Two ensemble works and two solo pieces by Christian Wolff's favourite contemporary composer, Cassandra Miller, who is blazing a very personal trail through the experimental music world, with brilliant performances by Apartment House, Mira Benjamin, Philip Thomas, and Charles Curtis with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ilan Volkov.

A disc of extraordinary string works by Canadian composer Cassandra Miller, presenting four string quartets superbly played by the Quatuor Bozzini quartet of Clemens Merkel on violin, Alissa Cheung on violin, Stephanie Bozzini on viola, and Isabelle Bozzini on cello, including the large work "About Bach", awarded the Jules Leger Prize for New Chamber Music.

Longtime collaborators Abbott and Dadge release their first album together, a dizzying array of ideas and sounds recorded live at the monthly Calgary based Bug Incision concert series.

AIMTorotono Orchestra under the direction of Kyle Brenders was formed in 2007 to perform the music of Anthony Braxton, here in their first studio album of original compositions for their own sophisticated repertoire.

The Architek Percussion ensemble is a Montreal quartet performing works by Canadian composers, using percussion, drums, sampling, electronics and synth in wonderfully odd ways, here with two guest performers presenting works composed and mixed by Elliot Britton.

A series of 20 short tracks by cellist Melanie Auclair that combine music with ambient sound with players such as Lori Freedman, Antoine Berthiaume, Luc Sicard, etc.

Bassist Babin's Benzene band mixes free improvisation with rock overtones, tight changes giving way to excellent solos from all members of this exceptional quartet.

Toronto's Xmas series with an amazing lineup Jean Martin, Christine Duncan, John Southworth, Tania Gill, Kyle Brenders, Justin Haynes, Julia Hambleton, DB Boyko, &c. &c.

Barnyard Drama continues their Christmas Singalong series, here in the 7th volume with an amazing lineup of Jean Martin, Christine Duncan, John Southworth, Justin Haynes, John Oswald, &c. &c.

The 8th eclectic Christmas Singalong from Toronto's Barnyard Drama with performers and guests including Jean Martin, Christine Duncan, John Southworth, Justin Haynes, Paul Dutton, Jim Lewis, Scott Thomson, &c.

Toronto's amazing husband & wife team drummer Jean Martin and unusual vocalist Christine Duncan with guest guitarist Justin Haynes and Bernard Falaise, recommended!

Drummer and electronic artist Jean Martin joins forces with amazing vocalist Christine Duncan for an album of rhythmic soundscapes and free vocal improvisation.

Seeking to extend the guitar trio into new and unique territory, the Quebec trio of Eric Normand on electric bass, Louis Beaudoin-de-la-Sablonniere on electric guitar, and Louis-Vincent Hamel on drums, reference performers like Jim Hall, Sonny Sharrock, John Abercrombie, & Bill Frisell while focusing on harmolodic force and unusual melodic lines.

The Calgary duo of Chris Dadge on violin and acoustic guitar, and Scott Munro on violin and partial trombone, performing live in Edmonton, Canada.

Chris Dadge and Scott Munro (aka the Bent Spoon Duo) recorded this album at Weeds Cafe in Calgary in 2012 as a duo, extending their set to a trio with the compatible style of Allison Camera on amplified & mangled banjo and kalimba.

Formed in 2002 as a quartet, then in 2005 as the trio of Chris Dadge (percussion, trumpet, bass), David Laing (bass & trombone), and Scott Munro (sax, melodica, &c), then as the duo of Dadge & Monro in 2008; 2016 found the trio together again in Calgary for the closing of the Emmedia performance space, their entire set of unique collective improv captured for this CD.

Two guitarists from New York's Downtown and Montreal's Actuelle scenes in 11 guitar improvisations, experimental sounds constructed and deconstructed.

Antoine Berthiaume (guitar, effects) and MaryClare Brzytwa (flute, laptop, electronics) in twelve pieces of intriguing improvisation.

Guitarist Antoine Berthiaume leads the trio of Michel Donato (bass) and Pierre Tanguay (drums) in this lively album of eleven original compositions.

An eclectic assortment of old-fashioned entertainment, pre-harmonic bop, and Canada's new wave of avant garde mariachi from Jean Martin, Nick Fraser, Justin Haynes, &c..

An unusual mix of instruments from the Montreal trio of percussionist Michel Bonneau on congas & balafon, John Heward on drums, and Scott Thomson on trombone, all members of Ratchet Orchestra and Heward's Murray Street Band, in an album of active and uniquely layered confident rhythmic floors over which Thomson freely plays with remarkable technique.

Chris Dadge (drums, percussion) and Andre Bourgeois (saxophones) play two sets of mostly straightforward free jazz with reasonably fixed outlines throughout the structure of each piece.

Montreal creative guitarist Tim Brady and his Bradyworks (Lori Freedman, Karen Young, &c) performing 6 duos for electric guitar with other instruments, and 12 compositions for electric guitar (with and without effects pedals).

Composer and guitarist Tim Brady in an ambitious project for a symphony in 5 movements for solo electric guitar, sampler, live electronics and a virtuoso chamber ensemble of 15 musicians.

Making extensive use of sampling and computer electronics, composer and guitarist Tim Brady combines a major work for 20 guitars on his debut record for Ambiances Magnetiques.

Five original chamber works for saxophone and ensemble by composer and saxophonist Tim Brady for his second release on Ambiances Magnetiques.

Toronto creative improviser multi-reedist Kyle Brenders (AIMToronto, The Rent) in an unhurried and intuitive duo with the drummer & percussionist of his quartet Brandon Miguel Valdivia (Not The Wind, Not The Flag).

Thirteen new compositions by Michel F Cote that are tightly linked together by a poetic text, with Jean Derome, Diane Labrosse, Claude Lamothe, Robert Marcel Lepage, Rene Lussier, Ikue Mori, and Claude St-Jean.

Arthur Bull (guitars) and Daniel Heikalo (guitars, percussion) in six guitar duets and five other tracks in which the guitars pair up with Heikalo's percussion.

The first release by the duo of guitarists Arthur Bull and Daniel Heikalo which is a series of free improvisations that are presented without any editing or post-processing.

Burro is the Calgary improvising trio of Whitney Ota (electric guitar), Stew Elton (bass) and Andrew Hume (drums), in a studio release of their intense and hard rock-oriented playing.

Bridging contemporary and improvised music, Montreal double bassist Nicolas Caloia wrote these pieces for textured and impossible rhythms; blending pieces by Nancarrow and Grand Master Flash; and manipulating poems by Genevieve Letarte; with supporting improv from Jean Derome & Lori Freedman.

Canadian saxophonist Francois Carrier in a trio with bassist Pierre Cote and drummer Michel Lambert, plus pianist Bobo Stenson performing live at the 2002 Vancouver Jazz Festival.

A double CD set of fourteen songs based on the poetry of Yves Bonnefoy, composed by bassist Pierre Cartier and executed by two females voices, one man's, three brass instruments, two saxophones, one double-bass and two trap sets.

Inspired by jazz standards, bassist and composer Pierre Cartier combines the voice of Quebec's poets with new jazz to tackle the theme of love.

Melodic music recorded live in a Quebec church in 1989 with Jean-Denis Levasseur and Jean Derome on saxophones, Pierre Cartier on bass, and Pierre Tanguay on percussion.

Percussionist Isaiah Ceccarelli's work for percussion, two voices, two bass clarinets and viola da gamba, woven from the delicate fabric of the tension between darkness and light.

An exceptional free improvising quintet of Montreal & Quebec improvisers--bassist Eric Normand, drummer Michel F. Cote, and bass clarinetist Philippe Lauzier--with French clarinetist Xavier Charles and German trumpeter Franz Hautzinger, performing live during the 2016 Festival de Musique de Creation, creating fascinating commotion with incredible restraint.

Montreal/Actuelle players Sylvie Chenard on guitar and voice, Alexander Dubuc on bass, Cathy Heyden on sax, and Miriodor's Remi Leclerc on drums, with all providing electronics, in an encompassing ea-improv journey that balances acoustics with sonic environments and wonderfully controlled chaos.

An audio and acousmatic documentary of the sounds along the St. Lawrence River, above and below water, and the voices of the people living around the shore.

Violinist Mike Khoury and electronic artist Andrew Coltrane in an album of thick and blurry sonic environments and effected string interaction, a bit like a drive in an ancient auto on alien moons.

A plethora of objects being struck and stroked from the meeting of drummers Cote (Bruire, Klaxon Gueule) and Ceccarelli, complex interactions of percussion, feedback and electronics.

Michel F Cote in a hybrid release of country and actuelle music that is unpredictable and funny with help from artists such as Bernard Falaise, Frank Martel, Billie Folliday, etc.

Unusual electronic improv that moves from light to dark with great grooves and unusual turns, from the core of Klaxon Gueule with Jesse Levine on organ.

Montreal Musique Actuelle turntablist Martin Tetreault and sound artist Erick d' Orion created this project as a tribute to the original explorers of electronic music and musique concrete -- GRM, Stockhausen, Henry, Oram, Schaeffer, &c. -- using historic sound recordings and new sources, presenting this incredible concert live at Au Mois in Quebec.

Debut recordings and first recorded document of the duo of resonator guitarist Cody Oliver and drummer/percussionist Chris Dadge performing a live broadcast at CJSW studios in Calgary.

A live recording of a solo performance from percussionist/Bug Incision label leader Chris Dadge live at Weeds Cafe in Calgary on percussion, violin, and acoustic guitar.

Drummer and percussionist Chris Dadge plays a personal set that was recorded live and includes a variety of percussive stylings varying from minimal ideas to junk-oriented textural play.

The 3rd solo drumset album from Bug Incision operator Chris Dadge, an album of sharply focused workouts vascillating between a handful of densities, operating in simple, clear structures.

DarkBlueWorld is Elizabeth Fischer's essential rock vehicle for collaborations with noted Canadian musicians, including Tony Wilson, Peggy Lee, Amy Denio, Jesse Zubot, &c &c.

Ten new compositions by Jean Derome played by Trio Derome Guilbeault Tanguay on this first album of sophisticated group playing with ample room for improvisation.

Eleven jazz standards performed by the trio of Jean Derome (sax, flute, voice, Normand Guilbeault (double bass) and Pierre Tanguay (percussion).

With many participants from Ensemble Musique and the Montreal Musique Actuelle scene, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jean Derome directs an ensemble into the exploration of electricity and "Resistances", blending electronics, turntable, 60 Hz hums and other electronics into an orchestra of improvisers executing his dynamic 16 movement composition.

Part of Rencontres de musiques spontanees 2009, Jean Derome on bird calls, flute & sax met percussionist Le Quan Ninh playing objects over bass drum for a long work of unusual improvisation.

Two saxophones, two voices; two gargoyles, two satyrs; two forces of nature that agitate, whistle, squeak, scrape, blow, and bite, transforming music into a secular incantation and a banquet of sound.

Using saxophones and their voices, Jean Derome and Joane Hetu create songs of improvisation that invoke their primal human nature in creative and beautiful ways.

The sequel to "Carnets de voyage", this release once again features compositions from Jean Derome, 8 new releases that were written on tour and are full of twists and turns.

25 chamber works composed by Montreal composer, multi-instrumentalist and improviser Jean Derome, presenting pieces from the wealth of projects he's involved in, including Dangereux Zhoms, Ensemble de flutes Alize, duos with Lori Freedmam, Quasar, quatuor de saxophones, &c.

A commissioned piece for Jean Derome by Montreal's O Vertigo dance troupe and their production "The Beast Within" that explores animalistic qualities in a dynamic mix of improvisation and composition.

A 1998 soundtrack by composer Jean Derome that was created for a film by John Walker that was conceived as a "suite in black and white" that gradually builds as it progresses.

Eleven songs by Montreal trombonist Scott Thomson, settings of poems by P.K. Page (1916-2010), one of Canada's distinguished literary figures, in a band with Pierre Tanguay on drums, Yves Charuest on sax, Nicolas Caloia on double bass, and Susanna Hood on vocals.

The Toronto jazz quintet Drumheller with Nick Fraser on drums, Eric Chenaux on guitar, Brodie West on sax, Rob Cloutton on bass and Doug Tielli on trombone mix avant and traditional jazz with a variety of musical forms to create persuasive and thoroughly enjoyable music.

A fantastic rock suite of eleven pieces performed by Andre Duchesne with fellow performers Patrick Hamilton, Christine Giguere, Stephane Allard, Melanie Belair, Jean Rene, and Pierre Tanguay.

Composer and guitarist Andre Duchesne creates a soundtrack for the film Le Royaume ou l'Asile, by Jean and Serge Gagne, that brings the listener into a world of illusions.

Andre Duchesne (composer, acoustic guitar) plays with Pierre Tanguay (drums) and Jean-Francois Denis (viola) on this fantastic release.

A solo poetic album by Andre Duchesne on acoustic guitar playing 14 beautiful songs.

A student of Christian Dierstein and Fred Frith, French percussionist Camille Emaille, working in both modern compositional and improvised music and influenced by Middle Eastern and Persian approaches, presents an album of solo percussion work selected from eight improvisations recorded in Bromont, Canada, using a diverse and unusual set of percussive instruments.

Jean Derome, Joane Hetu, Danielle Palardy Roger, Alexandre St-Onge and Martin Tetreault each composed works for this stellar group of nine Montreal-based musique actuelle players, a startling and wonderful release of style, approach and concept.

A collection of 14 excerpts taken from five different concerts between 1998 and 2004 by Ensemble SuperMusique that include improvised and composed music as well as improvisation frameworks.

Montreal's most creative large ensemble, led by Joane Hetu & Daniell Palardy Roger, in their 5th release presenting works composed between 1976-2015 featuring twenty musicians playing in different combinations, showing the creative breadth and skills of this amazing band.

Montreal's superb ensemble of improvisers explore the integration of composed music with improvisation, here in 3 graphic scores from from Danielle Palardy Roger, Joane Hetu, and Lisa Cay Miller, allowing individual performers extensive freedom within fixed compositional frameworks leading to extraordinary and unexpected results, captured lived at Amphitheatre du Gesu in 2017.

The debut recording from the duo of Montreal-based frequent collaborators, trumpeter Ellwood Epps and Joshua Zubot on violin and low octave violin, excellent extended dialog with elegant flair and great insight into each other's playing.

The second release by the trio of Evidence (Pierre Carter, Jean Derome, Pierre Tanguay) who are devoted to the great jazz music of Thelonious Monk.

A tribute to the music of Thelonious Monk by the group Evidence, comprised of Pierre Cartier (bass), Jean Derome (reeds) and Pierre Tanguay (drums).

Violinist Del Fabbro (Fanfare Pourpour, Rouge Ciel) present 13 pieces for up to ten players with Jean Derome, Pierre Tanguay in a melting pot of avant-rock & compositional forms.

Guitarist Falaise (Klaxon Gueule, Les Projectionnistes) in pieces that reference Aksak Maboul, Braxton, Beefheart, Donatoni, Les Granules, Nancarrow, Stravinsky, & Wyatt.

Bernard Falaise's debut solo album in 15 peieces for guitar ensembles played by one guitarist with the help of overdubbing and digital processing.

Vancouver based cellist Peggy Lee leads the Film in Music project with a cast of superb improvisers including Dylan van der Schyff (drums), Torsten Muller (bass), Jesse Zubot (violin), &c, writing compositional drama for the 8 band members as as a basis for adventurous improv.

The 4th album in 14 years from this instrumental Vancouver 7-piece avant rock band exploring both heavy and beautiful sonic environments; the band shares members with The Tony Wilson 6Tet, Dark Blue World, Aeroplane Trio, with Drip Audio leader Jesse Zubot on violin.

Bass clarinetist Freedman, with help from pianist Brigitte Poulin, interprets the works of modern composers including Giacinto Scelsi, Georges Aperghis, Monique Jean, &c.

Explosive, psychedelic music from the trio of Jean Derome, Fred Frith, and Pierre Tanguay recorded and mixed by Myles Boisen.

Fred Frith's leads a quartet of electric guitars (Rene Lussier, Nick Didkovsky, Mark Stewart) through 10 different journeys that explores the dynamic potential of this unique group composition.

The GGRIL is a Canadian ensemble of musicians who experiment with various forms of interactions possible in an orchestra without a conductor, bringing together a dozen musicians from different backgrounds.

Eric Normand's Quebec based 12-piece GGRIL (Grand Groupe Regional d'Improvisation) in an album of 5 improvisations and a piece by percussionist Danielle P. Roger; wonderfully creative music with eclectic instrumentation that's simultaneously challenging and fun.