Thelonious Monk – Mønk

Thelonious Monk will need no introduction from my readers.  He is the quintessential jazz pianist, and this unreleased album comes from a 1963 Danish recording session.  It is Monk playing at his peak.  From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Hot on the heels of Impulse’s recently unearthed Coltrane number one hit Continue Reading

Roedelius & Arnold Kasar – Zensibility

On December 1, the maestro will again collaborate with Arnold Kasar (whom he paired with on a Deutsche Grammophon release 5 years ago) on a new album of piano and electronics.  Judging by the two tracks available for listening, this will be perfect winter music to meditate to. From the Continue Reading

Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley – Being Astral And All Registers – Power Of Two

I’m not sure if one can rightly call this a free-improv classic, but it’s hard to find two musicians who gel together as well as Cecil Taylor and Tony Oxley do.  The piano playing is fierce and powerful, matched stroke-for-stroke by Oxley’s percussion and drumming.  A fine live disc.

Gleb Kolyadin – The Outland

Gleb Kolyadin is the pianist of Russian progressive rock band iamthemorning, but in this release, he has no problem mixing prog rock with jazz fusion.  The album is full of guests, but perhaps the biggest one is King Crimson’s legendary bassist and Chapman stick player Tony Levin playing upright bass.  Continue Reading