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A seminal set of recordings of material from Edgar Varese – key Robert Craft takes on three earlier compositions, and the debut of "Poeme Electronique", which was created at the 1958 Brussels World Fair! "Ionisation" hs a complex mix of percussion instruments, played by thirteen players – with a quality that's almost a key precursor to the music of Harry Partch. "Density 21.5" is a haunting piece for solo flute – filled with unusual tones and textures – and "Integrales" has a fuller orchestral presentation, and a nicely bombastic vibe, with woodwind tones and percussion colliding beautifully! That sound continues in "Octandre" – a 20s composition that shows just how far Varese was ahead of his time – as does "Hyperprism", from the same year, which is even more dramatic. "Poem Electronique" has a very different approach – all analogue electronics, used in an illustration of Varese's concept of "organized sound", but with a feel that's similar to the best musique concrete material of the 50s. LP, Vinyl record album

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Includes Babbitt's "Phonemena For Soprano And Piano" performed by Lynn Webber and Jerry Kuderna, "Phonemena For Soprano And Tape" performed by Lynn Webber, and "Reflections For Piano And Synthesized Tape" and "Post-Partitions" performed by Robert Miller; Bassett's "Music For Saxophone And Piano" performed by Donald Sinta and Ellen Weckler; Smith's "Fancies For Clarinet Alone" performed by the composer; and Wuorinen's "Bassoon Variations" performed by Donald MacCourt, Susan Jolles, and Gordon Gottlieb. (Classical, Out Sound) LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing bit of free jazz – hardly the set of solos you might guess from the title, and instead a performance of live improvisation by a larger group – done at the famous Leo Castelli Gallery, an important locale for avant activity on the downtown scene in New York in the 70s! There's more of a European free jazz vibe going on here than some of the loft work of the city at the time – with searing work from leader Richard Landry on tenor, soprano sax, and electric piano – alongside Richard Peck on tenor, Robert Prado on trumpet, Jon Smith on tenor, Allan Brafman on alto, and David Lee on drums – all captured on tape by Kurt Munkacsi, the sonic force known for some more important avant classical sides of the time. The set features seven selections in all – some pushing well past the 15 minute mark! (Jazz, Out Sound) LP, Vinyl record album

Robert Hopps on prepared guitar, Jonathan Webb on turntables, and both musicians on electronics. CD

Two amazing works from Belgian electronic genius Alain Pierre – both appearing in this form for the first time ever! Side one features 11 minutes of continuous music that Pierre created for the short film O Sidarta – music that mixes a range of electronics, keyboards, and acoustic percussion with studio effects and voice – all with a result that almost feels like some of the longer-form prog creations of the German scene of the time – although with qualities that are much more varied, less rock-based, and with occasional nods to the earlier generation of musique concrete! The flipside features the 17 minute "Notions De Physique Intererieure" – a work that uses a wide array of electric sources in a very short space – theremin, Arp sequencer, Telefunken echomixer, and more Arp, Kort, and Oberheim keyboards – all in this slow-building, wonderfully spacey sort of mode – almost hinting at some of the straighter fantasy soundtracks that Pierre would create in the mainstream – as the piece has the feel of a story in sound! (Soundtracks, Out Sound) LP, Vinyl record album

Pieces by John Cage, Robert Ashley, Charles Dodge, John Giorno, Beth Anderson, Charles Amirkhanian, and others. CD

A sublime mix of art, jazz, and other unusual sounds – served up in tribute to the roving 7 x 7 exhibition series, and with a really beautiful package! The book itself is great – 12" square, and with 64 pages of artwork and writing in the middle – graced by recordings from a rich array of artists, all of them hip – and very well-chosen for the set! Some of the artists here do work that's very different than their usual material – and the set features contributions that include "Yellow" by Sean O'Hagan, "Azul" by Kassin, "Harlem Nights" by Nile Rodgers, "Sahasrara" by Terry Riley, "Blues In Orange" by Archie Shepp, "Zellesenya" by Mulatu Astatke, and "Red Alhambra" by Robert Wyatt. LP, Vinyl record album