Commissioned by the Vancouver artist-run center Western Front, NY saxophonist & composer Darius Jones developed this project during a succession of Western Front residencies between 2019 - 2022, culminating in this concert with fellow New Yorker, Gerald Cleaver (drums), and some of Canada's finest improvisers: Jesse Zubot (violin), Joshua Zubot (violin), Peggy Lee (cello) and James Meger (bass).

Commissioned by the Vancouver artist-run center Western Front, NY saxophonist & composer Darius Jones developed this project during a succession of Western Front residencies between 2019 - 2022, culminating in this concert with fellow New Yorker, Gerald Cleaver (drums), and some of Canada's finest improvisers: Jesse Zubot (violin), Joshua Zubot (violin), Peggy Lee (cello) and James Meger (bass).

Starting each day in the Australian studio with a 20-minute improvisation, The Necks trio of Chris Abrahams on piano & keyboards, Tony Buck on drums and Lloyd Swanton on bass developed this, their 21st album, as a collection of "shorter" and varied improvisations, released with minimal overdubs to present their music closer to their exceptional live performances.

Starting each day in the Australian studio with a 20-minute improvisation, The Necks trio of Chris Abrahams on piano & keyboards, Tony Buck on drums and Lloyd Swanton on bass developed this, their 21st album, as a collection of "shorter" and varied improvisations, released with minimal overdubs to present their music closer to their exceptional live performances.

Drawing on compositions from black artists who have created something uniquely their own--Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, Georgia Anne Muldrow--alto saxophonist Darius Jones pulls from the depths of emotion and vulnerability in five solo tracks recorded in Portland, deeply felt blues reflecting the black experience in America and the pain of isolation.

Drawing on compositions from black artists who have created something uniquely their own--Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, Georgia Anne Muldrow--alto saxophonist Darius Jones pulls from the depths of emotion and vulnerability in five solo tracks recorded in Portland, deeply felt blues reflecting the black experience in America and the pain of isolation.

Drawing on compositions from black artists who have created something uniquely their own--Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, Georgia Anne Muldrow--alto saxophonist Darius Jones pulls from the depths of emotion and vulnerability in five solo tracks recorded in Portland, deeply felt blues reflecting the black experience in America and the pain of isolation.

Three extended improvisations from the three Australian improvisers Chris Abrahams (piano), Lloyd Swanton (bass), Tony Buck (drums/percussion) in their 21st album of mesmerizing music, from the dynamic opener "Bloom" to the introspective "Lovelock" dedicated to Damien Lovelock of The Celibate Rifles, ending in the lyrical and rich groove of "Further".

With cellist Marika Hughes (2 Foot Yard, Anthony Braxton's Trillum) and saxophonist Darius Jones (Little Women, Darius Jones Trio), vocalist Fay Victor introduces her Fay Victor Chamber Trio, the open instrumental foundation highlighting Victor's expressive songs and insightful lyric content, developed with Victor and Jochem van Dijk; a great example of creative contemporary jazz song.

With two guitarists--Mary Halvorson and Susan Alcorn on pedal steel--and Ryan Sawyer on drums, New York trumpeter explores the Rocky Mountains Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, through sophisticated compositions and superbly illustrative sound, an exceptional album of improvisation and intention from four modern masters.

A strong start to the Australian trio The Neck's 24th album, as Chris Abrahams on piano & keyboards, Tony Buck on drums, percussion & guitar, and Lloyd Swanton on acoustic bass present a powerhouse of free improvisation in a single hour-long work, the first half evoking jazz leaning, with a free and spacious bridge that builds suddenly to a rocking groove.

The fourth release from Chicago bass clarinetist Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore, a trio with Jason Roebke on bass and New York drummer Mike Pride, playing modern creative jazz with a twisted melodic sense through Stein's original compositions, alongside one collective comoposition and John Coltrane's "26-2", a great example of 21st century jazz.

In the Downtown NY tradition of blurring rock and improvisation, the trio of Marc Ribot on guitar and voice, Shahzad Ismaily on bass, Moog, percussion and voice, and Ches Smith on drums, percussion and electronics, answer their own question 'why are you still here' through 11 genre-crossing songs of turmoil and inquisitiveness, perfect for the polarities of the time.

In the Downtown NY tradition of blurring rock and improvisation, the trio of Marc Ribot on guitar and voice, Shahzad Ismaily on bass, Moog, percussion and voice, and Ches Smith on drums, percussion and electronics, answer their own question 'why are you still here' through 11 genre-crossing songs of turmoil and inquisitiveness, perfect for the polarities of the time.

The fourth release from Chicago bass clarinetist Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore, a trio with Jason Roebke on bass and New York drummer Mike Pride, playing modern creative jazz with a twisted melodic sense through Stein's original compositions, alongside one collective comoposition and John Coltrane's "26-2", a great example of 21st century jazz.

A wild and exciting duo between cellist Okkyung Lee and legendary turntable improviser Christian Marclay performing live at London's Cafe Oto for a single long track that runs through an astonishing dynamic of invention and atmospheres in a gripping and spellbinding set.

A wild and exciting duo between cellist Okkyung Lee and legendary turntable improviser Christian Marclay performing live at London's Cafe Oto for a single long track that runs through an astonishing dynamic of invention and atmospheres in a gripping and spellbinding set.

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.

The Necks 18th album finds the trio of drummer/percussionist Tony Buck, bassist Lloyd Swanton and pianist/keyboardist Chris Abrahams in a vertiginous 44 minute dark excursion punctuated by cliff hanging moments through homemade instruments and unusual textures.

This album documents guitarist Fred Frith and saxophonist John Butcher's first head-to-head encounter in a recording studio, two titans of their instruments playing without overdubs in a single session for remarkable creative and sonic results.

A Record Store Day Release, a split 7" with Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog (Ribot/Ismaily/Smith) on one side, and Deerfhoof with Marc Ribot on the other side.

NY-based Arto Lindsay's diverse career includes No Wave band DNA, Ambitious Lovers with Peter Scherer, acclaimed Brazilian-tinged pop records, and improvising with a great set of Downtown NY players, much of which is presented in this excellent cross-section of his work to date.

The Chicago duo of Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor on cornet, synth, electronics, bamboo flutes drums, mbira, guitar & balaphone, mixings bits of breakbeat and Afropop with jazz, ambient and electronica elements in unmistakable and compelling grooves.

Drawing on personnel from the Downtown NY scene, both improv and rock, including CACAW, Sunshine Soldier, and VaVatican, Cloud Becomes Your Hand plays exuberant and complex music that focuses as much on instrumental as vocal music while surprising and delighting.

Sean Lennon & Greg Saunier (Mystical Weapons) are joined by multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Shahzad Ismaily for this one-sided, 19.50 minute art LP with an original illustration by Sean Lennon screen-printed on the B side.

The Necks trio of Chris Abrahams (piano), Tony Buck (drums) and Lloyd Swanton (bass) return to their evolving improvisation format, with ethereal arco harmonics, mesmeric piano riffs, subliminal pulses, twittering electronics, and even an arco bass choir.

A ridiculously spirited, lovingly raucous tribute to Merle Haggard from saxophonist Bryan Murray's eccentric band with Jon Irabagon (sax), Jon Lundbom (guitar), Moppa Elliott (bass) and Danny Fischer (drums), with Doc Chadbourne on vocals, banjo and dobro.

Drummer Gerald Cleaver leads this New York quintet through eight original compositions that fuse improvisation with modern jazz, post-punk, and electrified noise.

Tenor saxophonist Sam Hillmer (The Diamond Terrifier) takes NYC's Zs into a new direction as a trio with guitarist Patrick Higgins and percussionist Greg Fox, presenting the two part "Grain", a massive work of reorganized sound.

Tenor saxophonist Sam Hillmer (The Diamond Terrifier) takes NYC's Zs into a new direction as a trio with guitarist Patrick Higgins and percussionist Greg Fox, presenting the two part "Grain", a massive work of reorganized sound.

Five years after their debut release, Ceramic Dog, the power trio featuring Marc Ribot (guitar), Shahzad Ismaily (bass/electronics) and Ches Smith (drums), returns with this exceptional album merging rock and improv Downtown NY style.

The first duo in 14 years between guitarist Loren Connors and vocalist Suzanne Langille inspired by and using slides of MP Landis' WD series of paintings, which he created live during music performances.

Denmark to NY transplant Dam Eckardt Jensen blends her vocals, saxophone and flute work with Texan/NY bassist Tom Blancarte's furious playing to create unique sound worlds, including 5 hallucinatory and musical dreams.

UK saxophone phenomenon John Butcher in 10 live solo recordings using the unique sonic environments of Richmond Hall, a Houston art gallery that has been compared to a bowling alley, and Issue Project Room's high-ceilinged marble room in Brooklyn, NY.

Legendary NY free jazz saxophonist Charles Gayle takes to "the streets" with his trio of bassist Larry Roland and drummer Michael TA Thompson in a record illustrating Gayle's passionate voice and expressive dialog.

An odyssey in dark and stunning improvisation from the New York trio of Jamie Saft, Joe Morris, & Mike Pride, an exploration of sonic space that could only come out of the NY Downtown.