Rafał Mazur & Satoko Fujii, Guillermo Gregorio, Natsuki Tamura, Artur Majewski, Ramon Lopez – The Great Tone has no Sound

Though I cannot say I know much about Fundacja Słuchaj’s background, I can say that their releases tend to be excellent, releasing some of the bigger names in improvisational music.  This collection is no different. The personnel on this four-disc set is pretty phenomenal: Rafał Mazur plays bass, Satoko Fujii Continue Reading

[Announcement] Florian Arbenz / Tineke Postma – Free online gig at Porgy & Bess in Vienna

We have an online gig announcement from a friend of the blog, Swiss percussionist and drummer Florian Arbenz: Hi – I hope you’re well! Whilst most musicians are still not quite back touring, we do keep playing and I’m excited to let you know that I’m broadcasting live (and FREE) Continue Reading

Hozan Yamamoto 銀界 – Silver World (1971) (Full Album)

Though long out-of-print, this album screams for a proper reissue.  The album combines a fine jazz quartet with Yamamoto’s sublime shakuhachi playing. The personnel on this album were: Bass – Gary Peacock Drums – Hiroshi Murakami Piano – Masabumi Kikuchi Shakuhachi [Bamboo-Flute] – Hōzan Yamamoto

Ah-Q Jazz Arkestra – Letters From Afar

This release by Ah-Q Jazz Arkestra is a joint Chinese-American project.  The back story is rather interesting.  From the Bandcamp website: In early 2020, we found ourselves separated and stuck at home. Even though four of us were in Beijing, COVID19 control measures prevented us from meeting face to face. Continue Reading

Ángel Ontalva – Roads to Sunrise Cities

Ángel Ontalva is something like a paisano to me; a fellow of Spanish descent who spends an extraordinary time in Russia, and who has integrated himself into local scenes across the country.  Guitarist Ontalva has released a single which is a mellow pastiche of progressive rock, world music and jazz.  Continue Reading

The Claudia Quintet +1 with Kurt Elling & Theo Bleckmann – What Is The Beautiful?

Cuneiform Records offers a very generous program where a release from their back catalog is offered for $5 ($7 for a double album release), and they don’t skimp on the quality of these releases. Drummer John Hollenbeck’s The Claudia Quintet released this disc in 2011, and as a Rock-In-Opposition / Continue Reading