Here is another issue of the audiocassette magazine Tellus, number 15 to be exact. The theme is on Improvisation and features many of the lead innovators of the avant-garde jazz and new music scene of the 80s.

Tellus’ survey of the improvisatory arts was recorded at The Stephanie and Irving Stone Festival of Improvisers in New York City on November 8, 9, and 10, 1985. The participants included John Zorn, Fred Frith, Lindsay Cooper, Carol Emmanuel, Bill Frisell and others. The first track, a duet between guitarist Chris Cochrane and Anthony Coleman on electric organ, typifies the fascinating controlled chaos that I like in the avant-garde and especially in avant-garde jazz. Henry Cow members Cooper and Frith are always creative and can be heard to good effect on tracks 3 and 5. Guitarist Frisell and Trombonist Jim Staley gives my favorite performance of the set on track 6. Finally the album ends with a bit of an all-star session the includes Zorn, Frith, Cooper, and Ikue Mori. Overall this is an interesting album of intelligent, if sometimes challenging, improvisation.

The album is available in 192kbps from Ubuweb.

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If you are looking for peaceful music for relaxation and meditation, Worrg’s free online album Oone is definitely not the one you will want. The leader of Merde Sur La Mer keeps his unfortunately brief (15 minutes) solo effort on the abrasive and manic side. Bordering on the avant garde, it still manages to remain quite accessible with snappy melodies sidestepping the heavily percussive madness. Think of an industrial Zappa or John Zorn on a rock and roll kick. This is a frantic but immensely enjoyable bit of insanity.

The EP is available from Terminal Station in 320kbps MP3.

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British composer and improviser Martin Archer presents an 80 minute performance from Krakow courtesy of the AudioTong net label. Armed with electronics, a barrage of sound loops and a sopranino saxophone, he explores every aspect of the avant-garde with ease and imagination. While utilizing drones, samples, and the usual array of tricks, this is no minimalist chill-out. Archer challenges the listener but is able to keep us interested through his wit, creativity and complexity. He starts with a looped statement, “All wars are lost” that seems to be not so much a political statement as a personal one. By the time he is finished, he has transversed industrial sounds, avant garde jazz, Celtic music, and much more. I especially enjoy his ability on the sopranino sax which makes me wonder if he have been influenced at all by the late great British saxophonist Elton Dean. This is an album that is best listened to in its entirely but if you want a track that brings the artist’s talents together, try “CC Loop”. This is a performance that never sits still and will endlessly fascinate.

The album is available in 192kbps Mp3. If you enjoy the music support the artist by buying his CDs

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Sicilian guitarist Francesco Guaiana calls his improvisatory epics “sonic walls of sound”. The first track of his online album does starts with what could be called a warm musical blanket of sound. However he develops long melodic lines that meander and explore in the later parts. Either way, Guaiana creates hard to classify improvised music that hovers between meditative new age and experimental. Guitar and electronics merge together in this live performance album titled Clouds in Motions. Francesco is aptly aided by Giacomo Merega on electric bass.

The album is presented in VBR MP3 by ARTSomerville, an organization bringing the arts to the community of Somerville, Massachusetts. They present a number of online albums through Jamendo that are well worth the time to explore.

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At The End of The Path is an album of two extended guitar improvisations. Jeff McLeod created from the moment with few limits. Track one starts with Hendrix styled wails then shifts to drones and improvised sounds that are minimalist in nature. The second improvised track is very different. A short melodic phrase is played and repeated while various sounds are improvised over it. Eventually it melts into the chaos but order returns. McLeod’s improvisations never really loses its structure making the listener involved in its outcome. These two tracks are a fascinating exercise in musical cause and effect. Recommended for the adventurous listener.

The album is available from WM Recordings by either separate tracks or album zip in 192kbps MP3.

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The Insubordinations net label is devoted to improvisatory music. Most of it is avant-garde and experimental to the extreme. However, Plastow’s online album Los Criminales Reciclados En Conductores De Autobuses, which was previously released under the name of The Johann Bourquenez Trio, keeps at least one foot in modern jazz. The trio, led by pianist Johann Boruquenez, reminds me a bit of McCoy Tyner’s more exploratory works especially in the fast and exciting opening track, “Yap-Yap”. The title track is also quite complex and a little more “out” there. Drummer Cyril Bondi lays a good strong beat but is also capable of providing color when necessary. Bassist Raphaël Ortis has a sensitive touch that is best on the quieter numbers like “Stase Psychique” and the hypnotic “Mairie Des Lilas”. Those who like good jazz and improvisatory music should consider this a must-have.

The album is available in 192kbps MP3 by separate tracks or a full album zip.

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One of the joys of running this blog goes something like this.

1. I discover an exciting online album by a previously unknown artist (at least to me) .
2. I feature the album.
3. The artist not only thanks me but tells me about other online albums he released or is about to release.
4. I discover more great music!!

This is exactly what happened when I recently reviewed Phillip Wilkerson’s The Dream Beneath. Phillip turned me on to four more albums, all bearing the trademark ambient style of the artist but each a bit different in one way or another. The albums are available from Amorfus Music. Here is a rundown of the four recordings with quotes from the Internet Archive descriptions…

Across an Imaginary Sky: “Ambient, atmospheric musical compositions based on a long drone overlayed with voices, strings, and brass.”

Hymn to The Wind: “three minimalist compositions that explore austere, abstract ambience.”

Vigil: “a collection of rather abstract and experimental, but mostly mellow, ambient piano compositions overlaying warm drones, with accompanying glitch sequences in rhythmic patterns”

Seven Piano Improvisations: “7 quiet, contemplative solo piano improvisations, with faint backing strings and chorus.”

All four deliver exquisite drones and tones that are perfect for meditation and peaceful listening. My favorite is the solo piano improvisations but they all are recommended.

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Across an Imaginary Sky
Hymns to The Wind
Seven Piano Improvisations
Vigil

The music on December Improvisations is not so much improvisation as total musical reconstructions. Guitarist Christian Graf and laptop computer artist D’incise creates icy cold sound structures that are both alien and irresistable. John Cage influences, industrial sounds, and a fascination with avant-garde jazz all come together in this five part improvised session. This is a challenging album but those who want a different listening experience will be glad to have listened to it.

The album is available in 256kbps or VBR MP3 and Ogg Vorbis.

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The music of 3Sachetti is a mix of genres ranging from klezmer to jazz to rock and everything in between. It always keeps you guessing with its eclectic improvisation and wit . The trio of guitar, violin and percussion has a surprising full sound. While it can get pretty wild, the artists never seem to lose track of melody and structure. 3Sachetti often sounds like a cross between Frank Zappa and The Residents. This album has become my favorite to unleash on unsuspecting guests and they almost always like it.

The album is available from WM Recordings in either separate tracks or full album zips at 320kbps MP3.

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Philipp Weigl has a real talent for composing music that is warm and inviting. His music has elements of ambient. classical and contemporary popular while remaining personal and intensely listenable. Two totally different free online albums, one electronic and one with acoustic piano, are available. Together they give a detailed look at two sides of this versatile artist.

Monsters is an exceptional work off the Thinner netlabel. Keyboards, soft electronic beats and a whispering vocal sets a stage for the dreamlike but slightly disquieting tracks. The lyrics are a bit surrealistic and adds to the mood. “Underwater Dancer” has a hypnotic combination of words, beat and melody that is hard to get out of my mind. The title track and “Unrelated” are two other favorites of mine. This is a highly enjoyable album that grows on me with each hearing.

The Riverside could not be more different. It is an introverted collection of acoustic piano improvisations. These spontaneously created pieces are jewels of meditative beauty perfect for quiet reflection and uninterrupted listening. The influence of classical music to these works is quite clear. In fact, you can sample some of Weigl’s classical recordings at The Piano Society.

I highly recommended both albums. The Riverside is available by separate tracks or album zip in 192kbps MP3, while Monsters is available in VBR MP3 from Thinner through an album zip.

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Monsters
The Riverside

Acoustic free improvisation is performed by this duo consisting of Eric Pailhé on tenor saxophone and Johann Bourquenez on piano. The performance was recorded in Pau, France on January 29th, 2006. The overall sound is somewheres between jazz and post-classical but never quite settling in either camp. Track one is rather mournful but the tempo picks up in track three which is notable for some very impressive soloing by Bourquenez. Pailhe has a powerful and emotional sound that can be found at his best on track five. This is a fine example of contemporary free improvisation.

The album is available in 256kbps MP3 from the eDogm netlabel

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Abstract electronics in the realm of the avant-garde is the forte of Russian sound artist Alexei Borisov. Two online albums feature live performances of this creative and sometimes perplexing underground figure.

The appropriately titled Abstractionist features two lengthy tracks of noise and tones. Often the sounds appears to have no real connection and are seemingly random although I suspect this is not the case. “Artworks” is the more abtract piece and requires your full undivided attention to appreciate it. However “Cakeshop” is a little more accessible. A melody can barely be deciphered among the odd electronic drone but even this is soon lost is a bewlidering by fascinating collage of electronics and found sound. This is a challenging but rewarding listen.

Live in Kaliningrad is an hour plus live performance divided into 4 parts. The artist uses fragments of his past recordings, alters them through a laptop and other devices then adds elements of voice, found sounds and other effects. The results remains interesting throughout the perfomance although again it is challenging and may confuse those who are looking for tone and structure. Personally I find it exhilarating when listened to in an quiet and uninterupted environment. My friends often ask me what I see in abstract music such as this. What I see is a way to look at the world in ways I haven’t been able to before. Our consumer society has taught us to accept music as background noise or to view it as a corporate product to use and discard. I urge you to find a quiet room, put on your headphones, and listen to this or one of the other experimental music albums you can find here and give yourself an truly revolutionary experience.

Abstractionist is available in 320kbps MP3 while Live in Kaliningrad is in 192 kbps. If you enjoy the music, you can find more information about his CDs and live shows from his MySpace page.

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Abstractionist
Live in Kaliningrad

Topophonies is another superative online album of totally improvised music. Rosa Luxemburg New Quintet consists of five talented musicians who respect no boundaries when it comes to creating music. The four tracks are live acoustic performances exhibiting an uncanny sense of interaction and control in what could easily turn into chaos.

The five musicians in this group all exhibit good talent for free jazz improvisation. I am especially impressed by alto saxophonist Heddy Brubaker whose sound hovers between the academics of Anthony Braxton and the more primordial sounds of a Marion Brown or Julius Hemphill. Piero Pepin’s trumpet growls and moans Lester Bowie style as it plays off the rest of the ensemble. Marc Perrenoud provides bass and electric guitar in a manner that adds rhythm and color rather than tonal asistance. Fabien Duscombs expertly uses a wide range of percussion instruments. Lastly, Françoise Guerlin’s voice is an improvisational instrument in its own right, usually wordlessly joining in the collective group conscienceness but contributing a strange speak-sing lyrical turn on “Schizophonie”. The best track is also the longest. “Territoires” is a 33 minute journey starting on a low simmer that boils and ebbs into a wide ranges of moods from reflective to raging. This is an exhilarating session of improvised art.

The albums is available as separate tracks or album zip in 256kbps. It is made available through the Insubordinations net label, home to some of the wildest improvised music you will find on the internet.

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Daniel Barbiero is a bassist whose music is quiet, intelligent, and has elements of jazz, third stream, snd avant garde. There is a nice selection of live performances, single works, and one album available on his web site. I have chosen three selections that well represents Mr. Barbiero’s talents.

Selva Obscura is a 34 minute album of acoustic bass solos. Athough some might be put off with that idea, Barbiero has the talent and the melodic imagination to pull it off. Recorded in 2002 and 2003, the tracks appear to be original compositions and are quite lyrical and accessible. I like the linear low registered beauty of these pieces and would recommend that you give them a try.

However most people might prefer the ensemble work in the 28 minute single composition Precipitation of Light. It is a recent live performance (April of 2007) featuring, along with Barbiero, Mike Sebastian on woodwinds, Ben Azzara on percussion, Patrick Whitehead on brass, and T. A. Zook on guitar and miscellaneous instruments. The interaction is gentle but intuitive often having a far east influence. The performance builds to a climatic tension until it again calms down and ends in a whisper.

Last but not least is a series of duo tracks between Barbiero and percussionist Ben Azzara titled Live at Studio B . The performances are complex and dynamic improvisations with each being a compact tone poem befitting the exotic titles like “The Marble Forest at Night” and “Madeline’s Wooden Horse”. Azzarra’s colorful percussion makes for a good companion to Barbiero’s imaginative and often bowed lines.

Selva Obscura is available in 192 kbps MP3. The other two works are in 160kbps MP3.

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Selva Obscura
Precipitation of Light
Live at Studio B: Duets with Ben Azzara

Percussionists Chen Zimbalista and Oron Schwartz play modern contemporary music of subtle beauty. Those who equate percussion with noise and volume will be pleasently surprised. For the most part, Percussion features quiet pieces with a calm intelligence.

The first two works features Zimbalista on the marimba. Minoru Mikki’s “Marimba Spiritual” for marimba and three percussionists starts out slowly with a lone marimba then become one of the more rhythmic works on the album. “Variations on Lost Love” by David Maslanka is for solo marimbist and is a beautiful modern ballad in three parts. Zimbalista is brillantly showcased in his own composition for solo percussion titled “Impulse 1″.

The last three compositions focus on the talents of the unusually reflective Oron Schwartz . All three compositions are by Israeli composers. Tzvi Avni’s “Five Variations to Mr. K” for percussion and tape is made up of five exquisite pieces. I highly recommend the third variation for its haunting mixture of vibraharp and voice. Edri Machat’s “Duo for Cello and Percussion” is a highlight of the recording. Machat’s composition, while unmistakably modern, is quite musical in its interplay of cello and tonal percussive instruments. The final work is Oron Schwartz’s own “From Heavens Unto Mists: Trio for Flute, Vibraphone and Piano”. It is a daring and masterful chamber work, a fitting end to an exceptional grouping of contemporary works.

The album is available as separate tracks in 128kbps MP3.

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The four guitarists who make up Gitarrenarmee have a backwards approach to music making. The four part composition titled Composing After Playing was first set in motion as the musicians played and improvised in a two day recording session. Christopher Abée then sampled, spliced, and twisted passages with his computer into a totally new musical work. The result is an atmospheric and ever-changing soundscape. It is a thoughtful balance between live improvisation and electronic manipulation, neither one existing on his own, each complementing the other.

The album is available in 192kbps MP3 as an album zip or separate tracks.

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Albert Gimenez may be one of the most unclassifiable guitarists I ever heard. He is one part psychedelica, one part avant-garde, and a lot of little parts of blues, rock, and whatever catches his improvisational fancy. His sound is often reminiscent of jazz/rock experimenters James Blood Ulmer and Sonny Sharrock.

Raw Energy offers seven tracks of uncompromising solos. Only accompanied by electronic background and rhythm, Gimenez is free to let his mind and fingers erupt into musical flights of daring. Such unrestrained freedom usually becomes boring but his talent and imaginative is able to keep the music fresh and unpredictable. Each track has a unique feel ranging from avant jazz rock (track 1) to electronic collage (track 4) to Metheny-styled latin-tinged meanders (track 2) to acid space flamenco (track 5). Like I said, this one is hard to pin down so just enjoy the strange mind of this very interesting musician.

The album is available as separate tracks or a full album zip in 192kbps MP3.

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Rational Diet is composed of four musicians from Belarus. With the instrumentation of guitars, cello, violin, bassoon, saxophones, accordion, and voices, they create some of the most original and exciting music you will find on the internet.

The Shameless presents avant-garde but melodic compositions that are often laid down with the speed of a machine gun. The artists’ own description of their music as “improvised, chamber, experimental and post-modern” just begins to define the many facets of this music. Part composed, part improvised, the five musician develops musical ideas at a dizzying pace, always amazing, never tiring. The vocals are taken from the works of Russian avant-garde and futurist poets Daniil Kharms and Alexei Kruchenykh. Throughout the album there is a great deal of wit and vivacity making for a positive and exhilarating experience.

The album is available from the AudioTong netlabel in VBR MP3.

No Longer Available

Woodwind player Mike Sebastian and bassist Daniel Barbiero offers this duo session for downloading. While it might be called jazz, its tone is meditative, almost spiritual sounding. “Zen jazz” might be a good working description. Sebastian plays tenor and soprano saxophones on these tracks . He tends to favor long flowing lines rather than the fast rough phrasing of most current saxophonists. Barbiero has a melodic tendency that supports the saxophonist well. “Saezuri” may be the best track. The song has an strong Asian sensitivity. Barbiero’s bowed bass over Sebastian’s soprano lines is captivating. This is very creative improvisational music that is worth the time and effort to listen to.

The six tracks for Live at Sangha’s are available in 160kbps MP3. You’ll find quite a few other MP3s featuring Mike Sebastian in other settings and they are all worth a listen.

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The five person improvisation group Zloty Dawai likes to live on the edge. Their albums are recorded in one take with no editing and no overdubbing. Their previous album on WM recordings received raves from Free Album Galore and from just about everyone who listened to it. Their new album Dada Work Chant is another amazing sound experience.

As with the last album, Zloty Dawai intermingles ambient soundscapes with long doses of avant-garde jazz and noise. Their effortless ability to go from dreamscapes to chaos is fascinating. There is a special empathy between the musicians. This type of music always runs the risk of sounding indulgent and meaningless. Yet there is a clear communication of structure and meaning in this improvisatory feast. This is an experimental music album that begs for repeated listenings. There is so much going on that each listen will reveal new layers.

The albums is available by either separate tracks or full album zip. The files are 192kbps MP3.

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While most of the offerings on Free Albums Galore are complete albums, I will often present a lengthy single work, usually in the realm of classical music or modern compositions. Erik Satie’s Pianoless Vexations is such a piece…all 8 hours of it.

Satie’s Vexations is an unique piece for piano consisting of a simple motif repeated 840 times. The work was found on a single page in his notebook after the composer’s death. Some scholars wonder if Satie ever meant it to be taken seriously at all. The composition was first performed by John Cage and other pianists in 1963 with the performance lasting over 19 hours. You can read a fascinating essay on Vexations here.

Ubuweb has made available an 8 hour performance called Pianoless Vexations. As the title implies, the instruments used includes anything but piano although there is a harpichord and even a toy piano. The 2006 concert was performed at the Sculpture Center in New York. 24 musicians and groups took turns in periods of approximately 20 minutes repeating Satie’s musical theme.

While it would be difficult, perhaps even unadvisable, to listen to the entire recording from beginning to end, each separate segment has its virtues. The interest is maintained in how each artist interpret the phrase and sets it in motion through the time allotted. Laptop composer Randy Nordshow starts the performance and plays only the first note of the piece concentrating on the various effects of a single sonority. Violinist Amy Granat takes a similar approach on track 9. Guitarist Jay Sanders (track 2) is more loyal to the motif but adds variation through a chordal underpinning of each note. A recorder trio manages to convey an early medieval sound while The Bruce Arnold Jazz Trio (track 5) sets the theme in the bass as the two other musicians add improvisational color. Alan Licht and Angela Jaeger (track 6) plays it pretty straight with voice and guitar. Perhaps the most interesting interpretation is by the bluegrass group, The String Messengers (track 7). Other performances worth noting include Margaret Leng Tan on toy piano (track 17), Trudy Chan on harpichord (track 19), and Stephin Merritt and Ethan Cohn (track 23) on marimbas unintentionally accompanied by a crying baby.

Whether this is a bizarre oddity or an unique masterpiece is best left to the scholars with too much time on their hands. Pianoless Vexations is certainly a work that will interest those listeners who wish to hear creative artists placing their own mark on a vexing compositon.

The tracks are available in 192kbps MP3.

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Alfredo Costa Monteiro provides two unusual online albums of a highly experimental nature. The recordings uses common non-musical items to create the music. No other effects, electronic or otherwise, are used.

Rubber Music is music created entirely by rubber bands. This is rather melodic as the rubber bands are mostly plucked like a slightly out-of-tune harp or scraped like a violin. The sounds remind me of John Cage’s pieces for prepared piano. While avant-garde, this is quite listenable and can lull you into another reality.

Paper Music is a bit different. This time the sounds are made by paper. Nothing more and nothing less. It is again a very creative and imaginative work but not as accessible as the former album. While it is a fascinating album the result is just a little too much like fingernails on a blackboard for my taste. Nonetheless, it is a fascinating album for both its concept and application.

Both albums are available in separate tracks or album zip in 128kbps MP3.

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Rubber Music
Paper Music

Sable EP is undeniably a difficult listen. It starts out aggressively and is relenting, only briefly letting the listener relax before the next onslaught. The amazing thing about this “electroacoustic” improvisational work is that it is primarily acoustic with white noise and feedback effects serving as a droning background. Violin, guitar and saxophone are played in such unusual ways that you may not be able to recognize them. It is certainly safe to say that you may have never heard these instruments played with such ferocity. The result is a richly complex if harsh 20 minute track . Again I present an album that is not for everyone but those who wish to persevere will find themselves rewarded.

The album is available in VBR MP3.

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There have been many great scat-singers in our times. There has been, to name a few, Ella Fitzgerald, Scatman Crothers, and Mel Torme. It is safe to say that none of them ever sounded like Shooby Taylor nor would they want to. Shooby not only marched to a different drummer but sang in a different tonal system. Shooby Taylor would sing over recorded tapes in his own style which resembled demented karaoke. His use of sounds and syllables was at best unique in the genre of scat-singing but there is a cerain amount of acrobatic, if not musical, virtuosity evident as he effortlessly scats around the melodies.

His only recording was a cassette recording called The Human Horn and is freely available on the “official” web site. Once you get used to his unique style Shooby can be quite endearing and fun. The material is fascinating as he embellishes gospel tunes like “How Great Thou Art” and “Why Me, Lord” Of the secular material, I love his rather swinging rendition of “Stout-hearted Men” and an amazing turn at “Peg O’ My Heart”. Aside, from the 15 tracks making up the full album, there are also 2 tracks of Taylor “accompanying” Johnny Cash and one with Shooby scatting over a Johnny Griffin jazz track of “Gigi”.

All tracks are in 128kbps MP3 except “Gigi” which is 96kbps.

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FMOL Trio is an electronic free improvisation group consisting of Christina Casanova and Sergi Jordà on FMOL Synthesizers and Pelayo F. Arrizabalaga on woodwinds and turntables. The trio describes their music as having links to Eric Dolphy, Albert Ayler and Xenakis. I am inclined to agree with this considering the strong influences of free jazz and post-modern electronics apparent throughout their work. Casanova and Jordà exhibits excellent rapport and sensitivity but it is Arrizabalaga’s virtuosity on saxophone that really makes these sessions stand out.

Live at Metronom is a solid work deftly showcasing all three musicans. Arrizabalaga’s Ayler-like solo on “Ghost’ is especially moving. Night In The Chapel sounds slightly more introspective and electronically slanted. The trio is joined by Liba Villavechia on tenor and soprano saxophones and Alfredo Costa Monteiro on the bowed accordion (no, that’s not a typo). “2 saxos” has a dynamic sax duet and “Sci-Fi” eloquently shows off the trio’s electronic skills. However, it is The Koln Concert that shines as the best of the three in both ensemble playing and individual musicianship. All three albums are highly recommended to anyone with a love for unpredictable music.

The Koln Concert is available in 192kbps MP3. The other two albums are 128kbps.

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Night In The Chapel
The Köln Concert
Live at Metronom