Trumpeter Evan's Quartet with Ricardo Gallo, Tom Blancarte and Kevin Shea at the 2009 Jazz em Agosto Festival brilliantly restructuring jazz standards into collective compositions.

Live recordings from the duo of saxophonist Frank Gratkowski and drummer Hamid Drake performing in New Orleans in 2009; amazing and far-ranging dialog from two masters.

12 compositions for mediated acoustic piano from Dr. Nerve bassist MacLean, beautifully composed and recorded works showing his taste for Crumb, Satie, Cage, Reich, Eno, &c.

West Coast clarinest Ben Goldberg in the 15th volume of John Zorn's Masada Book of Angels, performing with bassist Greg Cohen, pianist Jamie Saft and drummer Kenny Wollesen.

The long-standing duo of alto saxophonist John Zorn and guitarist Fred Frith continues with these "late works", improvisations in a unique language of formidable breadth and imagination.

Carta reminds of Low to Six by Seven, Plumerai, Charles Atlas &c. in the tradition of mid-1990s moody pop/slowcore/indie rock/post rock bands.

Sarah June sings and plays all instruments on goth-tinged folk americana songs; for fans of the Cranes, PJ Harvey, or Joanna Newsom.

The trio of violinist/vocalist Carla Kihlstedt, bassist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Matthias Bossi explore the language of memory and dreams through songs, improvisation, and field recordings.

10 new compositions from John Zorn's Book of Angels featuring the same band from "The Dreamers" & "O'o", seductive music drawing on exotica, surf, world music, latin jazz, rock, film music and more.

New perspectives in Portuguese jazz, a remarkable balance between folk elements and a unique vision for modern jazz, in eight original songs and two covers including one from Marc Ribot.

Lokomotive's "Labyrinths" with bassist Baretto at the top of his game in playing and scoring this driving and unorthodox set of pieces, performed with two of Portugal's most in-demand players.

Drummer Luther Gray's Lawnmower bridges jazz and rock with blues-tinged sonic underpinning from dual guitarists, with saxophonist Jim Hobbs lyrical and unique voice leading the way.

Portugal pianist Bernardo Sassetti's trio with Carlos Barretto (Lokomotiv) and drummer Alexander Frazao, delicate and exquisite jazz from an extraordinary composer.

Tenor saxophonist Keefe Jackson's quartet with trombonist Jeb Bishop, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Noritaka Tanaka, creative Chicago jazz from an active set of windy city players.

Bassist Hebert's Trio with French pianist and synth player Benoit Delbecq and drummer Gerald Cleaver, expansive and spacious jazz with a beautiful spirituality.

Bassist Lightcap's Bigmouth with Tony Malaby, Chris Cheek & Andrew D'Angelo on sax, Craig Taborn on keys and Gerald Cleaver on drums, NY jazz with remarkable rapport and prowess.

The New York duo of saxophonists Rudresh Mahanthappa and Steve Lehman in their co-led quintet with Liberty Ellman on guitar, Matt Brewer on bass and Damion Reid on drums.

This exquisite improvising trio in a passionate and lyrical sequence of group improvisations, introducing one of Toronto's extraordinary creative music ensembles.

William Parker performed these three solo pieces at Tortono's Somewhere There, performing on acoustic bass, dousn'gouni and double flute, distinctive and inspired solo work.

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.

Revised version of this 2001 chamber work inspired by the remarkable worlds of Henry Darger, Lewis Carroll and Unica Zurn, remastered and resequenced with a new postlude.

Zorn with Rob Burger, Greg Cohen, Ben Perowsky, Kenny Wollesen and Shanir Blumenkranz in a work inspired by esoteric spiritual practices, white magic, ritual, traditional myths & ancient legends.

Paul Paccione's compositions balance a love of "abstract" sound combinations with a vivid sense of lyricism, here in 6 works from 1993 to 2007.

The 3rd full length from Canada's Inhabitants expands the sonic experiments of this quartet's intuitive group improvisations, mixing rich feedback with alluring lyricism.

Bassist Babin's Benzene band mixes free improvisation with rock overtones, tight changes giving way to excellent solos from all members of this exceptional quartet.

This Calgary based trio with Jay Crocker on guitar & electronics, J.C. Jones on trombone and Eric Hamelin on drums & percussion, mix free bop with small sound electronic improv.

A foundation of the Calgary scene, the trio of Janet Turner, Lyle Pisio, and Mark Dicey improvising live at Weeds on sax, percussion, voice and "oddities".

The Calgary duo of Chris Dadge on violin and acoustic guitar, and Scott Munro on violin and partial trombone, performing live in Edmonton, Canada.

Early recordings from Lab Coast (Chris Dadge and David Laing) from an odd session of improvisation recorded to cassette and restored for the band's debut release.

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.

New York keyboardist/composer Carl Maguire's Floriculture with John Hebert and Dan Weiss, in an expanded line-up featuring violist Stephanie Griffin and veteran reedist Oscar Noriega.

Chicago flautist Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble in a release inspired by the work of Afrofuturist writer Octavia Butler; powerful, dissonant and intense performances.

Dynamic and hyperkinetic songs from this West Coast band with Moe! Staiano (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), rugged and impressive instrumental rock including a cover of Massacre's "Killing Time".

An important new recording in the continuing advancement of jazz from the trumpeter Amir ElSaffar and tenor saxophonist Hafez Modirzadeh.

Master improviser, bassist Barre Phillips performing live in 2001 as part of the Thomastik-Infeld "Bass Encounters" event, unique, unusual and lyrical approaches to the instrument.

Composer/performer Yuka Honda mixes beats, samples and acoustic and electric instruments with a dramatic sense, aided by Dougie Bowne, Erik Friedlander, Sean Lennon, &c.

Perhaps the most unique take on the Masada book, 4 female voices interpret eleven songs from Zorn's Book of Angels in beautiful and haunting a cappella.

Pianist Yamamoto, noted on William Parker's "Corn Meal Dance", in a set of sensitive and melodic original compositions with her trio of drummer Ikuo Takeuchi & bassist David Ambrosio.

Saxophonist Dijkstra in compositions commissioned from the North Sea Jazz Festival 2009, 9 works written for Henry Threadgill, George Lewis, Fred Frith, &c.

Trumpeter Kirk Knuffke in a NY trio with clarinetist Doug Wieselman and drummer Kenny Wollesen, all part of Butch Morris' Nublu Orchestra and frequent Zorn collaborators.

This Portugese jazz trio plays with a particularly percussive approach in bass, drums, percussion, piano and prepared piano giving them a unique and nimble collective sound.

Guitarist, composer and arranger Matt White with his unique big band including Steven Bernstein, J.C. Kuhl, John Lilley, BobMiller, Reggie Pace, Bryan Hooten, &c.

A four part suite bridging compositional and improvisational music from Portugese pocket trumpeter Sei Miguel in a quintet including Rafael Toral on modulated electronics.

Originally released in 1995 on Field's own Geode label, these compositions for choreographer Li Chiao-Ping use complex rhythms and tonalities in a serial pitch "system of circles".

Sparse but detailed improvisational journeys from the long-running duo of saxophonist Philippe Lauzier and bassist/electronic artist Pierre-Yves Martel.

Pianist and composer Myra Melford's 2nd Be Bread release with Cuong Vu, Bend Goldberg, Brandon Ross, Stomu Takeishi and Matt Wilson, outstanding and distinctive acoustic jazz.

Argentinean pianist Emilio Teubal has lived for more than a decade in NYC, presenting his blend of jazz and Argentinian music, rhythmically and harmonically rich compositions.

With a cover borrowing heavily from the Impulse label, this incredible NYC band's 4th release blends 60s jazz with modern improv in creative and edge-of-your seat energetic music.

New York's MOPDTK (Evans/Irabagon/Shea/Elliott) performing band leader Moppa Elliott's post-uber-be-bop that smokes in the future tradition of 50s jazz.