WADADA LEO SMITH | AMINA CLAUDINE MYERS — Central Park's Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens (2024) FLAC (tracks), lossless

"Wherever two or three are gathered..." Kudos to Red Hook Records and producer Sun Chung for this release as well as the Qasim Naqvi "Two Centuries" trio album featuring Wadada Leo Smith and drummer Andrew Cyrille from 2022. This is prayer to Smith's love of nature, of communal space, a patient, soft-spoken dialogue between two masters. Both 82, just a few months apart in age, Smith and Myers, are longtime contributors to Chicago's AACM as well as the evolution of African-American improvisation. Myers' piano drops its notes like slowly turned meditation beads as Smith illuminates them with sparks that never jar, fireworks seen from a distance sufficient to mute the shock. I hear a slowly incanted Blues throughout, the mantra of wisdom collected over long years and shared, concurred between two spirits of import. Wish the album was twice as long, but, yet again, it is as beautiful as anything I've heard. Mark B
Tracklist :
1    Conservatory Gardens    9:02
Composed By – Wadada Leo Smith
2    Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir     1:52
Composed By – Wadada Leo Smith
3    Central Park At Sunset    5:17
Composed By – Wadada Leo Smith
4    When Was    5:33
Composed By – Amina Claudine Myers
5    The Harlem Meer    3:07
Composed By – Wadada Leo Smith
6    Albert Ayler, A Meditation In Light    6:30
Composed By – Wadada Leo Smith
7    Imagine, A Mosaic For John Lennon    5:07
Composed By – Wadada Leo Smith
Credits :
Piano, Organ [Hammond B3] – Amina Claudine Myers
Trumpet – Wadada Leo Smith
Artwork [Cover Art] – Laura Arteaga Charlton

LARRY WILLIS | HAMIET BLUIETT — If Trees Could Talk (1999) FLAC (image+.cue) lossless

If Trees Could Talk is a 1993 duo session with Mapleshade house pianist Larry Willis and Hamiet Bluiett, the pre-eminent baritone saxophonist of his generation (percussionist Asante sits in on the opening track). Judging from the producer's liner notes, he appeared quite wary of Bluiett's reputation as some kind of roaring, screeching avant-garde monster, but he really needn't have worried. At this point in his career, Bluiett had become essentially a mainstream player. Sure, he spends an inordinate amount of time in the extreme upper register of his instrument and can squawk and honk with the best of them, but his basic conceptual approach is bluesy and down to earth, and the "experimental" conceits he occasionally offers had been in common parlance since at least the mid-'60s. Willis is a capable if somewhat florid pianist and does little to spur Bluiett into any potentially uncomfortable areas as might have occurred at the hands of, say, Don Pullen. Brian Olewnick
Tracklist :
1. The African 2:11
 Hamiet Bluiett
2. Straight Ahead—A Day On The Plantation 6:52
 Hamiet Bluiett
3. Uncle Adolf, Uncle Aaron 2:05
 Hamiet Bluiett
4.Ask Me Now 5:44
 Thelonious Monk
5.Whenever We Could 3:15
 Hamiet Bluiett
6.Ballad For E.K. 2:26
 Larry Willis
7.Cherry Pink, Apple Blossom White 4:22
 J.Richardson Jr.
8.Ballad For Frederick 3:08
 Larry Willis
9.If Trees Could Talk 8:42
 H.Bluiett / L.Willis
10.Bro' Blue 4:46
 J.Ware
11.Nightfall 4:09
 Larry Willis
12.Some Other (Schizophrenic) Blues 4:23
 John Coltrane
13.Aunt Hallie 3:38
 Hamiet Bluiett
14.Runaway  2:33
 Hamiet Bluiett
Credits :
Baritone Saxophone – Hamiet Bluiett
Piano – Larry Willis

ARCANA : BILL LASWELL | TONY WILLIAMS — Arc Of The Testimony (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Arc of Testimony is one of the last recordings to feature legendary drummer Tony Williams, and its bold, experimental textures are a fitting epitaph to his career. Arcana was formed by bassist/producer Bill Laswell with the intention of exploring the outer reaches of fusion, ambient and free jazz. Like the group's debut, Last Wave (released only in Japan), Arc of the Testimony is a freewheeling, unpredictable blend of electronic and acoustic sounds. However, this record is even more adventurous, since it finds a common ground between improvisation and post-production studio trickery. All of the musicians -- Williams, Laswell, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, saxophonist Byard Lancaster, cornetist Graham Haynes, guitarist Nicky Skopelitis and guitarist Buckethead -- are open-minded and help push the music forward, resulting in a thoroughly involving, challenging listen. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    Black Money    4:16
2    Gone Tomorrow    9:39
3    Illuminator    6:07
4    Into The Circle    9:25
5    Returning    4:29
6    Calling Out The Blue Light    6:37
7    Circles Of Hell    7:15
8    Wheeless On A Dark River    4:27
9    The Earth Below    5:28
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Bass Clarinet – Byard Lancaster (tracks: 4, 6)
Artwork – Yoko Yamabe
Bass [Basses], Electronics – Bill Laswell
Cornet – Graham Haynes (tracks: 2, 4)
Drums – Tony Williams
Guitar – Buckethead (tracks: 3, 5, 7, 9), Nicky Skopelitis (tracks: 2 to 8)
Songwriter [Songs Written By] – Tony Williams, Bill Laswell, Peter Apfelbaum (tracks: 1)
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Peter Apfelbaum (tracks: 1), Pharoah Sanders (tracks: 2, 7)

SAM RIVERS | DAVE HOLLAND | BARRY ALTSCHUL — The Quest (1976-2023) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1. Expectation (Sam Rivers) - 6:34
2. Vision (Sam Rivers) - 12:20
3. Judgement (Sam Rivers) - 10:12
4. Hope (Sam Rivers) - 6:55
Credits :
Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – Barry Altschul
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piano – Sam Rivers

PHAROAH SANDERS AND ALICE COLTRANE — Antibes 68 & New York 71 : The Radio Broadcasts (2022) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pharoah Sanders    Medley    (37:54)
1-1    –    Unidentified    
1-2    –    Venus    
1-3    –    The Creator Has A Master Plan    
2    Alice Coltrane–    Africa    28:35
Credits :
Bass – Cecil McBee (tracks: 1-2), Jimmy Garrison (tracks: 1-2), Norris Jones (tracks: 1-1)
Drums – Clifford Jarvis (tracks: 1-2), Ed Blackwell (tracks: 1-2), Majid Shabazz (tracks: 1-1)
Harmonium – Kumar Kramer (tracks: 1-2)
Piano – Lonnie Liston Smith (tracks: 1-1)
Piano, Harp – Alice Coltrane (tracks: 1-2)
Tambora – Tulsi (tracks: 1-2)
Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders (tracks: 1-1)
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Percussion, Fife – Pharoah Sanders (tracks: 1-2)
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Percussion – Archie Shepp (tracks: 1-2)