Thoughts is a monumental avant-garde masterpiece recorded in May 1985 and released on Soul Note in 1987 by visionary composer and trumpeter Bill Dixon. Leading a formidable septet that includes double bassists William Parker and Mario Pavone, alongside percussionist Laurence Cook and brass luminaries Marco Eneidi, John Tchicai, and Karen Borca, Dixon constructs expansive acoustic landscapes defined by dramatic dynamic shifts and deep spatial awareness. From the solemn, politically charged four-part suite "For Nelson And Winnie" to the complex textural interplay of the title track, the recording showcases Dixon's unique ability to blend disciplined composition with spontaneous, microtonal improvisation. Recorded at the legendary Soul Note studios in Milan, Thoughts stands as one of the most compelling and essential documents of modern orchestral free jazz from the 1980s.

Vade Mecum 1 & 2 brings together two landmark sessions by master trumpet player and avant-garde visionary Bill Dixon, originally recorded in 1993 and released on Soul Note in 1994 and 1996. Leading a remarkably nimble and non-traditional quartet featuring dual acoustic basses—Barry Guy and William Parker—alongside the coloristic percussion of Tony Oxley, Dixon crafts loose compositional frameworks that yield sprawling, air-filled spaces for deep collective improvisation. The contrasting sonic personalities of the two bassists (Guy fleet and inquisitive; Parker dark and probing) create a rich middle ground over Oxley's textural drumming, allowing Dixon's microtonal trumpet and flugelhorn flights to hover with grace and unpredictability. Evoking the open-ended structural brilliance of Cecil Taylor's classic Conquistador! (where Dixon previously featured), these combined volumes stand as vital, essential documents of '90s free improvisation.

Tomorrow Sunny, The Revelry, Spp is a highly inventive and structurally unique avant-garde jazz recording by Henry Threadgill Zooid, released in 2012 on Pi Recordings. The album showcases Threadgill’s distinctive compositional system, which emphasizes modular structures, independent rhythmic layers, and non-traditional harmonic movement. As a result, the music unfolds in unpredictable yet carefully controlled ways, creating a sound world that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply expressive. Threadgill performs on flute, bass flute, and alto saxophone, leading an ensemble of highly skilled improvisers who navigate complex written material while maintaining strong individual voices. Liberty Ellman’s guitar work provides angular harmonic framing, while cello, trombone, bass guitar, and drums contribute shifting textures and interlocking rhythmic patterns. Tracks such as “Tomorrow Sunny” and “See the Blackbird Now” demonstrate the group’s ability to balance dense compositional architecture with spontaneous improvisation. The result is music that feels constantly in motion, full of tension, color, and subtle detail. Tomorrow Sunny, The Revelry, Spp stands as a landmark in modern experimental jazz, highlighting Threadgill’s visionary approach to ensemble writing and improvisational structure.

News from the Front is a sophisticated and adventurous contemporary jazz recording that highlights Marc Ducret’s distinctive compositional voice and highly expressive guitar work. Released in 1992 on JMT Productions, the album blends modern jazz structures with avant-garde influences, atmospheric textures, and intricate ensemble interaction. Ducret’s playing moves fluidly between lyrical melodic passages and angular improvisational ideas, creating a sound that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally dynamic. The compositions feature rich harmonic development and shifting rhythmic patterns, allowing the musicians to explore a wide range of moods and sonic colors. Pieces such as the expansive title track and “Fanfare” demonstrate Ducret’s ability to balance carefully arranged sections with spontaneous improvisational freedom, resulting in performances that feel both structured and unpredictable. Throughout the album, the interplay between the musicians remains highly responsive and expressive, emphasizing texture, tension, and subtle detail. News from the Front stands as an important example of early-1990s European contemporary jazz, appealing to listeners interested in modern improvisation, experimental composition, and innovative guitar-centered jazz music.

Tower Vol.1 is an ambitious and intensely creative modern jazz recording led by acclaimed French guitarist Marc Ducret. Released in 2011 on Ayler Records, the album explores the boundaries between contemporary composition and free improvisation through expansive structures, dynamic ensemble interaction, and rich textural experimentation. Ducret’s electric guitar work combines angular melodic ideas, abstract harmonic language, and expressive improvisational freedom, creating a constantly evolving sonic landscape. The ensemble, featuring trumpet, trombone, bass saxophone, and drums, produces a dense and highly atmospheric sound filled with tension, contrast, and intricate rhythmic movement. The lengthy “Real Thing” compositions unfold gradually, allowing the musicians to develop motifs organically while balancing composed passages with spontaneous interplay. The inclusion of “Interlude: L'Ombra di Verdi” introduces a darker and more reflective atmosphere that further enhances the album’s cinematic quality. Tower Vol.1 stands as a sophisticated example of contemporary European jazz, appealing to listeners interested in avant-garde improvisation, experimental textures, and deeply collaborative ensemble performance.

Originally recorded during August and September 1983 at Cold Storage studio in London, Fluvial stands as a fascinating document of avant-garde collaboration between vocalist Catherine Jauniaux and multi-instrumentalist Tim Hodgkinson. The album moves freely between free improvisation, experimental jazz, chamber rock, and abstract sound collage, creating a deeply atmospheric and unpredictable listening experience. Jauniaux’s expressive vocal approach shifts from theatrical whispers to fragmented melodies, while Hodgkinson’s inventive arrangements layer organ, clarinet, percussion, and guitar textures into dense sonic environments. The supporting musicians, including Tom Cora and Georgie Born on cello, contribute rich acoustic depth and unusual tonal colors throughout the album. Despite its experimental nature, Fluvial maintains a strong emotional core, balancing tension, mystery, humor, and spontaneous creativity. The recording captures the spirit of the early 1980s European improvisational scene while remaining timeless in its fearless exploration of sound and structure. This reissue preserves an important underground work that continues to resonate with fans of experimental music and avant-garde composition.

Digital Primitives - Lipsomuch & Soul Searching' (2013) {2CD Set, Hopscotch HOP51}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 588 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 223 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 20 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013 Hopscotch Records | HOP 51
Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde Jazz

This is only Digital Primitives' third recording, released four years after Hum Crackle & Pop (Hopscotch), but the trio sounds as if its three members have been playing together for ages. This double disc is comprised of two sets—Lipsomuch and Soul Searchin'. The trio—reed player Assif Tsahar, multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore and drummer Chad Taylor—have created their own aesthetics: concise, collaborative storytelling compositions, respectful for the blues and modern jazz legacies but fascinated by rock, folk and world music, inventive and imaginative in its sound vocabulary but always with rooted in an effective rhythmic envelope.

Digital Primitives - Hum Crackle & Pop (2009) {Hopscotch HOP42}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 338 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 132 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2009 Hopscotch Records | HOP 42
Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde Jazz

Hum Crackle and Pop, the long awaited second release of Digital Primitives forges a group sound that is fresh and unique. Digging deeply to unearth the roots of American music, the trio fuses a new sound from blues, folk, jazz and funk, with accents from the music's African antecedents.

Digital Primitives - Digital Primitives (2007) {Hopscotch HOP 39}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 381 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 151 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 11 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2007 Hopscotch Records | HOP 39
Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde Jazz

What is this…? An absolutely new way in the approach of jazz! Free jazz piano-player and iconoclast Cooper-Moore does not play a note of piano on this album, but he plays "diddley bow, mouth bow, bango, voice", some pretty unusual instruments which nevertheless fit perfectly in the music on this album. This is free jazz with a high level of joy in the performance but also of fun in the music itself : rhythmic complexities, some hard blowing at times, and especially the incredible interplay on these short yet to-the-point pieces. Chad Taylor on drums is exceptionaly strong, but Tsahar on sax is stellar as well, even composed at moments, and it is indeed a rare occasion when you hear the Israeli sax-player hit a tune.