Digital

The Ex + Tom Cora

1993

"Like Sonic Youth, The Ex knows that their harshest parts stand out in bolder and better relief when balanced with softer moments."

"The Ex and Tom Cora have joined forces again for another passionate and eclectic release."

"A new voyage of discovery, once again quite enervating... Poetry and chaos side by side, like confrontation and trance, in a wild collision of styles. Uneasy listening."

Joe McPhee

2009

""Epic" is a word that seems appropriate to describe the music on this two-disc offering by saxophonist and trumpeter Joe McPhee. Accompanied by four double-bassists, the veteran free-jazzer from upstate New York has concocted a tribute to the spirit of one of the genre's early patron saints and called it, appropriately enough The Albert Ayler 2000 Project."

Michiyo Yagi / Paal Nilssen-Love / Lasse Marhaug

2015

"Koto virtuoso Michiyo Yagi joins the longstanding Norwegian duo of drummer Paal-Nilssen-Love and electronics wizard Lasse Marhaug for a session of extended improvisations. Galvanized by Nilssen-Love’s arsenal of sounds and textures, Yagi drives the most traditional of Japanese instruments to non-idiomatic and percussive extremes while Marhaug’s abstractions reach heights of surprising lyricism. A veritable atlas of strange and wonderful sonic terrain, “Angular Mass” invites the listener to an unforgettable adventure."

Tim Daisy's Fulcrum Ensemble

2018

"The three compositions on the group’s latest release “Animation” take inspiration from a range of contemporary musical ideas including: the innovative performance and compositional techniques pioneered by the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, structural and textural innovations connected to contemporary composers including Earle Brown, Anthony Braxton and Terry Riley, as well as the energy and spirit generated by the American “free jazz” movement of the 1960’s and 70's, notably the work of Julius Hemphill, Marion Brown, and Don Cherry. "

The Vandermark 5

2009

"Typical of Vandermark's episodic writing, the piece eschews standardized forms, modulating through a series of stylistic changes that range from metallic funk to austere neo-classicism. The rhythm section gracefully complies with each transition as Vandermark's brawny tenor cries and tranquil clarinet musings contrast with Dave Rempis' serpentine alto salvos."

David Grubbs / Mats Gustafsson

1998

"Duets for harmonium and whateveraphone. These pieces are starkly out of character for both individuals, but no less excellent"

Rempis/Abrams/Ra

2014

"This debut release by the regular working trio of Dave Rempis, Joshua Abrams, and Avreeayl Ra is a perfect example of what makes Chicago such a fertile breeding ground for improvised music; three musicians of widely varying ages, backgrounds, playing experiences, and musical interests join forces to deliver moments of both sublime beauty and volcanic energy, continually tempered by the seamless narrative momentum that they weave together in a seemingly effortless way. Although the trio has only been working since the fall of 2012, their group dynamic reveals a chemistry that feels much more seasoned than such a short time might allow – perhaps a result of their shared interest in musical experiences that transcend the every day level, and offer something more substantial to the listener. With Abrams doubling on several different string instruments, and Ra on his characteristically wide array of percussion, the music these three create together is wide-ranging in nature, drawing upon influences from around the world to create a sound that’s totally unique within the current milieu of improvised music. credits "

Rempis/Abrams/Ra + Baker

2019

"Dave Rempis is really on fire – effortlessly blowing long-spun lines on alto, tenor, and baritone saxes – as part of a very freewheeling quartet with a old school improvising vibe! - Dusty Groove"

Paul Rutherford, Ken Vandermark, Torsten Müller & Dylan van der Schyff

2018

"This recording features the late trombonist, Paul Rutherford, in an outstanding performance from 2004. The band was concluding a West Coast tour and shows both fire and sensitivity, delivering two extended improvisations and four well-focussed miniatures. With Ken Vandermark (reeds), Torsten Müller (contrabass), & Dylan van der Schyff (drums, percussion). "

iTi

2010

"An amazing lineup of European, Chicago and UK players in a live set from the 2008 ArtActs Festival, music that merges the boundaries of ea-improv and free jazz."

Territory Band-2

2002

Ken Vandermark & Tim Daisy

2007

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."

Duo Baars - Henneman

2017

"...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."

The Thing

2009

Joe Morris Quartet

2014

""Maneri’s viola sings and saws through imaginative solos and commentaries, and it blends wonderfully with the guitarist’s flinty single-note lines and harmonic shards, evoking whole worlds of music—not only shades of Ornette Coleman but abstractions of Africa, India and Appalachias.""

DKV Trio

1997

Mats Gustafsson / Paal Nilssen-Love / Mesele Asmamaw

2012

"The Ex were in Ethopia in 2010 for their "Free the Jazz" saxophone project, here presenting Mats Gustafsson on baritone saxophone, Paal Nilssen-Love on drums, and Mesele Asmamaw on krar, a stringed bowl-shaped lyre."

Nate Wooley

2015

"The set up and sequencing of the album, featuring the four distinct voices, makes for a captivating listen. Battle Pieces is a thoughtful and unusually constructed album that offers the patient listener a fine musical experience (Paul Acquaro, The Free Jazz Collective)"