Recalling the For4Ears era of electroacoustic improvisation, the ea-improv trio of Jason Kahn on electronics, Frantz Loriot on viola and Christian Wolfarth on percussion are heard in this extended improvisation recorded in concert at Plattform nicht dokumentierbarer Ereignisse in Atelier Dürrenfeld/Geitel, Köln, Germany, as part of the trio's 2022 European tour.

Legendary players, drummer Alvin Fielder, bassist William Parker, and saxophonist Kidd Jordan joined younger generation players pianist Christopher Parker, vocalist Kelley Hurt, and saxophonist Chad Fowler in New Orleans to record this exceptional album of modern jazz compositions primarily from Fowler, plus a collective improvisation and a narrative from Hurt.

A series of succint conversations between long-time collaborators, saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp, each of twelve parts of their improvisation connecting through a shared approach and language, an unhurried but far-reaching set of dialogs from reflective to quick-witted exchanges in discourse that only two such masterful players could maintain.

Recorded at Vision Festival XXIV in June of 2019, legendary drummer Alvin Fielder's friends and long time partners Kidd Jordan on tenor saxophone, Joel Futterman on piano and William Parker on contrabass are joined by drummer/percussionist Hamid Drake for an emotional and potent swinging free jazz tribute to Fielder, who passed away in January of that year.

Free jazz recorded one person at a time from the duo of saxophonist Chad Fowler and WC "Chad" Anderson who, constrained by pandemic, chose to create "simulated concerts" by exchanging solo recording, each starting the process for different pieces and surprised at how "live" the results felt, as they built up the twelve excellent, rule-breaking tracks of this album.

Sheltered in place during the pandemic, trombonist Steve Swell occupied his time listening to recordings forgotten or never released, seizing on these excellent studio session from 2007 organized with drummer Ray Sage, performed in duo, trio and quartet configurations with clarinetist Perry Robinson and pianist Borah Bergman, demonstrating that in bad circumstance, good can appear.

A tribute to avant jazz saxophonist and composer Frank Lowe by assembling players who had never previously played together as a group, but who had all individually performed and been influenced by Lowe: Chad Fowler on saxophones, Christopher Parker on piano, Bernard Santacruz on bass, Anders Griffen on drums & trumpet, Kelley Hurt on vocals and Bobby Lavell on saxophone.

Celebrating the temerity and successes of the students known as the Arkansas "Little Rock Nine", who in 1957 set a precedent as they fought to enter a segregated high school, in six pieces written by pianist Christopher Parker and vocalist Kelley Hurt, who narrates the student's successes over the powerfully uplifting and reflective music of a six piece jazz band.

Adding guitarist Joe Morris to the long-standing collaboration of tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp directs the New York trio into a fascinatingly unique direction, Morris' often pointillistic style bringing out quick responses and conglomerates of ideas, balanced by hauntingly lyrical and suspended moments; an evokative album of spirited improvisation.

Three Minneapolis�Saint Paul/Twin City improvisers--Brad Holden on saxophones, Dick Studer on bass and Steve Hirsh on drums--active in a variety of groups come together as a collective, named for a Buddhist concept of the consciousness that underlies the everyday thoughts about the world around us, heard in 12 improvisations emphasizing deep listening and open-minded expression.

Known first as one of New York's finest audio engineers running Park West Studios, Jim Clouse is also a drummer and saxophonist, this his first recorded foray into free jazz partnering with legendary multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter on sax, trumpet, piano & drums, for seven diverse and extremely well informed improvisations as each follows their natural inclinations.

Reinventing their band with the late drummer Alvin Fielder and saxophonist Kidd Jordan, the core trio of vocalist Kelley Hurt, pianist Christopher Parker and alto saxophonist Chad Fowler bring together drumming legend Brian Blade, bassist William Parker and trumpeter Marc Franklin for three extended works, rich journeys in expressive, soulful and lyrical free jazz

An intimate sax and piano duo from two improvisers with a 30-year friendship--Chad Fowler and Christopher Parker--both living in the same block of Park Hill, Staten Island, forming a close musical bond that is heard in their confident exchanges, both playing together and in providing space for each to express themselves; a lovely album of warm and informed conversations.

Woodwind player Michael Marcus' duo with drummer Jay Rosen performed with fellow reedsman Joe McPhee and a 2nd drummer at the Jazzgalerie Nickelsdorf in 2018, the concept so appealing that he took it to the studio in New York, with Warren Smith handling the 2nd drum part and cementing this unusually orchestrated and elegantly passionate band as "The Blue Reality Quartet".

An open and free album of modern jazz evoking loft-style collective improvisation but controlled under the compositions of pianist Christopher Parker, in his debut album as a leader with the incredibly talented sextet of Kelley Hurt on vocals, Daniel Carter on winds, Jaimie Branch on trumpet, William Parker on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums

A soulful and even honky-tonk take on jazz from baritone saxophonist and vocalist Dave Sewleson, covering tunes like Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" (two versions) or leaning back on riffs from popular music through lap steel guitarist Mike Neer, with Dave Hofstra on bass and Bernice "Boom Boom" Brooks on drums, a surprisingly enjoyable merging of popular and free playing.

Sun Ra alumni, bassist Tyler Mitchell leads a small ensemble including current Arkestra leader, saxophonist Marshall Allen, drummer Wayne Smith and percussionsit Elson Nascimento through a series of Sun Ra compositions and core pieces, along with a Thelonious Monk tune and two Mitchell compositions, in a band with saxophonist Chris Hemingway & Nicoletta Manzini.

With exceptionally quick spontaneity and astute anticipation, free improvising pianist Joel Futterman and drummer Steve Hirsh engage in a series of extended dialogs across two CDs of "Warp" & "Weft" in multiple parts, pushing each other in both technical and expressive interaction, weaving complex interplay with startling ease and creative intention.

A serious album of expressive free jazz from innately lyrical playing to scrabbly exploration, by the Twin Cities, Minneapolis trio of George Cartwright on saxophones, Josh Granowski on upright bass and Dave King on drums, performing live at Jazz Central Studio for two CDs of superb playing, the title inspired by the novel "A Calculated Life" by Anne Charnock.

Four extended collective improvisations of implicit lyricism and transcendent power from Brazilian-born New York-based tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman, recording in the studio with his quartet of frequent collaborator and masterful bassist William Parker, also performing on shakuhachi, along with pianist Christopher Parker and drummer Chad Anderson.

The first duo collaboration between pianist Joel Futterman and saxophonist Chad Fowler, performing on stritch--a straight alto saxophone--in a nine-part studio journey drawing on a history of jazz styles, from blues to free, in lyrical and actively introspective dialogs, building to an intense conclusion of rapidly cathartic interaction and a final, pensive release.

Four of New York's most versed free jazz players--Eri Yamamoto on piano, Chad Fowler on stritch & Saxello, William Parker on bass and Steve Hirsh on drums--aim for a form of Spontaneous Folk Music through post-bop/free jazz idioms, recording in the studio for naturally lyrical music that builds from a beautiful glimmer to a passionate fire of masterful interaction.

Led by Ivo Perelman on tenor saxophone, (D)ivo brings four of New York City's finest improvising saxophonists together for an outrageous quartet session, with Tony Malaby on soprano saxophone, Tim Berne on alto saxophone and James Carter on baritone saxophone, their unique styles and masterful skills creating a thrilling and intricate weaving of profound reed expression.

Meeting in Minneapolis, home of saxophonist & guitarist George Cartwright (Curlew), the quintet of Cartwright, Steve Hirsh on drums, Chad Fowler on stritch, Kelley Hurt on voice and Christopher Parker on piano have many collaborative and friendly connections, heard in their easy-going and informed dialog, with some quirks & comments tossed in to personalize these excellent studio sessions.

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!

A solid album of buoyant collective improvisation led by NY drummer Chad Anderson, with vibraphonist Warren Smith adding an optimistic voice to the quintet of relative newcomer, sax and flute player Zoh Amba and bassist Barry Stephenson, the sophisticated and generally upbeat sound of the group taking a stinging tone on two tracks with the sharp observations from The Ankhitek.

Finding common ground through independent work in Asheville, NC, drummer Jeff Arnal and modular synth experimenter Curt Cloninger started exchanging musical ideas, developing their concept to add powerful rhythmic elements into patterned energetic synthetics, building a language to improvise together and rework their material into these rich and exciting compositions.

Confronted and assaulted by Asian bigotry in NYC shortly after the start of the pandemic, pianist Eri Yamamoto adopted a wig, mask and sunglasses to hide her ethnicity, about which she sings in the title track of her album, a mix of the sophisticated jazz instrumentals with bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Ikuo Takeuchi punctuated with songs of Yamamoto's pandemic experience.

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.

Focusing on lyrically inclined grooves with a relaxed pace, the details and thoughtfully "unthought" playing from the NY trio of Chad Fowler on stritch, saxello & alto flute, William Parker on bass and Anders Griffen on drums, are heard in the Park West Studios in Brooklyn for three extended collective improvisations of passionate, expressive and empathetic playing.

Sounding as though they'd played together for decades, this 1st meeting between pianist Joel Futterman, bassist William Parker, saxophonist Chad Fowler and drummer Steve Hirsh is a single 52-minute free jazz exposition as the four immediately fall into an invigorating conversation that continues through diverse moods from pinnacles of activity to reflective tone worlds; masterful!

The 2nd album from the quartet of Joe McPhee on tenor saxophone, Warren Smith on vibraphone, Michael Marcus on reeds and Jay Rosen on drums, formed from a 2018 Jazzgalerie Nickelsdorf date with NY drummer Jay Rosen rounding out the quartet, this album extends their accessibly relaxed and creatively magnificent approach to free and structured jazz.

Led by New York wind and reed player Chad Fowler, who performs here on stritch, saxello & alto flute, this collective free jazz album brings together frequent collaborators, bassist William Parker (with whom Fowler plays in Dopolarians) and drummer & trumpeter Anders Griffen (heard on Thinking Unthinking and the Music of Frank Lowe) for two extended improvisations from contemplative to assertive.

A masterful album of collective free improvisation captured in Brooklyn's Park West Studios by Jim Clouse, of the trio of tenor saxophonist Joe McPhee, trombonist Steve Swell and drummer Chris Corsano, ten conversations of diverse approach, from reflectively abstract to uncompromisingly assertive discourse that is ultimately fueled by a joyful camaraderie.

Drummer with some of the most significant of free jazz icons--Roscoe Mitchell, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Anthony Braxton, &c.--Tani Tabbal's own trio with fellow New Yorkers Michael Bisio on bass and Adam Siegel on alto sax are joined by Joe McPhee on tenor sax, with compositions from each of Tabbal, Bisio and Joe McPhee, plus four collective improvisations.

Frog Squad is a Memphis, TN ensemble led by guitarist & composer David Collins, whose compositions provide song templates for improvised music under the influence of traditional jazz and jazz/rock fusion, psychedelic, contemporary and experimental forms, here in eleven works filled with compellingly strong melodic elements and surprisings twists and turns.

Underground saxophone legends Booker T. Williams and Gary Hammon lead a powerhouse ensemble with Marc Franklin, Chad Fowler, Kelley Hurt, Christopher Parker, Luke Stewart, and Chad Anderson, blending post-Coltrane jazz, reggae inflections, and balladry in a vibrant session that revisits their decades-long musical journey while honoring resilience, friendship, and cultural legacy.

Written in response to the excavation of slave quarters on the site of George Washington's President's House, Philadelphia saxophonist and former Cecil Taylor sideman Bobby Zankel presents a 6-section suite performed with Philly luminaries Jaleel Shaw (sax), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Diane Monroe (violin), Ruth Naomi Floyd (voice), Sumi Tonooka (piano), Lee Smith (bass) and Pheeroan AkLaff (drums).

Recording in the studio in NYC in 2023, pianist Matthew Shipp presents ten concise improvisations, forcefully powerful statements from energetic complexities to contemplatively inventive abstractions, at times explicitly referencing jazz tradition with an innate lyricism, at times bulldozing through tradition to create something uniquely Shipp.

A septet bridging generations of improvisers from Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, DC, Minnesota, and NY, from Chad Fowler (sax & flute), George Cartwright (sax & guitar), Christopher Parker (piano), Kelley Hurt (voice), Luke Stewart (bass), Steve Hirsh (drums), and guest tenor saxophonist Zoh Amba, in four works reflecting our turbulent times, plus a tribute to Davey Williams.

Highlighting the parallel to changes in birdsong in urban areas because of anthropogenic ambient noise, this diverse ensemble demonstrates the evolution of improv approaches through unique origins and backgrounds; with Chad Fowler (stritch, flute), Shanyse Strickland (French Horn), Sana Nagano (violin), Melanie Dyer (viola), Ken Filiano (bass) and Anders Griffen (drums).

An energetic trio session of collective free improvisation from NY alto saxophonist Rob Brown, bassist Brandon Lopez, and drummer Juan Pablo Carletti, recorded in the studio and driven by an intense energy that maintains a powerful swing, with Brown's incisive phrasing, Lopez's commanding bass, and Carletti's dynamic percussion merging into a spontaneous and deeply expressive musical force.

An album to absorb and get excited over, as Matt Lavelle pursues a long-running dream to bring his 12 Houses Orchestra to record, here in an incredible collection of compositions, just the first set of a larger concept of solid jazz pieces that pivot on astrology and numerology as reflected in time signature, bar lines, melody notes, chords, and intervals; powerful, lyrical, spectacular work!

In two extended movements and a conclusion, free-improvising pianist Joel Futterman's Forever reflects both the rich history of jazz and his own personal journey through deeply focused expression, his music flowing like a powerful river — at times turbulent, at times serene — yet always in motion, guiding listeners on an expansive and captivating journey.

A warm and lyrical new quartet from pianist, vocalist, and melodica player Eri Yamamoto alongside Chad Fowler on alto sax & flute, Kevin Thomas on bass, and longtime collaborator Ikuo Takeuchi on drums, blending groove-driven jazz, free improvisation, and tender balladry with Yamamoto's distinctive touch, highlighted by playful interplay, beautiful melodies, and a soulful, unhurried charm.

Emerging from a series of improv gigs and sessions, the trio of Sally Gates on guitar, Steve Hirsh on drums, and Daniel Carter on saxophones, flute, and trumpet present five studio recordings of spontaneous composition, weaving together a diverse range of sounds with intricate detail and complexity, transitioning seamlessly from fluid, flowing passages to sharp, jagged explorations.

An inspired session of spontaneously lyrical collective interplay from drummer Steve Hirsh with pianist Eri Yamamoto and bassist William Parker (also performing on gimbri), recorded in a single afternoon at Brooklyn's Park West Studios, presenting four fully improvised pieces that balance nuance, empathy, and depth with free yet cohesive expression.

Bassist and composer Michael Bisio leads an exceptional quartet with Melanie Dyer on viola, Marianne Osiel on English horn, and Jay Rosen on percussion, blending Third Stream nuance with the fire of free jazz in an ever-flowing, deeply expressive set of improvisations, channeling rich orchestral textures and spontaneous interplay into a powerful and fluid genre-blurring journey.

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.

A deeply personal collaboration between pianists Eri Yamamoto and Matthew Shipp, recorded live in the studio with Yamamoto in the left channel and Shipp in the right, as Yamamoto marks thirty years in New York with a set of original compositions for this occasion, their distinctive voices intertwining in an elegant, searching, and harmonically rich conversation of friendship, individuality, and creative life.

The exceptional free jazz quartet of saxophonist Larry Stabbins, pianist Howard Riley, bassist Tony Wren and drummer Mark Sanders performing 4 extended improvisations of great dialog and dexterity.

Live recording from Oxford Improv Club in 2010 opposite Red Square with Paul Dunmall on saxophones, Phil Gibbs on electric guitar and electronics, Nik Stevens on double bass and Trevor Taylor electronic percussion.

London's Cafe Oto organized a reunion of String Thing, guitarist Ian Brighton's project with violinist Phillip Wachsmann, bassist Marcio Mattos, & Trevor Taylor on percussion and electronics, adding guitarist John Russell and saxophonist Evan Parker, here capturing an impressive night of improv, and Brighton's first public appearance in nearly 40 years.

Reimagining and transforming Ahmed Abdul-Malik's Jazz Sahara in their first studio session, the [Ahmed] quartet of Pat Thomas, Joel Grip, Antonin Gerbal, and Seymour Wright ignite four compact, single-take explorations that fuse percussive intensity, kaleidoscopic group interplay, and a fearless reshaping of tradition into dizzying, future-leaning improvisation.

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.

A series of succint conversations between long-time collaborators, saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp, each of twelve parts of their improvisation connecting through a shared approach and language, an unhurried but far-reaching set of dialogs from reflective to quick-witted exchanges in discourse that only two such masterful players could maintain.

Destined for top lists of 2023, saxophonist & composer Ingrid Laubrock's ambitious work brings together unusual orchestration through previous collaborators Brandon Seabrook (guitar), Michael Formanek (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) along with violinist Mazz Swift and cellist Tomeka Reid, for six fascinating and articulate compositions of farge ranging mood and gestures.

Second LP in the catalog of German guitarist and instrument inventor Hans Reichel (1949-2011), a program of microtonal string investigations that is still beguiling and fresh four decades later, originally released on FMP in 1976, with a great album cover from Reichel demonstrating how he created his neck-to-neck guitar; absolutely impressive and essential.

Founded in 1967 by pianist Misha Mengelberg, drummer Han Bennink, and saxophonist & clarinetist Willem Breuker, this double CD documents the earliest years of the ICP collective through live & studio recordings from 1966-71, with an impressive cast of jazz and contemporary compositional players creating a delightfully diverse set of approaches to improvisation.

Extremely personal and passionate, cellist Okkyung Lee recorded this album after separation from her instrument for months as she traveled to Korea to be with her dying father during pandemic; the 9 pieces are layered with strings, instrument sounds, voice and with profound timing, creating an intensely beautiful album reflecting the anguish and loss of the time.

Focused on the music of Don Cherry and recorded at Corbett vs. Dempsey's gallery space on the closing day of an exhibit of art by Cherry's partner Moki Cherry (whose tapestry "Spirit" is the LP's cover) this concert finds drummer Hamid Drake, who lived with the Cherry family in Sweden, and Ken Vandermark on tenor sax, reworking medleys of Cherry's tunes from across his discography.

The debut album of Rudiger Carl is an assertive studio session of brilliant free jazz from 1972, with Carl on tenor saxophone, Gunter Christmann on trombone, and Detlef Schonenberg on drums, presenting a great example of early European Free Improv, remastered from the original tapes and issued on CD for the first time, with a 2nd CD of previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Recorded in 1976 at WBAI-FM/Free Music Store in New York, drummer percussionist Milford Graves goes head to head with two reedists, Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover, an absolute stunner of percussive momentum and force, drawing the reeds into a frenzy of unbridled free playing; issued with a 2nd CD of a private recording of Graves plus unpublished photos.

Originally issued in two volumes on their own SRP Records in 1966 & 67 as In Concert At Yale University and Nommo, the duo of drummer/percussionist Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen are heard live in in this excitingly energetic and revelatory concert at Yale University, redefining the roles of their instruments during the most exploratory period of free jazz.

The first reissue in three decades of the 1985 SAJ Series FMP album bringing together legendary saxophonists Steve Lacy and Evan Parker, both on soprano saxophone, for two extended improvisations of magnificent reed interactions and a final coda, performed live during Summer Music at Haus am Waldsee, in Berlin, 1985; an essential album of masterful musicianship.

Wild, nearly unprecedented and an exhilarating direction in European Free Improvisation heard in the 1st recordings from 1966 of pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach's Globe Unity band, a 14-piece ensemble that included young saxophonists Peter Brötzmann, Gerd Dudek & Kris Wanders, bassist Peter Kowald, bass clarinetist Willem Breuker, trumpeter Manfred Schoof, &c.

An original member of the AACM and owner & director of the Velvet Lounge jazz club leading Chicago's free and experimental music scenes, and a mentor to countless young jazz musicians, tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson is heard in the counterpart to the 2000 Unheard Music Series album, The Milwaukee Tapes, this 2nd unissued volume of material from the same 1980 concert.

British percussionist Tony Oxley returned to this piece multiple times after debuting it in the early 1970s, drawing on both European improv and contemporary composed music, heard in this previously unreleased 1992 live performance with the superb quintet of legendary trumpeter & flugelhornist Manfred Schoof, UK pianist Pat Thomas, US bassist Sirone and UK saxophonist Larry Stabbins.

Beginning with an 8-member vocal incantation led by Taylor himself, this incredible reunion concert between pianist Cecil Taylor and drummer Sunny Murray was recorded by the FMP label in 1996 at the Total Music Meeting in Podewil, Berlin, an incredible display of pyrotechnical playing with an exultant excitement through three "sector" improvisations; extraordinary!

The legendary power trio of Caspar Brötzmann on long-scale electric guitar and voice with Saskia von Klitzing on drums and Eduardo Delgado Lopez on bass in two monumental live renditions of All This Violence, recorded in Vienna and Dresden, unleashing waves of searing guitar tone, crushing rhythm, and visceral intensity that move from furious protest to stark, haunted beauty.

AALY Trio, named as a reference to Albert Ayler, is Mats Gustafsson (winds), Kjell Nordeson (bass), and Peter Janson (drums), who began their journey in Sweden in the 1980s, drawing significant influence from Chicago's creative scene in the 90s, and reuniting now with the same incendiary energy and deep rapport, captured in 11 composed and collective works.

A powerful, spiritual and warmly dynamic album of international and cross-cultural free improvisation meticulously recorded live at Jazzfest Berlin in 2022 from the trio of German reedist Peter Brötzmann on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Chicago drummer/percussionist Hamid Drake, and Moroccan guembri player and vocalist Majid Bekkas.

After Bartok and Messiaen, trombonist & composer Steve Swell takes his sextet with Marty Ehrlich (winds), Sam Newsome (sax), Jim Pugliese (marimba), Ellen Christi (voice) and Gerald Cleaver (drums) into an exploration of Italian composer Luciano Berio with a diverse set of works reflecting Berio's vast curiosity and ovouer; a spectacular collection from a fantastic band.

The long-running trio of saxophonist Kidd Jordan, pianist Joel Futterman and drummer Alvin Fielder, established in 1994 and together until Fielder's passing in 2018, are heard in this incredible 1997 studio recording from New Orleans, 7 collective tracks that start as an invocation and then build in intensity & excitement with a strong spiritual connection; profound.

Steve Swell presents an homage to composer Olivier Messiaen in a sextet with Rob Brown (saxophone), Jason Kao Hwang (violin & viola), Robert Boston (piano & organ), Tomas Ulrich (cello), and Jim Pugliese (drums & percussion) performed live at Metro Baptist Church in NYC, 2017, a presentation of encompassing and passionate free music that knows little boundary.

A reissue of Sam Rivers' powerful 1976 trio session with bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul, capturing the group's remarkable chemistry in four extended pieces that move fluidly between searing swing, freeform expression, and percussive intensity, with Rivers shifting between tenor, soprano, flute, and piano in a virtuosic and deeply spontaneous studio performance.

The fourth book in New York improvising bassist William Parker's interview with other improvisers, here with 29 interviews, and 24 works of art by Jeff Schlangler; interviews include Peter Brötzmann, Darius Jones, Ava Mendoza, Zeena Parkins, Tom Rainey, Bobby Zankel, Evan Parker, James Brandon Lewis, Micheal Bisio, Mario Pavone, Taylor Ho Bynum, &c.

The West Coast power trio of Scott Amendola on drums & live electronics, Henry Kaiser on guitar and Michael Manring on bass are heard in this double album of 15 assertive tracks that balance heavy electronics and effects with intense soloing amidst unusual "soundtracks for quite a number of films that do not exist in our homeworld version of the Earth's infinite timelines."

Reviving Cecil Taylor's legendary Unit concept, this searing New Unit performance with Okkyung Lee (cello), Tony Oxley (electronics), Harri Sjostrom (soprano and sopranino saxophones), and Jackson Krall (drums) documents the final concert of Taylor's life in a nearly eighty-minute fusion of music and spoken word, recorded live on April 23, 2016, at the Whitney Museum in New York City.

Recorded at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn in 2025, this first document of Peter Evans (trumpet), Joe Morris (bass), and Tyshawn Sorey (drums) captures four expansive improvisations where Evans's quicksilver trumpet, Sorey's architecturally detailed drumming, and Morris's tensile bass cohere into a lucid, high-energy trio language that balances raw edge with striking clarity.

Martin Küchen's Angles returns as an 11-piece — two trumpets, expanded reeds, vibraphone and amplified violin, Fender Rhodes/synth, and a three-drummer engine — lifting songful, anthemic themes into free, melody-rich interplay and propulsive grooves, the ensemble shifting from playful exchanges to surging peaks as its close-knit rapport balances warmth, bite, and momentum.

Delicately forceful, the live concert at Real Art Ways, in Hartford, Connecticut as part of the ImprovisatioNOW concert series, is a perfect encounter between two legendary New York improvisers--trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and guitarist Joe Morris--capturing five dialogs of impressive technique and creative expression, including references to Monk and Ma Rainey.

Recorded across two live sessions in Munich, Ephemeral Locations expands Udo Schindler and Paul Rogers' LowToneStudies with the addition of drummer Eric Zwang Eriksson on several tracks, blending Schindler's mastery of bass reed instruments, Rogers' unique 7-string double bass, and Eriksson's dynamic percussion in a captivating exploration of deep tonal textures and spontaneous improv.

Composed and conducted by Tyshawn Sorey, this expansive work presents a luminous, long-form meditation inspired by Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel, blending voice, strings, keyboards and percussion into a deeply contemplative soundscape of spiritual fragments, sustained tonal color and quiet emotional intensity, realized by soloists Davóne Tines, Kim Kashkashian, Sarah Rothenberg, Steven Schick and the Houston Chamber Choir.

Bringing together three Japanese avant experimenters and improvisers — Ikue Mori (DNA, Downtown NY mainstay), YoshimiO (Boredoms, Saicobab and OOIOO) and Phew (Aunt Sally) — for a live performance at U.F.O. Club, in Tokyo in 2019, blurring the edges of experimentation, improvisation, and rock, an exciting and powerful first meeting for this trio.

A fierce and unrestrained duo of pure improvisation from longtime collaborators John Zorn on alto sax and Dave Lombardo on drums, merging seemingly telepathic interplay, raw intensity, and deep mutual respect in a freewheeling session that channels decades of creative friendship into a powerfully assertive and unpredictable musical dialog

Originally formed in 1991, the legendary PainKiller trio, known for merging jazz, metal, grindcore, ambient, and dub, returns after more than 25 years to explore an intense new direction, as electronic artist Mick Harris crafts a rich tapestry of beats and sounds, drawing inspired performances from bassist Bill Laswell and alto saxophonist John Zorn.

The ever-chameleonic Australian trio The Necks — featuring Chris Abrahams on piano and keyboards, Tony Buck on drums & guitar, and Lloyd Swanton on bass — explore electronic stillness in this 42-minute, single-track composition, evolving from a meditative opening through rich textures and sonic spaces to a beautifully structured conclusion, offering a rewarding and captivating journey.

Marking their 39th year together, pianist Chris Abrahams, drummer Tony Buck, and bassist Lloyd Swanton expand their immersive approach to improv across three discs of evolving intensity, recording in the studio in Australia, where four long-form pieces unfold with hypnotic patience, microscopic detail, and The Necks' hallmark balance of restraint, texture, and boundless improvisational discovery.

Inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 Four Freedoms speech, trumpeter Dave Douglas shapes a dynamic quartet with pianist Marta Warelis, bassist Nick Dunston, and drummer Joey Baron into a vivid exploration of democratic interplay, where bold themes, elastic swing, and sharply responsive improvisation reflect four independent voices negotiating space, tension, and joy in real time.

Marking a pivotal artistic evolution for saxophonist John O'Gallagher, this session draws on his deep study of John Coltrane and recent personal transitions to unite guitarist Ben Monder with master drummers Andrew Cyrille and Billy Hart in a fluid program of mostly first-take performances that balance composed structures and open improvisation through an organic, system-aware approach to free jazz expression.

Marking a pivotal artistic evolution for saxophonist John O'Gallagher, this session draws on his deep study of John Coltrane and recent personal transitions to unite guitarist Ben Monder with master drummers Andrew Cyrille and Billy Hart in a fluid program of mostly first-take performances that balance composed structures and open improvisation through an organic, system-aware approach to free jazz expression.

Bringing together the Rova Saxophone Group and the William Winant Percussion Group, Zorn's 1978 game piece Curling is realized in two Bay Area interpretations focused on sustained tones, restrained interaction, and subtle sonic collisions, transforming long-form minimalist gestures into hypnotic collective improvisations that explore the quietly unpredictable edges of his early compositional language.

Interpreting selections from John Zorn's expansive Bagatelles cycle, this quartet led by pianist Kris Davis brings together guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Kenny Wollesen in a fluid, richly expressive reading of Zorn�s compositions, balancing intricate written forms with lyrical improvisation while weaving delicate ensemble interplay and adventurous harmonic motion.

Three performances of Pauline Oliveros' compositions for two or three instruments, performed by the same trio who premiered the work in 2017 at the commission of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNow Series--Mars Williams on reeds, Katinka Kleijn on cello and Rob Kassinger on bass--these versions performed live in 2018 at Elastic Arts along with two collective improvisations.

The trio Hearsay — turntablist Allen Moore, cellist/guitarist Ishmael Ali, and drummer Bill Harris — craft a restless and texturally rich improvisational set that bends time through fractured grooves, looping vinyl gestures, and agile acoustic interplay, balancing rhythmic tension, abstract sound manipulation, and aural exploration with striking restraint and spontaneity.

Composed and led by cellist Ishmael Ali, this wide-ranging studio set moves between raw solo explorations, collaborative improvisations and groove-driven ensemble pieces, blending cello, voice and electronics with a multi-generational Chicago lineup to create an eclectic yet cohesive sound world that balances experimental risk, melodic intimacy and playful collective interaction.

Reminding of Downtown NY bands in the vein of No Safety or Curlew, this Chicago/NY 7-piece blurs rock, jazz and funk forms with intelligent and often satirical lyrics, upbeat and joyful music that defies categorization through groove-based songs that playfully critique while keeping it all danceable and fun, in a wonderfully talented and enjoyable album.

Recorded while double bassist Brandon Lopez was in Chicago, frequent collaborators from two generations--keyboardist Jim Baker on piano and Arp Synth and drummer/percussionist Bill Harris--joined together to record this live-in-the-studio album of highly interactive, explorative, propulsive and often cathartic free improvisation.

The first fully improvised album from the Chicago trio of Jake Wark on tenor saxophone, Matt Piet on piano and Bill Harris on drums, recording at Experimental Sound Studios in 2018 for seven numbered and concise improvisations, running the gamut from rapidly active yet controlled interaction and investigatory conversations of confident expression and creative drive.

A diverse set of electroacoustic improvisations, including pointillistic interplay, free explorations merging contemporary compositional cues, pieces composed around specific parameters and evolving experimental soundscapes, from the Michigan trio Kimmel.Ali.Harris of Jeff Kimmel on clarinet & electronics, Ishmael Ali on cello, guitar & electronics, and Bill Harris on drums & synth.

Formerly known as J@K@L, this Chicago trio has explored hard hitting improvisation since 2014, the band name an amalgamation of the performer's names--Keefe Jackson on tenor & sopranino saxophone & tube, Julian Kirshner on drums and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, tenor guitar and electronics--in a dynamic and exciting 2022 concert at Elastic Arts, in Chicago.

Composed and led by cellist Ishmael Ali, this wide-ranging studio set moves between raw solo explorations, collaborative improvisations and groove-driven ensemble pieces, blending cello, voice and electronics with a multi-generational Chicago lineup to create an eclectic yet cohesive sound world that balances experimental risk, melodic intimacy and playful collective interaction.

1974 recordings at WKCR in NYC from the quintet of Charles Brackeen (flute & sax), Ahmed Abdullah (trumpet), William Parker (bass), Roger Blank (drums) and Tony Waters (percussion), beautifully recorded and essential free improvisation.

Pianist Howard Riley recorded these twelve solo piano performances live at Leicester Jazz House at Embrace Arts in 2012, with 4 original Riley compositions and 8 drawn from jazz standards or Thelonius Monk compositions.

Better known for his work in avant compositional forms, both his own and as an interpreter of Xenakis and Toru Takemitsu, pianist Yuji Takahashi joined Japanese free jazz legendary percussionist Sabu Toyozumi in 1998 for this fully improvised live concert at C・S・Aka Renga, in Yamaguchi City, Japan, released in a collaboration with the Chap Chap label.

Captured live in San Francisco in 1978, the lastest in the NoBusiness Sam Rivers Archive series finds the masterful wind player in peak form with the trio of Dave Holland on bass & cello, and Barry Altschul on drums, Rivers on tenor & soprano sax, flute & piano, in the 52 minute free jazz epic "Ricochet", a high-energy work of diverse mood and character; superb!

Trumpeter Toshinori Kondo and drummer Sabu Toyozumi, who originally worked together in the band EEU, first played with saxophonist Peter Brotzmann as a trio in 2014, this live recording at Roppongi Super Deluxe in Tokyo captured two years later in a wild collective free jazz outing, Kondo augmenting his horn with electronics, as they explode three super-charged improvisations!

The first in NoBusiness' Ribea Live! series from Sam & Bea Rivers' famous and influential 1970's NYC loft series is this dynamic July 12, 1975 concert led by saxophonist Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, in a quartet with Malachi Thompson on trumpet, Milton Suggs on electric bass and Alvin Fielder on drums, part of Studio Rivbea's Summer Music Festival 1975.

One of alto saxophonist and composer Arthur Blythe's earliest recordings as a leader, this 1976 session at Sam & Bea Rivers' Studio Rivbea in New York City features four Blythe compositions performed by an exemplary quartet: Steve Reid on drums, frequent Blythe collaborator Muhammad Abdullah on congas, and long-time Sun Ra bassist Juini Booth.

Recorded during the mid-1970s loft-jazz flowering at Studio Rivbea in New York City, this live session finds Oliver Lake leading a volatile ensemble with Baikida Carroll, Michael Gregory Jackson, Fred Hopkins, and drummers Phillip Wilson and Jerome Cooper, blending post-BAG urgency, searching improvisation, and sharp ensemble interplay into a raw, idealistic document of creative rebirth.

Bringing together Ziv Taubenfeld on bass clarinet and gongs, Helena Espvall on cello, and João Sousa on drums, this trio release weaves restless plucked figures, plaintive bowing, and propulsive percussion into searching improvisations that move from hushed lyricism to surging intensity, evoking dreamlike visions, winged melodies, and the fragile beauty of a song discovered in the act of becoming.

Drummer Gonzalez and his sons traveled to Warsaw to meet saxophonist Rodrigo Amado for this incredible live concert of original compositions plus Ornette's "Happy House".

Named for the miraculous recovery of drummer and AACM founder Alvin Fielder, who travelled to Dallas in 2010 to record with trumpeter Gonzalez and his sons bassist Aaron and vibraphonist Stefan, with Gaika James on trombone.

Two albums together. "Carrousel": The Paris based Theo Ceccaldi Trio crosses improv with chamber music in a string trio of lyrical, subtle and advanced improvisation. "Can You Smile": Ceccarelli expands his trio with bassist/free vocalist Joelle Leandre for rich, interactive improvisation.

Trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez merges his Yells at Eel project with bassist Aaron Gonzalez and drummer/percussionist Stefan Gonzalez, with Texas-based experimental rock band Pinkish Black--Daron Beck on keyboards and Jon Teague on drums & synthesizers--for a gripping and masterful hybrid of improvisation, dark synthetic rock and heavy moods; a riveting journey.

Taking on one of Shakespeare's most famous and frightening female characters, Lady Macbeth, in an 11-piece ensemble that include luminaries Liudas Mockunas, Samuel Blaser, and French guitarist Marc Ducret himself, using operatic form to focus his compositions on the emotional depth of his character, blending composed, improvised and sonic material into an exciting and unsettling work, drawing incredible performances from his players.