The Squid's Ear Magazine
  Top Lists Sold @ Squidco
Squidco Top 40 by Customer Orders

Eliane Radigue
Asymptote Versatile (1963-64)
(Amgen Records)

An historic world-premiere recording of Éliane Radigue's earliest surviving work, performed at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, where a stellar ensemble realizes her flexible "sonic proposition" through evolving textures, mathematical spirals and dynamic transformations that foreshadow her later visionary soundworld.


Satoko Fujii Quartet (Fujii / Tamura / Yoshida / Takeharu)
Burning Wick
(Libra)

Founded in 2001 and reunited after their last album in 2007, the quartet of Satoko Fujii (piano), Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), Hayakawa Takeharu (bass), and Tatsuya Yoshida (drums) unleashes a high-energy blend of avant jazz-rock, shifting from atmospheric fragments to dense, electric-edged turbulence, driven by sharp contrasts, ferocious rhythms, and the group's volatile, genre-bending interaction.


Albert Ayler with Don Cherry
1964 Recordings First Visit Completed [2 CDs + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Four sets of recordings from September, 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark from a week performing live at Club Montmarte, and a recording in Hilversum, The Netherlands for VARA Radio, collecting and remastering these vital recordings from tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler's most vital free jazz quartet with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on double bass and Sunny Murray on drums.


[ahmed] (Thomas / Grip / Gerbal / Wright)
Sama'a (Audition) [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Otoroku)

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.


Evan Parker / Joelle Leandre
Long Bright Summer
(RogueArt)

Drawing on decades of fearless improvising, saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Joëlle Léandre engage in an intense and unfiltered acoustic dialogue recorded live in France, their shared language enabling lightning reactions, extended techniques, surges of density and flow, hushed textural intimacy, and moments where Léandre's wordless voice merges seamlessly into their spontaneous interplay.


Joe Morris
Perpetual Frontier The Properties of Free Music [BOOK]
(Riti Publishing)

Joe Morris wrote this book to discuss aspects of free music, including responses to his questionnaire written by Joe McPhee, William Parker, Jamie Saft, Ken Vandermark, Marilyn Crispell, Nate Wooley, Jack Wright, Matthew Shipp, &c.


Ken Vandermark
October Flowers for Joe McPhee
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A profoundly personal solo recording from Ken Vandermark on tenor and baritone saxophones and clarinets, captured live at Corbett vs. Dempsey in Chicago in March 2025, performing a suite dedicated to Joe McPhee that interlaces composed and freely improvised works — each named for symbolic flowers — into a deeply expressive tribute of melody, emotion, and inventive clarity.


Duck Baker
Breakdown Lane: Free Solos & Duos 1976-1998
(ESP)

A collection of fourteen solo guitar pieces and two duos with Eugene Chadbourne, this album features works by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington (Take the 'A' Train), Thelonious Monk (Straight, No Chaser), and Ornette Coleman (Peace), drawn from live performances and demo sessions recorded between 1976 and 1998, showcasing Baker's impressive range, unique fingerstyle, and mastery of diverse moods and styles.


Donny McCaslin
Lullaby For The Lost
(Editions)

With longtime collaborators Jason Lindner, Ben Monder, Tim Lefebvre, Zach Danziger, Nate Wood, Ryan Dahle, and Jonathan Maron, visionary saxophonist Donny McCaslin channels the raw intensity of improvised jams into a cinematic, high-energy sound world, blending jazz with rock, electronica, and soulful urgency, a fierce and timeless statement.


John Zorn (Marsella / Smith / Roeder)
Nocturnes
(Tzadik)

Exploring the tradition of night music with subtle, dreamlike elegance, Zorn's latest piano-trio work — the fourth in his series with Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, and Ches Smith after Suite for Piano, Ballades, and Impromptus — unfolds as a lyrical and expressive creation performed with seemingly telepathic, virtuosic, and finely nuanced interplay.


Sylvie Courvoisier / Wadada Leo Smith
Angel Falls
(Intakt)

Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and legendary trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith meet in a deeply focused duo session, their through-composed material unfolding with stunning restraint, architectural clarity, and a quiet but potent freedom, as each phrase, gesture, and interval feels acutely calibrated in a shared space of mystery, immediacy, and poetic intent.


Pat Thomas
Hikmah
(Tao Forms)

An extraordinary solo piano album from UK pianist Pat Thomas, recorded at London's Fish Factory Studio, presenting eight deeply focused improvisations and compositions reflecting Thomas's lifelong engagement with Sufism and spiritual expression through sound; a luminous, exploratory work that unites the traditions of jazz and mysticism into a transcendent, profoundly human statement.


Joel Futterman
Forever
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Armaroli / Piccolo / Sharp
Imaginary Songbook [2 CDs]
(Dodicilune)

Through 64 succinct works, the trio of Sergio Armaroli (vibraphone), Steve Piccolo (electric bass, voices, electronics), and Elliott Sharp (guitars, soprano saxophone) unravels and reimagines the jazz tradition in fascinating fragments where familiar melodies, riffs, and harmonic cues flicker through an inventive, experimental interplay that blurs memory, abstraction, and improvisational wit.


John Butcher / Ute Wassermann / Martin Blume
Leaflight: Close Calls
(FMR)

In a live Cologne performance the trio of Butcher (reeds), Wassermann (voice & bird-calls) and Blume (drums/percussion) transform ambient impulse and acoustic detail into a series of "close-call" ensemble gestures, where bird-like vocal fragments, saxophone multiphonics and micro-percussion co-here in porous space, yielding an improvised chamber of attentiveness, ecological flux and sonic shadow play.


Eri Yamamoto / Matthew Shipp
Horizon
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Ivo Perelman / Nate Wooley
Polarity 4
(Burning Ambulance Music)

Continuing their ever-evolving duo series, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and trumpeter Nate Wooley expand their intuitive, exploratory language with a bold new dimension, including the duo's first-ever use of overdubbing to create layered, prismatic improvisations that push their Polarity collaboration into strikingly multidirectional terrain.


James McKain / Damon Smith / Weasel Walter
... Seeing the Way The Mole Tunnels...
(Balance Point Acoustics / International School of Evidence)

Energetic trio interplay from saxophonist James McKain with Damon Smith and Weasel Walter, recorded in Collinsville, Illinois, where taut lines, volatile textures, and razor-cut dynamics sketch "free jazz by way of the European tradition," six concise pieces whose titles nod to Thomas Bernhard and whose restless momentum — anchored by springy bass and splintered drums — turns spontaneity into vividly shaped form.


Rempis / Adasiewicz / Corsano
Dial Up
(Aerophonic)

Two fiercely intuitive trio sessions drawn from concerts in Chicago and Milwaukee by Dave Rempis, Jason Adasiewicz, and Chris Corsano, capturing the group's Chicago-forged, ego-free interplay as they shift effortlessly between surging, full-throttle improvisation and finely detailed, pointillistic exploration, always prioritizing collective motion over individual display.


Elisabeth Harnik / Steve Swell
Welcome to the Troposphere
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

An explorative album of collective free improvisation from the transatlantic duo of German pianist Elisabeth Harnik and New York trombonist Steve Swell, following up on their 2020 album Tonotopic Organisation, this 2022 live concert at Offene Ohren, in Munich brings listeners current to both improvisers immense creative drive, masterful skill, and their mutual, exuberant rapport.


Rhodri Davies / Pierre Gerard
la montagne change le paysage
(Ftarri)

A fascinating free improvising string duo of textures and sonic interaction from UK harpist Rhodri Davies and Belgian guitarist Pierre Gerard, Davies performing on pedal harp and Gerard on acoustic guitar, though the results feel downright electronic through masterful control of their instruments, eliciting sustain, pitch & amplitude changes as they weave unique and compelling tapestries.


Irene Schweizer / Rudiger Carl / Johnny Dyani / Han Bennink
Irenes Hot Four
(Intakt)

A stunning 1981 live performance at Internationales Jazzfestival Zurich, from pianist Irene Schweizer's short-lived but explosive quartet with Rüdiger Carl, Johnny Dyani, and Han Bennink, blending theatrical flair, fierce intensity, bold humor, and spontaneous surprises in a powerhouse set that channels the spirit of Mingus, the wit of Waller, and the raw energy of punk jazz.


Taborn / Cline / Gilmore
Trio of Bloom
(Pyroclastic Records)

A formidable first meeting between keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Marcus Gilmore, where three singular voices of modern creative music converge in assertive, Downtown-NY-steeped, genre-defying interplay — originals, reimagined works, and spontaneous improvisations blooming into a vibrant, exploratory dialogue of texture, rhythm, and imagination.


Eva Novoa Trio (w/ Carter / Mela)
The Freedom Suite, Vol. 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Brooklyn pianist Eva Novoa joins saxophonist Daniel Carter and drummer Francisco Mela for the second volume of The Freedom Suite, a set of twelve pieces blending piano, Rhodes, harpsichord, gongs, and vocals with Carter's multi-reed brilliance and Mela's Cuban-inflected drumming, creating an urgent, intimate, and fluidly improvised dialogue of words, sound, and fearless imagination.


Henry Threadgill
Listen Ship
(Pi Recordings)

Composer Henry Threadgill conducts a suite for six acoustic guitars and two pianos, bringing together Bill Frisell, Miles Okazaki, Brandon Ross, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Jerome Harris, Stomu Takeishi, Maya Keren, and Rahul Carlberg in an intricately orchestrated work whose intervallic syntax and meticulous counterpoint entwine with unexpected timbres to reveal his singular and sublime vision.


Satoko Fujii Quartet (Fujii / Tamura / Yoshida / Takeharu)
Burning Wick
(Libra)

Founded in 2001 and reunited after their last album in 2007, the quartet of Satoko Fujii (piano), Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), Hayakawa Takeharu (bass), and Tatsuya Yoshida (drums) unleashes a high-energy blend of avant jazz-rock, shifting from atmospheric fragments to dense, electric-edged turbulence, driven by sharp contrasts, ferocious rhythms, and the group's volatile, genre-bending interaction.


Albert Ayler with Don Cherry
1964 Recordings First Visit Completed [2 CDs + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Four sets of recordings from September, 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark from a week performing live at Club Montmarte, and a recording in Hilversum, The Netherlands for VARA Radio, collecting and remastering these vital recordings from tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler's most vital free jazz quartet with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on double bass and Sunny Murray on drums.


Evan Parker / Joelle Leandre
Long Bright Summer
(RogueArt)

Drawing on decades of fearless improvising, saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Joëlle Léandre engage in an intense and unfiltered acoustic dialogue recorded live in France, their shared language enabling lightning reactions, extended techniques, surges of density and flow, hushed textural intimacy, and moments where Léandre's wordless voice merges seamlessly into their spontaneous interplay.


Ken Vandermark
October Flowers for Joe McPhee
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A profoundly personal solo recording from Ken Vandermark on tenor and baritone saxophones and clarinets, captured live at Corbett vs. Dempsey in Chicago in March 2025, performing a suite dedicated to Joe McPhee that interlaces composed and freely improvised works — each named for symbolic flowers — into a deeply expressive tribute of melody, emotion, and inventive clarity.


Duck Baker
Breakdown Lane: Free Solos & Duos 1976-1998
(ESP)

A collection of fourteen solo guitar pieces and two duos with Eugene Chadbourne, this album features works by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington (Take the 'A' Train), Thelonious Monk (Straight, No Chaser), and Ornette Coleman (Peace), drawn from live performances and demo sessions recorded between 1976 and 1998, showcasing Baker's impressive range, unique fingerstyle, and mastery of diverse moods and styles.


Donny McCaslin
Lullaby For The Lost
(Editions)

With longtime collaborators Jason Lindner, Ben Monder, Tim Lefebvre, Zach Danziger, Nate Wood, Ryan Dahle, and Jonathan Maron, visionary saxophonist Donny McCaslin channels the raw intensity of improvised jams into a cinematic, high-energy sound world, blending jazz with rock, electronica, and soulful urgency, a fierce and timeless statement.


John Zorn (Marsella / Smith / Roeder)
Nocturnes
(Tzadik)

Exploring the tradition of night music with subtle, dreamlike elegance, Zorn's latest piano-trio work — the fourth in his series with Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, and Ches Smith after Suite for Piano, Ballades, and Impromptus — unfolds as a lyrical and expressive creation performed with seemingly telepathic, virtuosic, and finely nuanced interplay.


Sylvie Courvoisier / Wadada Leo Smith
Angel Falls
(Intakt)

Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and legendary trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith meet in a deeply focused duo session, their through-composed material unfolding with stunning restraint, architectural clarity, and a quiet but potent freedom, as each phrase, gesture, and interval feels acutely calibrated in a shared space of mystery, immediacy, and poetic intent.


Pat Thomas
Hikmah
(Tao Forms)

An extraordinary solo piano album from UK pianist Pat Thomas, recorded at London's Fish Factory Studio, presenting eight deeply focused improvisations and compositions reflecting Thomas's lifelong engagement with Sufism and spiritual expression through sound; a luminous, exploratory work that unites the traditions of jazz and mysticism into a transcendent, profoundly human statement.


Joel Futterman
Forever
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Armaroli / Piccolo / Sharp
Imaginary Songbook [2 CDs]
(Dodicilune)

Through 64 succinct works, the trio of Sergio Armaroli (vibraphone), Steve Piccolo (electric bass, voices, electronics), and Elliott Sharp (guitars, soprano saxophone) unravels and reimagines the jazz tradition in fascinating fragments where familiar melodies, riffs, and harmonic cues flicker through an inventive, experimental interplay that blurs memory, abstraction, and improvisational wit.


John Butcher / Ute Wassermann / Martin Blume
Leaflight: Close Calls
(FMR)

In a live Cologne performance the trio of Butcher (reeds), Wassermann (voice & bird-calls) and Blume (drums/percussion) transform ambient impulse and acoustic detail into a series of "close-call" ensemble gestures, where bird-like vocal fragments, saxophone multiphonics and micro-percussion co-here in porous space, yielding an improvised chamber of attentiveness, ecological flux and sonic shadow play.


Eri Yamamoto / Matthew Shipp
Horizon
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Ivo Perelman / Nate Wooley
Polarity 4
(Burning Ambulance Music)

Continuing their ever-evolving duo series, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and trumpeter Nate Wooley expand their intuitive, exploratory language with a bold new dimension, including the duo's first-ever use of overdubbing to create layered, prismatic improvisations that push their Polarity collaboration into strikingly multidirectional terrain.


James McKain / Damon Smith / Weasel Walter
... Seeing the Way The Mole Tunnels...
(Balance Point Acoustics / International School of Evidence)

Energetic trio interplay from saxophonist James McKain with Damon Smith and Weasel Walter, recorded in Collinsville, Illinois, where taut lines, volatile textures, and razor-cut dynamics sketch "free jazz by way of the European tradition," six concise pieces whose titles nod to Thomas Bernhard and whose restless momentum — anchored by springy bass and splintered drums — turns spontaneity into vividly shaped form.


Rempis / Adasiewicz / Corsano
Dial Up
(Aerophonic)

Two fiercely intuitive trio sessions drawn from concerts in Chicago and Milwaukee by Dave Rempis, Jason Adasiewicz, and Chris Corsano, capturing the group's Chicago-forged, ego-free interplay as they shift effortlessly between surging, full-throttle improvisation and finely detailed, pointillistic exploration, always prioritizing collective motion over individual display.


Elisabeth Harnik / Steve Swell
Welcome to the Troposphere
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

An explorative album of collective free improvisation from the transatlantic duo of German pianist Elisabeth Harnik and New York trombonist Steve Swell, following up on their 2020 album Tonotopic Organisation, this 2022 live concert at Offene Ohren, in Munich brings listeners current to both improvisers immense creative drive, masterful skill, and their mutual, exuberant rapport.


Rhodri Davies / Pierre Gerard
la montagne change le paysage
(Ftarri)

A fascinating free improvising string duo of textures and sonic interaction from UK harpist Rhodri Davies and Belgian guitarist Pierre Gerard, Davies performing on pedal harp and Gerard on acoustic guitar, though the results feel downright electronic through masterful control of their instruments, eliciting sustain, pitch & amplitude changes as they weave unique and compelling tapestries.


Irene Schweizer / Rudiger Carl / Johnny Dyani / Han Bennink
Irenes Hot Four
(Intakt)

A stunning 1981 live performance at Internationales Jazzfestival Zurich, from pianist Irene Schweizer's short-lived but explosive quartet with Rüdiger Carl, Johnny Dyani, and Han Bennink, blending theatrical flair, fierce intensity, bold humor, and spontaneous surprises in a powerhouse set that channels the spirit of Mingus, the wit of Waller, and the raw energy of punk jazz.


Taborn / Cline / Gilmore
Trio of Bloom
(Pyroclastic Records)

A formidable first meeting between keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Marcus Gilmore, where three singular voices of modern creative music converge in assertive, Downtown-NY-steeped, genre-defying interplay — originals, reimagined works, and spontaneous improvisations blooming into a vibrant, exploratory dialogue of texture, rhythm, and imagination.


Henry Threadgill
Listen Ship
(Pi Recordings)

Composer Henry Threadgill conducts a suite for six acoustic guitars and two pianos, bringing together Bill Frisell, Miles Okazaki, Brandon Ross, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Jerome Harris, Stomu Takeishi, Maya Keren, and Rahul Carlberg in an intricately orchestrated work whose intervallic syntax and meticulous counterpoint entwine with unexpected timbres to reveal his singular and sublime vision.


Ray Anderson / Joe Hertenstein Quartet feat. Michael Moore / Michael Formanek
7th Dinner Live
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Drawn from three 2024 concerts in Berlin, St. Johann, and Cormons, drummer Joe Hertenstein's touring trio with Michael Moore (reeds) and Michael Formanek (bass) welcomes trombonist Ray Anderson, the quartet forging strong themes and free-form interplay where Anderson's ebullience, Moore's lyricism, Formanek's foundational lines, and Hertenstein's flexible drive spark constantly evolving momentum.


Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten (Exit) Knarr
Breezy
(Sonic Transmissions Records)

Bringing together his Knarr ensemble for a second recording, bassist and composer Ingebrigt Håker Flaten leads Mette Rasmussen, Karl Hjalmar Nyberg, Erik Kimestad Pedersen, Oscar Grönberg, Jonathan F. Horne, Olaf Moses Olsen, Oddrun Lilja Jónsdóttir, and Joakim Rainer Petersen in an exuberant homage to Jaimie Branch, weaving spirited improvisation, textured arrangements, and collective joy into a vibrant and heartfelt statement.


Daniel Levin
Living
(Smeraldina-Rima)

A compelling and distinctive live solo recording from cellist Daniel Levin at Firehouse 12 in 2015, using extended bowing, percussive techniques, and resonant microtonal detail to explore the cello's outer limits, presented in Smeraldina-Rima's distinctive packaging with a handmade screen-printed fold-out poster and heavy-duty printed sleeve.


Nathan Clevenger Group
Astrolabe
(Queen Bee Records)

Reinventing his compositional voice, Clevenger charts a reflective and lyrical suite for a deep Bay Area ensemble, the writing balancing chamber-like colour and improvisational space as reeds, low flutes, brass, cello, vibes, marimba, drums and bass articulate an expansive journey of personal discovery and renewed purpose.


Eva Novoa Trio (w/ Carter / Mela)
The Freedom Suite, Vol. 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Brooklyn pianist Eva Novoa joins saxophonist Daniel Carter and drummer Francisco Mela for the second volume of The Freedom Suite, a set of twelve pieces blending piano, Rhodes, harpsichord, gongs, and vocals with Carter's multi-reed brilliance and Mela's Cuban-inflected drumming, creating an urgent, intimate, and fluidly improvised dialogue of words, sound, and fearless imagination.


Mary Halvorson
Away With You [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Firehouse 12 Records)

Mary Halvorson continues her string of excellent modern jazz albums with this octet release with fellow guitarist Susan Alcorn, Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Jon Irabagon & Ingrid Laubrock (sax), Jacob Garchik (trombone), John Hebert (bass) and Ches Smith (drums).


Amanda Monaco (w/ Michael Attias / Sean Conly / Satoshi Takeishi)
Deathblow [VINYL+ DOWNLOAD]
(Genevieve Records)

Long delayed but bursting with life, guitarist Amanda Monaco's freebopping quartet — Michael Attias, Sean Conly, and Satoshi Takeishi — delivers a sharp, melodic, and mischievously adventurous set, blending playful grooves, quick-turn interplay, and Monaco's distinctive compositional voice into a vibrant, high-spirited vinyl debut from her Deathblow project.


Mary Halvorson
Bending Bridges [2 VINYL LPs]
(Firehouse 12 Records)

Limited edition LP of Brooklyn-based guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson's second recording with her amazing working quintet of trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist John Hebert, and drummer Ches Smith.


XT (Wright / Abbott)
Deorlaf X [VINYL]
(Otoroku)

An unusual sax and drum duo from saxophonist Seymour Wright and percussionist Paul Abbott, taking recordings from a dozen years of their work together and assembling, mixing and re-recording them into these two impressive works of "mutated multiphonics and triggered percussion" offset with periods of reflection; startling, unexpected, amusing, awe inspiring.


Zoh Amba / William Parker / Francisco Mela
O Life, O Light Vol. 2 [COLOR VINYL]
(577 Records)

The second volume from the trio of Tennessee-to-NYC transplant Zoe Amba on tenor saxophone & flute, legendary double bassist William Parker and Francisco Mela on drums, performing three compositions by Amba recorded in the studio in NYC; emphatic free jazz with a powerful rhythm section elucidating Amba's spiritually fueled approach to compelling, lyrical improvisation.


[ism] (Pat Thomas / Joel Grip / Aontonin Gerbal)
Maua [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Recordings from the Berlin club Au Topsi Pohl where the [ism] piano trio of Pat Thomas on piano, Joel Grip on double bass and Antonin Gerbal on drums played 4 nights in a row, May 18-21, 2022, Thomas performing on a Bösendorfer grand piano, creating an omnipresent and precise sound that drove the band to great heights of interactive, warmly diverse playing.


Pat Thomas
The Solar Model of Ibn-Al Shatir [VINYL]
(Otoroku)

The fourth solo piano album from British improviser Pat Thomas on Otoroku, recorded at London's Fish Factory and drawing from his Sufi faith and the legacy of Arabic scientific innovation, as Thomas explores cosmic motion and spiritual resonance through dynamic inside-piano techniques, harmonic clusters, and deeply personal, rhythmically charged improvisations.


Dan Weiss (w/ Evans / Okazaki / Brennan)
Unclassified Affections [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Pi Recordings)

Drummer and composer Dan Weiss brings together Peter Evans (trumpet), Patricia Brennan (vibraphone), and Miles Okazaki (guitar) in a set of compositions written for their distinct voices, shifting from meditative calm to intense peaks, weaving intricate contrapuntal textures and improvisations into a mysterious and transcendent collective sound.


Joe McPhee
Defiant Jazz: a Joe McPhee Taster [VINYL]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A vinyl-only sampler spanning 1970-2007, showcasing Joe McPhee's fiercely inventive spirit through funk-driven grooves, spiritual jazz depth, fiery collaborations with Cato Salsa Experience and The Thing, and intimate duo interplay with Paal Nilssen-Love - a defiant, time-jumping portrait of one of improvised music's most dynamic voices.


Horatiu Radulescu
Clepsydra / Astray [VINYL]
(Edition Rz)

Romanian-French composer Horatiu Radulescu with 2 works from 1983: "Clepsydra" for 16 Sound Icons played on a sideway piano, and the 1984 work "Astray" for 6 saxophones and Sound Icons.


MAP (Halvorson / Nakatani / Radding)
Fever Dream [VINYL]
(TAIGA)

A beautifully produced 3-sided double LP from New York's MAP, guitarist Mary Halvorson, percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani and bassist Reben Radding, amazing contemporary improvisation.


Emmett Williams
Poems 1950-2003 [VINYL]
(Edition Rz)

Fluxus originator & member of the "Darmstadt Circle" of concrete poetry, Emmett Williams in a beatiful picture disc of poems written from 1950-2003 and recorded from 2000-2003.


Mary Halvorson Septet
Illusionary Sea [VINYL 2 LPS]
(Firehouse 12 Records)

Mary Halvorson leads her Septet with Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Jon Irabagon (alto sax), Ingrid Laubrock (tenor saxophone), Jacob Garchik (trombone), John Hebert (bass) & Ches Smith (drums) through 6 original compositions and a Robert Wyatt cover!


Taylor Bynum Ho
Navigation (Possibility Abstracts X & XI) [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Firehouse 12 Records)

The 2nd of 3 releases documenting composer/cornetist Taylor Ho Bynums' Navigation project, in 2 LPs of studio recordings with his Sextet: Jim Hobbs on saxophone, Bill Lowe on trombone & tuba, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Ken Filiano on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums & vibraphone.


Fred Frith And Helen Mirra
Kwangsi - quail [VINYL]
(Shhpuma)

Helen Mirra uses the index of a W.G. Sebald's novel to create a mysterious, intriguing and fascinating audio world, performed by Mirra on printing press and acoustic guitar, and Fred Frith on rainsticks, mbira, charango, music box, voice, shoes and other objects.


Cortex
Live! [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Clean Feed)

Four Norwegian jazz musicians--Thomas Johansson (cornet), Kristoffer Alberts (reeds), Ola Hoyer (double bass) and Gard Nilssen (drums)--representatives of a new generation of Scandinavian jazzmen playing creative music with the tools and forms of the older generation.


All Included
Satan in Plain Clothes [VINYL]
(Clean Feed)

With members from Angles, Universal Indians, Frode Gjerstad Trio, Friends and Neighbors, &c. the quintet of Martin Kuchen (sax), Thomas Johansson (trumpet), Mats Aleklin (trombone), Jon Rune Strom (bass) and Tollef Ostvang (drums) play modern, energetic jazz that kicks Satan's ass; highly recommended!


DNMF (Machinefabriek + Dead Neanderthals)
Smelter [VINYL]
(Moving Furniture)

The DNMF collaboration of Netherland's sonic experimenter Machinefabriek (Rutger Zuydervelt) and the Dead Neanderthals duo of saxophonist Otto Kokke and drummer Rene Aquarius, in their second album of heavy, droning style, reveling in a resonant, high-volume, long-form work of hypnotic sound merging metal, drone and dark ambience.


Julien Desprez / Luis Lopes
Boa Tarde [VINYL]
(Shhpuma)

Two guitarists with unique approaches to their instruments -- Paris-based Julen Depsrez and Lisbon-based Luis Lopes -- in an experimental album of evolving sound through extreme modification of guitar sound and sustain, mysteriously building their interactions from whispering sonics to growling harmonics, tightly controlled but bristling with complex energy.


London Experimental Ensemble
Child Ballads [VINYL]
(Split Rock Records)

Drawn from 305 traditional ballads from England and Scotland alongside their American variants, anthologised by Francis James Child during the second half of the nineteenth century, are here sung by Ed Pettersen in the fascinating intersection of traditional lyrics and experimental interpretations of melodies, performed by the 11-piece London Experimental Ensemble.


Gerald Cleaver
Signs [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(577 Records)

Taking his cues from the electronic music of his Detroit roots, free jazz drummer Gerald Cleaver presents an album of synthetic rhythms and sonic landscape, each piece composed in detailed arrangements of compelling and adventurous structures, from propulsive grooves to sinuous soundscapes, a surprising and exciting twist showing Cleaver's strong compositional skills.


Mary Halvorson's Code Girl
Artlessly Falling [VINYL WHITE 2 LPs]
(Firehouse 12 Records)

The 2nd Code Girl release from guitarist Mary Halvorson presents an embraceable and ambitious set of songs from 8 poetic forms for which Halvorson composed words & music, 3 of which are sung by Robert Wyatt, the others by Amirtha Kidambi, in a band with Thumbscrew members Michael Formanek (bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums), plus Maria Grand (sax) and Adam O'Farrill (trumpet).


Marta Forsberg
TKAC [VINYL]
(thanatosis produktion)

Tkać means to weave, as Swedish electroacoustic sound artist Marta Forsberg interwines drones, first through a work of sound and light using frozen and processed violin sounds that slowly shift in minimal repetition; then in a synthetic work exploring darkness, light and colour by means of LED light, fabric, sequins, and minimalistic drone-based electronic music.


Francisco Mela feat. Matthew Shipp / William Parker
Music Frees Our Souls, Vol. 1 [BLUE VINYL]
(577 Records)

A member of pianist McCoy Tyner's Trio and Joe Lavano's Quartet, New York drummer Francisco Mela's own career as a leader is heard in this energetic trio album with two of NY's finest--pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist William Parker--recording in the studio in Brooklyn in 2020 for two extended and powerful collective improvisations and a brief "Dark Light".


Albert Ayler with Don Cherry
1964 Recordings First Visit Completed [2 CDs + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Four sets of recordings from September, 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark from a week performing live at Club Montmarte, and a recording in Hilversum, The Netherlands for VARA Radio, collecting and remastering these vital recordings from tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler's most vital free jazz quartet with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on double bass and Sunny Murray on drums.


[ahmed] (Thomas / Grip / Gerbal / Wright)
Sama'a (Audition) [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Otoroku)

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.


Evan Parker / Joelle Leandre
Long Bright Summer
(RogueArt)

Drawing on decades of fearless improvising, saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Joëlle Léandre engage in an intense and unfiltered acoustic dialogue recorded live in France, their shared language enabling lightning reactions, extended techniques, surges of density and flow, hushed textural intimacy, and moments where Léandre's wordless voice merges seamlessly into their spontaneous interplay.


Ken Vandermark
October Flowers for Joe McPhee
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A profoundly personal solo recording from Ken Vandermark on tenor and baritone saxophones and clarinets, captured live at Corbett vs. Dempsey in Chicago in March 2025, performing a suite dedicated to Joe McPhee that interlaces composed and freely improvised works — each named for symbolic flowers — into a deeply expressive tribute of melody, emotion, and inventive clarity.


Duck Baker
Breakdown Lane: Free Solos & Duos 1976-1998
(ESP)

A collection of fourteen solo guitar pieces and two duos with Eugene Chadbourne, this album features works by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington (Take the 'A' Train), Thelonious Monk (Straight, No Chaser), and Ornette Coleman (Peace), drawn from live performances and demo sessions recorded between 1976 and 1998, showcasing Baker's impressive range, unique fingerstyle, and mastery of diverse moods and styles.


Donny McCaslin
Lullaby For The Lost
(Editions)

With longtime collaborators Jason Lindner, Ben Monder, Tim Lefebvre, Zach Danziger, Nate Wood, Ryan Dahle, and Jonathan Maron, visionary saxophonist Donny McCaslin channels the raw intensity of improvised jams into a cinematic, high-energy sound world, blending jazz with rock, electronica, and soulful urgency, a fierce and timeless statement.


John Zorn (Marsella / Smith / Roeder)
Nocturnes
(Tzadik)

Exploring the tradition of night music with subtle, dreamlike elegance, Zorn's latest piano-trio work — the fourth in his series with Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, and Ches Smith after Suite for Piano, Ballades, and Impromptus — unfolds as a lyrical and expressive creation performed with seemingly telepathic, virtuosic, and finely nuanced interplay.


Sylvie Courvoisier / Wadada Leo Smith
Angel Falls
(Intakt)

Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and legendary trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith meet in a deeply focused duo session, their through-composed material unfolding with stunning restraint, architectural clarity, and a quiet but potent freedom, as each phrase, gesture, and interval feels acutely calibrated in a shared space of mystery, immediacy, and poetic intent.


Pat Thomas
Hikmah
(Tao Forms)

An extraordinary solo piano album from UK pianist Pat Thomas, recorded at London's Fish Factory Studio, presenting eight deeply focused improvisations and compositions reflecting Thomas's lifelong engagement with Sufism and spiritual expression through sound; a luminous, exploratory work that unites the traditions of jazz and mysticism into a transcendent, profoundly human statement.


Joel Futterman
Forever
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Armaroli / Piccolo / Sharp
Imaginary Songbook [2 CDs]
(Dodicilune)

Through 64 succinct works, the trio of Sergio Armaroli (vibraphone), Steve Piccolo (electric bass, voices, electronics), and Elliott Sharp (guitars, soprano saxophone) unravels and reimagines the jazz tradition in fascinating fragments where familiar melodies, riffs, and harmonic cues flicker through an inventive, experimental interplay that blurs memory, abstraction, and improvisational wit.


John Butcher / Ute Wassermann / Martin Blume
Leaflight: Close Calls
(FMR)

In a live Cologne performance the trio of Butcher (reeds), Wassermann (voice & bird-calls) and Blume (drums/percussion) transform ambient impulse and acoustic detail into a series of "close-call" ensemble gestures, where bird-like vocal fragments, saxophone multiphonics and micro-percussion co-here in porous space, yielding an improvised chamber of attentiveness, ecological flux and sonic shadow play.


Eri Yamamoto / Matthew Shipp
Horizon
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Ivo Perelman / Nate Wooley
Polarity 4
(Burning Ambulance Music)

Continuing their ever-evolving duo series, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and trumpeter Nate Wooley expand their intuitive, exploratory language with a bold new dimension, including the duo's first-ever use of overdubbing to create layered, prismatic improvisations that push their Polarity collaboration into strikingly multidirectional terrain.


James McKain / Damon Smith / Weasel Walter
... Seeing the Way The Mole Tunnels...
(Balance Point Acoustics / International School of Evidence)

Energetic trio interplay from saxophonist James McKain with Damon Smith and Weasel Walter, recorded in Collinsville, Illinois, where taut lines, volatile textures, and razor-cut dynamics sketch "free jazz by way of the European tradition," six concise pieces whose titles nod to Thomas Bernhard and whose restless momentum — anchored by springy bass and splintered drums — turns spontaneity into vividly shaped form.


Rempis / Adasiewicz / Corsano
Dial Up
(Aerophonic)

Two fiercely intuitive trio sessions drawn from concerts in Chicago and Milwaukee by Dave Rempis, Jason Adasiewicz, and Chris Corsano, capturing the group's Chicago-forged, ego-free interplay as they shift effortlessly between surging, full-throttle improvisation and finely detailed, pointillistic exploration, always prioritizing collective motion over individual display.


Elisabeth Harnik / Steve Swell
Welcome to the Troposphere
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

An explorative album of collective free improvisation from the transatlantic duo of German pianist Elisabeth Harnik and New York trombonist Steve Swell, following up on their 2020 album Tonotopic Organisation, this 2022 live concert at Offene Ohren, in Munich brings listeners current to both improvisers immense creative drive, masterful skill, and their mutual, exuberant rapport.


Rhodri Davies / Pierre Gerard
la montagne change le paysage
(Ftarri)

A fascinating free improvising string duo of textures and sonic interaction from UK harpist Rhodri Davies and Belgian guitarist Pierre Gerard, Davies performing on pedal harp and Gerard on acoustic guitar, though the results feel downright electronic through masterful control of their instruments, eliciting sustain, pitch & amplitude changes as they weave unique and compelling tapestries.


Irene Schweizer / Rudiger Carl / Johnny Dyani / Han Bennink
Irenes Hot Four
(Intakt)

A stunning 1981 live performance at Internationales Jazzfestival Zurich, from pianist Irene Schweizer's short-lived but explosive quartet with Rüdiger Carl, Johnny Dyani, and Han Bennink, blending theatrical flair, fierce intensity, bold humor, and spontaneous surprises in a powerhouse set that channels the spirit of Mingus, the wit of Waller, and the raw energy of punk jazz.


Taborn / Cline / Gilmore
Trio of Bloom
(Pyroclastic Records)

A formidable first meeting between keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Marcus Gilmore, where three singular voices of modern creative music converge in assertive, Downtown-NY-steeped, genre-defying interplay — originals, reimagined works, and spontaneous improvisations blooming into a vibrant, exploratory dialogue of texture, rhythm, and imagination.


Eva Novoa Trio (w/ Carter / Mela)
The Freedom Suite, Vol. 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Brooklyn pianist Eva Novoa joins saxophonist Daniel Carter and drummer Francisco Mela for the second volume of The Freedom Suite, a set of twelve pieces blending piano, Rhodes, harpsichord, gongs, and vocals with Carter's multi-reed brilliance and Mela's Cuban-inflected drumming, creating an urgent, intimate, and fluidly improvised dialogue of words, sound, and fearless imagination.


Henry Threadgill
Listen Ship
(Pi Recordings)

Composer Henry Threadgill conducts a suite for six acoustic guitars and two pianos, bringing together Bill Frisell, Miles Okazaki, Brandon Ross, Gregg Belisle-Chi, Jerome Harris, Stomu Takeishi, Maya Keren, and Rahul Carlberg in an intricately orchestrated work whose intervallic syntax and meticulous counterpoint entwine with unexpected timbres to reveal his singular and sublime vision.


Ray Anderson / Joe Hertenstein Quartet feat. Michael Moore / Michael Formanek
7th Dinner Live
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Drawn from three 2024 concerts in Berlin, St. Johann, and Cormons, drummer Joe Hertenstein's touring trio with Michael Moore (reeds) and Michael Formanek (bass) welcomes trombonist Ray Anderson, the quartet forging strong themes and free-form interplay where Anderson's ebullience, Moore's lyricism, Formanek's foundational lines, and Hertenstein's flexible drive spark constantly evolving momentum.


Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten (Exit) Knarr
Breezy
(Sonic Transmissions Records)

Bringing together his Knarr ensemble for a second recording, bassist and composer Ingebrigt Håker Flaten leads Mette Rasmussen, Karl Hjalmar Nyberg, Erik Kimestad Pedersen, Oscar Grönberg, Jonathan F. Horne, Olaf Moses Olsen, Oddrun Lilja Jónsdóttir, and Joakim Rainer Petersen in an exuberant homage to Jaimie Branch, weaving spirited improvisation, textured arrangements, and collective joy into a vibrant and heartfelt statement.


Daniel Levin
Living
(Smeraldina-Rima)

A compelling and distinctive live solo recording from cellist Daniel Levin at Firehouse 12 in 2015, using extended bowing, percussive techniques, and resonant microtonal detail to explore the cello's outer limits, presented in Smeraldina-Rima's distinctive packaging with a handmade screen-printed fold-out poster and heavy-duty printed sleeve.


XT (Wright / Abbott)
Deorlaf X [VINYL]
(Otoroku)

An unusual sax and drum duo from saxophonist Seymour Wright and percussionist Paul Abbott, taking recordings from a dozen years of their work together and assembling, mixing and re-recording them into these two impressive works of "mutated multiphonics and triggered percussion" offset with periods of reflection; startling, unexpected, amusing, awe inspiring.


Haco
Another Souvenir: Solo Live in 2002
(Ftarri)

After Dinner vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and sound artist Haco undertook her first North American tour in 2002, bringing with her an irregularly tuned electric mandolin, two samplers, a mini-drum synth and her "Howling [tea]Pot" feedback instrument, here in seven uniquely Haco performances of sonic instrumentals and song, performed at Mama Gaia's in Cambridge.


Various Artists
Kraakgeluiden
(Unsounds)

A series of improvised performances with the central idea of acoustic and electronic artists experimenting with the electronic medium in a live setting with musicians with whom they have never played with before.


Various Artists
Inventionen '98 - 50 Jahre Musique Concrete
(Edition Rz)

An excellent compilation of modern Musique Concrete featuring compositions by Chin, Kosk, Cee, Donato, Minard, Mitterer, Dhomont, Karlsson, and Wishart.


Northern Valentine
Fin de Sie
(Silber Media)

Northern Valentine is a Philadelphia based ambient/drone collective anchored by husband & wife, Robert & Amy Brown, Jeffrey Bumiller & Matthew Primak, here in an album collecting their beautiful sonic creations.


Gregory Buttner
Pochen
(Herbal International)

Composer Gregory Buttner captured recordings from the 19th century French Performance Arts Forum in St. Erme, Picardy in 2011, using the house as a sound generator, resonant space and instrument, organizing the recordings into this excursive and exploratory composition.


DNMF (Machinefabriek + Dead Neanderthals)
Smelter [VINYL]
(Moving Furniture)

The DNMF collaboration of Netherland's sonic experimenter Machinefabriek (Rutger Zuydervelt) and the Dead Neanderthals duo of saxophonist Otto Kokke and drummer Rene Aquarius, in their second album of heavy, droning style, reveling in a resonant, high-volume, long-form work of hypnotic sound merging metal, drone and dark ambience.


Julien Desprez / Luis Lopes
Boa Tarde [VINYL]
(Shhpuma)

Two guitarists with unique approaches to their instruments -- Paris-based Julen Depsrez and Lisbon-based Luis Lopes -- in an experimental album of evolving sound through extreme modification of guitar sound and sustain, mysteriously building their interactions from whispering sonics to growling harmonics, tightly controlled but bristling with complex energy.


London Experimental Ensemble
Child Ballads [VINYL]
(Split Rock Records)

Drawn from 305 traditional ballads from England and Scotland alongside their American variants, anthologised by Francis James Child during the second half of the nineteenth century, are here sung by Ed Pettersen in the fascinating intersection of traditional lyrics and experimental interpretations of melodies, performed by the 11-piece London Experimental Ensemble.


Rob Mazurek
Psychotropic Electric Eel Dreams IV
(Astral Spirits)

Recordings from the 4-channel sound composition for the ESS Florasonic installation series at Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago, of Rob Mazurek's work using recordings of electric eels from National Institute of Research and Technology in Manaus, Brazil, combined with analog/digital synthesis to create environments of beautiful undulating and radiant sonic textures.


Gerald Cleaver
Signs [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(577 Records)

Taking his cues from the electronic music of his Detroit roots, free jazz drummer Gerald Cleaver presents an album of synthetic rhythms and sonic landscape, each piece composed in detailed arrangements of compelling and adventurous structures, from propulsive grooves to sinuous soundscapes, a surprising and exciting twist showing Cleaver's strong compositional skills.


Gerald Cleaver
Signs
(577 Records)

Taking his cues from the electronic music of his Detroit roots, free jazz drummer Gerald Cleaver presents an album of synthetic rhythms and sonic landscape, each piece composed in detailed arrangements of compelling and adventurous structures, from propulsive grooves to sinuous soundscapes, a surprising and exciting twist showing Cleaver's strong compositional skills.


Nicolas Snyder
Temporary Places
(Shhpuma)

West Coast sound artist Nicolas Snyder is a composer, filmmaker, sound-documenter, gardener, and forager; fascinated by the sounds of nature, he took recordings from streams and National Parks in Vietnam, Pennsylvania, and California and merged them with music composed in the studio to create these works of great beauty as a study of locational and emotional memory.


Marta Forsberg
TKAC [VINYL]
(thanatosis produktion)

Tkać means to weave, as Swedish electroacoustic sound artist Marta Forsberg interwines drones, first through a work of sound and light using frozen and processed violin sounds that slowly shift in minimal repetition; then in a synthetic work exploring darkness, light and colour by means of LED light, fabric, sequins, and minimalistic drone-based electronic music.


Anne-F Jacques / Takamitsu Ohta
Oto to Secchi [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD]
(Tsss Tapes)

Using small objects and contact microphones to create peacefully clacking, mewling and idiosyncratic utterances, sound artists Takamitsu Ohta and Anne-Francoise Jacques developed this installation shown in 2019 at the Bonjour! Gendaibunmei gallery in Kyoto, recorded by Jacques as a tour of the various sonic manifestations that a visitor to the gallery might experience.


Various
Amsterdam . Berlin . Moscow . Losoncy [2 CDs]
(Edition Wandelweiser Records)

A double album of experimental works and songs, virtual meetings curated by composer Dante Boon, recorded in the performer's individual cities as ensembles formed from musicians who have never met, including the Moscow duo The Same Ensemble of Sasha Elina and Kirill Shirokov, Amsterdamn's Seamus Cater's Tree Space, Berlin's Konzert Minimal, and sound artist Gabi Losoncy.


Michel Banabila
More Research From The Same Dept. [ [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD]
(Tapu Records)

A followup to The Latest Research From The Department Of Electrical Engineering, Dutch experimental sound artist Michel Banabila shows his most explorative side through eleven compositions using electronics, found sounds, field recordings, synthetics and acousmatic sources, a wonderfully inspired set of contructions that float like machines in a dream.


Michel Banabila
Hidden Patterns
(Tapu Records)

Netherlands keyboardist, sound artist and composer Michel Banabila's work is explored through 14 recent projects in different configurations with 10 collaborators including guitarist Anton Goudsmit, violinist Oene van Geel, clarinetist Gareth Davis, cellist Peter Hollo, &c.; beautifully dramatic works of great depth and texture with rich and often haunting melodies.


Sergio Merce
Traslasierra (expanded landscape)
(Hitorri)

A beautiful album of expanded landscapes performed on electronically modified Electronic Wind Instrument, field recordings, virtual instruments and synthesizer from Argentinian sound artist Sergio Merce, his characteristically patient pacing and use of space creating dramatic and beautiful sonic environments that hint at warm narratives in a seductive excursion.


Ego Death / Astro
Crossing The Line Between Life And Death
(Love Earth Music)

A split release between two noise artists from opposite sides of the planet: first Greek sound artist Manos Michaelides, aka Ego Death, in a brutal assault of abrasive sound recorded over a decade; then an amalgamation of a live recording from Hiroshi Hasegawa (C.C.C.C.) performing at IAF shop in Fukuoka, Japan and in the studio at Koenji-Minami Studio, in Tokyo, Japan.


Michel Banabila
The Unreal Realm
(Tapu Records)

A collection of works from Netherlands composer Michel Banabila, including a piece developed with saxophonist Dave Liebman and previously released only digitally; a work with Rutger Zuydervelt (Machinefabriek); a work with Pierre Bastien; and excerpts from scores for Yin Yue's choreography in two works: "Somewhere" for New York Live Arts and "Timeless Tide" for BalletMet.


Bruno Duplant / Rutger Zuydervelt
Edge Of Oblivion
(Machinefabriek)

The third collaboration between sound and electronic artists Bruno Duplant and Rutger Zuydervelt (Machinefabriek) is a darkly heavy and dramatic work of subtle motion that slowly unfolds and shifts through vast sonic environments, fueled by acousmatic sources that take the listener to the edge of darkness and then pulls them back in warm waves or rich ambiance.


Jon Rose
Aeolian Tendency
(Room40)

Aeolian instruments, which create sound by the action of wind, have been an occupation of Australian violinist Jon Rose since 1979, using central Australia's winds to exite vibrations on self-invented instrumented using piano wire and fishing line, here presenting beautifully exotic recordings from two instruments he created in 2021 (The Monolith) and in 2022 (The Tube).


Sergio Merce
Prosa
(Hitorri)

Buenos Aires sound artist & saxophonist Sergio Merce presents his third album on the Hitorri label, in two pieces recorded between 2023-24: "Segundo Paisaje", an organized composition using wind synthesizer, virtual instruments & field recordings; and "Glissotar" using a new wind instrument designed for extreme glissando effects, joined with wind synth & electronics.


Philip Jeck
rpm [2 CDs]
(Touch)

Collecting work from Philip Jeck's life and collaborations, including projects with Fennesz, Jah Wobble, Faith Coloccia, Gavin Bryars and Chris Watson, including Oxmardyke completed from Watson's recordings, Jana Winderen's pilot whale track, and reflections on Jeck's groundbreaking audiovisual work Vinyl Requiem (1993), showcasing his legacy of innovation in sound and performance.


Jurg Frey with ensemble]h[iatus
Je Laisse A La Nuit Son Poids D'ombre
(Another Timbre)

A brooding work for ten musicians, Jürg Frey's crepuscular score intertwines Japanese haiku and poems by Anne Perrier through hushed voices, fragile instrumental colors, and suspended textures, inviting ensemble]h[iatus, led by Le Quan Ninh and Martine Altenburger, into a slowly unfolding landscape where uncertainty, breath, and quiet tension shape a haunting world on the edge of darkness.


Jakob Ullmann
Solo I / Solo IV
(Another Timbre)

Jakob Ullmann's Solo I and Solo IV are realised together as two ultra-quiet, long-form works in which graphic notation, fixed pitch sequences, and subtle performance choices guide quarter-tone flute and double bass through slowly shifting regions of colour and resonance, blending live sound with tailored playback to create a fragile, immersive acoustic environment.


Melaine Dalibert / David Sylvian
Vermilion Hours
(Ici d Ailleurs)

A refined collaboration between pianist Melaine Dalibert and David Sylvian, transforming Dalibert's algorithmic piano works through subtle, impressionistic electronic treatments that deepen their harmonic resonance, creating a luminous and contemplative soundworld shaped by spectral motion and quiet atmospheric detail.


Marc Sabat
Bach Tunings
(Another Timbre)

Reimagining Bach's Three Sonatas for Solo Violin through the lens of Just Intonation, composer Marc Sabat adds a second violin to create intricate harmonic dialogues performed with Sara Cubarsi and Xenia Gogu, where precise microtonal tuning and subtle psychoacoustic resonance reveal new shades of Bach's counterpoint, bridging baroque invention with contemporary exploration.


Jurg Frey
Composer, Alone [3 CDs]
(elsewhere)

Recording at the historic Muziekcentrum van de Omroep in Hilversum, Dutch pianist Reinier van Houdt performs twelve solo piano works spanning more than three decades of Swiss composer Jürg Frey's output, revealing an evolving yet remarkably consistent compositional voice through performances of great restraint, sensitivity, and quiet intensity, balancing fragility, warmth, and crystalline clarity.


John Cage / Domencio Scarlatti
Changes
(Hat [now] ART)

Pianist Pi-Hsien Chen performs both the playful and quirky sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti juxtaposed to John Cage's I Ching developed compositions, "Music of Changes", which complement each other in unexpected and sublime ways.


Dieter Ammann
The Freedom of Speech
(Hat [now] ART)

The Ensemble fur Neue Musik Zurich plays seven pieces by Swiss composer Dieter Ammann, each made through a very slow creative process that contrasts the very lively and gestural music.


Magnus Granberg
How Lonely Sits the City? (version for quartet)
(Meenna)

An exquisite work for violin, cello, harp and prepared piano composed by Magnus Granberg, who also performs on piano, at the invitation of fellow Swedish contemporary performers Leo Svensson Sander (cello), Stina Hellberg Agback (harp) and Eva Lindal (violin), a complement to the version released on Another Timbre in 2022 and performed by Granberg's Skogen ensemble.


Magnus Granberg (w/ Miki Maruta / Ko Ishikawa / Toshimaru Nakamura)
Come Down To Earth Where Sorrow Dwelleth -- Revised Version For Sho, Koto, Prepared Piano And Electronic
(Meenna)

Composer Magnus Granberg originally composed "Come Down to Earth Where Sorrow Dwelleth" for the Boston-based ensemble Ordinary Affects, previously released in 2020 on the Meena label, now in a version reworked for sho, koto, prepared piano and electronics by Ko Ishikawa, Miki Maruta and Toshimaru Nakamura, recording in the studio before their performance at the 2019 Ftarri Festival.


Claudio Sanna
Compositori Sardi Contemporanei II [2 CDs]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

The second volume in pianist and composer Claudio Sanna exploration of composers, improviser and experimenters from Sardinia, in a wonderfully diverse set of works and performances from Sanna himself, Anna Zeriotto (double bass), Federico Nicoletta (piano), Leoardo Zunica (piano), Sandro Mungianu (live electronics), and Paolo Pastorino (live electronics).


Pellegrini Quartet
Luigi Nono Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima; Ludwig van Beethoven Streichquartett a-moll op. 132, First Visit
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reissuing their 1995 release on BVHAAST, the Pellegrini Quartet presents a striking juxtaposition of Beethoven's late string quartet, Op. 132, and Luigi Nono's Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima, revealing a profound dialogue between structural innovation and expressive depth, where Beethoven's introspective lyricism meets Nono's fragmented, textural modernism, spanning 155 years of musical evolution.


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.


Bryn Harrison (Mark Knoop / Roderick Chadwick)
Towards A Slowing Of The Past
(Another Timbre)

Exploring time, memory, and perception, composer Bryn Harrison crafts an intricate sonic landscape for two pianos and electronics, performed with great precision by Mark Knoop and Roderick Chadwick, where dense, swirling repetitions give way to moments of eerie stillness, gradually descending into a murky, destabilizing space while immersing the listener in a hypnotic and disorienting temporal experience.


James Opstad
Drift
(Another Timbre)

The debut composer album from Apartment House bassist James Opstad presents five chamber works performed by Apartment House, the GBSR Duo, and clarinettist Heather Roche, tracing his evolution from electroacoustic exploration to intricately layered instrumental writing, where overlapping tempi, gradual transformations, and subtle harmonic shifts create a sense of suspended motion and quiet intensity.


Cat Hope
Speechless
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Composed by Cat Hope and recorded live at the Tura and Perth Festival, this striking opera for four vocal soloists, bass orchestra, and community choir unites the visceral voices of Caitlin Cassidy, Judith Dodsworth, Sage Pbbbt, and Karina Utomo under conductor Aaron Wyatt in a profound, wordless protest against the inhumanity of refugee detention and a moving appeal to shared compassion.


Samuel Reinhard
For 10 Musicians
(elsewhere)

A four-part work for two pianos, clarinets, bass clarinets, violas, cello, and double bass, unfolding through quietly repeated dyads, chance-shaped harmonies, and sparse, non-directional gestures, as Reinhard's ensemble traces near-silent textures that accumulate, recede, and hover in a state of delicate, slowly evolving stillness.


Marja Ahti
Visiting Cloud (Two Translations)
(Another Timbre)

Acoustic ensemble realizations of two electroacoustic works by Marja Ahti, in which members of the Italian ensemble Blutwurst translate her drifting textures, elemental timbres, and spatial sensibilities into slow, finely detailed instrumental environments, expanding the original works into patient, resonant soundworlds shaped by pitch nuance, breath, and sustained collective focus.


Horatiu Radulescu
Clepsydra / Astray [VINYL]
(Edition Rz)

Romanian-French composer Horatiu Radulescu with 2 works from 1983: "Clepsydra" for 16 Sound Icons played on a sideway piano, and the 1984 work "Astray" for 6 saxophones and Sound Icons.


What Is Music
Volume 1 Liquid Metal Dreaming
(MusicNow)

Duo music from Robert Evans and Laurie Scott Baker for crwth, tambura, lyre, fiddle, double and electric bass and metal percussion, four slowly evolving pieces rooted in the harmonic series and Pythagorean tuning, weaving airy but focused textures of resonant strings and shimmering overtones into quietly luminous, immersive soundscapes.


Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis
(Edition Rz)

A collection of historical and essential works from Xenakis including Syrmos, Le Polytope de Montreal, Terretektorh, Nomos Gamma, ST/48-1,240162, Achorripsis, Persepolis, Polytope de Cluny.


Emmett Williams
Poems 1950-2003 [VINYL]
(Edition Rz)

Fluxus originator & member of the "Darmstadt Circle" of concrete poetry, Emmett Williams in a beatiful picture disc of poems written from 1950-2003 and recorded from 2000-2003.


Volker Heyn
Sirenes
(Edition Rz)

Works from Volker Heyn, an outsider artist interested in acoustic process, tone gestures, friction, discontinuous movements, &c., with recordings by Pellegrini-Quartett, Ausfuhrende: Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin, &c.


Anders Dahl & Skogen
Rows
(Another Timbre)

Sweden's Skogen returns with a beautiful work for chamber ensemble with Magnus Granberg, Angharad Davies, Toshimaru Nakamura, Ko Ishikawa, Anna Lindal, Henrik Olsson, Petter wastberg and Erik Carlsson, interpreting a piece by Anders Dahl using a 12 tone system.


Udo Kasemets
Pythagoras Tree
(Hat [now] ART)

Pianist Stephen Clarke plays seven works for solo piano by Estonian-born, Canadian-naturalized composer Udo Kasemets that focus on specific designs of micro-detail.


Clarence Barlow
Musica Derivata
(Hat [now] ART)

Composer Clarence Barlow, like Beethoven, builds his own labyrinths, brick by brick, and then searches for an escape by creating conceptual forms to get around the traps of time, tonality, and style.


John Zorn
The Song of Songs [CD + CD BOOK]
(Tzadik)

A rich all-vocal rendering of the Bible's sensual Song of Solomon, featuring five distinguished female voices with narration by Barbara Hannigan and Mathieu Amalric, and guided by Jeremy Fogel's new translation, this lush limited-edition CD book highlights one of Zorn's most evocative and beautifully realized creations in a single extended work.


Henry Cow
Leg End (Original Mix)
(Recommended Records)


Henry Cow
In Praise of Learning
(Recommended Records)


Henry Cow
Western Culture
(Recommended Records)


Slapp Happy/Henry Cow
Desperate Straights
(Recommended Records)


Pinhas / Merzbow / Wolf Eyes
Victoriaville May 2011
(Les Disques Victo)

French guitarist Richard Pinhas, Japanese electronics and noise artist Merzbow, and the American trio Wolf Eyes performed together at the 2011 Victo Festival, with this massive recording one result.


The Work
The Worst of Everywhere [2 CDs]
(Ultragash)

Originally released by Woof Records in 1982 on cassette, this double CD reissues an essential lo-fi document from The Work (Bill Gilonis, Mick Hobbs, Tim Hodgkinson and Rick Wilson) in live performances from gigs and rehearsals assembled in cut-up form, adding new pieces and expanding on others, joined at times by Catherine Jauniaux, Bob Ostertag, Chris Cutler, &c.


Astroturf Noise (feat Susan Alcorn)
Blazing/Freezing [7-inch VINYL]
(577 Records)

The opening and closing tracks from the new Blazing/Freezing album on a 7" single by the genre-merging Downtown NY trio of Sam Day Harmet (mandolin), Sana Nagano (violin) and Zachary Swanson (upright bass) deconstructing Americana roots music by slicing and dicing it with jazz/improv, electronica, sample sources, and inexplicable errata.


Kirsten Carey / Aaron Edgcomb
Mature Defense Mechanism
(Relative Pitch)

Known best for the guitar work on clipping's Rick and Morty song "Stab Him in the Throat", Chicago guitarist Kirsten Carey joins with drummer Aaron Edgcomb (Trigger) for this set of mischievous improvised experiments that explore the relationships between rock, jazz and experimental sound through eleven assertive dialogs of quirky, skronky, and inspired playing.


Moe Staiano
Away Towards the Light [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(Edgetone)

An exploration of tonal interplay and contrasting rhythms from nine electric guitars, bass, and drums by West Coast percussionist and composer Moe! Staiano (formerly of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), a work in three movements that features assertive rhythmic structures and intertwining string structures, balanced by beautifully ringing moments of introspection.


Missing Heads (Kazuhie / Mitsuru / Yoshida)
Astral Traveler
(Magaibutsu Limited)

With two guitarists split between the left and right sides of the head--Kazuhide Yamaji and Mitsuru Tabata, also on vocals--in a trio aTwo guitarists split between the left and right sides of the head--Kazuhide Yamaji and Mitsuru Tabata, also on vocals--in a trio with Ruins drummer and Magaibutsu label-leader Tatsuya Yoshida, for a an energetic album of mostly instrumental post-prog "no-wave" improvisations, nine wild tracks captured live from four 2024 concerts in Japan.with Ruins drummer and Magaibutsu label-leader Tatsuya Yoshida, for a an energetic album of mostly instrumental post-prog "no-wave" improvisations, nine wild tracks captured live from four 2024 concerts in Japan.


Doortri (Pellizzari / Mattiello / Copplestone)
EEEEELS
(zOaR Records)

Expanding their genre-defying vision, the Italian trio Doortri — Tiziano Pellizzari (reeds, electronics), Geoffrey Copplestone (noise, vocals), and Giampaolo Mattiello (percussion) — deliver a bold follow-up with their second zOaR release, fusing free jazz, noise, post-punk, and anarchic wit into an infectious, unpredictable sonic landscape, mixed and mastered by Elliott Sharp.


Amanojaku (Yoshida / Fujii / Tamura)
Bishamonten
(Magaibutsu)

Emerging from an improv session during the pandemic, Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), Satoko Fujii (piano), and Tatsuya Yoshida (drums) formed Amanojaku, named after the contrarian demon of Japanese folklore, embracing a balance of composition, improv and mischievous interplay with a uniquely Japanese sensibility through virtuosic spontaneity and irreverent humor, captured live at Koen-dori Classics.


Loren Connors / Alan Licht
The Blue Hour
(Otoroku)

Celebrating three decades of collaboration, Loren Connors and Alan Licht performed at Café OTO in 2023, captured in their first set with Connors on piano before shifting to guitar, their improvisation unfolding with spacious warmth, melodic restraint, and shimmering textures that evoke Rothko-like hues, blending blues abstraction and lyrical fragments into a calm, luminous dialogue.


Uneven Eleven (Segers / Hawyard / Kawabata)
Live In Brighton
(Discus)

A ferocious meeting of three seasoned innovators, this live set from Charles Hayward (drums, vocals), Guy Segers (bass), and Kawabata Makoto (guitar) channels decades of rock, punk, psychedelia, and free improvisation into an explosive power trio performance, where raw energy, shifting polyrhythms, and searing intensity collide in a fiercely immediate and unfiltered sonic assault captured on stage in Brighton in 2013.


Cecil Taylor Unit (w/ Lyons / Silva / Cooper / Murray)
Live At Fat Tuesday's February 10, 1980 First Visit [CD + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

The 2nd night of the superb, extended live performance from 1980 at NYC's Fat Tuesday jazz club, from the outstanding sextet of forward-thinking free improvisers, Jimmy Lyons on alto sax, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Alan Silva on double bass & cello, Jerome Cooper on drums & African Balaphone and Sunny Murray on drums, led by Cecil Taylor on piano in an ecstatic concert never previously released.


Steve Lacy Three
Live Lugano 1984 - First Visit [CD + 2 POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Recorded live in Lugano in 1984, Steve Lacy's trio with guitarist Barry Wedgle and bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel reimagines his compositions in an intimate and transparent setting, where Lacy's masterful soprano saxophone carves precise yet expressive lines, drawing on influences from poetry, Monk, and visual art to create a striking balance between structure and improvisation.


Paul Bley Trio
Floater & Syndrome - The Upright Piano Sessions, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Revisiting and remastering two albums from Paul Bley's formative trio years with Steve Swallow on double bass and Pete LaRoca Sims on drums, recorded in Newark, NJ, from 1962-63 but unreleased until the 1980s on Savoy Jazz, as Bley explores Carla Bley's compositions alongside his own, reshaping the piano trio dynamic with a balance of free and lyrical approaches to jazz.


Joe Morris
Perpetual Frontier The Properties of Free Music [BOOK]
(Riti Publishing)

Joe Morris wrote this book to discuss aspects of free music, including responses to his questionnaire written by Joe McPhee, William Parker, Jamie Saft, Ken Vandermark, Marilyn Crispell, Nate Wooley, Jack Wright, Matthew Shipp, &c.


Leo Genovese / Mariano Otero / Sergio Verdinelli
Trio Sin Tiempo: Ritmos de Agua
(577 Records)

A lyrical piano trio album from three seasoned Argentinian-born improvising musicians -- Leo Genovese on piano, Mariano Otero on bass and Sergio Verdinelli on drums -- each contributing compositions to the album, along with one piece by Luis Alberto Spinetta, with whom Verdinelli has performed extensively; a lovely and sophisticated album of modern jazz.


Albert Ayler with Don Cherry
1964 Recordings First Visit Completed [2 CDs + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Four sets of recordings from September, 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark from a week performing live at Club Montmarte, and a recording in Hilversum, The Netherlands for VARA Radio, collecting and remastering these vital recordings from tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler's most vital free jazz quartet with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on double bass and Sunny Murray on drums.


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.


Cecil Taylor Unit (w/ Lyons / Silva / Cooper / Murray)
Live At Fat Tuesday's February 9 - First Visit Archive [CD + POSTCARDS]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

A superb and extended live performance from 1980 at NYC's Fat Tuesday jazz club, from the outstanding sextet of forward-thinking free improvisers, Jimmy Lyons on alto sax, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Alan Silva on double bass & cello, Jerome Cooper on drums & African Balaphone and Sunny Murray on drums, led by Cecil Taylor on piano in an ecstatic concert never previously released.


Anthony Braxton
Solo Bern 1984 First Visit
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Thirteen years after his breakthrough solo saxophone album For Alto, Anthony Braxton is heard in an inventive solo concert on the same instrument, performing at the Altes Schlachthaus Theatre in Bern, Switzerland for a set of original numbered compositions, the standards "Alone Together" and "I Remember You", and two Coltrane pieces: "Giant Steps" and "Naima".


Michael Sarian / Matthew Putman / Ledian Mola / Federico Ughi
The Sea, The Space, and Egypt, Vol. 1 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Bringing together trumpeter Michael Sarian, keyboardist Matthew Putman, drummer Federico Ughi, and Cuban bassist-vocalist Ledian Mola to pay heartfelt tribute to Sun Ra's cosmic Afrofuturism, blending improvisational brilliance with Mola's folklore-inspired vocals and Putman's Rocksichord - the same keyboard model Sun Ra played - in a first-time collaboration and celebration of innovation.


Evan Parker
The Heraclitean Two-Step, etc. [4 CDs + BOOK]
(False Walls)

Celebrating Evan Parker's 80th birthday in 2024 in a 4-CD set of solo improvisations recorded from 1994-2024, paired with a 120-page book featuring essays, an extended interview with Martin Davis plus visual artwork by Parker, blending profound reflections on space, sound, and artistic evolution while showcasing pivotal recordings and contributions from the improv and art community.


Jacobo Vega-Albela
Un-Belonging
(577 Records)

Drawing on a cross-continental journey of change and discovery, drummer and composer Jacobo Vega-Albela debuts with an expressive set of trio, quartet, and quintet pieces blending contemporary jazz with post-bop, rock, Latin, and modern classical influences, offering a vivid and deeply personal statement shaped by close collaborators and heartfelt narrative drive.


Thelonious Monk with Sonny Rollins
1953 To 1957 Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Restoring and remastering three key sessions documenting the evolving creative relationship between Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins, alongside artists including Julius Watkins, Ernie Henry, Oscar Pettiford, and Max Roach, in a vital revisitation of formative collaborations that highlight Monk's unique brilliance and Rollins' early improvisational voice within shifting post-bop ensembles.


AMM with Sachiko M
Testing
(Matchless)

A rare meeting between Japanese minimalist Sachiko M and AMM's Eddie Prévost and John Tilbury, recorded in 2004 at London's Museum of Garden History, where sine wave precision meets tactile percussion and spacious piano in an intricate electroacoustic improvisation that explores silence, texture, and the fragile tension of deep collective listening.


Ellery Eskelin Trio New York
About (or On), First Visit [2 CDs]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reuniting for two powerful studio sessions recorded in 2011 and 2013, tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, organist Gary Versace, and drummer Gerald Cleaver form Trio New York, navigating an intuitive path between free improvisation and jazz standards with soulful depth, rich allusions, and a shared language that reimagines the classic organ trio.


Joe Henderson / Kenny Dorham / Andrew Hill / McCoy Tyner
Our Thing to In 'N Out Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Joe Henderson, alongside Kenny Dorham and Andrew Hill, revisits the essence of the 'New Thing' in jazz with the remasters and reissues of Our Thing to In 'N Out, showcasing mastery of both conservative and adventurous impulses through a sly blend of inside and outside tactics, marked by intricate solos and dynamic group interplay that highlight the evolving soundscape of early 60s Blue Note recordings.


Marion Brown
Three For Shepp to Gesprachsfetzen Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Remastering and restoring Marion Brown's 1967 Impulse! album with Grachan Moncure III, Dave Burrel, Stanley Cowell, Sirone, Beaver Harris & Bobby Capp, and his 1968 album on the Calig label with Gunter Hampel, Steve McCall, Ambrosa Jackson & Buschi Niedergall; two albums of essential "New Thing" work through fascinating composed forms by Brown, plus Archie Shepps' "Delicado"; essential.


Tim Berne (w/ Tom Rainey / Gregg Belisle-Chi)
Yikes Too [2 CDs]
(Out Of Your Head Records)

Highlighting the profound skill and musical connection of alto saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey, and guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi, in a captivating journey through meticulously composed pieces, dynamic improvisation, and structured arrangements of spontaneous creativity, across 2 CDs contrasting live and studio recordings that emphasize their exploratory artistry and evolution within creative jazz.


Joe Maneri / Tyson Rogers / Jacob Braverman
In The Shadow, First Visit
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Capturing a multidimensional dialogue through breathy microtones, atonal piano fragments, and ambiguous percussion, Joe Maneri on sax and clarinet, Tyson Rogers on piano, and Jacob Braverman on drums craft abstract improvisations exploring the delicate interplay of shadow and light, revealing emotional nuances and identity in richly layered, spontaneous constructions of impressive expressive intensity.


Albert Ayler
Live Greenwich Village To Love Cry, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Bringing together two contrasting Impulse! albums from Aylers late 60's output: the exemplary free jazz release Live Greenwich Village in two sessions with core Ayler associates, brother Donald, Michael Sampson, Henry Grimes, Beaver Harris, &c.; then Ayler's challenging attempt to reach a more popular following in Love Cry, with Milford Graves taking the drummers chair.


Jimmy Lyons
Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 3
(NoBusiness)

Continuing NoBusiness' series of historic loft concerts at Sam Rivers' Studio Rivbea, alto saxophonist Jimmy Lyons leads a quintet featuring bassoonist Karen Borca, bassist Hayes Burnett, and drummers Henry Letcher and Syd Smart in two electrifying 1970s performances, delivering fervent free jazz marked by intricate interplay and dynamic improvisation.


Sonic Chambers Quartet
Kiss Of The Earth
(577 Records)

The debut album from the Sonic Chambers Quartet — co-led by multi-reedists Byron Asher and Tomas Majcherski with bassist Matt Booth and drummer Doug Garrison — presents a deeply expressive and texturally rich orchestration merging American avant jazz tradition with European chamber influences, shaped through collaborative composition, adventurous improv, and a strikingly unified ensemble sound.


Rob Brown / Brandon Lopez / Juan P. Carletti
Walkabout
(Mahakala Music)

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.


Karl Evangelista's Apura + Andrew Cyrille
Bukas
(577 Records)

West Coast Bay Area guitarist Karl Evangelista leads his Apura ensemble — Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), Francis Wong (tenor sax), Rei Scampavia (keys, electronics), and Lewis Jordan (alto sax) — joined by drum legend Andrew Cyrille in a powerful statement of free improvisation, blending expressive intensity and forward-looking vision with deeply rooted passion and creative openness.


Alan Niblock / John Butcher / Mark Sanders
Tectonic Plates
(577 Records)

A formidable trio debut from Irish double bassist Alan Niblock with British improvisers John Butcher on saxophones and Mark Sanders on drums and percussion, recorded live at The Black Box in Belfast and unfolding across five tectonically inspired pieces that channel collective intuition, dynamic interplay, and seismic shifts of intensity and form.


Derek Bailey / John Stevens
The Duke of Wellington
(Confront)

Seminal figures in the evolution of free or nonidiomatic improvisation, guitarist Derek Bailey and percussionist/pocket trumpeter John Stevens are heard in a 1989 London performance vividly captured by Michael Gerzon at The Duke of Wellington, their restless and enthusiastic interplay shifting from angular invention to lyrical reflection in a compelling document of their remarkable rapport.


Daniel Carter / Ayumi Ishito / George Draguns / Ed Wilcox
Makeshift Spirituals
(577 Records)

Uniting four visionary improvisers — Daniel Carter on trumpet, flute, and saxophones; Ayumi Ishito on saxophones and effects; George Draguns on guitar and bass; and Ed Wilcox on drums — this dynamic quartet merges free jazz, psychedelic textures, and experimental energy into a powerful collective session recorded at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Sound.


Eye Contact (Lavelle / Heyner / Sawyer)
War Rug
(KMB Jazz)

The New York free improvising trio of Matthew Heyner (Test, Malkuth) on bass, Matt Lavelle on trumpet and clarinet and Ryan Sawyer (Tall Firs, Stars Like Fleas) on drums in the follow-up to their 2005 Utech double CD "Embracing The Tide / Making Eye Contact With God", an impressive release of expressive technique and ritualistic drive.


Ornette Coleman
Free Jazz To Ornette! Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Exploring further the concepts of free jazz, saxophonist Ornette Coleman's back-to-back 1961 & 62 albums find the composer and innovator in a ground-breaking double quartet that includes Eric Dolphy, Don Cherry & Freddie Hubbard, Scott LaFaro & Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgns & Ed Blackwell; then with quintet with Scott LaFaro temporarily taking Charlie Haden's chair.


Keiji Haino / Natsuki Tamura
What Happened There?
(Libra)

An electrifying 1st-time meeting between guitarist Keiji Haino and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, captured live at Tokyo's Shinjuku Pit Inn, where the duo shape an unpredictable set that veers from reflective stillness to wildly passionate outbursts, their extended techniques and visceral vocals — sometimes urgent, sometimes outrageous — fueling an exhilarating and uncompromising sonic adventure.


Eva Novoa
Novoa / Kamaguchi / Cleaver Trio - Vol. 2
(577 Records)

Barcelona-born pianist Eva Novoa leads bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Gerald Cleaver in their second trio release for 577 Records, recorded in 2020 and blending melodic density with contrapuntal dialogue through a boldly experimental set on piano, Fender Rhodes, Chinese gongs, and improvisation, deepening the trio's inventive, textural interplay.


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.


Tim Daisy / Ken Vandermark
Fourth Atlas
(Not Two)

A solid duo recording from long-time Chicago collaborators Ken Vandermark (tenor & baritone saxophones, Bb & bass clarinets) and Tim Daisy (drums & percussion), captured in the studio in Chicago, blending focused free jazz with intricate free improv, as the two navigate dynamic contrasts, rich textures, and conversational interplay with seemingly telepathic precision.


Joe Fonda Quartet (w/ Wadada Leo Smith / Satoko Fujii / Tizano Tononi)
Eyes On The Horizon
(Long Song Records)

NY Bassist-composer Joe Fonda leads an exceptional quartet featuring trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, pianist Satoko Fujii, and drummer Tiziano Tononi in a profound tribute to his mentor Smith, skillfully blending compositional clarity with collective improvisation in a deeply resonant and lyrically intricate musical conversation that reflects inspiration, respect, and artistic integrity.


John Butcher / John Edwards
This Is Not Speculation
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A remarkable live recording from Einstein Kultur in Munich, reuniting British free improvisation masters John Butcher on saxophones and John Edwards on double bass in four expansive, detailed, and often breathtaking duets, exploring abstract soundscapes with razor-sharp interplay, extended techniques, and an uncompromising sense of sonic exploration.


Evan Parker / Joelle Leandre
Long Bright Summer
(RogueArt)

Drawing on decades of fearless improvising, saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Joëlle Léandre engage in an intense and unfiltered acoustic dialogue recorded live in France, their shared language enabling lightning reactions, extended techniques, surges of density and flow, hushed textural intimacy, and moments where Léandre's wordless voice merges seamlessly into their spontaneous interplay.


Marion Brown
Capricorn Moon To Juba Lee (remastered)
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Merging and remastering two essential albums from free jazz saxophonist Marion Brown: his 1966 ESP album "Marion Brown Quartet" with trumpeter Alan Shorter, bassist Reggie Johnson and percussionist Rahied Ali; and his 1967 Fontana album "Juba-Lee" in a septet with Reggie Johnson, drummer Beaver Harris, pianist Dave Burrell, trombonist Grachan Moncur III & saxophonist Bennie Maupin.


Booker Little
Out Front To And Friends, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

The lesser known hard bop trumpeter Booker Little died at just 23, but left a legacy in these two sextet albums that balance lyricism with freedom — Out Front and Booker Little and Friend — the former recorded with Eric Dophy and Max Roach, and the latter with George Coleman & Julian Priester, both albums with legendary players including Ron Carter, Reggie Workman, Art Davis, Don Friedman &c..


Mats Gustafsson / Ken Vandermark / Tomeka Reid / Chad Taylor
Pivot
(Silkheart)

Four master improvisers (Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Tomeka Reid, Chad Taylor) from overlapping creative circles engage in a set of powerful interactions, where dense low-end reeds, lyrical cello, and rhythmic elasticity create shifting terrain; through deep listening and long-forged connections, they navigate spontaneous form with urgency, restraint, and a shared sense of sonic purpose.


Joseph Holbrooke (w/ Derek Bailey / Gavin Bryars / Tony Oxley)
Last Live 2001 - In Memoriam Derek Bailey And Tony Oxley [2 CDs]
(Tzadik)

The legendary trio Joseph Holbrooke — guitarist Derek Bailey, bassist Gavin Bryars, and drummer Tony Oxley — reunited after decades for one final performance in 2001, captured in this historic live recording that highlights their uncompromising commitment to free improvisation, the set resonating with both the radical spirit of their 1960s origins and the profound artistry of three pioneering voices in avant-garde music.


Angles 11
Tell Them It's The Sound Of Freedom
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

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.


Anthony Braxton
10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022
(New Braxton House)

Documenting six live performances with Anthony Braxton's Lorraine Trio featuring trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, accordionist/vocalist Adam Matlock, and Anthony Braxton, plus four studio recordings featuring Braxton, saxophonist James Fei, and bassists Zach Rowden and Carl Testa, in a solid box set of 10 CDs in five gatefold wallets with a 28 page booklet of notes by Anthony Braxton.


Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner
The Music of Anthony Braxton
(Pi Recordings)

Alto saxophonist Steve Lehman leads his trio with bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Damion Reid, joined by tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, in a vibrant live homage to Anthony Braxton's small ensemble works, blending intricate modern jazz interplay with searing emotional expression in a bold, high-energy celebration of Braxton's enduring influence.


GPS (Guillermo Gregorio / Jeff Pearring / Charley Sabatino)
Directions + Destinations
(577 Records)

A fascinating debut from the trio GPS — clarinetist Guillermo Gregorio, saxophonist Jeff Pearring, and bassist Charley Sabatino — recorded in two sessions a year apart where they capture fourteen dynamic tracks of composed and spontaneous collective improvisation, blending intuitive interplay and diverse genre influences into a distinct, uncategorizable sound.


Peter Brotzmann / John Edwards / Steve Noble / Jason Adasiewicz
The Quartet [2 CDs]
(Otoroku)

One of Peter Brötzmann's final recordings, captured live at Cafe OTO with vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, bassist John Edwards, and drummer Steve Noble, presenting two nights of emotionally charged and fiercely expressive performances that blend power, lyricism, and deep intergenerational connection in a fitting and resonant farewell to the legendary saxophonist.


Hemphill Stringtet, The
Plays the Music of Julius Hemphill
(Out Of Your Head Records)

Celebrating the profound compositional legacy of Julius Hemphill through inventive string adaptations of his saxophone quartet and sextet works, violinists Curtis Stewart and Sam Bardfeld, violist Stephanie Griffin, and cellist Tomeka Reid channel Abdul Wadud's expressive spirit, transforming Hemphill's blues-inflected jazz into vividly textured chamber improvisations with lyrical intensity.


Von Schlippenbach, Alexander / Barry Altschul Quartet w/ Joe Fonda & Rudi Mahal
Free Flow [2 CDs]
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A first-time meeting of four free jazz luminaries — pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, bassist Joe Fonda, drummer Barry Altschul, and bass clarinetist Rudi Mahall — captured live in Vienna, delivering a vibrant and exploratory double CD of spontaneous interplay, deep lyricism, and uncompromising freedom from a quartet of master improvisers united in real-time invention.


Cosmic Ear ( Bothen / Gustfsson / Kajfe / Zetterberg / Romero)
Traces
(We Jazz)

A rich and spiritually resonant quintet featuring Christer Bothén, Mats Gustafsson, Goran Kajfeš, Juan Romero, and Kansan Zetterberg, drawing inspiration from Don Cherry's transcultural legacy as they weave meditative global grooves with donso n'goni, karignan, electronics, and deep improvisation into a vibrant and exploratory sonic journey.


Frode Gjerstad / Alexander von Schlippenbach / Dag Magnus Narvesen
Seven Tracks
(Relative Pitch)

A dynamic trio session from Frode Gjerstad on alto sax & clarinet, Alexander von Schlippenbach on piano, and Dag Magnus Narvesen on drums & percussion, their first collaboration unfolds in seven spontaneous improvisations that balance fierce intensity with lyrical openness, revealing a seasoned interplay that blends deep exploration with collective free jazz sensibility.


Charles Mingus
Presents Charles Mingus To Pre Bird, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Three sides of Charles Mingus in this remastered reissue set: the 1961 Candid album Mingus Presents Mingus with the classic quartet of Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson and Dannie Richmond; then the Mercury release Pre-Bird from the same year, in ensembles performing the music of or influenced by Duke Ellington, along with the ambitious and brilliant through-composed work, "Half Mast Inhibition".




The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC