As East Axis, Shipp, Lowe, Cleaver, and Ray Play Free Jazz Together
Matthew Shipp, Allen Lowe, Gerald Cleaver, and Kevin Ray are East Axis, a free improvising jazz band that never sound harsh or lost on Cool with That.
free jazz
The Prolific Wadada Leo Smith Releases ‘A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday’ and ‘The Chicago Symphonies’
Every drum stroke and every breath blown on Wadada Leo Smith’s A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday and The Chicago Symphonies carries multitudes of meaning.
Drummer Mephisto Halabi Breaks Down the Walls of His ‘Arabic Room’
Mephisto Halabi’s The Arabic Room blends eastern exoticism, circuit-bent electronics, and some of the heaviest free improvisations you might ever hear.
Christopher Parker’s ‘Soul Food’ Lets Everyone Do What They Want
Soul Food is a stepping stone for Christopher Parker in finding his voice as a bandleader. It’s impressive that jazz this free can be played with so much restraint.
Whit Dickey Reunites Old Trio to Create Dizzyingly Modern Sounds
Whit Dickey, William Parker, and Matthew Shipp push, pull, and roll their weight around in equal measure, making Village Mothership as unique as it is difficult.
Moor Mother Makes Accessible and Challenging Music on ‘Black Encyclopedia of the Air’
Black Encyclopedia of the Air from Philly-based poet and musician Moor Mother fuses activist hip-hop with a warm, jazzy groove and an experimental spirit.
Henry Threadgill’s Zooid Return With a Curious ‘Poof’
Henry Threadgill’s followers and fans of modern jazz will have a new milestone to celebrate with Poof. The rest of you work on not taking him for granted.
Jessica Ackerley’s ‘Morning/mourning’ Is a Dazzling Journey Through the Grieving Process
The latest solo album from experimental guitarist Jessica Ackerley is an adventurous tribute to two recently departed mentors.
Unbounded Saxophone That Sings: The Ivo Perelman Trio
Free improvising saxophonist Ivo Perelman, pianist Matthew Shipp, and drummer Whit Dickey spin listenable joy out of thin air. Jazz originality doesn’t have to be forbidding.
Steph Richards’ ‘Supersense’ Is Music So Wild You Can Smell It
With her experimental jazz album Supersense, trumpeter Steph Richards may have created the first-ever album that you can smell.
The Music of William Parker: Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World, Volumes 1-10
Prolific star of New York’s creative jazz scene, William Parker releases ten new albums in a new box set, demonstrating his breadth of composition and association.