MUJICIAN — The Journey (1990-2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

An aptly named CD, as the four British jazz musicians in this improvisational group offer one long, 55-minute piece in a live performance at the Bath Festival in Bristol, and they cover a great deal of musical ground in the process. The participants are not well known in the U.S. (in fact, British jazz is generally ignored in the U.S.), and that's a real shame, because they are all superb musicians who are functioning very nicely as a unit even at this early stage of their collective development. Paul Dunmall displays his woodwind mastery (as he does on later releases) by moving during the long performance from his opening clarinet solo to soprano saxophone and then to tenor and finally baritone. Dunmall's clarinet is initially lyrical and quite lovely, as is Keith Tippett's piano when he joins in, but when Dunmall returns on soprano sax, he begins to create some dynamic tension with rapid flurries of notes and a certain timbral urgency. Finally, about 12 minutes into the "journey," the electricity starts to build, and everyone shifts into ecstatic mode. The obvious influence at this point is the mid-period Coltrane quartet, with Dunmall keening on soprano sax and Tippett paying tribute to McCoy Tyner, spinning aggressive single-note runs with the right hand and crashing block chords with the left. After a thoughtful interlude, Dunmall returns again like a fury on tenor sax, with the powerful rhythm section of Paul Rogers on bass and Tony Levin on drums pulsating behind him and pushing him even further. The music continues to ebb and flow like some organic process. And while all members of Mujician are quite adept at "outside" playing (multiphonics, extended techniques, etc.), their music expresses a wide range of emotions (even serenity and playfulness), which should make them attractive to listeners who are free jazz novices. William Tilland
Tracklist :
1    The Journey    55:02
Credits :
Artwork [Wood Engravings] – Paul Dunmall
Clarinet [Eb], Soprano Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Paul Dunmall
Double Bass – Paul Rogers
Drums – Tony Levin
Piano – Keith Tippett

SUSIE IBARRA — Flower After Flower (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

 Flower After Flower will be somewhat of a surprise if you've only heard Susie Ibarra's storming drumming with the David S. Ware and Matthew Shipp groups. This album, her first heading a larger group, is closer to the more delicate and spacious music of Ibarra's releases (such as Radiance) on her own Hopscotch label. Flower After Flower works best when listened to as a whole since the four short fractals (all solos) act as interludes between the four longer compositions.

The album sets a steady, somewhat restrained mood with the opening cut, "Illuminations," a septet piece including the other two members of her trio, pianist Cooper-Moore (who also plays flute) and violinist Charles Burnham, as well as bassist John Lindberg, the two clarinetists featured in the title track (see below), and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, to whom this composition is dedicated. The first solo interlude then follows, "Fractal 1," a multi-colored drum solo from Ibarra that focuses individually on cymbals, skins, sticks, and their combinations. This leads into "The Ancients," a piece that opens with a slow interaction between clarinetist Chris Speed and bass clarinetist Assif Tsahar. Soon the duo are joined by the brighter sounds of the kulintang (a multi-gong instrument of the Philippines) played by Ibarra and, eventually, the rest of the musicians (except for Pauline Oliveros) join in for a lovely piece of music that has a meditative motion, seemingly without beginning or end.

The title track is framed by two moving solos from Oliveros (on accordion) and Cooper-Moore (on piano), respectively, and opens with a playful, upbeat mood -- Burnham occasionally plucking his violin for a bent-banjo sound and Ibarra galloping along with her brushes -- contrasted sharply with a sparse setting of held-note and small sounds. In all, this first session for the Tzadik label from drummer and leader Susie Ibarra leaves the listener with impressions of patience, clarity, and quietude. Joslyn Layne
Tracklist :
1        Illumination    13:31
2        Fractal 1    2:14
3        The Ancients 9:20
Flute – Cooper-Moore
Gong [Kulintang] – Susie Ibarra
Percussion [Brushes] – Wadada Leo Smith
4        Fractal 2 3:19
Accordion – Pauline Oliveros
5        Flower After Flower    9:48
6        Fractal 3    4:22
7        Human Beginnings 12:07
Accordion – Pauline Oliveros
8        Fractal 4    2:40
Credits :
Bass – John Lindberg (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7)
Bass Clarinet – Assif Tsahar (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7)
Clarinet – Chris Speed (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7)
Drums, Percussion – Susie Ibarra (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8)
Executive-Producer – John Zorn
Percussion – Cooper-Moore (tracks: 6, 7)
Piano – Cooper-Moore (tracks: 1)
Producer, Composed By – Susie Ibarra
Recorded By – Jim Anderson
Trumpet – Wadada Leo Smith (tracks: 1, 7)
Violin – Charles Burnham (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7)

PORTICO QUARTET — Knee-Deep in the North Sea (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Since 2005, the Portico Quartet has created a singular, cinematic sound that melds jazz, electronica, ambient music, and minimalism. At the lead edge of South London's nu-jazz movement, theiur debut album 2007's Knee Deep in the North Sea was shortlisted for a Mercury Prize. Subsequent outings included albums for Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. They temporarily slimmed to an issued they the album Living Fields on Ninja Tune. Subsequently returning to their quartet lineup, they released 2017's Art in the Age of Automation for Matthew Halsall's Gondwana label.

Formed in 2005, the band was initially inspired to play via founding member Duncan Bellamy's purchase of an exotic yet contemporary instrument, the Hang, at a music festival. The Hang, invented in 2000 in Switzerland, is a metallic lap drum with clamped shells, the melodious sound of which resembles both a steel drum and Balinese metallaphone. Where the quartet's influences clearly reference modern jazz and African music, the trance-like sonics of the Hang draw closer comparisons to minimalists Philip Glass and Steve Reich, or gamelan music. A weekly session at the South Bank and residency at the Brixton Ritzy earned them a cult following. It also inspired London's premier jazz club, the Vortex, to start a record label to release their music.

Championed by archivist and historian/mixer Gilles Peterson, the Portico Quartet's debut release, Knee Deep in the North Sea, was acclaimed as jazz, folk, and world music Album of the Year for 2007 by Time Out magazine, and was a Mercury Music Prize honoree for 2008. With Jack Wylie on soprano saxophone, Milo Fitzpatrick on acoustic bass, and Nick Mulvey and Duncan Bellamy playing the Hang and percussion instruments, the group's modern contemporary sound was favorably compared to the diverse, ethnic-flavored work of Ben Allison, E.S.T., and the Cinematic Orchestra. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1 News from Verona 4:21
2 (Something's Going Down On) Zavodovski Island 4:25
3 Knee-Deep in the North Sea 4:47
4 Too Many Cooks 5:33
5 Steps in the Wrong Direction 6:13
6 Monsoon: Top to Bottom 4:12
7 The Kon-Tiki Expedition 4:30
8 Cittàgazze 4:46
9 Pompidou 3:13
10 Prickly Pear 5:41
11 All the Pieces Matter [BBC Maida Vale Session] 5:18
12 Knee-Deep in the North Sea [Live in Copenhagen] 6:09
13 Steps in the Wrong Direction [Live in Copenhagen] 8:06
Credits :
Double Bass – Milo Fitzpatrick
Drums, Idiophone [Hang] – Duncan Bellamy
Idiophone [Hang] – Nick Mulvey
Saxophone – Jack Wyllie
Composed By,  Arranged By, Performer, Producer – Portico Quartet

MARION BROWN – Porto Novo (1969-1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This was one of altoist Marion Brown's best recordings. Although a very adventurous improviser, Brown usually brought lyricism and a thoughtful (if unpredictable) approach to his music. Accompanied by bassist Maarten van Regteben Altena and drummer Han Bennink for this stimulating session (recorded in Holland), Brown stretches out on five of his compositions and is heard at the peak of his creative powers. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Marion Brown–    Similar Limits 6:25
Written-By – Brown
2    Marion Brown–    Sound Structure 6:10
Written-By – Brown
3    Marion Brown–    Improvisation 5:50
Written-By – Brown
4    Marion Brown–    Qbic 6:32
Written-By – Brown
5    Marion Brown–    Porto Novo 11:55
Written-By – Brown
6    Marion Brown / Leo Smith–    And Then They Danced 16:05
Written-By – Brown
7    Marion Brown / Leo Smith–    Rhythmus No. 1 3:30
Written-By – Brown, Smith
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Marion Brown
Bass – Maarten van Regteren Altena (tracks: 1 to 5)
Drums – Han Bennink (tracks: 1 to 5)
Percussion, Other [Etc.] – Marion Brown (tracks: 6, 7)
Trumpet, Percussion, Other [Etc.] – Leo Smith (tracks: 6, 7)

KORA JAZZ TRIO – Part IV (2018) FLAC (tracks) 24-44.1Hz

Tracklist :
1    Djanffa 3:46
Chérif Soumano
2    Siragnan-Fain 4:21
Abdoulaye Diabaté
3    Via Con Me 3:46
 Paolo Conte
4    Fayda 6:03
Abdoulaye Diabaté / Woz Kaly
5    Bourama 4:38
Abdoulaye Diabaté
6    Moanin' 4:33
 Bobby Timmons
7    Keba-Djïto 4:36
Abdoulaye Diabaté
8    Sodade 6:23
 Luis Morais
9    Ala-Lako 4:58
Abdoulaye Diabaté
10        Kora Ya Me Voy 5:41
Abdoulaye Diabaté
11        Mitoha Song 4:50
Abdoulaye Diabaté
Credits :
Balafon – Adama Conde
Congas, Bongos, Calabash, Cymbal – Moussa Cissokho
Double Bass – Manuel Marchès
Guitar – Hervé Morisot
Kora – Chérif Soumano
Piano, Composed By, Arranged By – Abdoulaye Diabaté
Timbales, Shaker, Bongos, Bells, Claves – Boris Caicedo
Vocals – Woz Kaly