(image credit: Mayra Beltran / Houston Chronicle )
It was a great year for the old masters of European (and Japanese!) improvised music, so my list is limited to that. #1 is #1, the rest are not in order. I spent more money on releases this year than any time in recent memory!
1. Fuchs-Arndt-Schneider
by WOLFGANG FUCHS | BERNHARD ARNDT | HANS SCHNEIDER
2. Reziprok
by Günter Christmann / Joachim Heintz / Elke Schipper / Michael Griener
Edition Explico – explico 24
CDr, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Reziprok/release/12216347
3. The Art Of The Duo – 2
by Günter Christmann’s Vario
Edition Explico – explico 23
CDr, Limited Edition, Numbered
https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Art-Of-The-Duo-2/release/11804574
4. Oh My, Those Boys!
by Barre Phillips, Motoharu Yoshizawa
5. Arirang Fantasy
by Choi Sun Bae, Junji Hirose, Motoharu Yoshizawa, Kim Dae Hwan
6. Joelle Leandre – Strings Garden (3CD Boxset)
7. Barry Guy@70 – Blue Horizon – Live At Ad Libitum Festival 2017
8. Sidereus Nuncius — The Starry Messenger
by Ramón López & Barry Guy
9. End To End ECM 2575
Barre Phillips
https://www.ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1522764614
10. Music for David Mossman (Live at Vortex London)
by Evan Parker – Barry Guy – Paul Lytton
Damon Smith is a is a recent transplant to the Boston area, but has already made his presence felt in a big way. Damon also runs the the label Balance Point Acoustics. Find some of his music here or listen to some below. – DS
