Incredibly crafted sonic worlds from the Biota collective, and indescribable orchestration of electric & acoustic guitars, clavioline, trumpet, organ, micromoog, biolmellodrone, voice, electric & acoustic violins, bass, percussion, &c.
John Cage composed these 20 sonatas and "interludes" from 1946-1948, unique and inventive compositions for conventional and prepared piano, which noted Cage interpreter James Tenney recorded in 2002.
Following his successful "Nebulosa" debut CD, Portuguese bassist Hugo Carvalhais augments his trio of Gabriel Pinto (keys) and Mario Costa (drums) with French soprano saxophonist Emile Parisien and violinist Dominique Pifarely.
The duo of Thanos Chrysakis on laptop and electronics, Wade Matthes on digital synthesis and field recordings, in an album of improvisations where synthetics and real-word sounds combine and collide in intriguing ways.
The dynamic rhythm section that worked behind Anthony Braxton as part of his legendary mid-'80s through mid-'90s quartet steps out on its own to perform a program of Braxton compositions.
Two CDs and a 90 page hardback book with photos, info and interviews from audio documenter and experimenter Peter Cusak, recording in Chernobyl, The Caspian Oilfields, and various dangerous locations in the UK.
The Swedish trio of Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin collaborating with Australian guitarist Oren Ambarchi for an album of hypnotic, psychedelic rock'n'jazz exploration (CD has 1 track not included on the LP edition).
The long-running trio of alto saxophonist Jean-Luc Guionnet and drummer Edward Perraud (Hubbub) and bassist Benjamin Duboc in a studio album of intense and expressive free jazz in the Albert Ayler tradition.
American noise from 910 Noise Collective artists August Traeger and Ryan Lewis, a mix of harsh and atmospheric sound in an EP of wild, untamed and surprising sound work.
Trumpeter and composer Thomas Heberer devised the graphic notation "cookbook" for the trio of Joachim Badenhorst (clarinet) and Pascal Niggenkemper (bass) for their "Klippe" album, here expanding the concept in these 12 inspired pieces.
A large orchestra of improvisers brought together by composer and tuba player Carl Ludwig Hubsch for the 2008 Berlin Explorations festival, peforming works focusing on tone and color from the smallest to the largest sound.
Bassist J.C. Jones brings together science & music, enabling an evocative window into the illness MS by making the vibrations of myelin protein audible, over which Jones, Yoni Silver, Harold Rubin, Airel Shibolet, &c. improvise.
Machinefabriek (Rutger Zuydervelt) in an EP of a long sine save compositions that creates a minimally moving piece of consonance and dissonance using beautifully recorded tones.
Instrumental and song work from Chris Cutler (Henry Cow, &c.) and Steve MacLean (Dr. Nerve) with Julie Thompson as vocalist, subtle non-linear songs created using unusual processes.
An ambitious work from flautist, composer and conductor Nicole Mitchell writing for a large ensemble of improvisers, electronics, and chamber orchestra, a complex and layered work that reveals more with each listen.
A 1985 recording of guitarist Joe Morris with Lowell Davidson (drums), Malcolm Goldstein (violin) and Butch Moriss (cornet) riffing on the idea of graffiti tags, performed live at the Cambridge Dance Center.
A beautiful and evocative song cycle that meditates on themes of destruction and rebuilding, migration, falsities and undeniable truths performed with the Toomai String Quartet, and Mary Halvorson, Tomas Fujiwara and Emily Manzo.
Composer Michael Pisaro teams up with Toshiya Tsunoda for an 85 minute work in 8 sections developed over 14 months, a profound saga of subtle lowercase interactions using electronics and field recordings.
A first and exceptional release from the Platform 1 quintet of Chicago reedist Ken Vandermark, NY trombonist Steve Swell, European trumpeter Magnus Broo, Canadian ex-pat bassist Joe Williamson, and Amsterdamn based drummer Michael Vatcher.
"Texturen" for seven musicians and eight other works from composer Katharina Rosenberger, blending acoustics, electronics and voice in inventive ways, as performed by the NY Wet Ink Ensemble.
A live concert from soprano saxophonist Airel Shibolet performing with drummer Haggai Fershtman live in Tel Aviv, 2010, part of Kadima's Cy Twombly live performance series.
Henry Threadgill and his Zooid band follow up the 2 part "This Bring Us To" series with this exceptional album of NY jazz, abstracting the jazz idiom in persuasive and stunning ways through great writing and playing.
The 2nd Trespass Trio CD with Martin Kuchen (alto and baritone), Per Zanussi (bass) and Raymond Strid (drums and percussion), jazz music with a narrative drive from 3 powerful players.
A large excerpt from the tribute to Albert Ayler concert presented at Fondation Cartier, Paris on December 2nd 2010 with Joe Mcphee, Evan Parker, Barre Phillips, John Tchicai, Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Jean-Jacques Avenel, &c. &c.
Manuel Perovic arranges the story of Narcissus and Echo, as told by Ovid for saxophonist Jurg Wickihalder and a theatrical band including Michael Jaeger, Damian Zangger, Chris Wiesendanger, &c.
The quartet of Cosottini, Melano, Pisani, Miano (EAQuartet Electroacoustic) in compositions referring to the 4 cardinal map points using graphic scores, games, open readings, &c.
Legendary trumpeter, composer and educator Bill Dixon in a 17 piece orchestra playing original compositions live at the 12th Vision Festival in New York City.
Victoriaville celebrated European Free Jazz legend Peter Brotzmann's 70th birthday by presenting two concerts: one solo, and one with the amazing Trio Roma of Massimo Pupillo and Paal Nilssen-Love, both presented on this essential 2 CD release.
Released along with "Canada Day Octet", this new release presents drummer Eisenstadt's quintet with Nate Wooley (trumpet), Matt Bauder (sax), Chris Dingman (vibes) and Garth Stevenson (bass) in an album of great tunes and spirited playing.
Fred Frith's leads a quartet of electric guitars (Rene Lussier, Nick Didkovsky, Mark Stewart) through 10 different journeys that explores the dynamic potential of this unique group composition.
Keith Wood's Hush Arbors with bassist Jason Ajemian, guitarist Leon Dufficy, and drummer Ryan Sawyer, in their 2nd Ecstatic Peace album of driving avant-folk songs and instrumental sections.
Mark Wastell and Rhodri Davies select highlights from the All Angels Concerts in London featuring artists such as Jonh Russell, John Butcher, Steve Beresford, and more.
The Italian improvising music unit Jealousy Party, known for their spontaneous use of self-recycling through playback devices, is joined by Berlin-based artist and composer Nicolas Wiese in this studio recording.
A collection of compositions from drummer/composer Federico Ughi dedicated to the four cities where he's lived: Rome, London, Montreal and New York, performed in a quartet with Darius Jones (sax), Eri Yamamoto (piano) and Ed Schuller (bass).
A collection of performances by Diego Chamy (dance), improvising in duo with Tamara Ben-Artzi (dance), Axel Dorner (trumpet), Nikolaus Gerszewski (piano and guitar), Robin Hayward (tuba) & Christof Kurzmann (electronics).
A masterful fountain of melodic ideas, intriguing rhythms, and exceptional technical skill from the duo of Hamid Drake on drums and frame drum, and Sylvain Kassap on clarinets and chalumeau, recording live at the France Musique at Studio Theatre dÕAlfortville and in the studio.
A live performance at Judson Church in Manhattan as part of the 20th Vision Festival from the NY/France free improvising trio of Joelle Leandre on double bass, Mat Maneri on viola, and Gerald Cleaver on drums and percussion, two tracks of steadily building, incredibly compatible dialog.
Roman philosopher Titus Lucretius Carus named "Clinamen" the unpredictable (in time and space) swerve of atoms falling in the void, which aptly describes the unexpected directions taken in subtle free improvisation from this French trio, led by bassist Louis-Michel Marion, with Jacques Di Donato on clarinet, and Philippe Berger on viola.
The Swedish duo of percussionist Andreas Pollak and prepared pianist Johan Graden (Adam & Alma) in an album of references and innuendo, clandestine and furtive sounds that evoke great mystery and drama in beautifully shaped sound; evocative music that deceives to emerge from the electronic realm while in actuality coming from all acoustic sources.
The second volume of the project heard in the previous Creative Sources album, "Suspensao", here in a 9-piece electroacoust ensemble with viola, cello, doublebass, alto sax, trombone, piano, electric guitar, computer and percussion, suspenseful lowercase music that unfolds in mysterious, beautiful and rewarding ways.
Viola player Nori Jacoby and soprano saxophonist Ariel Shibolet performing live at Hateiva, Tele Aviv in 2010, part of Kadima's Cy Twombly live performance series.
Two basses and a lower-end saxophone from the trio of Damon Smith on double bass, Andrew Durham on electric bass, and Danny Kamins on baritone sax, Durham also adding effects and "Radio Manipulation" to their deep sound, Durham & Kamins the core of CARL with Damon Smith adding extra underpinnings to their slowly developing, sometimes pensive, sometimes cantankerous, profound improvisation.
Recorded live at Silence Sounds in Guelph Canada, the duo of Xavier Charles on clarinet and Eric Normand on electric bass & objects eschew idiom in favor of their unique natural language on their instruments, applying patient development of truly idiosyncratic and fascinating command through a single extended work punctuated in seven diverse passages.
From 2008-16 until drummer Frank Rosaly moved to Amsterdam, alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella's Trio was an active part of Chicago's creative jazz scene; in early 2018 Rosaly returned for a visit and Mazzarella composed a suite of 6 new pieces to commemorate the trio's tenth anniversary, the exuberant result this excellent concert recorded at Co-Prosperity Sphere!
A beautifully hypnotic album of saxophone, accompanied by Pan-Ney, Shruti Box and Organ, recorded in overdubs by composer/wind player Werner Durand in this 2nd chapter of his trilogy focused on the Pan-Ney, a self-built instrument for repetitive foundations, as Durand draws on elements of nature, mythology, dance, religion, literature and folklore.
Toronto-area saxophonist Colin Fisher, best known for his group I Have Eaten The City, with his collective quartet of NY players Daniel Carter on tenor, alto & soprano saxophones + clarinet & flute, Brandon Lopez on upright bass, and Marc Edwards on drums & percussion, for three extended and exploratory improvisations of exemplary creative insight.
The 5th release from the trio of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Keiji Haino, guitarist Jim O'Rourke and Oren Ambarchi on wineglass and percussion is an introspective and beautifully developed set recorded live at their March 2013 concert at SuperDeluxe.
An extended and rich confluence of strings from R Keenan Lawler and John Krausbauer, using resonator guitar and banjo, sustained tones that intertwine in a beautiful and optimistic drone, minimalistic yet drenched in a profusion of harmonic detail; a beautiful and elusive dream mixing between an Indian raga and an alien electronic environment.
Recorded in the mid-90s, Livebatts! was a project of John White (Cornelius Cardew, Scratch Orchestra) developed to exploit "toy" keyboards of the 80s--cheap battery-driven instruments that hold tremendous potential for "serious" music-making--used here in a playful quartet with vocalist MJ Coldiron, Andrea Rocca (guitar & samples) and Nancy Ruffer (electrified flute).
Quietly lurking as it prepares to attack, this Kobra is the free improvising quaret of Aurora Nealand on accordion, alto saxophone, voice & objects, Steve Marquette on acoustic & electric guitars, Anton Hatwich on bass, and Paul Thibodeaux on drums, captured live at Chicago's Hungry Brain during the Instigation Festival for a mysterious 2-part "New Omens" and some "Telly Attire".
'Spilla' means 'to play' in the language of Neapolitan musicians, and playing here are NY guitarist and composer Elliott Sharp and Italian guitarist Sergio Sorrentino, presenting world premier recordings of 4 works recorded live in Vercelli, Italy: two improvisations and two graphic scores performed on electric guitar with incredible technique and passion.
Stochastic music for percussion and synthesizers from New York avant conceptualist and keyboardist Charlemagne Palestine, here on piano & electronics, with the Italian duo Trrma' of Giovanni Todisco on percussion and Guiseppe Candiano on synth, in two side-long works of irregular rhythm, complexity and dissonance that build and recede in a suspenseful journey.
While both improvisers were in New York City for the 2019 Vision Festival, multi-reedist and European Free Improv legend Peter Brötzmann met Chicago cellist and electronics artist Fred Lonberg-Holm to record their 3rd album together, their 1st album in the studio a diverse set of incredible concentration, with Brötzmann performing on tenor saxophone, woodwind, and clarinet.
A momentous 2020 concert at London's Cafe OTO, presented in two discs, the 1st with label leader Jean-Marc Foussat in a solo improvisation on synth and voice, the 2nd in a trio with Daunik Lazro on tenor & baritone sax, and Evan Parker on soprano sax, the 2 saxophones weaving and responding to Foussat's remarkable alien soundscapes and vocalization in an immersive extended improvisation.
German saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and Vancouver pianist Kris Davis, both living and working in NY, and having worked together in a variety of groups including Laubrock's Anti-House, a trio with drummer Tyshawn Sorey, Tom Rainey's Obligatto, &c. &c., concentrate their sophisticated playing with this duo album of 7 original compositions and 2 free improvisations.
Trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez merges his Yells at Eel project with bassist Aaron Gonzalez and drummer/percussionist Stefan Gonzalez, with Texas-based experimental rock band Pinkish Black--Daron Beck on keyboards and Jon Teague on drums & synthesizers--for a gripping and masterful hybrid of improvisation, dark synthetic rock and heavy moods; a riveting journey.
Exploring the lineage of the Dukes of Bedford, the Russell lineage in Bedford, England, in groupings of acoustic & electric guitarists John Russell, Ray Russell, and Henry Kaiser along with double bassist Ollie Brice, from duos to quartets, eight Duke "Russells" from 1680 to 2003 are explored through intricate and joyfully creative and technically amazing string improvisations.
Taking his title from a poem by Octavio Paz with titles from translations by Lysander Kemp of other Octavio Paz poems, this solo album from double bassist Damon Smith is his definitive statement on the instrument: 23 tracks from 46 seconds to 5 minutes 50, developed over 15 years and displaying Smith's incredible technique and creative intent; incomparable.
Solo saxophone recordings from Israeli artists Ariel Shibolet, performing at Berlins Total Music Meeting in 2007, joyful and complex work in the vein of Evan Parker.