Producer & bassist Marc Urselli devised this first meeting between himself and Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo, filmaker/guitarist Jim Jarmusch, and drummer Balazs Pandi's, recording in Urselli's NY studio to capture these live analog recordings of improvisations using no overdubs, a twilight set of evolving and absorbing explorations merging rock & experimental approaches.

Culled from 1975 sessions by the New Direction Unit intended for but never issued on the ESP label, this insanely intense and interactive example of Japanese Free Jazz is finally unleashed, from the late legendary guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi and his quartet with wind and reed improviser Kengi Mori, percussionist Hiroshi Yamazaki, and bassist Nobuyoshi Ino.

Compositions for percussion from Berlin drummer and accordionist Hannes Lingens (Musaeum Clausum, Antoine Beuger, Lucio Capece, &c), composed over six years, each using a restricted set of materials, instrument or instrument type, Lingens performing solo, and as a duo and quartet using overdubs, employing microphone techniques for detail and ambiance.

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.

Recorded live in 1966 around the time of trumpeter Don Cherry's "Complete Communion" and "Togetherness" albums, this exhilarating concert features Bo Stief on bass, Don Cherry on cornet, Aldo Romano on drums, Karl Berger on keyboards, and Gato Barbieri on tenor saxophone as they work through Cherry originals, plus pieces by Mongo Santamaria, Luiz Bonfa and Benny Golson.

Two implicitly lyrical players -- trumpeter Kirk Knuffke and drummer Whit Dickey -- in their second album together of well-paced, thoughtful dialog, an 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.

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 exceptional and unusual approaches to their music, applying their backgrounds in free jazz, theater and studies in traditional African and Asian percussion to create a unique hybrid, from hypnotic to frenetic; fascinating.

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 Kirkland's "Dienda", as the two employ magnificent technique and strong lyrical tendencies across twelve succinct improvisations.

Returning home to Philadelphia in 1994 for some "Homework" with Bob Dickie on bass and Robert Andreano on guitar, recording at Robert Andreano's studio, legendary free jazz drummer Sunny Murray leads this trio through six collective improvisations, from Hendrix meets Ayler fury to introspective and hypnotic passage, a much needed reissue of a superb and previously obscure album.

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 performances, aggregated here in an expanded form as a continuous drone, harsh on the surface but complex in its layers and sonic collisions.

Berlin-based Canadian double bassist and composer Miles Perkin (Lauzier/Perkin/Kuster, Benoit Delbecq 3, Glue) writes for his own quartet with pianist Delbecq, drummer Jim Black and trumpeter Tom Arthurs, presenting seven compositions leaving room for superb free soloing from all four in an accomplished album of an optimistic and lyrical intent.

Virgin vinyl gatefold remastered issue of Zorn's 2015 Dreamers album with Cyro Baptista on percussion, Joey Baron on drums, Trevor Dunn on bass, Marc Ribot on guitars, Jamie Saft on keyboards, and Kenny Wollesen on vibes, a lyrical album of tuneful compositions and superb soloing, with beguiling compositions inspired by the imaginary worlds of fantasy literature.

Essential reissue of pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach's 1975 FMP album with his quartet of free jazz legends Evan Parker on soprano & tenor saxophones, Peter Kowald on double bass, and Paul Lovens on percussion, in a live concert at New Jazz Festival Moers in Germany, 1974, and at Berlin's Quartier Latin in 1975; creative, unpredictable, cathartic, masterful free jazz.

After temporarily losing his studio workspace, Fennesz moved his gear to a bedroom in his flat, recalling his earliest setups from the 90s; inspired, he recorded this album of shimmering, swirling buoyant electronic sound of wide range and complexity, augmented with vocals by Katharina Caecilia Fennesz & Mira Waldmann, and field recordings by Manfred Neuwirth.

The debut from the quartet of Oren Ambarchi (guitar, bass, electronics), Mark Fell (computer), Will Guthrie (drums & percussion), and Sam Shalabi (Oud), recording in the studio in London before their 2016 Masafat Festival appearance, presenting these two extended and upbeat works blending acoustic and electronic instruments in composed and improvised approaches.

Solo percussion pieces from AMM percussionist and Matchless label leader Eddie Prevost, recorded in a single day in Matching Tye, Essex at All Saints Church, and High Laver, the burial site of philosopher John Locke, whose idea of mixing labor with materials is an analogy for Prevost's approach to creative improvisation, here in 5 distinctive examples.

Smalltown Supersound's sublabel Actions for Free Jazz presents this live concert at Oslo's St. Edmund's Church from the duo of frequent collaborators Joe McPhee on pocket trumpet & tenor saxophone, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums and percussion, featuring compositions by James Weldon Johnson, Thelonious Monk and Joe McPhee plus two by McPhee and Nilssen-Love.

The New York supergroup of Mary Halvorson on guitar, Tomas Fujiwara on drums, Benoit Delbecq on piano, and Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet & flugelhorn in a studio album with compositions from all 4 players, their friendship and history of working together bringing virtuosity, precision, freedom in exploration and exuberance to their collective conversations.

Conceived and constructed over 16 years, composer, electronic artist & percussionist Matt Weston employs graphic and personal notation systems with elements including clandestine recordings in concert halls and athletic buildings while they were not in use, rural field recordings, and the sound of cars driving over a bridge at Weston's conducting; unique and fascinating.

The debut recording of New York double bassist Sean Ali's improvising string trio with violist Joanna Mattrey and cellist Leila Bordreuil, having worked together since 2015, each brings impressive technique and a somewhat twisted approach to their strings in a diverse set of extended improvisation from pensive and spacious to formidable density.

Having previously worked together with Joe McPhee and Kent Kessler, this album distills the Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado and NY drummer/percussionist Chris Corsano to a concentrated sax and drum duo of earnest and edgy playing, bending jazz, free and blues idioms to their will with magnificent technique and power, both clearly elated in their meeting.

Two basses and a lower-end saxophone from the trio of Damon Smith on double bass, Andrew Durham on electric bass, and Danny Kamins on baritone sax, Durham also adding effects and "Radio Manipulation" to their deep sound, Durham & Kamins the core of CARL with Damon Smith adding extra underpinnings to their slowly developing, sometimes pensive, sometimes cantankerous, profound improvisation.

Recorded live at Silence Sounds in Guelph Canada, the duo of Xavier Charles on clarinet and Eric Normand on electric bass & objects eschew idiom in favor of their unique natural language on their instruments, applying patient development of truly idiosyncratic and fascinating command through a single extended work punctuated in seven diverse passages.

From 2008-16 until drummer Frank Rosaly moved to Amsterdam, alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella's Trio was an active part of Chicago's creative jazz scene; in early 2018 Rosaly returned for a visit and Mazzarella composed a suite of 6 new pieces to commemorate the trio's tenth anniversary, the exuberant result this excellent concert recorded at Co-Prosperity Sphere!

Portland Oregon composer and sound artist Jeff Lane, co-founder of the Chicago/Portland record label Never Anything, as his alter-ego Tereshkova in a large work of electronic composition, part concrete, part acousmatic, spanning two cassettes with four side-long pieces, each an extended journey in mood, motion, perplexing sources and embrace-ably interesting.

Formed in 1962, the New York Contemporary Five with Don Cherry on trumpet, Archie Shepp & John Tchicai on saxophones, Don Moore on bass, and J.C. Moses on drums, was short lived but their influence long-lasting, this live album from Copenhagen in 1963 a testament to their contribution to 60s free jazz, and a welcome addition to their scant discography.

Varying the instrument and proportions of acoustic or electric presentation straddling the foreground/background dynamic for each track, Appalachian Trance Metal guitarist Killick presents his first vinyl LP to extend his vast CD discography; a worthy and curious album of solo guitar, acoustic and electroacoustic work that belongs in any guitar enthusiast's collection.

One of the super-groups of free improvisation, colliding elements of jazz, rock, ea-improv and beyond, the Ballister trio of Chicago stalwarts Dave Rempis (sax) and Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello) are captured live at the Oorstof concert series in De Studio, Antwerp, presenting the concert in a limited, combined vinyl LP and DVD release.

Led by Chicago percussionist and AACM member Kahil El'Zabar and founded in 1981, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble releases this album of Afro-centric spiritual jazz, El'Zabar's voice drawing us into the compelling rhythms and grooves he and cellist Ian Maksin provide as foundations for baritone saxophonist Alex Harding and trumpeter Corey Wilkes' profound soloing.

Drummer Tomas Fujiwara's sextet is actually two trios interacting, with fellow drummer Gerald Cleaver, both Mary Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook on guitar, and Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet and Ralph Alessi on trumpet, the pairings forming unisons and contrasts that add an unrestrained sense of enthusiasm and excitement to Fujiwara's sophisticated compositions.

An excellent album of informed free improvisation in the debut of this masterful trio of legendary musicians spread across the US--Joe McPhee on soprano sax & pocket trumpet [NY], Ken Vandermark on tenor sax & clarinet [Chicago], and Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar [Texas], a profound album from assertive to introspective playing in seven captivating collective improvisations.

The third of four volumes in Feeding Tube's series of solo albums from guitarist Eugene Chadbourne documents recordings made in Calgary, Canada in the 70s while he waited out Vietnam & Nixon; Chadbourne programmed this volume to reveal material never heard before, improvised in a creative period of playing influenced by jazz, country, folk, blues and free experimental styles.

Weasel Walter is the constant in the no-wave influenced free improvising band Flying Luttenbachers, formed in 1991 and on hiatus since 2007; Walter reassembled the concept in 2018 for a tour in France, then again in 2019 with this lineup of saxophonist Matt Nelson, guitarist Brandon Seabrook and bassist Tim Dahl, recording this startling, demanding and excellent album.

One of two reissues from the collaboration of Important Records and the Pauline Oliveros Trust, this album with accordionist Guy Klucevsek was originally self-released in 1986 on cassette, each side presenting a piece for two accordions, here with Guy Klucevsek's "Tremolo No. 6" on side A and Pauline's Oliveros' "The Tuning Meditation" on Side B.

One of two reissues from the collaboration of Important Records and the Pauline Oliveros Trust, this solo accordion album from Pauline Oliveros self-released in 1987 on cassette is a rich album in the vein of her Deep Listening work, two warmly beautiful pieces using a just intonation accordion and her Expanded Instrument System in order to bend time and pitch.

Norwegian-born drummer Emil Karlsen living in London presents his first solo drum album, and the first album on his Noumenon label, a series of 11 dynamic compositions and improvisations exploring extended techniques, timbre and textures, inspired as much by the likes of Cecil Taylor and Andrew Cyrille as by John Cage and Igor Stravinsky.

Oren Ambarchi renews the focus on his unique approach to the electric guitar, joining with Downtown NY Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista on congas, shakers and berimbau, in a duo based on Ambarchi's explorative playing, also conjuring organ and piano tones, as each side-long piece take the listener on a journey of passionate playing of subtlety and warmth.

The ninth album from the enduring trio of Keiji Haino, Jim O'Rourke, and Oren Ambarchi, recorded in 2015 at Tokyo's SuperDeluxe, with both Ambarchi and O'Rourke performing on drums and percussion, O'Rourke also using a Hammond Organ and Ambarchi on flute, while Haino asserts himself on guitar, electronics and voice, in 2 groove-based pieces and 2 side-long epics.

His first solo album in a career spanning back to 1976, Chicago percussionist Michael Zerang presents a diverse set of improvisations demonstrating the wealth of approaches he has developed over the year, including the use of vibrating drumhead surfaces, expressive friction passages, multiple timbre percussion, and straight up trap-set drumming; absolutely impressive.

A 2019 reissue of Evan Parker's 2004 album dedicated to Steve Lacy, recording in the studio in a virtual duet with bird recordings captured by Geoff Sample, Charles & Heather Myers, Jean C. Roche, Myles North & Eric Simms, alongside location field recordings by Ashley Wales, Parker performing on soprano and tenor sax in a wonderful dialog of creative skill and wit.

More explorations of outer space by the spokesman for the space age, 1965 studio recordings with Marhsall Allen, John Gilmore, Walter Miller, Ronnie Boykins, &c.

LP remaster with mp3 download of the 1st volume in Sun Ra's "Heliocentric World" set recorded in NYC, 1965, music that was "light years beyond "free jazz" improvisation".

Multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter's Telepathic Band with Patrick Holmes (clarinet), Matthew Putman (keyboards), Hilliard Greene (bass) and Federico Ughi (drums) present their first volume of "psych-jazz", in actively mesmerizing music that explores the border between the "default world" and the "dream world", a meditation on electricity through profound playing.

Debut of this group named by NY multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, with Stelios Mihas on guitar, Federico Ughi on drums, and (mysterious) Irma Nejando on bass, presenting this studio album of free, well-matched and interactive collective improvisations of acoustic and electric instrumentation, each track dedicated to artists who inspired the members of the quartet.

Pulling inspiration from disparate influences such as early liturgical music, Ornette Coleman, Laurie Anderson, Yoko Ono, Milford Graves, and composers Morton Feldman and Lou Harrison, Kid Millions and Sarah Bernstein create a cyclical form of spontaneous thematic music through powerful electronics, wild vocalizations, and unrelenting drum textures.

"Shifa", or "Healing", is the London-based trio of saxophonist Rachel Musson, pianist Pat Thomas, and drummer Mark Sanders, here in a live concert at Cafe Oto in 2018 of two collective improvisations of arching sax lines, rolling and potent drumming, powerful block chords and intricate lines, from dark to joyful moments, an intoxicating tonic for the ears.

A six track album from drummer Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II written about the abuse of force from those charged to protect us, in a series of duos with amazing performances from guitarist Nels Cline, saxophonist Arnold Lee, bassist Melvin Gibbs, bassist Dave Hofstra, guitarist Vernon Reid, and drummer/keyboardist CX KIDTRONIX; disturbing and important work.

Created out of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and drummer/percussionist Moe Staiano's Mute Socialite, this 7-piece improvising rock band turns rock on it's side in mostly instrumental, energetically complex and twisted rock pieces with acerbic social narrative, the band employing three drummers, bass & two guitars, piano and trumpet from Darren Johnston.

An excellent album of informed free improvisation in the debut of this masterful trio of legendary musicians spread across the US--Joe McPhee on soprano sax & pocket trumpet [NY], Ken Vandermark on tenor sax & clarinet [Chicago], and Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar [Texas], a profound album from assertive to introspective playing in seven captivating collective improvisations.

The 2nd release from the trio of Chicago cornetist Josh Berman, UK drummer/percussionist Paul Lytton and Chicago bassist Jason Roebke, featuring material recorded during the trio's April 2018 European tour, in two extended side-long improvisations from Padova, Italy and Trondheim, Norway, in sets of profound technique and creative prowess; exceptional.

Recorded live at the end of the first European tour of 2015 at the Bimhuis club in Amsterdam, this limited EP shows Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love's Large Unit in an extended and multi-sectioned piece that evolves in stages, ultimately demonstrating the tight and dynamic interplay of the band and its varied approaches to sound and intense modern jazz.

Drawn from 305 traditional ballads from England and Scotland alongside their American variants, anthologised by Francis James Child during the second half of the nineteenth century, are here sung by Ed Pettersen in the fascinating intersection of traditional lyrics and experimental interpretations of melodies, performed by the 11-piece London Experimental Ensemble.

In November 2018, the groove-oriented Turkish electric improvising quartet Konstrukt of saxophonist & electronic artist Korhan Futaci, guitarist Umut Caglar, double bassist Apostolos Sideris, and drummer Berkan Tilavel, met with Chicago multi-reedist Ken Vandermark in Instanbul, recording these improvisation, a mix of muscular playing and psychedelic interaction.

Starting with a pipe organ, adding metal tubes, PVC tubes, a wind machine, guitar strings, a bass string, a resin thread, metal and glass percussion, and a bow, Maja SK Ratjke developed this unusual instrument for a live performance in Jo Stromgren's ballet "Sult" ("Hunger"), taking the instrument to the studio for this extraordinarily interesting album of keys and song.

The second collaboration between the American avant-metal rock trio Sumac of guitarist Aaron Turner, drummer Nick Yacyshyn and bassist Brian Cook and Japanese legendary guitarist and vocalist Keiji Haino finds the quartet settling down from their first blast of an album, here slowly building their heavy feedback-drenched, ponderous and epic music.

Following up their 2015 Not Two album "This is Our Language", the quartet organized by tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado with Joe McPhee on soprano saxophone and pocket trumpet, Kent Kessler on double bass, and Chris Corsano, a superb album of intense communication and soloing from a collective that merges free and lyrical playing, from ballads to full-on fury.

Dutch saxophonist Ab Baars and guitarist Terrie Ex last recorded together in 2000 for their "Hef" album, reuniting in 2015 in Amsterdam for this well-rounded and exhilarating duo album, with Ex on electric guitar and Baars on tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet and shakuhachi, demonstrating both player's growth and continued joy in improvisation.

Electroacoustic composer Francois Bayle, a member of Pierre Schaeffer's Groupe de Recherches Musicales, and who worked with Stockhausen and Messiaen, in two 2-part compositions from 1978 and 1979, acousmatic music of mysterious sound sources that are presented with impressive pacing, tension and drama, using a rich and diverse palette of sound.

An album of dark atmospheric electroacoustic sound with voice and introductory narrative from Zu bassist Massimo Pupillo and Gordon Sharp of Cindytalk, the first meeting between the two, performed live at Cafe Oto for four pieces of rich sonics, emotional and hypnotic playing from two creative masters with a long history of powerful and passionate music.

Urgent and inspired free jazz from the Swedish/UK trio of Martin Kuchen on tenor and soprano sax, flute and retardophone, Johan Berthling on double bass, and Steve Noble on drums and percussion, recording a series of "Gate" improvisations, anguished laments of power and pulchritude.

The third album from this international trio of powerful improvisers--Norwegian drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love, Chicago bassist Kent Kessler, and Chicago/NY saxophonist Mars William-- in four odysseys that take the listener from introspective playing to out and out blowing, using technique to serve their incredible dialog.

A rare studio album from the aggressive and influential free improv trio Borbetomagus of saxophonists Jim Sauter & Don Dietrich and guitarist Donald Miller, recorded in London in 2014, and described by Sauter himself as "unlike anything we've ever recorded before".

The final portion of the live recording at Free Music Market, in Berlin in 1970 from the trio of tenor saxophonist Peter Brotzmann with Fred Van Hove on piano, Han Bennink on drums, and joined by trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff for three extended and fiery improvisations.

Reissuing Peter Brotzmann's first album from 1967 on his own BRO label (subsequently reissued by FMP in 1972) in a trio with German bassist Peter Kowald and drummer Sven Ake Johansson.

Trumpeter Don Cherry recorded this funk album in France in 1985 with a set of multi-ethnic Paris players including Elli Medeiros and produced by Ramuntcho Matta, the songs crossing funk with jazzy vamps, rock roots and modern approaches, reissued with new liner notes and 5 bonus tracks including the cult 1983 single "Kick" featuring legendary author Brion Gysin.

"Gong/Ear" is a decades-long series of improvisations with dancers from Fluxus conspirator Philip Corner, recorded in his NYC loft in 1989, using his favorite Paiste tam-tam to create a feedback loop of perceptions between gong and dance.

Massimo Pupillo (ZU, Laniakea), electronic artist Luciano Lamanna and string instrument virtuoso Roberto Zanisi combine to form Creta, creating sonic works that blend sci-fi ambient atmospheres with dark bass pulses and languid Mediterranean string instruments, an unusual yet surprisingly complementary set of approaches yielding a darkly lyrical album.

Legendary New York trumpeter Ted Daniel, whose skills were honed in the 70s Loft Scene, in his 4th Duology album with the trio of Michael Marcus on clarinets and Henry Grimes on bass and violin, the leader also performing on French hunting horn, an album of varied mood and intensity that sits firmly in the free jazz legacy of daring harmonies and melodies.

A collection of new music from the creative electronic-inspired ensemble High Risk headed by NY trumpeter Dave Douglas, exploring the intersection of creative improvisation and modern electronic music production in lyrical and unexpected ways.

Chicago experimenter and improviser Kevin Drumm releases the sequel to his 6-CD boxset "Elapsed Time", using audio generators and various electronic devices to generate beautiful ambient environments and drones that are complemented by field recordings and short spoken sections, a rich work of subtle complexity, dark warmth, and mystery.

Remastering a singular album of joyfully disruptive free improv recorded in England in 1979 at Ikon Gallery from the quartet of Max Eastley, Steve Beresford, Paul Burwell, and David Toop, their goal: to create music from instruments and objects that would be whirled to produce sound, performed behind a net and played with masks to protect the performers and audience.

Pianist Espen Eriksen's Trio with bassist Lars Tormod Jenset and drummer Andreas Bye in their third album of melodic and inventive creative jazz, here with 8 new lyrical pieces informed by their extensive touring, and charged by the addition of legendary UK saxophonist Andy Sheppard, for whom Eriksen wrote a set of tunes tailored to his playing.

The 4th release from the trio of Mats Gustafsson (sax, shaker, sound); Dieb13 (turntables, klopfer); and Martin Siewert (guitar, ring stinger, electronics) in a fictional soundtrack of 6 remarkable tracks punctuated with unexpected twists and turns.

Six recordings from Luc Ferrari's Atelier De Liberation De La Musique, a collective he created together with Martin Davorin Jagodic (electric piano), Philippe Besombes (synthesizer), and Alain Petit (sax, clarinet & flute) in 1975 for a series of performances at the Galliera Museum in Paris to take place within an audio-visual labyrinth.

Gary Panter's artwork is updated and the format is vinyl this time for this welcome reissue of the 2000 Ecstatic Yod CD from the now long-running duo of tenor & alto saxophonist Paul Flaherty and drummer Chris Corsano, a superb free jazz album of great invention and seriously deep playing, from hard attacks to introspective musing, truly impressive!