Verbruggen / Dumoulin / Haker Flaten / Wooley: kaPSalon [VINYL + 3 PRINTS] (Rat Records)
Recorded during the Jazz Middelheim Festival in 2014, the quartet of Belgium drummer and label-leader Teun Verbrougeh and pianist Jozef Dumoulin are joined with Norwegian bassist living in the US Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and New York trumpeter Nate Wooley to record this set of formidable free jazz, released in a vinyl LP with 3 12x12 prints, one for each piece. ... Click to View
Rempis / Piet / Daisy: Throw Tomatoes (Astral Spirits)
Bringing together two live shows from 2017 of the trio of Chicago luminaries, Dave Rempis on saxophones, Tim Daisy on drums, and Matt Piet on piano, in an exhilarating album of free jazz that shows the excitement of all three in what are only their 3rd and 4th live gigs together, each driving the other to enthusiastic heights amidst contemplative and playful moments. ... Click to View
Rempis / Piet / Daisy: Throw Tomatoes [CASETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Astral Spirits)
Bringing together two live shows from 2017 of the trio of Chicago luminaries, Dave Rempis on saxophones, Tim Daisy on drums, and Matt Piet on piano, in an exhilarating album of free jazz that shows the excitement of all three in what are only their 3rd and 4th live gigs together, each driving the other to enthusiastic heights amidst contemplative and playful moments. ... Click to View
Robert Dick / Tiffany Chang: Raise The River (RogueArt)
Pioneering West Coast flute improviser Robert Dick, whose command over the instrument is startlingly profound, is joined by young Bay Area drummer Tiffany Chang for nine studio recordings of brilliant interplay, from energetic interaction to introspective beauty, with bizarre moments of extended flute technique, an astonishing and engaging album. ... Click to View
Battus / Gauguet / La Casa: Chantier 4 (Swarming)
Using the building site of the Paris Philharmonie as their source location and inspiration, the trio of Pascal Battus using found objects, Bertrand Gauget on saxophone, and Eric La Casa on microphones, improvise and record the background sounds, machines, and environmental influences, using those recordings to create these three fascination compositions. ... Click to View
Sun Ra: The Cymbals / Symbols Sessions: New York City 1973 [2 CDs] (Modern Harmonic)
In 1973 Sun Ra went into the studio for Impulse! to record "Cymbals" with the octet of Danny Davis, John Gilmore, Elmoe Omoe, Ronnie Boykins, Derek Morris, and Akh Tal Ebah; though 2 LP's worth of material were recorded, the album was never released until now, in a remastered edition bringing listeners this much-anticipated album of synth-heavy, Arkestra-oriented 'Ra. ... Click to View
Sun Ra: Astro Black (Modern Harmonic)
From 1973-75 the Impulse! label released a few Sun Ra albums, the first of which was "Astro Black" with a large Arkestra-like ensemble with well-known collaborators making up the ensemble as they perform the title track, "Discipline, "Hidden Spheres" and "Cosmo-Fire", reissued as a 2018 Record Store Day releases in its first proper reissue. ... Click to View
Joelle Leandre: Dire du Dire (Rectangle)
An hour-long interview in the French language between French improvisers, bassist and vocalist Joelle Leandre and guiatist Noel Akchote, originally released in 2000, Leandre very engaged and at times quite animated and in good spirits, the CD partitioned into six equal sections for easy indexing. ... Click to View
Brian Eno / Kevin Shields: The Weight Of History / Only Once Away My Son [VINYL 12" RSD] (Opal)
Brian Eno joins forces with My Bloody Valentine guitarist and experimenter Kevin Shields for an instrumental album of rich tones and textures, with IDM/ambient rhythmic sections and a dramatic sense of pacing only found in the work of such experienced and innovative artists, released as a 12" RSD album on Eno's Opal label. ... Click to View
Oren Ambarchi: Grapes From The Estate [VINYL 2 LPs] (Black Truffle)
A much-needed reissue of Australian guitarist and sound artist Oren Ambarchi's 2004 album, an achievement and turning point for Ambarchi in the scope of his work, expanding his instrumental palette to incorporate more lyrical aspects into his sound, complementing his previous bass-heavy drone work, the album remastered for this essential gatefold release. ... Click to View
Satoko Fujii: Ninety-Nine Years (Libra)
Composer-pianist Satoko Fujii's new Orchestra Berlin, a ten-piece ensemble, presents a powerful work written specifically for this group in thought-provoking compositions of and uninhibited energy, with performers including saxophonists Gebhard Ullmann, Paulina Owczarek & Matthias Schubert, trombonist Matthias Muller, bassist Jan Roder, and drummers Peter Orins and Michael Griener. ... Click to View
Kira Kira (Tamura / Spence / Fujii / Takemura): Bright Force (Libra)
Since 2007 Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii and Australian keyboardist Alister Spence have collaborated on performance and recording in several configurations, including work with Tony Buck, Raymond McDonald, Jim O'Rourke, &c.; this energetic and otherworldly quartet session with trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and drummer Ittetsu Takemura was recored live Knuttel House, in Tokyo, 2017. ... Click to View
Kevin Drumm: Inexplicable Hours (Sonoris)
Chicago experimenter and improviser Kevin Drumm releases the sequel to his 6-CD boxset "Elapsed Time", using audio generators and various electronic devices to generate beautiful ambient environments and drones that are complemented by field recordings and short spoken sections, a rich work of subtle complexity, dark warmth, and mystery. ... Click to View
Kevin Drumm: Inexplicable Hours [VINYL @ LPs + CD] (Sonoris)
Chicago experimenter and improviser Kevin Drumm releases the sequel to his 6-CD boxset "Elapsed Time", using audio generators and various electronic devices to generate beautiful ambient environments and drones that are complemented by field recordings and short spoken sections, a rich work of subtle complexity, dark warmth, and mystery. ... Click to View
Animals & Giraffes (Greenlief / la Rocco / Leidecker): Landlocked Beach (Creative Sources)
A fascinating work of spoken word and free improvisation from writer Claudia La Rocco and the duo of Phillip Greenlief on sax and Wobbly (aka Jon Leidecker) on electronics and live sampling, La Rocco's unexpected text of the mundane and the fantastic repeated, manipulated and mangled, bringing the words in and out of focus as the music and sonic environment. ... Click to View
Bill Dixon: Odyssey (Solo Works) [6 CD BOX SET] (Archive Edition)
This 2001 limited 6-CD box set of late trumpeter Bill Dixon's solo work in 5 CDs plus 1 CD of Dixon speaking, including two 32-page booklets containing essays, interviews, & writings, plus reproductions of 13 Dixon paintings, along with 3 inserts; an essential example of Dixon's incredible creative output, the final copies of which were recently discovered and available one last time. ... Click to View
Hong Chulki / Will Guthrie: Mosquitoes and Crabs (erstwhile)
Recording in Seoul, South Korea at Mullae Arts Village in 2016, the duo of Australian drummer/percussionist Will Guthrie and improvising noise artist Hong Chulki release 8 pieces with concise works under 1 minute to larger improvisations up to 8 minutes, contrasting interesting rhythms with indescribable electronics, found sounds, and unusual environments.
... Click to View
Christian Wolff / Antoine Beuger: Where Are We Going, Today (erstwhile)
Using piano, objects, charango, flute, voice, whistles, and a copy of the Editions Wandelweiser recording of Christian Wolff's "Stones", improvisers and composer Christian Wolff and Antoine Beuger present the two part "Where Are You Going Today", a series of events punctuated by silence and Beuger's brief recitations, creating great tension and mystery. ... Click to View
Toshiya Tsunoda / Taku Unami: Wovenland (erstwhile)
The liner notes give good detail to each composition from these Japanese sound artists and composers Toshiya Tsunoda and Taku Unami, reworking and transforming field recordings from a diverse set of environmental locations by changing pitch, playback speeds, frequency, amplitude, &., creating 11 compositions, imbuing the mundane with unusual and surprising aural attributes. ... Click to View
Michael Pisaro / Reinier van Houdt: Shades of Eternal Night (Gravity Wave)
Largely derived from piano recordings by Netherlands pianist Reinier van Houdt, a member of both the Ensemble MAE and the Ives Ensemble and heard on the Wandelweiser label, expanded by several field recordings recorded by Michael Pisaro in Syros (Greece), creating a work in three pieces of rich environments that contrast peaceful passages with powerful ambiance. ... Click to View
Michael Pisaro : Etant Donnes (Gravity Wave)
An unusual album for American composer Michael Pisaro: six works based almost entirely on samples, punctuating more characteristic work in keeping with his Wandelweiser and EMW work with rhythmic and popular forms, albeit with Pisaro's characteristic inclusions, surprising the listener in an illusionary approach yielding serious electroacoustic compositions. ... Click to View
Spectral (Dave Rempis / Darren Johnston / Larry Ochs): Empty Castles (Aerophonic)
Spectral, since 2012 the working horn trio of Dave Rempis on alto & baritone sax, Darren Johnston on trumpet, and Larry Ochs on sopranino & tenor sax, split their time between San Francisco and Chicago, in their 3rd album of spontaneous, complex free improv, here using the setting of Bunker A-168 in Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, CA, to influence their performance. ... Click to View
Dave Rempis / Tim Daisy & Guests: Dodecahedron (Aerophonic)
Marking their 20th anniversary working together, the collaboration between Chicago improvisers, saxophonist Dave Rempis and percussionist Tim Daisy, release their third duo recording, inviting an incredible list of improvisers to perform live with them at Elastic Arts in Chicago in 2017: Jason Adasiewicz, Jim Baker, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Steve Swell, Katie Young, and Aaron Zarzutzki. ... Click to View
Peter Bruun's All Too Human (w/ Tranberg / Ducret / Toldam): Vernacular Avant-garde (Ayler)
Copenhagen drummer Peter Bruun leads a band with guitarist Marc Ducret, trumpeter Kasper Tranberg and synth player Simon Toldam, and upbeat electric free jazz album of powerful intent and compelling compositions performing melodic and insightful compositions, the band well acquainted from work on Ducret's own albums and with Samuel Blaser; recommended. ... Click to View
Christophe Monniot & Grand Orchestre du Tricot: Jericho Sinfonia (Ayler)
A unique ensemble performing a long-form composition by French saxophonist Christophe Monniot with the 12-piece Grand Orchestre du Tricot, 12 movements that are punctuated by layered spoken words, a subtle and sophisticated work realized with performers including Roberto Negro, Florian Satche, Quentin Biardeau, Jean-Baptiste Lacou, &c. ... Click to View
Ivo Perelman / Matthew Shipp / Joe Hertenstein: Scalene (Leo)
Scalene describes a triangle having sides unequal in length, but there's nothing uneven in the back and forth from the NY trio of tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman, pianist Matthew Shipp, and new to Perelman & Shipp's many collaborations, drummer Joe Herteinstein, in a 10-part studio recording of energetic spontaneous improvisation with a strong lyrical center. ... Click to View
Ivo Perelman / Matthew Shipp / Jeff Cosgrove: Live In Baltimore (Leo)
A rare live album from Brazilian-born/NY-based saxophonist Ivo Perelman, performing live at An Die Musik in Baltimore in 2017 in a trio with pianist Matthew Shipp and new drummer Jeff Cosgrove, for a single epic improvisation that takes the listener on an adventure from lyrical to energetic free jazz, all three players unhurried and absolutely focused. ... Click to View
Suspensao: Physis (Creative Sources)
The third album on Creative Sources for this 10-piece ensemble with 5 string players, piano, sax, trombone, electronics and percussion, freely improvising in an extended work themed for the Greek theological, philosophical, and scientific term typically translated as nature or physics, in a rich tapestry of meticulous detail and profoundly subtle communication. ... Click to View
Domeniconi / Schlegel / Suter : Quince Dreams (Creative Sources)
Three versatile improvisers with pedigrees including Christian Weber, Christian Wolfarth, Objets Trouves, Big Bold Back Bone, &c, the Swiss trio of Roberto Domeniconi on piano, Jan Schlegel on electric bass, and Sheldon Suter on drums use unusual and extended techniques integrated within free improv in this coproduction with RSI Rete Due Radiotelevision, Switzerland. ... Click to View
Baker / Glover: Love, Approximately (Bad Architect Records)
Bridging folk traditions with modern aesthetics, the duo of Evan Baker on guitar and Austin Glover on violin, both contributing songs, sing about everyday events, music, and life, the songs having a bluesy and even early Kinks feel at times, made unique through a cappella moments and languid instrumental sections. ... Click to View
