A really important early album from this groundbreaking pianist – a set that initially got plenty of exposure at the time, thanks to its placement on the Infinite Zero label – even though Matthew Shipp's piano work was very far from the mainstream! The trio here is tremendous – and the work of William Parker on bass is especially wonderful, as is the subtle drum handling of Whit Dickey – as the group perform lne long suite of tracks that flow together in haunting patterns of criss crossing lines that describe seem to really bring a sense of spirituality back to the world of improvising music in the early 90s! CD

A really important early album from this groundbreaking pianist – a set that initially got plenty of exposure at the time, thanks to its placement on the Infinite Zero label – even though Matthew Shipp's piano work was very far from the mainstream! The trio here is tremendous – and the work of William Parker on bass is especially wonderful, as is the subtle drum handling of Whit Dickey – as the group perform lne long suite of tracks that flow together in haunting patterns of criss crossing lines that describe seem to really bring a sense of spirituality back to the world of improvising music in the early 90s! LP, Vinyl record album

A really important early album from this groundbreaking pianist – a set that initially got plenty of exposure at the time, thanks to its placement on the Infinite Zero label – even though Matthew Shipp's piano work was very far from the mainstream! The trio here is tremendous – and the work of William Parker on bass is especially wonderful, as is the subtle drum handling of Whit Dickey – as the group perform lne long suite of tracks that flow together in haunting patterns of criss crossing lines that describe seem to really bring a sense of spirituality back to the world of improvising music in the early 90s! CD

The title here is interesting – given that Matthew Shipp's been giving us new concepts in jazz piano for decades – yet there also is a way that this set differs from some of Shipp's classic recordings – maybe in part because it seems to hew to older piano trio traditions at times, especially the modern generation of Monk and Herbie Nichols – while also really expanding the sound, thanks to the inventive contributions of all three musicians – not just Shipp on piano, but also Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums! Titles include "The Function", "Primal Poem", "Sea Song", "Brain Work", "Coherent System", and "Tone IQ". CD

The poetic title here is wonderfully well-suited to the album – as there's a free-floating, spacious quality to the music – yet one that's very different than some of the softer sessions that sort of reference might make you expect! Cornet player Kirk Knuffke always has a great sense of space in his music – and in this trio, it really seems to do a lot to the piano of Matthew Shipp, who can be a master of understatement at times, with really quietly brooding sounds on the keys – matched by the perfect energy of bassist Michael Bisio, who is exactly the right choice for this outing. If you know some of Knuffke's other work, you'll be surprised here – as there's more of an edge, and the session really builds a bridge to the world of Shipp, while finding this great spot in the middle for both to exist – on titles that include "Time Is Another River", "Paint Pale Silver", "Heal The Roses", "Today for Today", "Blinds", "June Stretched", "Between Today & May", "Stars Go Up", and "The Water Will Win". LP, Vinyl record album

Reedman Daniel Carter's in some great company here – a trio that features the bass of William Parker and piano of Matthew Shipp – both bold musical partners that really give the album a lot of depth! Shipp is especially great, and at times really seems to dominate the proceedings with his energy – that non-stop spiral of constant creation that has made his work in recent years so rewarding – balanced with Parker's always strong command of the bass, and shifting sounds from Carter – who blows flute, clarinet, tenor, alto, and soprano sax – as well as a bit of trumpet. The album features a live performance of the title suite, "Seraphic Light" – divided into three sections. CD

That's a pretty enticing title, and the record's got a pretty enticing sound as well – fantastic long-spun lines from the trio of Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass, and Whit Dickey on drums – all players with a long history together, and a perfectly-matched sound on the record! Shipp is at his most spiritual here – really reveling in that new sense of warmth that's graced his more recent material – a quality that Parker is only happy to support and emphasize, while Dickey proves once again that he can be an incredibly versatile talent on the drum kit – sometimes almost feeling like a different player on each different track on the record. Titles include "Down Void Way", "Nothing & A Thing", "Whirling In The Void", "Village Mothership", and "Nothingness". CD

Music from Charlie Hunter Quartet, Anthony Coleman's Sephardic Tinge, Clusone Trio, Mario Pavone Sextet, Matt Darriau Paradox Trio, Horace Tapscott Trio, Matthew Shipp, Myra Melford The Same River Twice, Thomas Chapin Trio, and David S. Ware Quartet. CD

There's a nice variation here to the previous album from Francisco Mela with this title – and that difference is pianist Cooper-Moore, who steps into the place that Matthew Shipp held in the previous trio – and brings all sorts of wonderful sounds and flavors into play! Mela's a great leader for the set – as his approach to the drums is as open and elliptical as the bass of William Parker and the piano of Cooper-Moore – who really has a way of circling around these sonic passages in a great way – almost slowly winding up, and pulling Parker and Mela along with him – then generating sparks that allows all three players to bristle with energy in all sorts of different directions. The set features two long tracks – "Musical Literacy" and "Mental Scenario". CD