A really beautiful book, and one that's quite different than most other jazz books we can think of – in that it approaches its main subject matter from many different directions, in a way that actually proves to be more illuminating overall! As the title implies, the book looks at the huge run of recordings that avant pianist Matthew Shipp has done for the Rogue Art label – and author Clifford Allen begins with a look at Shipp himself, then his New York setting, then interviews with collaborators who include Whit Dickey, William Parker, Joe Morris, and Rob Brown – before then moving on to look at the Rogue Art label, through an interview with its founder – then ending with page after page of liner notes for Shipp albums on the label – including a few that haven't been released yet! The presentation is very smart, and really opens up Shipp's creative process in a great way – and this softcover edition is 207 pages, with some black and white images. Book

A record that definitely lives up to the sixth decade legacy noted in the title – as it takes work of the remaining members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and expands it with contributions from a number of musicians – both from Chicago and the global scene as well! The feel here is a mix of some of the larger concepts that Roscoe Mitchell has been working on of late, and some of the more organic expressions that the Art Ensemble helped encourage in the world of jazz – performed by a lineup that has Mitchell on sopranino and alto, and Don Moye on drums and percussion – joined by a huge lineup that includes Junius Paul on bass, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Hugh Ragin on trumpet, and a larger lineup of basses, piano, and percussion as well. Moor Mother delivers a spoken word passage, and Roco Cordova and Erina Newkirk sing a bit – on titles that include "Kumpa", "Bulawayo", "I Feel Like Dancing", "Jigiba", "Funky AECO", "Improvisation Two", "Ritual Great Black Music", "Cards", and "Leola". CD

A record that definitely lives up to the sixth decade legacy noted in the title – as it takes work of the remaining members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and expands it with contributions from a number of musicians – both from Chicago and the global scene as well! The feel here is a mix of some of the larger concepts that Roscoe Mitchell has been working on of late, and some of the more organic expressions that the Art Ensemble helped encourage in the world of jazz – performed by a lineup that has Mitchell on sopranino and alto, and Don Moye on drums and percussion – joined by a huge lineup that includes Junius Paul on bass, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Hugh Ragin on trumpet, and a larger lineup of basses, piano, and percussion as well. Moor Mother delivers a spoken word passage, and Roco Cordova and Erina Newkirk sing a bit – on titles that include "Kumpa", "Bulawayo", "I Feel Like Dancing", "Jigiba", "Funky AECO", "Improvisation Two", "Ritual Great Black Music", "Cards", and "Leola". LP, Vinyl record album

A set with all sorts of sharp angles and bold changes from a killer quartet that includes Rob Brown on alto and flute, Steve Swell on trombone, Chris Lightcap on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums – all very fluid, adaptive players who really make the most of this special setting! Pairing Brown and Swell is genius – and the latter almost seems to bring a boldness to the record at points that allows Rob to get slightly more sensitive, especially when he uses the flute. Taylor is really great too – with that magical sense of rhythm that often keeps things moving forward, while also circling around the edges to round up the posse too – an approach that's crucial to some of the more lively moments here. Titles include "Oblongata", "Piling On", "Stills", "Interjection", "Roxanne", "501 Memo", and "Steepening Curve". CD

A fantastic solo set from altoist Rob Brown – maybe the first we've ever heard from him, and a set that definitely elevates him to the pantheon of classic players in this format! Brown always has a tone that's all his own, and that comes through strongly in this setting – as does his way of wrenching out all these incredible sounds from the alto, yet at a level that's always quite musical and never as much in the more sonic experimentalist area of other reed improvisers. The performances are very loose with open structures, yet have an inherent sense of tune at times too – one that's even more satisfying, given Brown's tone. Titles include "Adrift", "Marine Life Encounter", "Gathering Breeze", "Tacking & Jibing", and "Oversea Undersea". CD

One of the most ambitious sets we've heard from Nicole Mitchell – a really unique mixing of modes that features a core Chicago group coming into play with the Arche New Music Ensemble! The initial group features Nicole on flute, vocals, and electronics – with Mwata Boden on baritone and bass clarinet, David Boykin on tenor, and Renee Baker on violin – all set against the larger backdrop of Arche – which features eleven musicians led by Rafal Zapala on electronics and percussion, on piano, trumpet, cello, viola, clarinet, trombone, oboe, and more! Mitchell's still at the heart of the performance – as the tracks are all her own compositions, and she conducts the proceedings as well – with this wonderful mode that's almost a blend of AACM energy with some of the more orchestrated improvisations of the European scene. The bulk of the record features the long "Arc Of O" piece – followed by a smoking rendition of Mitchell's great "Afrika Rising", a much more freewheeling and spiritual number! CD

A brilliant pairing of two generations of the AACM – as Roscoe Mitchell writes and conducts, and the group's led by Nicole Mitchell – and features a great assortment of very creative musicians! The blend of talents is key to the strength of the set – as the record avoids some of the coldness that you might find in some of Mitchell's other recent compositions – and really brings in the kind of warmth and humanity we've always loved in Nicole's recordings! In addition to Nicole Mitchell on flute, the set also features work by David Boykin on tenor, Josh Abrams on bass, Maia on harp, Tomeka Reid on cello, Greg Ward on alto, Robert Griffin on trumpet, Myra Melford on piano, and Mankwe Ndosi on voice – on titles that include "Quintet 1 For Eleven", "Cards For Orchestra", and "Quintet 9 For Eleven". CD

Ivo Perelman's got a mighty great group here – a quartet with Matthew Shipp on piano, Mark Helias on bass, and Tom Rainey on drums – all of whom really set fire to the music! Ivo's still got that sense of careful tones and textures that you'll know from other records – but at times, things really take off with some bolder, quicker, freer passages that really make for a great contrast – like the whole band's been shaken up like a can of soda, then cracked open with a really bold sort of sonic spray! The balance between careful contemplation and full-on frenzy is great – and titles include "Entrainment", "Life Force", "Water Music", "Fluidity", "Flow", and "Boundless". CD

A record with a very deep sound – maybe what you'd guess from the richness of the trombone work of Steve Swell, which is also echoed here by the bass of Peter Giron and drums of John Betsch – both of whom make for a very solid bottom to the set! The music is improvised, but this grounding seems to give it some earth from which to grow – resulting in these flowering lines from Rob Brown on alto sax, and Michel Edelin on flutes – both players whose sense of tonal expression is really opened up here! Swell has this way of moving between the different layers of sound with effortless ease – and the quintet improvise over light compositions with the sort of freshness that keeps free jazz so vibrant over the years. Titles include "Dawn", "Nexus", "Hop Skip & Jump", "New Orleans", "Oer The Wall", "Prevert Is Now", and "For Frank Lowe". CD

Stunning combinations of sound – Tomeka Reid on cello and Joe Morris on guitar – each sounding especially wonderful here in the company of each other! It may be our ears, but there seems to be a really special sort of warmth going on here – as Morris drops a bit of his sharper tones to resonate more strongly with the cello – and Reid is maybe more open and human in sound than in some other settings – something a bit hard to explain, but which really comes through in the sound! There's a sensitivity to the performance of both players that's wonderful – especially on some of Tomeka's bowed passages – and titles include "Chicago", "Percussive Play", "Parallax Suite", "Together Yet Always Apart", "New York", "In The Mid Ground", and a nice take on the Billy Bang tune "Rainbow Gladiator". CD

Mindblowing duets between trombonist Steve Swell and pianist Matthew Shipp – both incredible players on their own, but musicians who really seem to unlock something special here together! The improvisations have a way of mixing boldness with personal expressions of humanity – at a level that gives us both some of the most striking sounds we've heard from Swell in recent years, alongside some surprisingly warm moments from Shipp on piano – even at points when he's playing relatively free! The whole thing is definitely one of those special records that perfectly illustrates the strengths of free improvisation, while also moving the format forward – and titles include "Dark Matter", "String Theory", "Space Hammer", "The Dumb Abyss", "Space Cube Jazz", "Ice & Water", and "Firmament". CD

One of the most wonderful records we've ever heard from trumpeter Corey Wilkes – a set that seems to unlock new territory in his music, and has him working in a really unbridled setting overseas! The album just features one single track – "Oysters For The Masters" – improvised at points, but always grooving – with this sublime blend of free jazz, funk, and touches of soul – especially at points when the organist Justin Dillard delivers this righteous spoken passage that's totally great! Wilkes plays some electronics and percussion as well – shifting effortlessly between instruments – alongside co-leader Quentin Biardeau, who blows tenor and handles more electronics – in a group that also features Etienn Ziemniak on drums. There also seems to be some vibes in the mix too – and the shift of instrumentation and modes over the course of the nearly 50 minute performance is totally great! CD

A really incredible meeting of these two important players – and an album that's done in a different mode than some of their other recordings! The set features one long improvisation – stretching out in ways that still echo some of the spiritual qualities of Isaiah Collier's recordings, but with a vibe that's also more spacious and geared towards the overall sonic vibe of the performance – thanks in part to Jaimie Branch's use of electronics next to her trumpet, which are augmented by the shimmering guitar work of Gilles Coronado as well! Isaiah Collier blows soprano and tenor, but in lines that are also sometimes more open – and augmented by his work on percussion next to the drums of Tim Daisy – as the quartet makes their way through the well-titled, album-length track "Hmmmmm". CD

Tremendous work from Joshua Abrams – a set that's very different than some of his other work in recent years, but every bit as great! The set's got a lean group – Abrams on bass, Jeff Parker on guitar, Gerald Cleaver on drums, and the great Ari Brown on tenor – of Awakening fame – a group that delivers a more stripped-down version of some of Josh's more spiritual ideals – but in ways that also touch base with more conventional jazz expression! Make no mistake, there's nothing conventional about this set – the approach is very unique, and very striking – and the presence of the younger musicians really sets Ari Brown on fire, and reminds us of what a great soloist he can be when he's pushed to his limits. Titles include "Collapsing Novelty", "Duke Hill", "Echo Tracer", "In Place Of Memory", and "Coniunctio". LP, Vinyl record album

The Indigo Trio – flautist Nicole Mitchell, double bassist and pianist Harrison Bankhead and drummer Hamid Drake – accompanied by fellow flautist Michel Edelin on this Rogue Art set! Ethiopian Princess Meets The Tantric Priest may be at its core a prime pairing of 2 of the most creative flute players on the planet, but the other players have ample space to do their thing – lots of it! 2 brilliantly communicative, yet distinct flutes, supported and matched by Bankhead and Drake masterfully. Half of the set is credited as Nicole Mitchell compositions: 'Top Secret", "Inside The Earth", "Wind Current" and "Ambre Sunset" – plus Edelin's "Derives" and "Call Back", Bankhead's "Return Of The Sun" and the stellar title piece, credited to the group. CD

An amazing tribute to the music of Peter Kowald – the bassist whose work did a lot to transform the sound of avant jazz on both sides of the Atlantic during the past few decades! The package features a CD and 2DVDs – the latter of which each feature films shot during Kowald's 2000 tour of the US – both mixing live performance with interview material and footage from the trips. Off The Road is the first DVD – and features material from a few locations – and Chicago Improvisations is the second, and features work from the Windy City, with appearances by Ken Vandermark and Fred Anderson. The music on the CD is a great testament to Kowald's mighty powers on the bass – and features him playing in a variety of settings – working with players who include William Parker on bass, Kidd Jordan on tenor, George Lewis on trombone, Eddie Gale on trumpet, and Hamid Drake on drums. A really wonderful package – and well worth the price! CD

A beautiful juxtaposition of sounds from this ultra-hip group led by pianist Myra Melford – a combo that's filled with sonic delights, thanks to work from Mary Halvorson on guitar, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor and soprano, Tomeka Reid on cello, and Lesley Mok on drums! The players with with a subtlety that's really wonderful – improvising, but with a very unified approach, and a thoughtful ear for sound that really resonates with some of Halvorson's own work as a leader – a balance that maybe makes Melford come across at her most delightful too – although Reid, as always, is a joy to hear, and the presence of Laubrock adds just the right edges at times. Titles include "Insertion 5", "Insertion 3 A + B", "Insertion One", and "Insertion Two". CD

An incredible feather in the already-large hat of Rob Mazurek – work that more than lives up to some of his boldest visions on previous recordings, but does so in a completely new direction! The album features a set of larger-form compositions all put together by Rob – in ways that show a remarkable ear for mature colors and concepts – handled by players who are both from the third coast of the Chicago scene, and from Brest in France – where all the music here came together! Even if you already know and love Mazurek's other music, there's something very different and special here – as Rob's cornet and direction shape the sound of a lineup that features incredible performances from Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Christiphe Rocher on clarinets, Jeff Parker on guitar, Lou Malozzi on electronics, Steve Berry on trombone, Christofer Bjurstrom on piano, Philippe Champion on trumpet, Tomeka Reid on cello, Nicolas Peoc'H on alto and soprano sax, Irvin Pierce on tenor, and Avreeayl Ra on drums. There's also some beautiful texts penned by Alexandre Pierrepont and background voice from Yannick Leblay – and while the idea of such trans-Atlantic avant jazz collaboration is nothing new, there's a very special, very unique quality to this set – almost as if the players had been working together for many years to realize Rob's vision. Titles include "Under The Hearts Snow", "The Game Circle", "Wild Gale", "On The Trapeze Of Minds Ferns", "Cobalt Of Chance", "This Is The Atoll", and "Drinkable Gold With Shadows' Liquor". CD

A very hip trio, one that features three of the greatest female improvisers of the past 30 years – Joelle Leandre on bass, Myra Melford on piano, and Nicole Mitchell on flute, alto flute, and piccolo! CD

Tremendous work from Joshua Abrams – a set that's very different than some of his other work in recent years, but every bit as great! The set's got a lean group – Abrams on bass, Jeff Parker on guitar, Gerald Cleaver on drums, and the great Ari Brown on tenor – of Awakening fame – a group that delivers a more stripped-down version of some of Josh's more spiritual ideals – but in ways that also touch base with more conventional jazz expression! Make no mistake, there's nothing conventional about this set – the approach is very unique, and very striking – and the presence of the younger musicians really sets Ari Brown on fire, and reminds us of what a great soloist he can be when he's pushed to his limits. Titles include "Collapsing Novelty", "Duke Hill", "Echo Tracer", "In Place Of Memory", and "Coniunctio". CD

Really righteous work from the Chicago scene – a very hip album that features some especially nice guest work on flute from Nicole Mitchell! The group is headed up by percussionist Hamid Drake, who really sounds great here – almost more relaxed and organic in his handling of drums and tablas than on other records – really settling into a sound that recalls the glory days of the earlier AACM scene. Other players are well-matched for this vibe – and include Ernest Dawkins on tenor and alto, Daniel Carter on saxes and clarinet, Sabir Mateen on saxes and bass clarinet, and Greg Ward on alto and clarinet – all players whose reeds work together beautifully, with tight formations at some points, and much freer solo sounds at others. Titles include "Bindu #2 For Baba Fred Anderson", "Remembering Rituals", "Born Upon A Lotus", "Bindu #1 For Ed Blackwell", and "Do Khyentse's Journey 139 Years & More". CD

A deep dive into the sound of Los Angeles in the middle of the 60s – a really well-done box that somehow manages to mix together all the different strains of music that were going on in the city of angels at the time – sunshine pop, garage rock, psych, pop, and even more experimental modes – served up here in a set list that's full of some of the coolest, hippest groups of the time! The box takes its title from a Beach Boys tune, but this isn't a set of well-played oldies from AM radio – and instead, the selection demonstrates the continued appreciation of this period of music over the decades, and the shift in interest to some of the more groundbreaking, obscure groups of the period – served up here with bigger names as well – all with the detailed notes and overflowing amount of tracks that we love from these boxes on the Grapefruit label! There's a massive 90 tracks in all – with work from Mark Eric, Jim & The Lords, The Heroes, Candy Company, Odds & Ends, Spirit, The Misunderstood, Urban Renewal Project, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Captain Beefheart, Ruthann Friedman, The Rogues, Music Machine, Whatt Four, Velvet Illusions, Merrell & The Xiles, Sanctions, Grass Roots, New Wave, West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Grains Of Sand, Merry Go Round, Human Expression, Love, Laughing Wind, Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends, Boystown, Gene Clark, and many others! CD

Music from the Wild Sound Unlimited, Vinnie Zen & the Rogues, Padded Cell, the Dinos, the Jay Walkers, the Leaders, the US Stamps, the Buckinghams, Our Brothers Keepers, Larry Henley, Steve Alaimo and more. CD