David Dominique shows a creative zeal for using traditional jazz as a springboard into the abyss, much as Mingus, Kirk and Lacy did.

Before any of those seminal recordings by the AACM family could happen, Roscoe Mitchell’s ‘Sound’ needed to.

The way a chamber string trio is being used by the Brandon Seabrook Trio for ‘Convulsionaries’ is bonafide wack. It’s akin to G.G. Allin hosting ‘Masterpiece Theater.’

Henry Kaiser has long found spiritual fulfillment playing music informed by the ancient songs of Korean Shamanism. This time he finds further fulfillment in the comradery of musicians who like him understand the power of the mudang.

Anteloper’s ‘Kudu’ suggests that there is so much art waiting to be tapped with only a trumpet, drums and a little bit of circuitry.

The new album by Roberto Maria Zorzi, Michael Manring and Scott Amendola relentlessly delivers surprises with sounds heretofore unheard.

Quoan’s ‘Fine Dining’ is a feast of so many ways two horns and a rhythm section can generate excitement and keep us guessing what happens next.

Here’s the part of the annual Best of 2017 lists that’s the most fun to pull together.

‘Err Guitar’ by Elliott Sharp, Mary Halvorson and Marc Ribot is three masters of the outside guitar pushing each other to go even further out, making this a notably delirious entry in the catalogs of all three.

Kelly Moran’s ‘Bloodroot’ is not your common minimalist record, and even those who hadn’t embraced that style of music could be drawn to the strange peacefulness wrung from a prepared piano.