Jonah Parzen-Johnson & Lau Nau – A Few We Remember

From November 2025, we have a very good free improv release worth checking out.  From Jonah Parzen-Johnson’s Bandcamp site: “A Few We Remember is the new album by Jonah Parzen-Johnson and Lau Nau. The recording debut for the new duo of Finnish composer Lau Nau, aka Laura Naukkarinen, and American Continue Reading

Devin Gray feat. Andrea Parkins & Frank Gratkowski – Hz of Gold

This is the second album in the past few weeks I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing that features percussionist Devin Gray, and the two musicians he collaborates with on this disc are legendary: Andrea Parkins- electronics, accordion & wurlitzer Frank Gratkowski- saxophones, flutes, & clarinets Devin Gray – drums & Continue Reading

HJ Ayala – Wesserling En Direct

It’s wonderful to welcome back an old friend of the blog, Hector Javier Ayala, a guitarist hailing from Mexico and living in France. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this is a very song-focused album, featuring a couple of genuinely Mexican guitar tunes and the beautiful jazz classic, Days Continue Reading

Masayuki Takayanagi New Direction Unit – Axis/Another Revolvable Thing

Blank Form Editions out of New York has reissued a concert by Japanese free jazz guitarist Masayuki “Jojo” Takayanagi from 1975.  From their Bandcamp site: “Axis/Another Revolvable Thing is the second installment of Blank Forms’ archival reissues of the music of Japan’s eternal revolutionary Masayuki Takayanagi, following April is the Continue Reading

Petyaev-Petyaev – Incomparable Greatness

Brothers Peter Petyaev (saxophone) and Pavel Petyaev (guitar) released a collaborative album near the end of January 2026. It is free in its improvisational greatness but subdued in energy. This is not a nuclear blast of energy but a gentle romp that sounds active enough to be interesting without making your eardrums burst. Continue Reading

Mujician – The Journey

Mujician was perhaps one of the greatest improvisational groups to come out of England, and this album shows them in peak form. The band consisted of clarinetist and saxophonist Paul Dunmall, backed by drummer Tony Levin (not the King Crimson bassist), bassist Paul Rogers (not the hard rocker), and Keith Continue Reading

Toshiyuki Tsuchitori & Ryuichi Sakamoto – Disappointment / Hateruma

The void left by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s passing is far too immense to ever be filled.  One can hope for a reissue here and there, for some lost studio and live recordings to resurface, and for some demos and live tracks to pop up.  However, this month, we’re graced with a little Continue Reading

A Handful of Dust – The Philosophick Mercury

A Handful of Dust were (are still?) the most radically weird of New Zealand bands.  Ask legendary free-improv guitarist Alan Licht, who wrote a paean to this release: “Hahaha! Dude, don’t you realize you can keep the guitar out and twiddle knobs at the same time? Just ask Keith Rowe…or, Continue Reading

The Neshama Alma Band – Clearing Clouds of Confusion

Ernesto Diaz-Infante and his partner Marjorie Sturm offer a captivating improvisation featuring flute and guitar. This session unfolds at a slow and relaxed pace, allowing the mind to wander effortlessly to the soothing sounds of strumming and blowing. It’s a perfect accompaniment for a quiet Sunday.