Lucas Niggli Sound of Serendipity Tentet:
Play! (Intakt)
Surprises abound with Lucas Niggli's approach to improvised composition, using 40 playing cards that his ten-piece ensemble, drawing on inspired performers from improvised, experimental and contemporary classical music, their game performed over three rounds, allowing an incredibly diverse set of approaches to reveal themselves on each unique track. ... Click to View
Michael Formanek Quarrtet (Smith / Davis / Malaby):
As Things Do (Intakt)
Michael Formanek's compositions run a wide range of styles and approaches to creative modern jazz, from flowing lyrical melodies to tense agitation in rapid runs, all anchored by Formanek's powerful bass and rendered with his Elusion Quartet of Tony Malaby on tenor & soprano sax, Kris Davis on piano and Ches Smith on drums & vibes; inventive jazz that continuously surprises. ... Click to View
Kris Davis:
Diatom Ribbons Live At The Village Vanguard [2 CDs] (Pyroclastic Records)
Two nights at the famed Village Vanguard from pianist Kris Davis' quintet with Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Val Jeanty on turntables & electronics, Julian Lage on electric guitar and Trevor Dunn on basses; a thoroughly modern electric jazz group performing Davis originals, with references to Eric Dolphy, Conlon Nancarrow, Olivier Messiaen, Paul Bley, Sun Ra and Karlheinz Stockhausen. ... Click to View
Joris Ruhl:
Feuilles (Umlaut Records)
Clarinetist Xavier Charles, accordionist Jonas Kocher and percussionist Toma Gouband join French improviser Joris Ruhl for this extended improvisation of multiphonics, textures and timbres, evolving from subtle harmonics into vast waves of sound, pausing to punctuate with pointillist interaction, then expanding into dramatic waves of sound before carefully fading away; sublime. ... Click to View
Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Torres / von Schlippenbach / Kellers:
Conundrum (Creative Sources)
Part of the 2022 trio tour of violinist Ernesto Rodrigues, cellist Guilherme Rodrigues and saxophonist Nuno Torres is this studio recording in Berlin with free jazz legendary pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach and drummer/percussionist Willi Kellers, each of the 9 improvisations named for mythical beasts, appropriate to the fearsome force of these five masterful players. ... Click to View
Rodrigues / Parrinha / McDonas / Flak / Oliveira:
The Fleeting Nature Of Time (Creative Sources)
Excellent pacing with introspective richness and detail through five improvisations, as US pianist Thollem McDonas joins Portugues improvisers Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Bruno Parrinha on alto clarinet, Flak on acoustic guitar and Jose Oliveira on percussion for this studio recording in Lisbon, each passage reflecting a word from the title; inspired and beautiful. ... Click to View
Madly You (Lazro / Zingaro / Leandre / Loves):
Madly You (Fou Records)
Reissuing the 2002 Potlatch release of this exceptional free improvising quartet of Daunik Lazro on alto & baritone saxophones, Carlos Alves "Zingaro" on violin, Joëlle Léandre on double bass and Paul Lovens on percussion & musical saw, some of the most notable of European improvisers captured live during the 2001 during the "Banlieues Bleues" Festival. ... Click to View
Jason Kahn:
All Along the Way [BOOK + CD] (Editions)
Swiss sound artist Jason Kahn chronicles his 37-solo concert tour through North America from the US to Canada, exploring the state of DIY experimental music scenes post-pandemic, including a CD of concert recordings in Portland and Chicago in 2022 using local radio and field recordings from each city, along with mod synths, tube amp, electromagnetic transducers and contact mics. ... Click to View
Turbulence Orchestra:
Find The Loophole (Evil Clown)
The extended horn section from the Boston collective Leap of Faith Orchestra is heard in this ensemble session with reeds and winds from David Peck and Michael Caglianone, and brass from Eric Dahlman, Bob Moores and John Fugarino on trumpets and Duane Reed on double bel euphonium, plus Jared Seabrook on drums and all members performing on the Evil Clown extended percussion arsenal. ... Click to View
Leap Of Faith:
The Energy Of Now (Evil Clown)
Reuniting drummer Sydney Smart with Leap of Faith, the core duet from the Leap of Faith Orchestra of cellist Glynis Lomon and reed, wind & percussionist David Peck, in a sextet configuration of the Boston collective band with Ellwood Epps on trumpet, Eric Zinman on keyboards, Joel Simches performing real-time signal processing, and Smart on a variety of exotic drums and gongs. ... Click to View
James Lewis Brandon / Red Lily Quintet:
For Mahalia, With Love [2 CDs] (Tao Forms)
Composer and tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' exceptional Red Lily Quintet quintet (Kirk Knuffke on cornet; William Parker on bass; Chad Taylor on drums; Christopher Hoffman on cello) pays homage to gospel and jazz singer Mahalia Jackson through a suite of original Lewis compositions, reimagining some of Jackson's best known works; CD & LP issues include a bonus download track. ... Click to View
James Lewis Brandon / Red Lily Quintet:
For Mahalia, With Love [VINYL 2 LPs] (Tao Forms)
Composer and tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis' exceptional Red Lily Quintet quintet (Kirk Knuffke on cornet; William Parker on bass; Chad Taylor on drums; Christopher Hoffman on cello) pays homage to gospel and jazz singer Mahalia Jackson through a suite of original Lewis compositions, reimagining some of Jackson's best known works; CD & LP issues include a bonus download track. ... Click to View
Matthew Shipp Trio:
Circular Temple (ESP-Disk)
Originally released in 1992 on the US Quinton Records label, this trio album by New York improvisers, pianist Matthew Shipp (this being his first CD under his own name), bassist William Parker and drummer Whit Dickey, presents the four-part "Circular Temple" composed by Shipp, leveraging the language of jazz in remarkable ways, particularly the 2nd movement, "Monk's Nightmare". ... Click to View
Matthew Shipp Trio:
Circular Temple [VINYL] (ESP-Disk)
Originally released in 1992 on the US Quinton Records label, this trio album by New York improvisers, pianist Matthew Shipp (this being his first CD under his own name), bassist William Parker and drummer Whit Dickey, presents the four-part "Circular Temple" composed by Shipp, leveraging the language of jazz in remarkable ways, particularly the 2nd movement, "Monk's Nightmare". ... Click to View
Evan Parker / Matthew Wright Trance Map + Peter Evans / Mark Nauseef:
Etching the Ether (Intakt)
Evan Parker and Matthew Wright are the core of Trance Map, the soprano saxophonist and live electronics duo expanding on their original 2011 concept with Trance Map+, adding guest musicians to their unique approach to electroacoustic improvisation, here in an exceptional quartet configuration with Peter Evans on trumpet & piccolo trumpet, and Mark Nauseff on percussion. ... Click to View
Marie Kruttli:
Transparence (Intakt)
Swiss pianist, composer and producer Marie Kruttli, who splits her time between Switzerland and Berlin, steps away from her trio with bassist Lukas Traxel and drummer Jonathan Barber for a sophisticated solo album of original composition and improvisations, in thirteen succinct, emotional and introspectively elegant works. ... Click to View
Joe McPhee / Mette Rasmussen / Dennis Tyfus:
Oblique Strategies [VINYL] (Black Truffle)
An unrestrained album of free jazz, unorthodox electronic excursions and vocal irascibility as legendary tenor saxophonist Joe McPhee joins the Bazuinschal duo of alto saxophonist Mette Rasmussen and percussionist & electronic manipulator Dennis Tyfus (Ultra Eczema) for this singularly unusual 2018 concert at Het Bos, in Antwerp, Belgium; magnificently indescribable! ... Click to View
Hedvig Mollestad :
Weejuns [VINYL 2 LPs] (Rune Grammofon)
Teaming up with Norwegian keyboard player Ståle Storløkken of Elephant9 & Supersilent and drummer Ole Mofjell, guitarist Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen introduces her new trio with this double album of live recordings from three separate concerts in Oslo and Stavanger, Norway, in dynamic performances of blistering, building prog and jazz fusion-oriented rock forms. ... Click to View
Foussat / Parrenin / Rollet:
Haut-Coeur (Fou Records)
Emphasizing the electronic aspect of ea-improv, the trio of Jean-Marc Foussat on Synthi AKS, voice & toys, Emmanuelle Parrenin on hurdy-gurdy & voice and Quentin Rollet on alto and sopranino saxophones & small electronics, are heard in an immersive performance at Allumes du Jazz, in Le Mans, France in 2023, for a superb concert of unrestricted free improvisation. ... Click to View
Daunik Lazro / Carlos Zingaro / Sakis Papadimitriou / Jean Bolcato:
Periferia (Fou Records)
Reissuing the 1995 In Situ album of the sublime 1993 concert at Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy in France from the free improvising quartet of Daunik Lazro on alto & baritone saxophones, Carlos Zingaro on acoustic and electroacoustic violins, Sakis Papadimitriou on piano and Jean Bolcato on double bass & voice, in a highly focused set of concentrative collective expression. ... Click to View
Joelle Leandre / Paul Lovens :
Off Course ! (Fou Records)
Bringing together two masterful and legendary players from the European Free Improv scene -- French double bassist and vocalist Joëlle Léandre and UK drummer & percussionist Paul Lovens -- heard in this live performance at Les Temps du Corps, in Paris, free playing in two parts with an incredible sense of communication, timing, humor, virtuosity and finesse. ... Click to View
Emmanuel Cremer :
Cinq chants d'Athenes (Fou Records)
Recording in Athens, Greece and drawing on their mythology, cellist Emmanuel Cremer performs five solo works under the title Five songs of Athens, each piece presenting a unique take on solo cello performace from deeply resonant to confrontationally acoustic, in both intensely active playing or thoughtful ruminations, a tour de force of exceptional expression. ... Click to View
Kris Tiner / Tatsuya Nakatani:
The Magic Room (Epigraph Records)
Continuing their collaboration from the trio of Nakatani / Tiner / Drake and the duo album Dagny on Nakatani-Kobo, trumpeter Kris Tiner (Empty Cage Quartet) and percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani are heard in a recording from the top floor of the historic Woolworth's building in downtown Bakersfield, CA, adding a beautiful layer of resonance to their deceptively contemplative dialogs. ... Click to View
sara (.es) / Tatsuya Nakatani:
Creature In A Forest (Nomart Editions)
A duo improvisation by American-based, Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani and pianist sara(.es), recorded by Yasushi Utsunomiya in Osaka, Japan as part of a series of duo recordings, bringing out the subtleties of their interaction as each improviser approaches their instrument in unique ways, creating a virtual universe of sounds that intersect and contrast in captivating ways. ... Click to View
Rodrigues / Stoffner / Parrinha / Madeira:
Altered Egos (Creative Sources)
A highly interactive and textural set of chamber-oriented free improvisations with an often pointillistic approach from the quartet of Portuguese improvisers Ernesto Rodrigues on viola & crackle box, Bruno Parrinha on clarinet & alto saxophone, Joao Madeira on double bass with Swiss electric guitarist Florian Stoffner, in three detailed and engaging conversations. ... Click to View
Morgan Evans-Weiler :
Correspondences (Editions Verde)
The third release in Editions Verde's series "Seeing the Forest in a Tree" are three iterations of interpretations realized by Joseph Clayton Mills, Fraufraulein, and the duo Sarah Hughes and Patrick Farmer, who were invited to interact with Morgan Evans-Weiler's score intended to be interpreted as both sound and sculpture, presented in three unique sets of recordings. ... Click to View
Leap Of Faith:
The Symbolic Method (Evil Clown)
The 2nd live performance from the Evil Clown headquarters post-pandemic, in a trio edition of Leap of Faith comprised of David Peck on reeds & winds, Glynis Lomon on cello, aquasonic & voice and Steve Niemitz on drums, plus an extended encore with 3 strings, reeds, trumpet and drums adding Nate McBride, Eric Rosenthal, Vance Provey and Albey onBass. ... Click to View
Simulcrum:
Meditations on Reality (Evil Clown)
Simulacrum is an offshoot of Metal Chaos Ensemble featuring 3 the core members David Peck on reeds & winds, an arsenal of percussive devices & narration, Eric Woods on analog synth, and Bob Moores on space trumpet, guitar, & electronics, joined on this set by Michael Caglione on saxophones, plate gong & spring & chime rod boxes, and Joel Simches providing perturbations. ... Click to View
Charles Mingus:
At Antibes 1960, Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Restoring and remastering the 1979 Atlantic album Mingus at Antibes from bassist & composer Charles Mingus, an extraordinary concert from the 1960 Antibes Jazz Festival with the masterful sextet of Eric Dolphy on alto sax & bass clarinet, Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor saxophone, and Dannie Richmond on drums, with Bud Powell or Mingus himself on piano. ... Click to View
CALATO / John Cage:
Variations + Four6 (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
Calato, the quartet of Javier Areal Vélez, Jorge Espinal, Agustín Genoud and Pablo Verón based in Buenos Aires, formed in 2010 as an improvisation and experimental composition group exploring music notation and graphic scores in convergence with free improvisation, performing on prepared electric guitars, drums, sampler and amplified voice, here taking on two works by John Cage: Variations I-III, and Four6. ... Click to View
