WHO Trio (Hemingway / Wintsch / Oester):
Live At Jazz Festival Willisau 2023 First Visit Live (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reimagining familiar and more obscure works of Duke Ellington through the lense of contemporary improvisation, including "Mood Indigo", "Black and Tan Fantasy", "Self Portrait of the Bean", "Burmingham Breakdown", &c., from the powerful Who Trio of Michel Wintsch on piano, Banz Oester on double bass and Gerry Hemingway on drums, captured live at the 2023 Jazz Festival Willisau. ... Click to View

Ornette Coleman :
Free Jazz To Ornette! Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Exploring further the concepts of free jazz, saxophonist Ornette Coleman's back-to-back 1961 & 62 albums find the composer and innovator in a ground-breaking double quartet that includes Eric Dolphy, Don Cherry & Freddie Hubbard, Scott LaFaro & Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgns & Ed Blackwell; then with quintet with Scott LaFaro temporarily taking Charlie Haden's chair. ... Click to View

John Zorn (Riley / Lage):
Her Melodious Lay (Tzadik)

Featuring some of composer John Zorn's most lyrical work, the duo of guitarists Gyan Riley and Julian Lage continue their collaboration in the series that started in 2015 with The Bagatelles and continues through Midsummer Moons (2017), Book Beri'ah (2019), and Quatrain (2023), as they render Zorn's beautiful merging of eclectic forms inspired by William Shakespeare. ... Click to View

Mark Dresser:
In the Shadow of a Mad King (Tzadik)

Originally a foundational member of the Downtown NY scene now living on the West Coast, bassist Mark Dresser presents an album of inventive and engaging solo bass improvisations, performing on the double bass, and 4 and 5 string basses, on the epic title track accompanying the inspired and depictive words of celebrated late poet and close friend Jerome Rothenberg. ... Click to View

John Zorn / Jesse Harris (Marsella / Roeder / Smith / Haden):
Love Songs Live (Tzadik)

Taking the collaboration between composer John Zorn and composer/vocalist Jesse Harris on the stage for a live performance at National Sawdust, in Brooklyn in 2023, supported by a dream band of Brian Marsella on piano, Jorge Roeder on bass and Ches Smith on drums; sixteen upbeat, beautiful and sophisticated songs that bring Downtown NY sensibilities to lyrical vocal jazz. ... Click to View

Sam Weinberg Trio w/ Chris Lightcap / Tom Rainey :
Impllcatures [VINYL] (Astral Spirits)

Brooklyn saxophonist Sam Weinberg (W-2, Maestro Day) leads and composes half of the pieces for a trio with bassist Chris Lightcap and Tom Rainey, the other half collective interplay from three masterful players with a strong creative impulse and a subtle sense of humor, clearly in the jazz tradition but using modern approaches to expression that are delightfully optimistic. ... Click to View

Surplus 1980:
Illusion of Consistency [CD] (Surplus Industries)

Composed using an "exquisite corpse" method during the pandemic, where each player provided a partially complete track with instructions to expand their concept, enlisting an incredible set of musicians across the US & Europe, directed by Moe! Staiano, including Jesse Quattro, Fred Frith, Carla Kihlstedt, GW Sok, Amy X Neuburg, Darren Johnston, &c &c. ... Click to View

Moe Staiano:
Away Towards the Light [VINYL + DOWNLOAD] (Edgetone)

An exploration of tonal interplay and contrasting rhythms from nine electric guitars, bass, and drums by West Coast percussionist and composer Moe! Staiano (formerly of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), a work in three movements that features assertive rhythmic structures and intertwining string structures, balanced by beautifully ringing moments of introspection. ... Click to View

Magnus Granberg / Nattens Inbrott / Skogen:
Holde Traume, Kehret Wieder! [2 CDs] (Another Timbre)

Two different version of Magnus Granberg's 2021 composition "Holde Traume, kehret wieder!" (Sweet dreams, come back!), first as a quartet performed by the Nattens Inbrott Quartet for which the piece was originally written, and then a second version performed with Granberg's group Skogen as a septet, adding additional parts to the original composition. ... Click to View

Catherine Lamb:
Curva Triangulus (Another Timbre)

Inspired by the geometric and illusory work of artist Bridget Riley, Catherine Lamb's "Curva Triangulus" borrows from Renaissance music that she "warps" by interjecting geometric musical figures, performed by the Proton Ensemble of Bern using traditional, new and historic instruments, all underpinned by the 16th century microtonal Vicentino arciorgano organ. ... Click to View

Jurg Frey:
Outermost Melodie [2 CDs] (Another Timbre)

Contemporary percussionist Ian Antonio (Wet Ink, Talujon Percussion Ensemble, Zs, Yarn/Wire) performs seven works for percussion by composer Jürg Frey written between 1994 and 2022, joined by members of the Talujon for one piece, though mostly a solo and very personal album for the percussionist, who has been influenced by Frey's approach to stillness and harmony. ... Click to View

Floros Floridis / Ernesto Rodrigues / Guilherme Rodrigues / Ulf Mengersen:
Xafnikes Synantiseis (Creative Sources)

Legendary Greek bass clarinetist and improviser Floros Floridis, also performing on clarinet, and German double bassist Ulf Mengersen of the Berlin Improvisers Orchestra and Ensemble MIA, meet the ever-creative duo of violist Ernesto Rodrigues and cellist Guilherme Rodrigues for this 6-part active studio improvisation whose title aptly translates to "Unexpected Encounters". ... Click to View

Thanos Chrysakis :
Music For Trumpets, Bass Clarinets And Saxophones (Aural Terrains)

In configurations of solo to an 11-piece ensemble, Aural Terrain assembles great players including Tim Hodgkinson, Jason Alder, Yoni Silver, Chris Cundy, &c to perform works by composers John Cage, Gerard Grisley, Giacinto Scelsi, Thanos Chrysakis, Jule Kjaer and Tim Hodgkinson; seven acoustic compositions written between 1978 and 2022 that prominently feature horns as trumpets, clarinets and saxophones. ... Click to View

William Parker / Cooper-Moore / Hamid Drake:
Heart Trio (Aum Fidelity)

A mesmerizing and organically spiritual album of collective improv from three global travelers based around the NY and Chicago scenes--long-time collaborators William Parker, Cooper-Moore and Hamid Drake--their instrumentation on this beautiful album also uniquely global, including doson ngoni, shakuhachi, bass dudek, Serbian flute, Ney flute, ashimba, hoe-handle harp and frame drum. ... Click to View

William Parker / Cooper-Moore / Hamid Drake:
Heart Trio [VINYL] (Aum Fidelity)

A mesmerizing and organically spiritual album of collective improv from three global travelers based around the NY and Chicago scenes--long-time collaborators William Parker, Cooper-Moore and Hamid Drake--their instrumentation on this beautiful album also uniquely global, including doson ngoni, shakuhachi, bass dudek, Serbian flute, Ney flute, ashimba, hoe-handle harp and frame drum. ... Click to View

William Parker / Ellen Christi:
Cereal Music (Aum Fidelity)

William Parker's first spoken word album, and the continuing collaboration between Parker and composer, vocalist and sound designer Ellen Christi, who developed the underlying tracks, sung vocals and overall sound architecture for Parker's insightful, observational and revealing words and recitation, Parker also providing bass and flute that complement his life-affirming texts. ... Click to View

Mendoza / Hoff / Revels:
Echolocation (Aum Fidelity)

Led by two assertive New York improvisers, guitarist Ava Mendoza and bassist Devin Hoff, their band Revels includes extraordinary saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and drummer Ches Smith, performing compositions from both Mendoza and Hoff that facilitate wild interactions between band members and great freedom in soloing, an exceptional start to a new unit. ... Click to View

Frank London / The Elders:
Spirit Stronger Than Blood (ESP)

Paying homage to recordings from Mingus, Sanders, Thornton, &c, albums that shaped his approach to jazz composition and playing, trumpeter Frank London and his band The Elders--Marilyn Lerner, piano; Hilliard Greene, bass; Newman Taylor Baker, drums; and Greg Wall on sax on 3 tracks--perform six sophisticated London compositions that bridge modern improv with 60s post-bop lyricism. ... Click to View

Jessica Pavone:
Reverse Bloom [VINYL] (Astral Spirits)

Four fascinating works of string intersection from New York composer and violist Jessica Pavone, recording in the studio with the trio of violinists Aimre Niemann (Du.0 (do-point-oh)) and Abby Swidler (Xanthoria Quartet), Pavone's compositions creating wonderful psychoacoustic intertwining of texture and tone that slowly and beautifully blossom. ... Click to View

Christina Kubisch / Trondheim Voices:
Stromsanger 2022 For Six Voices And Electromagnetic Waves [VINYL] (Important Records)

Discovering the sounds of electromagnetic fields on trams in the city of Trondheim by wearing custom induction headphones, Christina Kubisch's work explores themes of the sounds of travel in this 3-part work for electromagnetic wave recording and six voices, commissioned by nyMusikk Trondheim and developed with Trondheim Voices, recorded live in Trondheim in 2022. ... Click to View

Phill Niblock:
Boston Tenor Index (Alga Marghen)

Three previously unreleased works by composer Phil Niblock--Index" (1969); "Tenor" (1972); "Boston III" (1972)--plus an earlier version, "Boston I", all rich works of microtones, overtones, and drones that point to the direction of his subsequent work; "Boston III" was recorded with Rhys Chatham (flute, voice), Martin Bough (tenor saxophone), and Gregory Reeve (viola, voice). ... Click to View

Alva Noto:
HYbr:ID III (Noton)

The third part of the HYbr:ID series from electronic composer Alva Noto, aka Carsten Nicolai, investigating new approaches to composition through unique systems of musical notation and graphic scores, rendered in beautifully paced multi-spacial sound, this part influenced by the movement and subtle gestures of the traditional Japanese theater form, Noh. ... Click to View

Alva Noto:
HYbr:ID III [VINYL 2 LPs] (Noton)

The third part of the HYbr:ID series from electronic composer Alva Noto, aka Carsten Nicolai, investigating new approaches to composition through unique systems of musical notation and graphic scores, rendered in beautifully paced multi-spacial sound, this part influenced by the movement and subtle gestures of the traditional Japanese theater form, Noh. ... Click to View

The Sea Trio (Satoh / Yoshihide / Turner):
Live in Munich & Bonn [2 CDs] (Confront)

Their second recording after their 2015 trio album Live at Hall Egg Farm on Doubtmusic, the now properly named Sea Trio of Masahiko Satoh on piano, Otomo Yoshihide on electric guitar and Roger Turner on drums & percussion reunite for two impressive 2023 concerts of masterful and often fiery free improvisation, captured in Munich and Bonn, Germany. ... Click to View

Salter Ensemble (Belorukov / Harnik / Kocher / Grom / Beiner / Klammer / Kutin / Lang / Tomazin / Badrutt):
Tri Dela (Bruit Editions / Zavod Sploh)

Operating on the border between free improvisation and composition, the international electro-acoustic ensemble Šalter Ensemble present three incredible works composed by members of the ensemble -- Tomaž Grom; Jonas Kocher & Gaudenz Badrutt; and Elisabeth Harnik -- developed with the full ensemble, incorporating jazz, free improvisation, electronics & sound art. ... Click to View

Beger / Taubenfeld / Hazan / Drake:
Cosmic Waves (NoBusiness)

Two studio sessions of ebullient improv from the quartet of Israeli tenor saxophonist Albert Beger, bass clarinetist Ziv Taubenfeld, double bassist & guimbri player Shay Hazan, and Chicago drummer Hamid Drake, from hard-blowing collective interplay to introspective discourse, ending with Beger's reflective composition "Astral Visit"; a perfectly balanced album of modern jazz. ... Click to View

Andrew Lisle / Dirk Serries:
Vectorial Spaces [CD EP] (Confront)

A three-part construction of intense and highly textured drone, waves of sound and spacial tension through the innovative use of snare, cymbals and a bowed acoustic guitar, from the duo of chameleonic Belgian improviser and experimental guitarist Dirk Serries (vidnaObmana, Fear Falls Burning, A New Wave of Jazz) and collaborative UK drummer/percussionist Andrew Lisle. ... Click to View

Tom Jackson / T.J. Borden:
Parr's Ditch (Confront)

London clarinetist Tom Jackson, active in both free improvisation and contemporary classical music, meets with cellist Tyler J. Borden, who concentrates on the extremes of his instrument through unusual and extended techniques, interpret one of London's "lost rivers"--Parr's Ditch--in three extended, interpretative improvisations of powerful impressions. ... Click to View

Manja Ristic / Joana Guerra / Veronica Cerrotta:
Slani pejzazi [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Tsss Tapes)

TSSS Tapes brought together these three performers -- Belgrade violinist and sound artist Manja Ristić; Lisbon exploratory improviser and cellist Joana Guerra; and Argentine pianist and sound artist living in Rio de Janeiro, Veronica Cerrotta -- developing these two intensely detailed compositions of acoustic performance, field recordings and acousmatic sound. ... Click to View

Euro Herc:
Segnali [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Tsss Tapes)

"Turning discarded sounds into a form of stumbling poetry", Christian Schiefner (aka Chemiefaserwerk) and Michal Fundowicz (aka Turmeric Acid) use cassette tapes, objects and field recordings (eg. a kitchen timer, a kalimba pattern, a Polish instructional tape, Croatian field recording) to create fascinating transformations of sonic environments in two engaging aural journeys. ... Click to View