Otomo Yoshihide / Kei Matsumaro - Shutsumin

Label: Trost Records, 2026

Personnel - Otomo Yoshihide: guitar, turntable; Kei Matsumaro: alto and soprano saxophone, electronics.

It was hard to connect with this experimental free-jazz duo release by Japanese guitarist Otomo Yoshihide and saxophonist Kei Matsumaro, a native of Palau New Guinea. The album, Shutsumin (a Japanese term referring to the transitional state between sleep and wakefulness, often accompanied by hallucinations and other abnormal sensations), traffics in otherworldly sounds and may well put anyone to sleep, starting with a cold blizzard of cosmic, radioactive pollution that arises from the electronic manipulation of guitar and turntable—emanating torrents of feedback and distorted granularity—alongside piercing, strident saxophone spirals that can be a strain on the ears.

Scattered rattling noises and directionless saxophone whirls convey the sensation of standing amid dozens of rusty industrial machines at work. Expect buzzing nuisances, intensifying guitar noise, and heavy, blurring distorted fluxes in a sort of machine language that overwhelms more than it enchants. These fearless explorers take us to uncertain soundworlds charged with labyrinthine, cluttered passages, coordinated overtones, firework-like bursts, and anxious apprehensions.

The last three tracks on the album had a more positive effect on me, showcasing a few compelling atmospheres while taking a more substantial and less repetitive, if still abstract, line of action. Folksy melodies begin to surface from Matsumaro’s saxophone over blaring mosaics in the background; cyclic cadences evolve from ambient textures into chaotic clamor before receding into confused murmurs. Things become more interesting and gripping with a stronger harmonic context—thanks to Yoshihide’s hypnotic chords—rather than relying on plain, unceasing buzzing noise.

I’m a big fan of Yoshihide’s quintet albums ONJQ Live (2002) and Tails Out (2003), some of his work for Tzadik Records—Flutter (2001) and Dreams (2002)— as well as his inventive, fantastic take on Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch (2005). Matsumaro is a new discovery for me. As a duo, they show considerable promise and are unafraid to push the envelope, but ultimately deliver less than expected. Despite its unevenness, Shtsumin may be considered by curious audiophiles with an inclination for sound manipulation.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Utatane ► 07 - Oneiric ► 08 - Meisekimu

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

Mat Maneri Quartet - Mist

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2026

Personnel - Mat Maneri: viola; Lucian Ban: piano; John Hébert: bass; Randy Peterson: drums.

Avant-garde violist and composer Mat Maneri is known for blending fragility and crisp friction within a subtly discordant, microtonal approach to music. Mist is the final installment of a trilogy that includes Dust (2019) and Ash (2023), continuing its exploration of heavy, noir-like textures that evoke grief and misery. His quartet features longtime associates: pianist Lucian Ban—who contributes four of the album’s eight compositions—bassist John Hébert, and drummer Randy Peterson.

The new album, unrelentingly gloomy, unfolds through a free-flowing discourse, with capriciously oblique gestures creating a sense of erudition and intimate vulnerability. Maneri’s “Through a Mist Darkly”, whose title nods to Ingmar Bergman’s emotionally complex drama Through a Glass Darkly—and also recalls the piece of the same name that Maneri recorded on the 1996 album Three Men Walking with his father, saxophonist Joe Maneri, and bassist Joe Morris—is wrapped in a melancholic veil. This pensive, lyrical meditation extends into his shadowy and grief-stricken composition “Achlys”, which references the Greek goddess of misery and mist. Here, Maneri injects greater tension and movement into his playing while Ban explores dreamy atmospheres before expanding into imaginative avant-garde flourishes.

Ban’s “A Piece of God” emanates a grateful serenity, revolving around a recurring thematic phrase over which Maneri’s tearful viola tremolos pierce the heart with quiet forlornness. The pianist also contributes “Mist”, an elusive tone poem anchored by Hébert’s spacious bass figure and Peterson’s understated drum colors, and “Paul Motian”, an abstract, floating, and exploratory homage to the late drummer, opening with bass and drums alone. Curiously, Maneri—who has long shared an affinity for Motian’s singular musical language—had already included a composition titled “Motian” on Dust.

Mist takes listeners out of their comfort zone as the quartet glides seamlessly between pitches with remarkable impressionistic finesse. Its main weakness lies in its unwavering devotion to a single atmosphere, offering too little contrast over the course of a slow-burning, 50-minute meditation that demands considerable patience from the listener.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Achlys ► 04 - Mist ► 08 - Missed

Ocean Fanfare - Third Nature

Label: Barefoot Records, 2026

Personnel - Tomasz Dabrowski: trumpet; Sven Dam Meinild: alto saxophone; Richard Andersson: bass; Peter Bruun: drums.

Berlin-based free-jazz quartet Ocean Fanfare returns with Third Nature, the concluding chapter of its Nature trilogy. The chordless Danish-Polish ensemble, which featured American drummer Tyshawn Sorey on its auspicious debut album Imagine Sound Imagine Silence (2015), is comprised of trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski, alto saxophonist Sven Dam Meinild, bassist Richard Andersson, and drummer Peter Bruun. Co-leaders Dąbrowski and Meinild share compositional duties, drawing inspiration from anthropologist Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing’s influential book The Mushroom at the End of the World.

“Kristisk Stadie” places angular melodies over an irregular yet swinging momentum, energized by hearty snare drum bursts. The improvisational spotlight falls primarily on the frontline players, who also propel “Natskygge Ordnen” toward a rousing climax through a blend of popping articulations, terse phrasing, ceremonial trumpet calls, and well-executed saxophone multiphonics.

The rhythm section may occasionally feel fragmented on the latter piece, but its polyrhythmic drive on “Circular One” has a constructive nature. While contributing to a steady flux, Andersson becomes increasingly active and pulsating as the piece unfolds, anchoring the music with a four-note motif set against a six-beat cycle that accommodates both individual improvisation and tightly knit unisons. “Circular Two”, by contrast, takes its time to evolve within an abstract framework.

Where “Paper Mountains” derives its strength from sparse bass movement, crisp brushwork, and contemplative parallel lines—suggesting a form of plaintive balladry—“Quantum” finds Dąbrowski and Meinild eloquently shadowing and responding to one another until a methodical, consonant finale emerges.

Creating immersive atmospheres and haunting tension, Third Nature reflects on duration, perception, and transformation through a series of open-ended pieces. At the same time, it highlights Ocean Fanfare’s ongoing commitment to tonal experimentation, collective interplay, and exploratory improvisation.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Kristisk Stadie ► 02 - Circular One ► 06 - Natskygge Ordnen

Rodrigo Amado's This Is Our Language Quartet - Wailers

Label: European Echoes, 2026

Personnel - Rodrigo Amado: tenor and alto saxophone, bird water whistle; Joe McPhee: tenor saxophone; Kent Kessler: bass; Chris Corsano: drums.

Wailers marks the fourth installment by Portuguese saxophonist Rodrigo Amado’s This Is Our Language Quartet, whose long-developed musical empathy is evident throughout. Joe McPhee, on tenor, forms a compelling frontline with Amado—both granted ample solo space—while the rhythm section is in capable hands, with Kent Kessler on bass and Chris Corsano on drums, merging their voices within a broad, unrestrained harmonic landscape.

The title track—named after a poem by Amiri Baraka—opens with explosive force, plunging the quartet into a delirious cacophony from the outset, driven by a powerful bass surge and frenetic drumming. With inventive interplay and striking energy, Amado and McPhee weave playful staccatos into fully articulated phrases, diverging, reconnecting, and ultimately converging in a shared language.

“Hot Folk” features Corsano’s vibrant work across toms and cymbals, while Kessler’s tense arco passages gradually give way to a fuller, rounded pizzicato. McPhee’s restless, knotty tenor lines intensify the piece before it unexpectedly settles into a lyrical, ballad-like passage—reminiscent of an improvised jazz standard—once Amado joins in. Together, they shape melodies over understated cymbals and sparse bass motion. On “Violet Souls”, meditative saxophone lines float above a dark, nearly thunderous rhythmic foundation built from taut arco textures and agitated drumming, culminating in a burst of avant-garde energy.

Amado opens “Theory of Mind II (for Joe)”—a trio tribute to McPhee—with bird water whistle before shifting to saxophone, developing a motif-rich and expressive narrative across its full range. “Subterranean Night Color” offers a compelling drum improvisation alongside chamber-like passages rendered with atmospheric, painterly gestures. They are complemented by forceful saxophone explorations and solo drums. The album closes with “Blue Blowers”, centered on a clearly defined motif, its narrative loose and free, with enough latitude for the most whimsical idea to emerge and sound natural over the swinging motions.

Amado and his peers often keep the listener on edge, their relentless searching continually uncovering moments of genuine discovery.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Wailers ► 02 - Hot Folk ► 03 - Violet Souls

Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet - The Solastalgia Suite

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2026

Personnel - Kris Davis: piano, composition + Lutoslawski Quartet - Roksana Kwasnikowska: violin; Marcin Markowicz: second violin; Artur Rozmyslowicz: viola; Maciej Mlodawski; cello.

Commissioned by the Jazztopad Festival in Wroclaw, Poland, The Solastalgia Suite marks the first opus for piano and string quartet by the exploratory Canadian pianist and composer Kris Davis. The Lutoslawski Quartet helps give voice to compositions influenced by Olivier Messiaen and thematically centered on philosopher Glenn Albrecht’s term solastalgia, a word that defines a form of homesickness experienced while one is still at home.

The opener, “Interlude”, ushers the listener into the record’s distinctive world through a sequence of energetic, staccato-driven gestures, counterpoint, and improvisation. If this piece coheres and enchants, “An Invitation to Disappear” deepens the sense of contemplation and emotional pull, combining restless shards of strings with beautifully shaped, piano-centered passages.

In “The Known End”, modern classical and contemporary chamber elements generate suspenseful, cinematic cadences, punctuated by abrupt starts and stops and kinetic piano reflections. The string quartet’s broad range of attack yields sections that explore contrasting variations, combinations, and atmospheres, with Davis using dynamics expressively throughout. “Pressure & Yield” feels harmonically open, placing acerbic bowed cello and violin at the heart of an intriguing, tense dialogue.

Featuring prepared piano, “Towards No Earthly Pole” draws everything down to a hush, though its repetitiveness slightly dulls the impact. By contrast, “Degrees of Separation”, with its firm sense of direction, is whimsically structured, blurring the boundaries between composition and improvisation through finely interlocking moments and responsive interplay. It proves more compelling than most of the preceding pieces, introducing a broader spirit of adventure, even in passages dominated by dreamy piano textures set against floating strings.

One might wish the earlier movements shared the same strength and dynamism as this closing statement. Still, despite a degree of unevenness, those inclined to find beauty in abstraction and creative risk will discover a rewarding experience in The Solastalgia Suite.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Interlude ► 02 - An Invitation To Disappear ► 08 - Degrees of Separation

Rodrigo Amado's The Bridge - Further Beyond

Label: Trost Records, 2025

Personnel - Rodrigo Amado: tenor saxophone; Alexander Von Schlippenbach: piano; Ingebrigt Haker Flaten: bass; Gerry Hemingway: drums, voice.

The sophomore record from Portuguese free jazz saxophonist Rodrigo Amado’s international quartet The Bridge—with German pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, and American drummer Gerry Hemingway—arrives with Further Beyond, a powerful statement of collective freedom and risk-taking. Across three freely improvised tracks, the quartet demonstrates a shared instinct for adventure and a deep trust in spontaneous creation.

The opening piece, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, begins on a fluttering rhythmic pulse that soon opens into a Coltrane-inspired spiritual voyage. Von Schlippenbach’s fractured yet dance-like piano fluxes collide with Amado’s searing saxophone cries, while Hemingway and Håker Flaten respond with elastic propulsion. The group shapes its energy in waves—motivic, surging, and volatile—its interplay both fiery and telepathic. 

The nearly 27-minute title track, “Further Beyond”, unfolds gradually, moving from meditative lyricism to fierce turbulence. With sober bass reflections and affably brushed drums maintaining the mood, both the smooth, resonant chords and luminous sax lines establish a contemplative atmosphere, which later dissolves into agitated cadences and vivid exchanges. Von Schlippenbach anchors a hypnotic low-register pattern while Hemingway’s eerie vocalizations and Håker Flaten’s arco bass pierce the texture. Amado then pushes forward with sharp staccato bursts and racing runs before Hemingway’s drum show—hard on toms and cymbals—makes the music rise into celestial Coltranean fashion.

Loosely laid down, “That’s How Strong Our Love Is” swings casually, displaying melodic bluesy disciplines elevated by some call-and-response between sax and piano. Its luminous, triumphal ending is threaded through sharp yet tangible piano playing, offering harmonic nuance, textural sculpting, and saxophone multiphonics. The quartet’s telepathic rapport and the music’s fearless audacity are rewarding, confirming The Bridge as one of Amado’s most dynamic and cohesive projects.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Change is Gonna Come ► 02- Further Beyond

Jason Rigby - Mayhem

Label: Endectomorph Music, 2025

Personnel - Jason Rigby: woodwinds, keyboards, percussion; Mark Guiliana: drums, cymbals, percussion, keyboards; Pete Min: signal processing, mixing, mastering.

American saxophonist and composer Jason Rigby returns after nearly a decade without recording as a leader. With Mayhem, he makes a vivid statement, expanding musical horizons through pieces that oscillate between serene reflection and volcanic eruption. He is joined by drummer Mark Guiliana, a long-time collaborator of 15 years. Rigby envisioned the project as a reimagining of Interstellar Space—but infused with synths, woodwinds, gongs, and electronics, the latter handled by recording engineer Pete Min.

The album opens with “Siorai” built on a reverb-drenched keyboard figure in seven, understated percussion, and a soft, airy saxophone line. “Fifths” follows with glitch-like harmonies and martial snare patterns, over which Rigby unfurls clean, precise phrases.

Half the material is composed, while the rest is fully improvised. Among the former, “Sevensixfive” pulses with shifting meters, jazzy synth textures, Guiliana’s ferocious drive, and Rigby’s risk-taking saxophone explorations. In contrast, the improvised “Terra Firma” unfolds like a ritual dance: rippling wet percussion, rock-infused synth smears that twist the serenity of the rhythm, bass clarinet effects, and Rigby’s agile in-and-out contortions.

“Yeah Boiii” and “Mark” strip things down to sax-and-drums improvisations where Rigby and Guiliana take off with angular phraseology and a stunning array of elastic rhythms, respectively. The latter piece thrives on stop–start combustibility, shifting into more exotic terrain at a later phase.

“Chimera”, inspired by the sonic atmosphere of Manfred Eichner’s ECM recordings, acquires an Eastern hue with spiritual discipline and tasteful timbral qualities. The duo dials it down to a low modal rumble, employing a soaring flute, harmonic warmth, and high-pitched metallic pings. There’s also a nod to saxophonist Tim Berne on “Burn”, with sax and drums talking the same idiom.

Showcasing Rigby and Guiliana’s powerful musical abilities, Mayhem captivates with its blend of textural surprise, fearless improvisation, and contemporary artistry.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Sevensixfive ► 05 - Terra Firma ► 07 - Yeah Boiii ► 09 - Mark

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

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 

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

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)

Ivo Perelman / Ken Vandermark / Joe McPhee - Oxygen

Label: Mahakala Music, 2025

Personnel - Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Ken Vandermark: baritone saxophone; Joe McPhee: trombone.

On his latest album, Oxygen, the thrill-seeking tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman joins forces with two other icons of improvisation: the versatile saxophonist Ken Vandermark, who plays exclusively baritone saxophone here, and multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee, who sticks to the trombone. While Perelman has collaborated with both musicians in duo settings—featured on the 2022 album Reed Rapture in Brooklyn—this marks their first time performing together as a trio. As expected, the album brims with ideas, bursting with spontaneous rhythmic cadences within open structures. 

Their freely improvised exchanges unfold with a measured breathing mechanism in “Oxygen”, incorporating freewheeling tenor explorations, a baritone-driven pedal pulse, and a simple trombone riff that expands into vicious growls. Perelman’s deliberate musings are periodically punctuated by Vandermark’s popping baritone tones and McPhee’s airy trombone turbulence, creating a fascinating interplay of timbres. Magnetic loops and sustained drones are frequently employed, reaching a striking peak in “Nitrogen”, where saxophone multiphonics take part in a noncombustible combination of elements.

“Carbon” receives a distinct percussive treatment from the outset, with Vandermark shaping his baritone phrases with strong narrative focus and a commitment to swift circular motions. Perelman, uninhibited in his creative approach, engages in fiery interplay with McPhee’s commanding brass surges, eventually leading the trio into a cacophonous climax before settling back into chamber-like introspection. “Sulfur” absolutely stuns, incorporating vocals in a ritualistic prayer. The musicians fully embrace their experimental instincts here, transforming the piece into an electrified, pulse-driven dance that, recalling electronic music, urges the body to move freely. Yet, amid the storm, moments of melodic convergence emerge—a celestial buzzing followed by shadowy, suspenseful tones.

The absence of harmonic instruments makes the improvisational terrain more demanding but immensely rewarding, with melodic lines veering into unexpected tangents and dynamic intersections. Perelman, Vandermark, and McPhee are masters of spontaneous dialogue, responding to one another with uncanny intuition and an unwavering sense of trust.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Oxygen ► 02 - Carbon ► 03 - Sulfur

Transatlantic Trance Map - Marconi's Drift

Label: False Wall Records, 2024
Personnel - UK Ensemble: Evan Parker: soprano saxophone; Matthew Wright: turntable, live sampling; Peter Evans: trumpet; Robert Jarvis: trombone
; Hannah Marshall: cello; Pat Thomas: live electronics; Alex Ward: clarinet // US Ensemble: Sylvie Courvoisier: piano, keyboards; Mat Maneri: viola; Ikue Mori: laptop live electronics; Sam Pluta: laptop live electronics; Ned Rothenberg: clarinet, bass clarinet, shakuhachi; Craig Taborn: piano, keyboards, live electronics.

Trance Map, the explorative British duo that falls under the joint command of saxophonist Evan Parker and sound designer Matthew Wright, has been pushing boundaries since its formation in 2008. Known for their innovative blend of acoustic improvisation and electronic manipulation, the duo has released albums featuring various guest musicians and performed across Europe and the U.S. in dynamic lineups. Transatlantic Trance Map is a special variation of the group—a collaboration between ensembles in Faversham, UK, and Brooklyn, USA, performing simultaneously in an uninterrupted 55-minute session. This 13-piece ensemble delivers co-composed music where unpredictability reigns, merging cerebral precision with whimsical spontaneity.

The album opens with the slap-tonguing staccatos and deep drones of Ned Rothenberg’s bass clarinet, flanked by Parker’s eloquent and boisterous soprano sax. The sonic palette is expanded significantly by the inclusion of electronic virtuosos Pat Thomas, Ikue Mori, Sam Pluta, and keyboardist Craig Taborn, resulting in a rich tapestry of digital frequencies, chirping sounds, metallic scrapes, and distant buzzes that permeate the performance.

True to their experimental ethos, the ensemble never veers far from its avant-garde foundations, even in its quieter, contemplative moments. Mat Maneri’s viola shifts seamlessly between abrasive, acidic textures and poignant lyricism, at times blending with cellist Hannah Marshall, who transitions from pizzicato plucks to resonant arco lines without disrupting the atmospheric continuity. Meanwhile, the horn players generate turbulent soundscapes, supported by imaginative contributions from piano—whether Taborn or Sylvie Courvoisier—and dynamic percussion.

There are loose, segmented movements where the spontaneous interplay occurs in a casual manner, but sometimes I felt that a more specific motion was needed. After Peter Evans’ insistent trumpet motifs and trills, that motion indeed occurs, with Rothenberg embarking on a circular-breathing tour de force on bass clarinet—punctuated by slap-tongued blurts—while surrounded by dreamy piano cluster chords, pulsating electronic drones, and mournful viola cries. This confluence builds into a bulky symphonic construction before settling into a tense, static conclusion.

Evan Parker’s saxophone prisms and Matthew Wright’s imaginative sound design, combined with the ensemble’s fearless improvisational spirit, deliver a challenging sonic journey.

William Parker Heart Trio

Label: AUM Fidelity, 2024

Personnel - William Parker: doson ngoni, shakuhachi, bass dudek, Serbian flute, ney flute; Cooper-Moore: ashimba, hoe-handle harp; Hamid Drake: drums, frame drum.

Acclaimed bassist and multi-instrumentalist William Parker, recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award at Vision Festival, reunites with longtime collaborators and members of his quartet, Cooper-Moore and Hamid Drake, for a freely improvised trio session centered on world music Their effort, characterized by soothing and richly rhythmic spiritual vibes, aims to ease our troubled modern times.

Predominantly influenced by West African sounds, the trio also incorporates Balkan dances and other Eastern flavors. Parker switches between different flutes and the doson ngoni, Cooper-Moore toggles between instruments he built himself in the 1970s - the ashimba (an 11-tone xylophone) and hoe-handle harp - and Drake makes everything dance with his percussion expertise.

“Atman” bathes in an unspecified ceremony of flute and percussion, while “Five Angels By the Stream” is propelled by great skill, creating a trance-inducing straight-eight feel marked by pervasive harp, dynamic hi-hat accents, and groovy ngoni for a crisper definition.

“Mud Dance” features bass dudek over a palpable pulsation driven by ashimba and frame drum. The rhythm intensifies and accelerates on “Serbia”, where the flute spins wildly and instinctively over a magnetic flux. “Kondo” plays on perpetual movement with wonderful drumming and hearty harmonization woven by ngoni and harp. The threesome performs a few rhythmic variations along the way, reaching the form of an Eastern rumination on “For Rafael Garrett”, a tribute to the late Chicago multi-instrumentalist Donald Rafael Garrett that blurs the line between lament and exuberance. “Processional”, confidently paced in seven, denotes a strong sense of order without rigidity, while showcasing a balanced blend of ngoni, harp, and metallic percussion.

The music flows pristinely, filled with clarity and naturalness, and enriched with subtle expressive touches that highlight the well-ingrained telepathic interplay these musicians share.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Five Angels By the Stream ► 06 - For Rafael Garrett ► 07 - Processional

Wadada Leo Smith / Amina Claudine Myers - Mosaic of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens

Label: Red Hook Records, 2024

Personnel - Wadada Leo Smith: trumpet; Amina Claudine Myers: piano, organ.

In their enlightened duo recording, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and pianist Amina Claudine Myers venture into magnetic sonic terrain. The album, titled Central Park’s Mosaic of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens, includes seven moving and contemplative tracks - six by Smith and one by Myers - inspired by New York’s Central Park and the world’s urgent need for peace and justice. It marks the first collaboration of these two musicians since their early days in the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians).

Inviting listeners into a world of glistening textures and shared musical imagination, the duo opens with the lyrical and serene “Conservatory Gardens”, whose soulful languidity results from the juxtaposition of an immersive textural harmonization and piercing trumpet cries. This piece ends with glorious constellations of notes freed by Myers on the higher octaves of the keyboard. “Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir” blends the solemnity of the Hammond B3 organ with the candor of muted trumpet, creating a compelling sonic landscape.

The sublime atmosphere continues with “Central Park at Sunset”, where chiaroscuro tonalities evoke an autumnal palette. Myers showcases her classical inclinations and intriguing cluster chords in "When Was," a solo piano recital that balances melody with avant-garde exploration.

The album closes with introspective pieces paying homage to musicians who championed peace and justice: “Albert Ayler, a Meditation in Light” transports listeners to a tonally splendorous universe, while “Imagine, a Mosaic for John Lennon” retains wide spaces and smooth articulation.

Smith and Myers convey a sense of longing with sheer emotion and profound depth while making intelligent use of their instruments. This is a light-emitting album to be revisited many times in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Conservatory Gardens ► 04 - When Was ► 06 - Albert Ayler, a Meditation on Light

HIIT - For Beauty is Nothing But the Beginning of Terror

Label: Clean Feed Records, 2023

Personnel - Simone Quatrana: piano; Andrea Grossi: double bass; Pedro Melo Alves: drums.

HIIT, an innovative avant-garde jazz trio that stems from the Italian and Portuguese jazz scenes, has unveiled an interesting debut album that traverses an array of inspirations and atmospheres, ranging from frayed tension to thoughtful musing. Pianist Simone Quatrana, double bassist Andrea Grossi, and drummer Pedro Melo Alves employ a strategy of compositional frames that feed real-time composition, elevating the classic piano trio format to a gripping level.

In the embrace of experimentalism, the album kicks off with “Gliss Glass”, a piece bursting with feverish timbre and motion, simmering with boiling pressure until giving way to a series of zigzagging glissandi. The subsequent track, “Ecotone”, has whirling piano runs creating a sense of vertigo, accompanied by a cascade of kaleidoscopic drumming. Irrepressible piano cycles surge at a rapid pace, while lyrical arco bass melodies search for peace of mind, detached from the chaos surrounding them. The placid bowing wins in the end.

Formidable mosaics of improvised music get specificities in textures while paying tribute to various personalities. For instance, “Concetto Spaziale” delves into contemplative sonic mysteries, interweaving sparse bass notes, overtly brushed drums, and a dreamy piano temperament to celebrate Lucio Fontana and his synthesized art known as Spatialism. Other pieces follow suit: “Urge”, dedicated to Italian photographer Roberto Masotti, plays with tonal contrasts - light and heavy, dark and clear, assertive and carefree; “Taro” marries 20th-century classical music with avant-garde, honoring jazz pianist Giorgio Gaslini; and “The Tartar Steppe”, named after Dino Buzzati’s distinguished novel, adopts a serene posture with minimalistic classical modernism at the core.

The trio skillfully intertwines sounds with a slippery subversion in “Urbe”, where contemporary groove indulgence, reminiscent of Matthew Shipp, positions fragmented bass lines and cluster piano harmonizations atop a hypnotic rhythmic spell. Similar results are achieved with the utterly propulsive “Clichés”, whose deliberately reiterated ideas emulate electronic alienation. 

Imbued with a spirit of sophisticated discovery, this recording is more than mere speculation. It’s a solid musical statement from an explorative trio that operates efficiently.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Ecotone ► 05 - Urbe ► 08 - The Tartar Steppe