Mat Walerian
Sonic Fiction
*2023 stock* After a duo album and two trio albums by Shipp and Walerian, all for ESP-Disk', we get a quartet album from them that continues their strategy of working with different musicians each time out. Bisio and Dickey are long-time collaborators with Shipp, but the addition of Walerian's Zen style changes the dynamics of their interactions. Walerian and Dickey, masters of restraint, were a match waiting to be made, and their instant rapport is one of the attractions of this album.
Jungle: Live At Okuden
"The second LP from Polish reedman and flautist Mat Walerian is also the second with pianist Matthew Shipp, the second with ESP-Disk Records and the second recorded within the live Okuden Concert Series. But the primary distinction of this second 'Live at Okuden' album is the addition of Hamid Drake. Jungleexpands the off-the-cuff musical conference to an elite drummer of improvised music. Many songs literally run into other so that it flows as if it's just a few extended pieces instead of thirt…