Members of Eddie Prevost's weekly improvisation workshops, violinist Jennifer Allum and cellist Ute Kanngiesser, recorded these 3 improvisations, running the gamut from spacious harmonics to vigorously weaving dialog, in 3 rooms of St Augustine's Bell Tower in London.
AMM (Eddie Prevost on percussion and John Tilbury on piano(+)) performing a 1 hour, 1 minute and 1 second live concert at the 2012 Festival of Traditional and Avant-Garde Music in Lublin, Poland in a beautiful melding of unconventional approaches to improvisation.
A sound work about freedom, choice and politics, performed at Arika's Festival Episode 4 "Freedom is a Constant Struggle" in Glasgow, 2013, from the duo of Mattin (computer and feedback) and written with Lebanese philosopher Ray Brassier.
Using sopranino, sorano and decayed tenor saxophone, Mark Brown recorded these unusual improvisations, generating a huge variety of sounds and tones, and then constructing those recordings into this curious and captivating 40 minute work.
Balancing jazz and contemporary music, the Swiss trio of Christoph Gallio (saxes), Silvan Jeger (double bass) and David Meier (drums), continues the history of this touring band that started in 1989, here in their 8th release of excellent modern jazz.
The final of 4 volumes documenting a series of concerts Eddie Prevost organised at the Network Theatre in London, trio sessions featuring the finest modern free improvising saxophonists, here with Bertrand Denzler on sax and bassist John Edwards accompanying.
A curious and remarkably enjoyable collection of works from Jorrit Dijkstra (sax, lyricon and electronics) in a quintet with Phillip Greenlief (reeds), Kyle Bruckman (double reeds & electronics), Frank Gratkowski (reeds), and Jon Raskin (sax & electronics).
Guitarist Marc Ducret completes his "Tower" series with a 12-piece ensemble including all musicians from the 4 Tower volumes, includi> ng Tim Berne, Tom Rainey, Matthias Mahler, &c. in 2 CDs of two concerts from their 2012 tour; innovative and astoundingly great modern jazz.
UK Composer Michael Edwards wrote these quiet compositions using his "slippery chicken" software, originally written as a challenge to pianist Rei Nakamura, in contrast to his technical skills, instead requiring pensive accuracy over a steady line of quiet chords.
Recorded live, this collaboration of saxophonist Daniel Erdmann and drummer Samuel Rohrer with Vincent Courtois on cello, and Frank Mobus on guitar, blends jazz, rock, and chamber approaches in beautifully panoramic improvisation of subtle yet capricious intent.
A live recording made in April 2014 at Mike Reed's Constellation in Chicago of pianist Karayorgis Quintet with Dave Rempis (sax), Keefe Jackson (reeds), Nate McBride (bass) and Frank Rosaly (drums), bridging post-bop and avant jazz in sophisticated and lyrical ways.
During his residency in Vienna as part of Johannes Heuer's "Vor Anker", Kuchen recorded these curious solo works using saxophone and preparations, 6 pieces of understated intent using unconventional approaches rewarding the active listener.
3 recordings from 3 live concerts in 3 London boroughs, including the 2012 Freedom of the City Festival, bringing together master improvisers Evan Parker (saxophone), Eddie Prevost (Percussion) and Sebastian Lexer (piano) for unpredictable and exhilarating dialog.
The summer 2014 issue of Canada's premiere new music magazine and accompanying CD, with articles on Isaiah Ceccarelli, Petra Glynt, Erin Sexton, Caduc, Chiyoko Szlavnics, Louis Andriessen, Gil Delindro, plus reviews, listings, &c. &c.
Skull Defekts member and a part of Ocean Of Silver And Blood, Joachim Nordwal is captured in a 2008 concert in Oslo for this 17 minute lo-fi set of textured sound work, a grainy drone of howling sound.
The debut release of the duo of Joachim Nordwall on modular synth and Mark Wastell on tam tam performing two tonal drones that blends rich cymbal sonics entwined with dark, slowly evolving synthetics.
The sepiasonic ensemble, originally created by Claudio Puntin, Insa Rudolph and Samuel Rohrer, documented here on Arjunamusic, in improvisations, songs and soundscapes blend voice, 3 flutes, reeds, electronics and song in sublime ways.
An album of solo percussion from authoritative European improvising percussionist Gunter "Baby" Sommer, 9 works of exhilarating rhythms performed on drums, tubular bells, hang, gongs, xylophone, an array of unusual percussion instruments, plus his voice.
Berlin's Squakk is the quartet of Michael Griener (drums), Rudi Mahall (bass clarinet, clarinet, baritone sax), Jan Roder (double bass), and Christof Thewes (trombone), performing free-bop that draws on jazz history transformed into the modern improvised language.
Combining composition & improvisation, percussionist Luis Tabuenca based each of these 9 pieces on a print from Goya's critical series "Los Caprichos", orchestrating with saxophone, cello, clarinets, piano, & voice, allowing freedom around determined structure.
Traw (Welsh for pitch or encompassing wholeness) is harpist and electronic artist Rhodri Davies with sampling and real-time processing artists Owen Martell, Richard Llewellyn, and Simon Proffitt, here in 6 pieces about water using layers of Davies' sonic output.
This long overdue re-issue celebrates the unique encounter of eleven like-minded musicians from Japan, England, Wales, Germany, Basque Country & Norway, brought together in the studio for one day only for this daytime recording session followed by an evening concert.
Recorded during their 2014 tour, Jorrit Dijkstra (sax), Pandelis Karayorgis (piano), Jeb Bishop (trombone), Mary Oliver (violin), Jason Roebke (bass) and Han Bennink (drums) recorded this new set of inspired Steve Lacy & Monks tunes primarily in Padova, Italy.
The 3rd volume from a series of concerts Eddie Prevost organised at the Network Theatre in London, trio sessions featuring the finest modern free improvising saxophonists, here with Jason Yarde on alto & soprano, and Oil Hayhurst rounding out the trio on double bass.
The 22nd edition of John Zorn's Masada intrepretations, "The Book of Angels" comes from guitarist Jon Madof blending Afro-pop stylings of the legendary Fela Kuti with the Jewish tradition in an 11 piece all-star band.
The French trio of saxophonist Bertrand Denzler, guitarist Jean-Sebastien Mariage and drummer Antonin Gerbal in two extended works beginning and ending on a sustained plateau while maintaining a constant state of anticipatory suspense using no electronics, treatments or effects.
Zorn's "Nova Express" quartet (Joey Baron-drums, Trevor Dunn-bass, John Medeski-piano, Kenny Wollesen-vibes) dedicates an album of lyrical contemporary jazz to poet Walt Whitman, a rich and beautiful album from some of Downtown NY's finest.
Using mostly unprocessed electric guitars, the duo of Elliott Sharp and Scott Fields' latest release presents eight dueling guitar works using dynamic, angular tones and textures, from extremely aggressive work to clean avant-jazz with twisted technical intent.
The trio of bassist Gary Peacock, pianist Paul Bley, and trumpeter Franz Koglmann interpret and improvise on the music of avant song-writer Annette Peacock.
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.
A 4-part suite from oboe/english hornist Kyle Bruckman based on Thomas Pynchon's early novels, exhilarating jazz performed with Jason Stein (bass clarinet), Darren Johnston (trumpet), Jeb Bishop (trombone), Tim Daisy (drums), Jen Paulson (viola) and Anton Hatwich (bass).
Remembering Shaking Ray Levis' Dennis Palmer in a duo between percussionist Gino Robair and pianist Thollem McDonas on Rhodes and analog effects, a mind-bending display of technical brilliance and unexpected twists and turns, a fitting tribute to the late SRL keyboardist.
The Oakland-based Ton Trio II featuring Aram Shelton on alto saxophone, Scott Brown on bass, and Alex Vittum on drums, perform avant sophisticated jazz weaving through melody, rhythm, and texture while allowing for spacious improvisations.
Reedist Cory Wright's 5-piece Outfit from Oakland, CA, in an album featuring eight tracks of advanced compositions featuring remarkable improvising with Evan Francis (sax), Rob Ewing (trombone), Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), and Jordan Glenn (drums).
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.
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.
Live recordings at LOFT in Cologne, Germany from the trio of George Wissel on prepared saxophone, Achim Tang on doublebass, and Simon Camatta on drums & percussion, performing seven "Movements" that use prodigious technique with reserve and direction, revealing the structure of their work as the pieces build and recede in fascinating ways.
The duo of Dimitra Lazaridou-Chatzigoga on zither and Mark Wastell on his electronics set including bowls and shruti box, formed for the release concert for Angharad Davies' "Six Studies" in 2014, recording this excellent improvised dialog of rich and unusual sound.
ist (The Improvising String Trio) of Rhodri Davies (harp), Simon H. Fell (bass) and Mark Wastell (violincello) performing at The Natural Music Club in London, 1997, using unorthodox techniques in indeterminate systems and free improvisation for fascinating results.
The Boston-based BOLT quartet of Jorrit Dijkstra (sax), Eric Hofbauer (guitar), Junko Fujiwara (cello), Eric Rosenthal (drums) chose the 19 pieces on this release from 36 improvised pieces, ranging from "energy-orgies of free jazz [to] sparse electronic soundscapes".
The French quartet of Theo Ceccaldi (violin), Roberto Negro (piano), Valentin Ceccaldi (cello), and Adrien Chennebault (drums), mixing an unlikely set of improvised and composed styles for music that is indescribably absorbing, adventurous, sophisticated, and inspired.
AMM percussionist Eddie Prevost has presented weekly Workshop Concerts since 1999, here recording live at London's Cafe Oto in May, 2012 with a sextet of acoustic and electronic performers on violin, cello, theremin, zither, electronics, and percussion.
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.
Two major works from bassist Barry Guy using unique compositional strategies, written for a large ensemble that inclues Evan Parkers (sax), Hans Koch (bass clarinet), Herb Robertson (trumpet), Johannes Bauer (trombone), Paul Lytton & Raymond Strid (percussion).
The NEWJazz Meeting of the SWR German Radio in Baden-Baden brought saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock together with Tom Rainey, Ben Davis, Drew Gress, Liam Noble, Ted Reichman and Mary Halvorson to develop these 7 pieces, recorded live in concert in Zurich, 2011.
Nicole Mitchell explores the work of African-American writer Octavia Butler in a science fiction concept of intergalactic integration, achieved through 9 detailed pieces that balance improvisation, composition and song in unique and sophisticated ways.
Ross Bolleter improvises on pianos that have been "abandoned to all weathers and has become a decaying box of unpredictable dongs, clicks and dedoomps" around Australia between 2001 and 2005.
Drummer Bobby Previte's "Mass" is based on heavy electrified rearrangements of 15th century composer Guillaume Dufay's "Missa Sancti Jacobi", performed by The Rose Ensemble, Stephen O'Malley, Don McGreevy, Mike Gamble and Jamie Saft, Marco Benevento, and Reed Mathis.
Prester John is guitarist Shawn Persinger with mandolin virtuoso David Miller performing original work and music from Janet Feder, Dave Kerman, and a song for Henry Threadgill to sing!
The debut recording of New York double bassist Sean Ali's improvising string trio with violist Joanna Mattrey and cellist Leila Bordreuil, having worked together since 2015, each brings impressive technique and a somewhat twisted approach to their strings in a diverse set of extended improvisation from pensive and spacious to formidable density.
Having previously worked together with Joe McPhee and Kent Kessler, this album distills the Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado and NY drummer/percussionist Chris Corsano to a concentrated sax and drum duo of earnest and edgy playing, bending jazz, free and blues idioms to their will with magnificent technique and power, both clearly elated in their meeting.
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!
Nicole Mitchell explores the work of African-American writer Octavia Butler in a science fiction concept of intergalactic integration, achieved through 9 detailed pieces that balance improvisation, composition and song in unique and sophisticated ways.