New York drummer Tyshawn Sorey's impressive work for double trio is an ambitious chamber jazz composition using multiple harmonic, formal, rhythmic, and modal vocabularies in an exploratory and improvisational framework, inspired by the work of Lawrence D. Butch Morris.

Drawing on several years and many shared projects, the duo of Ingrid Laubrock (sax) and Tom Rainey (drums) recorded this excellent album of sophisticated improvisation at the end of a 17-date tour, performing for a studio audience at Audio for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin.

Originally issued on the Hat Hut label as a 3-LP set, this 1978 recording of Cecil Taylor compatriot, saxophonist Jimmy Lyons, performing live at Collective for Living Cinema in New York in a unique band with Karen Borca (bassoon), Munner Bernard Fennel (cello) and Roger Blank (drums).

Recordings from the late 70s from the duo of Art Ensemble of Chicago drummer Phillip Wilson and trumpeter Olu Dara, an intimate and intelligently reserved session that includes a 3 part tribute to Lester Bowie, originally released on Hat Hut records.

Chicago's 2012 Marshmallow Festival brought together improvising drummer Frank Rosaly with New York guitarist Thurston Moore for a thick 35 minute improvisation that builds in intensity as Moore's drive and Rosaly's vehement interaction take the listener on a monumental journey.

Following their 2013 release "Aphelion", the working trio of Dave Rempis on sax, Joshua Abrams on bass & clarinet, and Avreeayl Ra on drums release their 2nd collaboration in a 2-CD album of live and studio improvisations, adding Jim Baker on keys and electronics for the 2nd disc.

The debut album of this focused and intrepid Chicago trio led by saxophonist Dave Rempis with young stalwarts Ryan Packard on percussion and electronics, and Netherlands transplant Albert Wildeman, for three extended improvisations recorded live and in the studio.

The solo harsh dream sound project of media and sound artist Ryan Lewis, delving deep into his childhood traumas through sound, which he developed as an outlet and meditative release for the artist using sound.

Newly Distributed in 2021: A multimedia box set of Anthony Braxton's opera work "Trillium J", containing live performance video on Blu-ray disc of a 2014 performance at Roulette in NY, and studio recording on 4-CD set, with 12 vocalists, 12 instrumental soloists and a full orchestra.

Newly Distributed in 2021: Composer and jazz master Anthony Braxton performing on piano in a septet with saxophonists Jackson Moore and Andre Vida, bassist Eivind Opsvik and drummer Mike Szekely, exploring the compositions of Lennie Tristano plus peers Billy Bauer, Connie Crothers, Warne Marsh, Sal Mosca, &c.

1st studio recordings of Echo Echo Mirror House Music, a framework where musicians Braxton, Halvorson, Bynum, Pavone, Testa, Siegel, & Rozen navigate scores combining cartography and graphic notation on instruments plus iPods with samples from Braxton's recorded discography.

A beautifully evolving set of duos, or "paths" from Philadelphia saxophonist Keir Neuringer and Polish bassis Rafal Mazur, using monumental technique to support a dialog that's technical and intensely focused while remaining lyrically sophisticated and imaginative.

Part of a series of 8 split release cassettes, hand-painted & numbered; Side A presents S27E152, aka Brisbane's Tristan Eyles, using field recordings and image synthesis; Side B is Chefkirk, aka Roger Smith, combining concrete sound with improvised drone and harsh electronics.

Part of a series of 8 split release cassettes, hand-painted & numbered; Side A presents dark soundscapes from Jeff Winter, aka Faint Glow, in slowly unfolding electronic works; Side B a variety of electronic approaches from arpeggiated to slowly abrasive grumbling.

Part of a series of 8 split release cassettes, hand-painted & numbered; Side A is Dog Hallucination (D. Petri) for manipulated guitars, textural element, and organized sound; Side B is Ichtyor Tides (Nikola Akileus) for synthetic ambience, glitches, hazy drones, & field recordings.

Part of a series of 8 split release cassettes, all hand-painted & numbered; this release presents the collaborative long-form improvisation noise project Amalgamated backed with Odd Person, the ongoing project of Bicephalic label leader August Traeger.

A fascinating collaboration from two minimalist/Wandelweiser figures: Christian Wolff on prepared piano, whistles, and stones, and Michael Pisaro-Liu on guitar, harmonica and stones, recording together in Caimbridge, MA for two extended works, "Looking East" and "Looking West".

Three extended compositions using field recordings and electronic processing from Vanessa Rossetto and Matthew Revert, using obscure references in song titles to mask subtle dovetailing and transitioning of concrete sound and mysterious tones.

The 2nd LP from Polish multi-wind & reedist Mat Walerian, his 2nd with NY pianist Matthew Shipp, and the 2nd recorded within the live Okuden Concert Series, adding drummer Hamid Drake for an excellent album of free improvisation that flows beautifully from track to track.

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.

Crossing heavy improv with jazz, classical, world music and more, Zorn's latest compositions are handled by the ensemble of John Medeski (organ), Ches Smith (congas, Voudun drums), Kenny Wollesen (vibes), Kenny Grohowski (drums), and Matt Hollenberg (guitar).

The 27th volume in John Zorn's Book of Angels series, presenting his Masada compositions interpreted by superlative groups, here in a piano trio of lyrical and technical power: Craig Taborn (piano), Christian McBride (bass), and Tyshawn Sorey (drums).

An eponymous and formidable release by saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock's newest quintet, featuring a handpicked group of musicians including alto saxophonist Tim Berne, trombonist Ben Gerstein, tuba player Dan Peck, and drummer Tom Rainey performing original Laubrock compositions.

NY guitarist Mary Halvorson's solo album, worked out after a tour opening for King Buzzo, has her performing creative interpretations of works from modern composers like Roscoe Mitchell, Ornette Coleman, Oliver Nelson, & Tomas Fujiwara, back to Duke Ellington's "Solitude".

New source for this amazing album: "Massive and intense in-studio interpretation of John Coltrane's masterwork, Ascension, as performed by an all-star ensemble featuring The Rova Saxophone Quartet, Nels Cline (Wilco), guitar legend Fred Frith, Ikue Mori (formerly of No New York stars DNA), turntable wizard Otomo Yoshihide, plus other stellar guests."-Larry Ochs

Henry Threadgill's tribute to friend, composer-conductor Lawrence D. Butch Morris, in a detailed 4-part work with an excellent set of improvisers: Henry Threadgill, Jose Davila, Jason Moran, Christopher Hoffman, David Virelles, Roman Filiu, Curtis Macdonald, and Craig Weinrib.

The follow-up to drummer/composer Dan Weiss's release "Fourteen" presents a larger ensemble taking on jazz, world music, prog rock, contemporary classical music and more in compositions named for drummers, with a diverse orchestration of acoustic and unconventional instruments.

An inventive and lyrical set of duos between Chicago tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Keefe Jackson and vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, nine concise pieces that blend free improvisation with compositions seamlessly in a really delightful duo.

New York bassist Michael Bisio pays tribute to his teacher William O. Smith in this tremendous duo with cornetist Kirk Knuffke, in a beautiful mix of lyrical playing and heavy technical skills made to sound remarkably simply; a joyful and profound jazz album.

Jemeel Moondoc's third release on New York's Relative Pitch label is this duo with bassist Hilliar Greene, a soulful album of bluesy free playing, Greene's solid finger and bow work anchoring Moondoc for beautiful, informed, quirky and sincerely heartfelt playing.

The first release from the NY/West Coast trio of Tomas Fujiwara on drums, Ben Goldberg on clarinet, and Mary Halvorson on guitar, a collaborative improv of lyrical and nuanced improv, using great skill and sophistication in dialog that takes unexpected twists and turns.

Two bright stars of DIY Brooklyn improvisers with unusual approaches to their instruments through extended techniques, processing and odd acoustic effects from saxophonist Michael Foster and cellist Leila Bourdreuil, together since 2009 creating racous & beautiful sound.

Three free improvisations for voice & double bass + improvisations on Hugo Ball's Six Sound Poems from the duo of free improvising vocalist Jaap Blonk and double bassist Damon Smith.

John Zorn's 4th volume of ritualistic organ improvisations, this recital was recorded at midnight on the eve of Halloween on St. Bart's organ, the largest in New York City, a massive sound of "contrasts, colors, bells, drones, counterpoint and simultaneity".

Composer John Zorn presents two books of "Madrigals" scored for six acappella female voices, rich and seductive compositions intertwining voices in beautiful, electrifying and riveting ways through 10 works inspired by the 19th century British poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The long-awaited, missing 2nd side of "Technology of Tears" recorded at Noise NY by Kramer, this album was written for theatre in 1987 using a host of avian and mammalian voices, snippets of unidentified musical material and electroacoustic noise-sculpting, for a dark and amazing album.

In 1979 Joe McPhee, working with CJR produced Craig Johnson, recorded this set of overdubbed recordings of himself performing on saxes, trumpet and flugelhorn over original compositions showcasing solo, duo, trio and quartet contexts, an album of virtual McPhee ensembles!

Unreleased for more than 39 years, these remarkably creative live solo performances on trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, steelophone, percussion and gongs from improvisor and composer Wadada Leo Smith were recorded in Los Angeles in 1977, during his visionary Kabell Records years.

Led by composers Sam Eastmond and Nikki Franklin, The SPIKE Orchestra is a large ensemble that draws on a wide range of influences including Duke Ellington, Frank Zappa, Carl Stalling, Zorn and more, here performing the 26th "Book of Angels" covering Zorn's Masada book.

Israeli alto & soprano saxophonist Daniel Zamir returns to Tzadik with tracks from each of two quartets in a release of burning jazz, passionate, lyrical and technically exceptional playing in compositions that shift time signatures and moods with strong melodic focus.

An expanded reissue of Albert Ayler's 1965 live album "Bells" in a quintet with drummer Sunny Murray (drums), Gary Peacock (bass), Donald Ayler (trumpet) and Charles Tyler (alto sax), plus his 1975 "Prophecy" album in a trio with Murray and Peacock, plus tracks from "Albert Smiles with Sunny".

15 wonderfully creative works from Boston-area saxophonist Jorrit Dijkstra, also on lyricon, analog synth and effects pedals, creating a one-man-band of unconventional sonic textures layered live, over which he improvises in fun and profound ways.

A 15-member ensemble of Boston area improvisers plus guests Jeb Bishop, Tony Malaby and Taylor Ho Bynum, taking their name from the deep-sea submersibles used for exploring, as this band survey's large form improvisation that blends free and melodic jazz in adventurous ways.

Blending melodic strength with post-bop intensity, Boston area improvisers Jorrit Dijkstra on alto sax, lyricon & analog synth, Pandelis Karayorgis on piano, Nate McBride on bass and Curt Newton on drums present 10 exuberant and unique modern jazz compositions.

Recorded alongside "Corn Meal Dance", these 2007 recordings complete the picture of bassist William Parker's intensely creative session that day, adding 6 songs plus 1 live track from 2012, with Rob Brown (sax); Eri Yamamoto (piano); Lewis Barnes (trumpet); and Leena Conquest (voice).

Zorn's "The Book of Heads" is performed by guitarist James Moore, heard on CD and seen in a DVD by Stephen Taylor, using prepared guitar to interpret Zorn's hermetic language of meticulously notated sounds inspired by contemporary classical extended techniques.

West Coast multi-reedist and founding member of the Rova Sax Quartet Larry Ochs leads this impressive free improvising quintet patterned after the New York Contemporary Five, with the superb lineup of Nate Wooley, Harris Eisenstadt, Pascal Niggenkemper, and Ken Filiano.

New Haven instrumentalist Carl Testa and Chicago guitarist Christopher Riggs in a large composition for prepared electric guitar and live electronic processing that references Ashley, Stockhausen and Braxton while manipulating one's sense of time, space, and memory.

Sam Hillmer's NY based Z's in a trio format, with Hillmer on sax & electronics, Patrick Higgins on guitar & electronics, and Greg Fox on percussion & electronics, for an album of energetic and often abstracted beats, hyperkinetic electronics, and strange tonal music.

Under the name "Caught on Tape", Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore and John Moloney from Sunburned Hand of the Man deliver a set of heavy duos that swing through quiet dynamics and thick riffs, evoking both free/out jazz and beautiful SY-like rock moments.