The electric-jazz foray ‘Fire Illuminations,’ like most Wadada Leo Smith albums, is not just another record. It’s another chapter in his fascinating, ongoing story.

Led Zeppelin began experimenting with an entirely new palette of sounds 50 years ago this week with ‘Houses of the Holy.’

Sprung from the prolific mind of Rob Mazurek, the Exploding Star Orchestra started out in 2007 reaching toward towering heights of artistry and attaining them. Most amazingly, they still manage to do that today with ‘Lightning Dreamers.’

Here is the video premiere of “Neverending,” from the debut album of Gregg Belisle-Chi’s post-rockers Good Intentions.

‘Artificial Intelligence’ has certain qualities brought by Elliott Sharp that are novel even by Ivo Perelman’s standards.

Pianist and composer David Ake continues to make his infrequent releases count. ‘Green Thumb’ is plenty good enough the savor until Mr. Ake is ready to make another quality collection of modern and mainstream jazz.

The Vincent Meissner Trio found a perfect moment that covers youth and European, turning a brisk cover of “Young Folks” into an appealing jazz song.

Seven albums in, the Kaze concept shows no sign of going stale. Every time out they freshen that concept in ingenious ways and ‘Crustal Movement’ with Ikue Mori returning is their most audacious undertaking yet.

We often hear about recordings ostensibly made without regard to rules, preconceptions and guidelines in pursuit of a mode of expression that’s pure and original. Marc Ducret’s ‘Palm Sweat’ actually sounds exactly like it was made that way.

Most may not put Wayne Shorter on the level of Sonny Rollins or John Coltrane, but I do. When surveying the impact he made over 50 years, it’s hard not to.