We review ‘Blues and Daily News’ by Ross Hammond and Grant Calvin Weston, a creative guitar/drums improv record.

‘Etymology’ by Burnt Belief, featuring Porcupine Tree’s Colin Edwin and Jon Durant, is as good as you can get with downtempo music.

Rob Mazurek pours his heart out with a very sympathetic squad from Brazil for this paean to his mother.

A thinking man’s garage band, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey unveils ‘Worker,’ suggesting that at twenty years old, this endeavor is nowhere near the end.

A record that’s equally capable of enchanting you and pummeling you with many shades of aura in between, ‘Palo Colorado Dream’ catapults Anthony Pirog into the corps of elite experimental guitarists.

‘Mandy’s Secret’ is a fine entry point into this fundamentally solid, funky jazz ensemble from Sweden, Beat Funktion.

Though Dylan Ryan Sand is a small band, they create a big sound; though the songs are short, they’re complete musical statements. ‘Circa’ makes a lot out of a little.

‘The Signal’ is bold, personal and completely lucid audio art from Elizabeth Shepherd. It wouldn’t be overstating it at all to assert that this is the most important vocal jazz record of 2014.

Unfailingly fresh, incalculable and rewarding, Peripheral Vision is giving jazz the swift kick in the pants that it needs. ‘Sheer Tyranny Of Will’ is sheer inventive talent on display.

Thank You Scientist more than deserves a second audition; don’t miss out this time.