Agusti Fernandez feat. Barry Guy, Don Malfon, John Butcher, Jordina Milla, Liudas Mockunas, Lucia Martinez, Torben Snekkestad, Zlatko Kaucic:
Agusti Fernandez @70 - Aesthetic Of Prisms. [7 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Honoring Agustí Fernández's 70th birthday, this 7-CD box set captures his innovative artistry through live and studio collaborations with performers including Barry Guy, John Butcher, Lucía Martínez, &c., recorded across global venues, showcasing his mastery of the piano, free improvisation, and profound creative dialogue with fellow improvisers. ... Click to View

Zlatko Kaucic (Kaucic / Amado / Dorner / Grom / Guy / Fernandez / Snekkestad):
INKLINGS [4 CD BOX SET] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Marking drummer/percussionist Zlatko Kaučič's 70th birthday, this 4-CD set presents his collaborations with luminaries including Torben Snekkestad, Axel Dörner, Rodrigo Amado, Barry Guy, and Agustí Fernández, blending intimate and transformative improvisations recorded across Slovenian festivals, showcasing Kaučič's mastery and the profound synergy of these exceptional ensembles. ... Click to View

Andrea Centazzo :
Ictus@45 - Out Off Nights [4 CD BOX SET] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Celebrating 50 years of Andrea Centazzo's career and 45 years of ICTUS Records, this 4-CD set documents concerts over four nights at Milan's Teatro Out Off, vibrant sets of improvisation uniting global luminaries like Elliott Sharp, Ellen Burr, and Steve Swell in a boundary-pushing exploration of ICTUS's legacy and Centazzo's innovative artistry. ... Click to View

Painkiller (Harris / Laswell / Zorn):
Samsara (Tzadik)

Originally gormed in 1991, the legendary PainKiller trio, known for merging jazz, metal, grindcore, ambient, and dub, returns after more than 25 years to explore an intense new direction, as electronic artist Mick Harris crafts a rich tapestry of beats and sounds, drawing inspired performances from bassist Bill Laswell and alto saxophonist John Zorn. ... Click to View

Sun & Rain (Morgan / Laplante / Smiley / Nazary):
Waterfall [VINYL] (Out Of Your Head Records)

Taking six years to compose through collaborative retreats, this five-part opus blends precision composition and improvisation, with saxophonists Nathaniel Morgan and Travis Laplante, guitarist Andrew Smiley, and drummer Jason Nazary crafting intense, cerebral jazz-rock influenced by art-rock, free jazz, and European experimentalism, resulting in a bold and immersive debut. ... Click to View

Giacomo Merega / Joe Morris:
Opus Dichotomous (Infrequent Seams Records)

Building on their collaborations in the Noah Kaplan Quartet albums on Hat Hut/ezz-thetics — Descendants, Cluster Swerve, and Out of the Hole — bass guitarist Giacomo Merega (also of Dollshot) and guitarist Joe Morris (with pedals) explore intricate and dichotomous interplay, weaving parallel and divergent lines into richly complex interactions, suffused with a deep and resonant sonic richness. ... Click to View

Jason Kahn:
Every Hand Is Lunatic That Travels on the Moon (Editions)

Recorded live at Kunstraum Walcheturm in Zurich, Jason Kahn's voice presents four improvised pieces blending voice, modular synths, and electronics, creating immersive soundscapes that explore sound's spatial and psychological dimensions, released in a limited edition of 100 hand-painted CDs by Editions. ... Click to View

Sun Ra:
Lanquidity (DELUXE EDITION) [VINYL] (STRUT)

Strut's deluxe 25th-anniversary edition of Sun Ra's Lanquidity, a highlight in the Arkestra's discography, features a tip-on sleeve with OBI strip, an A2 poster with a rare Veryl Oakland photograph of Sun Ra, and liner notes by Tom Buchler, Michael Ray, Danny Ray Thompson, and Bob Blank, celebrating this classic with a richly detailed and collectible repress. ... Click to View

Tim Berne (w/ Tom Rainey / Gregg Belisle-Chi):
Yikes Too [2 CDs] (Out Of Your Head Records)

Highlighting the profound skill and musical connection of alto saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey, and guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi, in a captivating journey through meticulously composed pieces, dynamic improvisation, and structured arrangements of spontaneous creativity, across 2 CDs contrasting live and studio recordings that emphasize their exploratory artistry and evolution within creative jazz. ... Click to View

Tim Berne (w/ Rainey / Belisle-Chi):
Yikes [VINYL] (Screwgun/Out Of Your Head Records)

Highlighting the profound skill and musical connection of alto saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Tom Rainey, and guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi, in a captivating journey through meticulously composed pieces, dynamic improvisation, and structured arrangements of spontaneous creativity in a studio recording that emphasize their exploratory artistry and evolution within creative jazz. ... Click to View

Michael Sarian / Matthew Putman / Ledian Mola / Federico Ughi:
The Sea, The Space, and Egypt, Vol. 1 [VINYL] (577 Records)

Bringing together trumpeter Michael Sarian, keyboardist Matthew Putman, drummer Federico Ughi, and Cuban bassist-vocalist Ledian Mola to pay heartfelt tribute to Sun Ra's cosmic Afrofuturism, blending improvisational brilliance with Mola's folklore-inspired vocals and Putman's Rocksichord - the same keyboard model Sun Ra played - in a first-time collaboration and celebration of innovation. ... Click to View

Michael Sarian / Matthew Putman / Ledian Mola / Federico Ughi:
The Sea, The Space, and Egypt, Vol. 1 (577 Records)

Bringing together trumpeter Michael Sarian, keyboardist Matthew Putman, drummer Federico Ughi, and Cuban bassist-vocalist Ledian Mola to pay heartfelt tribute to Sun Ra's cosmic Afrofuturism, blending improvisational brilliance with Mola's folklore-inspired vocals and Putman's Rocksichord - the same keyboard model Sun Ra played - in a first-time collaboration and celebration of innovation. ... Click to View

Trance Map (Evan Parker / Matthew Wright):
Horizons Held Close (Relative Pitch)

Returning to the duo format that launched their series, Evan Parker on soprano saxophone and Matthew Wright on turntables with live processing and sound design deliver two studio improvisations from Ramsgate, UK, with Wright transforming Parker's virtuosity through layers of electronic interaction, crafting a dynamic and intricate virtual symphony of technique and intent. ... Click to View

Udo Schindler / Paul Rogers:
Ephemeral Locations (Confront)

Recorded live in Munich, Germany, Udo Schindler and Paul Rogers unite in a masterful duo performance blending Schindler's clarinet, double bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, and cornet with Rogers' work on the 7-string double bass, crafting an intricate, dynamic improvisation that explores space, texture, and resonance in a profound and sometimes exultant exploration of Recorded live in Munich, Germany, Udo Schindler and Paul Rogers unite in a masterful duo performance blending Schindler's clarinet, double bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, and cornet with Rogers' work on the 7-string double bass, crafting an intricate, dynamic improvisation using space, texture, and resonance in a profound and sometimes exultant exploration of low tones. tones. ... Click to View

Chuck Roth:
Document 1 (Relative Pitch)

Displaying remarkable technique on a 6-string electric guitar, New York improviser and composer Chuck Roth, also known as watergh0st, explores a vast palette of sounds and textures, bending and twisting the guitar's raw tones without effects or pedals, across 11 succinct improvisations, Roth delivers an engaging spectrum of styles and moods, showcasing his emotional depth and inventive approach. ... Click to View

Jean-Jacques Birge :
Animal Opera (GRRR)

Blending the autonomous compositions of Nabaz'mob, his opera for 100 smart rabbits, with the vibrant naturalism of "Dawn at Shimiyacu", a field recording from Peru's Amazon rainforest, Jean-Jacques Birgé along with Antoine Schmitt juxtaposes minimalist robotic orchestrations with raw environmental soundscapes, creating a genre-defying exploration within his signature sonic universe. ... Click to View

Neurodivergent:
Stigma (Evil Clown)

Blending the improvisational richness of the Evil Clown aesthetic with the playful chaos of wacky banter, Neurodivergent — featuring Count Robot, DNA Girl, Tim Mungenast, and Evil Clown regulars — delivers a dynamic, genre-defying performance uniting spoken-word absurdity, a diverse array of instruments, and spontaneous musical transformations in an embraceably unpredictable listening experience. ... Click to View

Various artists:
Evil Clown Shorties, Vol. 3 (2024) (Evil Clown)

Drawn from 13 albums across eight ensembles and featuring 29 musicians, this third volume offers an excellent introduction to the concise improvisations recorded as soundchecks before long-form works, providing distinct snapshots of Evil Clown's dynamic creativity and showcasing the evolving sonorities and modular ensemble interplay that define their unique sonic universe. ... Click to View

Butcher / Davies / Sanders / Thomas:
Unlockings [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

Recorded live at Iklectik in London, saxophonist John Butcher on soprano and tenor leads an ensemble of Angharad Davies on violin, Mark Sanders on percussion, and Pat Thomas on electronics, iPad, and samples in four open, exploratory electroacoustic improvisations that reflect a post-lockdown freedom and Butcher's ethos of spontaneity and personal expression in creative music-making. ... Click to View

Butcher / Davies / Sanders / Thomas:
Lower Marsh [VINYL] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

Recorded across two sessions at London’s now-closed Iklectik, named for its Lambeth Marsh location, saxophonist John Butcher performs in duos and small groups with Angharad Davies on violin, Mark Sanders on percussion, Pat Thomas on electronics, and John Edwards on double bass, crafting remarkable acoustic and electroacoustic improvisations that honor the venue’s legacy. ... Click to View

Burkhard Beins (w/ Dorner / Elieh / Ermke / Neumann / Renkel / Tuerlinckx / Zapparoli):
Eight Duos [3 LPs] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

Showcasing Burkhard Beins's versatile approach to collaboration, this 3-LP set recorded at Morphine Raum presents eight duo performances featuring partners such as Andrea Neumann, Axel Dörner, and Marta Zapparoli, blending acoustic and electronic instruments in conceptual explorations that range from the percussive "Expansion" to the dynamic "Transmission," reflecting Beins's broad artistic spectrum. ... Click to View

Kai Fagaschinski / Yan Jun :
Graveyard Processions [VINYL w/ DOWNLOAD] (NI-VU-NI-CONNU)

Recorded in Berlin during the summer of 2022, this first collaboration between clarinetist Kai Fagaschinski and Beijing-based sound artist Yan Jun, blends clarinet, voice, and field recordings with objects and inventive sound sources in four pieces that dissolve boundaries between improvisation, composition, and experimental sound design, creating a dizzying, multilayered auditory experience. ... Click to View

Schick / Tuerlinckx / Zoepf:
Ensemble A (Confront)

Recorded live in Kassel and Cologne, Germany, in May 2023, turntablist Ignaz Schick, prepared pianist Anaïs Tuerlinckx, and bass clarinetist/soprano saxophonist Joachim Zoepf deliver two wild and extended electroacoustic improvisations, blending tactile textures, dynamic interplay, and outside approaches to redefine the sonic possibilities of their respective instruments. ... Click to View

Nathan Hubbard / Kyle Motl:
Obsidian (Confront)

Recording live in the studio in San Diego, percussionist Nathan Hubbard and double bassist Kyle Motl engage in four fascinating duets of improvised music, blending extended techniques and unconventional approaches to their instruments to evoke richly textured, unpredictable, and exploratory performances that push the boundaries of traditional bass-and-drum interplay. ... Click to View

Brulez les meubles (+ Ingrid Laubrock / Marianne Trudel / Jonathan Huard):
FOLIO #5 (Tour de Bras / Circum-Disc)

Recorded at the Rimouski Music Conservatory in Quebec, the latest from Brulez les meubles of guitarist Louis Beaudoin-de la Sablonnière and bassist Eric Normand expands with saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, pianist Marianne Trudel, and vibraphonist Jonathan Huard in a drum-less exploration of jazz and chamber music, blending harmonic textures and patient interplay in a sophisticated and evocative musical conversation. ... Click to View

Brulez les meubles (+ Ingrid Laubrock / Marianne Trudel / Jonathan Huard):
FOLIO #5 [VINYL] (Tour de Bras / Circum-Disc)

Recorded at the Rimouski Music Conservatory in Quebec, the latest from Brulez les meubles of guitarist Louis Beaudoin-de la Sablonnière and bassist Eric Normand expands with saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, pianist Marianne Trudel, and vibraphonist Jonathan Huard in a drum-less exploration of jazz and chamber music, blending harmonic textures and patient interplay in a sophisticated and evocative musical conversation. ... Click to View

Pied De Poule:
Indiscretion (GRRR)

Merging jazz, tango, waltz, blues, chanson, and contemporary vocal experimentation, Michèle Buirette (accordion), Geneviève Cabannes (double bass), and Dominique Fonfrède (voice) craft an inventive and modern soundscape, combining traditional melodies with experimental techniques in an album that is melodic yet unpredictable, exploring themes with a blend of humor, depth, and originality. ... Click to View

Turbulence Orchestra:
Monsoon (Evil Clown)

Capturing the expansive sound of the Turbulence Orchestra, an eight-piece ensemble blending winds, percussion, electronics, and unconventional instruments in a 70-minute improvisational journey through evolving textures and sonorities, reflecting the group's mastery of large-scale, transformative improvisation and the dynamic aesthetic of Evil Clown productions. ... Click to View

Sound the Alarm (Clayton Thomas + Ensemble):
Sound the Alarm (Relative Pitch)

A powerful and socially driven project from a large ensemble founded by Clayton Thomas to musically and culturally respond to the ongoing genocide in Palestine, blending composed improvisation with collective human energy; recorded live on June 27, 2024, this performance stands as a sonic act of solidarity, reflection, and bearing witness, with all proceeds donated to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza. ... Click to View

Aspyrian (Porter / Gillen / Parkinson) :
To Explore Vol 2 (Hidden Threads)

Building on the strength of their debut, the London-based trio Aspyrian — featuring Robin Porter on tenor and soprano saxophones, Jack Gillen on guitar, and Matt Parkinson on drums — delivers six vibrant original compositions by Porter and Parkinson, embodying the band's name, derived from Old English, as they explore and discover with a spirited and inventive approach to their craft. ... Click to View