David Torn, Tom Rainey, Tim Berne & Trevor Dunn came together make an instant album that’s explosive, urgent and intense, even when it isn’t loud.

Getting it right instead of getting it sooner paid off handsomely for Trevor Dunn and his Trio-Convulsant on ‘Séances.’

With Trevor Dunn and Danny Piechocki now backing him, Shane Parish returns to his Ahleuchatistas re-invigorated and ‘Expansion’ more than justifies the return of this creatively nonconformist band.

‘Natural Selection’ is an advancement of bold, rock-oriented ideas drummer Dan Weiss first put forward a couple of years ago and justifies his decision to keep going down this path.

Whatever expectations you can make about a new Nels Cline Singers release, ‘Share the Wealth’ exceeds them all.

Wendy Eisenberg is elbowing her way to the vanguard of guitarists who radically rethink the guitar as Machinic Unconscious Trio proves that she can shine in the company of New York’s best.

The years between Rudd and his new bandmates melt away in that wonderful, cross-generational thing called telepathy when the four convened to spontaneously and collectively make some jazz noises.

For ‘Oscalypso’, Erik Friedlander makes the case for cello as a lead jazz instrument the same way his hero Oscar Pettiford once did.

Scott Amendola was right, his opus orchestra piece just couldn’t be a special, one-night-only performance. Fortunately, it won’t be now.

Scott Amendola’s leadership and Nels Cline’s presence should make ‘Fade To Orange’ a special recording, but don’t sleep on Trevor Dunn. Every time I’ve come across a record on which he’s appeared, it’s been a rather good record. That bodes well for this one.