Creative Sources regulars Ernesto Rodrigues on viola and Abdul Moimeme on electric guitar join the long-running duo of alto saxophonist Ilia Belorukov and electronics artist and Mikroton label-leader Kurt Liedwart to record these two lowercase electroacoustic improvisations, transmuting acoustic and electronic sound in both stark and subdued ways.

An extremely balanced group of electroacoustic improvisers, Kai Fagaschinski on clarinet and Liz Allbee on trumpet make up the acoustic side, though sounding as electronic and other-worldly as Billy Roisz on e-bass and electronics and Marta Zapparoli on reel-to-reel tapes and tape machines, creating incredibly wide-ranging and psychedelic sonic environments.

Petr Vrba and Veronika Mayer use non-idiomatic improvisation to research the combination of textural materials, crossing them with vibrations of objects on the speakers, pure sound waves, feedbacks, tones coming from trumpet, accordion, electronics, and laptop, culminating in the creation of a muscular frenetic soup of tense energy fields.

Kurt Liedwart creates a personal journey through multiplicity of intense abstract layers of electronic and synthetic sound, constructing atmospheres of dronescapes, and cryptic songs, keeping the listener on edge in this album of intense "Tones" wrought from sythesizers, electronics, light controlled electronics, electromagnetic devices, and radio.

Gordon Beeferman and Dafna Naphtali perform duet pieces and improvisations for piano and voice with kinetic sound processing, fractal rhythms, and polyphonic/kaleidophonic disturbances, as Beeferman creates solid structures which are augmented by Naphtali's live processing, while she employs extended vocal techniques and hand & voice activated electronics.

A sense of both lightness and weight drawn from Portuguese viola player's Ernesto Rodrigues' 18-piece String Theory, in a large and detailed improvisation using an incredible array of string sources, including viola, harp, violin, cello, viola da gamba, double bass, classical, acoustic and 12-string guitars, mandolin, zither, harpsichord, and piano.

A free jazz session recorded in Brussells between trumpeter Nate Wooley and half of the Daniele Martini Quartet--saxophonist Martini himself and drummer Joao Lobo--stepping in and out of modal jazz with a contemplative approach, using extended techniques to great effect, Lobo handling the foundation and rhythm in absolutely impressive ways.

13 years playing together and releasing this, their 8th album, the Chicago quartet of Dave Rempis on sax, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten on electric bass, Frank Rosaly on drums, and Tim Daisy on drums, are captured live at Elastic Arts, in Chicago for three awe-inspiring collective improvisations of great energy, resolution, and focus.

Chicago saxophonist Dave Rempis approached the idea of his first solo album under the shadow of the greats before him, in 2017 choosing to journey across the country on a solo tour, performing 31 concerts of which these 6 recordings represent the best reflection of his unique solo vocabulary on the instrument and his enthusiasm for a wealth of musical styles.

The late American violinist Billy Bang's first album, originally issued on Hat Hut Records, is reissued with an additional track, plus 4 previously unissued solo tracks recorded in Tilberg, Netherland in 1978, demonstrating this great artist's broad range of innovative techniques, mixing free-form and melodic passages in extended and joyful improvisations.

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

The debut LP by legendary German guitar improvisor and instrument inventor Hans Reichel, an incredible display of brilliant playing, both technically and by approach, playing on acoustic and unfiltered electric guitars, originally issued on FMP in 1973, here re-mastered from the original tapes and retaining the original design; highly recommended.

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

Reinhold Friedl's Zeitkratzer ensemble and special guests, vocalists Svetlana Spajic, Dragana Tomic, and diple / gusle player Obrad Milic, explore the possibilities found in traditional Serbian songs from and about World War I, including the classic epic "Assassination In Sarajevo", and songs chosen specifically by Spajic and Tomic.

The insanely powerful work of this new trio--bass player Massimo Pupillo (Zu, Laniakea), drummer Alexandre Babel (Sudden Infant) and Caspar Brotzmann on guitar--captured live at Candy Bomber Studios, in Berlin for two monumental free improvisations of raw energy that blend noise rock, drone, and improvisation into something uniquely fearsome and wonderful.

Commissioned by Berlin's Maerzmusik Festival and premiered in 2014, Elliott Sharp's composition & soundscape is named after the Greek waking dream and inspired by John Cage, Sharp using a methodology to filter and process his musical manuscripts via Photoshop, which are interpreted through amplification of acoustic instruments by the Zeitkratzer ensemble.

An hypnotic, lush and beautiful album of sound and lilting voice from Japanese vocalist and electronic experimenter Haco (After Dinner), seven songs of subtle sophistication that create dreamlike environments of floating tones and invoking voice, refined from decades of experimentation and investigation to yield this enchanting album.

Austrian avant-garde musician and multimedia artist Hermann Nitsch performed these powerful and mesmerizing solo organ drone works during the 2013 "Shut up and listen" festival in in the Jesuit church of Vienna, releasing the 4 recordings with an 8-page booklet of art and an essay from Nitsch himself, with mastering by Martin Siewert.

Four original improvisations, taken from legendary AACM composer, improviser and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell's "Conversations" album transcribed and performed by a twenty piece Bay Area orchestra, along with two orchestral improvisations and two duets with Roscoe Mitchell and flutist Wilfredo Terrazas.

A subtly complex and sophisticated album of electroacoustic improvisation from the trio of Japanese sound artists Tetuzi Akiyama (guitar) and Toshimaru Nakamura (no-input mixing board) and Switzerland-based American drummer Jason Kahn performing live at Ftarri in Suidobashi, Tokyo, during Kahn's stay in Japan, a rich and detailed exploration.

The third album from Japanese percussionist Seijiro Murayama and French saxophonist Jean-Luc Guionnet, each presenting unique languages and approaches to their instruments, here in four recordings made in two locations, once during the day in Mishima City at Hongaku Temple and the other at Teke Bar in the same city and on the same evening.

At the same event in Scotland that John Butcher recorded his excellent "Resonant Spaces" album, he also joined forces with sound artist Akio Suzuki on a variety of objects and sound devices to record the first 5 tracks of this unusual album of very free improv, the last track by the duo recording at the 2015 Ftarri Festival at SuperDeluxe in Tokyo.

Pianist/composer Satoko Fujii's "Aspiration" brings together four masterful improvisers and innovators--trumpeters Wadada Leo Smith and Natsuki Tamura, and Downtown NY laptop player Ikue Mori--for an album of exciting and exceptional free playing over compositions from Fujii, Tamura, and one collective composition, a brilliant pinnacle of creative music.

An impressive jazz album from saxophonist Chris Speed, performing with his trio of Dave King on drums and Chris Tordini on bass, a chordless trio that emphasizes Speed's lyrical playing that is both melodic and yet driven by complex riffs, odd time signatures and runs that are fully developed in style and intention, creating a joyful and embraceable album of modern jazz.

UK free improvising saxophonist John Butcher continues to push the boundaries in solo explorations of amazing technique and concept on his horn, using the natural resonance of his settings to enhance his wealth of ideas; here he's captured live at Shimanouchi Church, in Osaka, Japan and at Hall Egg Farm, in Fukaya, Japan in 2013 during a Japanese tour.

Two German trombonists, Matthias and Matthias Muche, extend the trombone language through four open improvisations using advanced techniques and bizarre language, each appropriately titled for phonemes, as the two players explore the strangest and most interesting sides of their instruments to the benefit of the intrepid listener.

An immersive album of collective sound from the Portugues quintet of Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello, Nuno Torres on alto saxophone, Eduardo Chagas on trombone, and Carlos Santos on computer, developing rich sonic environments of great detail and intense patience, a tremendous journey that rewards the careful listener.

Live recordings at Jazzclub Moods in Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 from the trio of Christoph Irniger on tenor saxophone, Daniel Studer on double bass, and Dieter Ulrich on drums & bugle, bringing together two generations of free improvisers for seven concise and masterful conversations, lyrically inclined in captivating interplay and solos.

Sharing common ground in improvisational language and extended techniques but approaching these materials in diverse and disparate ways, alto saxophonists Tim O'Dwyer and Georg Wissel, both using preparations on their sax and distinguished in separate stereo channels, present a singular concert of reed interactions live at the Peter Kowald Ort in Wuppertal, Germany

Pianist Claudia Binder presents 3 concepts for solo piano - the introspective "Room for a Sound" and it's dramatic inverse, "Sound for a Room"; "Polyphony" in 3 parts using piano preparation, one part playful, one part serious, one part peculiar; and an inexplicable "It Takes Two to Tango"--in performances revealing a curious mind and tremendous skill.

German composer working in Budapest Nikolaus Gerszewski does not consider the score for this piece a composition, but rather a basis for a process, which is executed live at Fabrica Braco de Prata with Gerszewski himself plus improvisers Ernesto & Guilherme Rodrigues, Pedro Roxo, Nuno Torres, Armando Pereira, Carlos Santos, Pedro Castello Lopes & Andre Mota.

Recording in the rich resonant structure of the Church of Gauriac, in Gironde, France, Italian reedist Ugo Boscain on contrabass clarinet and French double bassist Fred Marty explore the lower registers in five dialogs of an album titled for "ecstasi" (ecstasy), using a wealth of creative approaches and insane technique, from reserved to spirited forays.

A wonderfully balanced example of melodic free improvisation from the UK trio of Mark Hanslip on tenor saxophone, Colin Somervell on bass, and Ed Gauden on drums, frequent collaborators with an interest in both lyrical and free/collective improvisation, with an approach that uses technique and conceptual approaches in accessible and embraceable ways.

Commissioned by Anthony Braxton's Tri-Centric Foundation, trumpeter Nate Wooley developed a modular compositional structure of small melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, conceptual, textural, and timbral fragments, allowing Ingrid Laubrock (sax), Sylvie Courvoisier (piano), and Matt Moran (Vibes) exceptional freedom in improvisation, here in their 2nd recording live at Koeln's Loft.

Sound interpretations of Miron Bialoszewski's poetry, whose work focuses on the mundane aspects of the everyday life, usually from an autobiographical perspective and using an overtly colloquial language, interpreted by vocalist Mina Asi, aka Asia Bronisławska, speaking and singing over understated keyboard work.

Presenting a different line-up from the 2001 debut of Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii's Quartet, remaining is trumpeter Natsuka Tamura, with Keisuke Ohta on violin and Takashi Itani on drums, performing evolving and rich collective improvisation with a strange edge, captured live at the Jazz Room Cortez in Mito, Japan in 2016 for two extended and bewitching sets.

An album of spoken word and sound, Jean-Francois Pauvros reads from Tristan Tzara's "L'homme Approximatif" (The Approximate Man) over flutes from Chicago producer and flautist Jamal Moss, AKA Hieroglyphic Being, and Jean-Marc Foussat on synth and voice, a mysterious album of subtle insinuation with an intriguing underpinning of electroacoustic sound.

A magnificent album of sound-oriented free improvisation from the French duo of Jean-Luc Petit on bass clarinet, alto saxophone and sopranino sax, and Benoit Kilian on the horizontal bass drum, a beast of an instrument that create massive tones over which Petit employs an incredible array of techniques and tones on his reeds, creating other-worldly sonic environments.

Two commanding players from the UK & European improv scene who have consistently pushed the envelope in free improvisation--electric & prepared guitarist Fred Frith and saxophonist/bass clarinetist Hans Koch--present an album of assertive interactions, merging alien environments with amazing technical playing and inexplicable approaches to sound - superb!

An all-star lineup and an exciting and unpredictable septet with a fascinating orchestration from saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, also on glockenspiel, recording in the studio with a band presented at the 2015 Vision Festival in NY, with Peter Evans on trumpet, Miya Masaoka on koto, Craig Taborn on piano, Sam Pluta on electronics, Dan Peck on tuba, and Tyshawn Sorey on drums.

On their 5th album together, pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura push the limits on approach and technique with their instruments, creating otherworldly and captivating improvisations, both players deciding against using "normal instrumental sounds", instead using preparations and textural approaches to create truly unique music.

Trumpeter Natsuki Tamura's Gato Libre in its 5th album brings a beautiful light-through-the-leaves melodic melancholy to their unhurried pace, now the trio of Tamura, Satoko Fujii on accordion, and Yasuko Kaneko on trombone, as the cats on the cover stop to find allure in the late day while bringing profound and introspective music to our ears.

Summer 2017 issue of Canada's premiere new music magazine, with a CD featuring tracks from selected artists covered in the magazine; Bekah Simms; Senyawa; Pantayo, HanHan, and Luyos MC; Brodie West; Artificiel; Another Timbre's Canadian Composers Series; Vicky Chow; Festival de International Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, 33rd Edition reviewed; &c. &c.

Swiss musicians Marco Von Orelli (trumpet, slide trumpet) and Sheldon Suter (prepared drums) and by their Portuguese partners, Luis Lopes (electric guitar) and Travassos (electronics) release a new chapter in their project Big Bold Back Bone, all players embracing a unique electro-acoustic improvisation through transformation of their instruments.

With a discography of both contemporary and improvised music, Beligan pianist residing in Norway Jonas Cambien (Platform, Karokh) joins forces with Norwegian double bassist Adrian Myhr (Delius, Dorner, Buck) for an album that balances concentrative and muscular interplay, influenced by Cambien's piano preparations and Myhr's sophisticated techniques.

Cortex propels their persuasive, groove oriented approach to jazz with this swinging album that blends free jazz styles with great hard bop, in line with a band like The Thing, this Scandinavian group wants to make your body move without indulging in excess or pandering, instead following a muse that's solidly in the exuberant free jazz tradition.

Originally called Treffpunkt, or "meeting point", the partnership of violist Frantz Loriot and pianist Cedric Piromalli has evolved as they added collaborators to their idiosyncratic approach to improv, here with guests Antoine Chessex on tenor sax and Christian Wolfarth on percussion and cymbals for an extended, upbeat and wonderfully creative performance.

Composer and drummer Dre Hocevar brings an unusual sense of unity, logic and purpose to his improvised work resulting from a number of distinct compositional procedures, performed by vocalist Charmaine Lee, pianist Elias Stemeseder, brass player Weston Olencki reedist Michael Foster, and electronics artist Bernardo Barros, a unique and rewarding album.

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.

Saxophonist and bass clarinetist Andre Roligheten leads his quartet with Adrian Loseth Waade on violin, Jon Rune Strom on double bass, and Erik Nylander on drums and percussion through 7 original compositions and Ornette Coleman's "Kathleen Gray", writing for the players, particularly the combination of sax and violin, and the flexibility of a chordless quartet.

A stunningly beautiful album of langurous jazz from a sextet collective of young Portuguese musicians, self-described as a chamber band for the new century, in their 2nd album using melodic elements alongside classical contemporay music, post-rock, alternative metal, intelligent pop, free improvisation and more, creating a rich and embraceable music.

A fascinating book of artwork from Clean Feed visual designer and electronic improviser Travassos, with perceptive text from Nate Wooley punctuating the imagery, plus an accompanying CD with audio work ranging from improv to electroacoustic from bands with Travassos as a member: One Eye Project, Pinkdraft, Pao, Fluke, Iff + Travassos, and Big Bold Back Bone.

The fourth in the Elliot Sharp curated "Meta Guitar" series brings a wealth of diverse styles and approaches to the guitar, from Knox Chandler, Tashi Dorji, Monika Roscher, Rhys Chatham, Kalle Kalima, Ryan Choi, Marco Oppedisano, Bern Nix, Markus Reuter, Hahn Rowe, Pete Matthiessen, Robert Poss, Ron Anderson, Morgan Craft, Roberto Zorzi, and Erdem Helvacioglu.

A fiery and energetic album of masterful free jazz from Brazilian saxophonist Yedo Gibson, Portuguese-Brazilian drummer and percussionist Vasco Trilla, and Portuguese bass player Hernani Faustino (Red Trio, K4 Quadrado Azul), recording in the studio for 6 dynamic dialogs that uses a variety of approaches and references to free jazz and creative improv.

Ton-Klami was an influential Japanese free improvising band active in the 90s, and leading to the solo careers of percussionist Midori Takada, pianist Masahiko Satoh, and saxophonist Kang Tae Hwan; here the band is heard in a 1995 live concert recorded at Design Plaza Hofu in Yamaguchi, Japan, recorded by Chap-Chap Records but never released.

Captured live at the 2016 Vilnius Jazz Festival, the free jazz trio of saxophonist Andrew Lamb and percussionists Warren Smith and Arkadijus Gotesmanas provide a unique orchestration, with the percussionists building rhythmic structures over which AACM alumni Lamb's powerful saxophone work emerges; a great album of solid exploratory free jazz.

A live concert at Amherst, Massachusetts in 2016 as part of the Magical Triangle Jazz Series from the quartet of legendary cornetist Bobby Bradford, Turkish saxophonist Hafez Modirzadeh on tenor, in-demand New York bassist Ken Filiano, and percussionist/drummer Royal Hartigan, the band performing two Bradford compositions, with one each from Filiano, Modirzadeh and Hartigan.

Double Bassist Mark Dresser, a mainstay of the Downtown NY scene as an improviser and composer, and also prominent on the US West Coast and as an international touring artist, releases a powerful album of distinctive solo playing, both technically and melodically, with 2 tracks caught live at the Umea Jazz Festival and others recorded at the University of California, San Diego.

Lithuanian reedist Liudas Mockunas in an unusual record of clarinet and saxophone improvisations, from solo work of powerful technique to pieces using water prepared instruments to create a wealth of bubbling and aberrant sound on the instrument, side A presenting the 7 part "Hydration Suite", Side B the 3 part "Rehydration", and "Dehydration".

Using a diverse set of strategies in free improvisation, from abstract textures, sonic and microtonal exploration to solid counterpoint, French saxophonist Matthieu Donarier and Spanish electric guitarist residing in France Santiago Quintans delight in the variety and dynamic approach to their album, in 14 tracks that surprise and captivate their listeners.