I know it’s early to be talking about 2025 best-of lists, but two brilliant albums arrived in the same week and I’ll be very surprised if they do not make any of those lists. They certainly will be on my favourite releases list. Both are trios: pianist Myra Melford with bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Ches Smith, and Remedy: trumpeter Thomas Heberer, bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Joe Hertenstein. Just outstanding, and it’s a privilege to play them on the show. Other new releases sampled come from Uruguayan drummer Juan Ibarra, Swiss saxophonist Christoph Irniger & Pilgrim, and five free improvisation albums that stretch the idiom further: Ra Bishop from Chicago, Duo B from San Francisco (the first of a monthly release series from Queen Bee Records), Haromlabu from Belgium, FDF Trio, and a New York meets Minneapolis collaboration called “Murmuration”. You’ll also hear a few tracks honouring Black History Month.
00:00 Max Roach * We Insist! Max Roach Freedom Suite – Candid * Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace * USA
07:58 Host speaks
10:17 Myra Melford Splash * Myra Melford Splash – Intakt * The Wayward Line * USA
17:21 Daniel Carter & Ayumi Ishito * Endless Season – 577 Records * Dreamy Contagion * USA
21:44 Juan Ibarra * La Casa – Self-released * Olvida Todo Lo Que Crees Saber * Uruguay
29:28 Host speaks
31:45 Ra Bishop * Of The Essence – Amalgam * The Ladder * USA
45:14 Joachim Kuhn * Echappée – Intakt * Hunting * Germany
49:42 James Brandon Lewis * Apple Cores – Anti- * Apple Cores 1 * USA
52:31 James Brandon Lewis * Apple Cores – Anti- * Apple Cores 2 * USA
56:05 James Brandon Lewis * Apple Cores – Anti- * Apple Cores 3 * USA
59:18 Host speaks
1:02:26 Duo B * Luminous Axis – Queen Bee * Three Vertical Structures * USA
1:08:36 Andrea Grossi Blend 3 * Axes – Self-released * Pedinte/Bad Axes * Italy
1:17:24 Jessica Jones Quartet * Edible Flowers – Reva * Soft Target * USA
1:24:11 Host speaks
1:25:22 FDF Trio * Possibility & Prejudices From Within A Cup – Konnect * Don’t Try * USA/England/Switzerland
1:33:15 Joe Fonda * Eyes On The Horizon – FSR Records * Inspiration Opus #1 * USA
1:39:19 Gato/Carrieiro/Oswald/Valinho * Talagbusao – Robalo Music * Hangman * Portugal
1:47:43 Host speaks
1:50:11 Thomas Heberer’s Remedy * Hipp Hipp Hooray – FSR Records * Detroit Meets Leipzig * Germany/USA
1:57:18 Haromlabu * Helix – Off Record Label * Bop * Belgium
2:01:35 Charles Mingus * Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus – Impulse * Freedom * USA
2:06:43 Host speaks
2:08:31 Dave Sewelson, Steve Hirsh & Anthony Cox * Murmuration – Mahakala Music * Murmuration * USA
2:16:38 Denis Colin Trio * Something In Common – Sunnyside * African Drum Suite * France
2:24:47 Don Paul * Louisiana Stories – Irresistible Revolutionary * Something You Got * USA
2:29:15 Host speaks
2:31:47 Christoph Irniger Pilgrim * Human Intelligence (Live) – Intakt * Hendrix * Switzerland