It was only about a year ago when we last apprised a new album by the restless improvisational saxophonist from Sao Paulo, Ivo Perelman. Since that time, Perelman had put out another three albums, all trio records.

Oh no, not the 1974 Linda Ronstadt hit. Not even close. Rather, it’s a non-hit from 1967, by Latin soul godfather and vibraphonist Harvey Averne with the lead vocal sung by doo wop specialist Kenny Seymour

As a insatiably open minded guitarist and composer, maybe it was inevitable that someday Sean Moran would make a record featuring his nylon six-string guitar in a setting alien to that instrument.

To paraphrase Joe Lovano, FUSK doesn’t so much play free jazz, as set jazz free. Performing Super Kasper in a series of first takes, with three tracks presented as complete improvisations, this amalgam is simply too enterprising to fit into any one category.

One thing that Fred Anderson had shown us in his last years was that the original AACM guys can still make vital, risk-taking music of real consequence; these guys who were at the forefront of jazz in the 60′s never retreated

Amazon.com Widgets April 6th of last year was assuredly a special night for Andrea Centazzo. He was leading a thirteen-piece orchestra through five of his compositions at NYC’s The Stone club, during a fifteen-day festival celebrating the 30th anniversary of the storied creative music label he co-founded, Ictus Records

After reveling in pre-Benny Goodman big band jazz with a cheery avant twist and unlikely pop references leading the Millennial Territory Orchestra, slide trumpet extraordinaire Steven Bernstein returns to his first major project after a seven year studio layoff.

King Crimson, of all things, was the ensemble that first demonstrated (to the wider public, at least) the greater possibilities introduced by a double trio. And now, a Frenchman and an American extend this thrilling concept into jazz.

About three and a half years ago, I passed along some thoughts on a young, up-and-coming trombone player from Switzerland, Samuel Blaser.

Ches Smith’s These Arches boasts a line-up so powerful I had to check the statute books to see if this grouping was even legal.