The amazing combination of Ex guitarists Terrie Ex and Andy Moor with drummer Paal Nilssen-love and Chicago saxophonist Ken Vandermark in their 5th release, a live album from Italy showing the aggressive and exuberantly determined band in excellent form.

The late trumpeter Bill Dixon's final performance at the 2011 Victo Festival, performing with and directing an incredible group including Taylor Ho Bynum, Rob Mazurek, Stephen Haynes, Graham Haynes, &c. &c.

Drummer/percussionist Tony Buck and saxophonist John Butcher are the common elements in these two trios, one with guitarist Burkhard Stangl, and one with pianist Magda Mayas, using imaginative and unusual approaches to improvisation.

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.

Composer/saxophonist Braxton performed "Composition NO 347 + 62'37" " at the 2011 Victo Festival with the "super-group" of Braxton alumni - Mary Halvorson, Taylor Ho Bynum, Jessica Pavone, Jay Rozen, Aaron Siegel, Carl Testa", on their respective instruments + iPods.

A burning spiritual session inspired by John Coltrane's "Live at the Village Vanguard Again" that began when Jamie Saft told Joe Morris about his deep admiration for Alice Coltrane's playing, adding McPhee and Downs as the perfect complement to realize this excellent album.

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

Chronicling 30+ years of New York bassist Michael Bisio's life as a composer in song form and otherwise, in a quartet with Art Bailey on accordion, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, and Michael Wimberly on drums, balancing freedom and swing in a euphorically compelling album.

The long-running duo of US-based Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani and French saxophonist Michel Doneda in an album merging superb technical skills and creative approaches in an almost telepathic dialog of surprising twists and turns.

The Ensemble Grizzana (Ryoko Akama, Mira Benjamin, Richard Craig, Emma Richards, Philip Thomas and Seth Woods) performs a series of delicate and beautiful chamber pieces by Swiss composer and clarinetist Jurg Frey, who also performs on clarinet.

NY trumpeter Amir ElSaffar's Two Rivers Ensemble, exploring the juncture between jazz and music of the Middle East through sophisticated and lyrically stunning music, here focusing on revolution, civil war, and sectarian violence; a culture's struggle for survival.

A beautiful solo album from Montreal/Brooklyn trumpeter Philippe Battikha, who also developed the field recordings over which he plays, joined on two tracks by double bassist Johan Fortune, in a melancholy and haunting album of emotionally rich soundscapes.

Acclaimed free improvising saxophonist Jack Wright is joined by his son Ben on double bass for these exceptional duos that balance space and color through extended techniques and an impecable sense of timing.

"Battle Pieces" was conceived as a background for an improviser, using linguistics, tape processes & aleatoric concepts to fashion an ever-shifting composition that supplies the soloist with information within the context of an ever-changing series of densities, velocities and silences.

A portrait of Christian Wolff, documenting the composer's early activity through recordings made close to the time of their composition from artists including Cornelius Cardew, Frederic Rzewski, David Tudor, &c.

The first recording of Tony Wilson's music inspired by the plight and lives of the homeless and drug addictied in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, in a band with P Carter on trumpet, Jesse Zubot on violin, Peggy Lee on cello, Russell Sholberg on bass and Skye Brooks on drums.

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 UK and Vancouver meet for a second release under the Way Out Northwest name - British saxophone master John Butcher with bassist Torsten Muller and drummer Dylan van der Schyff - recording for Sonarchy Radio.

Active and interactive percussion using extended techniques from the London trio of trumpeter Ian Smith, percussionist Stephen Flinn, and cellist Hannah Marshall.

Two re-releases of Edition RZ LPs that are now available in this double CD box with additional tracks, as well as a mainly acousmatic DVD that features electronic tracks by a variety of electroacoustic composers.

Volume 2 documenting the Berlin festival "Inventionen", a retrospective sampler with recordings of works by: Westerkamp, Sciarrino, Cage, Namtchylak, Jones, Scelsi, Fujita, Driscoll.

Surprisingly after long partnerships with Peter Brotzmann's Tentet and the saxophone trio Sonore, this is the first time that Ken Vandermark & Mats Gustafsson have recorded as a duo, here in 6 incredible improvisations balancing technique, power, and beauty.

In 2000, saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and curator John Corbett organized a 16-piece free music big-band featuring key members of the Chicago and Swedish scenes, recording these two impressive, ecstatic, and explosive works.

The free improvising trio of John Dikeman on sax, Jon Rune Strom on bass, and Tollef Ostvang on drums, invites Joe McPhee on pocket trumpet and alto sax for a release of rugged free improv using unorthodox approaches and amazing dexterity in their playing.

Following Ornette Coleman's 2 horn, bass & drum lineup, Italian/NY drummer Federico Ughi leads his quartet with David Schung (sax), Kirk Knuffke (cornet) & Max Johnson (bass) through 10 Coleman-inspired works of melodic free playing, excellent works of modern jazz.

Montreal's great jazz trio of saxophonist Jean Derome, bassist Normand Guilbeault, & drummer Pierre Tanguay, in an album of original compositions and work by Dolphy, Ellington, Kirk, Mengelberg & Strayhorn.

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.

Henry Threadgill's new epic work in four movements written specifically to feature each of the musicians in Zooid: "Ceroepic" for Elliott Kavee (drums), "Dosepic" for Christopher Hoffman (cello), "Tresepic" for Jose Davila (trombone & tuba), and "Unoepic" for Liberty Ellman (guitar).

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 sextet of Jorrit Dijkstra (sax), Pandelis Karayorgis (piano), Jeb Bishop (trombone), Mary Oliver (violin), Nate McBride (bass) and Han Bennink (drums) once again take on the music of Steve Lacy in this second volume.

Trumpeter Tamura and pianist Fujii return to the duo they've been recording for more than 15 years to explore a more quiet and lyrical side of their collaboration by reimagining compositions originally written for Tamura's Gato Libre quartet.

The 2nd release from the Montreal free improvising trio Joshua Zubot (violin), Bernard Falaise (guitar) and Isaiah Ceccarelli (drums/percussion) is a magnificent example of open-minded improvisation using unusual and sparkling approaches to sound and discourse.

An international quartet of electroacoustic improvisers, SQID (Angelica Castello, Mario de Vega, Attila Faravelli and Burkhard Stangl) formed in 2011, using field recordings of sound instruments and objects which they use in live performance to make remarkable audio environments.

An odyssey in dark and stunning improvisation from the New York trio of Jamie Saft, Joe Morris, & Mike Pride, an exploration of sonic space that could only come out of the NY Downtown.

Outstanding compositions and performances on a 2 disc set from trumpeter Leo Smith, each piece dedicated to one of the US Great Lakes, with multi-wind player Henry Threadgill, bassist John Lindberg, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, a milestone in a superlative career!

Tzadik's new Spectrum series begins with the collaboration of 3 legendary NY performers--Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet); George Lewis (trombone); John Zorn (alto sax)--in 8 technically superb and joyfully unique compositions and collective improvisations.

Drawing from some of NYC's finest - Tim Berne, Tony Malaby, Mary Halvorson and Andrea Parks - drummer Ches Smith's band takes the Downtown NY strategy to bridge experimental rock and avant jazz in unexpected and astonishing ways.

Pianist Shipp's long-standing trio with bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Whit Dickey, complex and inspired compositions that makes modern creative approaches to jazz beautifully accessible and essential.

Frequent collaborators, Matthew Shipp (piano) and Michael Bisio (bass) are joined by fellow Downtown New Yorker Mat Maneri on viola create what they refer to as a chamber ensemble, performing the 15 improvised and inspired chapters of Shipp & Bisio's "Gospel".

The 2nd Aggregat album expands the first release's trio of Elliott Sharp (just on reeds this time), Brad Jones (bass) and Ches Smith (drums) into a quintet with Nate Wooley (trumpet) and Terry L. Green (trombone) for an amazing set of free jazz compositions.

Presenting 3 CDs, a DVD, and a solid 80-page book of images and text, capturing 3 nights at Cafe Oto from the trio of Evan Parker (tenor sax), John Edwards (double bass), and Eddie Prevost (drums), joined one night by Alexander v. Schlippenbach, and another night by Christof Thewes.

NY based pianist Angelica Sanchez in a stunning and intimate duo with legendary free improv trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, an album of superb conversation that flows naturally from their work together in Leo Smith's projects Golden Quartet and Organic.

The chamber rock 8 piece Saint Dirt Elementary School ensemble in their second release on Barnyard, superb sophisticated compositions reminiscent of L'Ensemble Raye or Conventum.

A beautiful collaboration between Luis Jose Martins on classical guitar, percussion & electronics, and Joan Sa on piano, toy piano, celestra, idiophones & electronics, gentle music that's nearly a song, but actually sophisticated, textured, and lovely contemporary improvisation.

A large group under the direction of violinist Ernesto Rodrigues (also on harp, metronome & objects) in 4 extended improvisations of great suspense and tension through sound and silence.

A superb modern jazz release from NY bassist Eric Revis with Chad Taylor (drums), Bill McHenry (sax) and Darius Jones (sax), plus special guest Branford Marsalis on two tracks.

David Pett's Remote Viewers with 4 saxophonists and keyboards, and the rhythm section of John Edward and Mark Sanders, complete their noir trilogy with an album blending compositional and improvisational forms in mysteriously dark and satisfying forms.

NY trumpeter Nate Wooley and Portugal's Red Trio (Rodrigo Pinheiro, Hernani Faustino & Gabriel Ferrandini), recorded after their live performance at the 2010 Clean Feed Festival in NYC; powerful and thought-provoking modern improvisation.

The enduring sax and drum duo format is invigorated with US drummer Chris Corsano and Danish saxophonist Mette Rasmussen, who push each other in free improvisation that uses insanely great technique while delivering a passionate and ecstatic dialog.

Portugese harpist Eduardo Raon uses harp, daxophone, electronics, voice & percussion to create dramatic music that applies his classical training to improvisational methods, using real-time electronic processing to create encompassing yet intricate and unusual sonic environments.

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.

A live recording from the improvising trio of Gordon Allen, Michel F. Cote and Alexandre St-Onge, rendering acoustics and electronics in dark and unconventional techniques.

The extraordinary trio of three masterful players from different generations who have broken with convention while playing within free forms--Evan Parker on sax; Joe Morris on guitar; and Nate Wooley on trumpet--performing live at Firehouse 12 in Connecticut, 2014.

Superb improvisation from three masters - Evan Parker on sax, Barry Guy on bass and Paul Lytton on drums - performing at the Maya Recordings Festival, September 23 - 25, 2011 at Theater am Gleis, Winterthur, Switzerland.

The NY Paradoxical Frog trio of pianist Kris Davis, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tyshawn Sorey in their 2nd release of lyrical yet angular jazz with extreme space and dynamics and a great sense of drama.

Ever-active bassist Pascal Niggenkemper in his first solo album of riveting and intriguing double bass work, from aggressive to contemplative and immersive improvisations using work using bass preparations to transform the instrument and make us rethink its potential.

Percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani presents thirteen pieces that take the listener on an expedition in the modern use of percussion, beautifully paced with rich sound, unexpected harmonic properties, fascinating punctuation, a mesmerizing journey.

A 2-CD release from Japanese percussionist Seijiro Murayama, performing solo on "objects" which combines clearly percussive objects and other electroacoustic items of obscure origin, creating active, rich and curious sonic environments that envelop the listener.

Claiming to have been inspired by smooth jazz, the 6th MOPDTK album is a remarkable achievement of forward-thinking free jazz with a bizarre sense of humor and an irresistible love of poking fun at form while simultaneously paying homage.

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.

Live recordings from guitarist Joe Morris, performing solo at Bimhuis in Amsterdam in two Octobers from 2013 to 2014, showing remarkable technical and creative skills while captivating his audience with accessible progressions and story-telling; masterful!

A series of exceptional compositions by saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc plus one by Alice Coltrane, performed in a variety of group settings, from duos to quintet, with sidemen Matthew Shipp, Roy Campbell, Steve Swell, Hilliard Greene, and Newman Taylor Baker.

The debut recording from NY pianist Matt Mitchell, in a duo with drummer Ches Smith on drums, percussion & vibes, 15 inventive original compositions written to push Mitchell's technical skills in improvisational settings, each an ingenious little puzzle.

A rich and unusual interpretation of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" recorded in Boswil, Switzerland in 1981 with McPhee, Pierre Favre, Irene Schweizer, Radu Malfatti, Daniel Bourquin, &c., in its first-ever release.

A project about the rich jazz history of Brooklyn, NY, recorded in that burrough by NY saxophonist Joe McPhee & bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, referencing Putnam Central, The Blue Coronet, Sonny Rollins, and Brooklyn itself.

Named after Jean Genet's infamous novel, New York pianist Matthew Shipp's quartet Declared Enemy with Sabir Mateen on tenor sax & clarinet, William Parker on double bass, and Gerald Cleaver on drums, return for a second outstanding album of dynamic and masterful jazz.

The quartet of Ken Vandermark on saxes, Christof Kurzmann on electronics, Devin Hoff on bass and Tim Daisy on drums trace women's influence on contemporary art, especially music, painting and photography, through 3 incredible examples of modern jazz.

The first solo electronics and percussion album by radical and legendary British improvisor Paul Lytton since 1979, recorded in the studio in Germany, and using a wealth of homemade instruments, laptop, percussive devices, objects, and electro-mechanical devices.

Nate Wooley and Paul Lytton continue their collaborations, extending their new duo recordings with live tracks from The Stone in NYC with Ikue Mori, and at Chicago's Hideout with Ken Vandermark.

The string duo Bobun celebrates ten years of creative collaboration with this six piece suite, a studio recording of diverse improvisations that runs the gamut from lowercase minimalism to dense and technically exuberant interaction.

Bassist Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth features 2 saxophonists--Chris Cheek and Tony Malaby, Craig Tabor on keys and Gerald Cleavers on drums, in 8 melodic tracks inspired by landmarks of NYC and influenced by jazz tradition, West African music, pop hooks, and more.

Cellist Daniel Levin Quartet leads his quartet with Nate Wooley on trumpet, Matt Moran on vibes, and Torbjorn Zetterberg on bass, in open-minded modern compositions that blend jazz, chamber, and experimental improvisation of reserved and riveting character.

The duo of French bassist Joelle Leandre and flautist Jerome Bourdellon, two tremendously skilled improvisers in an impressive dialog on a variety of flutes, bass clarinet, bass, voice, with one solo piece from each.

Relative Pitch Records debuts with the excellent duo of bassist Joelle Leandre and Bay Area woodwind improviser Phil Greenlief in 11 variations for contrabass and woodwinds.

After many years collaborating together, New York saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom Rainey present their debut as a duo in a series of improvisations, from subtle interaction to rousing interplay.

Balancing active organized sound worlds from Graham Lambkin with Wandelweiser discretion from Michael Pisaro-Liu in five tracks that punctuate concrete sound compositions with Feldman-esque piano progressions, bound together by a short poem; captivating and elusive.

Crossing tonal material with post-bop playing, trumpeter Susana Santos Silva leads her LAMA trio in electroacoustic and traditional playing, with guest reedist Joachim Badenhorst adding a masterful edge, as they interpret the novel by the Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago.

The second volume of Steve Lacy's solo soprano saxophone concerts, starting off with the three short versions of Billy Strayhorn tunes which opened his first solo concert at Avignon in 1972.

Three bassists converged on WNUR Studios, in Evanston, Illinois in 1998 to record these tracks, finally released after 16 years: 5 freely improvised trio sessions, 6 miniatures suggested by Kowald and performed by the trio, and 6 duos between Kowald and Lonberg-Holm.

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.

Natsuki Tamura & Christian Pruvost on trumpets, Satoko Fuji on piano and Peter Orins on drums for a quartet where all members are active compositional contributors, creating a powerful ensemble sound with strong soloing using modern creative techniques; excellent!

With two trumpets, drums and piano, Kaze's 2nd release with Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, and Muzzix members Christian Pruvost and Peter Orins, hits like the album title, but surprises with contrasts from torrential power to beautiful melodic interplay.

The duo of Berlin clarinetists Kai Fagaschinski and Michael Thieke (The Magic I.D.) create rich, evolving soundscapes using tones and odd interjections in unison and in dissonance, dark works of subtle beauty in unique sound oriented compositions.

Referencing the work of French artist and composer Yves Klein, this large group of Creative Sources regulars perform the 4 part Monochrome Bleu Sans Titre, a subtle and rich work of acoustic and electronic improvisation.

A hybrid of theater, music, sound poetry and political manifesto from Sylvaine Helary, focused on the "Arab Spring" in Egypt, using intertwining words and voices around the quartet performances of Hugues Mayot, Sylvain Lemetre, Antonin Rayon and Sylvaine Helary.