Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio - Armageddon Flower

Label: Tao Forms, 2025

Personnel - Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Matthew Shipp: piano; Mat Maneri: viola; William Parker: double bass.

The association of saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp spans three decades and continues to yield fresh results. On their latest effort, Armageddon Flower, the two industrious artists match wits with expert string players: violist Mat Maneri and bassist William Parker. The quartet takes full advantage of their instruments' range and timbres, embracing nonlinear structures that make the music feel both through-composed and spontaneously conceived. 

Their free styling remains compelling, emotionally stirring, and artistically inspired—enough to keep listeners’ ears wide open throughout a session that opens with dark textures, despite the uplifting title “Pillar of Light”. It's difficult to discern whether Perelman's saxophone is weeping in agony or rejoicing in ecstasy. Yet a sense of desperation—and at times resignation—emerges from the saxophone-viola interactions, which are filled with magnetic motivic strategies and strident cries, all layered over the cerebrally paced harmonic flow generated by Shipp’s nimble fingers. A variety of ideas are unleashed in this eruptive blend of modern classical, chamber jazz, and free improvisation.

“Tree of Life” is another study in contrasts. The sax-viola introduction is backed by steady piano steps, which gradually ascend heavy slopes into tonally low-pitched motion with an accelerated heartbeat. Vigorous bass plucks, swirling piano pulses, and saxophone squeals move together in agitated bursts, and the volatile atmosphere shifts again later from accessible harmonies—delivered with broad elasticity—to dense sonic walls, smeared by the abrasive staccatos of saxophone and viola. The piece concludes in a restive mode. 

Perelman compares this music to reading the Book of Revelations in the Bible, and the title cut, “Armageddon Flower”, indeed exudes a sense of transcendence, thanks to Shipp’s inventive pianism and Parker’s freedom to soar. Some rhythmic patterns feel deeply tribal—in the sense of pure African origins—while others are distinctly contemporary, resonating with the complexities of 21st-century free jazz. “Restoration” closes the session with Shipp in command, beginning with thunderous blows in the piano’s lower register before gently resolving into a moment of absolute melodic reverie. Midway through, we’re treated to resonant mutual bowing from bass and viola. Aiming high, Perelman and Shipp break new ground with this configuration. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Pillar of Light ► 03 - Armageddon Flower

Matthieu Mazué Trio + Michael Attias - Monoliths and Screens for Quartet

Label: Self produced, 2025

Personnel - Michael Attias: alto saxophone; Matthieu Mazué: piano; Xaver Rüegg: double bass; Michael Cina: drums.

Explorative Swiss-based French pianist Matthieu Mazué anchors his trio—with Xaver Rüegg on double bass and Michael Cina on drums—in a collaborative project with razor-edged alto saxophonist Michael Attias, who has already captured avant-garde hearts with albums like Nerve Dance and LuMiSong. Monoliths and Screens For Quartet features eighth pieces that, blending composed sections and improvisation, carve out a personal dimension of musical expression.

“Monolith: Twelve Stones” unfolds with dark, mystifying piano chords and the angular lines of Attias, whose sardonic tone and rhythmic phrasing—combined with the piano—evoke the productive synergy between Eric Dolphy and Misha Mengelberg. Tenacious piano and expressive drums interact with convulsive intensity, and there’s a marked irreverence in both Mazué and Attias’ solos. In a similar vein, “Screen: Screams” flows with fluid piano ideas over a cyclic, colorful backdrop that, without warning, begins to swing with intent. And Attias generates all manner of tension through his inventive phrasing.

Rüegg and Attias found agreeable consonance in “Mrmnnmnts”, supported by understated piano smears. The saxophonist, sublime in both language and tone, improvises with heart, followed in turn by Mazué and Rüegg over a steady rhythmic base. “Monolith: á Propos de la Matiére” is delivered as a somber and abstract rubato, while “Le Regard Dans Le Vide” becomes a melancholy ballad skillfully introduced by piano.

The band engages in staccato interplay on “Screen: My Ghosts Are Underground”, whose theme is marked by a dominant and expressive type of language. Chaos emerges as the ensemble stirs agitation, but the mood shifts along the way—from meditative to darkly suspenseful to forcefully turbulent. By contrast, “Monolith: Stoned” feels like a spinning vertigo, with Attias channeling Monk in his exuberant riffing. The quartet then descends into a mournful state, with elongated alto sax notes and bowed bass contributing to a tearful solemnity, closing with saxophone multiphonics.

Overall, this is a fruitful alliance rich in textured soundscapes and intriguing tonal qualities, marked by structural complexity, unmistakable rhythmic drive, and captivating improvisation. It’s a strong choice for those in search of the pleasures found in well-measured modern jazz with a progressive, creative spirit.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Monolith: Twelve Stones ► 04 - Screen: My Ghosts Are Underground ► 06 - Screen: Screams

Hanging Hearts - Where's Your Head At

Label: Ropeadope, 2025

Personnel - Chris Weller: tenor and bass saxophones; Cole DeGenova: keys, synth, synth bass; Quin Kirchner: drums, percussion.

Hanging Hearts is a powerhouse bass-less trio from Chicago led by saxophonist Chris Weller and featuring Cole DeGenova on keys and synths, with Quin Kirchner replacing Devin Drobka on drums. They’re technically outstanding, but it’s their soulfulness and energy that make their music feel fresh and instantly likable. Where’s Your Head At is the unit’s third album.

The stunning opener, “Rise”, kicks off with strident determination, propelled by a powerful synth riff and engagingly misplaced drum accents. It quickly shifts into a section in seven, where Weller’s saxophone lines turn incisively witty. The vitality of punk rock fused with the carefree spirit of free jazz creates a raw musical energy, yet the trio crafts a different finale with Coltranean sax etchings over cymbal-toms textures and spacious synth embellishments. This track is the album’s only group composition.

Weller’s “Shégara” and “Horizon” offer different flavors. The former soars as a playful, animated fusion of African and Caribbean rhythms, while the latter, initially ambient and atmospheric, gradually unfolds into a tangible song structure. Their intensity, however, is rivaled by DeGenova’s “In the Garden”, a dynamic blend of electronic music and avant-garde jazz set to a ternary pulse. As Kirchner and DeGenova unleash battering drums and rippling synth waves, respectively, Weller keeps the melodic thread intact, occasionally bursting into gusty growls and rapid trills.

Weller proves to be a versatile composer whose ideas cohere within an aesthetic that embraces odd meters, rock-inflected grooves, and electrifying jazz. His “Strong & Wong” begins with literal on-the-beat steps before shifting into complex tempos, subtly infused with R&B and pop aromas—it could have made a great ABBA song. “Fight Song” is a U2-meets-Coltrane experiment, with a B section reminiscent of Pavement, showcasing formidable sax improvisation and synth psychedelia. That psychedelia—echoing Pink Floyd’s golden era—also floods “It’s Aliens”, a track built around a catchy riff and seamless transitions between 4/4 and 5/4.

These rhythmic shifts and nuanced changes in direction keep the music vibrant and unpredictable. The trio’s progressive approach yields fascinating results, making Where’s Your Head At a memorable album and a standout in Hanging Hearts’ still small yet impressive discography.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Rise ► 05 - In the Garden ► 08 - Fight Song ► 09 - It’s Aliens

Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quintet - Sound Remains

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2025

Personnel - Rez Abbasi: acoustic guitar; Bill Ware: vibraphone; Stephan Crump: bass; Eric McPherson: drums; Hasan Bakr: percussion.

Known for bringing a fresh and edgy vibe to any ensemble he commands or joins, Pakistan-born American jazz guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi—here playing exclusively acoustic with a dry, warm tone—releases his third album with his working quartet. The group features vibraphonist Bill Ware, who adds additional harmonic color, and a core rhythm team who know each other well as the pillars of Borderlands Trio, bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Eric McPherson. For the guitarist’s 17th recording, Sound Remains, the quartet expands into a quintet with the addition of percussionist Hasan Bakr. The album is dedicated to Abbasi’s mother, who succumbed to kidney disease two years ago.

Postmodern sensibilities and fusion stylings emerge immediately in “Presence”, where a 12/8 groove, initiated by Abbasi and matched by Crump, leads to rhythmic mutations and adaptable vamping sequences that unify the piece. Ware and Abbasi deliver pulsating solos, and the piece concludes with a brief 7/4 section. The majestic “You Are” opens with a 12-beat cycle vamp that feels intuitive and unforced, eventually landing on a consistent 3/4 tempo subtly propelled by McPherson and Bakr. This melodically engaging piece also features a fine bass solo.

The harmonious guitar/vibes duet “Folk Song” takes the form of an impressionistic poem and is dedicated to Abbasi’s mother, while the gospel-tinged “Purity” closes the album with a compelling backbeat and a sense of hope. Crisp melodicism and open space arrive result from Ware and Abbasi’s intercalated confab as well as Crump’s thoughtful statement. Guitarist and vibraphonist also exchange ideas on “Spin Dream”, another Abbasi original steeped in polyrhythmic stimulation, exalting in rhythmic accents and lilting movements seasoned with touches of Latin and Eastern influences.

Covers of Keith Jarrett’s “Questar”, which blends folk and jazz elements with a fresh perspective, and John Coltrane’s “Lonnie’s Lament”, a poignant minor-mode ballad performed on fretless guitar, reflect Abbasi’s attentive arranging skills. While he remains a boundary-pushing presence in contemporary jazz, his new compositions reflect exploration of presence, mindfulness, and the dissolution of ego-driven attachment.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Presence ► 02 - You Are ► 05 - Spin Dream

Dan Weiss Quartet - Unclassified Affections

Label: Pi Recordings, 2025

Personnel - Peter Evans: trumpet; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Miles Okazaki: guitar; Dan Weiss: drums.

Dan Weiss, a versatile drummer of unhinged creativity, gathers an ensemble of first-tier New York-based players—vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, guitarist Miles Okazaki, and trumpeter Peter Evans—and releases an eight-track album of intelligently composed music specifically envisioned with these brilliant artists in mind. Unclassified Affections follows the equally striking Even Odds (Cygnus Recordings, 2024), with its title drawn from Virginia Woolf’s novel.

Following a simple form, the title track opens with delightful vibraphone melodies that outline a perceptible chord progression. This texture is gradually enriched with acoustic guitar plucks and ethereal voicings, tear-streaked yet pulsating trumpet phrases, and ride cymbal swells, ultimately pared down by a snare-driven arrhythmia. In contrast, “Holotype” erupts with complex, viscerally vibrant rhythmic interplay as staccato phrases dart across a ceaseless cymbal gallop. Evans and Brennan engage in a dazzling parallel motion, held aloft with the precision of a gravity-defying juggler. The thrilling avant-garde aesthetic gives way to a solo drum passage that highlights Weiss’s rhythmic ingenuity before the piece returns conversationally to its hypnotic head.

“Perfection Loneliness” unfolds slowly in 5/4, imbued with a balladic quality following an enchanting vibraphone intro. The largely through-composed “Existence Ticket” delves into contemporary experimentalism, evoking a 21st-century take on Miles Davis fusion.

“Mansion of Madness” suggests a rock foundation through Okazaki’s distorted guitar but quickly evolves into something fractured, almost manic. The piece tapers into reflective abstraction, exuding boldness without fully igniting. Evans shines with pressure-cooked phrasing in a segment that flirts with electronica, and the piece closes with a heavy metal-like propulsion. “Consoled Without Consolation” offers polyphony and polyrhythmic insight with a formidable, occasionally syncopated drum beat running in the back, getting darker and denser during Evans and Okazaki’s conjoint crusade, and then quite poetic during Brennan’s solo statement. 

Weiss’ greatness and versatility are categorically displayed in tracks like “Plusgood”, a vibrant excursion into African rhythms subtly tinged with Brazilian flavor—Evans even seems to mimic a cuíca—and the closer, “Dead Wail Revelry”, an astutely structured journey through shifting grooves and moods, steeped in the breath and depth of modern jazz language.

The closer you listen, the more exquisite detail emerges from the quartet’s interaction. Viewed in the context of his entire body of work, it’s clear that Weiss stands among the most compelling drummer-composers on the contemporary scene. Unclassified Affections is here to prove it.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Unclassified Affections ► 02 - Holotype ► 04 - Mansion of Madness ► 07 - Plusgood

Joe Morris / Elliott Sharp - Realism

Label: ESP-Disk, 2025

Personnel - Joe Morris: guitars, effects; Elliott Sharp: guitars, electronics.

This revolutionary collaboration between two creative minds, guitarists Joe Morris and Elliott Sharp, offers a vivid snapshot of their deep-seated commitment to free improvisation and disruptive innovation. Drawing from indecipherable yet hypnotic idioms, they construct and deconstruct in pursuit of musical evolution, making Realism a scrabbling provocation where their playing is often pushed to the very edge.

“Shapes Mentioned” emerges with a heady mix of dissonance, drones, percussive strikes, cleverly deployed electronics, and deceptively undemanding guitar noodling that immediately commands attention. The duo—whose artistic temperaments mesh seamlessly—venture into uncharted sonic realms, yielding compelling results. “Neither Odd Nor Even” is exquisitely layered, as Morris and Sharp manipulate their strings in a search for singular timbres, crafting a pointillistic randomness that evolves into a flurry of buzzing and humming tones shifting in pitch. The space, surrounded by harmonic bubbles inflated by unexpectedly potent effects, brings the essence of the blues—or a raw, country-blues pummel—woven into the core of their sound, apparent even when navigating its darker undercurrents. 

Strident, euphorically compulsive scrapes and robotic wha-wha utterances flood “Light Asking”, which extends beyond clattering electronics into a cryptic dialogue of frequencies. “Soft Version” floats with eerie drones braided into intriguing acoustic chords and shifting textures—an eternal puzzle resisting resolution. It proceeds through dual staccato motifs that steadily intensify. In contrast, “Arrokoth” radiates avant-garde and electro-rock vigor, balancing intensities, noises, and timbres while sonically picturing the outer space.

Morris and Sharp embrace experimentation fearlessly, often creating spiraling movements with intricately layered textures and enigmatic moods. Realism is an unrealistically original work, a bold mirror of the adventurous spirit that defines its creators.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Shapes Mentioned ► 02 - Neither Odd Nor Even ► 05 - Soft Version 

James Brandon Lewis Quartet - Abstraction is Deliverance

Label: Intakt Records, 2025

Personnel - James Brandon Lewis: tenor saxophone; Aruán Ortiz: piano; Brad Jones: bass; Chad Taylor: drums.

James Brandon Lewis, a disorienting, self-possessed tenorist who has garnered a great deal of attention through his various projects and collaborations, returns with his fifth quartet album, Abstraction is Deliverance, featuring eight of his own compositions and a modal post-bop cover. Rejoining him are pianist Aruán Ortiz, bassist Brad Jones, and drummer Chad Taylor. Their rapport and musicianship are more compelling than ever, and their ability to transcend and marvel with spiritual consciousness, a mix of traditional and modernist idioms, and rich timbres is truly remarkable.

The album opens in a modal mode with “Ware”, a tribute to the much-missed saxophonist David S. Ware, radiating Coltranean overtones throughout. Resonant bowed bass, cymbal splashes, soulful saxophone lines, and a dynamic yet fully breathable piano accompaniment set the tone. A soothing bass groove then paves the ground for Lewis’ improvisation, followed by Ortiz’s combination of nimble single-note runs and grandiose harmonic gestures.

On “Per 7”, the group forges a rare symbiotic connection in a piece commanded by Lewis and further shaped through slow rubato movements. There’s ample space for his relaxed blues-inflected chops, often answered thoughtfully by Ortiz. The reflective “Even the Sparrow” recalls Alice Coltrane’s Eastern-inspired musings, feeling openly mantric while flowing steadily under Taylor’s masterful mallet and hi-hat pulse.

“Remember Rosalind” palpitates with odd meter, unfolding in the spirit of Charles Lloyd through a polyrhythmic blend of spiritual jazz with Eastern and Latin tinges. The title cut, “Abstraction is Deliverance”, opens with a theme rich in classical influence, recycling it at every 20-beat cycle before expanding through Lewis’ authoritative, fiery saxophone—brimming energy and wisdom. If “Mr. Click”—beginning with sax over drums and featuring a vivid bass solo against exquisite harmonic constructions—evokes the sonic world of Sonny Rollins, then “Left Alone”—a luminous 3/4 modal reflection co-written by Mal Waldron and Billie Holiday in the late 50’s—elevates the album to transcendental brilliance with its delicate yet profound arrangement.

This jaw-dropping recording, both technically immaculate and artistically impressive, mesmerizes from beginning to end, inviting the listener to soar in spirit and thought. With this release, Lewis’s acclaimed quartet brushes against celestial perfection.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Per 7 ► 04 - Remember Rosalind ► 05 - Abstraction is Deliverance ► 08 - Left Alone

Marty Ehrlich Exaltation Trio - This Time

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2025

Personnel - Marty Ehrlich: alto and tenor (#8) saxophones; John Hébert: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Multi-reedist Marty Ehrlich has led several remarkable sax-bass-drums trios since his 1984 debut recording The Welcome, which featured bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Pheeroan AkLaff. His latest effort, Trio Exaltation—featuring longtime collaborators bassist John Hébert and drummer Nasheet Waits—returns seven years after its debut with seriously good stuff. This Time presents six original Ehrlich compositions alongside two interpretations of pieces by the late, great pianist Andrew Hill, with whom Ehrlich collaborated for four or five years. The album is dedicated to Hill’s widow, Joanne Robinson Hill.

Ehrlich’s “Sometimes This Time” opens with sizzling cymbal work that soon extends across the drum kit, underpinned by a round, grooving bass line that anchors and tempers Ehrlich’s kinetic, zigzagging improvisations. Waits contributes a thrilling drum solo before the theme returns to close the piece. “Twelve For Black Arthur”, a blues-infused burner with post-bop flair, is a tribute to altoist Arthur Blythe. The trio intensifies beyond the theme, with Ehrlich incorporating several of Blythe’s characteristic approaches to melody and improvisation.

“Conversation I” and “Conversation II” are two sax-and-drums duets in which Ehrlich and Waits showcase explosive chemistry and euphoric avant-garde expansiveness. “As It Is” unfolds through a shuffling rhythmic undercurrent from bass and drums, creating a rubato ebb-and-flow over which Ehrlich’s poised saxophone explorations escalate into quick-strike phrases—built on motifs, wild trills, and shifting patterns.

Ehrlich’s burnished tone lends warmth to the romanticism of Andrew Hill’s ballad “Images of Time”, tinged subtly with Spanish inflections. Hébert’s solo here is erudite, elegant, and sequentially coherent. On Hill’s “Dusk”, the bassist employs luminous harmonics, paired with the shimmer of Waits’ cymbals. The rhythm section dances with passion and precision, conjuring a twilight aura. Ehrlich’s commanding alto brims with ideas, flowing dynamically through warped contours and revealing the deep connection among these musicians—all former members of the Andrew Hill Sextet—whose years of collaboration bear exceptional fruit.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sometimes This Time ► 02 - Dusk ► 09 - Conversation II

Henry Plotnick - Tributaries

Label: Tide Bloom Records, 2025

Personnel - Henry Plotnick: piano; Adam Cordero: alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet; Kal Ferretti: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jasper Grigsby-Schulte: bass; Gary Jones III: drums; Emmanuel Michael: guitar (#1,4,8); Noa Chait: vocals (#9); Samantha Kochis: flute (#9).

Likely you’ve never heard of Henry Plotnick, a San Francisco-born Brooklyn-based pianist and composer with an extraordinary talent for combining melodies and harmonies in a pleasing, effective manner. Throughout his debut album, Tributaries, an unbridled creativity bubbles to the surface as Plotnick—a young prodigy who played Satie at the age of six—takes center stage, presenting nine engaging originals.

The album kicks off with the title track, a sleek, impeccably arranged post-bop adventure that shows he and his group are intent on moving forward with rhythmically complex accents, quick-moving melodies, vibrant harmonic energy, and a tight sense of unity. Plotnick spices up his well-balanced solo with precision, while guest guitarist Emmanuel Michael glides nimbly across the fretboard, crafting fluid phrases and searing patterns. They’re followed by saxophonist Adam Cordero, who plays with astonishing vitality, and drummer Gary Jones III, who stretches his chops with elastic flair before the band returns to the swirling magic of the main theme.

Since Plotnick and his crew approach the themes with clear passion, melody becomes central to the album’s identity. Both “If You’d Just”, a breezy piece featuring thrilling solos from bass, guitar and saxophone, and “Silobos”, where Cordero—firing off staccato-laden lines—and the bandleader deliver their musical statements with character, reinforce this impression.

“Waverling”, with its gleaming textures softened by clarinet and elevated by Kal Ferretti’s triplet-laced trumpet solo, and the sumptuous waltz “Turn of the Sea”, which sports a rock-inflected vamp and a guitar-led outro, radiate a sense of harmony with their sonic surroundings. And while “Proper Motion” is a hard-bop-tinged burner, “Bonesetter” opens as a bass feature, later developing into a swinging 12-beat groove sure to hook many listeners. Plotnick shines here, exploring the full range of the keyboard. The album ends on an emotional note with “Only This”, featuring guest vocalist Noa Chait and flutist Samantha Kochis.

Everyone seems elated to be playing these compositions, which they navigate with care and verve. Together, this band sparks a bright light, and Plotnick makes a strong case for himself as a serious composer, improviser, and bandleader.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Tributaries ► 03 - Bonesetter ► 04 - If You’d Just ► 07 - Silobos

Berlin Art Quartet - Live at MIM

Label: UniSono Records, 2025

Personnel - Matthias Schubert: tenor saxophone; Matthias Müller: trombone; Matthias Bauer: double bass; Reinhard Brüggemann: drums.

Berlin Art Quartet was formed in 2013 to flesh out and invigorate the improvisational range of its creative members, drawing inspiration from 1960s recordings by the New York Art Quartet under the direction of Danish free jazz saxophonist John Tchicai. Founded by drummer Reinhard Brüggemann, the group features saxophonist Matthias Schubert, trombonist Matthias Müller, and bassist Matthias Bauer. Live at MIM consolidates the quartet’s shared passion for free jazz and improvisation, exploring carefully sculpted timbres, unpredictable jolts, and raw intersections that feel completely in-the-moment.

“Up-Crash” unfolds as mosaic-like tangle, with Bauer and Brüggemann—using arco and textural nuance—laying an open-ended harmonic bed for the melodic exchanges of Schubert and Müller. The frontline players interact with a dynamic mindset, engaging in a dialogue of questions and answers, sometimes insisting, and then departing from an idea to another with nimble reflexes. They conclude the piece soaring in tandem.

“Motion in Silence” is shaded with muted trombone, regular if sparse bass nodes, understated percussion gradually swelling with the present of cymbals, and extended techniques on tenor sax. These elements coalesce into a form of modernist abstraction. In contrast, “Gang of Four” erupts into a staggering improvisational sprint, full of unexpected turns and sonic collisions, while “Hymn” reorganizes the chaos with cerebral droning ominousness and pitching-contrast melodic fustigaton, feeling less processional or ritualistic than initially implied.

In “Mutuality”, the album’s longest track at 15:18, the quartet navigates a series of kinetic shifts and subtleties. Incisive saxophone paths intersect with agile bass noodling before a cohesive motion takes shape. These antic, form-blurring impulses are carried by the trombone and tenor, whose interplay always leaves space for development or counteraction. Bauer’s bowed bass lines deepen the mystery with brooding resonance, and the number concludes with brisk dynamics, in an amplification of sound that doesn’t really require aural adjustment.

Berlin Art Quartet can throw flames in one minute and showcase a more ruminative behavior in the next. Regardless of the mood, it consistently champions open terrain to be explored without constraint.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Up-Crash ► 04 - Gang of Four

Jonathan Reisin - Too Good X Unreality

Label: Boomslang Records, 2025

Personnel - Jonathan Reisin: tenor and soprano saxophone; Shinya Lin: piano, prepared piano; Jarred Chase: drums.

With his fourth album as a leader/co-leader, Too Good X Unreality, Israeli-born, Brooklyn-based saxophonist Jonathan Reisin reaffirms the strong impression left by his debut, Option B (Habitable Reords, 2022), as well as by Earthquake (577 Records, 2023), which featured him alongside his mentor, the creative Cuban drummer Francisco Mela. As a firm representative of a young generation of contemporary avant-gardists, Reisin tackles compositions that require sharp improvisational insight. For this recording, he spearheads a bass-less trio featuring pianist Shinya Lin and drummer Jarred Chase, centering on the connection between complexity and simplicity in music.

“Walk and Talk” proceeds at a casual pace yet crackles with excitement. A brittle soprano saxophone, steeped in microtonalities and angular phrase work, shapes landscapes guided by ostinatos. A dark 3/4 vamping section, evoking a sense of danger, pushes Chase into unaccompanied stretches. “Through the Glass” incorporates counterpoint and parallel motion, shifting between ensemble calmness and bursts of sound. Designed for sight-reading, the piece uncovers dynamic nuances and leads to fresh musical terrain.

Taking more abstract paths and sinister tonalities, “Too Good X Unreality Pt.1” explores with strange noises and off-beat gestures. Long saxophone notes oppose to sudden single-note flurries and cycles of circular breathing, producing somewhat heavy, whirling resonances. “Too Good X Unreality Pt.2” follows a similar trajectory—exploring pulses and repetition while unfolding with tuned percussion, gong-like prepared piano timbres, air saxophone techniques that evolve into wide-ranging tones, and mysterious droning textures complemented by coruscating cymbal work.

“Offertorium”, inspired by Soviet composer Sofia Gubaidulina, unfolds deliberately with a laidback swagger, entering an intricate rhythmic flux that lurches in precise lockstep. Mischievous pianism—grounded in low-end resonance and prepared key textures—and a communicative saxophone solo call to mind the pervasive Perelman/Shipp alliance or the escapist fantasy of Matt Mitchell’s musical universe. “Prelude” closes the journey with recurrent ideas that expand and dissolve, with Reisin on soprano and Lin’s piano as it leaps through bold intervallic shapes.

Reisin, who developed his concept and compositions over two years, confirms himself of a saxist of penetrating focus. This new work should deservedly elevate his musical profile.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Walk and Talk ► 02 - Through the Glass ► 05 - Offertorium

Arve Henriksen, Trygve Seim, Anders Jormin, Markku Ounaskari - Arcanum

Label: ECM Records, 2025

Personnel - Arve Henriksen: trumpet, electronics; Trygve Seim: soprano and tenor saxophone; Anders Jormin: double bass; Markku Ounaskari: drums, percussion.

The idea to form the notably talented Nordic quartet Arcanum emerged when saxophonist Trygve Seim, bassist Anders Jormin, and drummer Markku Ounaskari were working with Finnish vocalist and kantele player Sinikka Langeland. Seim then suggested that trumpeter Arve Henriksen join him in the frontline, an artist he knew well and had also worked with Langeland.

The music, often delicate and gentle, is strongly expressive, and Seim’s opening track “Nokitpyrt” is a testament to their fluidity and musical character. Reading backwards, the title means “Triptycon”, a clear reference to the iconic trio album by Jan Garbarek, Arild Andersen, and Edward Vesala, released in 1973. The well-delineated melody doesn’t hinder the musicians from diving further into free creation.

“Armon Lapset” is a Finnish traditional song where Jormin’s immersive sound absolutely stuns. His gorgeous melodic conduction invites the horn players into contemplation, in a cadenced folk-like mantra underpinned with abandon by Ousnakri, who knows exactly how and when to play with brittle restraint, and by Jormin himself. The experienced bassist—one of the pillars of pianist Bobo Stenson and saxophonist Charles Lloyd for several years—contributes two numbers: “Koto”, a tranquil piece showcasing his love for Japanese music, and “Elegy”, a cyclic, grief-stricken reflection written on the first day of the war in Ukraine. It features Seim and Henriksen delivering the melody side by side.

“Folkesong” hints at being a ‘song of the forest’, with Seim’s soprano sax cutting through every 12-beat cycle, moving in and out of scope with narrative purpose. Henriksen’s use of electronics is extremely tasteful and organic, enhancing the tunes. Just like the previously described track, “Lost in Van Lose” is a collective improvisation but incorporates a wee bit more of abstraction without losing any of its grace. Other improvised standouts are “Old Dreams”, where piercing trumpet wails cross the rhythmic mesh created by bass and drums, and “Fata Morgana”, whose dark undercurrent conveys more than just enigmatic quiescence. 

Another Seim contribution, “Trofast”, is a 3/4 balm that transports us to heavenly prairies. Here, the saxophonist and the trumpeter take turns, guided by a suave harmonic progression, while the quartet’s rendition of Ornette Coleman’s “What Reason Could I Give” touches on balladic erudition.

As fresh and full of promise as a spring morning, Arcanum sweeps across the smoothly explorative spectrum in a reflective mood. Fertile imagination never needed pyrotechnics, and there’s way in for casual listeners.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Nokitpyrt ► 03 - Armon Lapset ► 04 - Folkesong ► 07 - Old Dreams

Dennis Egberth - The Dennis Egberth Dynasty

Label: 577 Records, 2025

Personnel - Fredrik Ljungkvist: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Niklas Barnö: trumpet; Alex Zethson: Wurlitzer; Linus Hillborg: electronics; Joe Williamson: double bass; Dennis Egberth: drums.

Swedish drummer and composer Dennis Egberth blends rhythm and melody with space and groove in a sextet album inspired by the evolution of electronics in the 1960s and 70s. Over the course of five Egberth originals, fully developed ideas coexist with innate improvisatory instincts, courtesy of Fire! Orchestra members such as saxophonist/clarinetist Fredrik Ljungkvist, trumpeter Niklas Barnö, and keyboardist Alex Zethson. The group is rounded out by Canadian-born double bassist Joe Williamson and electronic artist Linus Hillborg.

“PanGu Part 1: Earth” offers a soaring, atmospheric intro with trumpet, saxophone, and Wurlitzer before digging into a well-balanced bass groove and propulsive drum work that grounds the listener. Explorative individual narratives follow the horn-saturated unison lines that define the theme. “PanGu Part 2: Heaven” is marked by stillness and tranquility, underpinned by a droning bowed bass and tastefully brushed cymbals. Hillborg’s electronics reinforce the ethereal vibe, while Zethson arpeggiates in circular 3/4 movements, with the horns chanting harmoniously in perfect accord.

“Chichen Itza” presents a chill-out, hypnotic effort that feels deeply cinematic, following a perpetual bass groove in seven and having a crisp drumming routinely marking each cycle with snappy fills. “Bogey” struts powerfully with a blend of punk-ish rock ’n’ roll fervor and electro-funk tenacity. Its buoyant tones, energy, and rhythm contribute to the album’s varied tonal palette. The record closes with “Eternal Garden”, which leaves a particularly strong impression with its gorgeous melody—Ljungkvist takes the spotlight here, later expanding outside the norms—soaring over the soulful harmonic richness provided by the rhythm section.

With each track channeling into a cohesive musical narrative, The Dennis Egbert Dynasty contributes to the drummer’s artistic evolution, positioning him as an interesting figure within the creative European music scene.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - PanGu Part 1: Earth ► 04 - Bogey ► 05 - Eternal Garden

Joe Lovano - Homage

Label: ECM Records, 2025

Personnel - Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone, tarogato, gongs; Marcin Wasilewski: piano; Slawomir Kurkiewicz: bass; Michal Miskiewicz: drums.

Homage marks the sophomore recording collaboration between leading American saxophonist Joe Lovano and the exceptionally notable Polish trio led by pianist Marcin Wasilewski—featuring the ultra-melodic Slawomir Kurkiewicz on bass and Michal Miskiewicz on drums. The four have cultivated a formidable sound and easygoing simpatico, layering harmonies and effortless rhythmic pulses that shape their deeply personal storytelling.

The program includes five Lovano compositions—including two improvised miniatures (one featuring solo saxophone and the other, gongs and percussion)—alongside a rendition of the ballad “Love in the Garden” by Polish violinist Zbigniew Seifert. The quartet opens with this piece, a rubato effort steeped in sophistication and delicacy, as velvety saxophone glides over introspective piano comping. One can sense a blend of Keith Jarrett, Charles Lloyd, and John Abercrombie in a dazzling musical dialogue that radiates talent and musicianship. 

The standout moments are two strikingly beautiful long-form compositions where ideas are shaped and refined with natural grace. The modal meditation “Golden Horn” begins with rattling percussion—eventually expanding into sparkling cymbals—as bass and piano embark on a shared journey. A simple groove recalling the metric feel of Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme Part I: Acknowledgement” is laid down, and Lovano, ducking in and out of the form with crispness and agility, slowly cooks a great solo with enough spice to put water in our mouths. Following Wasilewski’s fluid storytelling, Lovano switches to tarogato, his lines skittering and dancing to create a hypnotic, Eastern-tinged atmosphere. “This Side-Catville” finds the ensemble in polyrhythmic communion from the outset, playing with contrasting textures and intensities. Graceful chord progressions support an authoritative tenor statement that spreads like wind and warms like sunlight. The tune culminates in an enchanting, almost mystical aura that gently settles into a measured final theme.

“Homage”, Lovano’s dedication to ECM founder and record producer Manfred Eicher, leans into flexible avant-garde expression, promoting improvisational freedom across key shifts. In fact, Homage, the album, is a tribute to all those who inspired Lovano to embrace his true self without reservation: his wife Judi Silvano, his 100-year-old father, Tony ‘Big T’ Lovano, and the above-mentioned Eicher are some of them. Emotional connection and musical brilliance are in abundant supply.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Love in the Garden ► 02 - Golden Horn ► 05 - This Side-Catville

Marilyn Crispell / Thommy Andersson / Michala Ostergaard-Nielsen - The Cave

Label: ILK Music, 2025

Personnel - Michala Ostergaard-Nielsen: drums; Marilyn Crispell: piano; Thommy Andersson: bass.

Danish drummer and composer Michala Ostergaard-Nielsen anchors her trio— formed in 2022—with Swedish bassist Thommy Andersson and American pianist Marilyn Crispell. Her vision and compositional approach are evident throughout eight original compositions, which alternate between simple motifs and more through-composed material. In both cases, the trio strikes a refined balance between sophisticated craftsmanship and free improvisation.

The introspective title track, “The Cave”, is marked by Crispell’s spacious melodicism, later joined by delicate bass underpinning and softly brushed drums. After the halfway mark, the trio converges in a glowing, unified radiance. “My Spirit Heart” is a multifaceted, all-acoustic number that incorporates the strumming and plucking of piano strings to produce an alternative sonic texture.  Metallic timbres from percussion and cymbals, along with loose, woody bass plucks complete a soundscape that feels uniquely adventurous. The group’s sound converges into something relaxingly prayerful in the spiritual line of Alice Coltrane, and the theme carries intricate lyricism beneath the trio’s artful chamber-improv stylings.

The amphibious and contemplative “T.B.A.” launches with ringing tones and evolves into percussive effervescence and cymbal scratches, while “Into the Light” feels extravagantly ethereal, centered around a bass pedal continuum and a careful blend of grand and toy piano sounds.

Both “Nine Tone Story” and “A Smile of a Butterfly” stand out as highlights. The former—steeped in angularity and packed with explosive energy—features fragmented bass articulations, irregular drum patterns, and spontaneous piano fluctuations. The latter achieves a mantric trance through resonating gongs and piano in consonance, gradually expanding into harmonic territory with a curved, balladic sensibility.

There’s still room for two improvised pieces: “Improv #1” presents Andersson in a solo bass soliloquy, while “Improv #2” builds layers of percussion that crinkle, crackle, rattle, and shimmer. These three kindred, freethinking spirits can harmonize with a beautiful melody in one moment and paint boldly outside the lines in the next. They do both with equal confidence and passion.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - My Spirit Heart ► 05 - Nine Tone Story ► 08 - A Smile of a Butterfly

Larry Ochs / Joe Morris / Charles Downs - Every Day - All the Way

Label: ESP-Disk, 2025

Personnel - Larry Ochs: tenor and sopranino saxophone; Joe Morris: bass; Charles Downs: drums.

Saxophonist Larry Ochs teams up with Flow Trio’s rhythm section—bassist Joe Morris and drummer Charles Downs—for this fully improvised session. Despite the trio never having played together before, they generate moments of noisy frisson, though not enough to make the material truly memorable. 

From the outset, they push toward the ‘outer’ limits, frequently skirting the aggressive edge of sound in a freewheeling display of musical camaraderie. The opening track, “Yay-Hidee-Yonk-Yoh”, is high-caliber, shifting from a layered blend of bowed bass, sweeping sopranino phrases, and fluid drumming into a more grounded interplay of bass pizzicato, low-pitched tenor, and awkwardly marching drum patterns. The second track, “Yonk-Hidee-Yo-Yay-Yay”, begins with bass and drums bleeding into each other, creating a homogenous tapestry over which Ochs delivers an expressive vocabulary filled with pungent tenor growls and infectious aplomb.

“Hiddee-Yay-Yoh-Yonk-Yohhh” continues the pattern of playfully odd titles but is brimming with wry gestures that spread tension throughout. Jarring saxophone bursts punctuate the frantic free playing, while the rhythm section maintains a solid comping presence. However, the album tends to feel dense and somewhat repetitive, lacking standout moments. That said, the tangled title cut, “Every Day-All the Way”, introduces early sopranino flights and serrated arco bass textures before attempting a fresh build midway, evolving from a soft mutter into an unstructured sonic mesh. 

Unpolished and raw, this date grows somewhat tiresome by the second track, leaving an impression of potential left unrealized. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Yay-Hidee-Yonk-Yoh ► 05- Every Day-All the Way

Eunhye Jeong / Michael Bisio Duo - Morning Bells Whistle Bright

Label: ESP-Disk, 2025

Personnel - Eunhye Jeong: piano; Michael Bisio: bass; Joe McPhee: tenor saxophone; Jay Rosen: drums.

Bassist Michael Bisio, a cornerstone of the Matthew Shipp Trio, expressed interest in collaborating with Korean pianist Eunhye Jeong after hearing her solo album Nolda (ESP-Disk, 2021). Jeong, in turn, found a true kindred spirit in Bisio, who brought in two distinguished guests—saxophonist Joe McPhee and drummer Jay Rosen—to join them on select tracks. Drawn to dynamic tension, the musicians craft a richly layered and collectively improvised set of music.

The duo effort “Point Expands the World” unfolds with immense timbral beauty and refined interplay. Jeong and Bisio share a contrapuntal ingenuity, their symbiotic connection evident in the blues-infused pianistic intricacies and occasional arpeggiated grace, matched by Bisio’s entrancing, nuanced bass work. They frequently return to a point (a single repeated note) from which their improvisations expand and evolve. 

The duo’s remarkable, uncanny fluency is extended to dark canvas such as “And Then She Was There”, an off-kilter piece marked by a mix of arco expressionism and impressionistic abstraction, and enigmatic piano chords. “Dusts Into Substantiality” strays from jazz orthodoxy, embracing percussive volatility before plunging into agitated avant-garde corners with swift, invigorating gestures. Both musicians revel in the moment, and communicate it.

“Drinking Galactic Waters” introduces Rosen’s soft brushwork and McPhee’s reflective tenor saxophone in a very jazzy setting with plenty of room to create. Gradually, the saxophonist takes over, steering his bandmates into turbulent waters, though the final section softens into melodic introspection. The full quartet comes together again for “Morning Bells Whistle Bright”, which opens with percussive textures, continuous bass whistling, and sparse piano accents. After four minutes, McPhee enters in dialogue with the bowed bass, before Bisio locks into a seven-beat groove, weaving a compelling tapestry for improvisation. McPhee shines here, channeling elements of Coltrane, Ayler, and Ornette Coleman with fertile imagination.

The album’s duets extend beyond piano and bass. “Jaybird” pairs Jeong and Rosen, in an exchange of meaningful silences, sudden bursts, and stealthy movements. Meanwhile, “Superpreternatural” is a bass-and-drums breakdown brimming with perpetual tension, shaped by Bisio’s menacing bowed bass and Rosen’s incisive drum attacks. 

A record of engrossing ideas, Morning Bells Whistle Bright, thrives on uncertainty and exploratory textures. The musicians’ strong personalities elevate it above the multitude of fully improvised albums recently released.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Point Expands the World ► 05 - Drinking Galactic Waters ► 06 - Morning Bells Whistle Bright

Ingrid Laubrock - Purposing the Air

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2025

Personnel - Ingrid Laubrock: composition, conduction; Fay Victor: voice; Mariel Roberts: cello; Sara Serpa: voice; Matt Mitchell: piano; Rachel Calloway: voice; Ari Streisfeld: violin.

Ingrid Laubrock is an extraordinary German-born saxophonist and composer whose work has left a distinct mark on the modern creative scene. Whether performing in a duo with drummer Tom Rainey or pianist Kris Davis, leading a highly unusual septet in Serpentines (2016), or expanding her vision into a chamber orchestra in Dreamt Twice, Twice Dreamt (2018), her music consistently exudes quality, complexity, and dedication. Yet, a Laubrock record without her playing feels undeniably different, as is the case with her latest work, Purposing the Air—a double album featuring four different duos and 60 vocalized pieces.

Laubrock initially considered participating as a duet partner herself or expanding some duos into trios, but she ultimately didn’t hear saxophone in her angular miniature compositions, which focus on just one or two core ideas. A passionate admirer of poetry and literature, she found inspiration in Erica Hunt’s poem ‘Mood Librarian-a poem in koan’.

Disc one opens with vocalist Fay Victor—renowned for bridging rootsy and experimental styles—paired with cellist Mariel Roberts, a member of the sought-after Mivos Quartet. Though they had never played together before, their chemistry is remarkable, shifting from eerie and downcast—marked by droning textures and poignant melodies (track 1)—to playful provocations (track 2), and jazzy swoops into avant-garde jazz-inflected flights (track 6). Other highlights include low-pitched cello attacks set against prismatic vocal circularity (track 10) and suspended, postmodern soundscapes that invite reflection (track 14). 

The remaining 15 pieces feature Portuguese vocalist Sara Serpa and American pianist Matt Mitchell, two disciplined musicians known for their textural sensitivity. Together, they navigate ethereal yet densely paced trajectories (track 16), blend dreamy timbres with whimsical intervallic movement (track 18), contrast looping vocals against two-handed pianistic creativity (track 21), and explore minimalistic gestures with intermittently combed piano strings (track 29). 

Disc two, featuring longtime collaborators and expert colorists Theo Bleckmann (voice) and Ben Monder (guitar), presents 15 strikingly evocative pieces, where imaginative ideas emerge from versatile arrangements. Listeners are drawn into reverb-drenched reveries (track 1), canvases of fierce guitar distortion paired with repetitive vocal riffs (track 3), expansive harmonic washes and guitar swells (track 5), exquisite fingerpicking beneath unexpected vocal lines (tracks 8 and 10), and churning, forebodingly dark narratives (track 9). Closing the album is Duo Cortona, comprised of mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway and her husband, violinist Ari Streisfeld, whose lyrical modern-classical waves of abstraction strike with varying intensities. 

Co-produced by Laubrock and David Breskin, Purposing the Air is a challenging listen—complex and conceptual, it does not always unfold in an immediately accessible way. Yet, Laubrock’s compositional prowess is on full display, affirming her distinctive voice in contemporary music. 

Favorite Tracks: 
Disc One - 06 - Koan 11 ► 10 - Koan 38 ► 21 - Koan 42 // Disc Two: 01 - Koan 23 ► 03 - Koan 24 ► 10 - Koan 59 ► 21 - Koan 57 

Vijay Iyer / Wadada Leo Smith - Defiant Life

Label: ECM Records, 2025

Personnel - Vijay Iyer: piano, Fender Rhodes, electronics; Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet.

With their latest collaboration, Defiant Life, pianist Vijay Iyer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith reunite for a second time, driven by their deep 'aural attunement’—a creative blend of inspiration, reflection, and healing. Composed over two days, the album channels their sorrow and outrage over the world's cruelties while maintaining faith in human possibility. They convey this through freewheeling avant-jazz atmospheres that lean into ambient textures. 

“Prelude: Survival” unfolds with menacing low-pitched piano drones intertwined with piercingly ethereal auras generated by the grievous trumpet. “Sunud” feels somewhat restrained, despite its disorienting electronics and delicate piano drops. Smith’s muted trumpet playing exudes determination—his first five notes subtly recalling Strauss’ “The Blue Danube Waltz”—yet the piece remains in a suspended, embryonic state until the eighth minute, when Iyer injects more expressiveness on the Rhodes, while still preserving the composition’s atmospheric foundation.

“Elegy: The Pilgrimage” is hazy in the background but clear and spiritually resonant in its foreground. Iyer handles piano and electronics with finesse, gradually infusing harmonic movement and painting the horizon with transcendent blue-toned lines. In turn, “Procession: Defiant Life” dives into an experimental abstract limbo.

While the duo imbues each collaboration with a touch of grace, their individual compositions—one from each—stand out. Smith’s “Floating River Requiem” dedicated to Congolese prime minister Patrice Lumumba, who was assassinated in 1961, unfolds with mournful intonations and fluid rhythmic freedom. Iyer’s darkly bluesy comping provides a majestic backdrop for Smith’s piercingly emotive melodies. In turn, Iyer’s “Kite”, written for the late Palestinian writer and poet Rafael Alareer, highlights the duo’s remarkable synergy in a piece that is both plaintive and luminous. Here, Smith’s trumpet emits bouts of light.

Iyer and Smith follow a more contemplative philosophy weaving deep lyrical contours with a sense of spontaneity. They prove that there’s no need to be bound by rules. They simply need their freedom.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Floating River Requiem (for Patrice Lumumba) ► 04 - Elegy: The Pilgrimage ► 05 - Kite (for Rafael Alareer)

Myra Melford - Splash

Label: Intakt Records, 2025

Personnel - Myra Medford: piano; Michael Formanek: bass; Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone.

Pianist and composer Myra Melford leads a new boundary-pushing trio—a format she usually invests in with Trio M (featuring bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Matt Wilson)—characterized by its serious yet passionate approach to music. Splash thrives on complex frameworks designed with locked-in aesthetics and imaginative improvisation. As in previous outings, Melford draws inspiration from American post-abstract expressionist Cy Twombly, using his art as a catalyst for her and her bandmates—bassist Michael Formanek and drummer/vibraphonist Ches Smith—to explore their deep harmonic and rhythmic sensibilities.

In “Drift”, the core rhythm section sets a vigorous motion over which Melford unfurls sinewy lines, weaving an endless strain of lyrical invention and frayed expression without ever breaking in tone. A striking unaccompanied bass solo, driven by stamina and precision, is later joined by vamping vibraphone and piano, and Smith improvises freely on both vibes and drums over a 13-beat cycle piano vamp.

Like the opening track, “The Wayward Line” previously appeared on Tomorrowland by Lux Quartet, an ensemble co-led by Melford and drummer Allison Miller. Here, it unfolds experimentally, beginning with controlled abstract frenzy, passing through introspective tones, and culminating in an investigative piano passage over a dense, rhythmic continuum.

“Freewheeler” surges forward with anxious, restless energy, only to soften in its final quarter, where Smith’s fluttering vibraphone delicacy replaces the drums, creating a dreamy atmosphere. The through-composed “Streaming” brings further surprises, kicking off with skittish drumming and slippery stabs of funky double bass, while slaloming piano melodies dance above. The dynamic sequence of timbres and moods is accentuated by bowed bass and interwoven vibraphone-piano statements.

“A Line With a Mind of its Own” stands out, featuring bass and piano in parallel while Smith embraces a liberated approach on drums, filling every gap with fervor and precision. The supple piano improvisation leads into a main melodic line that is both disembodied and intellectually grounded, culminating in pure avant-garde intensity. “Chalk” brings a poetic close to the album, imbued with a contemporary classical feel and a touch of modal spirituality. Before that, three ‘Interludes’—each spotlighting one musician—seamlessly weave powerful emotions into the album’s rich tapestry.

Melford gives her exemplary trio the freedom they claim, and the three artists show their seriously expansive sonic palettes in a cohesive whole that is as probing and expressionistic as Twombly’s art.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Drift ► 06 - Streaming ► 07 - A Line With a Mind of Its Own ► 10 - Chalk