Giorgi Mikadze tells a lot about himself on his first record as a leader. He is telling us he’s proud of where he’s from and quite honestly, he’s got plenty to be proud of.

Bobby Previte, Jamie Saft and Nels Cline’s ‘Music From the Early 21st Century’ is, thankfully, not typical of music from the era in which we are living in.

Matt Mayhall went for an instinctual approach on ‘Fanatics,’ took a few chances and with the right guys to assist him, emerges triumphal.

After nearly 40 years, Robert Cray remains as viable as ever. In a world turned upside down, his music continues to serve as comfort food for the soul.

Whatever obscure music forms Alabaster DePlume encounters, he is able to take something old and make it sound fresh on ‘To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1.’

Jazz piano great Lyle May passed away on February 10, 2020. Few have been able to project subtle emotions so powerfully.

Dave Rempis, Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon continue to draw heavily from their experimental/improvised music backgrounds, letting everything else in Kuzu rest on instinct.

Satoko Fujii doesn’t play an instrument in her orchestra; she conducts it. Still, there is hardly a more accurate manifestation of her genius artistry.

Issued 10 years ago this month, ‘Orchestrion’ found Pat Metheny improvising over sounds produced through an intriguing 19th-century contraption.

‘Gowanus Sessions II’ is the long-awaited second part of an epic improv recording session from Thollem McDonas, William Parker and Nels Cline.