There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ Brandon Seabrook record and ‘Utility Modern’ with Bill Frisell is abnormal in all the right ways.

Chris Potter’s ‘Alive With Ghosts Today’ shows the superior art that is produced when when the fault lines in vintage American music are blurred.

‘In My Dreams’ is a perfect reminder of why Bill Frisell one of the most important figures of American music, always connecting the majesty of the past with vision for taking it into the future.

The book on Henry Threaadgill’s amazing career has already been published but ‘Listen Ship’ keeps this compelling story going.

On ‘Breaking the Shell,’ Bill Frisell, Andrew Cyrille & Kit Downes get to expand their home base of creatively improvised music using the stately yet otherworldly sounds of the pipe organ.

‘Live in Someplace Nice’ is a welcome addition to the thin catalog of the short-lived endlessly inventive duo of Tim Berne and Bill Frisell.

‘Old Main Chapel’ is a fitting epilogue in the rich, under-heralded output from the gently poignant brilliance of Ron Miles.

Lyle Mays’ “Eberhard” serves as a bittersweet coda from a largely unsung brilliant musician who left us – as we learn here – still at the height of his powers.

Ron Miles’ music is always both relaxed and cerebral, a rare combination of qualities that few can pull off so convincingly. But once again with ‘Rainbow Sign’ he does, and with the ample help of some very special friends.

Sublime simplicity comes from attention to detail, a Bill Frisell hallmark found all over ‘Valentine.’ It’s another fine entry point into his massive discography.