Ken Vandermark and a host of hip bassists – Kent Kessler, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Nate McBride, and Wilbert De Joode – each of whom take turns working with Ken in a set of spare bass/reed duets! The approach is wonderful – and each different player really unlocks a new sort of sound from Vandermark – reedplay that's almost more sensitive than other recent work, somewhere between FMP sessions of this nature, and early duet experiments between Charles Mingus and Shafi Hadi! Once again, we're stunned at the depths of Ken's talents – and for our money, he's one of the few jazzment of our generation who always keeps on delighting us. Titles include "Contour I", "Ellipse III", "Curve I", "Torque", "Spline", "Arc", "Torus IV", and "Prop II". CD

A live meeting between Ken Vandermark on reeds and Paal Nilssen Love on drums and percussion. Album features three tracks – the lengthy " Clean Sweep", along with "Cause Of Action", and "Cut And Thrust". CD

A very unusual work from the Territory Band – one of the more avant-oriented projects of Chicago's sax powerhouse Ken Vandermark. The group's much more spatially and compositionally oriented than any of Ken's other projects, and the feel of the set is in an ambitious mode – almost like some of the work of the London Jazz Composer's Orchestra from the 80s. The group on the set is much larger than on the first Territory Band album – with a mixture of Chicago and European players that include Kevin Drumm, Paul Lytton, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Kent Kessler, Tim Mulvenna, Jim Baker, Jeb Bishop, and Axel Doerner. Tracks are all tributes, in the Vandermark mode – and titles include "Now", "Add & Subtract", "Neiger", and "Catalog". CD

The most ambitious work to date from Ken Vandermark's Territory Band – a larger-than-usual ensemble that ranks with some of the great improvising orchestras of the 70s – like the London Jazz Composers Orchestra or the Globe Unity group! For the project, Vandermark pulled together a host of talents from the Chicago and European scenes – including Jeb Bishop on trombone, Axel Doerner on trumpet, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Dave Rempis on saxes, Jim Baker on piano, and Paul Lytton and Paal Nilssen-Love on percussion. The tracks are strongly concerned with sound and texture, and have a fair degree of space and contemplative moments – showing Vandermark as an increasingly complex composer, but one that still manages to make a project like this pulsate with the energy of his smaller group work. Titles include "Slides #1", "A Certain Light", "Framework", "Image As Text", and "Towards Abstraction". CD

The fantastic first record from Chicago's Territory Band – a project headed up by saxophonist Ken Vandermark, and one that definitely builds the Transatlantic Bridge that's promised by the title! During the second half of the 90s, the Chicago avant scene really exploded with some great younger players – and also drew a lot of guests from other global scenes too – creating a lively cross-breeding of sounds, styles, and ideas – all of which are represented strongly by this group! The lineup features Jim Baker on piano, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Axel Dorner on trumpet, Dave Rempis on alto and tenor, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, and both Paul Lytton and Tim Mulvenna play drums – which makes for a super heavy sense of energy throughout. Vandermark blows tenor, bass clarinet, and b flat clarinet – on titles that include "Collage (for Kurt Schwitters)", "RM (for Marcel Duchamp)", "Mobile (for Alexander Calder)", and "Stabile (for Hans Hoffmann)". CD

A bold statement from the Free Music Ensemble – not a large group, but instead a searing power trio that features Ken Vandermark on reeds, Nate McBride on bass, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums! The group work in a full-on mode that recalls the early power of the FMP scene, or some of the most striking work on ESP from the 60s – but given Vandermark's influence, they've also got a more open sensibility – clear in the shift from passage to passage of the album's numbered tracks, dedicated to influential heroes that include Peter Brotzmann, Paul Lytton, Joe Morris, and Joe McPhee – all contemporary heroes that are given great due here, but in a way that still has the trio retaining a very strong identity of their own. CD

Some of the deepest work we've heard from Ken Vandermark in awhile – and that's saying a lot, given the overall greatness of most of his recordings! The set's the 4th from Vandermark's Territory Band ensemble – a larger group that allows Ken to explore grander concepts of composition and arrangement – working here in a mode that draws from the energy of his smaller group sessions, yet in a way that has a much sharper focus on the roles of the individual players. Ken's ideas are expressed beautifully in the album's 6 long original compositions – each shaded with different themes, tones, and colors, executed wonderfully by an international lineup that includes Vandermark, Fredrik Ljungkvist, and Dave Rempis on saxes; Paul Lytton and Paal Nilssen-Love on percussion; Jeb Bishop on trombone, Axel Dorner on trumpets, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Jim Baker on piano, and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. Titles include "Local Works", "Vertical 8", "Reverse Two", "Killing Floor", and "Franja". CD

The greatest album to date from Ken Vandermark's Territory Band – and a record that firmly places the group in a lineage of experimental jazz orchestrations that runs from Duke Ellington through Charles Mingus and the later work of the London Jazz Composers Orchestra! There's a strength here that goes beyond any of the group's earlier efforts – and although some numbers continue their freely improvised moments, others fall into a straighter, even more focused sound – one that's got the boldness of Mingus at its best, with lots of powerful passages that give way to even more personal solo moments. Players include Ken Vandermark, Fredrik Ljungkvist, and Dave Rempis on reeds; Axel Dorner on trumpet, Johannes Bauer on trombone, Paul Lytton and Paal Nilssen-Love on percussion, Jim Baker on piano, Kent Kessler on bass, and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello. 3CD set features 2 studio discs and 1 live radio performance – with titles that include "Fall With A Vengeance", "Untitled Fiction", "Corrosion", "Cards", and live performances of all numbers on disc 3. CD

Amazing music from reedman Ken Vandermark – 10 CDs' worth of music, recorded over a week's visit to Poland and The Ukraine in 2007! The package is surprisingly rich – not just sounds recorded for the sake of copious content, but a really diverse batch of music that has us more impressed than ever at Vandermark's ability to really play over a range of different styles of expression. Plus, the set demonstrates that his ability to lead larger groups of players is sharper than ever – as Vandermark interacts here with a shifting set of musicians that include some hometown favorites from Chicago, plus overseas talents as well – a lineup that includes Steve Swell on trombone, Dave Rempis on tenor and alto, Yuriy Yaremchuk on tenor and soprano, Mikolaj Trzaska on alto sax and bass clarinet, Magnus Broo on trumpet, Mark Tokar on bass, and both Tim Daisy and Michael Zerang on drums and percussion. The set captures the performances in their entirety – and the groupings shift throughout – a variety of small combos, plus some larger ensemble work as well. Brilliant stuff – and more proof that Vandermark's one of the most important jazzmen of our generation! CD

A stunner of a set from Ken Vandermark & co as Powerhouse Sound – a riveting 2CD batch of rhythmic juxtaposition inspired by dub, sound collage production, and free rock caterwauling – done with a pair of line-ups in both Oslo and Chicago! The Oslo group is heavy with bass and stuttering electronic manipulations, and features Vandermark, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and Nate McBride on electric bass, Pall Nilssen-Love on drums and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. The Chicago crew runs through variations of the material and changes up the instrumentation with Vandermark, John Herndon on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar and McBride on bass. Disc one (Oslo version) includes "Shocklee (For Hank Shocklee)", "King To Crown (For King Tubby), "Coxsone (For Coxsone Dodd)", "2-1-75" (For Miles Davis), "Acid Scratch (For Lee Perry)", "Exit-Salida (For Burning Spear)" and "New Dirt (For The Stooges)". Disc two (Chicago version) includes "Old Dictionary (For Bernie Worrell)", "King To Crown Pt 1/Acid Scratch Pt 2", "Coxsonne", "2-1-75" and "New Dirt/King To Crown Pt 2". CD

A fantastic slice of dialogue between the important millennial Chicago and Swedish avant garde scenes! The School Days quartet is further augmented by another member this go 'round, Kjell Nordeson on vibes, as they continue to explore themes inspired by and written by modernists of a different period in improvised music, like Bobby Hutcherson, Bill Evans, and Larry Young – a great example of the inspirations that move the genius of group leader, reedman Ken Vandermark. Kjell can be heard elsewhere as the drummer for Mats Gustafson's AALY trio, and is joined by his bandmate from that group here on bass, Ingebrit Haker-Flaten, with another Swede, Paal Nilssen Love on drums, while Chicagoan Ken Vandermark is joined by one of our city's other hidden gems on the frontline, Jeb Bishop on trombone. Recorded live in Norway, titles include "Shift", "Octopus", "Loose Blues" and "Another Double". CD

Peter Brotzmann's on clarinet this time around, and working here in an extended studio piece with his Chicago Tentet combo – one of his greatest groups of later years, featuring both Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark on reeds, as well as Joe McPhee on both trumpet and alto sax! The work builds slowly, almost tentatively – the fills in strongly as the piece goes on – with a sound that's almost like the Jazz Composers Orchestra style at the end of the 60s, but not as dynamic overall. The reeds are almost strongest in shaping the tune – although other contributions include trombone from Hannes Bauer, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, and cello from Fred Lonberg-Holm. CD 2 features the second half of the work – returned to a tentative beginning, then stepping out more strongly as things move on. CD

Fantastic live material from a very unique group – the instantly-legendary meeting of reedman Peter Brotzmann with the leading lights of the Chicago avant jazz scene in the 90s – brought together into a tremendous tentet that's maybe even better than the sum of its parts! The group features Brotzmann on tenor and clarinet, Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lomberg-Holm on cello and violin, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums, Kent Kessler on bass – and "honorary Chicagoan" Mats Gustafsson on tenor and flutophone, plus Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and electronics, and William Parker on bass. Phew, that's one heck of a lineup – the kind that rivals some of the European or British improvising ensembles of decades past – but one that has its own very specific flavor, and a sound that's brimming over with youth – so much so that the non-Chicago guests really seem to gain inspiration from the core. This Okka disc set captures the band live at the 16th Victoriaville Festival in 1999. CD

Ken Vandermark on tenor saxophone and B clarinet, Terrie Ex and Andy Moor on guitar, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. CD

Luke Stewart is the bassist and the composer here – but the quintet is a powerhouse at every level – with reed work from Ken Vandermark and Ed Wilkerson, piano from Jim Baker, and drums from Avreeayl Ra – a lineup who do tremendous things with Luke's music! The tracks are all long, and build beautifully in a mixture of core ideas and individual improvisations – with a quality that almost evokes Wilkerson's important work in 8 Bold Souls, but an execution that's more flowingly spiritual overall – a richness in Stewart's music that brings out very different qualities in both Ed and Ken. The whole thing's great – the kind of record that will really establish Stewart as a musician to listen for in years to come – and titles include "The Scene", "Harp & Concrete Silhouette", "Awakening The Masters", and "Brown & Gray". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic tribute to the ongoing contributions of the Not Two label – an important Polish imprint that's done plenty for improvised music over the past 20 years – with a wealth of studio releases, and live events such as the festival recordings presented in this beautiful set! The box itself is wonderful – a beautiful handmade wood box, which contains five CDs' worth of material fromt his event – all work that appears here for the first time ever! The range of improvising musicians is great – as international as the reach of the label – and they work together in a number of different combinations. Groupings include Joelle Leandre, Steve Swell, and Agusti Fernandez; Peter Brotzmann, Bary Guy, and Zlatko Kaucic; Joelle Leandre and Barry Guy; Maya Homburger and Barry Guy; Mats Gustafsson, Rafal Mazur, and Paal Nilssen-Love; Peter Brotzmann, Mikolaz Trzaska, Per-Ake Holmlander, and Agusti Fernandez; Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark; and Peter Brotzmann and Paal Nilssen-Love. CD

One of the greatest releases ever from the Okka Disk label – a legendary set that stands as a great testament to the global improvising scene that exploded in Chicago during the 90s! Back in the early years of FMP, nobody would have thought to use the name "Peter Brotzmann" and "Chicago" in the same context – but by the time of these recordings, the legendary reedman had been spending quite a bit of time in the Windy City – working strongly alongside that decade's fresh generation of improvisers, at a level that also helped Brotzmann discover new energy in his music too! The lineup here is great – both octet and tentet groups that operate in an improvising orchestra tradition – with players that include Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Mars Williams on tenor and alto, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Mats Gustafsson on baritone and fluteophone, Joe McPhee on pocket cornet and valve trombone, Fred Lonberg Holm on cello, Kent Kessler on bass, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums and percussion, and Brotzmann himself on tenor, clarinet, and tarogato. The set features three different live recordings, and one long studio set recorded over two days – a fantastic collection of music. Titles include "Burning Spirit (For Kazuka Shiraishi)", "Other Brothers", "Old Bottles No Wine, "Aziz", "Foolish Infinity", "Immediate Music", "Makapoor", "Foolish Infinity", "Other Brothers" and "Divide By Zero". CD

Peter Brotzmann's on clarinet this time around, and working here in an extended studio piece with his Chicago Tentet combo – one of his greatest groups of later years, featuring both Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark on reeds, as well as Joe McPhee on both trumpet and alto sax! The work builds slowly, almost tentatively – the fills in strongly as the piece goes on – with a sound that's almost like the Jazz Composers Orchestra style at the end of the 60s, but not as dynamic overall. The reeds are almost strongest in shaping the tune – although other contributions include trombone from Hannes Bauer, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, and cello from Fred Lonberg-Holm. CD 1 features the first part of the work – which is quite long, and stands strongly as an album on its own! CD

A 10th Anniversary performance by the Chicago Tentet – a wonderful group that's become the fruitful union of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann with a younger generation of players who were working heavily on the Chicago scene at the time! Back when the group first started, it was something of an experiment – but over the following decade, the ensemble won great attention for their playing, and for good reason too – considering the solo contributions of players like Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson on reeds, Joe McPhee on trumpet and tenor, Johannes Bauer on trombone, Kent Kessler on bass, and Paal Nilssen Love on drums – all working under the visionary leadership of Peter Brotzmann! The tracks are all somewhat long and open-ended – almost more spacious than on other Chicago Tentet records, with a freely improvised feel. Titles include "Ten By Ten", "Little By Little", and "Step By Step". CD

Fantastic live material from a very unique group – the instantly-legendary meeting of reedman Peter Brotzmann with the leading lights of the Chicago avant jazz scene in the 90s – brought together into a tremendous tentet that's maybe even better than the sum of its parts! The group features Brotzmann on tenor and clarinet, Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lomberg-Holm on cello and violin, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums, Kent Kessler on bass – and "honorary Chicagoan" Mats Gustafsson on tenor and flutophone, plus Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and electronics, and William Parker on bass. Phew, that's one heck of a lineup – the kind that rivals some of the European or British improvising ensembles of decades past – but one that has its own very specific flavor, and a sound that's brimming over with youth – so much so that the non-Chicago guests really seem to gain inspiration from the core. This Okka disc set captures the band live at the 16th Victoriaville Festival in 1999. CD

Fantastic live material from a very unique group – the instantly-legendary meeting of reedman Peter Brotzmann with the leading lights of the Chicago avant jazz scene in the 90s – brought together into a tremendous tentet that's maybe even better than the sum of its parts! The group features Brotzmann on tenor and clarinet, Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lomberg-Holm on cello and violin, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums, Kent Kessler on bass – and "honorary Chicagoan" Mats Gustafsson on tenor and flutophone, plus Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and electronics, and William Parker on bass. Phew, that's one heck of a lineup – the kind that rivals some of the European or British improvising ensembles of decades past – but one that has its own very specific flavor, and a sound that's brimming over with youth – so much so that the non-Chicago guests really seem to gain inspiration from the core. This Okka disc set captures the band live at the 16th Victoriaville Festival in 1999. LP, Vinyl record album

Back in the 90s, the DKV trio were one of the strongest forces in the Chicago improvising scene – a great group that featured Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums – working together with a really boundless sense of energy! This set has the group making a great appearance at the Wels Music Festival in 1998 – stepping out in a way that's a bit different than some of their previous recordings. At the festival, the trio played their incredibly haunting version of Don Cherry's "Complete Communion", drawn out into an extended suite, with the addition of the group's "Memory Sketch", in homage to Cherry. That set is paired here with some material captured on the group's home turf in Chicago – featuring 3 long improvised tracks recorded at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge. The Chicago material comprises a second disc in this 2CD set, and it includes the titles "Blues For Tomorrow", "Open Door", and "Burning Sky". CD

Excellent work from the trio of Ken Vandermark, Hamid Drake, and Kent Kessler! The 2CD set features tracks from two different live shows – one recorded in Rochester, the other in Kalamazoo, both during the group's 2001 tour of the US. Vandermark is ever-brilliant – still growing mightily as a player, and in a perfect power trio format here, working with Kessler's strong bass lines, and Drake's assorted percussion techniques. Includes a huge amount of Don Cherry tunes – such as "Brown Rice", "Awake Nu", "The Thing", and "Elephantasy" – plus readings of Sonny Rollins' "East Broadway Rundown", Joe McPhee's "Goodbye Tom B", and Ayler's "Love Cry". CD

Two different live recordings from percussionist Paul Lytton and trumpeter Nate Wooley – the first featuring Ikue Mori on electronics and the second with Ken Vandermark on reeds. CD

A beautiful book on the Chicago jazz scene, and the things that make it really special – not the Windy City world of years back – when Ramsey Lewis and other big names were dominating things – but Chicago in more recent years, when the city has been a non-stop hotbed of continuous creative activity! Musician Mike Reed is the guiding force here – himself a key part of the growth of the past decade or two – and the presentation is very unique, with a short essay on a key musician, accompanied by a photo, then also a piece of music by the artist – transcribed on full sheet music, scoring a key contribution – in a way that makes the large volume both a history book and a book of sheet music as well. Entries are by key critical forces on the Chicago scene – John Corbett, Peter Margasak, John Litweiler, Neil Tesser, and others – and the presentation is as beautiful as the sounds it seeks to document. Entries include sections on Nicole Mitchell, Jason Adasiewicz, Ken Vandermark, Jeff Parker, Von Freeman, Mantana Roberts, Willie Pickens, and many others – and the book is oversize, 154 pages, softcover, and in two-tone color throughout. Book

A classic from the early days of Chicago avant powerhouse Okka Disk – a killer set that really shows the young Ken Vandermark at his best – as he takes off wonderfully here on a selection of reeds, alongside the mighty bassist Kent Kessler and drummer Curt Newton! The group didn't have the longer stamina of some of Vandermark's other projects, but is a key demonstration of the amazing creative energy he brought to Chicago right from the start – as the trio rises with tremendous improvising skills, and all three players are really at their best! The tunes are dedicated to key inspirational figures, as with other Vandermark albums of the period – a list that includes Sun Ra, Roswell Rudd, Paul Lovens, and Jimmy Blanton – and titles include "Dime Store Novel", "Tough Sledding", "Bowling Alley Roughs", "Day Job", "Another Orbit", and "No Sleeves No Service". CD

The title here is very apt – as this fantastic quartet seem to set a different kind of fire on every one of the CDs in the set – six different performances, recorded over the space of two months – in Paris, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Poland! The group should be well-known to lovers of improvised music from earlier Okka Disk recordings in the 90s – and the passage of two decades has only made them sharper and more intense – especially when the tenor and pocket trumpet of Joe McPhee joins the lineup of Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums. The set of recordings is dedicated to James Baldwin – which you might have guessed from the title – and the whole thing is a fitting tribute to the transformation of ideas about freedom and identity over the passage of time. CD

When tenor player Ken Vandermark moved to Chicago in the early 90s, his presence began a set of ripples that ran through the city's jazz scene, and left traces that continue to transform the city to this day! One of those ripples became the DKV trio – a brilliant ensemble featuring Vandermark, bassist Kent Kessler, and percussionist Hamid Drake – a crack avant trio, with no end of imagination and creativity – stepping out here on a flagship recording for the Okka Disk label, maybe the most important force to document Vandermark's mighty talents during these early years! The recording features 5 tracks of varying length, from the 35 minute "Baraka" to the 8 minute "Soft Gamma Ray Repeater" – plus the titles "Figure It Out", "Consequence", and "Double Holiday". CD

An explosive collection of improvised musical moments – 40 short tracks taken from the large catalog of the Smalltown Supersound/Superjazz label – distilled down here to a core nugget of sonic intensity, by way of paying tribute to its 7 hears of musical creativity! Lasse Marhaug dug deep into the tapes of the label – and pulled together select moments, edited into a single sonic document – with a great sense of overall sound that changes things up nicely throughout, and makes some moments sound even better by way of juxtaposition! Think of this as a free jazz mixtape, and you'll get part of the vibe – and enjoy the work here by Peter Brotzmann, Christian Marclay, Matts Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Evan Parker, The Thing, Joe McPhee, Ken Vandermark, Paal Nilssen Love, and other giants of the field of improvised music! LP, Vinyl record album