Listening to Matthew Shipp create on unaccompanied piano is like peering into the soul of a man. ‘Codebreaker’ exposes the soul of an artist absorbing decades of accomplishment but still capable of decades more.

‘Village Mothership’ is not merely Whit Dickey, William Parker and Matthew Shipp going off to their corners doing their own thing, these are three strongly distinct musical personalities able to interlock with each other while unconsciously maintaining their identities.

Matthew Shipp and William Parker’s ‘Re-Union’ is a set of improv pieces that reveals the true extent of unity of purpose and direction that comes from more than three decades of playing together in nearly every imaginable setting.

When you listen to any of the dozens of records that Perelman and Matthew Shipp have made over the years, you can understand why this communion deserves a box set kind of celebration. And ‘Procedural Language’ is yet another reason to celebrate.

The challenge for listeners to keep up is also central to the thrill of listening to ‘Cool With That’ by the improvised music supergroup East Axis.

Neither Evan Parker nor Matthew Shipp have anything left to prove, but that doesn’t diminish their drive to leave it all on the stage, as they did on ‘Leonine Aspects.’

The Ivo Perelman Trio’s ‘Garden of Jewels’ is a feast of ear food delivered with passion, fearlessness and a unity of purpose.

Where Ivo Perelman is involved, there is always a surprise contained in every moment. Add two like-minded musicians like Matthew Shipp and Joe Morris playing dissimilar instruments on ‘Shamanism,’ and the level of surprise and thrill are tripled.

Mat Walerian’s latest Okuden project is his most ambitious yet and when you understand the sweeping, cutting-edge careers of his sidemen, you see an artist whose ambitions matches theirs.

The first encounter of tenor sax boss Rich Halley and the Matthew Shipp Trio worked out so well, they quickly decided to do it again.