Anna Webber – Clockwise (Pi Recordings)

Anna Webber is a New York-based woodwind player and composer. Clockwise is her latest effort, offering us an interesting, thought-provoking séance. With many rhythmic changes, contrapuntal interchanges, and a modern sense of harmony and melody, Anna Webber has crafted here a fantastic album—her sixth one—performed by a proficient septet in which she also takes part. The album is really brilliant, a must!

João MacDowell – The Seventh Seal (IBOC)

The Seventh Seal is a modern opera by Brazilian composer João MacDowell. Adapted from the Swedish movie by Ingmar Bergman Det sjunde inseglet, it is

Miho Hazama – Dancer in Nowhere (Sunnyside Records)

Japanese composer Miho Hazama offers us a delightful collection of pieces on her latest album, Dancer in Nowhere. Played by the versatile and labile M Unit collective, here seventeen strong, the big band feeling is unmistakable. Miho’s compositions are modern and fresh, offering many a pleasant surprise, some of which can be heard in the preview track, “Today, Not Today”. In short, if you like what you hear, there is much, much more lying beyond the preview.

Fahmi Mursyid & Yoku Araki – Akur (Insitu Recordings)

Akur is the latest release … Read more

Elder Ones – From Untruth (Northern Spy)

Amirth Kidambi’s avant-garde jazz ensemble Elder Ones prepared a strong sophomore to their 2016 Holy Science. From Untruth departs from the universalist theology of its predecessor and strikes in the heart of today’s issues: political division, class war, colonialism, and disinformation, while still maintaining its core musical aspects: improvisation, experimentation, and the fusion of musical traditions into a new, different entity, with the use of contemporary classical music, free jazz, and classical Indian music, for example. The album is meditative, at times shocking, and quite transcendental throughout. It comes out in late … Read more

Bearthoven – American Dream [minimalism, modern classical]

It’s very interesting to me how the most subtle experience conjures some of the strongest emotions in people, creative people in particular. Here, with their second album, Bearthoven have put forth a work exhibiting the permeating presence of juxtaposition in the everyday. Utilizing the works of composer Scott Wollschleger, the trio attempts with these pieces … Read more

Simon Toldam Trio – Omhu (Ilk Music)

Omhu means “care” in Danish, and, as you can hear on Simon Toldam Trio‘s new album, it’s a well chosen name. The music that welcomes you upon arrival is slow… quiet… thoughtful… careful. It might be one of the most minimalistic efforts in modern jazz that I’ve heard recently, but, just like last year’s Animal Image, it strikes a chord with me, rather powerfully. It’s delightful.

Green Dome – Thinking in Stitches (Case Study Records)

Thinking in Stitches is a beautiful avant-garde masterpiece. The harp-piano-drums trio Green Dome is supplemented by … Read more