Jazz & Improvisation / All styles

Green and Pleasant Land finds Michael Garrick turning the English landscape into chamber jazz, writing for a luminous string-based group with piano at its centre. Across live performances from the early 2000s, he folds folk melody, hymn fragments and knotty improv into quietly radical miniatures that make the countryside feel haunted, restless and very much alive.

The New Quartet introduces Michael Garrick in close-up, stripped of choirs and orchestras and thrown into agile, conversational post-bop with Martin Hathaway, Paul Moylan and Alan Jackson. Across standards, Garrick originals and nods to Joe Harriott and Jaco Pastorius, the 2002 session turns lyricism into a pressure test, revealing how much drama four voices can conjure in a small room.

On Down on Your Knees, Michael Garrick revisits his sacred-jazz obsessions through the language of a modern small big band, setting hymns, blues, and standards in luminous, late-20th-century colour. With vocalist Anita Wardell alongside Martin Shaw, Steve Waterman, Jim Tomlinson and others, the 1999 album feels like a devotional songbook rewritten for restless, metropolitan believers.

In Lady of the Aurian Wood: A Magic Life of Duke, Michael Garrick salutes Ellington not with imitation but with a gleaming fever-dream of big-band narrative. Writing for the Michael Garrick Jazz Orchestra with Norma Winstone in a central role, he turns characters, ghosts and side-stories from Duke’s orbit into a 12-part, 75-minute suite of blues, prayer and hall-of-mirrors swing.

Peter Pan Jazzdance Suite lets Michael Garrick turn J. M. Barrie’s myth into airborne big-band theatre. Written for the Michael Garrick Jazz Orchestra and premiered for his 70th birthday, this 2003 suite paints Peter, Wendy, the Darlings, Tink, Hook, and the Lost Boys in vividly dancing themes that swing, drift, and menace by turns.​

Genius presents Joe Harriott in full, volatile clarity, stitching together live free-form recordings from 1961 with sharper-edged studio sides and collaborations. Across these eleven tracks, his alto saxophone burns through hard bop, standards, and abstraction alike, supported by Coleridge Goode, Phil Seamen, and pianist Michael Garrick, among others.​

Gigs: Introducing Michael Garrick catches Michael Garrick on the bandstand rather than in the chapel, a pianist still forming his voice through standards, ballads, and early originals. This live-feeling 2008 release frames him with a tight trio setting, revealing a restless, harmonically alert player already bending the jazz canon toward his own lyric intensity.

On Yet Another Spring, Michael Garrick enlarges his sacred-jazz universe into a full-scale orchestral meditation on birth, loss, and renewal. Scored for the Michael Garrick Jazz Orchestra with recurring features for Norma Winstone, the 2006 suite moves from intimate prayer to blazing big-band catharsis, treating the life cycle as both liturgy and drama.

Inspirations finds Michael Garrick turning inward with his New Quartet, distilling a lifetime of big ideas into melodic, small-group conversation. Recorded in 2006, it honours John Coltrane’s legacy without mimicry, letting Garrick, Martin Hathaway, Paul Moylan, and Alan Jackson reimagine spiritual intensity as supple, lyrical post-bop.​

On Children of Time, Michael Garrick stretches his sacred-jazz imagination into cosmic scale, writing for the Jazz Britannia Orchestra and reuniting with vocalist Norma Winstone to explore creation myths, Eucharistic ritual, and his own visionary texts. The result is a 2006 suite that feels like a liturgy drifting through deep space, turning theology into glowing, unsettled sound.

With Jazz Praises at St. Paul's, Michael Garrick welds liturgical grandeur to jazz improvisation, conjuring an atmosphere as reverent as it is free. Featuring the Michael Garrick Sextet, John Marshall, and the St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir, this 2005 release radiates both spiritual inquiry and creative boldness, transcending boundary with every motif.​​

By no means a secret, (and in steady demand,) but certainly in the category of IYKYK, multi-instrumentalist Aaron Shaw is one of Los Angeles’s brightest young Composers, Producers, Arrangers, Band Leaders, and Music Directors. In his Home Studio that he shares with his older Brother, Lawrence (together making up the group Black Nile), Shaw can be found playing Saxophones, Clarinets, Flutes, Keyboards, Drum Machines, and also Engineering Sessions. A frequent fixture at The World Stage in Leimert …

There are super groups, and then there are Supergroups.  This trio, comprised of three prolific journeymen improvisers whose work has been recognized across the globe, is neither.  This is a band of down-to-earth, hard-working musicians, whose focus and dedication to the music is exceptional.  That’s not to say that these three don’t have a combined CV that straddles a who’s who list of contemporary music across multiple scenes.  But their ethos is one that emanates from their midwestern locale …

2015 release (VERY RARE!) ** Talibam!'s unique handmade / limited-edition packaging for their QR code LP "Translition 2 Siriusness". Unplayable hand-painted record in hand-painted sleeve.

Hikmah is the astonishing new solo piano work from Pat Thomas - virtuosic sound scientist, deep and compassionate thinker, and UK-based musical treasure. A singular album in his now substantial body of work, it marks his first release for TAO Forms. Born in Oxford to Antiguan parents on July 27, 1960, Thomas belongs to a remarkable generation of piano masters. Just over four months separate his birth from that of Matthew Shipp (December 7, 1960) - whose The Piano Equation inaugurated the TAO For…

Zach Tenorio invites listeners on an immersive auditory adventure with his latest release, Field Trip. This captivating album showcases a rich tapestry of sound, blending ambient textures, intricate rhythms, and evocative melodies that transport the audience through vivid emotional landscapes. Field Trip exemplifies Zach Tenorio’s innovative approach to music production, where organic elements seamlessly merge with electronic flourishes. Each track unfolds with a cinematic quality, encouraging l…

*100 copies limited edition* "Will and I have been playing together for a very long time and in a lot of very different contexts. Our musical history goes back to playing basements and art galleries in Providence in 2008, wanders through a years-long informal residency playing as a sax and guitar duo in Bushwick and Ridgewood, and brings us up to just last week when Will joined Taper’s Choice at a sold out Brooklyn Bowl to celebrate Relix Magazine’s 50th anniversary—more on that again later. In …

*200 copies limited edition* "The contemporary Los Angeles jazz renaissance has a rich cast of characters. Among the most interesting are Dave Harrington, Billy Mohler, and Jay Bellerose, all established players with fascinating discographies. While these musicians are integral to the current L.A. jazz scene, they’ve traveled various pathways to their current destinations. Harrington is a composer and multi-instrumentalist, well-known as the guitarist for Darkside, who have recorded extensively …

*2025 stock* "Sadly, many will hear Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt's latest LP, Made Out of Sound, as 'not-jazz,' though it would be more aptly described as 'not-not-jazz.' In a better world, it would warrant above-the-fold reviews in Downbeat, or an appearance on David Sanborn's late-night show (if someone would only give it back to him). More likely, we can hope for a haiku review on Byron Coley's Twitter timeline to sufficiently connect the various improvised terrains trodden by this long-time d…

2006 release ** CDr with stickers in generic plastic bag.

2006 release ** CDr with stickers in generic plastic bag.

Portland trio offering a distinctive contribution to the lineage of Great Black Music. All is Sound - now reissued - positions itself at the intersection of several African-American musical traditions: the meditative modality of Alice Coltrane's ashram recordings, the cosmic expansiveness of Sun Ra's quieter moments, and the devotional intensity that Pharoah Sanders brought to his late-period work. The Cosmic Tones Research Trio comprises alto saxophonist and composer Roman Norfleet, cellist and…

Brooklyn pianist Eva Novoa joins saxophonist Daniel Carter and drummer Francisco Mela for the second volume of The Freedom Suite, a set of twelve pieces blending piano, Rhodes, harpsichord, gongs, and vocals with Carter's multi-reed brilliance and Mela's Cuban-inflected drumming, creating an urgent, intimate, and fluidly improvised dialogue of words, sound, and fearless imagination.

Known for their exhilarating live-to-record albums such as last year's critically acclaimed Wood Blues and Giant Beauty, سماع [Sama'a] (Audition) is the first of two releases that will surface after [Ahmed]’s first studio recording sessions at North London’s The Fish Factory in early 2025. Since 2014, [Ahmed] أحمد have excavated and re-imagined the music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik, in an ever ongoing search for future music. Over a decade on, the group were given the opportunity to set up in the studi…

On Live in Kallio, Markus Holkko Quartet turns a Helsinki neighborhood into a pressure chamber of color and rhythm, blending proggy contours, retro-fusion heat and modern Nordic lyricism into long-form live explorations that feel both heady and immediate, cerebral yet unafraid to let the groove bite.

On Live At Sogn Student Campus 1968, Ditlef Eckhoff Quintet captures Oslo’s student underground at full boil: hard-bop heads splinter into early freebag squalls while Knut Riisnæs and Christian Reim drive the frontline with nervy, melodic fire, turning a long-lost campus tape into a vivid document of Nordic modern jazz in transition.

A previously unissued post-bop document from 1970, Jyväskylä Workshop Band 1970 assembles American saxophonist Charlie Mariano, Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen and Finnish luminaries Heikki Sarmanto, Eero Koivistoinen, Paroni Paakkunainen, Seppo Ranniko, Pekka Pöyry, Edward Vesala and Matti Koskiala. Professionally captured in concert, the album delivers a vibrant set of groovy, exploratory and subtly exotic tunes that helped assert Finland’s place on the international jazz map.

Big Band Harriott finds Michael Garrick scaling Joe Harriott’s music up to a roaring jazz orchestra, preserving the original’s sharp lines and Caribbean-inflected bite while opening them into rich new voicings, long arcs of tension and release, and solos that underline just how modern this repertoire still feels.

Down Another Road @ Stockholm Jazz Days '69 catches Graham Collier’s sextet in full flight, turning a cornerstone studio album into a raw, expansive live ritual where luminous themes, tough grooves and free-leaning episodes collide, sketching British jazz at the cusp of its most exploratory moment.

On Seven for Lee / Green and Orange Night Park, Kevin Figes & You Are Here treat the 7-inch as a miniature universe, squaring up to Lee Konitz and Keith Tippett with wiry lyricism, nervy swing and a slightly spectral warmth that makes homage feel like the start of another story rather than the end of one.

1998 release ** "Il Grande Quarto D'Ora is an album by Giancarlo Locatelli and Franco Beltrametti, showcasing a unique blend of Italian musical styles. The record captures a sophisticated and possibly experimental soundscape that reflects the artists' deep musical expertise and creativity. This album likely features a combination of rich instrumentation and evocative vocals, characteristic of both Locatelli's and Beltrametti's styles. Their collaboration suggests a well-crafted musical …

Lantern in the Woods is the new album from musician and multi-instrumentalist Misha Sultan – a project that marks an important milestone for the artist. It is his first work conceived and realized as a coherent, unified statement, from the earliest ideas and sounds to the final mastering. The story of the album began back in 2021 in Saint Petersburg, during studio jam sessions with Anton (Mårble), Vova Luchanskiy, and Nikita (Minereed). These live improvisations eventually led to the formation o…

2025 stock "Schematics For A Blank Stare - Volume Three" is a meticulously crafted album that explores organic grooves with a strong funk and soul influence. Released in 2021 under the Funk Night label, this LP vinyl captures Jeffery Scott Greer's signature lo-fi funk sound, recording straight to cassette tape for an authentic vintage feel. The album showcases a blend of groovy, soulful tracks that offer a rich auditory journey for fans of instrumental funk and soul music. It's a perfect additio…

2025 stock "Schematics For A Blank Stare - Volume Two" is a lo-fi instrumental funk album released in 2021 under the Funk Night label. On this album, Jeffery Scott Greer showcases his multi-instrumentalist talent, playing bass guitar, Fender Rhodes electric piano, guitar, flute, drums, Moog synthesizer, and conga drums. The record is characterized by organic grooves with a blend of funk and soul styles, all recorded uniquely using a Tascam 424 four-track cassette. It delivers a rich, warm sound …

2025 stock "Schematics For A Blank Stare - Volume One" by Jeffery Scott Greer is a collection of lo-fi funk tracks, released in 2021 under Funk Night Records. It features a distinctive organic grooves style with influences from funk and soul genres. The album was recorded on a 4-track cassette between January and June 2017, showcasing a raw and authentic sound. Key tracks include "Gorilla Funk 1," "Orange September," "Hazy Lazy," "Druid Soul," "Night Of The Fox," and "Space Debris." The project …

Hobo Duo is: Kevin Cosgrove : drums, homemade percussion Bruno Duplant : electric & acoustic guitar, homemade lapsteel, doublebass, whistle

Kelan Phil Cohran's music for the African Skies program at Chicago's Adler Planetarium in 1993, with the Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Cohran played with Sun Ra's Arkestra from 1958 to 1961 and co-founded the AACM.

2025 stock No better is this virtuosic ability heard than on New History Warfare, Volume 1, Colin Stetson's first full-length solo recording from Aagoo Records. On this album, the vast musical experiences that Stetson has accumulated over a short period of time have been crafted into 12 songs that defy genres, establishing a sound that is Colin Stetson in full bloom.

Two Rooms Records is excited to announce its tenth and most significant release yet, "Live on WUOM 1979" by Griot Galaxy. Nearly lost to history, this double-length release captures an extended radio performance by the seminal Afro-futurist jazz group, aka “The Sci-Fi Band,” featuring stunning versions of their classic repertoire circa 1979, in a compact, quartet setting. Known for mixing complex polyrhythms, polytonality and non-western scales with grooves and minimalist elements from popular m…

We Jazz Magazine, Issue 17 / Winter 2025 "Weathering" for aja monet. 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers. All articles presented in English. aja monet by Ayana Contreras, Azymuth by Ben Lee, Henry Threadgill by Bret Sjerven, Sven-Åke Johansson by Magnus Nygren, Anna Webber by Stewart Smith, Rafiq Bhatia by Florent Servia, Steph Richards & Qasim Naqvi by Andy Cush, Ganavya by Tina Edwards, Cosmic Tones Research Trio by Blake Gille…