Garrett Wingfield’s Octopod—Monoliths and Sepulchres

http://theoctopod.bandcamp.com/album...and-sepulchres

A surprisingly good free jazz collective made up primarily of students from The University of North Texas

A couple corny moments (leave the comedy to the pros, kids) but 99% on target aggressive jazz

I'm staying in cabin in the woods right now where the only sound I can hear is the small waterfall right off the deck so the last thing in the world I want to listen to right now is aggressive jazz, but that said, this sounds like it's amazing and I'm definitely going to check it out once I'm back in the world.

That’s cool

I’m planning on making the nature scene real soon


Live at Ljubljana by Luís Vicente - Seppe Gebruers - Onno Govaert


https://multikultiproject.bandcamp.c...e-at-ljubljana



JACC records | Músicos | Luis Vicente

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm7350511/bio

DOEK | Featured Artist

Free jazz. Not that I would want to steer you away from those North Texas boys but if your time is limited maybe sample this too Jansz

Sometimes I get that curiosity can get the edge but this small European ensemble is a bit better even if they’re in a land saturated with talent this shouldn’t be overlooked. I know it’s insane keeping up with the deluge of high quality free improvisation these days. It’s getting harder and harder to discriminate because there’s so much great stuff.

After A Few Days by J@K@L

https://juliankirshnerjakirecords.ba...ter-a-few-days

Chicago area free jazz. Recommended.

Daniel Carter, William Parker & Matthew Shipp - Seraphic Light

Can’t find the complete record online. Can one of you who can find anything link me in, please?

http://www.musicbanter.com/jazz-blue...ml#post1949160

Cosmic Language by Nat Birchall

Just cataloging here

Thanks for the find Frown

Another call for help

Brandon Lopez, Matthew Nelson, Andria Nicodemou & Gerald Cleaver - The Industry of Entropy (Relative Pitch, 2018)

I almost posted it in here but I didn't find it free or avant enough.

Fair enough. If it’s good enough I just say well it’s on the softer end of the free spectrum and push it in but I wouldn’t want this thread to get to crowded with stuff that doesn’t belong (doubtful I know)

You’re right though, it isn’t, but I still want it here so I cheated a bit

Quoan - Fine Dining (Orenda, 2018)

Review: The Free Jazz Collective: Quoan - Fine Dining (Orenda, 2018) ****

https://orendarecords.bandcamp.com/album/fine-dining

available on Spotify

sorry for being lazy

This is a nice track from the above mentioned record.

You can hear echoes of some all time faves: Lonely Woman, Round Midnight, and Alabama.

High quality modal jazz. Great track to end the record.

Axially Grasp by Mute Duo

Drone ambient pedal steel accompanied with very competent free jazz style percussion

I like it - released today

https://lurkerbias.bandcamp.com/album/axially-grasp

Ghost Dancers Slay Together by Reid Karris Group


http://lurkerbias.bandcamp.com/album...-slay-together

https://www.google.com/search?q=reid...&bih=320&dpr=2

Same label as yesterday’s pick but much harsher

Grindy, you might dig it. Not easy listening.

A History of Nothing by Rodrigo Amado / Joe McPhee / Kent Kessler / Chris Corsano


https://rodrigoamado.bandcamp.com/al...ory-of-nothing

Angular free jazz. No piano but still has a Cecil Taylor type of structure. Some brief sections very heavily Coltrane influenced. Almost has a Monklike angularity.

I’m quoting you and putting it over here. To my ears this is music that falls deep in the experimental spectrum of free jazz. To me, the foundation of it is free jazz percussion influenced by avant garde composers like Berio and Xenakis.

Without question I agree it’s going to be in the conversation for AOTY. Frankly, William Parker tackling something like this demands multiple listens and that has to be at the expense of other things.

Very glad you didn’t let me miss this one. Thanks.

Dinosaur - Wonder Trail

Progish jazz

The Free Jazz Collective: Dinosaur - Wonder Trail (Edition, 2018) ****

Dave Holland, Evan Parker, Craig Taborn, and Ches Smith - Uncharted Territories

Obviously another AOTY contender.

5/5 Stars

Big Bold Back Bone - Emerge (Wide Ear Records, 2018)

The Free Jazz Collective: Big Bold Back Bone - Emerge (Wide Ear Records, 2018) ****

Great review there

I’m just dick riding the free jazz collective blog but this is really good

blurred lines between free jazz atonal classical

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3641786439_16.jpg
Ben Lamar Gay - Downtown Castles Can Never Block the Sun

Brilliant. Don't sleep on it.

I can dig it

A cross between Roscoe Mitchell and Prince

Swim Swim is like Gilberto Gil backed by Os Mutantes and The Magic Band. HA ha

https://www.highresaudio.com/imgcach...m3_550x550.jpg

Nicolas Masson Travelers

This has that late 80’s glossy radio jazz production but the music is slightly melancholy. Might not sound that appealing but it hits a certain spot. Recommended if you’re ready to take a break from extremely chaotic stuff. Little bit of cool rain for you. Good reading BGM.

Return 2: The Grove by Kurushimi


https://viakurushimi.bandcamp.com/al...rn-2-the-grove

Extreme metal free jazz blend with some electronics thrown in for good measure. A reinterpretation of their debut release which is inspired by the Japanese author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa‘s In a Grove.

If you haven’t read In a Grove you really should. It’s fantastic gateway into the wonderful world of Japanese literature.

Japan’s most prestigious literary award is known as The Akutagawa Prize but it’s taken some heat for attention seeking over the past couple decades.

Their s/t is top notch, didn't know about this new release. Art As Catharsis rules.

Since my review the free jazz collective blog has reviewed this

The Free Jazz Collective: Tashi Dorji & Tyler Damon - Leave No Trace: Live In St. Louis (Family Vineyard, 2018) *****

Gnigler - Straight On, Downstairs, 2nd Door Left

Heavily influenced by Masada, this Viennese-based sextet‘s release received big praise on the Free Jazz Collective blog. I’m not quite as enthusiastic. Primarily, the problem is the motifs the songs are based on just aren’t that clever. They have cliche klezmer hooks that I don’t feel inclined to hang my hat on.

It’s on Spotify if you want to see if you agree.

A History of Nothing by Rodrigo Amado / Joe McPhee / Kent Kessler / Chris Corsano

https://rodrigoamado.bandcamp.com/tr...ory-of-nothing

First rate Portuguese free jazz. Spotify has his name misspelled Armado if you look for it there. Highly recommended.

The Thing - Again (Trost Records, 2018)

https://trostrecords.bandcamp.com/album/again


Mats Gustafsson – soprano and tenor saxophones
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten – acoustic and electric bass
Paal Nilssen– Love – drums and percussion

You’d think you’ve seen God.

5/5

The Free Jazz Collective: The Thing - Again (Trost Records, 2018) ****

This is a good review but I honestly can’t see this not getting 5 Stars. And they’re pretty liberal with 5 star reviews there.

Again brings us back to the masters. First listen is like you’ve known it your whole life

Rajada by Rajada (Pedro Sousa/ Miguel Mira/ Afonso Simões)

Pedro Sousa - tenor saxophone
Miguel Mira – cello
Afonso Simões - drums & percussion

https://multikultiproject.bandcamp.com/album/rajada

Great relationship between sax and percussion

Almost seems like one mind

I don’t often comment on the mix but I think the cello should be louder

Jazz mixes always seem to be unfair to strings.

Live at Islington Mill by David Birchall / Andrew Cheetham / Alan Wilkinson

https://tombedvisionsrecords.bandcam...islington-mill

I wonder how many people in the world have listened to as many obscure 2018 free jazz releases as I have. They certainly have started to blur.

rodger coleman sam byrd the mathematics of war

https://rodgercoleman.bandcamp.com/a...ematics-of-war

Noise punk improv free jazz drug music

I ****ing love it. Reminds me of the BAND machine gun and paperbag and skozey fetish

Recommended

Andrew Barker & Daniel Carter - Polyhedron

http://barker-carter.bandcamp.com/album/polyhedron

This one is less cacophonous or leaning to the less cacophonous end of the spectrum compared to the releases so far documented in this thread. This is serious, very proficient, soulful and beautiful jazz. And free. Free jazz. Probably the most beautiful two words ever put together.

I’m tempted to get into how can there be so much stellar free jazz happening a half century after the fact.

I’m not even begging for props but when I started this thread I had no idea how rewarding it was going to be. The releases of the last six months in this genre, the quantity AND quality is stunning. I’m shocked by it. OK I’m going to stop here because I really need to get it right when I explore how we got to this wonderful, if woefully unrecognized, era in jazz.

Gold​-​cut Square Voice by RyokoSam

https://rawtonkrecords.bandcamp.com/...t-square-voice

Unbelievably good

I wouldn’t trust my reviews any more but it is like that.

Ogún Meji Duo – For Those Who Have Gone, But Still Remain

From Columbus this free jazz duo pays tribute to and name drops into the song titles both Albert Ayler and Sunny Murray.

The Ayler tribute is titled Albert Ayler is Ringing Them Bells and it’s sincere attempt to recreate his sound. If you’re familiar with Ayler it’s clear what they’re going for. Ayler had such a distinct sound. So fragmented and echoey like he was always chopping up the melody and bouncing it against itself. It’s a hell of a tall order to recreate. Sunny Murray was Ayler’s drummer and the drumming on the Murray track is great.

I recommend taking 35 minutes to check this out

I’m going to agree with the free jazz collective blog and give this 4/5 Stars

Works for Upright Bass and Amplifier by Luke Stewart


http://wfubaa.bandcamp.com/album/wor...-and-amplifier

I love this ****

The title alone and I’m sold

https://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocola...bass-amplifier

Scratchy

Henry Threadgill - Double Up Plus and 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg

Dirt... And More Dirt
Album by 14 or 15 Kestra: AGG and Henry Threadgill

Both unavailable on Spotify and only partially available on Bandcamp

Would listen. Oh well.

https://pxhst.co/avaxhome/d7/4b/00524bd7.jpg

Lucas Niggli - Alchemia Garden (Intakt, 2018)

Solo percussion

The Free Jazz Collective: Lucas Niggli - Alchemia Garden (Intakt, 2018) ****

https://maryhalvorson.bandcamp.com/album/code-girl

Mary Halvorson
Code Girl

I don’t like the vocals but others will disagree.

I can't even give it a fair listen because of the vocals.