On ‘Breaking the Shell,’ Bill Frisell, Andrew Cyrille & Kit Downes get to expand their home base of creatively improvised music using the stately yet otherworldly sounds of the pipe organ.

When Brandon Seabrook does a solo banjo and guitar project as he did with ‘Object of Unknown Function,’ there’s even more of his uniqueness to ponder, appreciate and – yes – enjoy.

The sounds made by Dave Harrington, Max Jaffe and Patrick Shiroishi on ‘Speak, Moment’ are the sounds of discovery, surprise and uncommon communion.

In the end, the Sunny Five’s ‘Candid’ is a jam record but in this case, the jams expose just how scary talented this assemblage truly is.

Kate Gentile held back no ambition in making the vast, unencumbered ‘Find Letter X,’ as her band carried out thoroughly conceived, nonconformist concepts.

jaimie branch’s final missive on Earth ‘Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))’ makes clear that our world is worse off because she’s no longer in it.

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.

In greatly expanding the possibilities for vibraphone and marimba, Patricia Brennan’s ‘More Touch’ takes us to exciting new sonic territory fueled by exceptional musicianship and a lot of gumption.

Here is the streaming premiere of unrelenting “Legitimate Perseverance” from Secret People’s upcoming eponymous album.

The solo guitar album ‘Electric Git Box’ may very well be the purest form of Michael Gregory Jackson’s unparalleled artistic expression.