CD

Vario-34

1993

Ab Baars + Mariëtte Rouppe van der Voort

2003

"…Rouppe van der Voort performs miracles in dexterity on the piccolo in "E si fussi pisci", turning it into a penny whistle sliding out of control. Stopping on a dime 45 seconds before the end of the piece, she prompts a quiet and fragile coda that is so perfect you'll go back to the booklet to make sure it was not scored. Other highlights include the busy and playful title track, the tender "Duet for John and Bob" and "Bells," where Baars launches into a soulful non-idiomatic tenor sax solo. Veer and Haul is a title that evokes big ships performing clumsy maneuvers, but Baars and Rouppe van der Voort's lines are sketching a fascinating dance".
--François Couture, All Music Guide "

Ken Vandermark & Mats Gustafsson

2013

Spaceways Inc.

2002

Joe McPhee & John Heward

2008

Lean Left

2010

Lean Left

2010

Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet

2012

Elisabeth Harnik

2018

"Ways Of My Hand suggests another side of Harnik. Her improvisations transform instantly into compositions that reflect her intimate and deep knowledge of the many histories of jazz, avant-garde, art rock and improvised music of the last century and distill her strong, idiosyncratic voice. The five compositions were recorded in September and December 2015. "

Diskaholics Anonymous Trio

2006

Chicago Reed Quartet

2015

"each cut boasts such richness of voicings, interactions and solo spots that it's an invitation to put on the headphones and dive in."

The Chicago Reed Quartet

2016

"Four generations of Chicago saxophonists join forces in this collaborative quartet, each one separated in age by almost exactly ten years. This wasn’t a calculated decision when Rempis and Vandermark first brainstormed the idea of the group in late 2013. The lineup came together based purely on the musical affinity of the personalities involved. (Oddly enough, Mazzarella and Williams had also been discussing the idea of forming a saxophone quartet at that time). However, the complex web of musical collaborations between these four musicians in countless combinations dating back twenty-five years, as well as their differing perspectives on composition, improvisation, and the instruments themselves, combine to reveal a truly cross-sectional perspective on the Chicago improvised music scene. Although an unintended consequence of the lineup that Rempis and Vandermark initiated, this accidental result may be one of the most intriguing perspectives from which to look at the quartet’s music. These eight pieces, two compositions from each of the band members, were workshopped extensively in 2014, with regular rehearsals and concerts in Chicago throughout the winter and spring. This recording was made mostly in one day, all in single takes, on a laid-back, closed-door, summer afternoon session at Chicago’s Hungry Brain. And within these eight pieces, one can hear an ongoing artistic dialogue that stretches back for decades."

Resonance Ensemble

2012

Audio One

2015

"Strong, interesting compositions. Excellent, opinionated musicians. Passionate, committed playing, full of energy. Brilliant album (Eyal Hareuveni, The Free Jazz Collective)"

Joe Morris

2009

Mats Gustafsson

1999

"Windows is an important step in Gustafsson's career, evidencing a mature combination of technical prowess, conceptual rigor, and sublimated passion. Highly recommended."

Marker

2017

""Vandermark’s music is a moving target. Wired For Sound was recorded in September 2017, and since then the group has toured the Southern USA. If their final Chicago date, which occurred a couple weeks after that tour, is any indication, they’ve grown more fearless and forceful. Here’s hoping that this band stays together for a spell; it’d be great to hear what comes next." -Bill Meyer, Dusted Magazine, March 19, 2018 "5 stars" -Gustav Lindqvist, The Free Jazz Collective, February 21, 2018 "

Peter Brötzmann & Paal Nilssen-Love

2010

Peter Brötzmann & Paal Nilssen-Love

2014

Mats Gustafsson and Yoshimi

2007