The international element is strong on ‘Spirit’ like a lot of jazz albums these days but Zem Audu is long beyond that concept of throwing together different ingredients and has mastered making his stew simmer with sophistication.

Through death comes transformation. Gato Libre is a band whose body has changed, but its original heart perseveres.

Intelligent, driven and mellifluous, Rose’s lifelong relentless pursuit of excellence within jazz comes out on ‘Within and Without,’ starting with the attractively propulsive number “Afensou.”

This album seductively demonstrates a strong continuity of the free jazz heritage from its mid-’60s flowering to guys like Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp and Andrew Cyrille.

The combination of Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, John Medeski and Larry Grenadier is capable of so much; but ‘Hudson’ delivers in that it doesn’t kowtow to expectations of what kind of music these four legends should make.

As a composite of ideas and influences introduced elsewhere, ‘Vol 1: The Humanities’ is a fine entry point to Ben Goldberg’s catalog that dilutes none of his expansive artfulness.

Bill Laswell and the cast of characters assembled for this 57-minute jam aren’t the ordinary type.

It becomes clear on solo live performances such as the one captured on ‘Invisible Touch At Taktlos Zürich’ that the more Matthew Shipp is exposed, the more fascinating is his music.

What’s the difference between an electric piano and an acoustic one? In the hands of The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco, apparently not much, quality-wise.

Baku and Fei’s ‘No One Teaches The Snake To Strike’ is extreme jazz improv, all tracks made up on the spot, no safety net, no overdubs, just a pure outpouring of drums/reeds co-combustion.