After five-decade history of rattling the very foundations of jazz, Roscoe Mitchell returns to what’s become a symbol the jazz establishment to make a strong statement of his undying vitality.

The ever-discerning Carla Bley herself is a fan of the Bley tribute ‘The New National Anthem,’ and with the sheer joy on display that went into making this record, it’s not hard to figure why.

Maciek Pysz and Gianluca Corona’s ‘London Stories’ features only two guitars, yet there are so many textures, changes and different emphasis.

”This Is Beautiful Because We Are Beautiful People’ is a set of performances that succeed because the Toxic musicians place all trust on instinct and the instincts of others.

“Alchemy Melt (With Tilt)” is an album’s worth of ideas from a single song and there are a dozen other songs on Kate Gentile’s ‘Mannequins.’

Through death comes transformation. Gato Libre is a band whose body has changed, but its original heart perseveres.

Intelligent, driven and mellifluous, Rose’s lifelong relentless pursuit of excellence within jazz comes out on ‘Within and Without,’ starting with the attractively propulsive number “Afensou.”

This album seductively demonstrates a strong continuity of the free jazz heritage from its mid-’60s flowering to guys like Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp and Andrew Cyrille.

‘Hesitantly Pleasant’ is a ridiculously endearing album which takes the listener on a corkscrew journey through mindsets, concepts and ideologies.

Fabian Almazan’s ‘Alcanza’ is stirring, complex, emotional and musically honest.