If you’re going to go extreme, do it with conviction. Jon Irabagon, Mike Pride, Mick Barr and Ava Mendoza are committed as ever for ‘I Don’t Hear Nothin’ But The Blues Volume 3: Anatomical Snuffbox.’

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

The first encounter of tenor sax boss Rich Halley and the Matthew Shipp Trio worked out so well, they quickly decided to do it again.

A new horn section, deeper experimentation and the presence of Robert Wyatt make this a significant progression from Mary Halvorson’s poetry debut.

The genius of Steve Lacy isn’t that easy to articulate but Phil Sudderberg, Charlie Kirchen and Jason Stein take great care of the soprano saxophone legacy when they play his ‘Clinkers’ solo masterpiece with all the invention and attitude of the original.

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.

Daniel Carter, Patrick Holmes, Matthew Putman, Hilliard Greene and Federico Ughi create improvisational music of uncommon elegance and shared vision.

Kevin Godley, William Shatner and Raphael Pannier are part of the latest edition of Five for the Road, an occasional look at music that’s been in my car lately.

Jason Stein and Adam Shead’s ‘Synaptic Atlas’ is not at all about notes and charts but rather, making a metaphysical connection and exchange through their instruments.

‘Molecular’ uses the double helix DNA component structure as a compass to guide James Brandon Lewis’ own harmonic map.