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

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.


Daunik Lazro / Tristan Honsinger / Jean-Jacques Avenel
True & Whole Tones in Rhythms
(Fou Records)

Recorded live in 1982 at Paris' 28 rue Dunois, the trio of Daunik Lazro (alto saxophone), Tristan Honsinger (cello, vocals), and Jean-Jacques Avenel (double bass) create a spirited interplay of strings and reeds, shifting from intricate pizzicato and arco textures to exuberant collective outbursts, in a performance brimming with freedom, wit, and unbridled invention.


Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Mars Williams / Jim Baker / Ed Wilkerson / Brian Sandstrom / Steve Hunt)
The Last Quintet [2 CDs]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

An historic document of Chicago's Extraordinary Popular Delusions in their final quintet performance with the late Mars Williams, recorded live in August 2023 at Elastic Arts Foundation, capturing Williams' fiery, life-affirming playing alongside Edward Wilkerson Jr. (tenor sax0, Jim Baker (piano & kesy), Brian Sandstrom (bass), and Steve Hunt (drums) in a two-set suite of fearless improvisation.


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.


Georg Graewe / Brad Jones / Hamid Drake
More Than Anything
(Random Acoustics)

A long-awaited reunion between pianist Georg Graewe and drummer Hamid Drake, joined for the first time by bassist Brad Jones, captured live at the 2024 Konfrontationen Festival in Austria in three expansive improvisations, the trio's chemistry igniting in deep rhythmic interplay, fluid abstraction, and Graewe's seamless movement between jazz traditions and contemporary sensibilities.


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.


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.


Ivo Pereleman / Nate Wooley / Matt Moran / Mark Helias / Tom Rainey
A Modicum Of the Blues
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman joins Nate Wooley (trumpet), Matt Moran (vibes), Mark Helias (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) in a tempered yet highly active quintet that nods to the blues, moving through free, melody-rich dialog; vibes replace piano to color the space as the group shifts from playful exchanges to surging peaks, their seemingly telepathic interplay balancing warmth and power.


Paul Rogers
Peace And Happiness
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

On a custom 7-string double bass, Paul Rogers delivers a powerful eight-part solo recital where deeply melodic lines and harmonically rich textures meet commanding technique — bowed chords, ringing harmonics and agile counterpoint — shaping fluid narratives that balance intensity and lyricism into a remarkable, satisfying journey.


Jean-Jacques Avenel / Daunik Lazro
Duo
(Fou Records)

The duo of bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel and alto saxophonist Daunik Lazro are captured live in 1980 at the Massy Library in France in an essential document of French free music, a marvel of liberated improvisation where Lazro's uncompromising voice meets Avenel's inspired and multifaceted playing, captured with clarity by engineer Jean-Marc Foussat in a performance both intense and deeply authentic.


Daunik Lazro / Paul Lovens / Annick Nozati / Fred Van Hove
Resume Of A Century
(Fou Records)

A live 1999 document of four European improvisation masters — saxophonist Daunik Lazro, percussionist Paul Lovens, vocalist Annick Nozati, and pianist/accordionist Fred Van Hove — unfolding in two dynamic improvisations blending dramatic vocal invention, piano and accordion textures, dexterous percussion, and razor-sharp saxophone interplay, a visceral chamber of free expression.


Marteau Rouge (Foussat / Pauvros / Sato) / Evan Parker
Gift
(Fou Records)

A fiery live performance recorded at Instants Chavires in 2009, reuniting Marteau Rouge's raw and electrified trio of synth, guitar, and drums with saxophonist Evan Parker, erupting in extended collective improvisations that dissolve structure in favour of texture, power, sonic friction and ecstatic freedom through waves of noise, silence, combustion, and control.


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.


Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley
Flashing Spirits
(Burning Ambulance Music)

A previously unreleased 1988 live performance from the legendary partnership of pianist Cecil Taylor and drummer Tony Oxley, recorded at the Outside In Festival in the UK just months after their initial collaboration, presenting a fiercely dynamic and poetic duo of free improvisation, revealing the spark and spiritual force that would define their decades-long artistic relationship.


Joe McPhee & Strings (w/ Maneri / Lonberg-Holm / Bisio)
We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
(RogueArt)

Uniting Joe McPhee on tenor saxophone and spoken word with violist Mat Maneri, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and bassist Michael Bisio, this remarkable quartet of long-time collaborators and distinct musical voices forges a deeply cohesive work of lyrical chamber jazz and free improvisation, balancing individual expression with a collective language of striking originality and emotional depth.


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.


Sun Ra
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght [4 CD BOX SET]
(STRUT)

An essential document of Sun Ra's first European performances, recorded live in France in 1970 with a full Arkestra, delivering expansive, theatrical sets of cosmic jazz, ritualistic improvisation, and avant-garde fire, newly restored in a 4-CD box with rare photos, original programs, and liner notes that highlight the interstellar scope of these legendary concerts.


Kaze (Fujii / Tamura / Orins / Pruvost) with/ Koichi Makigami
Shishiodoshi
(Circum-Libra)

A joyful and unpredictable meeting of Japanese quartet Kaze — pianist Satoko Fujii, trumpeters Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost, and drummer Peter Orins — with avant-rock icon Koichi Makigami, recorded live in Lille in a kaleidoscopic blend of free improv, surreal humor, textural exploration, and exuberant interplay that celebrates spontaneity and sonic invention.


Martin Escalante / Charlie Mumma / Tete Leguia
This Molten Salt
(Wash and Wear Records)

A searing trio of saxophonist Martin Escalante, bassist Tete Leguia, and drummer Charlie Mumma, captured across sessions in Nashville and Grand Rapids, unleashing an uncompromising pedal-free noise assault that fuses the extremity of free jazz with noise music intensity, their ferocious interplay creating dense, volatile structures that channel chaos into a raw, intuitive sonic onslaught.


Kim Jae Jung
Shamanism
(Relative Pitch)

A powerful and ritualistic session from South Korea's free improvisation scene, with tenor and soprano saxophones (Jung-Jae Kim & Sunjae Lee) and dual drum kits (Junyoung Song & Sunki Kim) channeling ancestral Korean shamanic ceremony through raw, primal energy, breath-driven phrasing, and a spiritual aesthetic that bridges indigenous tradition and contemporary free jazz expression.


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.


Sun Ra
Sleeping Beauty [VINYL]
(STRUT)

A soulful and serene 1979 session from Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Sleeping Beauty brings lush grooves, celestial soul, and meditative funk through gently swaying vamps, gospel-tinged chants, and sublime ensemble interplay, featuring June Tyson's luminous vocals and understated performances that reveal a rare, late-night tranquility within Ra's cosmic jazz vision.


Lori Goldston
Open Space
(Relative Pitch)

A meditative and immersive solo cello work from Lori Goldston, performed in one continuous take with amplifier and distortion pedal, unfolding in ten resonant segments that evoke the gradual transformation of light and landscape, offering listeners an expansive and contemplative space for breath, reflection, and quiet communion with the natural world.


Caspar Brotzmann Massaker
It's A Love Song [VINYL + CD]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

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.


Magda Mayas / Jim Denley
One Another
(Relative Pitch)

An immersive meeting of Berlin pianist Magda Mayas and Australian flutist Jim Denley, f following up on their 2017 Relative Pitch release, Tempe Jetz, as they weave flutes, piano, and percussive objects into a delicately balanced exchange where subtle gestures and resonant detail create a patient yet gripping exploration of texture, breath, and sonic space.


Daunik Lazro / Tristan Honsinger / Jean-Jacques Avenel
True & Whole Tones in Rhythms
(Fou Records)

Recorded live in 1982 at Paris' 28 rue Dunois, the trio of Daunik Lazro (alto saxophone), Tristan Honsinger (cello, vocals), and Jean-Jacques Avenel (double bass) create a spirited interplay of strings and reeds, shifting from intricate pizzicato and arco textures to exuberant collective outbursts, in a performance brimming with freedom, wit, and unbridled invention.


Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Mars Williams / Jim Baker / Ed Wilkerson / Brian Sandstrom / Steve Hunt)
The Last Quintet [2 CDs]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

An historic document of Chicago's Extraordinary Popular Delusions in their final quintet performance with the late Mars Williams, recorded live in August 2023 at Elastic Arts Foundation, capturing Williams' fiery, life-affirming playing alongside Edward Wilkerson Jr. (tenor sax0, Jim Baker (piano & kesy), Brian Sandstrom (bass), and Steve Hunt (drums) in a two-set suite of fearless improvisation.


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.


Georg Graewe / Brad Jones / Hamid Drake
More Than Anything
(Random Acoustics)

A long-awaited reunion between pianist Georg Graewe and drummer Hamid Drake, joined for the first time by bassist Brad Jones, captured live at the 2024 Konfrontationen Festival in Austria in three expansive improvisations, the trio's chemistry igniting in deep rhythmic interplay, fluid abstraction, and Graewe's seamless movement between jazz traditions and contemporary sensibilities.


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.


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.


Ivo Pereleman / Nate Wooley / Matt Moran / Mark Helias / Tom Rainey
A Modicum Of the Blues
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman joins Nate Wooley (trumpet), Matt Moran (vibes), Mark Helias (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) in a tempered yet highly active quintet that nods to the blues, moving through free, melody-rich dialog; vibes replace piano to color the space as the group shifts from playful exchanges to surging peaks, their seemingly telepathic interplay balancing warmth and power.


Paul Rogers
Peace And Happiness
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

On a custom 7-string double bass, Paul Rogers delivers a powerful eight-part solo recital where deeply melodic lines and harmonically rich textures meet commanding technique — bowed chords, ringing harmonics and agile counterpoint — shaping fluid narratives that balance intensity and lyricism into a remarkable, satisfying journey.


Jean-Jacques Avenel / Daunik Lazro
Duo
(Fou Records)

The duo of bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel and alto saxophonist Daunik Lazro are captured live in 1980 at the Massy Library in France in an essential document of French free music, a marvel of liberated improvisation where Lazro's uncompromising voice meets Avenel's inspired and multifaceted playing, captured with clarity by engineer Jean-Marc Foussat in a performance both intense and deeply authentic.


Daunik Lazro / Paul Lovens / Annick Nozati / Fred Van Hove
Resume Of A Century
(Fou Records)

A live 1999 document of four European improvisation masters — saxophonist Daunik Lazro, percussionist Paul Lovens, vocalist Annick Nozati, and pianist/accordionist Fred Van Hove — unfolding in two dynamic improvisations blending dramatic vocal invention, piano and accordion textures, dexterous percussion, and razor-sharp saxophone interplay, a visceral chamber of free expression.


Marteau Rouge (Foussat / Pauvros / Sato) / Evan Parker
Gift
(Fou Records)

A fiery live performance recorded at Instants Chavires in 2009, reuniting Marteau Rouge's raw and electrified trio of synth, guitar, and drums with saxophonist Evan Parker, erupting in extended collective improvisations that dissolve structure in favour of texture, power, sonic friction and ecstatic freedom through waves of noise, silence, combustion, and control.


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.


Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley
Flashing Spirits
(Burning Ambulance Music)

A previously unreleased 1988 live performance from the legendary partnership of pianist Cecil Taylor and drummer Tony Oxley, recorded at the Outside In Festival in the UK just months after their initial collaboration, presenting a fiercely dynamic and poetic duo of free improvisation, revealing the spark and spiritual force that would define their decades-long artistic relationship.


Joe McPhee & Strings (w/ Maneri / Lonberg-Holm / Bisio)
We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
(RogueArt)

Uniting Joe McPhee on tenor saxophone and spoken word with violist Mat Maneri, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and bassist Michael Bisio, this remarkable quartet of long-time collaborators and distinct musical voices forges a deeply cohesive work of lyrical chamber jazz and free improvisation, balancing individual expression with a collective language of striking originality and emotional depth.


Sun Ra
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght [4 CD BOX SET]
(STRUT)

An essential document of Sun Ra's first European performances, recorded live in France in 1970 with a full Arkestra, delivering expansive, theatrical sets of cosmic jazz, ritualistic improvisation, and avant-garde fire, newly restored in a 4-CD box with rare photos, original programs, and liner notes that highlight the interstellar scope of these legendary concerts.


Kaze (Fujii / Tamura / Orins / Pruvost) with/ Koichi Makigami
Shishiodoshi
(Circum-Libra)

A joyful and unpredictable meeting of Japanese quartet Kaze — pianist Satoko Fujii, trumpeters Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost, and drummer Peter Orins — with avant-rock icon Koichi Makigami, recorded live in Lille in a kaleidoscopic blend of free improv, surreal humor, textural exploration, and exuberant interplay that celebrates spontaneity and sonic invention.


Martin Escalante / Charlie Mumma / Tete Leguia
This Molten Salt
(Wash and Wear Records)

A searing trio of saxophonist Martin Escalante, bassist Tete Leguia, and drummer Charlie Mumma, captured across sessions in Nashville and Grand Rapids, unleashing an uncompromising pedal-free noise assault that fuses the extremity of free jazz with noise music intensity, their ferocious interplay creating dense, volatile structures that channel chaos into a raw, intuitive sonic onslaught.


Kim Jae Jung
Shamanism
(Relative Pitch)

A powerful and ritualistic session from South Korea's free improvisation scene, with tenor and soprano saxophones (Jung-Jae Kim & Sunjae Lee) and dual drum kits (Junyoung Song & Sunki Kim) channeling ancestral Korean shamanic ceremony through raw, primal energy, breath-driven phrasing, and a spiritual aesthetic that bridges indigenous tradition and contemporary free jazz expression.


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.


Lori Goldston
Open Space
(Relative Pitch)

A meditative and immersive solo cello work from Lori Goldston, performed in one continuous take with amplifier and distortion pedal, unfolding in ten resonant segments that evoke the gradual transformation of light and landscape, offering listeners an expansive and contemplative space for breath, reflection, and quiet communion with the natural world.


Caspar Brotzmann Massaker
It's A Love Song [VINYL + CD]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

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.


Magda Mayas / Jim Denley
One Another
(Relative Pitch)

An immersive meeting of Berlin pianist Magda Mayas and Australian flutist Jim Denley, f following up on their 2017 Relative Pitch release, Tempe Jetz, as they weave flutes, piano, and percussive objects into a delicately balanced exchange where subtle gestures and resonant detail create a patient yet gripping exploration of texture, breath, and sonic space.


Erez Dessel
PRO FAKE NO REJECT
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A remarkable solo statement from Chicago pianist Erez Dessel (b.1998), whose explosive energy, intuitive form, and darkly Romantic lyricism channel influences from Cecil Taylor, Don Pullen, or even shades of Mussorgsky, while embracing playful contrarianism, captured in ten concise improvisations and presented with notes by pianist Sharon Udoh.


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.


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.


Sun Ra
Sleeping Beauty [VINYL]
(STRUT)

A soulful and serene 1979 session from Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Sleeping Beauty brings lush grooves, celestial soul, and meditative funk through gently swaying vamps, gospel-tinged chants, and sublime ensemble interplay, featuring June Tyson's luminous vocals and understated performances that reveal a rare, late-night tranquility within Ra's cosmic jazz vision.


Caspar Brotzmann Massaker
It's A Love Song [VINYL + CD]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

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.


Francois Tusques / Sunny Murray 38
Intercommunal Dialogue 1&2 [2LPS w/ DOWNLOAD]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

A historic reunion captured live at Le Triton in Les Lilas, France, in 2007, bringing together pianist François Tusques and drummer Sunny Murray for the first time in decades to renew their blues-infused, avant-garde dialogue, blending percussive exploration, evocative dedications, and rich improvisation that honors their shared history while forging new sonic landscapes.


Daniel Carter / Tobias Wilner / Djibril Toure / Federico Ughi
New York United [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(577 Records)

An excellent blend of electronics and acoustics as saxophonist, flutist and trumpeter Daniel Carter meets sound artist Tobias Wilner from world-renowned electronic pop band Blue Foundation, with Wu-Tang Clan bass player Djibril Toure and drum wiz Federico Ughi rounding out this forward-thinking album of hazy and rhythmic electroacoustic environments.


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.


Burkhard Beins (w/ Dorner / Elieh / Ermke / Neumann / Renkel / Tuerlinckx / Zapparoli)
Eight Duos [3 LPs]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

Showcasing Burkhard Beins's versatile approach to collaboration, this 3-LP set recorded at Morphine Raum presents eight duo performances featuring partners such as Andrea Neumann, Axel Dörner, and Marta Zapparoli, blending acoustic and electronic instruments in conceptual explorations that range from the percussive "Expansion" to the dynamic "Transmission," reflecting Beins's broad artistic spectrum.


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.


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.


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.


Steve Swell Quintet (Swell / Moondoc / Burrell / W. Parker / Cleaver)
Soul Travelers [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(RogueArt)

A great set of Downtown NY players led by trombonist Steve Swell, with Jemeel Moondoc on alto sax, Dave Burrell on piano, William Parker on double bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums, a heartfelt and masterfully soulful album of excellent modern jazz in a limited LP.


Michael Moser
Antiphon Stein [2 Vinyl LPs]
(Edition Rz)

A site-specific sound installation in the nave and choir of Minoritenkirche in Krems/Stein that engages with the architecture and sound of this church space from composer Michael Moser working with Berndt Thurner, Klaus Lang, Hannah Schwegler and Nik Hummer.


Humcrush (Storlokken / Stronen)
Enter Humcrush [VINYL]
(Shhpuma)

After a six year break, the Humcrush duo of Stale Storlokken on keys and Thomas Stronen on drums & electronics return with this studio album of rhythmic angularities and experimental sound worlds, drawing on their experiences with bands including Supersilent, Food, Elephant9, Time is a blind guide, Meadow and Motorpsycho.


Samuel Blaser / Gerry Hemingway
Oostum [VINYL]
(NoBusiness)

A fantastic album of free improvisation between two creative and versatile players captured live at Kerkje van Oostum, Groningen, The Netherlands in 2015--percussionist Gerry Hemingway and trombonist Samuel Blaser--both using immense talent and unorthodox approaches to their instruments as they shift from unexpected atmospheres to lyrical richness.


Daniel Carter / William Parker / Federico Ughi
The Dream [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(577 Records)

This album was developed to present Daniel Carter, typically a wind/reed/trumpeter player, on an album that included his piano playing, which then advanced by adding the goal of both Carter and long-time collaborator, drummer Federico Ughi, to record with bassist William Parker, who rounds out this excellent trio on bass, tuba and shakuhachi.


Daniel Carter / Patrick Holmes / Matthew Putman / Hilliard Greene / Federico Ughi
Telepatia Liquida [VINYL + DOWNLOAD CODE]
(577 Records)

Recorded on the last night of 577's Forward Festival 2017 in Brooklyn, the quintet of Daniel Carter (reeds & trumpet), Patrick Holmes (clarinet), Matthew Putman (piano), Hilliard Greene (bass) and Federico Ughi (drums) take their audience on three remarkable journeys of almost chamber-oriented collective free jazz, adventurous and not-to-be-missed examples of modern jazz.


Tyshawn Sorey
Pillars IV [VINYL 2 LPs 180g with DOWNLOAD]
(Firehouse 12 Records)

Vinyl edition with a unique 4-part, 4th "Pillar": Tyshawn Sorey in an amazing and ambitious work "Pillars", assembling an ensemble of virtuosic NY performers (Joe Morris, Todd Neufeld, Ben Gerstein, Stephen Hayes, Zach Rowden, Carl Test, Mark Helias) as he references Tibetan rituals, Stockhausen, and Anthony Braxton, and much more.


Oyauchi / Deku Duo
Now's The Time? [VINYL]
(Armageddon Nova)

The first release on Japan's Armageddon Nova, now reissued as a limited 180gm double vinyl LP, presenting a 2012 concert at Performing Arts Center, in Japan in 2012 by the duo of free improvising alto saxophonist Aishi Oyauchi, a peer of Karou Abe in the 60s, and contrabassist Deku, a member of the 70s free improvising group New Jazz Syndicate.


Toyozumi / Countryman / Tan
Chasing The Sun [VINYL]
(ChapChap Records)

Two lives sets at Tago Jazz Cafe in the Philippines in 2018 from the trio of master percussionist Sabu Toyozumi on drums, American ex-pat Rick Countryman on alto saxophone, and Simon Tan on acoustic bass, this their 3rd album of solid free improvisation of extended and masterful discourse, unusual percussive devices, and powerful rhythmic foundation.


Daniel Carter / Federico Ughi
Extra Room [LTD VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
(577 Records)

For more than 15 years multi-reedist, wind and trumpet player Daniel Carter and drummer Federico Ughi have collaborated in live performance and on record, here showing the results of their work in this duo album, the vinyl edition of their exceptional 2013 CD release that shows their melodic and technical sides, their jazz roots, and their warm camaraderie.


Periferiya (Kobi / Korber / Liedwart / Muller / Myasoedov / Shershenkov)
Boundary Scan [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Mikroton Recordings)

A Russian-Swiss collaboration between Boris Shershenkov (St. Petersburg), Kurt Liedwart and Mikhail Myasoedov (Moscow), Thomas Korber (Zurich), Christian Kobi (Berne) and Christian Muller (Biel), recording in the remote Vallée de Joux, on the border between Switzerland & France, leveraging diverse approaches to sound to create these six detailed electroacoustic improvisations.


Charlemagne Palestine
MMXX-06: VVVOOOODDDOOOO DDDDOOOOODDDDDOOOOO [CLEAR VINYL]
(Matiere Memoire)

The expansive mind of composer and experimenter Charlemagne Palestine presents an extended drone work performed on organ, building from a peaceful single note to a harmonically rich combination of tones with a haunting vocal quality, subtly shifting and building in momentum then slowly fading out to the 20 minute mark; an epic journey in polyphonic transition.


Daniel Carter / Tobias Wilner / Djibril Toure / Federico Ughi
New York United Volume 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

The second volume of this rich and exotic quartet in a sublime merging of jazz, electronics and compositional approaches yielding melodically dream-like music and environments, from reedist, flutist && trumpeter Daniel Carter, Tobias Wilner (Blue Foundation) on synth and keys, Wu-Tang Clan bassist Djibril Toure and Italian/NY drummer Federico Ughi.


Chris Pitsiokos
Carny Cant [VINYL]
(Eleatic Records)

In the spirit of Downtown NY by merging forms of jazz, rock and experimental music, Chris Pitsiokos bookends his album with two solo pieces, joining forces with NY electric guitarist Rick Eye for 4 tracks and drummer Jason Nazary joining for 3 tracks, as Pitsiokis performs on alto & baritone sax, harmonica, electric bass, guitar & drums, electronic instruments & voice.


Frode Gjerstad / Kent Carter / John Stevens
Detail-90 [VINYL]
(NoBusiness)

The second incarnation of the Detail trio of saxophonist Frode Gjerstad and drummer John Stevens with Kent Cart taking the role of double bass, is heard in this studio recording from 1990 at NRK-studio in Stavanger, Norway, a superb example of the nearly telepathic freedom four years of playing together afforded them, as heard in two extended, energetic improvisations.


Assif Tsahar / William Parker / Hamid Drake
In Between The Tumbling A Stillness [VINYL]
(Hopscotch Records)

A fierce free jazz concert recorded live at Levontin 7, in Tel Aviv by three players with a long history of collaboration and dynamic trio settings, from Israeli saxophonist formerly based in NYC Assif Tsahar, bassist William Parker and Chicago drummer Hamid Drake, in two extended, energetic and inventive improvisations and a concise closing "Stillness".


Daunik Lazro / Tristan Honsinger / Jean-Jacques Avenel
True & Whole Tones in Rhythms
(Fou Records)

Recorded live in 1982 at Paris' 28 rue Dunois, the trio of Daunik Lazro (alto saxophone), Tristan Honsinger (cello, vocals), and Jean-Jacques Avenel (double bass) create a spirited interplay of strings and reeds, shifting from intricate pizzicato and arco textures to exuberant collective outbursts, in a performance brimming with freedom, wit, and unbridled invention.


Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Mars Williams / Jim Baker / Ed Wilkerson / Brian Sandstrom / Steve Hunt)
The Last Quintet [2 CDs]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

An historic document of Chicago's Extraordinary Popular Delusions in their final quintet performance with the late Mars Williams, recorded live in August 2023 at Elastic Arts Foundation, capturing Williams' fiery, life-affirming playing alongside Edward Wilkerson Jr. (tenor sax0, Jim Baker (piano & kesy), Brian Sandstrom (bass), and Steve Hunt (drums) in a two-set suite of fearless improvisation.


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.


Georg Graewe / Brad Jones / Hamid Drake
More Than Anything
(Random Acoustics)

A long-awaited reunion between pianist Georg Graewe and drummer Hamid Drake, joined for the first time by bassist Brad Jones, captured live at the 2024 Konfrontationen Festival in Austria in three expansive improvisations, the trio's chemistry igniting in deep rhythmic interplay, fluid abstraction, and Graewe's seamless movement between jazz traditions and contemporary sensibilities.


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.


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.


Ivo Pereleman / Nate Wooley / Matt Moran / Mark Helias / Tom Rainey
A Modicum Of the Blues
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman joins Nate Wooley (trumpet), Matt Moran (vibes), Mark Helias (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) in a tempered yet highly active quintet that nods to the blues, moving through free, melody-rich dialog; vibes replace piano to color the space as the group shifts from playful exchanges to surging peaks, their seemingly telepathic interplay balancing warmth and power.


Paul Rogers
Peace And Happiness
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)

On a custom 7-string double bass, Paul Rogers delivers a powerful eight-part solo recital where deeply melodic lines and harmonically rich textures meet commanding technique — bowed chords, ringing harmonics and agile counterpoint — shaping fluid narratives that balance intensity and lyricism into a remarkable, satisfying journey.


Jean-Jacques Avenel / Daunik Lazro
Duo
(Fou Records)

The duo of bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel and alto saxophonist Daunik Lazro are captured live in 1980 at the Massy Library in France in an essential document of French free music, a marvel of liberated improvisation where Lazro's uncompromising voice meets Avenel's inspired and multifaceted playing, captured with clarity by engineer Jean-Marc Foussat in a performance both intense and deeply authentic.


Daunik Lazro / Paul Lovens / Annick Nozati / Fred Van Hove
Resume Of A Century
(Fou Records)

A live 1999 document of four European improvisation masters — saxophonist Daunik Lazro, percussionist Paul Lovens, vocalist Annick Nozati, and pianist/accordionist Fred Van Hove — unfolding in two dynamic improvisations blending dramatic vocal invention, piano and accordion textures, dexterous percussion, and razor-sharp saxophone interplay, a visceral chamber of free expression.


Marteau Rouge (Foussat / Pauvros / Sato) / Evan Parker
Gift
(Fou Records)

A fiery live performance recorded at Instants Chavires in 2009, reuniting Marteau Rouge's raw and electrified trio of synth, guitar, and drums with saxophonist Evan Parker, erupting in extended collective improvisations that dissolve structure in favour of texture, power, sonic friction and ecstatic freedom through waves of noise, silence, combustion, and control.


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.


Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley
Flashing Spirits
(Burning Ambulance Music)

A previously unreleased 1988 live performance from the legendary partnership of pianist Cecil Taylor and drummer Tony Oxley, recorded at the Outside In Festival in the UK just months after their initial collaboration, presenting a fiercely dynamic and poetic duo of free improvisation, revealing the spark and spiritual force that would define their decades-long artistic relationship.


Joe McPhee & Strings (w/ Maneri / Lonberg-Holm / Bisio)
We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
(RogueArt)

Uniting Joe McPhee on tenor saxophone and spoken word with violist Mat Maneri, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and bassist Michael Bisio, this remarkable quartet of long-time collaborators and distinct musical voices forges a deeply cohesive work of lyrical chamber jazz and free improvisation, balancing individual expression with a collective language of striking originality and emotional depth.


Sun Ra
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght [4 CD BOX SET]
(STRUT)

An essential document of Sun Ra's first European performances, recorded live in France in 1970 with a full Arkestra, delivering expansive, theatrical sets of cosmic jazz, ritualistic improvisation, and avant-garde fire, newly restored in a 4-CD box with rare photos, original programs, and liner notes that highlight the interstellar scope of these legendary concerts.


Kaze (Fujii / Tamura / Orins / Pruvost) with/ Koichi Makigami
Shishiodoshi
(Circum-Libra)

A joyful and unpredictable meeting of Japanese quartet Kaze — pianist Satoko Fujii, trumpeters Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost, and drummer Peter Orins — with avant-rock icon Koichi Makigami, recorded live in Lille in a kaleidoscopic blend of free improv, surreal humor, textural exploration, and exuberant interplay that celebrates spontaneity and sonic invention.


Martin Escalante / Charlie Mumma / Tete Leguia
This Molten Salt
(Wash and Wear Records)

A searing trio of saxophonist Martin Escalante, bassist Tete Leguia, and drummer Charlie Mumma, captured across sessions in Nashville and Grand Rapids, unleashing an uncompromising pedal-free noise assault that fuses the extremity of free jazz with noise music intensity, their ferocious interplay creating dense, volatile structures that channel chaos into a raw, intuitive sonic onslaught.


Kim Jae Jung
Shamanism
(Relative Pitch)

A powerful and ritualistic session from South Korea's free improvisation scene, with tenor and soprano saxophones (Jung-Jae Kim & Sunjae Lee) and dual drum kits (Junyoung Song & Sunki Kim) channeling ancestral Korean shamanic ceremony through raw, primal energy, breath-driven phrasing, and a spiritual aesthetic that bridges indigenous tradition and contemporary free jazz expression.


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.


Sun Ra
Sleeping Beauty [VINYL]
(STRUT)

A soulful and serene 1979 session from Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Sleeping Beauty brings lush grooves, celestial soul, and meditative funk through gently swaying vamps, gospel-tinged chants, and sublime ensemble interplay, featuring June Tyson's luminous vocals and understated performances that reveal a rare, late-night tranquility within Ra's cosmic jazz vision.


Lori Goldston
Open Space
(Relative Pitch)

A meditative and immersive solo cello work from Lori Goldston, performed in one continuous take with amplifier and distortion pedal, unfolding in ten resonant segments that evoke the gradual transformation of light and landscape, offering listeners an expansive and contemplative space for breath, reflection, and quiet communion with the natural world.


Caspar Brotzmann Massaker
It's A Love Song [VINYL + CD]
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

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.


Magda Mayas / Jim Denley
One Another
(Relative Pitch)

An immersive meeting of Berlin pianist Magda Mayas and Australian flutist Jim Denley, f following up on their 2017 Relative Pitch release, Tempe Jetz, as they weave flutes, piano, and percussive objects into a delicately balanced exchange where subtle gestures and resonant detail create a patient yet gripping exploration of texture, breath, and sonic space.


Erez Dessel
PRO FAKE NO REJECT
(Corbett vs. Dempsey)

A remarkable solo statement from Chicago pianist Erez Dessel (b.1998), whose explosive energy, intuitive form, and darkly Romantic lyricism channel influences from Cecil Taylor, Don Pullen, or even shades of Mussorgsky, while embracing playful contrarianism, captured in ten concise improvisations and presented with notes by pianist Sharon Udoh.


Tatsuya Yoshida / Martin Escalante
The Sound of Raspberry [VINYL]
(Wash and Wear Records)

A relentless duo of Japanese drummer, vocalist and electronic artist Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins, Koenji Hyakkei), with Mexican saxophonist Martín Escalante on alto and voice, captured live in Tokyo in fourteen explosive improvisations of blistering energy, searing noise, and sudden precision shifts, balancing chaotic abandon with uncanny control.


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.


Diane Labrosse
Petit traite de Sagesse pratique
(Ambiances Magnetiques)

A collection of miniature songs with mocking, satirical lyrics that reform out-of-date proverbs into modern pearls of wisdom, paired with improvisation and written composition.


Skist (Bennett / Ito)
Ellipsis
(Polarity)


Francisco Lopez
untitled #164
(Unsounds)

Using field recordings made in Brussels together with TRMX, Johan Vandermaelen, Martiens Go Home, and Building Transmissions, Lopez mutates and records these into an intense 73 minute composition that takes the sounds of a city and transforms them into a interior landscape, a city within.


Michael Yonkers
No Kidding
(Ruby Red Editora)

Former Sub Pop noise recording artist, guitarist Yonkers (Microminiature Love) in 11 tracks of ferocious and fierce effected electric guitar work.


Miimo
Live at Super Deluxe
(Amorfon)

Miimo are a Japanese dub & electronica group consisting of Yoshio Machida, Norihide Saji and Tatsu, whose tracks have appeared in documentaries and TV spots throughout Japan.


Talugung
Anura
(Amorfon)

Canadian artist Ryan Waldron (The Riderless) works with collected and constructed instruments, here in a mystic release inspired by the sound and polyrhythms of frogs.


Bunda Love
mit Saft [DVD]
(Funhole Records)

Live concert DVD from Bunda Love (id & Mike) with Jamie Saft, filmed at Strange Maine in Portland, Maine; sheer communications in wierdness of doom metal meeting schizoid noise.


Various Artists
District of Noise Vol. 5
(Sonic Circuits)

The fifth installment of the District of Noise series featuring a diverse set of experimental noise and electronic artists from the Washington DC area released as part of the 2012 Sonic Circuits Festival.


Machinefabriek
Stroomtoon II
(Herbal International)

After recording Stroomtoon in December 2011, electronic sound artist Rutger Zuydervelt wanted to capture more of the roughness and spontaneity of his live performances, so he recorded more material for this second installation.


Ryoko Akama / Bruno Duplant / Dominic Lash
Next To Nothing
(Another Timbre)

Four text scores composed by Ryoko Akama and performed by himself on VCS3 synthesizer with Bruno Duplant on percussion & tone generator and Dominic Lash on double bass, clarinet & laptop; four beautifully evolving and carefully paced works.


Miimo
Miimo 4
(Amorfon)

Using bass, drums, steelpan, electronics and programming, the trio of Tatsu, Norihide Saji and Amorfon label leader Yoshio Machida create a "pulse dub" album of polyrhythms and phase, producing warm, complex and embraceable music that includes a cover of Bjork's "Hyperballad".


Reed Rosenberg Evan / Ethan Tripp
Medium Rude
(ErstAEU)

A journey in sound--drone, abrasive noise and subtle ambiance--in a well-paced example of non-idiomatic soundscape from the first meeting of Reed Evan Rosenberg on microphones, pedals, max, and voice, and Ethan Tripp on speakers, microphones, motors, junk.


Samara Lubelski / Bill Nace
S/T
(Relative Pitch)

Issuing on CD the duo album of violinist Samara Lubelski and guitarist Bill Nace, originally released on Nace's Open Mouth label early in 2018, presenting a series of psychedelic textural works, Lubelski creating vibrant and reiterating structures that Nace uses as a foundation for swells and expressive emanations; hypnotic and mesmerizing.


Eric La Casa
Interieurs
(Swarming)

A stunning exploration of interior architecture through recordings of the elements of three spaces including La Casa's own apartment, finding micro and macro-scopic sound in common elements that he uses to create fascinating compositions reflecting both the captivating fullness and stillness of each space, as the composer questions his relationship with each space.


Andrew Lafkas
Two Paths with Active Shadows Under Three Moons and Surveillance
(Sacred Realism)

Composer Andrew Lafkas' large ensemble piece with performers including C. Spencer Yah, Ron Stabinsky, Barry Weisblat, Sean Meehan, Ben Owen, &c. is a meditative work intended for live performance, this album the 2nd of 3 performances, a brooding and resonant rendering of rich and subtle detail that evolves over 70 minutes, carrying its listeners in a profound revery.


Periferiya (Kobi / Korber / Liedwart / Muller / Myasoedov / Shershenkov)
Boundary Scan [VINYL 2 LPs]
(Mikroton Recordings)

A Russian-Swiss collaboration between Boris Shershenkov (St. Petersburg), Kurt Liedwart and Mikhail Myasoedov (Moscow), Thomas Korber (Zurich), Christian Kobi (Berne) and Christian Muller (Biel), recording in the remote Vallée de Joux, on the border between Switzerland & France, leveraging diverse approaches to sound to create these six detailed electroacoustic improvisations.


Charlemagne Palestine
MMXX-06: VVVOOOODDDOOOO DDDDOOOOODDDDDOOOOO [CLEAR VINYL]
(Matiere Memoire)

The expansive mind of composer and experimenter Charlemagne Palestine presents an extended drone work performed on organ, building from a peaceful single note to a harmonically rich combination of tones with a haunting vocal quality, subtly shifting and building in momentum then slowly fading out to the 20 minute mark; an epic journey in polyphonic transition.


Lance Olsen Austin / Barry Chabala
A field of wildflowers for our lost souls
(Roeba)

Three connected journeys in drifting tones, unidentifiable and sometimes aberrant intersections and melodically abstract guitar work, composed by guitarist Lance Austin Olsen and performed with guitarist Barry Chabala, using layers of sound like an audio version of a colour field painting, emulating a field of seeds waiting for changing conditions to allow them to emerge.


Michael Pisaro-Liu
Tombstones (performed by Barbara Dang & Muzzix)
(elsewhere)

Applying techniques that Michael Pisaro uses in his audio compositions to song formats, this album presents 11 new versions of songs from his 2013 Human Ear Music album, here reworked for clarity and recorded under the artistic direction of the Lille-based pianist Barbara Dang and six members of the Muzzix collective (Bellefont, Cruz, Orins, Pruvost & Pruvost).


Will Guthrie
People Pleaser 2 [VINYL MINOR DAMAGE]
(Kythibong)

Impressive experimental approaches to organized recordings of rhythmic and melodic percussion, a mix of quirky and curious samples & loops, spoken word, field recordings and inexplicable origins, captivating the listener in concise and diverse expositions and dynamic pacing, a journey in "pleasingly" upbeat passages and moments of awe and contemplation.


Gerald Cleaver
22 / 23
(Positive Elevation / 577 Records)

A journey through a diverse set of genres and styles of electronica, influenced by the New York drummer & composer Gerald Cleaver's native Detroit upbringing, bringing out elements of techno and house music tempered by his improvisational, experimental and avant work; 11 tracks with solid rhythmic foundation in both propulsive and contemplative approaches to electronic composition.


Merche Blasco / Lucie Vitkova
Anette [2 CDs]
(XI Records)

An unusual pairing of effected accordion and a 3D printer from Czech accordionist living in NY, Lucie Vitkova, also performing on harmonica, Korg Volca Bass and Moog, and NY multimedia artist Merch Blasco, the album titled for the name of Blasco's 3D printer "Anette", which also printed the thimble-microphones she wears on her fingers to capture parts of this performance.


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.


Gintas K
Sound & Spaces #2
(Love Earth Music)

With albums on Creative Sources, Bolt and esc.rec., &c., Lithuanian sound artist working in the digital electronic realm Gintas K. releases a solo album of nine compositions for computer, midi keyboard & controller, using glitch, oddly punctuated rhythmic elements and alien sound sources for an oddly compelling album of slippery electronics and strange sonic environments.


Timothy McCormack
Mine But For Its Sublimation
(Another Timbre)

Composed for and performed by pianist Jack Yarbrough, Timothy McCormack's mine but for its sublimation is a resonant and formally immersive solo piano work that explores gesture, vulnerability, and transformation through precise touch, spatial decay, and evolving harmonic tension, revealing a deeply personal and physical engagement with the piano's sonic possibilities.


Quatuor Bozzini
Steve Reich: Different Trains
(Collection QB)


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.


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.


Jean Derome
Chamber Music 1992-2012
(Ambiances Magnetiques)

25 chamber works composed by Montreal composer, multi-instrumentalist and improviser Jean Derome, presenting pieces from the wealth of projects he's involved in, including Dangereux Zhoms, Ensemble de flutes Alize, duos with Lori Freedmam, Quasar, quatuor de saxophones, &c.


Wadada Smith Leo
String Quartets Nos. 1-12 [7-CD BOXSET]
(Tum)

Since 1965 Wadada Leo Smith has developed string quartets influenced by a diverse set of composers including Ornette Coleman, Claude Debussy, Howlin' Wolf, Scott Joplin, Olly Wilson, &c. heard here in 12 Quartets from 3 major periods of his work, compositions exploring the African-American experience, with scores that leave room for interpretation and expression from his players.


Ferdinand Schwarz
Listening Time
(Another Timbre)

A contemplative composition by Ferdinand Schwarz for the Oslo-based ensemble AREPO, Listening Time unfolds as a patient, microtonal exploration of harmonic stasis and collective structure, blending just intonation, fragile textures, and co-composed material in a deep listening experience that merges composed form with improvisational sensibility and communal artistry.


Evan Johnson (Marco Fusi)
Dust Book
(Another Timbre)

Composed for violist Marco Fusi and performed on viola d'amore, Evan Johnson's most extended work to date unfolds with extreme precision and delicate fragmentation, where hushed gestures, suppressed resonance, and micro-detailed silences create a hauntingly expressive sonic terrain of particulate texture and introspective, dust-like lyricism.


George Crumb
Vox Balaenae
(Hat [now] ART)


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.


Isaac Babel
The Sin Of Jesus
(Hat [now] ART)

Transcription of Soviet writer Isaac Babel's The Sin of Jesus into music by applying a rule system where words determine melody, letters determine rhythm & harmony, &c.


Ensemble Fur Neue Musik Zurich
Women Composers
(Hat [now] ART)

The Ensemble Fur Neue Musik Zurich perform the works of modern women composers: Katharina Rosenberger; Ada Gentile; Carmen Maria Carneci; Liza Lim; and Noriko Hisada.


John Cage
Music Of Changes (1951)
(Hat [now] ART)

"Music of Changes" was composed by John Cage using the hexagrams of the I Ching and has no sense of structure, continuity, rhythm, or speed; change itself is the only consistent aspect of the work.


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.


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.


Guillermo Gregorio
Faktura
(Hat [now] ART)

Guillermo Gregorio produces a series of compositions that reinterprets the structural concepts of Constructivism, Concretism, and Madi, focusing on the physicality of sound.


Quartetski Does Stravinsky
Le Sacre du printemps
(Ambiances Magnetiques)

Quartetski Does Stravinsky with drummer Isaiah Ceccarelli, guitarist Bernard Falaise, reedist Phillipe Lauzier, viole de gamaba player Pierre-Yves Martel and violinist Joshua Zubot reinterpret Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in honor of its 100th anniversary.


Liza Lim
Orchestral Works
(Hat [now] ART)

Composer Liza Lim presents 3 lesser known works: "The Compass" for orchestra with solo parts for flute and didgeridoo; "Pearl, Ochre, Hair String" featuring a cello solo using a guiro bow; and "The Guest" written for recorder soloist Jeremias Schwarzer.


Karlheinz Stockhausen
Mantra (performed by Mark Knoop, Roderick Chadwick and Newton Armstrong)
(Hat [now] ART)

Stockhausen's late 60s composition "Mantra" was a return to his intricately systematised approach to musical construction, expanding the possibilities and potentialities of the serial principle to allow for more melodic and embraceable compositions.


Leah Paul
Trenza
(Skirl)

Flutist Leah Paul presents two engaging compositions in multiple movements, performed with a chamber ensemble of Chris Speed (reeds), Rob Jost (french horn), Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon), Peter Sachon (cello), Tanya Kalmanovitch (viola), Ben Kono (oboe) and Michel Gentile (flute).


Quasar (quatuor de saxophones)
Du souffle
(Collection QB)

Montreal saxophone quartet Quasar (Jean-Marc Bouchard, Marie-Chantal Leclair, Mathieu Leclair, & Andre Leroux) in their 3rd incredible album of contemporary saxophone compositions, presenting 14 rich and varied compositions, including commissioned and premier works.


Michael Moser
Antiphon Stein [2 Vinyl LPs]
(Edition Rz)

A site-specific sound installation in the nave and choir of Minoritenkirche in Krems/Stein that engages with the architecture and sound of this church space from composer Michael Moser working with Berndt Thurner, Klaus Lang, Hannah Schwegler and Nik Hummer.


Katharina Rosenberger
SHIFT
(Hat [now] ART)

First recordings of composer Katharnia Rosenberger's SHIFT and other dynamic and exciting works incorporating spatialization, by an electroacoustic orchestra including Rage Thrombones, captured in 2016 at the University of California, in San Diego, California.


Quartetski
Quartetski Does Bartok - Mikrokosmos, Sz 107
(Ambiances Magnetiques)

Composed between 1926 and 1939, "Mikrokosmos" was Bela Bartok's attempt to solve certain technical problems in the art of piano playing, here adapted by the 5-piece Quartetski into a fascinating series of progressive exercises and etudes, oddly enough presented without a piano.


P.O.P. [Psychology Of Perception]
Ikebana
(FMR)

Fascinating sound and drone music from this interesting German ensemble led by Reinhold Friedl, "ikebana" takes its name from the tradition of Japanese flower arranging which dates back to the 7th century, with 8 tracks named as such: Shoka, Rikka, Nigeria and Morimono.


Ishiwarizakura
Okuno Hosomichi
(Magaibutsu Limited)

A live recording of this quartet from the Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan, improvised an29730d impressive rock from Yoshida Tatsuya (drums), Nasuno Mitsuru (bass), Kita Naoki (violin) and Murakami Naoki (guitar).


The World Heritage
Live At Goodman
(Magaibutsu)

The World Heritage in their 5th release recorded live at Tokyo's Akihabara Goodman in 2012, amazing improvised instrumental rock from Tatsuya Yoshida (drums), Seiichi Yamamoto (guitar), Natsuki Kido (guitar), Yuji Katsui (violin) and Mitsuru Nasuno (bass).


Martin Archer & Engine Room Favourites
Safety Signal From A Target Town
(Discus)

Saxophonist Martin Archer composed the five works on this, the 3rd release for Engine Room Favorites, his AACM-influenced big band with a tremendous orchestration of horns with drums, vibes, piano and bass, here with their most complex yet melodic and rich release yet, including melodic elements of folk music, powerful rhythms from prog-oriented rock, and free improv and jazz.


Bob Drake
13 Songs and a Thing
(Recommended Records)


Art Bears
Winter Songs
(Recommended Records)


Art Bears
The World As it Is Today
(Recommended Records)


Art Bears
Hopes and Fears
(Recommended Records)


Keiji / Makoto / Tatsuya
Ichi to Ichi ga Kasanatte Shimaumade [DVD]
(Magaibutsu)

The trio of Haino Keiji, Kawabata Makoto (Acid Mothers Temple) & Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, &c) performing live at Beat Tokyo in 2008, intense improvised rock from three masters.


Sim + Otomo
Monte Alto Estate
(Doubtmusic)

Sim is the 3 piece electronic/rock band of Teruyuki, Yoshio & Masahiro, here with Otomo Yoshihide on turntables and synth, and amazing album of rhythms in a This Heat "Repeat" mode.


Korekyojin
Tundra
(Magaibutsu)

The Korekyojinn power rock trio of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya, guitarist Kido Natsuki and bassist Nasuno Mitsuru in their 4th album of intense, complex, and exultant rock.


Acid Mothers Temple SWR & Umezu Kazutoki
Sax & The City
(Magaibutsu)

A live multitrack recording from 2009 of the collaboration of Acid Mothers Temple SWR - Kawabata Makoto, Tsuyama Atushi, and Yoshida Tatsuya - with saxophonist Umezu Kazutoki.


Kazuhisa / Tatsuya / Satoshi
Deposition & Erosion
(Magaibutsu)

The dynamic duo of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Korekyojin, Koenji Hyakkei) and guitarist Uchihashi Kazuhisa (Altered States, Ground Zero) meet in the studio with pianist Mishiba Satoshi for ten multi-tracked rock improvisations of great diversity, power and beauty.


Uchihashi Kazuhisa / Yoshida Tatsuya
Improvisations 4 [DVD AUDIO + IMAGES]
(Magaibutsu)

The 4th improvisation release of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Koenji, &c) and guitarist Uchihasi Kazuhisa (Altered States) is a DVD audio release presenting 36 remarkable live tracks from 6 concerts recorded 2004-2012.


TSIGOTI
Read Between The Lines...Think Outside Them
(Post Consumer)

The TSIGOTI quarter brings together Italians Jacopo Andreini on guitar, Andrea Caprara on drums, and Piero Spitilli on bass with California pianist Thollem McDonas for critical avant punk with a technically brilliant flair.


Ava Mendoza / Maxime Petit / Will Guthrie
[7-inch VINYL]
(BeCoq)

An excellent instrumental 7-inch from the trio of Ava Mendoza on guitar, Maxime Petit on bass and Will Guthrie on drums, recording in the studio in France, four rocking pieces showing the band's chops, quirky asides, and aggressive yet clean playing style.


Bob Drake
Antiquities [6-CD BOX SET]
(Recommended Records)

Collecting multi-instrumentalist & vocalist Bob Drake's albums Little Black Train, The Skull Mailbox and Other Horrors, XIII Songs and a Thing, The Shunned Country, and Bob's Drive-In in a solid box set, with a bonus CD, a specially curated collection of outtakes and oddities from this amazing avant-rocker, a member of Thinking Plague, 5uu's, Hail and The Science Group.


Richard Pinhas / Tatsuya Yoshida
Ascension
(Magaibutsu Limited)

The collaboration between Magaibutsu label leader, Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Korekyojinn, Koenji, The World Heritage, &c) on drums, keyboards & voice, and Heldon mastermind Richard Pinhas on guitar & effects, continues with this CD of live material from their 2014 Japanese tour, extending the 2015 "Live in Japan" album, including the 8-part "Ascension".


Bob Drake
The Gardens of Beastley Manor
(Recommended Records)

Bob Drake takes his listeners on a 22 piece instrumental journey through a "Beastley" garden of confident melodic foundation anBob Drake takes his listeners on a 22 piece instrumental journey through a "Beastley" garden of confident melodic foundation and experimental forays, captured by day and night, a tour de force of conception and execution.


Uchihashi Kazuhisa / Yoshida Tatsuya
Improvisations 5 [2 CDs]
(Magaibutsu)

21 wild rides from the fully improvised duo of guitarist Kazuhisa Uchihashi on guitar & effects, and Tatsuya Yoshida on drums, voice & sampler, two CDs from four separate concerts at Japanese venues Akihabara Goodman in 2012 & 2014, Kichijoji FOXHOLE in 2014, and Okubo Hikarino-Uma in 2017; intensely exciting and magnificently masterful improv instrumental rock.


Atsushi / Tatsuya / Makoto
Japanese New Music Festival Japan Tour 2022
(Magaibutsu Limited)

Recordings from the 2022 Japanese New Music Festival Japan Tour from the trio of Tsuyama Atsushi on bass, guitar & piano, Yoshida Tatsuya on drums, synth and vocals, and Kawabata Makoto on guitar, bass and vocals, selecting the best tracks from the tour into a collection of 15 psychedelic, progressive, experimental and uncategorizable rock forms!


Hippie Diktat
Black Peplum [VINYL]
(BeCoq)

Using raw and primal rhythms, deep textures from amplified baritone saxophone and trance approaches to rock instrumental music balancing Steve Reich and Sunn O))), the French Hippie Diktat trio of Antoine Viard on baritone sax, Julien Chamla on drums and Richard Comte on guitar has toured Europe since 2011, here in recordings at l'Ecluse, in Reims from 2013.


Hippie Diktat
Gran Sasso [VINYL]
(nunc.)

The 3rd album from the French Hippie Diktat trio of Antoine Viard on baritone sax, Julien Chamla on drums and Richard Comte on guitar, drawing parallels to Sunn O))) and the raw power of Peter Brötzmann, here in a four-part work of primal rhythms and powerful textures, applying the use of space and timing around repetition to create a bedrock of brawny sound.


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.


Growlers Choir
LIVE au FIMAV
(Les Disques Victo)

A unique concert even by the standards of Victoriaville from The Growlers, a vocal ensemble who interpret heavy metal, known for their epic work "Hate.Machine" and "The Dayking" with participation from poet Fortner Anderson, performed here along with a comprovisation backed by an electronic track originated from electric guitar recordings.


Henry Cow
Glastonbury, Chaumont, Bilbao And The Lions Of Desire
(ReR Megacorp)

Expanding on the history of Henry Cow in new recordings discovered after the 19-CD Cow Redux box, including: a well-recorded concert at the the first Glastonbury Fayre in 1972, the earliest recordings of the quartet of Martin Ditcham, Fred Frith, John Greaves and Tim Hodgkinson; a 1978 grouping with Phil Minton; unrecorded compositions from 1977 in Bilbao; and a 1976 Chaumont Concert.


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.


Gerald Cleaver
The Process [VINYL]
(Positive Elevation / 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 landscapes, 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.


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.


Novoa / Carter / Mela Trio
Vol.1 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Brooklyn-based Eva Novoa's new trio with sax legend Daniel Carter and drummer Francisco Mela debuts with their first volume, featuring compositions inspired by the four elements — earth, wind, fire, and water — and a Cuban piece, blending Novoa's piano, Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and gongs with Carter's sax and Mela's rhythms for vibrant, free-flowing interplay.


Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley
Flashing Spirits
(Burning Ambulance Music)

A previously unreleased 1988 live performance from the legendary partnership of pianist Cecil Taylor and drummer Tony Oxley, recorded at the Outside In Festival in the UK just months after their initial collaboration, presenting a fiercely dynamic and poetic duo of free improvisation, revealing the spark and spiritual force that would define their decades-long artistic relationship.


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.


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.


Daniel Carter / Leo Genovese / William Parker / Francisco Mela
Shine Hear Volume 2 [VINYL]
(577 Records)

Inspired by a poem Daniel Carter wrote about the transience and motion of modern life, the quartet of Daniel Carter on saxophone, Leo Genovese on piano, William Parker on bass, Gralla & Shakuhachi and Francisco Mela on drums & voice, turn in an ecstatic album of exotic collective improvisation in this second of two volumes from an excellent studio session.


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.


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".


Gerald Cleaver
The Process
(Positive Elevation / 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 landscapes, 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.


AMM (Prevost / Tilbury)
Aura
(Matchless)

Recorded in Finland in 2016, this extended improvisation features a core duo from later AMM configurations — percussionist Eddie Prévost and pianist John Tilbury, who also performs on harpsichord — captured in the exceptional acoustics of The Sibelius Museum concert hall where the intimate setting elicits profound, beautifully recorded dialogue between these two masterful performers.


Bill Dixon w/ Archie Shepp, 7-Tette and Orchestra
Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reissuing three essential album from trumpeter Bill Dixon's work in the 60's, first his 1962 album with saxophonist Archie Shepp in configurations of trio & quartet; then Dixon's septet album from 1964 in two compositions; and his orchestra album from 1967, showing the evolution of the trumpeter's work, approach to soloing, and his unique sense of orchestration.


Arthur Blythe Quartet (Blythe / Booth / Abdullah / Reid)
Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 2
(NoBusiness)

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.


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.


Bill Evans (w/ LoFaro / Motian)
The Legendary Trio At Birdland 1960 Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Unofficial jazz documentarian Boris Rose captured these recordings on reel-to-reel tape of the Bill Evans Trio in 1960, an artistically fulfilling concert at Birdland in NYC and a rare recording of this particular trio with bassist scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian; originally issued in 1992 on the Cool & Blue label, here properly restored and remastered.


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.


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.


Albert Ayler (incl. Milford Graves, Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Lyons, Sunny Murray, &c)
More Lost Performances, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Remastering previously unavailable and vital performances from three configurations of saxophonist Albert Ayler's bands, including their 1967 Newport Festival concert with Milford Graves, their performance at John Coltrane's 1967 Funeral at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in NYC, and an incredible 1962 concert with Cecil Taylor's group with Jimmy Lyons and Sunny Murray in Copenhagen.


Don Ellis (Byard / Carter / Persip; Bley / Peacock / Stone /Martinis)
How Time Passes To Essence, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Before his experimental, culturally absorbing large band work in the late 60s and 70s, trumpeter Don Ellis released these two excellent quartet albums featuring his own compositions, particularly the side-long work "Improvisational Suite 1", in bands with Jaki Byard, Ron Carter & Charlie Persip (How Time Passes) and with Paul Bley, Gary Peacock and either Gene Stone or Nick Martinis (Essence).


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.


Albert Ayler Quintet 1966
Berlin, Lorrach, Paris & Stockholm. Revisited [2 CDs]
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler's 1966 quintet brought a unique orchestration to his music, heard in these live performances in Berlin, Lörrach, Paris & Stockholm in November of 1966, four concerts presented chronologically as performed with the exemplary playing of brother Donald Ayler on trumpet, Michel Samson on violin, William Folwell on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums.


Pat Thomas
This is Trick Step
(577 Records)

UK improviser and keyboard artist Pat Thomas makes his 577 debut with a solo album of abstract and active electronic experimentation with an urban edge, blending texture, depth, and 'mental stimulation' in unexpected, densely packed ways, with Thomas describing the album as the product of an alternative universe where JDilla and Morton Feldman collaborate.


Kris Davis Trio (w/ Hurst / Blake)
Run the Gauntlet
(Pyroclastic Records)

A tribute to six extraordinary female pianists — Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Marilyn Crispell, Angelica Sanchez, Sylvie Courvoisier & Renne Rosnes — through compositions from New York pianist Kris Davis and one by drummer Johnathan Blake, melodically rich and intricately challenging pieces as Davis stands shoulder to shoulder with those who inspired her.


Daniel Carter / Watson Jennison / William Parker / Federico Ughi
Live! Volume 1: Erie
(577 Records)

Working together in tours and recording since 2005, the NY trio of multi-reedist and wind player Daniel Carter, bassis William Parker and drummer/percussionist Federico Ughi are joined by saxophonist Watson Jennison also on flute, recorder and keyboards for this enlightened album of modern and transcendent jazz in a limited, remastered LP edition with bonus material.


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.


John Coltrane Quartet
Newport, New York, Alabama, 1963, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Two quartets performing two live concerts from 1963 led by John Coltrane on tenor & soprano saxophones, the first at the Newport Jazz Festival with McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on double bass and Roy Haynes on drums, the second at Birdland with Elvin Jones on the drums, plus 2 studio recordings with that quartet at Van Gelder Studio in the same year.


Ornette Coleman
Ornette At 12, Crisis & Man On The Moon, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reissuing and remastering two Impulse! albums from saxophonist Ornette Coleman: 1969's Ornette At 12 with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and his then 12-year-old son Denardo on drums; 1972's Crisis adding Don Cherry on trumpet; and a lesser-known 1969 EP, Man On The Moon, with electronics from Dr. Emmanuel Ghent and Ed Blackwell on drums.


New York Art Quartet
Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Evolving after a gig in 1963, saxophonist John Tchicai and trombonist Roswell Rudd developed the NYAQ from loft sessions, adding the creative drumming of Milford Graves and bassist Lewis Worrell; ESP was so impressed that they recorded their 1st 1965 album with an Amira Baraka recitation on one track; Reggie Workman then took over the bass chair for their subsequent Mohawk album on the Fontana label.


Paul Dunmall / Paul Rogers / Tony Levin
The Good Feelings
(577 Records)

A first time issue for these 2009 studio recordings between Paul Dunmall on tenor & soprano saxophones and bass & b-flat clarinets, Paul Rogers on 7 string acoustic bass and Tony Levin on drums, bringing to light both a great trio session that's sat on the shelf too long, and a superb example of the late great drummer Tony Levin's important contribution to UK free improv.


Charles Gayle / Szilard Mezei Quartet Bass
Oils
(Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A 2009 live performance at the 15th Magyarkanizsa Jazz Festival in Serbia between Hungarian violist and composer Szilárd Mezei and US saxophonist Charles Gayle, an evocative meeting of transcendent free jazz and compositional precision, weaving Mezei's intricate scores with Gayle's profound, soul-searching improvisations; a dynamic and fiery celebration of freedom and expression.


Evan Parker's Transatlantic Trance Map
Marconi's Drift
(False Walls)

Bringing together two groups of spectacular improvisers versed in free and electroacoustic improvisation for a live transatlantic performance, one group of seven musicians primarily from The UK & Europe performing from The Hot Tin venue in Faversham, Kent, UK, the other group of six musicians performing from Roulette, New York City, for this stunningly impressive group improvisation.


Bill Evans Trio
At The Village Vanguard 1961, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reissuing and remastering two seminal albums on the Riverside label from pianist and composer Bill Evan's trio with double bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian — Sunday At The Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby — yielding jazz standards and helping define the modern jazz trio through impressive technical underpinnings and lyrical sophistication.


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.


Brandon Lopez / DoYeon Kim
Syzygy, Vol. 1
(577 Records)

A confluence of contrasting strings recorded in the studio in NYC, bringing bassist Brandon Lopez and gayageum master DoYeon Kim together in an acoustic dialogue of free improvisation, blending Lopez's explosive intuition with Kim's dynamic reinterpretation of tradition, resulting in a fascinating sonic journey that bridges ancient melodies and avant-garde exploration.


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.


Eunhye Jeong (Burik / Ridley / Mela / Kim)
End of Time / KM-53 Project Vol. 2
(577 Records)

(code named KM-53), is an energetic and sophisticated album of free collective improvisation and one Jeong composition, performed with Allison Burik on alto sax & bass clarinet, Max Ridley on double bass, Francisco Mela on drums and Mina Kim on cello, recorded live at Lilypad, in Cambridge.


AALY Trio (Gustafsson / Nordeson / Janson)
Sustain
(Silkheart)

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.


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.


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 Trio
At The Golden Circle Stockholm, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Reissuing and remastering both volumes from saxophonist, trumpeter and violinist Ornette Coleman's 1966 Blue Note album of his 1965 performance at the Golden Circle in Stockholm, Sweden in a trio with double bassist David Izenzon and drummer Charles Moffett, two days of exceptional concerts and the first example of Ornette's violin playing on any recording.


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.


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.


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.


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.


Albert Ayler Quartets
Spirits To Ghosts Revisited (remastered)
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Three variations of quartet settings from iconoclastic free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, remastering and combining two Debut Records albums, "Spirits" from 1964 with Norman Howard (trumpet), Sunny Murray (drums), and alternating bass between Henry Grimes & Earle Henderson; and 1965's "Ghosts" on Debut Records with Don Cherry (trumpet), Gary Peacock (bass), and Sunny Murray.


Don Cherry
Complete Communion & Symphony For Improvisers, Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Following a 1964 Albert Ayler tour, trumpeter Don Cherry remained in Europe, working on new concepts of improvising based on form itself, developing his concepts with saxophonist Gato Barbieri, vibraphonist Karl Berger & bassist J.F. Jenny Clark, composing two brilliant albums: 1966's Communion with Barbieri, Henry Grimes & Ed Blackwell; and in 1967 Symphony for Improvisers as a septet.


Noah Howard Quartet To
At Judson Hall Revisited
(ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Saxophonist Noah Howard's move from New Orleans to New York City brought him into the circle of early 60's free jazz players including Albert Ayler, joining Sun Ra's Arkestra, and performing at Slug's Saloon; this release reissues two ESP albums, his working band's 1966 Quartet album, and the extended and interestingly orchestrated sextet album, At Judson Hall.




The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

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