In a spontaneously assembled 2009 session at Zürich's DRS studio, trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist Christian Weber, and drummer Dieter Ulrich sculpt a dynamic and intuitive trio performance, threading balladic lyricism with abstract tension in a deft interplay of trust, fragility, and risk that transforms improvisation into captivating and timeless art.

A patiently evolving collective performance at Chicago's Hungry Brain from the trio of New Yorkers--trumpeter Russ Johnson and bassist Max Johnson--and Chicago drummer Tim Daisy, whose arsenal of percussive devices adds unexpected asides to the trio's confident free jazz explorations, Johnson adding lyrical lines as the band moves as one through two extended improvisations.

The Stirrup trio of cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, Nick Macri (bass), and Charles Rumback (drums) is merged with improvisers from Lonberg-Holm's Lightbox Orchestra project--Keefe Jackson & Mars Williams on reeds, guitarist Peter Maunu, violist Jen Clare Paulson, trumpeter Russ Johnson & Zoots Houston on electronics -for this compelling structured performance at Elastic Arts.