Joelle Leandre:
Zurich Concert (Intakt)
A tour-de-force solo concert from the masterful improvising French double bassist Joëlle Léandre, performing at Kunstraum Walcheturm in Zurich in 2022, mostly performed through an astounding bowing exposition, accompanied at times by her worldless vocal improvising, the five parts of this concert evoking passion, power, and a lifetime of profound expression. ... Click to View
Joel Futterman / Chad Fowler / Steve Hirsh:
Ebb & Flow [2CDs] (Mahakala Music)
Continuing the connections from prior Mahakala Music albums Warp & Weft, (Futterman/Hirsch) and Two Five None (Fowler/Hirsch) this album brings the three together as a dynamic trio recording the two-part "Ebb & Flow", a spectacular convergence that, true to the title, shows tremendous momentum and moments of great introspection, an incredible collective free encounter! ... Click to View
Eva Novoa:
Novoa / Kamaguchi / Cleaver Trio - Vol. 1 (577 Records)
Spanish pianist based in NYC Eva Novoa has since 2017 led this international but definitely NY-oriented piano trio of Japanese bassist based in NY Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Gerald Cleaver, here in her first album on 577, her sixth as a leader, presenting eight Novoa compositions of restlessly probing, dynamically interactive and inherently melodic free improvisation. ... Click to View
Interstellar Nao (Rick Countryman / Gabriel Lauber / Itzam Cano):
Live at No Somos Nada (FMR)
Referencing the Spanish galleons that sailed the Pacific Ocean between Acapulco in Mexico and Manila in the Philippine Islands, this meeting in Mexico city brings Philippine-based saxophonist Rick countryman together with Swiss drummer living in Mexico City Gabriel Lauber and Lauber's collaborator in the group Zero Point, Mexico City native double bass player Itzam Canois. ... Click to View
Lopez Trio (Brandon Lopez / Steve Baczkowski / Gerald Cleaver):
Matanzas (Relative Pitch)
"Matanzas" translates to "Killings", an apt description of this fiercely dark and propulsive free improv album from the NY trio led by bassist Brandon Lopez with saxophonist Steve Baczkowski and drummer/percussionist Gerald Cleaver, drawing unexpected and often malevolent sound from their instruments, particularly on the extended "Dithyramb, Sodomy, Salt". ... Click to View
Ouat (Simon Sieger / Joel Grip / Michael Griener):
The Strange Adventures of Jesper Klint [VINYL 2 LPs] (Umlaut Records)
Focusing on the compositions of Swedish pianist Per Henrik Wallin, the energetic piano trio of Simon Sieger on piano, Joel Grip on double bass and Michael Griener on drums puts new life into Wallin's 1998 trio album Coyote with the intention of putting Wallin's music in front of a new audience while clearly reveling in his compositions amid their own impressive mastery. ... Click to View
Malcolm Goldstein / Fred Lonberg-Holm:
Missa Amissa [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Notice Recordings)
Bringing to ears a 2003 encounter in Chicago, IL between legendary violin improviser, conceptualist and writer Malcolm Goldstein and exploratory cello improviser Fred Lonberg-Holm, through two extended dialogs weaving their strings around each other and finding unusual intersections and unions, from rapid action to introspective beauty; unsettling and inspired. ... Click to View
Damon Smith / Louis Wall / NNN Cook / Michael William / Fred Tompkins:
Fire Point [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Notice Recordings)
A dark album of sound art from the quintet of mostly St. Louis improvisers--Damon Smith, Louis Wall, NNN Cook, Michael Williams and noted flutist Fred Tompkins on two tracks--starting through shrouded percussion and unidentifiable sources, the group's sessions are edited into a cohesive album that takes its listeners on a unique journey of electronic and acoustic interaction. ... Click to View
Max Johnson :
When the Streets Were Quiet (New Focus Recordings)
Better known for his bass work with his own free jazz trio and quartet, or as a sideman for Simon Nabatov, Chris Pitsiokis, &c. this album reveals another facet to the musician, presenting a chamber music album of strings, reeds and piano, where his role as composer and conductor brings life to works with references to Messiaen & Kafka. ... Click to View
Leap of Faith:
Undulations in the Spatial Field (Evil Clown)
The core duet of the Boston-based free improvising ensemble Leap of Faith Orchestra (LOFO) of David Peck on reeds, winds & an amazing collection of percussive instruments and Glynis Lomon on cello, aquasonic & voice are joined by keyboardist Eric Woods for an extended exploration adding unusual electronics to their typically acoustic sets for unexpected and remarkable sonic journeys. ... Click to View
Dave Soldier / William Hooker:
Lewitt Etudes (Mahakala Music)
Inspired by the graphic wall drawings of American artist and sculptor Sol Lewitt, designed as graphic scores for flexibility in improvisation, violinist Dave Soldier and drummer William Hooker assembled this impressive ensemble to present 9 etudes, performed with Rebecca Cherry, Kirk Knuffke, Ayumi Ishito, Hans Tammen, Alex Greene, Luke Stewart, and Ken Filiano. ... Click to View
Philipp Wachsmann / Trevor Taylor:
Two (FMR)
Eight studio compositions recorded in Kingston, London in 2022 between FMR label-leader Trevor Taylor on percussion and electronics, and violinist Philipp Wachsmann, also processing his sound through electronics, the two finding common ground and great compatibility in reserved pacing that seemingly allows each note and gesture to express itself fully. ... Click to View
Thanos Chrysakis :
Manifold Vista (Auf Abwegen)
Aural Terrains label-leader, composer and sound artist Thanos Chrysakis presents six new pieces merging electronic composition with field recordings and other electro-acoustic sources, in five rich and beautifully paced works of a diverse nature, evolving a consistent sound world where each piece draws the listener into the composer's detailed and engaging concepts. ... Click to View
Kasper Agnas:
Grain Live (FRIM Records)
Three live guitar improvisations from Swedish guitarist Kasper Agnas performing at Stockholm's New Music and Intermedia Art venue Fylkingen, each piece uniquely approached, starting with a lap guitar dulcimer-like approach of rapid rhythmic attacks, to a warm sound world using mallets on the guitar neck, and finally a work of decaying chords that evolve in complexity, strength and skew. ... Click to View
Philip Samartzis :
Atmospheres And Disturbances [CD + BOOK] (Room40)
A work of scientific sound from Australian sound artist Philip Samartzis, creating compositions based on field work from the High-Altitude Research Station at Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, over four weeks deploying various recording devices and microphones in and around the station to capture anthropogenic & geophysical forces, allowing listeners to experience the ecology under stress. ... Click to View
Brian Eno Performed by Dedalus Ensemble :
Discreet Music / Music For Airports / Tuesday Afternoon [2 CDs] (Sub Rosa)
The French Dedalus Ensemble render three works from the ground-breaking ambient work of Brian Eno--Discreet Music (1975), Music for Airports (1978), and Thursday Afternoon (1985)--performed as an 11-piece acoustic ensemble and remaining faithful to the introspectively intelligent intention and peaceful elegance of Eno's original electronic works. ... Click to View
Brian Eno Performed by Dedalus Ensemble :
Discreet Music / Music For Airports / Tuesday Afternoon [2 LPs] (Sub Rosa)
The French Dedalus Ensemble render three works from the ground-breaking ambient work of Brian Eno--Discreet Music (1975), Music for Airports (1978), and Thursday Afternoon (1985)--performed as an 11-piece acoustic ensemble and remaining faithful to the introspectively intelligent intention and peaceful elegance of Eno's original electronic works. ... Click to View
Julius Eastman:
Two Extended Pieces For Four Pianos [VINYL 2 LPs] (Sub Rosa)
Four European pianists--Nicolas Horvath, Melaine Dalibert, Stephane Ginsburgh, Wilhem Latchoumia--perform New York legendary and radical avant composer Julius Eastman's powerful works for four pianists: the provocatively titled "Crazy Nigger" and "Evil Nigger", reflecting the biased culture he faced, written around 1980 using his organic principle of composition. ... Click to View
Don Cherry / Dollar Brand:
Musikforum Schloss, Viktring, Austria - July 20, 1972 [VINYL 2 LPs] (WHP)
An exemplary concert of free jazz with world influences, from a quartet drawn from diverse parts of the world--trumpeter Don Cherry from New York, Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim) from South Africa, double bassist Johnny Dyani, also from South Africa, and Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos--in four side-long improvisations recorded in Austria in 1972. ... Click to View
Mike Pride:
I Hate Work (Rarenoise Records)
A warmly lyrical, mostly instrumental album of modern jazz that surprisingly takes it's title from legendary punk band MDC, and its songs from their 1982 debut album Millions of Dead Cops, led by NY drummer Mike Pride and performed with Jamie Saft (keys), Brad Jones (bass), Mick Bar (guitars) and on a few songs, vocalists JG Thirlwell (Foetus), Sam Mickens (The Dead Science) and Dave Dictor from MDC itself. ... Click to View
Ornette Coleman :
Ornette At 12, Crisis & Man On The Moon, Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Reissuing and remastering two Impulse! albums from saxophonist Ornette Coleman: 1969's Ornette At 12 with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and his then 12-year-old son Denardo on drums; 1972's Crisis adding Don Cherry on trumpet; and a lesser-known 1969 EP, Man On The Moon, with electronics from Dr. Emmanuel Ghent and Ed Blackwell on drums. ... Click to View
Eric Dolphy:
Outward Bound To Out To Lunch Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Arriving in NY in 1959, saxophonist, flute & bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy joined some of the finest avant jazz players, releasing his 1st album as a leader in 1960--Outward Bound--with Freddie Hubbard, Jaki Byard, George Tucker & Roy Haynes; subsequently tagged as an anti-jazz musician, it would be 4 years before his masterwork Out To Lunch would be released, both albums here reissued & remastered. ... Click to View
Ivo Perelman / Ray Anderson / Joe Morris / Reggie Nicholson:
Molten Gold [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Recording with legendary jazz musicians, trombonist Ray Anderson, drummer Reggie Nicholson and double bassist Joe Morris, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman's quartet album brings the depth of experience and Ivo Perelman's unstoppable creative drive to these four extended and masterful improvisations, impeccably captured at Brooklyn's ParkWest Studio by Jim Clouse. ... Click to View
Szilard Mezei / Zoltan Csanyi / Vasco Trilla:
Look Into My Eyes, I'm Watching You [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
Four recordings of chamber-oriented improvisation by Serbian violinist Szilárd Mezei in a trio with bassist Zoltán Csányi, a frequent collaborator of Mezei, and Catalonian percussionist Vasco Trilla, performing in 2021 at KC Lab in Novi Sad, at RCA Magyarkanizsa in Serbia, at Samo Pivo in Subotica, Serbia and at Korzó Zeneház in Szeged, Hungary. ... Click to View
Fowler / Perelman / Shipp / W. Parker / Hirsh:
Alien Skin (Mahakala Music)
A confluence of saxophones (and stritch, saxello and flute) from the sextet of Chad Fowler on stritch & saxello, Zoh Amba on tenor sax & flute, Ivo Perelman on tenor saxophone, Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass and Steve Hirsh on drums, recording in the superb Park West Studios in a collective set under the influence of the 2021 Vision Festival. ... Click to View
Vertical Squirrels (Daniel Fischlin / Ajay Heble / Lewis Melville / Ted Warren / Dong-Won Kim / Gary Diggins):
Le gouffre / The Chasm: Live from Silence, Guelph (Ontario) (Ambiances Magnetiques)
An exceptional album of widely-embracing collective improvisation recorded during Vertical Squirrel's 2019-20 residency at Silence as part of the You Are I Am series, the core quartet of Daniel Fischlin on guitars, monotron, flute & percussion, Ajay Heble on piano, Lewis Melville on bass & percussion and Ted Warren on drums & percussion are joined by cornetist and world instrumentalist Gary Diggins and vocalist & percussionist Dong-Won Kim. ... Click to View
Killick Hinds / Francesca Remigi:
Empowered Kind (Habitable & H(i)nds(i)ght Records)
The duo of guitarist Killick Hinds on stringed instruments, bells & electronics, and Italian/NY drummer Francesca Remigi on acoustic & electronic drums, percussion, and credited with Delene Porter for performing on "symbiote"; an "eclectic, ecstatic and exploratory duo strives for sonic research and for breaking the barriers of the conventional process of music making." ... Click to View
Andrew Dewar Raffo / John Hughes / Chad Popple:
Reflejos IV-VII (Waveform Alphabet)
A student of Steve Lacy & Anthony Braxton and active from NYC to the San Francisco Bay Area, soprano saxophonist Andrew Raffo Dewar is heard in these studio recordings with bassist John Hughes and drummer/vibraphonist Chad Popple, a follow-up to the 2018 trio album Reflejos on pfMENTUM, presenting a series of compositions based on reflection/refraction-based compositional forms. ... Click to View
Surplus 1980 + G.W. Sok:
Kremlin Gremlin [VINYL 7''] (Dephine Knormal Musik)
Reminiscent of the packaging of early releases from The Ex, the vocalist from that band--G.W. Sok--provides the words for the first tracks on this 7" from Sleepytime Gorilla Museum drummer/composer Moe! Staino's long-running band, a brutal wordplay stab at Russian president Putin for his invasion of Ukraine; plus a dub remix of a song on the upcoming full-length Surplus 1980 album. ... Click to View
Autorhythm:
Synapse / Oxytocin [7'' Vinyl w/ Download] (thanatosis produktion)
The first single from Swedish electronic composer Joakim Forsgren's Autorhythm's project Songs For The Nervous System, two soundscapes in the ambient realm, Forsgren using vintage synths and no computers to create these tracks, described as "pop music for a dysfunctional but beautiful parallel world". ... Click to View
