Ivo Perelman / Nate Wooley:
Polarity (Burning Ambulance Music)

Tight interaction in an incredible weaving of creative ideas and technical prowess from the duo of tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and trumpeter Nate Wooley, the two New York-based improvisers recording in the studio in Brooklyn in 2020 for ten dialogs, a perfect distillation of their work together after four CDs in larger group efforts; captivating. ... Click to View

Courvoisier / Rothenberg / Sartorius:
Lockdown (Clean Feed)

Recording in the studio in Switzerland, the trio of Sylvie Courvoisier on piano, Ned Rothenberg on alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet & Shakuhachi, and Julian Sartorius on drums & percussion perform a mix of compositions, with 3 from Courvoisier and 1 by Rothenberg, and 4 collective improvisations; a unified and accomplished album of diverse approaches to free improv. ... Click to View

Cortex (Hoyer / Nilssen / Alberts / Johansson):
Legal Tender [VINYL] (Clean Feed)

Seriously joyful and consequential "avant-garde party music" from the Norwegian Cortex quartet of Ola Hoyer on double bass, Gard Nilssen on drums & percussion, Kristoffer Berre Alberts on saxophone, and Thomas Johansson on trumpet, in their 6th album of irresistible, upbeat free jazz. ... Click to View

Dominique Pifarely Quartet (w/ Rayon / Chevillon / Merville):
Nocturnes (Clean Feed)

Following his ECM album Trace Provisoire, violinist Dominique Pifarély's new album with his quartet of Antonin Rayon on piano, Bruno Chevillon on double bass and Francois Merville on drums, expands on the merging of compositional and improvisational form in this set of Pifarély compositions, alongside two co-written with Bruno Chevillon and two with Antonin Rayon. ... Click to View

Jonas Cambien Trio (w / Roligheten / Wildhagen):
Nature Hath Painted The Body (Clean Feed)

Cleverly complex yet melodically embraceable, the trio of Beligan pianist residing in Norway, Jonas Cambien's trio with Andre Rolighete on tenor and soprano saxophone and drummer Andreas Wildhagen perform eleven original Cambien compositions, a mix of astute, joyful and irrepressibly creative approaches to jazz and free improvisation. ... Click to View

Hearth (Silva / Rasmussen / Rave / Draksler):
Melt (Clean Feed)

Meeting for the 1st time at the 2016 October Meeting in Holland, the quartet performance there of Susana Santos Silva on trumpet, Mette Rasmussen on alto sax, Ada Rave on tenor sax & clarinet and Kaja Draksler on piano, inspired the formation of Hearth to develop soundscapes focusing on moods and textures, as heard in these six rich explorative collective improvisations. ... Click to View

Andre Fernandes (w/ Sambeat / Campos / Heliodoro / Pereira):
Kinetic [VINYL] (Clean Feed)

Active Lisbon guitarist and producer André Fernandes formed the band Kinetic to perform the lyrically upbeat and sophisticated works of composers he admires--David Binney, Ohad Talmor, Akiko Pavolka, Sara Serpa, Perico Sambeat and Xan Campos--in a band that includes saxophonist Sambeat and pianist Campos, along with bassist Frederico Heliodoro and drummer João Pereira. ... Click to View

Oker (Larsen / Myhr / Rasten / Gismervik):
Susurrus (Shhpuma)

Existing between composition and free improvisation, this Norwegian quartet of Torstein Lavik Larsen on trumpet, Adrian Myhr on double bass, Fredrik Rasten on acoustic guitar, and Jan Martin Gismervik on drums & percussion are informed by minimal composed, folk and improvised musics, applying unusual technique and methodology to create beautiful textural and impressionistic sound. ... Click to View

Oker (Larsen / Myhr / Rasten / Gismervik):
Susurrus [VINYL] (Shhpuma)

Existing between composition and free improvisation, this Norwegian quartet of Torstein Lavik Larsen on trumpet, Adrian Myhr on double bass, Fredrik Rasten on acoustic guitar, and Jan Martin Gismervik on drums & percussion are informed by minimal composed, folk and improvised musics, applying unusual technique and methodology to create beautiful textural and impressionistic sound. ... Click to View

Evan Parker Electro-Acoustic Ensemble:
Warszawa 2019 (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Formed in 1990 as a sextet to explore the possibilities of real-time signal processing in an improvising context, the 30 year history of saxophonist Evan Parker's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble and the first new album in 9 years explodes with this incredible 2019 live concert at Wojciech Krukowski Hall, in Warsaw, Poland as a 10-piece ensemble of masterful improvisers. ... Click to View

Chrome Hill (Lerheim / Nymo / Lofthus / Arntzen):
This Is Chrome Hill [VINYL] (Clean Feed)

Self-described as Scandinavian jazz rock noir, the Chrome Hill quartet of Asbjorn Lerheim on baritone guitar, Roger Arntzen on double bass, Torstein Lofthus on drums & vibraphone, and Atle Nymo on tenor saxophone, present a dramatic album of contrasts inspired by cinematic and musical moods, merging elements of folk, Delta blues and cowboy rock into their darkly cool sound. ... Click to View

Aki Onda / Nao Nishihara:
Kouya-e-to (Ftarri)

NYC performer Aki Onda and Yokohama sound artist Nao Nishihara began collaborating in 2015 while Nishihara was residing in NY on an Asian Cultural Council grant, returning in 2016 for this live performance exploring the architecture and acoustics of ISSUE's 22 Boerum Place theater, installing handmade instruments and analog equipment within a visually arranged set-up. ... Click to View

String Theory:
Musique Placide (Creative Sources)

The 8-piece String Theory ensemble directed by violist Ernesto Rodrigues performs a beautiful and subtle work inspired by a poem written by Rodrigues, "Une Ombre Du Bonheur", realized through viola, violin, cellos, viola de gamba, double bass, piano, zither and objects, a stunningly beautiful and deceptively tranquil work of exceptional detail and dexterous execution. ... Click to View

Lucio Miele:
Kalpa (Creative Sources)

A solo album from Italian percussionsit Lucio Miele, presenting six works of layered percussion with live electronics and, on three tracks, recitation from actor Simona Fredella, each piece sound-oriented with an incredibly diverse set of percussive variety, detailed atmospheric settings and diverse rhythmic foundation; a remarkable and sometimes hair-raising album. ... Click to View

Youjin Sung / Simon Rose:
Map of Dreams (Creative Sources)

Interested in exploring open form improvisation and pairing Western and Korean musical instruments & tradition, baritone saxophonist Simon Rose met gayageum player Youjin Sung, a member of the AsianArt Ensemble playing contemporary music, at the Berlin club Sowieso in 2019 to record these eight exotic and informed dialogs of unique timbral voicing and authoritative skill. ... Click to View

Taku Sugimoto:
Guitars (Meenna)

Three concisely plain compositions for guitar, two solo and one trio, are played only with open strings or natural harmonics, where all the tunings are respectively irregular, written by Tokyo-based guitarist and composer Taku Sugimoto and performed and recorded in St. Petersburg, Russia by guitarists Andrey Popovsky, Denis Sorokin and Alexander Markvart. ... Click to View

Fraufraulein (Billy Gomberg / Anne Guthrie):
Solum [CASSETTE] (Notice Recordings)

Using a handful of improvisations from French horn, bass guitar, voice, electronics and objects collaged with field recordings made separately, Ann Guthrie and Billy Gomberg reflect on their enforced domesticity during the 2020 lockdowns, using the time to expand on the balance of electronics & objects in relation to acoustic instruments, creating detailed abstractions. ... Click to View

Max Hamel:
First Snow [CASSETTE] (Notice Recordings)

A live solo recording made using the amplified and processed sounds of snow, hail, and wind, captured by sound artist Max Hamel using a piezoelectric disc taped to a metal plate stuck out his window during the first snow storm of 2019, processed in real time using resonant filters, delay lines, and chaotic processors, the whole edited for these two compositions. ... Click to View

Peter Strieff:
Chronos-Kairos (Edition Wandelweiser Records)

Exploring the difference between the two Greek concepts of time--chronos (measurable) and kairos (qualitative moments)--Bern composer Urs Peter Schneider's 1973 composition uses synthesizers to measure, divide, experience, forget, free from, and embody time; plus a 1968 composition with Ensemble Nueue Horizon Bern, and two recent works with Ensemble Montaigne. ... Click to View

Natural Information Society w/ Evan Parker:
Descension (Out of Our Constrictions) [VINYL 2 LPs] (Eremite)

The first live album from Chicago bassist and guimbri player Joshua Abrams is the 6th Natural Information Society album, captured live in the summer of 2019 at Cafe Oto in London, the core quartet with Lisa Alvarado on harmonium, Mikel Patrick on drums and Jason Stein on bass clarinet joined by UK legend Evan Parker on soprano saxophone for four ecstatic improvisations. ... Click to View

Treesearch (GoGwilt / Motl / Kuester):
Birdward (577)

The 2nd album from the trio of Keir GoGwilt on violin, Kyle Motl on bass and Nicolee Kuester on horn, the pieces combining original poems written by GoGwilt and Kuester with precise musical arrangement and poetic structures, around which the trio improvise with melodic and unexpected approaches, fascinating their listeners with peculiar insight and superb playing. ... Click to View

Iain Sinclair / London Experimental Ensemble:
Dark Before Dark (577)

Writer Iain Sinclair joins The London Experimental Ensemble to perform his narrative work, a sequel to Living With Buildings: And Walking With Ghosts, telling a surreal story of the imaginary 25-year journey of a whalebone box, told in detailed images and incredible sonic support through keys, strings, brass, winds, guitar, electronics and voice; profoundly powerful. ... Click to View

Roberto Miranda Home Music Ensemble (Bradford / Carter / Newton / Tapscott / &c):
Live At Bing Theatre: Los Angeles, 1985 (Dark Tree Records)

Dark Tree's Roots series continues to unearth hidden masterworks from the West Coast scene, here with bassist Roberto Miranda's Home Music ensemble in 1985, an 11-piece large band performing Miranda's lyrically rhythmic compositions, with an all-star cast including flutist James Newton, clarinetist John Carter, pianist Horace Tapscott, trumpeter Bobby Bradford, &c. ... Click to View

Gerard Grisey / Iancu Dumitrescu / Niels Christian Rasmussen / Thanos Chrysakis / Salvatore Sciarrino / Lori Freedman / Tim Hodgkinson:
Music for Violas, Bass Clarinets & Flutes (Aural Terrains)

Compositions for violas, bass clarinets and flutes performed by Vincent Royer, Jill Valentine, Jason Alder, Chris Cundy, Tim Hodgkinson, Yoni Silver, Lori Freedman, Carla Rees, Karin de Fleyt, Thanos Chrysakis, Katrina Lauder, with compositions from Gerard Grisey, Iancu Dumitrescu, Thanos Chrysakis, Niels Rasmussen, Salvatore Sciarrino, Lori Freedman, and Tim Hodgkinson. ... Click to View

Various Artists (curated by Nick Vander):
Walk My Way, Volume Five (Orbit577)

The final of five volumes from this series curated by Nick Vander, a testament to the incredible musical range of the guitar and the imaginative possibility of guitarists around the world, with tracks from Harvey Valdes, Antonio Guillen, Boris Belica, Sandy Ewen, Denis Sorokin, Arvind Ganga, Pengboon Don, Josue Amador, Todd Clouser, and Mohammed Ashraf. ... Click to View

Chris Abrahams / Mark Wastell:
A Thousand Sacred Steps (Confront)

Drenched in beautiful ambiance, this inspired and spiritual meeting between Necks pianist Chris Abrahams and percussionist Mark Wastell performing on tam-tam and cymbals, was recorded while The Necks were in residence at Cafe Oto in London, the empathy between the two immediately evident in their graceful approach to these four evolving improvisations. ... Click to View

Bob Drake:
Planets & Animals (Recommended Records)

Bob Drake continues to tug on the heart-strings of prog in short but smart songs that reference the best of the last few decades of prog/psych/avant rock forms, Drake as always handling all parts in a great balance of guitar, electronic & acoustic instruments, including some newly invented instruments; includes a fold-out poster in Bob Drake style from Joe Mruk. ... Click to View

Axel Dorner / Toshimaru Nakamura:
In Cotton and Wool (Ftarri)

Meeting in sound artist and vocalist Yan Jun's studio in Berlin in 2017, trumpeter Axel Dörner and no-input mixer artist Toshimaru Nakamura recorded these four active and bristling improvisations, Dörner using every inch of his instrument and treating it with electronics to create the controlled chaos and richly jarring recordings that make up this, their 2nd album together. ... Click to View

Greg Davis:
Throughline (Autumn Records)

Taking modular synths into unusual territory, Autumn Records label leader and relentless audio explorer Greg Davis spent years using a computer controlled modular synthesizer system to generate an obsessive set of synthetic and electronic sounds -- swooping, burbling, chattering, &c. -- assembled into this quick witted and energetic set of compositions. ... Click to View

Microfiche (Alduca / Calligeros / Conner / Gill / Manojlovic / Murphy-Haste / Schack-Arnott):
Everything and Other Infinities (Creative Sources)

The 2nd release from this Sydney, Austrlian acoustic sextet, creating subtle yet dynamic improvisations influenced by the musical concepts of John Cage and Morton Feldman, balancing contemplative sections with building surges, these works developed on their 2019 Europe tour, which included performances at Copenhagen Jazz Festival as well as shows in Berlin and Stockholm. ... Click to View