Zorn’s compositions for classical soloists with rhythm section are among the most successful and powerful meetings of classical and jazz ever conceived—completely notated virtuosic scores for classical players augmented by improvisers who illuminate the music with surprise, support, and an imaginative unpredictability. Mining this magical world since 2010, the project reached its apotheosis in the acclaimed 2021 release “Heaven and Earth Magick.” Here that same quartet divides into different groupings to present a varied and dramatic program of new music at its complex, mischievous best. Joined by electronic wizard Ikue Mori on one track, “Fantasma—Illusions from a Surrealist Mirror” is an endlessly imaginative and compelling new project of dynamic cross-genre music from Downtown magus John Zorn.

Friends and colleagues for over 25 years, John Zorn and Dave Lombardo are two of the most uncompromising and powerful musical visionaries in modern music and “Memories, Dreams, and Reflections” presents these two extreme virtuosos in an exciting session of pure improvisation. Drum shaman Dave Lombardo and renegade sax alchemist Zorn are at their freewheeling best here and their connection has never been tighter. Intense, telepathic, filled with love, surprise, respect, and an insatiable curiosity, this is an unexpected but inevitable meeting of two old friends who are also two modern musical masters.

The second release from Matt Hollenberg’s newest musical unit Shardik is a biting critique of political corruption and hypocrisy in the modern era. Years in the mak-ing, the music is replete with searing solos, harmonic daring, soaring lyricism, and a complex formal logic. Traversing avant-garde classical, dissonant math metal, free jazz, world music and more, “Cruelty Bacchanal” is Matt’s best project to date. Performed with stunning intensity and astonishing virtuosity this is essential new music from a guitar master that demands your attention. Essential!

Joseph Holbrooke was a legendary all-star ensemble from the mid Sixties dedicated to free improvisation. Comprising three of the most acclaimed virtuosos from the first generation of British improvisers—Bailey, Bryars, and Oxley—little has been released, but they briefly reformed in 1998 and the studio recordings from that period were made available in 2006 on Tzadik as “The Moat Recordings.” “Last Live 2001” is exactly that—their last live concert ever! Recorded in Antwerp in January of 2001, the ensemble is at their exploratory best in this newly discovered gem from the archives of composer/improviser maestro Gavin Bryars.

Composer, harpist, improviser, and educator Zeena Parkins has been a mainstay of the Downtown scene since 1984, performing with Fred Frith, John Zorn, Bjork, Ikue Mori, Yoko Ono, Pauline Oliveros, and countless others. Her newest project, years in the making, pays tribute to the fearless American visual artist Jay DeFeo. Zeena captures DeFeo’s bold experimentalism and love of beauty with a lush, exotic extended work for harp and percussion. Performing with her on a unique instru-ment built by legendary composer Lou Harrison is her close collaborator William Winant. One of Zeena’s most important and compelling releases, this is a major composition by a pioneering harpist/composer who still surprises after forty years of groundbreaking work!