You know that great musicianship and creativity are always in store for Avi Granite 6’s strong return but little else can be anticipated, and that’s the main joy of ‘Orbit.’

A melding of klezmer, jazz and not a little bit of funk, Big Brooklyn’s ‘Purpose’ is a hugely engaging debut – and the first, hopefully, of many more to come.

Bill Frisell is never more Bill than when it’s only Bill, and no one else. ‘Music IS’ features only Frisell’s music, as his deftly looped samples become a second instrument.

‘Oneness’ means a singular mind driving two instruments into a spiritual musical communion.

With the singularly outsized saxophone and clarinet personality of Mat Walerian in the mix for ‘Sonic Fiction,’ Matthew Shipp has found a plenty good justification for going back to a quartet.

‘Zero’ is another one of those ‘pure’ Matthew Shipp solo piano records where there’s nothing in between the depths of his soul and your ears.

Uri Gurvich’s ‘Kinship’ is a celebration of differences, both cultural and musical, and yet it retains a sense of the great warmth of harmony.

Here is the video premiere of the Albert Ayler/Mary Parks song “Heart Love”, by the Jeff Lederer-led collective Shakers n’ Bakers.

It becomes obvious throughout ‘Moving Day’ that the Mark Wade Trio has played together for a while, as there is an unmistakable telepathy.

‘Invisible Threads’ offered me the first chance to listen to saxophonist and clarinet player John Surman in a long time – and all I can say is, “wow.”