Grosse Abfahrt (Great Departure) mates Bay Area musicians with European free improvisers, here playing live @ Mills College with Frederic Blondy, Le Quan Ninh.

Tom Djll put this electro-acoustic improvising group together when Matthieu Werchowski & David Chiesa were visiting the SF area, with performances from duos to octet.

Pianist Richard Grossman in a trio with double bassist Ken Filiano and percussionist Alex Cline, playing freely improvised jazz in a live setting.

A previously unreleased concert recording from 1986 of a group of leading out jazz artists (Billy Bang, Fred Hopkins, Andrew Cyrille, &c.) playing original compositions as well as a cover of Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat".

The second release from Germany's Grunen Trio of Achim Kaufmann on piano, Robert Landfermann on double bass and Christian Lillinger on drums, a superb and forward-thinking piano trio using prodigious talent in eccentric ways, resolving to lyrical and rewarding improvisation.

A very forward-thinking Italian composers and improvising collective from the mid-60's and early 70s noted for having Ennio Morricone on trumpet, and Frederic Rzewski appearing.

Complex, hyper-contrapuntal and molecular modes of group playing from the quartet of Stephen Grew (keyboard, processing), Richard Scott (wigi, buchla lightning, blippoo box), Nick Grew (transduction) & David Ross (drosscillator), joined by Evan Parker.

Live performances from this quartet of electroacoustic improvisers using intuitive and performance-oriented technologies to create surprisingly frothy and amazing sound.

Dedicated to sailors, their adventures and rough living conditions while at sea, from the collective free improv quartet of US jazz master and Lacy associate Kent Carter on bass, French saxophonist Sylvain Gueineau, Makoto Sato on drums and Itaru Oki on trumpet & flute.

The Normand Guilbeault Ensemble with Jean Derome, Matthieu Belanger, &c. continue to create incredible interpretations of the music of Charles Mingus.

Normand Guilbeault's ensemble plays seven eclectic compositions by Charles Mingus and one from Jean Derome in this excellent recording.

2 CDs of Canadian history put together by Normand Guilbeault that covers original compositions, native chants, gigues, reels, songs of the period, military marches and improvisation.

Saxophonist Guionnet guides this quartet of sax, viola, cello, & percussion, including label leader Ernesto Rodrigues, delicate yet detailed improv of a high order.

Composer Jean-Luc Guionnet wrote "Distances ouies Dites" ("Distances: Hearsay") for the 7-piece Dedalus Ensemble, who are positioned in separate rooms at Le Consortium, each having to use the features of the room and distance from each other to confer liked musical ideas.

Thomas Bonvalet takes the banjo into unusual territory with Jean-Luc Guionnet performing on the organ at the protestant temple of Bergerac, France, in a beautifully terrifying album recorded during the MONC cultural arts centre's festival of avant-garde culture in 2010.

Using extended saxophone (Guionnet), microphones, prepared recordings & laptop (La Casa) and electronics, field recordings & laptop (Samartzis) this release comprises various live recordings made in 2007 while on tour in France, Germany and Italy.

Eric La Casa and Jean Luc Guionnet recorded this conceptual work in Melbourne, Australia, combining different scales of time, space, & attention, with different working strategies to create a gallery installation, and this book & DVD package exploring the acoustic phenomenon of "standing waves" to engage with the physical relationship between sound and space.

Jean-Luc Guionnet creates a portrayal of Lake Annecy near his home as described through its geographical location, and heard in a series of snapshot field recording compositions that describe the environment, fauna, people and civilization that abound around it.

Stepping away from the saxophone, composer/improviser Jean-Luc Guionnet presents two large compositions for the organ, each taking a single CD to explore the organ's border effects, resonances, natural saturations, all artefacts that sign the acoustic, analogic, digital, process.

After four decades as a team, pianist Ulrich Gumpert and drummer Gunter Baby Sommer release this remarkable album of upbeat and oft-times thunderous duos.

The second release on Intakt pairing pianist Ulrich Gumpert and percussionist Gunter Baby Sommer in an album that borrows from blues, boogie-woogie, hard bop, German folk songs, and free jazz.

The duo of Beat Keller and Philipp Bowee on electric guitars perform 6 subtle compositions from Turkish-born sound artists and composer Cem Guney's, including 'a bas relief of a talisman' dedicated to Charles Ives and 'soft kill incubator' dedicated to Sylvia Alexandra Schimag.

The debut album of this focused and intrepid Chicago trio led by saxophonist Dave Rempis with young stalwarts Ryan Packard on percussion and electronics, and Netherlands transplant Albert Wildeman, for three extended improvisations recorded live and in the studio.

Cory Bengtsen's (aka Gushing Cloud) first full length is an album of melodic electronics and guitar, collaborating on tracks with Cheer-Accident's Thymme Jones, Dog Hallucination's D. Petri, and Lovely Little Girls' Alex Perkolup.

The duo of Anne Guthrie and Richard Kamerman in 5 large canvases of sound using field recordings, domestic recordings, composition, improvisation, processing - unhurried work of great detail and diversity that captivates the attentive listener.

Recorded at a concert in London, September 1984, this supersession brings AMM stalwarts Keith Rowe and Eddie Prevost together with saxophonist Evan Parker and bassist Barry Guy for an amazingly diverse and cohesive long improvisation.

Inspired by Irish painter Hughie O' Donoghue, bassist and composer Barry Guy takes the same trio from his albums "Odyssey" and "Ithaka"--pianist Marilyn Crispell and drummer Paul Lytton--on an impressionist album of expressive and emotional playing, with lyrical and explosive peformances that reflect a haunting music showcasing each player's skills; stunning.

French cellist Hugues Vincent recorded these improvisations in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan with well-established players on the Japanese free improv scene Shota Koyama on drums, Yuta Yokoyama on trumpet, and Maki Hachiya on objects & voice; lively, spacious and sophisticated improv.

Avant noise guitarist Haino Keiji and experimental sound artist Masami Akita (Merzbow) in a powerful and varied live set at the Victoriaville, May 2007.

Bassist Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten is joined by key improvisers Joe McPhee (sax), Joe Morris (guitar) and Nate Wooley (trumpet) for this improvised studio recording, free improvisation with the influence of swing and blues.

Guitarist Gordon Hall in an album of instrumental journeys and vocal work, a series of independent spatial experiences with structural nuance and improvisation.

Saxophonist Rob Hall And pianist Chick Lyall in a charming album of modern jazz that reflects their Scottish roots in lilting original compositions of melodic distinction.

A lyrical and sincere dialog from the Scottish duo of Rob Hall on clarinets and Chick Lyall on piano, recoreded at the chapel in St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh, blending improvisation with chamber music, free jazz, contemporary classical and folk idioms.

Saxophonist Halliwell appears here in three duo performances with Rhodri Davies playing E-bowed harp; Steve Roden with extracts from his "resonantlighttones"; and Mark Wastell on tam-tam.

Brooklyn guitarist Mary Halvorson in her 1st release with her trio of bassist John Hebert & drummer Ches Smith, experimenting with harmonic, melodic & rhythmic components.

Presenting compositions from all three players, the NY-based trio of Kirk Knuffke (cornet), Mary Halvorson (guitar) & Matt Wilson (drums) this exceptional trio play a stripped down, rocking blend of free form improvisation.

Beautiful string work and lovely and unusual vocals from the duo of Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone, music of "stark clarity and introspection."

The final album from John Zorn's "Book of Angels" series presenting Zorn's Masada compositions, here with 10 previously unrecorded compositions from "Masada Book Two" performed by NY guitarist Mary Halvorson in a quartet with Drew Gress on bass, Tomas Fujiwara on drums, and Miles Okazaki on guitar, in an album of joyfully exciting and melodic improvisations.

Brooklyn-based guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson's second recording with her amazing working quintet of trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist John Hebert, and drummer Ches Smith.

Halvorson's quintet in a new book of music exploring close knit and dissonant harmonies for her ensemble of trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, bassist John Hebert & drummer Ches Smith.

Mary Halvorson leads her Septet with Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Jon Irabagon (alto sax), Ingrid Laubrock (tenor saxophone), Jacob Garchik (trombone), John Hebert (bass) & Ches Smith (drums) through 6 original compositions and a Robert Wyatt cover!

NY guitarist Mary Halvorson's solo album, worked out after a tour opening for King Buzzo, has her performing creative interpretations of works from modern composers like Roscoe Mitchell, Ornette Coleman, Oliver Nelson, & Tomas Fujiwara, back to Duke Ellington's "Solitude".

Guitarist Mary Halvorson's project with Chris Speed on sax & clarinet, Eivind Opsvik on bass, and Tomas Fuijwara on drums, a band formed for a one-off concert at the Blue Note in NYC, that continued on based on the strength of the bond between them, as heard on this superb release.

Pianist Roger Admiral performs Canadian composer Mark Hannesson's "The Angel's Game", and "Memory Sustained", both minimal works for solo piano, the second using a set of instructions giving the performer advice and discretion over pacing and approach.

Following the success of "Enter the Continent", Masashi Harada dance-conducts a somewhat larger group of mostly Boston-based musicians, including Greg Kelley and Bhob Rainey, among others.

Both eight and six-piece ensembles are conducted by Masashi Harada dancing. Artists include Greg Kelley, Tucker Dulin, Christian Pincock, Eric Carlson, Bhob Rainey, Aleta Cole, Dan Levin, Mike Bullock and Phil Tomasic.

Bryn Harrison's highly acclaimed, labyrinthine composition for violin & piano from 2014, expertly realised by violinist Aisha Orazbayeva and pianist Mark Knoop, for whom this 5-part work of beautiful repetitions reflecting tapestries of sound was written.

Swiss accordionist Hans Hassler in his 2nd Intakt release, incorporating Swiss folk music, jazz, film music, free improvisation and classical interpretation in a band with Gebhard Ullmann on bass, Jurgen Kupke on clarinet, and Beat Follmi on percussion.

Ensemble Recherche plays chamber music pieces by Polish composer Roman Haubenstock-Ramati that are dynamically explosive and allow for the free communicating of the musicians.

A series of musical "mobiles" from European composer Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, sonic transformations of the visual experiences of Alexander Calder's dynamic sculptures.

The Chicago electroacoustic quartet of saxophonist, sine tone & harmonium player Boris Hauff, drummer/electronicist Steven Hess, and reedist Keefe Jackson, recording in the studio 3 freely improvised pieces that build in intensity as the album develops.

Berlin-based saxophonist Boris Hauf's sextet with Keefe Jackson (sax), Jason Stein (bass clarinet), Frank Rosaly (drums), Steve Hess (drums & electronics) and Michael Hartman (drums) in 4 extended pieces of boiling intensity.

Established players on the London and European Free Jazz scene from two generations, saxophonist Evan Parker and pianist Alexander Hawkins come together for a duo of remarkable insight, technical skill, and inventive dialog from two masterful players.

Unusual instrumentation and a very diverse set of improvising backgrounds from pianist Alexander Hawkins Ensemble, with Orphy Robinson on steel pan, Otto Fischer on electric guitar, Dominic Lash on double bass, Hannah Marshall on cello, and Javier Carmona on drums.

Birder started as a piece for solo tenor banjo to study of the music of Charlie Parker (Bird), an exhaustive work with Christine Duncan's trombone and theremin at the end.

This Heat/Camberwell Now drummer Charles Hayward's latest solo album after a long wait, an incredible and unique journey through drums, electronics and song, personal, pointed and brilliant statements from one or rock's master voices.

Astute improvisations using extended language from the duo of Thomas Heberer (ICP) on cornet and Pascal Niggenkemper on double bass, two European free improvisers based in New York and pushing the limits of the improvised duo in accessible ways.

German born, NY based trumpeter Heberer's trio with clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst and bassist Pascal Niggenkemper performing Heberer's "cliff" works blending composition and improvisation.

Bassist John Hebert continues to explore his Louisana/Cajun roots with his trio of Benoit Delbecq on piano (plus synth & electronics) and drummer Gerald Cleaver, challenging and enigmatic improvisation with a solid rhythmic center.

Bassist Hebert's Trio with French pianist and synth player Benoit Delbecq and drummer Gerald Cleaver, expansive and spacious jazz with a beautiful spirituality.

Six pieces for strings, wind and percussion, free improvisation using unusual and extended techniques from the quartet of Ernesto Rodrigues (viola), Chris Heenan (alto saxophone, contrabass clarinet), Alexander Frangenheim (double bass),and Ofer Bymel (percussion).

"Although humanity's most in-demand and pervasive instruments the popularity of drums and guitars - or their equivalents - is so universal that there's no sanctioned method to play either. This is especially true with Free Music where adven...

Instant compositions on from Nicola L. Hein on guitar and Mia Zabelka on violin, both versed in soundscape and sonic sculptures, using extended techniques to create dense but dynamic sonic landscapes with significant room for silence.

Double bass player Mark Helias leads his Open Loose trio, founded in 1996 and currently comprised of Tom Rainey on drums and Tony Malaby on tenor sax, taking Helias' compositions and reworking them live until they become the dozen magnificent pieces recorded on this album: a diverse, flexible and creative set of approaches to jazz and free improvisation.

Captivating improvisational journeys with drummer and percussionist Gerry Hemingway and Jin Hi Kim performing on the Korean komungo black zither .

Drummer Gerry Hemingway in a CD & DVD release, 15 audio tracks and accompanying video and interview, dividing the program into "mist, dust, light, and sex", highlighting aspects of this prominent percussionist that expand our understanding of his prodigious abilities.

The late great saxophonist Julian Hemphill and bassist Peter Kowald, essential free jazz players from NY and Germany, performing solo and as a duo live at Kassiopeia, Wuppertal in 1987.

Henry Cow captured in concert between their "In Praise of Learning of Learning" and "Western Culture" releases. in concerts that featured Robert Wyatt in his last public performances.

Part of the Henry Cow boxset, now available for individual purchase, compiled from live recordings, radio transcription, or early recordings, remastered and presented to give a complete look at the history of Henry Cow.