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Dunmall / Noble / Edwards / Sanders :
Disappearing Worlds [MISPRINTED EDITION] (FMR)

Recorded live at Bristol Music Rooms in March 2024, this hard-hitting modern jazz session brings together Paul Dunmall (tenor & sopranino saxophones), Liam Noble (piano), John Edwards (bass), and Mark Sanders (drums & percussion) two fiery and exploratory conversations that blend free improvisation with structural cohesiveness, a thrilling and boundary-pushing session. ... Click to View


Szilard Mezei Tul A Tiszan Innen Ensemble:
Reveszem [2 CDs] (FMR)

Exploring Hungarian folk songs from Vojvodina through the lens of jazz, Révészem, the fifth album from Szilárd Mezei and his exemplary ensemble of musicians from Vojvodina, Serbia, and Hungary, showcases a variety of configurations interpreting and expanding on these strong melodies, transforming them into a fully embraceable set of intricate compositions and inspired arrangements. ... Click to View


Charles Gayle / Szilard Mezei Quartet Bass:
Oils (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A 2009 live performance at the 15th Magyarkanizsa Jazz Festival in Serbia between Hungarian violist and composer Szilárd Mezei and US saxophonist Charles Gayle, an evocative meeting of transcendent free jazz and compositional precision, weaving Mezei's intricate scores with Gayle's profound, soul-searching improvisations; a dynamic and fiery celebration of freedom and expression. ... Click to View


K. Lyle Curtis / Jaap Blonk / Alex Cunningham / Damon Smith / Kevin Cheli:
A Radio Of The Body 7 Neutrino Broadcasts Searching For 8 (Balance Point Acoustics)

Expanding on the insightful poetry of K. Curtis Lyle, who narrates seven evocative works alongside the freely improvising, chamber-oriented jazz trio of Alex Cunningham (violin), Damon Smith (double bass), and Kevin Cheli (drums, percussion & vibraphone), with free vocalist Jaap Blonk reinforcing and amplifying Lyle's words; a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of sound and verse. ... Click to View


Room 31 (Sinibaldi / Patton):
Crazy Town (Positive Elevation / 577 Records)

Room 31's debut explores the sonic possibilities of avant-rock, jazz, beats, experimental sounds, and ambient textures, as drummer Marlon Patton and saxophonist Greg Sinibaldi, inspired by their NYC experiences, transform six improvisations into intricately edited compositions, blending spontaneous creativity with a unique and evocative sonic footprint. ... Click to View


Ornella Noulet:
Promise Of Faithfulness (Relative Pitch)

The debut solo album from French saxophonist Ornella Noulet, based in Brussels, performing on alto and soprano saxophones and bells, as she draws inspiration from Albert Camus as a commitment to artistic integrity, exploring new sounds and the spiritual dimensions of music through seven energetically introspective and experimentally rich solo improvisations. ... Click to View


Fennesz:
Mosaic (Touch)

Working in his new Seven Fountains studio in Vienna, guitarist and sound artist Fennesz developed these six works as a "mosaic" of elements derived from improvisation, composition and experimentation using unexpected influences and time signatures, each piece a richly immersive environment of bright harmonics with turns into intricately shadowed space. ... Click to View


Alva Noto:
Xerrox Vol. 5 (Noton)

Carsten Nicolai concludes his Xerrox series with Vol. 5, an emotional work blending conceptual image-to-sound themes and sweeping melodic compositions influenced by classical instrumentation, creating a richly layered and introspective sonic experience that encapsulates his evolution from minimalist glitch aesthetics to ambient neo-classical grandeur. ... Click to View


Alva Noto:
Xerrox Vol. 5 [VINYL 2 LPs] (Noton)

Carsten Nicolai concludes his Xerrox series with Vol. 5, an emotional work blending conceptual image-to-sound themes and sweeping melodic compositions influenced by classical instrumentation, creating a richly layered and introspective sonic experience that encapsulates his evolution from minimalist glitch aesthetics to ambient neo-classical grandeur. ... Click to View


Modelbau:
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Re-modeling Modelbau, the long-running project of Frans de Waard (also of Kapotte Muziek, Beequeen, Goem, Zebra, Freiband, Shifts, &c), in a dark and atmospheric hour-long work of multi-tracked sound, evolving organically through 14 seamlessly connected sections that layer rich tonal and textural compositional elements, with a brooding and introspective urgency. ... Click to View


Gush (Gustafsson / Sandell / Strid) + Guests:
Gush 30 - Krakow 2018 [3 CD BOX SET] (Not Two)

The Gush trio — Mats Gustafsson on reeds and flute, Sten Sandell on piano, and Raymond Strid on drums — celebrate 30 years since their original formation, in extraordinary concerts at Alchemia and Manggha Hall in Krakow, joined by guests in three dynamic configurations — two sextets and a septet — for an unforgettable series of performances of irrepressible collective improvisation. ... Click to View


Ra Moses Kalam Bob / Jerome Bryerton:
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Drawing titles from a Paul Celan poem, legendary drummer Ra Kalam Bob Moses collaborates with Jerome Bryerton Ayotte in a subtly magical duo of sublime interaction, performing on a diverse array of percussion including drums, timbale, djembe, Zildjian and Sabian cymbals, Chinese jing cymbals, opera gongs, Paiste gongs, and sound discs to create a richly textured and deeply expressive sonic dialogue. ... Click to View


Joe Morris / Jeb Bishop / Nathan McBride :
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Inspired by Joe Morris's terrier, Scout, and the beautiful Connecticut woods surrounding his Riti Studios, the trio of Morris on drums, Jeb Bishop on trombone, and Nate McBride on bass reunite as old friends, crafting an intimate and deeply connected session that embodies camaraderie, shared experiences, and the effortless flow of their improvisational synergy. ... Click to View


Ben Bennett / Michael Foster / Jacob Wick:
Carne Vale (Relative Pitch)

With alliterative titles beginning with "To blowe wyth the nose and to snorce", percussionist Ben Bennett, saxophonist Michael Foster, and trumpeter Jacob Wick create an uncompromising tapestry of extended techniques and visceral interplay, through raw and dynamic exploration of texture, space, and sound that blurs boundaries between energy, silence, and collective improv. ... Click to View


Dan Blacksberg:
The PsychicBody Sound System (Relative Pitch)

Recording live in the studio in Washington D.C., this is a fully improvised journey of sub-bass drones, fiery free jazz, and melancholic sonic tales, weaving trombone-driven explorations of real and imagined sonic landscapes; with poetic fictionalizations from Alex Smith and artwork by James Dillenbeck, this album is a fascinating look at an unexpected and imaginative range on the trombone. ... Click to View


Eden Lonsdale:
Dawnings [2 CDs] (Another Timbre)

A double CD presenting five intricately composed works that blend systematic processes with an intuitive musicality: Apartment House performs three string-based studio pieces on the first disc, including the meticulously harmonic "Aurora" for solo cello, while the second disc features live recordings by Oerknal and Ensemble Ipse, showcasing spatial and textural explorations. ... Click to View


Neurodivergent Orchestra:
Monsters Keep Interrupting My Science (Evil Clown)

Blending the playful spontaneity of improvised banter with the experimental ethos of Evil Clown, Neurodivergent Orchestra (AKA The Wacky Banter Orchestra) expands to a nine-member ensemble — featuring bass, drums, horns, electronics, and auxiliary instruments — to deliver a dynamic and transformative performance driven by both humor and adventurous collective improvisation. ... Click to View


Turbulence:
Agita (Evil Clown)

Expanding the boundaries of the Turbulence aesthetic in a quintet blending wind instruments, electronics, and percussion, with longtime collaborators and new roster member Faruq Hassan introducing a dynamic drum 'n bass vibe via the SP404 MK2, using David Peck's Broad Palette Improvisation concept to unite horns, electronics, and auxiliary instruments. ... Click to View


Sergio Armaroli, Francesca Gemmo & Barry Guy:
First Visit At Sotto Il Mar (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Italian improvisers vibraphonist Sergio Armaroli and pianist Francesca Gemmo, first heard as a quartet on ezz-thetic's Prismo, collaborate with legendary UK double bassist Barry Guy in this deeply conversational trio recorded at the Sotto Il Mare Studio, blending jazz, classical modernism, and free improvisation in a spontaneous performance of intent listening. ... Click to View


Lotus Crash (Marco von Orelli / Tommy Meier / Luca Sisera / Sheldon Suter):
First Visit (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Swiss quartet Lotus Crash — trumpeter Marco von Orelli, saxophonist Tommy Meier, bassist Luca Sisera, and drummer Sheldon Suter — continue their compelling blend of individuality and unity, through refined simplicity that draws on jazz roots while evoking the spirit of Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry in dynamic interplay that rewards repeated and careful listening. ... Click to View


John Coltrane Quartet (w/ Tyner / Garrison / Jones):
Impressions From Graz 1962, Revisited [2 CDs] (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Expanding and remastering the 2019 single CD of John Coltrane's Quartet from its European tour in the fall of 1962, with McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on double bass, and Elvin Jones on drums, performing at Stefaniensaal in Graz, Austria, beautifully recorded by ORF Steiermark and now presented in both volumes, showcasing Coltrane's lyrical roots and growing free inclinations. ... Click to View


Tyshawn Sorey (w/ Diehl / Ragahavan):
The Susceptible Now [DOUBLE VINYL] (Pi Recordings)

Covering favorite compositions, drummer Tyshawn Sorey arranges works from artists recent and classic, including McCoy Tyner ("Peresina"), Joni Mitchell ("A Chair in the Sky"), Brad Mehldau ("Bealtine"), or Vividry ("Your Good Lies"), performed with double bassist Harish Raghavan and pianist Aaron Diehl and recorded in the studio after developing each piece in live performance at The Village Vanguard. ... Click to View


Paul Dunmall Quartet (w/ Noble / Edwards / Sanders):
Here Today Gone Tomorrow (RogueArt)

UK saxophonist Paul Dunmall, on tenor and soprano, leads a remarkable quartet with pianist Liam Noble, bassist John Edwards, and drummer Mark Sanders, delivering free improvisation rooted in deep collective interaction and sophisticated dialogue, with Dunmall's melodic originality complementing Noble's textural ideas and Edwards and Sanders providing intense, dynamic rhythms. ... Click to View


Zeena Parkins:
Dam Against the Spring Tide (Relative Pitch)

Drawing inspiration from the archives of philosopher Walter Benjamin, Zeena Parkins leads an extraordinary ensemble of experimental and avant-garde musicians — including William Winant, Tony Buck, Magda Mayas, and Joan La Barbara — in two intricate multi-part compositions that weave acoustic and electronic textures through improv, experimental, and contemporary forms. ... Click to View


Steve Coleman & Five Elements:
PolyTropos / Of Many Turns [2 CDs] (Pi Recordings)

Drawn from two absolutely energetic and exciting concerts in France, saxophonist and composer Steve Coleman's Five Elements ensemble — Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Sean Rickman on drums, and new electric bassist Rich Brown — blend spontaneous rhythmic and tonal transformations with Coleman's inventive, biologically-inspired compositions; exhilarating! ... Click to View


Roscoe Mitchell :
One Head Four People (Wide Hive)

"Following his 2024 grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Chicago saxophonist, percussionist, composer, and AACM legend Roscoe Mitchell recorded this quartet with bassist Damon Smith, guitarist Sandy Ewen, and drummer Weasel Walter, delivering nine uniquely fascinatingly approaches to free improv, bringing "Ruckus," "Ripples," "Shivers," and "The Final Bell." ... Click to View


The Jazzmen w/ Joe McPhee:
Nineteen Sixty-Six (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Possibly Joe McPhee's earliest recording, this session with bassist Tyrone Crabb's band, The Jazzmen, features McPhee on trumpet alongside saxophonists Harry Hall and Reggie Marks, pianist Mike Kull, and drummer Charlie Benjamin, performing two extended pieces, including the politically charged 'Killed in Vietnam' that evolves into a passionate interpretation of Miles Davis' 'Milestones'. ... Click to View


Linda Smith Catlin:
Flowers of Emptiness (Another Timbre)

The 6th album on Another Timbre from Canadian composer Linda Catlin Smith, a leading voice in contemporary chamber music, presents eight exquisite works performed by Apartment House, including the 1st recordings of three string quartets, alongside a violin duo, a clarinet quartet, an early string trio, a cello and piano duo, and a bass clarinet solo; evocative and deeply expressive artistry. ... Click to View


Adrian Democ:
Zamat (Another Timbre)

Highly-regarded Slovakian composer Adrian Demoč, known for his delicate and introspective approach to contemporary music, presents three chamber works: "Zamat," a 10-minute quartet for clarinet, bass clarinet, and cello exploring Korean unisons; "Gebrechlichkeit," a 25-minute string quartet; and "...o proton jasu...," a 30-minute piece commissioned by Another Timbre, for two clarinets, viola, and cello. ... Click to View


Matt Weston:
Communism Has Appeared On The Scene [VINYL 2 LPs] (7272music)

Matt Weston pushes the boundaries of percussion and improvisation, creating compositions that blend site-specific drum recordings, environmental soundscapes, and musique concrète techniques, exploring cavernous spaces, machine-like drones, and rapid editing as he crafts dynamic pieces in an innovative and captivating sonic experience. ... Click to View



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  Piiptsjilling (Zuydervelt / Kleefstra / Baars / Kleefstra) 
  Fiif  
  (Peter Foolen Editions) 


  
   review by Darren Bergstein
  2019-01-02
Piiptsjilling (Zuydervelt / Kleefstra / Baars / Kleefstra): Fiif (Peter Foolen Editions)

At this point, any recording sporting the work and/or contributions of composer/electronic musician Rutger Zuydervelt (aka Machinefabriek) is a nearly-automatic indicator of sonic craftsmanship and ingenuity. Across a huge and ever-growing catalog, Zuydervelt is a man of many talents, approaches, and aesthetics: he rarely makes the same record twice, and is equally comfortable trading in broad stroke ambient as he is in metastasizing noise. But much of his work plies an ongoing fascination with all aspects of minimalism, née the drone, navigating through a veritable elemental table of textures and sound design to realize subtly shifting, itinerant soundscapes where much is revealed though very little seems to be actually occurring.

Piiptsjilling members Jan Kleefstra, Mariska Baars, Romke Kleefstra, and Zuydervelt have taken what can ostensibly be called 'classical drone' and stood it on its ear. The instrumentation might be concise in meaning — voices, guitars, electronics, and various effects — but their original constitutions have been wrought unrecognizable, contextually unmoored. Made subservient to the whole, the seven individual pieces are part and parcel of a grand, glorious puzzle, the pastels of Dutch films blurred across perspectives at once gauzy, opaque, and indistinct. Personally, this writer isn't the biggest enthusiast of 'spoken word' recordings, but Fiif is one of the few such works where words spoken become merely another, and keenly-integrated, hue in the mix. Zuydervelt's guiding hand is unquestionably writ large over the entirety of the proceedings: his influence as both instrumentalist & de facto producer gives the album a bright if diffuse sheen equivalent to a smoky diamond. (Lawrence English's pitch-perfect mastering is nigh on critical to the recording's immersive heft as well.)

What arises is a panoply of eerily vibrating tones buffeted by odd whispers, pronunciations, and descriptors peppered throughout. Strings are plucked, knotted, tongue-tied; twists of dial and shaping of filters reveal melancholic layers of gnarled poise, occasionally rebuked by the odd spike of 'errant' noise. Zuydervelt works his audiomulch magic to the fullest, reveling in a mélange of mysterious, vivid flavors trembling with reverberative gestures and expansive outreach. His deft and nimble touches are nicely illustrated at the conclusion of "Winterrude", where the voices are atomized, pixelated, and scattershot across the aural terrain like so much tonal chattle, popping and transmogrifying as they form a glitched-out coda. Wondrous.



Piiptsjilling (Zuydervelt / Kleefstra / Baars / Kleefstra): Fiif
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Recent Selections @ Squidco:


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