photographer – Clay Patrick McBride by PicoIt’s not a recording that’s a decade in the making, but it’s been fermenting for that long. Saxophonist David Rogers has immersed himself in the music and culture of far-flung parts of the world where he’s lived, like Southeast Asia and West Africa, andRead More

by Pico Either it’s been a strong year music-wise, or I’ve simply been listening to more new releases than I usually do. It’s probably a combination of both but regardless, there was a lot of good chaff left on the floor by the time I finalized my All-Stars Starters andRead More

When it came time to decide which CD’s to include in my starters and alternates lists for 2007, there was a lot of agonizing over many of the choices. But my top choice came early and easily. In fact, it was all but determined by the end of May, afterRead More

by S. Victor Aaron The credits scream “Tim Berne music” but the music itself more suggests “George Russell” or “Carla Bley.” This is the initial impression I got from Drew Gress’ newest offering released last month, The Irrational Numbers. Modern jazz composer/bassist Drew Gress is one of those New YorkRead More

Since new David Torn releases don’t come around that often–the last one came out in 1998–Christmas arrived last month to lovers of electric improvised music, such as myself. Mark Seleski’s review of Prezens whetted my appetite further as he described the album’s music as “the combination of ambient approach andRead More