Fred Frith : Woodwork / Live At Ateliers Claus (Klanggalerie )

Fred Frith's solo performances are amongst some of his most fascinating, and this live album at Ateliers Claus in Brussels, 2018 does not disappoint, Frith using every inch of his guitar and an arsenal of objects, in tandem with his masterful playing, to create an extended and fascinating journey in sound, remarkable in its breadth and bold creative power. ... Click to View

Jan Maksimowicz / Dmitrij Golovanov: Thousand Seconds Of Our Life [VINYL] (NoBusiness)

A sophisticated duo meeting at InTegra House in Trakai, Lithuania between two central figures of Lithuanian creative jazz--saxophonist Jan Maksimowicz and pianist Dmitrij Golovanov--in a spontaneous set of dialogs plus a rendering of Kenny Kirklands "Dienda", as the two employ magnificent technique and strong lyrical tendencies across twelve succinct improvisations. ... Click to View

Gerrit Hatcher: Burnt Pan Rolling Boil (Kettle Hole Records)

Chicago saxophonist Gerrit Hatcher sees his solo saxophone performances as a format that can be both charismatic and alienating in the extreme to the listener, as he uses extreme technique and powerful streams of emotional playing in a set of improvisations, "Salt Dome" parts 1-3, and "Cooking Fuel", each wrought with frailty and bluster; impressive work. ... Click to View

Tim Olive / Martin Tetreault: Faune (845 Audio)

Fellow Canadians, Montreal's Ambiances Magnetiques collective member and turntablist and electronics artist Martin Tetrault meets Japan-based electronic explorer Tim Olive performing on magnetic pickups, in their first album despite having performed sporadically across three decades: 4 rich improvisations minimally edited, shaping sound in compelling ways. ... Click to View

Doreen Girard / Tim Olive: Boro (845 Audio)

Recording in Saskatoon in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan the day before their performance at the Sounds Like Festival, audio explorer Tim Olive brings his magnetic pickups in a first meeting with Doreen Girard performing on a prepared tsymbaly, a Ukranian hammer dulcimer, for a single, unusually evolving, and wonderfully rich improvisation. ... Click to View

Leif Elggren : Motor For An Unknown Vehicle (Opening Of The Grave) [VINYL] (Fragment Factory)

Swedish conceptual artist Leif Elggren developed this second album in his trilogy using "The Motor", a soundwork that he's built over many years from basic fragments of sound used in installations and performed, aggregated here in an expanded form as a continuous drone, harsh on the surface but complex in its layers and sonic collisions. ... Click to View

Detail (Frode Gjerstad / Johnny Mbizo Dyani / John Stevens): Day Two (NoBusiness)

The history of the early Detail trio of Frode Gjerstad on tenor & soprano saxophones, Johnny Mbizo Dyani on double bass, and John Stevens on drums continues to be unearthed, with this studio session at Staccato Studios, in Stavanger, Norway in 1982, in two extended improvisations demonstrating the impressive skill and direction the band possessed. ... Click to View

The Attic (Rodrigo Amado / Goncalo Almeida / Onno Govaert): Summer Bummer (NoBusiness)

Following up their 2017 album live at SMUP in Lisboa, the Attic trio of Rodrigo Amado on tenor saxophone, Goncalo Almeida on double bass, and Onno Govaert on drums are heard in this concert at the 2018 Summer Bummer Festival in Antwerp, Belgium, in a solid set of confidently exploratory improvisation and engrossing group dialog balancing pensive reflection and fire. ... Click to View

Whit Dickey / Kirk Knuffke: Drone Dream [VINYL] (NoBusiness)

Two implicitly lyrical players -- trumpeter Kirk Knuffke and Whit Dickey -- in their second album together of well paced, thoughtful dialog, and intimate set of recordings that show the adept skills of both as they promote their inherent melodic intentions on their instruments, neither overpowering but conversing in a warm and rewarding give and take. ... Click to View

Kang Hwan Tae / Midori Takada: An Eternal Moment (NoBusiness)

A concert in 1995 at Cafe Amores, in Hofu, Yamaguchi of the duo of Japanese percussionist Midori Takada and alto saxophone Kang Tae Hwan, both using exception and unusual approaches to their music, using their backgrounds in free jazz, theater and studies in traditional African and Asian percussion to create a unique hybrid, from hypnotic to frenetic; fascinating. ... Click to View

Kang Hwan Tae / Midori Takada: An Eternal Moment [VINYL] (NoBusiness)

A concert in 1995 at Cafe Amores, in Hofu, Yamaguchi of the duo of Japanese percussionist Midori Takada and alto saxophone Kang Tae Hwan, both using exception and unusual approaches to their music, using their backgrounds in free jazz, theater and studies in traditional African and Asian percussion to create a unique hybrid, from hypnotic to frenetic; fascinating. ... Click to View

Albert Beger Quartet: The Gate [VINYL] (NoBusiness)

Israeli saxophonist Albert Beger's Quartet with Milton Michaeli on piano, Shay Hazan on bass, and Ofer Bymel on drums, the leader also on Shakuhachi, in a studio set of Beger compositions, drawing on his work with William Parker and Hamid Drake in six recordings that balance structure and freedom in soloing, a fine album of modern creative jazz. ... Click to View

Dunmall / Gibbs / Taylor / John Long: Landscapes (FMR)

The counterpart to the Dunmall session "Seascapes" recorded at the same Victoria Rooms at the University of Bristol's music department, this quartet sees Dunmall on soprano sax and flute joined by three string players--Benedict Taylor on viola, Ashley John Long on bass, and guitarist Phil Gibbs, for six detailed collective improvisations leaning toward chamber jazz. ... Click to View

Electro-Phonic Art Trio (Casserley / Wachsmann / Taylor): Through The Rings Of Saturn (FMR)

Lawrence Casserley on percussion & processing, Philipp Wachsmann on violin, and Trevor Taylor on percussion & electronics, use the rings of Saturn as their music in 2 recordings from Iklectick Arts Lab in London, and 3 recordings in the studio, using the mass of the moons around the rings as the durations of each track; subdued yet deeply spacious, superb interaction. ... Click to View

David Leahy / Philipp Wachsmann: Translated Space (FMR)

Drawing on double bassist David Leahy's "Musicians in Space" research and improvisation series, Leahy met up with free improvising violinist Philipp Wachsmann to record these twelve improvisations, collective conversation in a meeting of strings with influences from chamber and fully free approaches, tempered and detailed dialog of impressive virtuosity. ... Click to View

Circuit (Seagroat / Chatzigiannis / Taylor / Hutchinson / Medley / Wachsmann): Cell (FMR)

UK percussionist and electronic artist Trevor Taylor's Circuit project in an extended electroacoustic version with Jon Seagroat on reeds & electronics, Tim Chatzigiannis on computer & electronics, Mathew Hutchinson on piano, Paul Medley on reeds, and Philipp Wachsmann on violin & electronics, in carefully controlled and sublimely detailed improvisation. ... Click to View

Dunmall / Pursglove / Tromans / Kane / Drake: Soultime (FMR)

The 2nd concert at Eastside Jazz Club for the quintet of Paul dunmall on saxophone & penny whistle, Percy Pursglove on trumpet, Steve Tromans on piano, Dave Kane on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums, in a powerfully passionate and profoundly masterful set of lyrical free jazz, the perfect example of Dunmall's skill at assembling inspired jazz bands; highly recommended! ... Click to View

Sam Rivers / Cecil McBee / Norman Connors: Emanation (Sam Rivers archive sessions. Vol.1) (NoBusiness)

The NoBusiness label initiates its Sam Rivers Archive Series with this CD of River's Loft-era trio. the leader on tenor & soprano saxophones, flute & Piano, Cecil McBee on bass and Norman Connors on drums, for two sets at a Jazz Workshop residency in Boston in the summer of 1971, a superb concert showing inspired group interaction and River's intense focus. ... Click to View

Szilard Mezei Tul A Tiszan Innen Ensemble: Turizmus [2 CDs] (FMR)

Szilard Mezei's Tiszan Innen Ensemble is a chamber jazz ensemble of rare sophistication and talent, 11 musicians performing Mezei's compositions and arrangements based on Hungarian folk songs, in active and lyrical pieces with wonderful interplay between sections and individual players, and excellent moment of lively and passionate soloing. ... Click to View

Joao Lencastre: Parallel Realities (FMR)

An absorbing album of free and electroacoustic improvisation from drummer/composer Joao Lencastre, introducing his Parallel Realities group of creative Portuguese avant jazz players Albert Cirera on sax, Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano, Pedro Branco on guitar and Joao Hasselberg on bass & electronics, composed for subgroups playing unique yet related passages in parallel. ... Click to View

Elephant9: Psychedelic Backfire I (Rune Grammofon)

The first of two "Psychedelic Backfire" concerts at Oslo's Kampen Bistro, taken from a 4 night residency by the Norwegian Elephant 9 rock trio of drummer Torstein Lofthus, bassist Nikolai Haengsle, and keyboardist Stale Storlokken, expanding on tracks from their excellent studio catalog in strongly lyrical and technically superb instrumental and improvised rock forms. ... Click to View

Elephant9 w/ Reine Fiske: Psychedelic Backfire II (Rune Grammofon)

The second of two "Psychedelic Backfire"s, The Norwegian Elephant 9 improvising rock trio of drummer Torstein Lofthus, bassist Nikolai Haengsle, and keyboardist Stale Storlokken are joined by Dungen guitarist Reine Fiske for an exciting live concert at Kampen Bistro, in Oslo in 2019, the interaction of Fiske and Storlokken a fine example that prog rock is still a vital form. ... Click to View

Fresh Dust Trio: Hilarious Experts (FMR)

Slovenian drummer/percussionist Jaka Berger wrote 3 of the 4 pieces for this trio with guitar Samo Salamon and pianist Marina Dzukljev, also on objects, the 4th piece a collective improvisation, as the three apply experimental approaches to their playing while never leaving their collaborative conversation, making room for inspired soloing. ... Click to View

Ferran Fages / Alfredo Costa Monteiro / Ruth Barberan: Istmo (Creative Sources)

The second album from the trio of Ferran Fages (acoustic turntable), Ruth Barberan (trumpet), and Alfredo Costa Monteiro (accordion) expands on their first "Atolon" album with these two recordings of intense electroacoustic improvisation, a mixture of ritual, controlled chaos, mysterious and often disruptively provocative sound, and other inexplicable evolutions. ... Click to View

Ferran Fages / Ernesto Rodrigues: Cru (Creative Sources)

A composite of environmental sounds, electronics, and viola, recorded in Barcelona, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal from intrepid audio explorers Ferran Fages and Ernesto Rodrigues, the single long work taking the listener on a theoretical journey of transparent traffic, squealing wheels and indeterminate location, engrossing in its detail and the mystery it presents. ... Click to View

William Parker / In Order To Survive: Live / Shapeshifter [2 CDs] (Aum Fidelity)

Presenting both sets of the second night of bassist William Parker's concerts at Brooklyn's ShapeShifter Lab with his group In Order to Survive of pianist Cooper-Moore, alto saxophonist Rob Brown and drummer Hamid Drake, an extraordinary event that featured all new Parker compositions, including an extended suite for late trombonist Grachan Moncur III. ... Click to View

Whit Dickey / The Tao Quartets: Peace Planet & Box of Light [2 CDs] (Aum Fidelity)

Two unique and exceptional studio albums with differing quartets from drummer Whit Dickey in a single set: "Peace Planet" with Matthew Shipp (piano), Rob Brown (alto sax) & William Parker (bass) in a thoughtfully flowing set of collective improvisations; and the more propulsive session "Box of Light" with Rob Brown (alto sax), Steve Swell (trombone), & Michael Bisio (bass). ... Click to View

Apartment House: Perform Olivier Messiaen and Linda Catlin Smith (Another Timbre)

The UK ensemble Apartment House performs two works--Olivier Messiaen's "Quatuor pour la fin du Temps" in 6 movements; and Linda Catlin Smith's "Among the Tarnished Stars"--taking a fresh modern approach to the Messiaen, drawing out its experimental character, and the sense of drama and intricate gradations of sonority in Smith's rich and mysterious work. ... Click to View

Catherine Lamb : Point/Wave (Another Timbre)

The first piece composer Catherine Lamb has written specifically for acoustic guitar was commissioned by Chilean guitarist Christian Alvear, extending concepts from an installation piece titled "Secondary Rainbow" with Bryan Eubanks, Lamb employs electronics over an infinite cycle of four "environmental chords" which overlap and resonate with one another. ... Click to View

Cyril Bondi / Pierre-Yves Martel / Christoph Schiller / Angharad Davies: Awire (Another Timbre)

During the tour in support of their "Tse" release, the quartet of Cyril Bondi on Shruti box, pipe & harmonica, Christoph Schiller on spinet & effects, Pierre-Yves Martel on Viola da Gamba, pipe & harmonica, and Angharad Davies on violin, captured this performance at London's Cafe OTO, improvised over a sequence of pitches with astonishing creativity. ... Click to View