A special kind of improvisational intimacy, one that often generates the most “jazzy”-sounding jazz. These selections lean recent—which is not indicative of any actual historical trend but rather the massive gaps in my knowledge/taste—and free.

Julius Hemphill & Abdul Wadud (photos from Live in New York LP and Michael Wilderman)

00:00. Spoons & Bones – “All the Ears” from Spoons & Bones (Czaszka, 2020)

02:19. Ramsey Ameen & Sirone (of Cecil Taylor Unit) – duet from One Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye (Hat Hut, 1980)

08:14. Julius Hemphill & Abdul K. Wadud – “In Space” from Live in New York (Red, 1978)

14:59. Frode Gjerstad & Isach Skeidsvoll – “Third hand. Fourth finger.” from Twenty Fingers (Relative Pitch, 2021)

20:28. Jessica Ackerley & Daniel Carter – “Welcome Our Friends” from Friendship: Lucid Shared Dreams and Time Travel (577, 2022)

25:47. Shelley Burgon & Trevor Dunn – fourth part of Baltimore (Skirl, 2006)

29:43. Patrick Shiroishi & Zachary Paul – “At the Moment of Being Heard” from Of the Shapes of Hearts and Humans (The  Tapeworm, 2021)

35:33. Nick Mazzarella & Tomeka Reid – “Blues for Julius and Abdul” from Signaling (Nessa, 2017)

I’ll probably come up with a better name for this “genre” at some point, but for now “maxi-improv” works: both solo and collective electroacoustic improvisations with moving parts much too large for, or even in a completely different dimension of reality than, their containers (you’ll see what I mean).

Kamon Kardamom (from their Bandcamp)

00:00. Jean-Marc Foussat – “Le moment est passé” [excerpt] from Cet inapaisable hurlement des heures (self-released, 2014)

04:47. The Incidental Crack – “Waterfalls per Capita” from Detail (Anticipating Nowhere, 2021)

10:31. Concrete Gazebo – “Tangled Eggs” from Peacock Juice Box (Speak & Spell, 2021)

12:26. Kamon Kardamom – “Chronic Euphoria” [excerpt] from Chronic Euphoria (self-released, 2021)

19:03. Paed Conca, Stéphane Rives & Fadi Tabbal – “There’s No Picture of the Band” from Under the Carpet (Ruptured, 2012)

22:22. Miguel A. García & Ilia Belorukov – “Hands Off” from Wolkokrot (Inexhaustible Editions, 2015)

27:51. Leverton Fox – “Megascopz (Pellet Collector)” [excerpt] from Megascopz (Not Applicable, 2019)

33:16. Olivier di Placido & SEC_ – “es” from Rainbow Grotesque (Bocian, 2013)

36:10. MKM – “Don’t Eat” [excerpt] from Bangalore (TON, 2021)

A journey through the wet hisses, burbles, squawks, and squeaks produced by saxophone players who, via various extended techniques, do their very best not to play any actual notes at all.

00:00. Nathan Corder & Tom Weeks – “The Pit” from Diamondback (Makeshift Encounters, 2020)

08:15. Marco Colonna – “Nodosariata” from FORAMINIFERA (Plus Timbre, 2018)

12:50. Michael Foster & Ben Bennett – “Offshore Flesh Crystals” from Contractions (Astral Spirits, 2021)

20:09. Fuck Lungs – “Loud Unit” from Fuck Lungs (Already Dead, 2016)

24:55. Fua – B side [excerpt] of Fua (fancyyyyy, 2018)

26:53. Mythic Birds – “The Name by Which the World Knows Them Is Not the One They Themselves Utter” from The Name by Which the World Knows Them (Peira, 2012)

31:17. The Elks – “Geneva #2” from Bat English (self-released, 2017)

35:44. nmperign – “Prey” from Ommatidia (Intransitive, 2009)

Why actually, you know, play instruments when you can scrape, scratch, and smash them (and even build your own) instead?

00:00. The Blue Denim Deals Without the Arms – “Armistice” from ‘Armed Forces’ Day (Say Day-Bew, 1978)

03:23. No-Neck Blues Band – “Seven Spaces of Empty Place” from Letters from the Earth (Sound@One, 1996)

08:46. Moment – “The Process” from Broken Resonance (Space21, 2021)

13:57. Sandoz Lab Technicians – “The Somnambulist” from Sandoz Lab Technicians (Siltbreeze, 1996)

17:30. Iskra – “Klirr” from Allemansrätt (Ett Minne för Livet, 1977)

20:07. Portland Bike Ensemble – “Kyoto” from Live in Japan 2006 (Olde English Spelling Bee, 2009)

26:59. Teletopa – “Improvisation One” from Tokyo 1972 (Splitrec, 2014)

30:37. Seeded Plain – “Cloud Thistles” from Sectional (Digital Vomit, 2010)

35:12. Lakes – “Winds” from Lakes (Tone List, 2018)

The double bass was actually the first instrument I ever properly learned how to play. For me it was simply a stepping stone to the electric bass guitar, but I still hold a deep appreciation for those who devote their lives to taming these giant wooden beasts, stretching their physical, tonal, and timbral possibilities to new heights (and nadirs, depending on how you look at it). There are few contexts in which the double bass feels more fully actualized than on its own; stripped to the raw duality of performer and instrument, solo bass playing mines the true potential of the object on either end of the dynamic spectrum—both brutality and delicacy.

Luke Stewart (photo by Jake Meginsky)

00:00. Joëlle Léandre – “Hein ! Quoi, Je T’entends Plus” from Sincerely (Plainisphare, 1985)

05:39. Luke Stewart – January 17, 2019 [excerpt] (Fire Over Heaven, 2021)

13:16. Peter Kowald – part 16 of Was Da Ist (FMP, 1995)

15:44. Kent Kessler – “Furthermore” from Bull Fiddle (Okka Disk, 2002)

17:11. Michael Formanek – “Crawlspace” from Am I Bothering You? (Screwgun, 1998)

21:31. Brandon Lopez – “The Full of Good Ideas” from The Church of Plenty Empty (No Rent, 2018)

26:42. Djuna Lee – untitled track from #1 Solo Improvisations V/A compilation (Residence, 2016)

31:13. Otto Willberg – first untitled track from short album (self-released, 2020)

35:01. Félicie Bazelaire – “the night” from Pyramids (self-released, 2020)

A selection of tracks for when one needs a nice brain-scrubbing but also desires something more structurally and texturally complex than plain ol’ harsh noise. Solo artists, duos, and larger collectives make use of a wide variety of electronic materials (I’ve provided the materials used to create each to the best of my ability) to generate the sizzling blasts of static and percussive oscillations that grace these eight pieces, yet all maintain an addictive, complete volatility.

00:00. R/S – “(20.27)” [excerpt] from One (Snow Mud Rain) (Erstwhile, 2007) computer, synthesizer

06:01. Kiiln – third untitled track [excerpt] from Is Music Invisible? (caduc. recordings, 2017) tapes, radio, objects, guitar, piano

11:09. Jin Sangtae – 25th untitled track from Shadow Boxer (popmusic25, 2015) hard drives

13:10. William Hutson – “170214 (Dedicated to Ellen Gallagher)” from Six or Seven Steps to the Door: Solo Improvisations (a wave press, 2017) reel-to-reel tape

17:25. Klaus Filip, Toshimaru Nakamura, Andrea Neumann & Ivan Palacký – “M1 Crab Nebula” [excerpt]” from Messier Objects (Meenna, 2012) computer, no-input mixing board, inside piano, amplified knitting machine, photovoltaic panels

21:56. Gert-Jan Prins – excerpt from side A of RG-58-GJ (Creamgarden, 2002) radio, television, percussion

24:15. MIMEO – third untitled track from second disk of Lifting Concrete Lightly (Serpentine Gallery, 2004) a whole-ass ARSENAL

29:59. Choi Joonyong, Kevin Drumm & Hong Chulki – second untitled track [excerpt] from Normal (Balloon & Needle, 2015) CD player, turntable, guitar

34:32. Cremaster – “8,40 n​/​m²” from 32,41 n​/​m² (absurd, 2003) mixing board, pickups, prepared guitar

The title of this mix is my preferred alternative to the classic punchline response to being informed of the genre commonly called free jazz: “I sure as hell wouldn’t pay for it” (which I think originally came from a Steve Lacy quote). I’ve gathered my favorite examples of the adventurous new traditions in contemporary freeform jazz music, from potent poetics and progressive arrangements to all-out cacophonous carnage.

00:00. Irreversible Entanglements – “Who Sent You – Ritual” [excerpt] from Who Sent You? (International Anthem, 2020)

04:06. Dave Rempis, Tomeka Reid & Joshua Abrams – “Wattle and Daub” from Ithra (Aerophonic, 2018)

09:13. Galaxxu – “Care Bears Countdown” [excerpt] from Every Meanest Particular (Orb Tapes, 2019)

14:41. Dave Liebman, Adam Rudolph & Tatsuya Nakatani – “Premonition” from The Unknowable (RareNoise, 2018)

17:32. Joshua Abrams, Tyler Damon, Forbes Graham & Ava Mendoza – “I Closed My Eyes” [excerpt] from Sometimes There Were Four (self-released, 2020)

23:12. Fuck Lungs – “The Indian Name for ‘White Woman with Tattoo of Bird’ ” from Fuck Lungs (Already Dead, 2016)

26:05. James Brandon Lewis & Chad Taylor – “Radiance” from Live in Willisau (Intakt, 2020)

28:52. Jon Irabagon, John Hegre & Nils Are Drønen – “Fukuoka” [excerpt] from Axis (Rune Grammofon, 2017)

33:16. Reid Karris Group – part III of May 12th 2018 (self-released, 2019)

35:47. Simone & Bucko – “Live at the Chapel” [excerpt] from Simone & Bucko (Dismal Niche, 2020)

This mix is based on a strange little digital-only album released last October by Spricht Editions, a Denmark imprint focused on “vocal oriented sound.” Here are where our unspoken words, random gargles, little tongue clicks we do when we’re irritated or bored, unintelligible howls of frustration, and hums of contentment all gather and congeal. Take care that your shoes don’t get stuck in the muck—but if they do, stay a while.

00:00. c.haxholm – “1” from Past Vocalisms (Spricht Editions, 2019)

06:38. Graham Lambkin & Áine O’Dwyer – “One and One Is Two” from Green Ways (Erstwhile, 2018)

10:47. Lily Greenham – “Improvisation” from Lingual Music (Paradigm Discs, 2007)

12:04. Ami Yoshida – 5th untitled track from Tiger Thrush (Improvised Music from Japan, 2003)

14:26. Gil J. Wolman – “Mégapneumies” from L’Anticoncept (Alga Marghen, 1999)

16:07. Yeast Culture – “Folk Songs of the Neskowin Indians” from Dueterium: Yeast Culture Improvacoustic Series Vol. 1 (Regional Bears, 2019)

20:54. Ute Wassermann, Duncan Harrison, Dylan Nyoukis & Claus Haxholm – excerpt from side A of Dissecting an Utterance (Spricht Editions, 2019)

22:49. Katalin Ladik – “Shaman Song / Sámánének” from Phonopoetics (Alga Marghen, 2019)

24:14. Michael Barthel – excerpt from side C of Heme (Geräuschmanufaktur, 2017)

26:26. Jamison Williams – “Part One” from Silly Symphonies, Vol. 1 (Lurker Bias, 2020)

29:19. Matthew Revert – “Dear Heath” from Letters to Friends of the Late Darcy O’Meara (Round Bale Recordings, 2018)

32:24. Rodrigo Ambriz – “Despojado al fin por su propio soplo” from Una silueta se precipita en arcadas (Szara Reneta, 2018)