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Features Ron Carter, Eddie Gomez, and Jim Hall. CD

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One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". LP, Vinyl record album

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With Larry Grenadier on bass, Jeff Ballard on durms, and Mehlday on piano. CD

One of the most beautiful, personal albums we've ever heard from pianist Brad Mehldau – a set that gives away its concept right in the title – put together and performed during the month of April 2020 – surely one of the strangest on the planet in recent years! Mehldau mixes his own music with a few key tracks by others – choosing carefully, as he does with his notes on the solo piano – working with a mode that's surprisingly poetic, but also touched with some of the more melancholic moods that gripped so many of us during the initial moments of lockdown. The set's certainly not going to be alone in the world of Covid-19 creativity, but it's certainly one of the most beautiful – with titles that include "Uncertainty", "Remembering Before All This", "Keeping Distance", "Stepping Outside", "Yearning", "Waiting", and "In The Kitchen" – plus versions of "Don't Let It Bring You Down" and "New York State Of Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A really lovely little record from pianist Brad Mehldau – quite different than most of his albums, in that the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is on board to help expand Mehldau's ideas in his music! The statement of the title is an apt one for the set – as it offers up variations on a blue-tinged melody. Yet the execution of the project is so much more than that – as the use of strings and woodwinds really open things up alongside Brad's piano – with a style that's more spacious and instrumentally distinct, and which strikingly puts Mehldau in an Americanist legacy that stretches back to the work of Aaron Copland and George Gershwin. There's definitely a larger Copland vision going on here – something that's a wonderful change after Brad's previous record, cut during the pandemic – almost as if Mehldau and the ensemble are helping to open things back up with their music. The record features 11 core variations, plus the initial "Theme", and some added passages as well. CD

Pat Metheny on guitar, Christian McBride on bass, and Antonio Sanchez on drums. CD

Features Pat Metheny on guitars, Chris Potter on reeds, Ben Williams on acoustic bass, and Antonio Sanchez on drums. CD

Pat Metheny meets the Brad Mehldau trio – with Metheny on guitar, Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Jeff Ballard on drums. CD

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A great return to form for Orchestra Baobab – a group who really shone on the Senegalese scene in the 70s, but disbanded right as they were hitting global fame – eventually reuniting around the time of this album, thanks to demand from listeners around the world! The style is nicely unadorned here – handled by Youssou D'Dour with Nick Gold of the World Circuit label – in a way that replicates some of the earlier music by the group that was issued by the label, and which helped lead to their reunion! There's maybe a bit less funk than in the 70s, but the rhythms are still nice and sharp, sewn together with lots of great work on guitar – and maturing, heartfelt vocals on tracks that include "Dee Moo Woor", "Sutukun", "Bul Ma Miin", "Gnawoe", "Ndongoy Daara", "Jiin Ma Jinn Ma", and "Hommage A Tonton Ferrer". LP, Vinyl record album

A amazing single from guitarist Jeff Parker – sounds that both resonate with his long legacy of music, but which also really represent his strong new wave of growth in recent years! The tune has this kind of blocky groove – chunks of warm sound building up into a compelling rhythm, while Jeff solos beautifully over the top at the start – then more horns come into the mix and open up the tune with a beautiful array of colors and tones! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Mindblowing music from Jeff Parker – sounds that we always knew were part of his core, but which have maybe taken most of his career to emerge! This album follows beautifully from Jeff's previous album for International Anthem – and like that one, it's an explosion of new and old ideas at once – jazz elements with soul currents, all put together with a complexity that lives up to Parker's long legacy in music, but which also has an organic appeal that makes the whole thing come together with effortless ease! There's plenty of sophistication in the sound, but it also sneaks in with lots of grooves that Jeff never had before – including some funky currents that come from Parker's work on keyboards, drums, and samples in addition to his usual guitar – and added drums from Jamire Williams and Makaya McCraven. Titles include "Lydian Etc", "Build A Nest", "Del Rio", "3 For L", "Fusion Swirl", "After The Rain", and "Max Brown". CD

Mindblowing music from Jeff Parker – sounds that we always knew were part of his core, but which have maybe taken most of his career to emerge! This album follows beautifully from Jeff's previous album for International Anthem – and like that one, it's an explosion of new and old ideas at once – jazz elements with soul currents, all put together with a complexity that lives up to Parker's long legacy in music, but which also has an organic appeal that makes the whole thing come together with effortless ease! There's plenty of sophistication in the sound, but it also sneaks in with lots of grooves that Jeff never had before – including some funky currents that come from Parker's work on keyboards, drums, and samples in addition to his usual guitar – and added drums from Jamire Williams and Makaya McCraven. Titles include "Lydian Etc", "Build A Nest", "Del Rio", "3 For L", "Fusion Swirl", "After The Rain", and "Max Brown". LP, Vinyl record album

The late-career high points get loftier and loftier for the great Robert Plant! Plant is working here with his Sensational Shapeshifters, a band name that just as aptly applies to Plant himself, having shifted over to a progressive folk and roots mode, decades after conquering hard rock in Led Zeppelin! Recorded in England, after moving back home, with a more global-centric vibe than the Americana style of his previous couple records, it's really great stuff – and we genuinely appreciate him pushing creative boundaries at this stage, rather than coasting on his legend status. Includes "Little Maggie", "Rainbow", "Pocketful Of Golden", "Turn It Up", "A Stolen Kiss", "Somebody There", "Poor Howard", "House Of Love", "Up on The Hollow Hill (Understanding Arthur)" and "Abraden (Maggie's Babby)". CD

Joshua Redman on tenor and soprano saxophone, Matt Penman and Reuben Rogers on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. CD

Joshua Redman on soprano and tenor saxophone, Larry Grenadier and Timothy Cobb on bass, Ellen Westermann, Eugene Moye and Stephanie Cummins on cello, Brian Blade on drums, Pamela Sklar on flute, Robert Carlisle on French horn, Brad Mehldau on piano, vibraphone, and tubular bells, Daniel Panner, Dov Scheindlin, and Vincent Lionti on viola, and Ann Leathers, Avril Brown, Christina Courtin, Courtney Orlando, Karen Karlsrud, Katherine Livolsi-Landau, Yuri Vodovoz, and Joanna Maurer on violin. CD

Joshua Redman continues the wonderful groove he first began on his Elastic album – a well-named sound that's filled with lots of modal rhythms and a very soulful spirit! The style's a bit like that growing, more open-ended style of organ jazz at the end of the 60s – especially the sort that was showing up on some of John Patton's later albums, or the looser recordings of Groove Holmes and Lonnie Smith. Redman's working here on a variety of saxes, alongside great organ and keyboards from Sam Yahel, and exceptional work on drums from Brian Blade and Jeff Ballard. The album features guest work by Stefon Harris, Jeff Parker, Nicholas Payton, ?uestlove, and Meshell Ndegocello – and titles include "Soundcheck", "Sweet Nasty", "Just A Moment", "Shut Your Mouth", "The Crunge", "Riverwide", "Greasy G", "Lonely Woman", "Swunk", and "Put It In Your Pocket". CD

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Works include "Ionisation" by Varese, "Ostinato Pianissimo" by Henry Cowell, "Amorphis" by Kil-Sung Oak, and "Fantasy Variations" by Michael Colgrass. LP, Vinyl record album

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Wilco's incredible Kicking Television live album – from a rock band that defies convention and cliche – so who else to make one of the best, most interesting and adventurous live albums of the decade! The group was arguably at its live peak in the mid aughts, when Kicking Television was recorded in a residency at their hometown Chicago's Vic Theatre in May of '05. CD

Titles include "Kamera", "Radio Cure", "Jesus Etc", "Heavy Metal Drummer", "Reservations", "Poor Places", "Pot Kettle Black", "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart", and "Ashes Of American Flags". CD

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Music for traditional dances and ceremonies from Ghana, performed on a variety of instruments, including talking drums, xylophone-like keyed balaphones, stringed lutes and fiddles, flutes and horns. Many of the pieces also include vocal accompaniment, and as you might imagine are played at a nice, festive tempo, with interlocking rhythms, though there are also a couple of call-and-response chants and one quiet solo vocal piece. Eleven pieces in all, including "Dogumbo Song", "Dzil Duet", "Gonje Songs", "Donno Drumers", "Kassena-nankani Festival", "Ahanta Chant", "Wiiks And Mpintintoa", "Marilli" and "Chohun And Gyamadudu". CD

Music from Oscar Isaac, Stark Sands with Punch Brothers, Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford, Justin Timberlake with Carey Mulligan & Stark Sands, the Down Hill Strugglers with John Cohen, Oscar Isaac with Punch Brothers, Nancy Blake, Bob Dylan, and more. CD

An excellent companion to David Lewiston's other recordings of Balinese gamelan and monkey chants, this set similarly captures the rippling beauty of the gong orchestra. Unlike the Javanese style, which Nonesuch made numerous volumes documenting, the Balinese approach is more aggressive, with a heavier rhythmic approach. Also included here is an excerpt of the great Ketjak monkey chant, with waves of chattering phasing in and out. 8 pieces in all, including "Gamelan Gong Kebyar", "Sekehe Gengong", "Lullaby" and "Gender Wayang: Ansarun". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual later album from the singer who recorded both for Chess Records in the 60s, and worked with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago in the 70s! This is a spiritual set, taking Fontella Bass back to her roots – with production from Wayne Horvitz. CD

You know the story. Ry Cooder got tired of playing with Ali Farka Toure, set his sights on another culture to plunder, and the rest is history! Who'd have ever thought the Cuban embargo would create a useful situation for a dried-out rocker to suddenly have great record sales again? Can't blame the old guys for falling for Ry, and you've got to give them credit for doing a good job – but dig this one for the music, and not just because we're Americans who've pretended that Cuba didn't exist for 40 years! CD

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A groundbreaking collaboration between Brian Eno & David Byrne – recorded with a spare, stripped down love of electronics and found sound samples – in a mode that would have a huge influence on countless records to come! Part of the set resonates with the quirky grooves found in Byrne's early Talking Heads records – but the overall sound is much more stark than that work, and is characterized by key found vocals and odd ethnic bits that really set the tone for each new tune. Eno's influence is felt strongly in the simplicity of the tracks, and in the darkly resonant production modes – that classic Eno touch used here before it became a bit too trademark, in a way that could still make a record like this sound great, even when coming from major label sources! A key force in shaping countless genres to come in the next 25 years – with great tracks that include "America Is Waiting", "Regiment", "The Jezebel Spirit", "Moonlight In Glory", "A Secret Life", "Come With Us", and "Mountain Of Needles". Plus, this new version adds in 7 more bonus tracks that include "Number 8 Mix", "Pitch To Voltage", "Two Against Three", "Vocal Outtakes", and "Defiant" – all a fair bit darker than the original album! CD

Brilliant late work from Bill Evans – his last set of recordings from the Village Vanguard – recorded in the summer of 1980, nearly two decades after his first famous albums at the club! Evans here is a wealth of imagination – really stretching out in relaxed, fluid formation – gentler than before, but also with a deeper sense of feeling too – and getting some great support from trio members Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums. Tracks mostly hover around the five minute range – but there's some key longer numbers too – and the whole thing's a perfect example of why live Bill Evans is often some of the best Bill Evans you can find! 58 tracks on 6CDs, packaged with a booklet – and titles include "Nardis", "Knight For Mary F", "Emily", "Minha", "My Romance/Five", "But Not For Me", "Bill's Hit Tune", "I Do It For Your Love", "Quiet Now", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Your Story", "Tiffany", and "Re Person I Knew". CD

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Includes works by Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Arvo Part, Philip Glass, Raymond Scott, and George Crumb. CD

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A trio session with Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Jeff Ballard on drums. CD

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Joshua Redman on saxophone, Christian McBride, Larry Grenadier and Reuben Rogers on bass, Ali Jackson, Brian Blade, and Eric Harland on drums. CD

A pivotal album from minimalist genius Steve Reich – a record that got him into living rooms across America – thanks to the album's higher concept, and key participation of the Kronos Quartet and guitarist Pat Metheny! Kronos perform on the long title track "Different Trains" – a piece that is both a meditation on train travel and its role in the Holocaust – performed by the quartet with additional sounds from Reich on tape! Metheny's guitar sounds fantastic on "Electric Counterpoint" – a work that's completely faithful to the amazing range of tones and colors he'd been bringing to his own albums for years, but which also reworks things with Reich's minimal modes. CD

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Bill Frisell goes to Nashville – and finds a whole new outlet for his tremendous talents on guitar! The record's definitely got some of the elements you'd expect – some dobro from Jerry Douglas on another of tracks – plus bits of banjo, mandolin, and even some harmonica – but the whole thing is often in a very Frisell-familiar mode, with a sense of color, space and sound – just given a bit of a Nashville pitch! Robin Holcomb sings on three of the album's 14 tracks – and titles include "Family", "Pipe Down", "Go Jake", "One Of These Days", "Brother", "Mr Memory", "Gimme A Holler", "Shucks", and "The End Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of those rare cases where an all-star group is really worth the weight of its talent – as this quartet really sounds wonderful together, and make you know that you're in for a treat right from the very first note in the set! The best energy of the record might come from the rhythmic conception of drummer Brian Blade, and maybe a bit of the spirit of bassist Christian McBride – because pianist Brad Mehldau and tenorist Joshua Redman come off with all these really inventive, creative elements – very much structured around a sense of rhythm, although one that's nicely complex at most moments – a less-familiar sort of swing, and we mean that in the best way possible. Titles include "Father", "Floppy Diss", "Your Part To Play", ":Moe HOnk", "Right Back Round Again", and "Undertow". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely compelling work from Caetano Veloso – proof that his genius hasn't faltered at all over the years! The album follows nicely in the format of Veloso's prevous Ce album – with small combo backing, and a stripped-down sound that's light years from what you might expect from an aging artist of his stature – quite edgey at times, and with a youthful vibrancy, and sense of presence that's really amazing! Even when laidback, the tunes have a really powerful sort of quality – one that has Veloso's wonderful vocals right out front, backed by just a bit of guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums. Moreno Veloso co-produced the album with group member Pedro Sa, and the set's got a lot of the energy of his own wonderful work with Kassin and Domenico – although a bit less quirky overall – and titles include "Falso Leblon", "Tarado Ni Voce", "Menina Da Ria", "Lapa", "Diferentemente", "Perdeu", "Sem Cais", and "Por Quem". CD

2 works each by Xenakis and Penderecki, both conducted by Lukas Foss, and featuring Paul Zukofsky as the main soloist on one piece. Our favorite is Xenakis' "Pithoprakta", which has a cold atonal sound, and lots of amazing instrumentation that sounds sparsely electronic. LP, Vinyl record album

A compilation of the Nonesuch Explorer series. It's split up into The Far East, which features "Ketjak", "Baris", "Frong Song", "Ketawang", "Echigojishi", and "Shrine Music"; India, which contains "Ni Ri Ni Ri Ga Ma", "Jogia", "Yaman", "Banturiti", and "Telisi Rama Chintanato"; Africa & The Americas, which contains "Me Voy A Belen", "Candomble", "Gumbukumbu", and "El Perro"; and Continental Europe, which includes "Krivo Horo", "Sto Limani Tou Piraea", "Ladarke", "Gaida Avasi", and "Sinoc M I Je Lane Mojo Dolazio Mile". LP, Vinyl record album

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