Ivo Perelman / Elliott Sharp / Cyro Baptista - Triacontagon

Label: Defkaz Records, 2026

Personnel - Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Elliott Sharp: 8-string electric guitar; Cyro Baptista: percussion, vocals.

Triacontagon unites intrepid saxophonist Ivo Perelman, experimental guitarist Elliott Sharp, and resourceful percussionist Cyro Baptista in a recording that seems inspired by the rainforest. Their highly structured free jazz is filled with mystery and misty sonic landscapes, and it’s refreshing to hear Perelman reconnecting with his Brazilian roots, embracing a cross-genre approach with a contemporary edge, aided by Sharp’s remarkable range of textural possibilities.

On the opener, “Dionysus in the Amazon”, Sharp lays down snappy grooves in the lower register of his eight-string electric guitar while Baptista follows a ritualistic procession of rhythms that ranges from crisp rattles and bright metallic tinkles to deep, resonant vibrations. Perelman moves sinuously above them—employing shrills and trills, cyclical pirouettes, and urgent, punchy staccato attacks—further intensifying the dark, ominous atmosphere. He balances descriptive lyricism and provocative expression with complete authority. At times, however, the electro-acoustic flow is interrupted as quieter, electronics-infused soundscapes emerge.

The highly atmospheric “Sacred Geometry of the Tropics” features rippling ambient guitar textures interacting with gong-like percussion, flute-like sonorities, vocals, whistles, and, at one point, an extended cymbal continuum. Breath-cycling saxophone motifs and piercing intervallic leaps dance freely, leading to animated crescendos. “Inside a Broken Circle” and “Electric Bacchanalia” share a similarly dark harmonic palette, making effective use of Sharp’s poignant textures, Perelman’s wailing saxophone, and Baptista’s rattling percussion, occasional melodica, and jaw harp drones.

While “Irregular Forms in Humid Space” thrives on a weird beat, acute saxophone lines, and low-pitched percussion timbres—all ultimately bound together by exquisite guitar harmonies—“Disordered Continuum” sets heavy Brazilian rhythms against electronics-infused art-rock guitar and intense saxophone flurries.

The trio allows itself to drift through hypnotic sonic forests, its rapport sustained by compelling episodic cycles that leave ample room for the imagination while unfolding with complete abandon.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dionysus in the Amazon ► 03 - Inside a Broken Circle ► 04 - Electric Bacchanalia

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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 

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Elliott Sharp Aggregat - Dialectrical

Label/Year: Clean Feed, 2016

Lineup - Elliott Sharp: tenor and soprano saxophones, Bb and bass clarinets; Taylor Ho Bynum: trumpet; Terry Greene: trombone; Brad Jones: bass; Barry Altschul: drums, percussion.

Prolific multi-instrumentalist and composer, Elliott Sharp, always deserves my attention. His boundless musical universe encompasses completely different styles that include avant-garde jazz, experimental ensembles, free improvisation, noise rock, electronic, contemporary classical, and music for film and opera/theater. The 66-year-old Cleveland native studied several theoretical correlations on music and scientific algorithms that helped him to become a first-rate innovator.

Taking advantage of an explorative state of mind, he composes with fierce autonomy and unrestricted creative sense, resulting in a solid avant-jazz album entitled Dialectrical. It was recorded with his chord-less quintet Aggregat, now featuring trumpeter Taylor Ho Bynum, trombonist Terry Greene, bassist Brad Jones, and veteran drummer Barry Altschul. 
Leaving the guitar behind, the bandleader sets the tone by extracting great sounds from his clarinets and saxophones.

“Off-Objekt” is a tragicomic outburst; a disrupted cacophonous razzmatazz colored by vibrant soprano sax trills that efficiently counterpoint with trombone and less often with trumpet lines. On and off, they intersect, taking the form of impactful unisons that also serve to indicate a changing in pace/mood.

Greene’s trombone's extended pitches open “We Control the Horizontal”. He soon gets the company of Jones’ bass before the tune adopts the characteristics of a whimsical march. The bandleader, dominating through breathless attacks on bass clarinet, has the responsive percussion from Altschul, impeccable in his rhythmic incursions. The last third feels like a bizarre carnival parade whose mood shifts to playful in the concluding two minutes.

The marching pace described above finds a natural sequence in the quasi-military “Ununoctium”, a free-floating cinematic epic that favors collective extemporization. The multi-horn-aggregation principle adopted here can be heard again in “Bbb” whose theme consists of repetitions of a catchy riff. Altschul is on fire on this one, showing off his skittish stomp. 

“Oh See (for Ornette Coleman)” brings us Ornette's recognizable rhythmic/melodic patterns over a swinging groove that is inevitably interrupted to reap benefits from another reactionary collective rampage, followed by Sharp’s long and intricate tenor improv.

The array of atonal festivities reaches an end with “Tile the Plane”, a dance-friendly allure marked by variable African drumbeats, uninterrupted horn ostinatos sustained by circular breath, and tom-toms and cymbals propagation waves.

Sharp communicates freely and his jazz language stands out in this particular Aggregat’s adventure. He manages to sound fresh and warmly contemporary, making of Dialectrical a pure, disciplined, and arresting avant-garde explosion. 

          Grade A

Favorite Tracks:
01 – Off-Objekt ► 02 – We Control the Horizontal ► 07 – Tile the Plane

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