‘A sensual, haunting and reflective road movie that captures the magic of music.’ Grafelfing to Athens, Udine to Carthage, Tallinn to Pernes-les-Fontaines, Copenhagen to Salta in Argentina.

With new cohorts from Finland and Denmark — electric bass and guitar bringing a new tension and urgency — this is by turns fierce and hard, swinging and sparse, lyrical and mournful.

Leading his New York Quintet.

‘The quintessence of experience of sorts. It has some free playing, some reflection, and we also played Komeda’s Kattorna. Among my records this is the one I listened to the most after recording.’

Beautiful, balladesque quartet album — moody, blue and restrained.

Inspired by the great poet Wislawa Symborska, who died last year. Ace NY quartet. Full of dread and life, tersely sophisticated, imbued with Miles. Monk and Andrew Hill in the pianism. Always recommended, TS.

Melodic, texturally-inventive, often mesmeric pieces for both piano and prepared piano, including SB’s own compositions and spontaneous improvisations, as well as two versions of the traditional Arab song Lamma Bada Yatathanna.

Silvio Rodríguez, Bartók and Satie, in amongst original compositions and improvisations, beautifully elucidated by Stenson’s uncluttered lyricism, Anders Jormin’s arco double bass and Jon Fält’s impressionistic drumming. Mompou’s Canción Y Danza succeeds perfectly this way.

Searching amalgamations of contemporary jazz, traditional Korean music and pure sound. Group founders saxophonist/clarinettist Sungjae Son and guitarist Suwuk Chung are joined by pansori singer Yulhee Kim and drummer Soojin Suh, in five originals and three traditional pieces.

Engrossing, luminous, abstract pianism from Evan Parker, Roscoe Mitchell cohort.

‘Music, its forms and rituals, has the power to bring us close to distant civilizations. Armenia offers a special case: a sacred culture that was preserved and presented at its fullest flowering through the work of one man, the scholar-monk Soghomon Soghomonian, known under his religious name as Komitas.’
Duduk, blul, santur, tar, saz, dap, kamancha, kanon, oud…

Nicolas Masson (tenor saxophone, clarinet), Roberto Pianca (guitar), Emanuele Maniscalco (drums).