CD

The Ex

1988

"The Ex are a regression to the pop of rage. They understand that punk's form of protest was to amplify your alienation and disposession... The Ex are best when they're the sound of a collapsing system, a catastrophic fury that's senseless and unnegotiable. That's their lure in this era of pragmatic reformers"

Duo Baars - Henneman

2013

"...I dare you to draw a clear line between what is written and what is not. Even in free improvisation mode, this duo is in sync. That, and the unique melodicism arising from their duets, are what makes Autumn Songs an artistic success, an example of musical perfection. -Francois Couture Listening Diary monsieurdelire.com 2013"

Syl Johnson

1994

"In 1993, a 57-year-old Syl Johnson made a long overdue return to the studio with Back in the Game, his first album since the early '80s. "Inspired" is definitely a word that describes Johnson's performances on this CD, which unites him with the legendary Hi Rhythm Section of the '70s. Joined by drummer Howard "Bulldog" Grimes and the Hodges brothers (guitarist Mabon, bassist Leroy, and organist/pianist Charles), including Ken Vandermark."

The Thing

2009

Mats Gustafsson / Paal Nilssen-Love / Mesele Asmamaw

2012

"Baro 101 totally undermines the notion that improv is a stale, overly-intellectualised genre for Western, coffee-swilling virtuosos. It’s warm and it swings, engaging and challenging at once. This is, to me, what improv should be, -The Liminal"

I.P.A

2020

"“Scandinavians have made an indelible mark on the progressive jazz front for the past several decades...Since 2007, Norwegian-based I.P.A. has been a major exponent of the fertile Euro jazz scene... this unit ups the ante by molding snippets of the past into a mode of attack, blotted by hyper-mode free bop and the frontline's sweltering solos and ricocheting horns arrangements. From start to finish, the quintet abides by an action-packed gait amid a hodgepodge of stylistic formats. Hence, it's a group of many colors as they navigate through these works with rebel-rousing but cohesive exchanges and surging through difficult time signatures with the greatest of ease.” – Glenn Astarita / All About Jazz"

Nate Wooley

2017

"The second series of Battle Pieces, a compositional system that now consists of roughly 100 short pieces that are manipulated and articulated differently by the members of the band for each performance in order to give one member who is purely improvising a very hard time, is out today on Relative Pitch Records. Beautiful playing all the way around on this live set recorded in Germany last year and featuring Sylvie Courvoisier, Ingrid Laubrock, and Matt Moran. - Nate Wooley"

Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet

2005

"First of all there is a great line-up going at this point, with the titanically endowed reed configuration of Brotzmann, Gustafsson, Vandermark and McPhee (the latter on alto sax and trumpet), plus Jeb Bishop on the trombone. Then there is Lonberg-Holm on cello, Kessler on bass, and the duo drum-team of Nilssen-Love and Zerang. Mike Pearson appears in the guise of recitator, since Be Music, Night centers around the poems of Kenneth Patchen and a hommage to his work."

The Vandermark 5

2008

"This is probably one of Vandermark's strongest compositional strengths : to structure carefully with strong melodic lines (listen to the beauty of "Any Given Number"), while leaving freedom to act, to integrate many things while creating something new, and all this while maintaing the band's phenomenal drive. It's fierce, it's tender, it's hypnotic. A captivating, surprising, intense album."

The Vandermark 5

2008

"This is probably one of Vandermark's strongest compositional strengths : to structure carefully with strong melodic lines (listen to the beauty of "Any Given Number"), while leaving freedom to act, to integrate many things while creating something new, and all this while maintaing the band's phenomenal drive. It's fierce, it's tender, it's hypnotic. A captivating, surprising, intense album."

Joe Morris Quartet

2005

"... Morris leads his quartet on an adventurous and varied set. With hauntingly atmospheric modal grooves, tender, reflective ballads and invigorating, angular free bop, Morris's singular talents as a guitarist have never been more evident. -Troy Collins, All About jazz"

Made to Break

2015

Fendika

2016

"Melaku likes to call the music ‘Addis Tradition’, which means ‘new tradition’. And that how it is. You feel the strong, traditional Ethiopian tunes, deeply rooted in the culture of many regions, but you also sense the new generation of great dancers and musicians. All five of this Fendika group are extremely talented and groundbreaking in their technique and approach. -Terp Records"

Sylvie Courvoisier Mark Feldman Quartet with Scott Colley and Billy Mintz

2014

"This music possesses a striking beauty, even when it appears to be trying for a different effect. This in itself is a remarkable achievement, but that it’s also so damn accessible and easy to connect with just makes it that much more impressive. - Bird is the Worm"

Gustafsson / Russell / Strid

2012

"The trio of Mats Gustafsson (saxophones), John Russell (guitar), and Raymond Strid (drums) play an outstanding live set of improvisation with timbrical richness at Hagen Festen 2011"

Mats Gustafsson & Alfred Vogel

2017

"the two musicians have been waiting for this since a long time. In summer 2016 they gave it a chance when Gustafsson played on Vogel´s festival BEZAU BEATZ with his power-free-jazz-trio THE THING. After a short holiday weekend Gustafsson was ready to blow and Vogel to beat. "my baritone never sounded any better" claims the reed wizard while Vogel who was also doing the mix seems to be free as a bird can be - way up in the sky and down to earth ..."

FJF

1997

"The succinctly titled Blow Horn starts with a shout from the saxes of Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark, with bass and drums (Kent Kessler and Steve Hunt) churning underneath, and thereafter the energy level seldom subsides. This is post-Ayler, Brötzmann-incited freedom, storm centers of agitation and exuberance, with only brief moments of respite (“Biomass”) between onrushing shock waves. But even at such an intense tack they’re able to suggest distinctive rhythmic designs, like the raucous r&b inflections of “Blow Horn for Service” or the slow, taut groove of “Structure a la Malle"."

Joe McPhee & Ingebrigt Håker Flaten

2010

"Though willfully abstract in comparison to conventional interpretations, McPhee and Haker Flaten's commitment to the blues is palpable. Blue Chicago Blues is grounded in the same core principles that bequeathed I-IV-V chord progressions and flatted notes, celebrating an enduring tradition in its endless capacity for emotional expression. -Troy Collins, All About Jazz"

The Ex

1984

"It's caustic. A real burner. (...) While still retaining an all important relevant edge to their musical comment , they've introduced elements of tunesmithing, attack, decay and composition that places them head and shoulders above their contemporaries."

The Thing

2013