Uri Caine on piano, Joyce Hammann on violin, Chris Speed on clarinet, Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Nguyen Le on electric guitar, Dj Olive on turntables, Drew Gress on double bass, and Jim Black on drums. (Jazz, Out Sound) CD

(Classical, Out Sound) CD

A bold new frontier for use of the harp in experimental music – and that's saying a lot, given that Ayako Shinozaki recorded this album during the generation of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby! Shinokazi takes the instrument a bit back towards its use in more serious music, but with definite avant leanings, and certainly a sound that's inspired by the bold frontiers of free improvisation – as she opens up the harp in ways that are very different than some of the sweeter, softer styles that were often used in the 20th century – and instead uses it with a really keen ear for experimental tones and sharper-edged sounds! Two pieces are solo – readings of Toru Takemitsu's "Stanza II" and Katsuhiro Tsubono's "Poem Of Rim" – and the second half features a duet with violinist Takehisa Kosugi on "Heterodyne". LP, Vinyl record album

Anthony Braxton on sopranino, soprano and alto saxophone, Carl Testa on bass and bass clarinet, Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, flugelhorn, and trumpbone, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Aaron Siegel on percussion and vibes, Jay Rozen on tuba, and Jessica Pavone on viola and violin. (Jazz, Out Sound) CD

Imagine gaining entry to a treasure trove of vintage keyboards and electronic music sources – then getting the chance to spend days improvising with them, and making new sounds of your own! That's exactly what happened to Jeremiah Chu, as he was set loose inside the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Los Angeles – where he handled dozens of amazing instruments, improvising throughout, and capturing most of his experiments live on tape! The result is a record that's maybe a bit more warm and organic than the sorts of older analog electronic albums, especially the more academic type – as Chiu creates these really beautiful progressions of sounds that flower and glisten with a very human sensibility – not electronic music for robots, but instead an embrace of electronic possibilities for altering contemporary living! Titles include "Rococco Rondo", "For Voices", "Seawater Swell", "Rhythm Bell", "Static Stone Railway", "Transparent Spheres", and "Echo Arp Hold". (Jazz, Out Sound) LP, Vinyl record album