Michael Formanek’s composing prowess had set a high standard for this ensemble. Sometimes, though, you just gotta let guys run off the leash. And, as we now know with ‘Other Zones,’ he did.

Roberto Zorzi, Scott Amendola, Jason Hoopes and Elliott Sharp are capable of anything, making for an unpredictable mix of textures, technology and prowess.

Luca Crispino, Danilo Gallo, Luca Pighi and Roberto Zorzi use their considerable skill, savvy and daring to make ‘Le Quattro Verita’ command your interest.

Extraordinary music usually results when extraordinary musicians like Nels Cline and Ben Monder step out of their comfort zones and put themselves in challenging situations that gives them no other out but to lean on their innate sense of creativity.

Matthew Shipp and William Parker’s ‘Re-Union’ is a set of improv pieces that reveals the true extent of unity of purpose and direction that comes from more than three decades of playing together in nearly every imaginable setting.

Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile’s “for teens,” “spinal thought” and “peripheral drome” are spare conceptions with rich detail filled in on the fly from the assembled collection of improvisation masters.

The Ivo Perelman Trio’s ‘Garden of Jewels’ is a feast of ear food delivered with passion, fearlessness and a unity of purpose.

Mat Walerian’s latest Okuden project is his most ambitious yet and when you understand the sweeping, cutting-edge careers of his sidemen, you see an artist whose ambitions matches theirs.

A meeting of artists who do not impose any rules on themselves is bound to produce music that dares to be dazzling in ways not previously heard, and that’s just what ‘Dust of Light/Ears Drawing Sounds’ by Ivo Perelman and Pascal Marzan delivers.

Tim Berne’s sax/piano duet with Matt Mitchell has a certain intimacy not quite felt on other projects.