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Dennis Egberth:
The Dennis Egberth Dynasty (577 Records)

Blending the cosmic textures of electronic experimentation with the raw energy of free improv, drummer and composer Dennis Egberth leads a handpicked sextet through hypnotic soundscapes of modal grooves, ambient flourishes, and dynamic interplay, channeling the spirit of late-'60s and '70s jazz while forging a forward-thinking approach to contemporary creative music. ... Click to View


Dennis Egberth:
The Dennis Egberth Dynasty [VINYL] (577 Records)

Blending the cosmic textures of electronic experimentation with the raw energy of free improv, drummer and composer Dennis Egberth leads a handpicked sextet through hypnotic soundscapes of modal grooves, ambient flourishes, and dynamic interplay, channeling the spirit of late-'60s and '70s jazz while forging a forward-thinking approach to contemporary creative music. ... Click to View


Udo Schindler / Werner Dafeldecker / Gunnar Geisse:
Travelling Sound Images - Cognitive Transfers [Trio] (Creative Sources)

In this live recording from Munich's Schnitzer& Studio, Udo Schindler's "Low Tone Studies" series expands through a collaboration with Werner Dafeldecker on double bass and Gunnar Geisse on laptop guitar, blending deep-register improvisations across double bass clarinet, cornet, saxophones, and electronic manipulations, exploring the convergence of acoustic resonance and digital textures. ... Click to View


Udo Schindler / Rieko Okuda / Eric Zwang Eriksson:
Disturbed Terrains [2 CDs] (Creative Sources)

Recorded over two days — first in the studio, then live at Freies Musikzentrum in Munich — Udo Schindler on clarinets, saxophones, & cornet joins pianist Rieko Okuda and drummer Eric Zwang Eriksson in a dynamic exploration of texture and interplay, beginning with clarinet-piano duos before expanding into a full-throttle trio improvisation, for an intricate and energetic free jazz performance. ... Click to View


Isotope Ensemble:
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Recorded live at CreativeFest #18 in Lisbon, the Isotope Ensemble channels the volatile and fluid nature of caesium through spontaneous improvisation, blending strings, brass, woodwinds, piano, electric guitars, modular synthesizer, electronics, and objects into a dynamic sonic reaction that reflects the element's unique liquid properties that make the isotope pivotal role in atomic timekeeping. ... Click to View


Riccardo Luppi / Simone Massaron / Daniel Studer:
One (Creative Sources)

Recording in the studio in Milan, the trio of Riccardo Luppi on tenor & soprano saxophones and flutes, Simone Massaron on guitar & electronics, and Daniel Studer on double bass engage in a textural and exploratory dialogue, blending extended techniques, electronic manipulations, and spontaneous interplay across seven distinct ""Takes", each offering a unique approach to collective free improvisation. ... Click to View


Modelbau:
1x33.3 (Love Earth Music)

Recorded in March 2024 using an 8-track borrowed from Peter Duimelinks, Frans de Waard's Modelbau project presents a dark drone piece that envelops listeners in rich, immersive textures, exemplifying his adept manipulation of lo-fi equipment to create profound ambient soundscapes. ... Click to View


Lindorff-Ellery, Evan:
Church Recordings from Monhegan [CASSETTE] (Full Spectrum)

Recorded at Monhegan Community Church on a remote Maine island, this environmental work by Evan Lindorff-Ellery captures the interplay between improvised percussive textures and the resonant acoustics of the space, using frame drum, piano, acoustic guitar, bells, and found objects to leverage the church's natural reverb, while ambient sounds filter through its windows. ... Click to View


Un Drame Musical Instantane:
Machiavel (GRRR)

Blending acoustic and electronic elements with an expansive lineup of musicians, the final album from Un Drame Musical Instantané, recorded across multiple French studios, brings together Jean-Jacques Birgé, Bernard Vitet, Steve Arguelles, Benoît Delbecq, Yves Robert, DJ Nem, and guest vocalists like Archie Shepp and Otomo Yoshihide in a genre-defying mix of jazz, contemporary, improvised, and experimental approaches. ... Click to View


Helene Sage:
Echappee Belle (GRRR)

Consisting of 28 short works, Hélène Sage collaborates with composer and performer Benoît Lavoisier, computer artist Marc Demereau, percussionist Pascal Portejoie, sampler Alex Piques, and vocalist and writer Nathalie Desmarest to craft an avant album blending Dadaist humor with experimental soundscapes, intertwining musical and literary elements to create a distinctive auditory experience. ... Click to View


Cecil Taylor :
Air Above Mountains (ENJA RECORDS)

Recorded live at Moosham Castle in Austria in 1976, Cecil Taylor's solo piano performance is an unyielding exploration of percussive intensity and harmonic abstraction, unfolding in torrents of kinetic energy, intricate melodic leaps, and structural invention, demanding deep engagement as he fuses free jazz and contemporary classical influences into a towering and uncompromising artistic statement. ... Click to View


Don Cherry / Krzysztof Penderecki:
Actions (Intuition)

Recorded live at the Donaueschingen Music Festival in 1971, this extraordinary collaboration between Don Cherry, Krzysztof Penderecki, and The New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra merges free jazz with avant-garde composition, blending fiery improvisation, unconventional orchestrations and global influences into a powerful experience that challenges traditional genre boundaries. ... Click to View


Carlos Zingaro / Carlos Bechegas / Ernesto Rodrigues :
Spleen (Creative Sources)

A fascinating live performance from Lisbon's Reverso Festival in 2024, where luminaries Carlos Zíngaro (violin), Ernesto Rodrigues (viola, crackle box), and Carlos Bechegas (flute, piccolo) intertwine their distinct approaches into an intricate tapestry that blends classical sensibilities with free improv exploration in a compelling journey through texture and timbre. ... Click to View


Robin Verheyen / Billy Hart / Drew Gress:
Liftoff (Inner Voice Jazz)

A deeply expressive trio session recorded in New Jersey in 2024, where Robin Verheyen's fluid and lyrical saxophone lines intertwine with Drew Gress' subtle yet solid bass work and Billy Hart's masterfully restrained drumming, shaping an intimate and spacious album of striking original compositions along with a rendition a Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg piece and one from Marc Copland. ... Click to View


Rick Reger:
Textures & Tonalities for Analogue Synthesizers & Percussion (Aural Terrains)

Blending vintage analogue synthesizers with resonant percussion, Chicago-based Rick Reger (The Margots) constructs an immersive electroacoustic soundscape that balances harmonic depth and atmospheric tension, sculpting evolving tonalities through Moog, Mellotron, Arp & VCS3 alongside gongs and singing bowls in a meditative and richly textured sonic exploration. ... Click to View


Teodora Stepancic :
A O | F G (Another Timbre)

Collaborating with the ensemble Ordinary Affects, Serbian-born composer and pianist Stepančić records two introspective and spacious works that explore sonic stillness, harmonic resonance, and gradual transformation, blending Wandelweiser aesthetics with personal influences from Orthodox choral traditions, New York experimentalism, and theatrical composition. ... Click to View


Nicolas Gombert / James Weeks:
G O M B E R T (Another Timbre)

Reinterpreting the intricate polyphony of Renaissance composer Nicolas Gombert through the lens of contemporary music, composer James Weeks and the ensemble Apartment House replace choral voices with a varied instrumental ensemble to reveal the interwoven textures of these works, interspersed with new compositions that reflect on history, interpretation, and the evolving role of early music in a modern context. ... Click to View


Peter Woods J.:
Sucking Stones (Love Earth Music)

Exploring the intersection of harsh noise, spoken word, and conceptual composition, Peter J. Woods constructs a sonic meditation on Samuel Beckett's Molloy, weaving fragmented text, tense ambience, and intense sonic ruptures into a dynamic and gripping experience, where shifting textures and calculated silences evoke both philosophical depth and visceral tension. ... Click to View


Leap of Faith:
Accelerated Expansion Closing (Evil Clown)

Expanding their sonic universe with an arsenal of unconventional instruments, the core duo of PEK and Glynis Lomon, joined by trumpeter John Fugarino and percussionist Michael Knoblach, craft an immersive free improvisation rich in textural transformations, balancing restraint and intensity as they navigate shifting sonorities, extended techniques, and the expansive possibilities of their distinctive Evil Clown aesthetic. ... Click to View


Wolf Eyes / Anthony Braxton:
Live At Pioneer Works, 26 October 2023 (ESP)

A monumental meeting between legendary saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton and noise pioneers Wolf Eyes (Nate Young & Johnny Olson), recorded live at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, NY, merging Braxton's expansive approach with the duo's visceral electronics, hypnotic textures, and raw energy in a collision of free improvisation, structured chaos, and uncompromising sonic exploration. ... Click to View


Wolf Eyes / Anthony Braxton:
Live At Pioneer Works, 26 October 2023 [VINYL] (ESP)

A monumental meeting between legendary saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton and noise pioneers Wolf Eyes (Nate Young & Johnny Olson), recorded live at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, NY, merging Braxton's expansive approach with the duo's visceral electronics, hypnotic textures, and raw energy in a collision of free improvisation, structured chaos, and uncompromising sonic exploration. ... Click to View


No Tears Project:
Humantics (Mahakala Music)

A powerful and insightful fusion of jazz, spoken word, and improvisation, this evocative album led by Christopher Parker and Kelley Hurt explores themes of resilience, justice, and shared humanity through compositions by Oliver Lake, Donald Brown, and Bobby LaVell, with gripping performances by a stellar ensemble that includes Marc Franklin, Chad Fowler, Rodney Jordan, Darrian Douglas, Treasure Shields Redmond, &c. ... Click to View


Green Mitchell Trio (Wright / Mezzacappa / Levis):
Nature Channel (Queen Bee Records)

Expanding the possibilities of the saxophone-bass-drums trio, multi-reedist and composer Cory Wright leads bassist Lisa Mezzacappa and drummer Jason Levis in his Green Mitchell Trio's long-awaited follow-up, recording in the studio in Oakland, California, weaving songful melodies, high-energy free improv, intricate dissonances, and kinetic interplay for five lyrically inclined conversations. ... Click to View


Sopa Boba:
That Moment (Sub Rosa)

Blending spoken word, modern classical strings, and harsh modular synths, Belgian/Dutch ensemble Sopa Boba crafts a striking electronic-orchestral oratorio based on Moldavian writer Nicoleta Esinencu's That Moment, unraveling a dark, satirical narrative of capitalist excess through seven gripping movements that merge caustic irony with haunting sonic textures. ... Click to View


Morgan Evans-Weiler / J.P.A. Falzone :
Penumbra (Another Timbre)

A delicate and introspective collaboration for violin, prepared piano, celesta, and electronics, Morgan Evans-Weiler and J.P.A. Falzone explore melodic cells and harmonic resonances through an open-ended, improvisatory approach, creating a drifting, structureless environment where sounds intertwine, constellate, and dissolve, capturing fleeting moments of sonic possibility. ... Click to View


Jason Alder / Thanos Chrysakis / Charlotte Keeffe / James O' Sullivan:
Inward Traces Outward Edges (Aural Terrains)

Embracing acoustic and electronic improvisation, this London-recorded session features Jason Alder's contrabass clarinet & sopranino sax, Charlotte Keeffe's trumpet & flugelhorn, James O'Sullivan's exploratory electric guitar and Thanos Chrysakis' laptop and synthesizers, collectively shaping a shifting, atmospheric soundscape of drone, spectral timbres, and dynamic textures. ... Click to View


John Krausbauer / Kaori Suzuki:
Suspension Blues (ANTS Records)

John Krausbauer and Kaori Suzuki create an immersive sonic and visual experience that merges high-frequency drones, shimmering glissandi, and multi-tracked custom synthesizers with real-time processing, inducing a state of deep listening and sensory saturation through harmonic resonance, auditory distortion, and psychotropic strobing color fields. ... Click to View


Electric Bird Noise / Derek Roddy:
8-10-22 [CD EP] (Silber Media)

With snaking guitar lines and psychedelic drumming, the collaboration of Myrtle Beach experimental guitarist Brian McKenzie (Electric Bird Noise) and extreme metal drumming virtuoso Derek Roddy creates a mesmerizing fusion of looping sustain, hypnotic textures, and dynamic percussive energy, captured live in an unfiltered improvisational session that pulses with atmospheric tension and spontaneous synergy.

... Click to View


Ellen Christi / Claudio Lodati:
Vocal Desires (C.M.C. Records)

A live 1994 performance uniting vocalist Ellen Christi and guitarist Claudio Lodati with Giovanni Maier (acoustic bass), U.T. Gandhi (drums), and Alex Rolle (percussion), blending jazz improvisation with experimental compositions, including a distinctive rendition of "Over the Rainbow," resulting in an evocative exploration of sound. ... Click to View


Albert Ayler Trio:
Prophecy Live, First Visit (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Recorded live at New York City's Cellar Café in June 1964, this essential document captures Albert Ayler, bassist Gary Peacock, and drummer Sunny Murray in a pivotal moment of spiritual free jazz, expressing motifs like 'Ghosts' and 'Spirits' into an ecstatic, ever-evolving language, with this remastered edition offering a refined perspective on a landmark session that shaped Ayler's uncompromising vision. ... Click to View



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  Michel Doneda / Le Quan Ninh 
  Thirty Ways to Avoid Talking  
  (Relative Pitch) 


  
   review by Jeph Jerman
  2019-12-10
Michel Doneda /  Le Quan Ninh: Thirty Ways to Avoid Talking (Relative Pitch)

A held tone and a fricative, low scraping sound open this disc of sound play by self-taught saxophonist Michel Doneda and classically trained percussionist Le Quan Ninh. One might think that these two musical upbringings would clash, but over the course of the next six examples these two gentlemen find ample space in which to collaborate and find common ground. Listen carefully and you'll hear how one or the other player responds to some aspect of his partner's playing: rhythm, timbre, pitch, grain, volume and weight are all considered as foils for sparring. At times they imitate each other rather uncannily, or suggest surprising soundscapes, like squeaking chairs and shuffling footsteps. They go from frenetic interplay to soft introspection and back, sometimes very quickly, sometimes halting abruptly together as though responding to some secret signal. Punctuation is often swift and sometimes quite humorous, without ever becoming frivolous or silly.

The recordings themselves, by Benjamin Pagier and (for the last track) May Saitoh are top notch, Ninh's bass drum completely fills the listening space and you can hear the metal of Doneda's soprano sax. For the aforementioned final piece, the duo are joined by Shunichiro Hisada on tzuzumi [a hand drum of Japanese origin] and voice. One can immediately tell that the recording space is different from the previous five tracks, a bit more open — a larger space perhaps. Hisada's tzuzumi and voice add another layer of interest as he strikes different pitches and vocalizes in everything from a yelp to a growl, including short passages of beautiful overtone singing. I am reminded at times of Sang Won Park's vocal interjections in his recordings with Henry Kaiser and Charles K. Noyes, another example of differing musical sensibilities coming together to create interesting music.



Michel Doneda / Le Quan Ninh: Thirty Ways to Avoid Talking
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