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New releases from the duo of pianist Kazzrie Jaxen and guitarist Bud Tristano and from the duo of pianist/vocalist Carol Liebowitz and saxophonist Birgitta Flick open cinematic landscapes of sound whose coherence, continuity, and complexities hang on a succession of momentary impulses. With the exception of only three tracks, the music flows not from the promptings of sheet music but from intuitive, collaborative improvisations that are as disciplined as they are unpredictable. This is not something that you will find yourself humming. Instead, it is music to immerse yourself in, the way divers immerse themselves in the ocean. The best description of this music and how to approach it that I’ve encountered comes from clarinetist Bill Payne: “Well, here’s a good way to look at it. If you just imagine the music as movie music—and you’re the movie—you’re set.” Continue reading →