Chicago and New York come together in Brooklyn to record this excellent encounter between pianist Matthew Shipp and flutist Nicole Mitchell, with Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums, bridging exciting free playing with strong lyrical elements, balancing kinetically exuberant interaction with introspective and dark moments; inspired and masterful.

An eight-part suite from Chicago flutist Nicole Mitchell, extending her series of dystopian futures and the need for resistance and change, presented in a drummer-less quartet with Mitchell, cellist Tomeka Reid, pianist Aruan Ortiz and vocalist Fay Victor, recorded live at National Sawdust in Brooklyn as part of John Zorn's 2017 Stone Commissioning Series.

West Coast oboist and english horn improviser composes a startlingly enjoyable work based on Matt Shears' book of recursive, encyclopedic poetry of the same name: 10 pieces colliding elements of skronk, spoken word, fried electroacoustic noise and dark prog within a Creative Music framework, with a core quartet of Aram Shelton, Jason Hoopes and Jordan Glenn, plus guest Weston Olencki and a large cast of readers.

Chicago flutist Nicole Mitchell's NY band with Craig Taborn (piano & wurlitzer), David Boykin (sax), Chad Taylor (drums & guitar) in a tribute to her mentor, the late saxophonist Fred Anderson and his Velvet Lounge club, in an excellent mix of free and melodic playing.

Chicago cornetist/composer Rob Mazurek leads his Exploding Star Orchestra featuring Roscoe Mitchell with Nicole Mitchell, Matana Roberts, Steve Swell, Matt Bauder, Jason Adasiewica, &c. through a colossal 8 part work, and also provides a single CD of cosmic electronics.

Joe Morris wrote this book to discuss aspects of free music, including responses to his questionnaire written by Joe McPhee, William Parker, Jamie Saft, Ken Vandermark, Marilyn Crispell, Nate Wooley, Jack Wright, Matthew Shipp, &c.

Chicago flautist Mitchell in a quartet with pianist Craig Taborn, saxophonist David Boykin and drummer Chad Taylor playing Mitchell's fascinating compositions of complex twists and turns.