S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2014’s avant-garde and experimental jazz, including Roscoe Mitchell, Jimmy Giuffre, Wadada Leo Smith and others.

‘Solarists’ immediately establishes Haitian Rail as a fearsome battery of inscrutable, noise with terrific give-and-take. And trombonist Dan Blacksberg’s presence assures that they hold up the jazz part of the experimental metal-jazz equation, losing none of their ferocity along the way.

I used to call this the “whack jazz” (or is that “wack” jazz?) list, but I found that term to be too restrictive for what’s being presented below. You May Also Like: Harrison Bankhead and Paul de Jong – ‘Freedom’ (2020) Bobby Kapp + Matthew Shipp – Cactus (2016) DavidRead More

Whenever I encounter a band with nonconformist guitarist Edward Ricart in it — whether it’s Matta Gawa, Hyrrokkin or the Edward Ricart-Nick Millevoi Quartet — something exciting is going on. You May Also Like: Bloor – ‘Drolleries’ (2019)