On this solo CD, [Cor Fuhler] plays an 'acoustic grand piano, using ebows and super magnets. No overdubs, no electronics, no electronic treatment

Using mostly unprocessed electric guitars, the duo of Elliott Sharp and Scott Fields' latest release presents eight dueling guitar works using dynamic, angular tones and textures, from extremely aggressive work to clean avant-jazz with twisted technical intent.

The trio of bassist Gary Peacock, pianist Paul Bley, and trumpeter Franz Koglmann interpret and improvise on the music of avant song-writer Annette Peacock.

The quartet of Cosottini, Melano, Pisani, Miano (EAQuartet Electroacoustic) in compositions referring to the 4 cardinal map points using graphic scores, games, open readings, &c.

Legendary trumpeter, composer and educator Bill Dixon in a 17 piece orchestra playing original compositions live at the 12th Vision Festival in New York City.

The first Hopscotch release from the then husband/wife duo of wind player Assif Tsahar and drummer Susie Ibarra, lyrical and textural powerfully woven improvisation.

The Italian duo of pianist Gianni Lenoci and soprano saxophonist Gianni Mimmo using extended and unusual techniques through eight improvisations mixing melody, timbre and tone.

"Zwirn" means "twine" in German, an apt description of the interweaving sound that double bassists Daniel Studer and Peter Frey play together, in 7 freely improvised works of unusual technique and new musical structures.

The trio of Miguel A. Garcia (electronics), Tomas Gris (objects) and Lee Noyes (piano) in a single extended and understated improvisation mixing acoustic and electronic sources, building and subsiding in its interesting journey.

The second release on Intakt pairing pianist Ulrich Gumpert and percussionist Gunter Baby Sommer in an album that borrows from blues, boogie-woogie, hard bop, German folk songs, and free jazz.

Clarinetist Lori Freedman brought together 3 distinct trios over the course of 3 consecutive nights with a total of 6 other Montreal musicians for live encounters of improvisation.

An engaging encounter between bassist Leandre and pianist Sirjacq, delicate yet intense interaction from two sophisticated & listening players from different generations.

Geographic improvisations from this trio of string and percussion players, with each track named by location and distance between Montreal and Chelsea, Ontario.

2004 release of Lisbon double bassist Margarida Garcia on electric double bass, and electronic artist Barry Weisblat in a startling dialog of electronic burst and deep tones.

Friction, one of the most important and longest running underground bands in Japan, is currently the trio of Reck (bass, guitar & vocals), Iami Akinobu (guitar) and Sato Minoru (drums), in a hard-edged album of original songs and remixes; demanding and powerful modern rock.

Satoko Fujii's amazing Orchestra New York returns with a composition that she describes as "a picture that extends beyond the canvas", performed with Oscar Noriega, Briggan Krauss, Ellery Eskelin, Tony Malaby, Andy Laster, Herb Robertson, Steven Bernstein, &c &c.

Part of a series of 8 split release cassettes, hand-painted & numbered; Side A presents a 3-part work and an extended track from electro-acoustic improviser Miguel A. Garcia; side B presents 3 tracks from Bicephalic label leader August Traeger using contact mic and broken instruments.

A masterful fountain of melodic ideas, intriguing rhythms, and exceptional technical skill from the duo of Hamid Drake on drums and frame drum, and Sylvain Kassap on clarinets and chalumeau, recording live at the France Musique at Studio Theatre dÕAlfortville and in the studio.

A live performance at Judson Church in Manhattan as part of the 20th Vision Festival from the NY/France free improvising trio of Joelle Leandre on double bass, Mat Maneri on viola, and Gerald Cleaver on drums and percussion, two tracks of steadily building, incredibly compatible dialog.

Roman philosopher Titus Lucretius Carus named "Clinamen" the unpredictable (in time and space) swerve of atoms falling in the void, which aptly describes the unexpected directions taken in subtle free improvisation from this French trio, led by bassist Louis-Michel Marion, with Jacques Di Donato on clarinet, and Philippe Berger on viola.

The Swedish duo of percussionist Andreas Pollak and prepared pianist Johan Graden (Adam & Alma) in an album of references and innuendo, clandestine and furtive sounds that evoke great mystery and drama in beautifully shaped sound; evocative music that deceives to emerge from the electronic realm while in actuality coming from all acoustic sources.

AMM percussionist Eddie Prevost has presented weekly Workshop Concerts since 1999, here recording live at London's Cafe Oto in May, 2012 with a sextet of acoustic and electronic performers on violin, cello, theremin, zither, electronics, and percussion.

Drummer Bobby Previte's "Mass" is based on heavy electrified rearrangements of 15th century composer Guillaume Dufay's "Missa Sancti Jacobi", performed by The Rose Ensemble, Stephen O'Malley, Don McGreevy, Mike Gamble and Jamie Saft, Marco Benevento, and Reed Mathis.

Merging rock sensibility with NY/Downtown jazz and improv, vocalist Chuck Stern (Time of Orchids) leads his band with Toby Driver (Kayo Dot) on guitar, Keith Abrams on drums, and Tim Byrnes on synth & keys, for exotic "alien pop" with unusual cinematic properties.

Thomas Bonvalet takes the banjo into unusual territory with Jean-Luc Guionnet performing on the organ at the protestant temple of Bergerac, France, in a beautifully terrifying album recorded during the MONC cultural arts centre's festival of avant-garde culture in 2010.

Two trumpeters 20 years apart, Germany's Axel Dorner and Japan's Itaru Oki are both known for their versatile approach to jazz, from traditional to the freest forms using extended techniques, in a unique dialog challenging the limits of the horn with fascinating results.

Put this one in your Wishlist for the next holiday season: 5th in a series drawing on Vancouver's best; unusual approaches to the classics in a oddly skewed yet sentimental ways.