The great Alexander Von Schlippenbach plays the music of Thelonious Monk – and, like everything Schlippenbach does, the results are wonderful and full of surprise! The tunes are familiar, and a modernist like Alexander has no trouble with the changes – but the real surprise here is both the way that he brings in some of the tones he learned while in freer improvising territory over the years, yet still manages to make the whole thing swing nicely – thanks in part to strong basswork from Ino Nobuyoshi, and some mostly straight drums from Sunny Murray! Titles include "Trinkle Trinkle", "Off Minor", "Let's Cool One", "Coming On The Hudson", "Work", "Bye Ya", "Skippy", and "Bolivar Blues". CD

Spacious sounds from pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach – a set dedicated to Aki Takase, a fellow pianist who's had an influence on his work in more ways than one – and who here is clearly the inspiration for slower movement and more contemplative sounds on the keys! We've always loved this side of Schlippenbach – he can be a demon when he wants to, but is often even more compelling when he works on the spaces between the notes – which is definitely the case here, as the set moves between short improvisations and some compositions that draw inspiration from the shared life of Aki and Alexander. Titles include "Cleo", "Naninga Nandemo", "Zycado", "Frage Nicht", "Dydo", "Improvisation V", "Haru No Yuki", "Improvisation III", "Tell You", "I Told You", and "Torso". CD

Amazing work from this seminal group on the FMP scene – a quartet led by pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach, but equally balanced between the saxes of Evan Parker, bass of Peter Kowald, and percussion of Paul Lovens! We're not sure how much to take the "nails" in the title seriously, but it does sound as if Schlippenbach is playing prepared piano at times – or perhaps his command of the keyboard is just so strong, he can make other-worldly elements come from the instrument whenever he wants! Much of the music has a full-on FMP intensity – that non-stop, sonically adventurous quality inherited from Machine Gun – spun out over three great live improvisations, titled "Range", "Black Holes", and "Three Nails Left". CD

Exactly the kind of record that first made us fall in love with the piano of Alexander Von Schlippenbach – a set that has a jagged but freewheeling sort of vibe – improvised, but with that inherent musicality that can make Schlippenbach's piano come across in tuneful ways, even in such a setting! Drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen duets with Alexander here – almost following his initial energy – letting the piano lineup and cascade in these long lines that are often as rhythmic as they are tuneful – then peppered in by the drums as the two pulse together beautifully. Titles include "Relay Extempore", "Reveries In Monochrome", "Brass Tacks", and "Morphing Monk" – the last of which features very cool improvisations on themes from Thelonious Monk! CD

One of the greatest albums ever from the Globe Unity Orchestra – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given the quality of the group's work in the 70s! The ensemble were key in helping to develop the concept of an improvising orchestra – not the older model of a group where the players might get some short solo space – but a setting of many musicians, all improvising together as they make their way through loose compositional ideas – really opening new doors in music along the way! The remarkable thing here is that the lineup is all heavy hitters, but they all find space to respect and encourage each other as they create on the spot – a large lineup that includes Enrico Rava, Manfred Schoof, and Kenny Wheeler on trumpets; Anthony Braxton, Peter Brotzmann, Ruiger Carl, Evan Parker, Michel Pilz, and Gerd Dudek on reeds; Albert Mangelsdorff, Paul Rutherford, and Gunter Christmann on trombones; Alexander Von Schlippenbach on piano; Peter Kowald and Buschi Niebergall on basses; and Paul Lovens on drums. Titles include the side-long "Every Single One Of Us Is A Pearl" – with more than enough space to allow individual musical expression, and really live up to its title – plus a version of Monk's "Ruby My Dear", with arrangements by Schlippenbach, and the tracks "Kunstmusik II" and "The Onliest The Loneliest". LP, Vinyl record album

A live date from the Friedhelm Schonfeld Quartett – plus a DVD featuring performances from Woodstock Am Karpfenteich including work by Gunter Hampel on vibes, Alexander von Schlippenbach on piano, and Manfred Schoof on trombone. CD

Fantastic work from two different years of this important German Jazz Festival – material that provides a great live complement to some of the best studio jazz recordings of the late 60s European scene – such as those coming from the MPS label, and some of the record companies in Paris and London! The vibe here is mostly straight, but there are plenty of currents of modern, and maybe just a bit of free – and the set's especially great in illustrating the sort of unique groupings and musical moments that can make the jazz festival scene so rewarding! Material from 1967 includes three long tracks by the group of saxophonist Klaus Doldinger with organist Ingfried Hoffmann; a long performance from a big band led by Kurt Edelhagen, with work from trumpeters Shake Keane and Jimmy Deuchar, tenorists Wilton Gaynair and Karl Drewo, and altoist Derek Humble; four tracks by a quartet led by trumpeter Dusko Goykovich, with Bent Jaedig on tenor; two long improvisations from a group that features Manfred Schoof on trumpet, Gerd Dudek on tenor, Alexander Von Schlippenbach on piano, and Jaki Liebezeit on drums; one track by a quartet with Ted Curson on trumpet and Nick Bridnola on soprano sax; four long cuts by the Clarke Boland Sextet, with Sahib Shihab on flute and baritone, Ake Persson on trombone, and Idrees Sulieman on trumpet; a sweet large group led by organist Ingfried Hoffmann, and a few other hip cuts too. 1968 features work by a sextet led by bassist Peter Trunk, with Shake Keane on flugelhorn, Jiggs Whigham on trombone, and Rob Pronk on piano; four tracks by the Clarke Boland Big Band, with Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, and Sahib Shihab on baritone; two cuts by the twin tenor group of Hank Mobley and Johnny Griffin; a vocal performance by Jon Hendricks with a Clarke Boland group with Johnny Griffin in the lead; twin trombones from the Slide Hampton and Ake Persson Quintet; hip work from the trio of pianist George Gruntz, bassist Henri Texier, and drummer Daniel Humair; a number of tight tracks from the Maynard Ferguson big band, with Pete King on tenor; and two shorter trio tracks from Joachim Kuhn. Like other Be Music titles, the presentation is great – a really well-done box, and big booklet of notes and images. CD