Bassist Kim Cass has been opening ears for several years now playing with the likes of Matt Mitchell, Tyshawn Sorey & John Zorn. His first release on a major label is now out and “Levs” does not disappoint with its highly original compositions that stretch the boundaries of improvised music. “Levs” with Cass, Mitchell and Sorey is just one of a number of interesting releases by trios heard in this edition of OMJ. The threesome of bassist Mark Helias, drummer Jerry Hemingway and trombonist Ray Anderson – aka Bassdrumbone – have only released eight albums as a group in the 47 years of the trio’s existence but what that infrequency is made up for exquisite and fantastic playing. Their new “Afternoon” is a best-of. Saxophonist Ivo Perelman maintains a steady stream of new recordings (“Ephemeral Shapes” was done in May) and this latest one finds him in a new trio with pianist Aruan Ortiz and drummer Ramon Lopez. Another trio album highlights the intriguing guitar of Jessica Ackerley, while Southeast Asia free jazz stalwarts, saxophonist Rick Countryman, bassist Richard Allan Bates and drummer Sabu Toyozumi, drop a pair of sizzling recordings done at a club in Quezon, Philippines. Also new come Open Question, a tough New York quartet, with music from a live session at Scholes Street Studio in NYC, Axis from England, co-led by saxophonists Ron Caines and Martin Archer, and “Warming/Melting” from a Polish band called Ziemia that features guest saxophonist Irek Wojtczak. Finish that off with a fully improvised set from a German quartet that features the late Michel Pilz and you definitely have a packed show!!!
00:00 Open Question * Open Question Live at Scholes Street Studio – Gauci Music * Improvisation 31 * USA
06:57 Host speaks
09:25 Kim Cass * Levs – Pi Recordings * Trench * USA
15:30 Kim Cass * Levs – Pi Recordings * Ripley * USA
18:35 Tomasz Dabrowsky & The Individual Beings * Better – April Records * Upright * Poland
22:39 Bassdrumbone * Afternoon – Auricle * Afternoon Begins * Switzerland/England/USA
28:15 Host speaks
30:05 Bassdrumbone * Afternoon – Auricle * Afternoon Continues * Switzerland/England/USA
41:46 Anansi Trio * On The Path – Self-released * Africa * USA
48:45 Arild Andersen Quartet * Molde Live – ECM * Targeta * Norway
56:00 Host speaks
57:46 Ivo Perelman, Aruan Ortiz & Ramon Lopez * Ephemeral Shapes – Fundacja Sluchaz * Shape 7 * USA
1:06:34 Kenny Warren * Sweet World – Out Of Your Head * Sky Fish * USA
1:10:23 Pat Thomas & Bley School * Where – 577 Records * There Is No Greater Love * England
1:15:52 Host speaks
1:17:49 Michel Pilz, Frank Paul Schubert, Stefan Scheib & Klaus Kugel * Live At Festival Freejazz Saar 2019 – Nemu * Where’s Charlie Part II * Germany
1:27:19 Sebastien Amman * Change of Course – Ropeadope * Nature Dancer * USA
1:31:35 Jessica Ackerley * All Of The Colours Are Singing – AKP Records * Forward Motion Is Never A Straight Line * USA
1:37:36 Host speaks
1:39:38 Rick Countryman, Sabu Toyozumi & Richard Allan Bates * Lovely Tago On A Friday Night – Self-released * Reeva’s Dance * Philippines/Japan/Malaysia
1:50:13 Ziemia * Warming/Melting – Audio Cave * Teatslez * Poland
2:00:00 Rick Countryman, Sabu Toyozumi & Richard Allan Bates * Lovely Tago On A Sunday Night – Self-released * The Boy Asked A Lot Of Questions * Philippines/Japan/Malaysia
2:07:52 Host speaks
2:09:58 Ron Caines Martin Archer Axis * Practical Dreamers – Discus Records * Part 2 * England