Joe Morris

This historic edition — Clean Feed’s one hundredth release — is a four-disc set that features two extraordinary musicians who before this session had never played together: multi-reedist Anthony Braxton and guitarist Joe Morris. “Four Improvisations (Duo) 2007” has other unique qualities. One is that Braxton has rarely recorded completely improvised pieces.

When David S. Ware plays his distinctive tenor saxophone, one cannot help but think he is a direct disciple of John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and David Murray. His edgy, dour, and dynamic sound retains a verve, control, and balance that many free improvisers cannot claim.

Whit Dickey is a musician that has built his career through coherent and judicious choices. Not only regarding his participations in other musicians projects but also in the way he leads his own projects.

Every Whit Dickey’s recording shows the public a new concept of this band which is becoming cyclically deeper and reorganised in order to be considered in such a way. It occurred in Transonic (1998), With Dickey’s first album as a leader, it happened too in Big Top and Coalescence, and in what concerns In a Heartbeat, it is also true.

From someone who was absent from the jazz scene for ten years, trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez's recent hyper-activity put his name in focus, as if he had always been active and simply became more and more famous. The Boston concert documented in “No Photograph Available” was one of those things that only happens thanks to the Internet.

Being a drummer, Whit Dickey uses generally the piano when he composes. The pieces included in “Sacred Ground” are exceptions – this time, he chose the voice as compositional tool. That circumstance lead him to a particular purpose: to reinforce the melodical complexion of his music. And notice: the music of a drummer. This is not new, of course.

Rejuvenation is the first studio recording from Flow Trio, a powerful tenor sax/bass/drums trio in the tradition of 60s free jazz with an up-to-the-minute sense of universal awareness. Flow Trio consists of tenor saxophonist Louie Belogenis, bassist Joe Morris and drummer Charles Downs (Rashid Bakr), all well-known in many and varied groups and recordings.

It’s almost a month into autumn, and driving through New England is exhiliarating, as the trees are vivid with color, and fallen leaves line the country lanes along Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound. This is the first chance I’ve had to travel since midsummer. A bit of snow falls as I arrive in Guilford, and the temperature has fallen.