Poly-Free Improvisation

Alan Silva and the Celestrial Communication Orchestra – Seasons

Lineup: Alan Silva, Roscoe Mitchell, Robin Kenyatta, Don Moye, Steve Lacy, Jerome Cooper, Dave Burrell, Bernard Vitet, Alan Shorter, Joseph Jarman, Ronnie Beer, Michel Portal, Dieter Gewissler, Jouk Minor, Kent Carter, Irene Aebi, Oliver Johnson, Joachim Kuhn

Style: Cosmic Big-Band, Creative Music, Free Jazz

Vibes: Apocalyptic, Cosmic, Cathartic, Communal, Intense, Ritualistic, Entropic, Meditative, Spiritual, Mysterious, Energetic

Musical Qualities: Conducted Improvisation, Dense, Acoustic, Instrumental, Atonal, Orchestral, Active Listening, Complex, Noisy, Heavy, Progressive

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Marion Brown – Duets

Compilation of two duo records:
“Creative Improvisation Ensemble” recorded with Wadada Leo Smith in 1970
“Soundways” recorded with Elliott Schwartz in 1973

Style: Creative Music, Free Improvisation, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibes: Open, Suspenseful, Abstract, Deconstructed, Intertwined, Restrained, Searching, Spontaneous

Musical Qualities: Dynamic, Poly-Free Improvisation, Atonal, Percussive, Slow, Sparse, Instrumental

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Henry Cow – Unrest

On their second LP, Henry Cow weaves together elements of eerie chamber music, free improvisation, and deconstructed prog to create something that seems like the missing link between the Canterbury jazz-rock of Soft Machine and Gong and the dissonant avant-rock of This Heat.

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The Art Ensemble of Chicago – We Are On the Edge

Style: Modern Creative, Chamber Jazz, Experimental Big Band, Great Black Music, Avant-Garde Classical

Vibe: Communal, Triumphant, Suspenseful, History, Eclectic, Colorful, Intricate, Ritualistic, Patient, Open, Complex, Theatric

Musical Qualities: Poly-Free Improvisation, Dynamic, Collective, Progressive Structures, Technical, Orchestral, Percussive, Reductionism, Suite, Polyphonic

Instrumentation: Trumpets, Upright Bass, Spoken Word, Operatic Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Saxophone, Cello, Violin, Viola

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Zs – Xe

Style: Experimental Rock, Brutal Prog, Free Minimalism, Math Rock, Noise

Vibe: Hypnotic, Cold, Ritualistic, Dystopian, Mysterious, Chaotic, Surreal, Loose

Musical Qualities: Dissonant, Improvisation, Minimalistic, Noisy, Complex, Instrumental, Pulse, Uncommon Time Signatures

Instrumentation: Saxophone, Electric Guitar, Loops, Percussion

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Sumac – Love in Shadow

Style: Free Sludge, Post-Metal

Vibe: Heavy, Cathartic, Murky, Aggressive, Surreal, Complex, Epic, Primal, Abstract, Powerful

Musical Qualities: Dissonant, Noisy, Collective Improvisation, Growling Vocals, Progressive Structures, Odd Time Signatures, Fuzzy Riffs, Dynamic, Reductionism

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Wadada Leo Smith – Spirit Catcher

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Chamber Jazz, Modern Creative Music

Vibe: Intertwined, Open, Patient, Flowing, Noir, Suspenseful, Spiritual, Communal, Abstract

Musical Qualities: Poly-Free Improvisation, Polyphonic, Acoustic, Complex, Instrumental, Dynamic

Instrumentation: Trumpet (muted), Harp, Vibraphone, Upright Bass, Clarinet, Trombone, Wooden Flute, Drums, Saxophone, Flugelhorn

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The Underflow – Instant Opaque Evening

Personnel:
David Grubbs (Electric Guitar, Vocals)
Rob Mazurek (Piccolo Trumpet, Electronics, Wooden Flute, Percussion, Voice)
Mats Gustafsson (Flute, Fluteophone, Baritone Saxophone, Live Electronics)

Style: Electroacoustic Improvisation, Future Jazz, Experimental Songwriter (B1,

Vibe: Suspenseful, Futuristic, Abstract, Spacious, Cerebral, Eclectic, Exploratory, Open, Patient, Cathartic, Ritualistic

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Electro-Acoustic, Percussive, Noise, Atonality, Dissonance, Dynamic, Live, Atmospheric

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Tangents – Stateless

“The five-piece band synthesise contemporary classical forms – most often recalling Steve Reich or Philip Glass – and marry them to the looseness and improvisational nature of jazz and the dynamics of head-nodding electronic music. Stateless is at once both carefully composed and freely flowing. The compositions included here are more about rhythm, texture and contrast than definable melodies and harmonic structures.” – Scott Wallace [Sydney Scoop]

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Anthony Davis – Epist?m?

Style: Poly-Free Improvisation, Modern Classical, Avant-Garde Big Band

Vibe: Complex, Hypnotic, Intense, Suspenseful, Cerebral

Musical Attributes: Polyrhythmic, Polyphonic, Odd Time Signatures, Acoustic, Poly-Free Improvisation, Repetitive

Instrumentation: Orchestral, Mallet Percussion (Marimba, Vibraphone, etc) Violin, Cello, Piano, Trombone, Drums, Flute, Bass Clarinet

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