Stapp / Joe Morris feat. Stephen Haynes : Mind Creature Sound Dasein (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Splitting his time between Portugal and NY, tuba and euphonium player Ben Stapp's association with guitarist Joe Morris and cornetist Stephen Haynes started in 2011, including participating in their Improvisations series, leading to this trio performing Stapp's compositions with musical forms based on the narrative structure of his novel "Mind Creat Sound Dasein". ... Click to View

Nobject (Martin Kuchen / Rafal Mazur / Vasco Trilla): X-Rayed [2 CDs] (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Bringing separate collaborations together as a trio, Swedish saxophonist Martin Kuchen (Angles), who has worked separately with Catalan drummer Vascto Trilli and Polish guitarist Rafal Mazur, come together as Nobject, recording at Lodz-Art Inkubator during the sixth Musica Privata festival in Lodz, Poland, for fully free, sinuous and assertive improvisation. ... Click to View

Evan Parker / Eddie Prevost: Tools Of Imagination (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

An awe-inspiring concert between two free improvisation legends from London recording at Pardon To Tu [Teatr Nowy Clubroom] in Poland--percussionist Eddie Prevost and saxophonist Evan Parker on tenor sax--in an hour-long performance that starts with Prevost's reverberant bowed metal, as the two build and recede with profound concentration and masterful skill. ... Click to View

As You Hear (Veryan Weston / Pei Ann Yeoh / Bei Bei Wang): Four Seasonings (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Recording at Vortex Jazz Club in London in 2018, the As You Hear trio of renowned London and European free jazz pianist Veryan Weston with two younger generation improvisers, Pei Ann Yeoh (violin) and Beibei Wang (drums & percussion), here presenting a sophisticated concert of group improvisation, each collective improvisation named for a spice or seasoning. ... Click to View

Paula Shocron / Pablo Diaz (special guest Guillermo Gregorio): Dialogos (Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Argentinian improvisers Paula Shocron (piano) and Pablo Diaz (drums) invite masterful Argentinian clarinetist and Mivimiento Musica Mas founder Guillermo Gregori to record these 14 collective improvisations in the studio in New York, drawing upon contemporary and jazz elements with virtuosic skill, revealing inventive and imaginative playing. ... Click to View

After Dinner: Souvenir Cassette (2019) (Fish Prints)

Originally released in 1988 in limited cassette and LP editions and comprising live recordings from performances in 1987, the Japanese avant rock band After Dinner with vocalist Haco merged Japanese traditional music and electronics in sublime ways, their live performances a great reflection of their recorded albums, here impeccably remastered by Bob Drake. ... Click to View

Jean-Luc Petit / Jeremy Baysse / Fabrice Favriou: Ecorchure (Creative Sources)

Ecorchure translates to a skin wound produced by a violent friction that removes or tears the superficial layers; here the French trio of Jean-Luc Petit on saxophones, Jeremy Baysse on electric guitar & gadgets, and Fabrice Favriou on drums, tear through three excoriating improvisations during a 2019 live concert at Ateliers Musicaux Syrinx, in Poitiers France. ... Click to View

New York Contemporary Five, The: Live at Koncertsal, Copenhagen, 17.10.1963 [VINYL] (Alternative Fox)

Formed in 1962, the New York Contemporary Five with Don Cherry on trumpet, Archie Shepp & John Tchicai on saxophones, Don Moore on bass, and J.C. Moses on drums, was short lived but their influence long lasting, this live album from Copenhagen in 1963 is a testament to their contribution to 60s free jazz, and a welcome addition to their scant discography. ... Click to View

Rodrigo Amado / Chris Corsano: No Place To Fall [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Astral Spirits)

Having previously worked together with Joe McPhee and Kent Kessler, this album distills the Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado and NY drummer/percussionist Chris Corsano to a concentrated sax and drum duo of earnest and edgy playing, bending jazz, free and blues idioms to their will with magnificent technique and power, both clearly elated in their meeting. ... Click to View

Rodrigo Amado / Chris Corsano: No Place To Fall (Astral Spirits)

Having previously worked together with Joe McPhee and Kent Kessler, this album distills the Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado and NY drummer/percussionist Chris Corsano to a concentrated sax and drum duo of earnest and edgy playing, bending jazz, free and blues idioms to their will with magnificent technique and power, both clearly elated in their meeting. ... Click to View

Nick Mazzarella Trio: Counterbalance [VINYL] (Astral Spirits)

From 2008-16 until drummer Frank Rosaly moved to Amsterdam, alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella's Trio was an active part of Chicago's creative jazz scene; in early 2018 Rosaly returned for a visit and Mazzarella composed a suite of 6 new pieces to commemorate the trio's tenth anniversary, this excellent concert recorded at Co-Prosperity Sphere the exuberant result! ... Click to View

Ali / Bordreuil / Mattrey : I Used To Sing So Lyrical [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Astral Spirits)

The debut recording of New York double bassist Sean Ali's improvising string trio with violist Joanna Mattrey and cellist Leila Bordreuil, having worked together since 2015, each brings impressive technique and a somewhat twisted approach to their strings in a diverse set of extended improvisation from pensive and spacious to formidable density. ... Click to View

CARL (Damon Smith / Daniel Kamins / Andrew Durham): Solid Bottom [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Astral Spirits)

Two basses and a lower-end saxophone from the trio of Damon Smith on double bass, Andrew Durham on electric bass, and Danny Kamins on baritone sax, Durham also adding effects and "Radio Manipulation" to their deep, the latter two the core of CARL with Damon Smith adding extra bottom to their slowly developing, sometimes pensive sometimes cantankerous and profound improvisation. ... Click to View

Claire Rousay: Aerophobia [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Astral Spirits)

Exploring human relationships, and self perception through the use of physical objects and their potential sounds, San Antonio drummer Claire Rousay, who has worked with Jacob Wick, Ken Vandermark, Brandon Lopez, &c. recorded these six solo drum performances in the studio, developing each in a way that shows her strong technical skills and narrative voice on the drums. ... Click to View

Tereshkova (Jeff Lane): Chunks of Monochrome Rainbows [DOUBLE CASSETTE w/DOWNLOAD] (Astral Spirits)

Portland Oregon composer and sound artist Jeff Lane, co-founder of the Chicago/Portland record label Never Anything, as his alter-ego Tereshkova in a large work of electronic composition, part concrete, part acousmatic, spanning two cassettes with four side-long pieces, each an extended journey in mood, motion, perplexing sources and embrace-ably interesting. ... Click to View

Xavier Charles / Éric Normand : Avis Aux Reacteurs (Inexhaustible Editions)

Recorded live at Silence Sounds in Guelph Canada, the duo of Xavier Charles on clarinet and Eric Normand on electric bass and objects eschew idiom in favor of their unique natural language on their instruments, applying patient development of truly idiosyncratic and fascinating command through a single extended work punctuated in seven diverse passages. ... Click to View

Drasler / Jackson / Thompson: Nauportus (Creative Sources)

Clarinetist Tom Jackson, guitarist Daniel Thompson and drummer Vid Drasler met in 2016 as part of the CRAM Records residency at FriForma in Ljubljana, at which time they performed and recorded as a trio, vowing to collaborate again; this album of open-minded free improvisation is the result: "Nauportus" in 5 parts, ebbing and flowing from near silence to animated interaction. ... Click to View

den Boer Salmom, Miriam / Ernesto Rodrigues / Fredrik Rasten / Guilherme Rodrigues: A Late Evening In The Future (Creative Sources)

A subtle album of acoustic interaction recorded at Berlin's Noiseberg from the quartet of Miriam den Boer Salmon on violin, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola & zither, Fredrik Rasten on acoustic guitar, and Guilherme Rodrigues on cello & percussion, sounding almost electronic in their frictional technique and harmonic overtones, ebbing and flowing from active interaction to tranquil discourse. ... Click to View

Illegal Crowns (Halvorson / Fujiwara / Delbecq / Ho Bynum): The No-Nosed Puppet [VINYL] (RogueArt)

The New York supergroup of Mary Halvorson on guitar, Tomas Fujiwara on drums, Benoit Delbecq on piano, and Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet & flugelhorn in a studio album with compositions from all 4 players, their friendship and history of working together bringing virtuosity, precision, freedom in exploration and exuberance to their collective conversations. ... Click to View

Tiger Trio (Leandre / Melford / Mitchel): Map of Liberation (RogueArt)

Born from the duo of Chicago flutist Nicole Mitchell and French bassist Joelle Leandre ("Sisters Where") and brought together by Myra Melford, this is the 2nd album from their Tiger Trio formation, joining profound skill, unusual creative intent, ferociously authoritative conversation, shrewd wit, and an innate sense of balance to 11 succinct collective improvisations. ... Click to View

I Am Three & Me (Nicols, Maggie / Silke Eberhard / Nikolaus Neuser / Christian Marien): Mingus' Sounds Of Love (Leo Records)

Following their 2016 album "I Am Three, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus", the German trio of Silke Eberhard on alto saxophone, Nikolaus Neuser on trumpet, and Christian Marien on drums invited British improvising vocalist Maggie Nicols to further explore the works of jazz legend Charles Mingus in song and spoken word in a thoroughly enjoyable and worthy tribute to his work. ... Click to View

Uwe Oberg / Rudi Mahall / Michael Griener: Lacy Pool 2 (Leo Records)

The second "Lacy Pool" directed by pianist Uwe Oberg and with drummer Michael Griener the common element, invites Rudi Mahall on clarinets as they interpret, or as Oberg describes it, "unlock" the music of Steve Lacy, in 9 compositions including "Trickles", "Cliches", "Ladies", &c., plus two Oberg compositions that fit into his pool of Lacy interpretations. ... Click to View

Reinier van Houdt / Bruno Duplant: Lettres et Replis (elsewhere)

"Letters and Folds", contains 6 interpretive pieces by French composer Bruno Duplant, realized in multiple layers by Dutch pianist & composer Reinier van Houdt; "Letters" are letter-form scores addressed to van Houdt containing letter sequences distributed across the page; each "Fold" is a response to each letter, combining piano with field recordings made on John Cage's 100th birthday. ... Click to View

Shira Legmann / Michael Pisaro: Barricades (elsewhere)

Presenting LA-based composer Michael Pisaro's recent work "Barricades", a 63-minute piece in 13 Studies for piano performed by Israeli-based pianist Shira Legmann, with electronics performed by Pisaro, punctuated by two electronic Interludes from Pisaro; a rich and reflective work enveloping and intertwining the electronics around solidly articulate piano expression. ... Click to View

Melaine Dalibert : Cheminant (elsewhere)

A diverse set of compositions from and performed by French composer Melaine Dalibert in his third solo piano album, presenting active rhythmic to introspective work, exploring harmonics and chord evolution; artwork by David Sylvian, and one piece composed for Sylvian, alongside pieces for elsewhere label leader Yuko Zama, Peter Garland and pianist Reinier van Houdt. ... Click to View

Matt Weston: A New Form Of Crime (7272music)

Conceived and constructed over 16 years, composer, electronic artist & percussionist Matt Weston employs graphic and personal notation systems with elements including clandestine recordings in concert halls and athletic buildings while they were not in use, rural field recordings, and the sound of cars driving over a bridge at Weston's conducting; unique and fascinating. ... Click to View

Anemochore (Frantz Loriot / Sebastian Strinning / Daniel Studer / Benjamin Brodbeck): Suites And Seeds (Creative Sources)

Taking their name from plants whose seeds are distributed by wind, violist Frantz Loriot and bassist Daniel Studer formed Anemochore in 2016 to purse different playing techniques and preparations in their search for unique forms of improvisation, here with drummer Benjamin Brodbeck and saxophonist & bass clarinetist Sebastian Strinning, recorded by Jean-Marc Foussat. ... Click to View

IKB: Paradoxurus hermaphroditus (Creative Sources)

Recording at the 12th CreativeFest at O'Culto da Ajuda, in Lisbon, Portugal, the IKB ensemble is represented by 20 musicians for this performance, merging acoustic and electronic instruments including strings, brass, winds, self-made instruments, and percussion in a concert of intense constraint & patience, seething with detail and replete with consummate skill. ... Click to View