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.

It becomes clear on solo live performances such as the one captured on ‘Invisible Touch At Taktlos Zürich’ that the more Matthew Shipp is exposed, the more fascinating is his music.

Baku and Fei’s ‘No One Teaches The Snake To Strike’ is extreme jazz improv, all tracks made up on the spot, no safety net, no overdubs, just a pure outpouring of drums/reeds co-combustion.

Colin Stetson’s ‘All This I Do For Glory’ is an album which, like all the good ones, gives more with each listen.

‘Smokin’ in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966)’ will quench the thirst of anyone wanting more of Wes Montgomery with Wynton Kelly.

It might have taken a little longer this time, but with ‘Holiday On Fire,’ guitarist, composer and producer Torben Waldorff has done it again.

Nicole Mitchell follows in the hallowed footsteps of spiritual visionaries like Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.