Reaching deep down within himself is how Matthew Shipp can create a record like ‘The Cosmic Piano’ that rises well above being simply a ‘solo piano’ venture.

The convening of Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker and Mat Maneri on ‘Armageddon Flower’ is a confluence of saxophone, piano, bass and viola for the ages.

The Claudio Scolari Project has made originative music by fearlessly taking chances every time the tape rolls. For ‘Bloom’ they also took a chance by expanding the group and that, too, paid off.

The songs of Richard Rodgers are timeless tunes but that doesn’t stop Denny Zeitlin for putting forth the extra effort to make these songs like new again.

In imposing his large ambitions on the smaller scale of a quartet, Ches Smith made music that’s still grand in scope with ‘Clone Row.’ All it took were the right partners and some
resourcefulness to pull off that magic act.

The James Brandon Lewis Quartet is an eminent ensemble for a number of good reasons and every one of those reasons can be found on ‘Abstraction Is Deliverance.’

The brief, vibrant and tumultuous Phil Howard Era of Soft Machine is documented on the well-curated and remastered live souvenir ‘Drop.’

On an album full of outlier music stars, no star shone brighter on ‘Live In Philadelphia’ than the one who has been around the longest. Marshall Allen is the living embodiment of the miracle of jazz.

Satoko Fujii returns with ‘Message’ to lead her This Is It! trio that’s been as exciting to hear than anything she’s led in recent years.

Young Gun Silver Fox’s “Burning Daylight” is a standout track from their 2025 release ‘Pleasure’ as it grafts togther of best elements of EWF, Ambrosia and 70s Chicago.