An outrageously powerful improvised exposition of nine rivers from New York pianist John Blum, performing live in a solo concert as part of the 2013 Crosscurrent Festival in Pecara, Italy, Blum's commanding technique and density making clear his influence by former mentors Cecil Taylor and Borah Bergman, as he rolls and roars rapidly through each torrent.

A sophisticated album of collective free jazz recorded in Brooklyn in 2004, from the trio of husband and wife improvisers Roberta Piket on piano and Billy Mintz on drums, with under-recorded saxophonist Mark Reboul rounding out the trio, as the three present "Seven Pieces" in "About an Hour" of stunningly elegant, implicitly melodic and impressively creative playing.

Originally released in 1992 on the US Quinton Records label, this trio album by New York improvisers, pianist Matthew Shipp (this being his first CD under his own name), bassist William Parker and drummer Whit Dickey, presents the four-part "Circular Temple" composed by Shipp, leveraging the language of jazz in remarkable ways, particularly the 2nd movement, "Monk's Nightmare".

Originally released in 1992 on the US Quinton Records label, this trio album by New York improvisers, pianist Matthew Shipp (this being his first CD under his own name), bassist William Parker and drummer Whit Dickey, presents the four-part "Circular Temple" composed by Shipp, leveraging the language of jazz in remarkable ways, particularly the 2nd movement, "Monk's Nightmare".

Saxophonist Allen Lowe's statement on American music and American song form across the many genres and styles that make up the terrain, including jazz, the blues, gospel, honky tonk, heavy metal, hillbilly/minstrel song & medicine shows, &c.; diverse forms of popular music that reflect a commingled society, as Lowe blurs the sacred and the profane with a stellar ensemble of musicians.

Multi-reedist Michael Marcus brings together former Cosmosamatics players Jay Rosen on drums and Tarus Mateen-Marcoustico on acoustic bass with French Horn player Frank Lacy (SaxEmble), Marcus on soprano & tenor saxophones, alto tarogato, G clarinet and bass flute for a set of Marcus original compositions, exquisitely lyrical free jazz based in the tradition.

An intimate and succinct set of conversations between two long time collaborators and compatible New York improvisers--tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp--recording at Park West Studios for their 18th album as a duo, making innately lyrical and technically creative decisions in a nearly telepathically manner informed by vast experience.

A much-referenced album on the ESP label, tenor saxophonist Frank Wright's 2nd release brought together New York alto saxophonist Arthur Jones with French trumpeter Jacques Coursil, then living in NY, and the rhythm section of bassist Steve Tintweiss and drummer Muhammad Ali, for a passionate, well-balanced, and often burning free jazz album that still sounds modern today.

Mississippi born, saxophonist Frank Wright followed Albert Ayler to NYC to join the free jazz scene of the mid-60s, signed to ESP on the spot after label owner Bernard Stollman heard him sit in with John Coltrane, this his first release on label in a trio with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Tom Price as they rip through three original Wright compositions.

Combining free jazz and post-punk rock forms with pointed commentary about issues of race, gender, the pandemic, and political autonomy, through provocative vocal works expressing modern angst, from three Asian-American female performers living in NYC: tenor saxophonist Ayumi Ishito, drummer Wen-Ting Wu, and activist and Tiananmen Square survivor Rose Tang on voice, guitar & piano.

Without bowing to genre restrictions, Gabriel Zucker's indie jazz orchestra The Delegation combines free jazz, chamber forms, avant song structures and experimental layering & transitions, as his large work in four sections of three movements each, explores time and the competing impulses of a backwards-looking nostalgia and a forwards-looking futurist belief in progress; innovative & stunning!

The core quartet of Gulfh of Berlin — Gebhard Ullmann on tenor saxophone & bass clarinet, Gerhard Gschlossl on trombone & sousaphone, Johannes Fink on double bass & cello and Jan Leipnitz on drums & objects — are heard in the studio with guest Michael Haves providing live sound processing, expanding the sound of Gulfh's innovative sound-sculpting avant jazz

A definitive album of modern creative jazz and free improvisation, from confident lyrical exchanges to creative interaction and rock solid foundations from a bedrock rhythm section, heard in these studio recordings from the New York quartet of Matthew Shipp on piano, Allen Lowe on alto & tenor saxophones, Gerald Cleaver on drums and Kevin Ray on bass.

Music inspired by artist, teacher, writer and civic protestor Robert Henri (1865-1929) who in the early 1900s exhibited against the restrictive academic requirements of the National Academy of Design, from the free improvising trio of bassist Michael Bisio, Kirk Knuffke on cornet and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello & electronics, in a mix of Bisio compositions and collective improvisations.

Coming out of the tradition of saxophone and drum duos, Bay Area compatriots since 1991 in The Glenn Spearman Double Trio and Larry Ochs Sax and Drumming Core, saxophonist Larry Ochs and drummer Don Robinson, present their second album of creative original improvised music, employing energetic and intelligent approaches to jazz freedom that pay homage to those who came before them.

This forward-thinking Dutch quintet led by percussionist Pierre Courbois released this album in 1968, recording their percussion-centric and enthusiastic collective free jazz at the farm of vibraphonist Erwin Sommer, with trumpeter Boy Raaymakers, saxophonist Peter Van Der Locht and bassist Ferdinand Rikker'; a passionately joyful and impressive example of European Free Jazz.

A reissue of pianist Lowell Davidson's 1965 ESP trio release with percussionist Milford Graves and bassist Gary Peacock, Davidson's only studio recording with a fascinating display of out riffs and progressions in a Cecil Taylor mode, propelled by a fantastic rhythm section, making this album both a document and a profound example of new directions in improvisation.

Using the traditional piano-bass-drums lineup, NY pianist Matthew Shipp's trio with Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums balance their work between beautiful lyrical interplay of melodic counterpoint and rhythmic undertow and exploratory work accentuating unique eccentricities from all three players, a great next motion from this authoritative trio.

Reed player Mat Walerian's 4th album as a leader, in a quartet with Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on double bass & shakuhachi, and Hamid Drake on drums, the name "Okuden" meaning "inner teachings, as Walerian's compositions vary from a fully free introspective opener to joyful jazz idiom, a perfect set for this versatile and enlightened set of musicians.

Best known for his work with Sun Ra, Bassist Ronnie Boykin took 10 years to compose and arrange this, his only solo album, originally issued in 1974 and performed in a septet with a strong front line of wind and brass players and fueled by two drummer/percussionists, Boykin's natural bass sound in the foreground over a wealth of moods and textures.

After work supporting Lee Morgan, Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Steve Lacy, Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, &c., free jazz bassist Henry Grimes recorded this great example of his skills as a composer and leader, in a trio with Tom Price on drums and Perry Robinson, here in a definitive vinyl LP reissue of this exemplary album.

Recorded during Thollem's 2017 residency at Brooklyn's multi-discipline center Pioneer Works, the trio of Nels Cline on electric guitar and Michael Wimberly on drums apply treatments, alterations and processes to acoustic-electro improv, their unusual approach often inviting the listener to discover organization under a wonderful commotion of sound.

Recorded during Thollem's 2017 residency at Brooklyn's multi-discipline center Pioneer Works, the trio of Nels Cline on electric guitar and Michael Wimberly on drums apply treatments, alterations and processes to acoustic-electro improv, their unusual approach often inviting the listener to discover organization under a wonderful commotion of sound.

Albert Ayler's 1965 ESP album originally released as a 1-sided clear vinyl LP, the single "Bells" song actually an amalgamation of his piece "Holy Ghost" which transitions into "Bells", here augmented with "Vibrations aka (tune Q)2", performed with brother Donald on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums.

Albert Ayler's 1965 ESP album originally released as a 1-sided clear vinyl LP, the single "Bells" song actually an amalgamation of his piece "Holy Ghost" which transitions into "Bells", here augmented with "Vibrations aka (tune Q)2", performed with brother Donald on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums.

Tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler leads the New York free improvising sextet of trumpeter Don Cherry, alto saxophonist John Tchicai, trombonist Roswell Rudd, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Sunny Murray through two extended jams, which were used as the soundtrack for director Michael Snow's short film "New York Eye and Ear Control".

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.

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".

Reissuing pianist Ran Blake's 1965 ESP release presenting original compositions and works by Ornette Coleman and George Russell, along with arrangements of standards, an expressive and passionate release heralding Blake's long and brilliant career.

A vigorous performance by Charles Gayle (saxophone, clarinet, voice), Michael Bisio (bass) and Michael Wimberly (drums) that was recorded live in 1994 and features lively gospel music.

Extreme percussion work from Eli Keszler, mostly solo pieces using a diverse sonic palette, and assisted on 2 tracks by clarinetist Ashley Paul, plus brass player Andrew Fenlon and prepared pianist Sakkiko Mori.

Remaster and reissue of saxophonist Charles Tyler's Ensemble in their 2nd ESP LP from 1967, challenging and exploratory playing of avant-jazz from a quartet that reaches for something beyond.

With over 90 minutes of additional material this reissue of "Nothing Is..." from the 1966 ESP College Tour adds a 2nd set from the Arkestra, a sound check, and an introduction by Burton Greene.

More explorations of outer space by the spokesman for the space age, 1965 studio recordings with Marhsall Allen, John Gilmore, Walter Miller, Ronnie Boykins, &c.

One of NYC's oddest rock bands, Talibam! augment and mutilate rock forms with a weird mix, helped along by Jon Irabagon, Peter Evans, Chris Forsyth, &c., great and bizarre!

Sun Ra's 1964 ESP release with a young saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and Black Harold Murray on flute and log drum, remastered and with an additional 45 minutes.

The first studio release for the trio of tenor saxophonist Louis Belogenis, bassist Joe Morris and drummer Charles Downs, profound NY free improvisation.

Compositions by bassist Stephane Furic Leibovici with exceptional collaborators, following Leibovici's strategies of non-repetetive organic compositions; liner notes by Kevin Whitehead.

Reissue and remaster of this 1973 album from Frank Lowe with William Parker, Joseph Jarman and "The Wizard", restoring 15 minutes of material thought to have been lost.

Steve Rush, Tom Abbs and Geoff Mann take the trio format to new heights in music inspired by Sun Ra, the Art Ensemble of Chicago as well as Miles Davis.

Excellent improvisational interaction from rapid scrabbly to lowercase exchange from guitarist Bruce Einsenbeil, bassist Tom Blancarte and drummer Andrew Drury.