Articles by: S. Victor Aaron

John Surman - 'Flashpoints and Undercurrents' (1969, 2025 release)

John Surman – ‘Flashpoints and Undercurrents’ (1969, 2025 release)

feature photo courtesy of Cuneiform Records John Surman is a long-time icon of British jazz and a big ECM Records star since 1979 (his 2024 release Words Unspoken might be the best thing ECM put out that year). But the multi-reedist was already an accomplished vet by the time heRead More

The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco - 'Are You Sure?' (2025)

The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco – ‘Are You Sure?’ (2025)

The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco are back. Their calling card of campy humor married to tight rock-pop songcraft are back, too, with their new set of songs ‘Are You Sure?’.

Wolf Eyes + Anthony Braxton - 'live at pioneer works, 26 october 2023' (2025)

Wolf Eyes + Anthony Braxton – ‘live at pioneer works, 26 october 2023’ (2025)

‘live at pioneer works, 26 october 2023’ by Wolf Eyes and Anthony Braxton is a splendidly spontaneous live capture of towering figures of avant-garde jazz and underground noise music.

Steve Smith and Vital Information, "Don't Stop Believin'" (2025): One Track Mind

Steve Smith and Vital Information, “Don’t Stop Believin'” (2025): One Track Mind

Here is a video of Steve Smith and Vital Information’s explosive take on Journey’s megahit “Don’t Stop Believen’.”

Keiji Haino + Natsuki Tamura - 'What Happened There?' (2025)

Keiji Haino + Natsuki Tamura – ‘What Happened There?’ (2025)

‘What Happened There?’ has much unpredictable, provocative and instinctual playing from the first encounter between Keiji Haino and Natsuki Tamura, two of Japan’s foremost musical firebrands.

Tim Berne, with Gregg Belisle-Chi + Tom Rainey - 'Yikes Too' (2025)

Tim Berne, with Gregg Belisle-Chi + Tom Rainey – ‘Yikes Too’ (2025)

There’s too much artful turmoil here to contain on one disc, and that’s why Tim Berne’s ‘Yikes Too’ is a double-disc delight.

Will Mason Quartet - 'Hemlocks, Peacocks' (2025)

Will Mason Quartet – ‘Hemlocks, Peacocks’ (2025)

Microtonal jazz has been explored for a while, but with ‘Hemlocks, Peacocks,’ Will Mason finds innovative ways to scale its limitless potential.

Roscoe Mitchell - 'One Head Four People' (2024)

Roscoe Mitchell – ‘One Head Four People’ (2024)

Roscoe Mitchell leads a new trio/quartet using his decades-old ideas with a new freshness and proving with ‘One Head Four People’ that his approach still stands in the vanguard of jazz.

Cheer-Accident - 'Vacate' (2024)

Cheer-Accident – ‘Vacate’ (2024)

Cheer-Accident’s ‘Vacate’ is an “easy listening” record from an art rock band that deserves close listening.

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Patrice Rushen – ‘Prelusion’ (1974, 2024 Remaster)

Fifty years on, Patrice Rushen’s ‘Prelusion’ continues to be more than some artifact of its time, it’s the auspicious introduction of a precocious, enormous talent