An unconventional blend of instruments creates different, but captivating, sounds and structures by 4tet, a quartet of Chinese musician Jing (pipa, guqin) and Swiss jazz and free improvisers Wintsch, Oester, and Pfammatter.

The Australian duo of pianist Chris Abrahams (Necks) & Berlin harpist Clare Cooper in a series of 198 short improvisations performed on Yamaha DX7 and the 14th century Guzheng harp, presented with 198 illustrations in an unusual and obsessively rewarding project.

Using an electric 12-string shruti stick, a Harry Partch guitar & percussion Anandan & Gzowski create amazing microtonal environments with growling vocal interventions.

Shakuhachi duets from veteran player Clive Bell and Lebanese improviser Bechir Saade recorded in England, 2007; lyrical, haunting and unexpected.

Groove-based improvisations from keyboardist Brennan, percussionist Heral, guitarist Doran, and vocalist Amstad, an inspired record influenced by a confluence of world influences.

John Wolf Brennan, Marco Jencarelli, and Tony Majdalani in a musical trip reflecting a spiritual journey through sound and unusual instrumentation, with an extensive and insightful 17 page booklet to guide the listener.

Percussionist Scott Davidson, whose music is informed by jazz, classical Indian and Middle Eastern music, teamed up with pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist Michael Bisio, drummer Whit Dickey and reedist Lloyd Shorter for this album of world encompassing and rhythmic jazz.

Terry Day plays a wide variety of instruments including piano, saxophones, drums, cello, mandolin, voice and many more in these analogue studio recordings made between 1978 and 1981.

Unprecedented music for Shakuhachi by Frank Denyer (releases on Tzadik, Mode) with Yoshikazu Iwamoto on shakuhachi and Paul Hiley joining Denyer on percussion.

NY based Iraqi-American trumpeter ElSaffar in an emotionally charged work that invokes ancient Iraqi musical traditions and frames them in a modern jazz setting.

Chicago clarinetist James Falzone's longstanding Allos Musica ensemble with oud player Ronnie Malley and Tim Mulvenna on hand drums and percussion, playing collective improvisations inspired by Arabic musical forms.

Zusaan Fasteau & Donald Garrett played together for 13 years touring and performing around the world; these recordings from '75 & '77 are a testament to the amazing music they created.

Fasteau's own Flying Note Records 1st release, a spiritual and far-reaching set of recordings embracing jazz and world music, with guests Rashied Ali, Bob Cunningham, &c.

Frith's 75 minute intense improvisatory journey work is a graphic structural model by which the most diverse types of musical events are linked together along a time line.

After several festivals in Europe in Summer 2011, Getatchew Mekuria wanted to record one more album with The Ex featuring melodies that feel old and classic; comes with a bonus CD of some historical recordings.

The Ex were in Ethopia in 2010 for their "Free the Jazz" saxophone project, here presenting Mats Gustafsson on baritone saxophone, Paal Nilssen-Love on drums, and Mesele Asmamaw on krar, a stringed bowl-shaped lyre.

Remastered complete reissue of the double LP release of this meeting of Korean shamanistic vocals and kayagum with improvising virtuoso Kaiser and percussionist Noyes .

A sound track to the Malaysian stage play "Butterfly Lovers", which explores the themes of human relationships and emotions through a Zen perspective, from sound artist Goh Lee Kwang in a sextet that merges traditional Malaysian instrumentation and electronics.

Yannis Kyriakides and Andy Moor's exploration and mining of the rich and mysterious terrain of Greek rebetika music from early 20th century, using a combination and juxtaposition of rebetika elements with their own distinct sonic explorations.

Blending field recordings of temples, rain, bells, cicadas, radios, and other regional sounds from Khmer & Siam with native music to create a rich audioscape of those exotic lands, both mysterious and liltingly melodic on a beautiful journey in sound.

Improvised music using traditional Alpine horn music as its roots, as performed by a quartet of alphorns, büchels, and voice.

Orchestra of the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts performs selection of Korean Classical Music, including "Yomillak", first performed in 1447, along with 3 other historic works.

Three open improvisations recorded in concert at Kunstencentrum Belgie Hasselt, Belgium in 2010 by sub-groups from the Electrocacoustic Ensemble, plus an extended performance by the whole ensemble.

New York multi-reed and wind player Ned Rothenberg performing on the shakuhachi in orignal compositions performed with viola and spoken word in beautiful and nuanced performances.

Drawing on American creative music, Mbira music of Zimbabwe, and traditional Chinese music, trumpeter Leo Smith's ensemble with drummer Pheeroan akLaff and pipa player Min Xiao-Fen perform 5 extraordinary compositions of lyrical vision.

Classical Turkish music featuring the beautiful voice of Saadet Turkoz accompanied by Elliot Sharp (guitar), Joelle Leandre (bass), Burhan Ocal (ud, saz) and Martin Schutz (cello).

Rasa Rasa members Kenny Wollesen, Dalius Naujo, Jonathon Haffner and Sean Francis Conway present the ancient polyphonic vocal music of Lithuania using a mix of ensembles, reviving the infectious grooves and ancient vocal rounds, aided by new instruments devised by Wollesen.

Forro is a NY East Village rock ensemble that reinterprets forro--traditional Brazilian folk music--using modern Downtown language, here taking on the compositions of John Zorn in rhythmically rich melodic approaches that's equal parts tribute and collaboration.

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.

Reedist Frode Gjerstad leads the multi-national quartet of Louis Moholo on drums, Nick Stephens on bass and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, 4 superb players in a 4-part free improvisation of animated and intertwining dialog that enthusiastically carries the listener.

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.

Yoshio Machida's steelpan live recordings in Europe and Japan between 2001-2008; including early pieces by combination of self-made steelpan Gamelan sound and computer to recent acoustic steelpan pieces.

The second full length from Kingston's New Zion Trio bringing together Reggae and Jazz musicians Jamie Saft (piano/keyboards), Brad Jones (acoustic bass), and Craig Santiago (drums) with special guest H.R. Human Rights, legendary vocalist of Bad Brains.

Active since 1997, the quartet of Alexander Frangenheim (double bass), Roger Turner (percussion), Pat Thomas (piano & electronics) and Philipp Waschsmann (violin & electroncis) in a wildly creative cross of non-idiomatic improv flavored by the London scene.

Electroacoustic improviser Thanos Chrysakis performing on the chamber organ at the University of Gloucestershire, UK in a collaboration with Chris Cundy on contra bass clarinet, for a subtle, mysterious and uncompromising four-part improvisation.

In their first studio recording, Alan Wilkinson (saxes, voice), Marcio Mattos (double bass, electronics) and Steve Noble (drums) play a diverse set with moments ranging from fervid to serene.

The first vinyl reissue of the classic 1966 debut album from AMM, AMMMusic with Keith Rowe's beautiful pop art cover and the terse aphorisms by the group that served as its original liner notes, an amazing achievement in non-idiomatic and forward-thinking improvisation.

A pop-infused psychedelic trip featuring Cyro with a huge lineup of superb musicians, lyrical improvisation with latin and world influences, with Baptista taking vocals over his eclectic and melodically embraceable music; a beautiful album to return to frequently.

Dedicated to both composer Olivier Messiaen and hip-hop record producer J Dilla, David Fiuczynski uses non-Western tuning to show the connections between exotic bird calls and J Dilla's 'flam beats' while referencing Messiaen, Gagaku, and other Pan-Asian ingredients.

A tribute to Jacob do Bandolim, one of the founders of the Brazilian instrumental style choro in the 30's and 40's, in compositions from Tzadik artists Davka, Cyro Baptista, Carla Kihlstedt, Jon Madof, Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, Ben Perowsky, Rob Burger, Jamie Saft, &c.

Dedicated to both composer Olivier Messiaen and hip-hop record producer J Dilla, David Fiuczynski uses non-Western tuning to show the connections between exotic bird calls and J Dilla's 'flam beats' while referencing Messiaen, Gagaku, and other Pan-Asian ingredients.

Italian violinist and multi-instrumentalist Stefano Pastor with the amazing cellist and Indian instrument master Kash Killion in a mix of original avant jazz and 2 Monk standards.

Two performers who have stretched the boundaries of their instruments--Miya Masaoka on 12-string koto and Anthony Braxton on saxophones and software-based electronics--in subtle and unusual environments where each player fills the phrases of the other in unforseen ways.

The Saint Francis Duo of Stephen O'Malley (Sunn O))), KTL) and Steve Noble (Rip, Rig and Panic, Brotzmann, Parker, Edwards ...) present a tour-de-force of darkly improvised drone and doom in a studio album of violently dark guitar work and ferocious drumming.

Sonic explorer Jason Kahn & Asher Thal-Nir in a 2008 concert at Boston's Axiom Gallery for a performance that creates inspired sound worlds by layering Kahn's planes of sound with Asher's environmental processing.

A powerfully dense work, and a quiet and quirky piece for piano from pianist Demmier, whose song titles are quotations from the poem "One Island" by Robert Lax.

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.

Silom is a Slovenian creative music trio using a variety of string, percussive, and melodic percussive instruments, focused on the acoustic aspects of complex evolving works that combine composed and improvised aspects to create rich music with ancient ethnic overtones.

Japanese Steelpan player Yoshio Machida's 11th solo album, performed on the metal slit drum, made from a small gas tank tuned to the C scale over 2 octaves, which he takes into warm territories of rich overtones and melodic invention influenced by Kora, Gamelan, Kulintang and Myanmar musics.

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.

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.

A telematic bass ensemble performing for peace in the Middle East, including Mark Dresser, Barre Phillips, Bert Turetzky, JC Jones, Thierry Barbe, Henry Grimes, Trevor Dunn, Lindsey Horner, &c.

The Tiptons Saxophone Quartet plus drums led by Amy Denio and Jessica Lurie blend jazz, Afro-Cuban, Balkan, Klezmer, a capella vocals, and more into an energetic and ebullient mix.

Perhaps the most exceptional of the "road' albums from the Henry Cow Box Set, this 1976 Trondheim concert found the band missing bassist John Greaves and singer Dagmar Krauss, so instead of their set list they shut off the lights and gave the audience pure improvisation using EA and concrete approaches, heard in spectacular detail in Bob Drake' remaster.

A collaboration between the China based Italian pianist Gabriele Meirano and the Berlin based Chinese musician Xu Fengxia, a pioneer in combining Chinese music with improvisation; the two first played together when Peter Brotzmann invited them to join him in a trio concert at the Shanghai Art Center in 2011, here in a duo that fuses Far East sounds and the blues.

World instrumentation of shakuhachi, thai flute, shinobue, thai mouth organ, and shruti box blends with western orchestration of double bass, percussion and electronics as Clive Bell, Arild Andersen, and Mark Wastell come together in the studio after their well-received concert at Cafe Oto in London to develop these beautifully lyrical improvisations.

Blending a punk rock sensibility with Sephardic tribalism via a taste of North African Gnawa magic, Abraxas is one of the most primal and rocking ensembles in the Masada family, here taking on the 5th edition of Masada Book Three, "The Book Beri'ah", recording in Bill Laswell's studio for 9 joyfully exuberant and intensely executed interpretations of Zorn's compositions.

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.

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!

"Shifa", or "Healing", is the London-based trio of saxophonist Rachel Musson, pianist Pat Thomas, and drummer Mark Sanders, here in a live concert at Cafe Oto in 2018 of two collective improvisations of arching sax lines, rolling and potent drumming, powerful block chords and intricate lines, from dark to joyful moments, an intoxicating tonic for the ears.

Remastered CD edition of "Tazartes", Ghedalia Tazartes' fourth release from 1987, expanded with the first CD release of "Whatever Works Singing Wild My Rock Ghedalia,"; immersive, transporting, and deeply arresting music from the revered autodidact and audio oddity.

A beautiful solo set of 12 improvisations, Michael Attias performing on alto sax with his left hand and piano with his right, captured in the natural reverberation of La Maison en Bois in Abeville-La-Riviere, France; surprisingly his 1st solo album, developed over 12 years yet played in under an hour with no retakes, a wonderful nuanced reflection in tone, melody & color.

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.

Recording in Toronto, the core trio of drummer Nick Fraser, saxophonist Tony Malaby and pianist Kris Davis are joined on four tracks by tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and trumpeter Lina Allemano, in an album of composed and collective improvisation, merging Toronto, NY and European influences in an accomplished album of diverse approaches and orchestrations.

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.

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).

An excellent first meeting of two guitarists recording on a February afternoon and released in the sequence recorded with no edits or changes, from Jim McAuley on guitar and Scot Ray on lap steel slide guitar with effects, an innately lyrical blending of styles masking the strong technical skills and long histories of these two superlative players.

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.