Chicago Edge Ensemble (Phillips / Drake / Williams / Bishop / Pablan): Insidious Anthem (Trost Records)
Drawing together some of Chicago's finest improvisers--leader Dan Phillips on guitar, Mars Williams on saxophones, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Krzysztof Pabian on double bass, and Hamid Drake on drums--for their second album, a balance set of creative jazz tunes with solid compositions that lend themsevles to exultant soloing, unusual sonic moments, and great collective playing. ... Click to View
Simon Nabatov String Trio: Situations (Leo)
As much a composed work as a work of improvisation, pianist and composer Simon Nabatov's String Trio with Garteh Lubbe on viola and Ben Davis perform six Nabatov compositions, chamber jazz works that express in both buyouantly intricate and languourosly beautiful abstraction, each piece leaving room for each player to improvise and express themselves. ... Click to View
Heath Watts / M.J. Williams / Nancy Owens / Blue Armstrong : Sensoria (Leo)
Saxophonist Heath Watts' 3rd Leo release is an album of free improvisation with three Montana jazz mavens--Blue Armstrong on double bass, MJ Williams on trombone, piano & melodica, and Nancy Owens on violin--in nine recordings of sophisticated and intelligent interaction that naturally evolves new directions of irrepressibly enjoyable and diverse conversation. ... Click to View
Ikui Doki (Bernado / Mayot / Rinaudo): Ikui Doki (Ayler)
Winners of the Jazz Migration and tour JMF 2018, the chamber jazz trio of Sophie Bernado (bassoon), Hugues Mayot (saxophone & clarinet) and Rafaelle Rinaudo (harp & effects) share their passion for creative music that embraces composition and improvisation, springboarding off composers like Debussy while transferring warmth and vision into free jazz; magnificent. ... Click to View
Szilard Mezei Tul A Tiszan Innen Ensemble: Citromfa [2CDS] (FMR)
Violist Szilard Mezei's Serbian jazz-folk group Tul a Tiszan Innen Ensemble is a twelve-piece band that functions as a small orchestra playing a range from complex to spacious compositions and arrangements from Mezei, using themes from Hungarian folk songs from Vojvodina to create expansive compositions over which the adept members of his ensemble improvise. ... Click to View
Les Surruralists (Bull / Normand / Grossman / Jacques / Berirau): La Way Qu'a Do (Tour de Bras)
Slyly crossing modern improv and EAI approaches in a surreal take on early bottleneck, banjo and slide blues styles from the Quebec quintet of Arthur Bull on harmonica, voice, guitar, electronics, Eric Normand on banjo, voice, bass, Ben Grossman on "old wheel", Anne-Francoise Jacques on engines, and Gabriel Rochette on trombone; sincere and eccentric. ... Click to View
Plant (Jim Denley / Eric Normand): II (Tour de Bras)
Separated by 1,000 KMs and speaking a different language, the collaboration of Quebec bassist Eric Normand and Australian saxophonist Jim Denley, both dedicated experimenters, share a common aesthetic in free improvisation as they release their third album: five dialogs using reeds, electric bass, drums, objects and tools to create unusual sonic conversations. ... Click to View
Weasel Walter : Curses (Ugexplode)
Drummer/percussionist and electronic artist Weasel Walter's solo album presents 99 tracks that represent 4 large movements of "detailed abstract madness", titled "Curse Against Humanity", "Casting Destruction", "Ode To The Death Of Enemies", and "Cursed in Eternity", each a vicious and intensely captivating set of elusive movement in accord and discord; fascinating. ... Click to View
Sabu Toyozumi / Rick Countryman / Simon Tan: Preludes And Prepositions (ChapChap Records)
Three extended free improvisations recorded in 2017 in Cubao Quezon City from the trio of Rick Countryman on alto saxophone, Simon Tan on acoustic bass, and Japense first generation free improviser Sabu Toyozumi on drums & Erhu (a 2-stringed Chinese instrument), as the trio take their listeners on a marathon session of inspired and playing. ... Click to View
Derek Bailey / Vertrek Ensemble : Departures (Volatile Records)
After only their first album as a duo, the Edmonton, Canada duo Vertrek Ensemble of Vadim Budman on electric and acoustic guitar & cornet and Ron de Jong on percussion, travelled to London in 1998 to record a session with legendary free improviser Derek Bailey, this album of open-minded, uniquely voiced and beautifully captured improvisation the result. ... Click to View
Ivo Perelman / Matthew Shipp: Oneness [3 CDs] (Leo)
A significant release culminating the partnership of saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp, a distillation of their work after 8 duo recordings and dozens of collaborative albums, this 3 CD presents their work together in nearly telepathic terms: sympathetic and intimate without irascibility, a beautiful and introspective reflection of a shared ethic. ... Click to View
Aine O'Dwyer / Graham Lambkin: Green Ways [2 CDs] (erstwhile)
A unique sound document originally envisioned as a sound map of Ireland, collecting and composing with live recordings from performances in Doon, Dungarvan, Plaistow, Shoreditch, Singo & Stratford, using song, sound, spoken word, extraneous, ambient recordings and abstract and unidentifiable elements, making for an absolutely fascinating and somewhat bizarre album; recommended. ... Click to View
Dustin Carlson (w/ Mitchell / Gentile / Hopkins / Morgan / Trudel / Gouker): Air Ceremony (Out Of Your Head Records)
A strong album of modern creative jazz from New York guitarist Dustin Carlson, in a septet with Matt Mitchell on synth, Kate Gentile on drums, Adam Hopkins on bass, Nathaniel Morgan on alto saxophone, Eric Trudel on baritone saxophone, Danny Gouker on trumpet, sophisticated, intricate, lyrical and compelling compositions driving the enthusiasm and exuberance of their "ceremony"! ... Click to View
Jurg Frey : 120 Pieces of Sound (elsewhere)
Two distinct works by Swiss composer and bass clarinetist Jurg Frey: the 1st, recorded in Connecticut, a quintet composition from 2009 for bass clarinet, cello, violin, keyboard and electric guitar, Frey's harmonies creating an open instrumentation for the clarinet and cello; the second a 1997 composition for multitimbral field recordings and bass clarinet. ... Click to View
Clara de Asis : Without (elsewhere)
French composer and guitarist Clara De Asis composed the extended soundwork "Without" for the duo of Erik Carlson (violin) and Greg Stuart (percussion), defining a precise framework for the position and duration of each sound section and silence, with outlines for texture, volume, use of tone or noise, and percussive materials, but leaving space for many of the performers' choices. ... Click to View
Stefan Thut : about (elsewhere)
Composer & cellist Stefan Thut performs his composition with Ryoko Akama (electronics), Stephen Chase (guitar), Eleanor Cully (piano), Patrick Farmer (metal percussion), and lo wie (tingsha), where half of the group allow single percussive, ringing or electronic sounds to decay, as the other half play high register pitches, in between walking "about" and uttering monosyllabic words. ... Click to View
Insect-ions (Pascal Landry / Mick Barr): out.over.forever (Tour de Bras)
Acoustic guitar intermeshes with electric guitar as Canadian guitarist Pascal Landry and New York guitarist Mick Barr, both of whom play in heavy rock and free improvisation settings, meet in Queens, NY to record this intense album of free playing using a diverse set of approaches, intertwining their strings in an insectile swarm of notes and timbres. ... Click to View
Eugene Chadbourne / Vertek Ensemble: Dimsum, Dodgers, And Dangerous Nights (Volatile Records)
Documenting the meeting of guitarist Eugene Chadbourne, also singing on "If I Were a Bell", with the Edmonton, CA-based Vertrek Ensemble of Ron de Jong on percussion and Vadim Budman on guitars and trumpet, in a city Chadbourne lived in 25 years prior, as he returns for a serious and well recorded album of informed free improv, plus one solo Chad track from a concert during his visit. ... Click to View
John Zorn: In A Convex Mirror (Tzadik)
Three pieces of "sonic voodoo" with John Zorn improvising on saxophone over the hypnotic Hatian influenced drumming of Ches Smith, while Downtown NY experimenter Ikue Mori provides swirls of sound and other aural additions, Zorn's incredible technique, lyrical skills and unusual twists and turns keeping the listener captivated over compelling and rich rhythm. ... Click to View
BROM (Lapshin / Ponomarev / Kurilo): Sunstroke (Trost Records)
Super heavy free jazz with a rock sensibility that also quotes and references the greats, including a track dedicated to Charles Mingus, from the Moscow trio of Dmitry Lapshin on double bass, Anton Ponomarev on saxophone, and Yaroslav Kurilo on drums, founded in 2008 but only now gaining global acknowledgement of their informed and ferocious brand of improv. ... Click to View
BROM (Lapshin / Ponomarev / Kurilo): Sunstroke [VINYL] (Trost Records)
Super heavy free jazz with a rock sensibility that also quotes and references the greats, including a track dedicated to Charles Mingus, from the Moscow trio of Dmitry Lapshin on double bass, Anton Ponomarev on saxophone, and Yaroslav Kurilo on drums, founded in 2008 but only now gaining global acknowledgement of their informed and ferocious brand of improv. ... Click to View
Roscoe Mitchell Sextet: Sound (Delmark)
A much-need reissue of saxophone, reed & wind player Roscoe Mitchell's landmark 1966 free jazz album, advancing the concepts of the AACM through improvisation that incorporates texture, space, and interaction in free playing that doesnt't rely on cathartic playing, but instead uses collective exploration of "sound", opening doors to new and still-modern approaches to jazz. ... Click to View
Oren Ambarchi & Jim O'Rourke 2/ Special Guest U-Zhaan: Hence [VINYL] (Editions Mego)
Accompanied by Japanese master tabla player U-zhaan, the 3rd album from Australian guitarist and experimenter Oren Ambarchi and Chicago/NY/Japan musician Jim O'Rourke uses U-zhaan's warmly active rhythms as a platform for shifting sounds and resonant repetition, hypnotic and psychedelic as it draws the listener into wonderful swirls of sound. ... Click to View
Paul Dunmall / Alan Niblock / Mark Sanders: Dark Energy (FMR)
Recording in the studio in Derry, North Ireland in 2015, the trio of saxophonist Paul Dunmall on tenor with Alan Niblock on bass and Mark Sanders on drums present 5 exemplary jazz improvisations, Dunmall slowly building his solos with incredible displays of dexterity, but also with beautiful lyrical smears and expressions, as the bass and drums flurry around him; profound. ... Click to View
Francois Carrier / Michel Lambert / John Edwards: Elements (FMR)
Two concerts, one at l'Klectik Art Lab in London, one at the 20th Festival Jazz Cerkno, 2015, from the free improvising trio of Quebec saxophonist Francois Carrier and drummer Michel Lambert, and UK bassist John Edwards, three exemplary examples of modern free improvisation taking an excursive approach that reveals earnest lyricism and propulsive rhythm. ... Click to View
Jose Lencastre Nau Quartet: Eudaimonia (FMR)
The Portuguese ensemble Nau Quartet led by alto saxophonist Jose Lencastre, with Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano and Hernani Faustino on bass (both members of Red Trio) plus Joao Lencastre on drums, in their second album of beautifully hazy improvisation, building and receding in authoritative conversations of innovative and inspired playing; excellent. ... Click to View
Szilard Mezei / Albert Markos Duo: KOD (FMR)
Improvised duos between Serbian violist Szilard Mezei and Hungarian cellist Albert Markos, for more than 15 years, with two previous albums recorded (Korom (Creative Sources, 2008), and Dér (Bandcamp, 2016), this third album presents 5 interconnected works of subtle and impressive technique as the two string players trade approaches in a fascinating conversation. ... Click to View
Mark Allaway / Malcolm Ball / Paul Downing: Free Trio (FMR)
A trio of prodigious UK improvisers--saxophonist Mark Allaway (Quadrophonic woodwind group, Itchy Fingers); drummer Mark Ball who has worked in improv and contemporary music, and is a noted Ondes Martenot player; and bassist and composer Paul Downing--in an album of explorative and embracing improvisation with lyrical and relaxed approaches to jazz. ... Click to View
Mary Halvorson / Joe Morris: Traversing Orbits (RogueArt)
Two of this generation's most influential and skilled guitarists, Mary Halvorson and Joe Morris bring their distinct styles and jaw-dropping mastery of their instruments into a duo of collective improvisation, neither player using effects but instead impressing by (often high-speed) lyricism, incredibly precise interaction, and the warmth their long association brings to them. ... Click to View
Rene Lussier : Quintette (Circum-Disc)
Canadian guitarist Rene Lussier formed this quintette in 2016, with Julie Houle on tuba & euphonium, Luzio Altobelli on accordion, and drummers Marton Maderspach & Robbie Kuster, to play the intricate and lyrical pieces he developed, where up to five parts are overlaid at any given time, though the listener only hears the wonderful interplay and exultation of the resulting music. ... Click to View
