Congratulations to our clients on being recognized by the following 2011 polls and year-end lists!

Darcy James Argue

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Composer (#1)

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Big Band (#2)

DownBeat Readers’ Poll: Big Band (#2)

JazzTimes Readers’ Poll: Best Big Band (#3)

100 Composers Under 40
—NPR in conjunction with WQXR 

Top 10 concerts/gigs in Ottawa
—Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen 

Top 10 Concerts Of The Year (Brooklyn Babylon)
—David R. Adler, New York City Jazz Record

Noteworthy Live Shows This Year (Brooklyn Babylon)
—Ralph A. Miriello, Jazz Journalists Association

AUM Fidelity

Darius Jones

Musicians Of The Year
—The New York City Jazz Record

Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp, Cosmic Lieder (AUM066)

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Francis Davis, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Steve Dollar, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Ed Hazell, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Tim Niland, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Albums For 2011
—S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!

Top 10 New Releases For 2011
—Tim Niland, Music and More 

Top 10 of 2011
—Stanley Zappa, Free Jazz 

Top 30 of 2011
—Andrew Forbes, THIS IS OUR MUSIC.

2011’s Ten Best New Releases
—Alain Drouot, Jazz Journalists Association

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Top 10 Concerts of the Year
—Andrey Henkin, The New York City Jazz Record

Farmers By Nature, Out Of This World’s Distortions (AUM067)

Top 5 Albums of 2011
—Kevin Le Gendre, BBC 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—David Fricke, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Ten New Releases of 2011
—Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise 

Top Ten New Releases of 2011
—Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise 

Best New Jazz/Improvised Music Albums of 2011
—Steve Holtje, Culture Catch

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Best Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, AllAboutJazz.com 

David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/WilliamParker/Muhammad Ali, Planetary Unknown (AUM068)

Jazz & Improv A-Z
—The Wire 

Record Of The Year (#34)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Clifford Allen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Larry Birnbaum, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Steve Dollar, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—David Fricke, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Aiden Levy, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Chris Monsen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Bret Saunders, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Ten New Releases of 2011
— Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise 

Top 10 Satisfying CDs of 2011
—Bret Saunders, Denver Post

Top 10 Albums of 2011
—Lawrence Joseph, Montreal Mirror

Best New Jazz/Improvised Music Albums of 2011
—Steve Holtje, Culture Catch

Top 10 of 2011
—Stanley Zappa, Free Jazz 

Best New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com 

Best New Releases of 2011
—Clifford Allen, Ni Kantu 

Top 10 New Releases For 2011
—Tim Niland, Music and More 

Best of 2011
—Antonio Terzo, Jazz Journalists Association 

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Darius Jones Trio, Big Gurl (AUM069)

Albums of the Year
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Record Of The Year (#19)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Larry Birnbaum, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Steve Dollar, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Alain Drouot, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Tad Hendrickson, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Chris Monsen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Jeff Stockton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Jazz Albums of 2011
—Shaun Brady, Philadelphia City Paper 

Best New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com 

Best Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, AllAboutJazz.com 

Top 10 of 2011
—Guy Peters, Free Jazz 

Top 10 of 2011
—Tony Verstraete, Free Jazz 

Top 10 of 2011
—Lyn Horton, The Paradigm For Beauty

Top 10 New Releases
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Jazz Journalists Association

Top 10 New Releases
—Shaun Brady, Jazz Journalists Association

Top 10 for 2011
—Tad Hendrickson, Jazz Journalists Association

Best of 2011: New Releases
—Luke Stewart, Jazz Journalists Association

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM

David S. Ware, Organica (AUM070)

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Larry Birnbaum, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Jazz Albums of 2011
—Shaun Brady, Philadelphia City Paper 

Best of 2011: Jazz
—Bill Meyer, Dusted 

Best New Jazz/Improvised Music Albums of 2011
—Steve Holtje, Culture Catch

Top 30 of 2011
—Andrew Forbes, THIS IS OUR MUSIC.

Top 10 New Releases
—Shaun Brady, Jazz Journalists Association

James Falzone

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Clarinet (#4)

Great Arts Events I Was At 2011
—Janis Hashe, Chattanooga Pulse

KLANG, Other Doors (Allos Documents)

The year’s best jazz CDs
—Neil Tesser, Examiner.com 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Derek Taylor, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record

Best of 2011
—Antonio Terzo, Jazz Journalists Association

Top 13 of 2011
—Neil Tesser, Jazz Journalists Association

Mary Halvorson

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Guitar (#1)

Best Guitarist 2011
—Village Voice, Best of New York

100 Composers Under 40
—NPR in conjunction with WQXR 

Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone, Departure Of Reason (Thirsty Ear)

My favorite albums of 2011
—Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Albums for 2011
—Mark Saleski, Something Else!

Top 10 of 2011
—Lyn Horton, The Paradigm For Beauty

Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans, Electric Fruit (Thirsty Ear)

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Alain Drouot, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

2011’s Ten Best New Releases
—Alain Drouot, Jazz Journalists Association

Fay Victor

Other Dimensions In Music featuring Fay Victor, Kaiso Stories (Silkheart)

Vocal Releases of the Year
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Best Vocal Album (#6)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Record Of The Year (#40)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year
—John Szwed, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Ed Hazell, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Robert Iannapollo, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Chris Monsen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Derek Taylor, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Albums of the Year
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, The New York City Jazz Record

Best of 2011
—Derek Taylor, Dusted

Vocal releases of 2011
—John Szwed, Jazz Journalists Association 

Top 10 New Releases + Vocal releases of 2011
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Jazz Journalists Association 

Top 10 of 2011
—Guy Peters, Free Jazz

Top 10 of 2011
—Stanley Zappa, Free Jazz

Favourites for 2011
—CKUT 90.3 FM 

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM 

Another year is almost in the books, which means it’s time for critics and fans alike to start compiling their best-releases-of-the-year lists.

For your reference, here’s a list of our clients’ 2011 recordings.

AUM Fidelity

Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp, Cosmic Lieder
Farmers By Nature, Out Of This World’s Distortions
David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/William Parker/Muhammad Ali, Planetary Unknown
Darius Jones Trio, Big Gurl (Smell My Dream)
David S. Ware, Organica (solo saxophones, volume 2)

James Falzone

KLANG, Other Doors (Allos Documents)

Mary Halvorson

Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans, Electric Fruit (Thirsty Ear)
Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone, Departure of Reason (Thirsty Ear)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet, Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12 Records)
The Thirteenth Assembly, Station Direct (Important Records)

Eric Hofbauer

Eric Hofbauer & The Infrared Band, LEVEL (Creative Nation Music)

Playscape Recordings

Ted Rosenthal Trio, Out Of This World

Fay Victor

Other Dimensions In Music Featuring Fay Victor, Kaiso Stories (Silkheart)

More news about 2012 releases coming soon!

DownBeat‘s August issue is reaching subscribers now and with it the results of the 59th Annual Critics Poll.

We’re very pleased to report that our clients are well represented and in more categories than ever before.

AUM Fidelity earned the number nine spot on the Jazz Album of the Year list with William Parker’s I Plan To Stay A Believer: The Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield, while its recording artists Darius Jones (Rising Star Alto Saxophone) and David S. Ware (Tenor Saxophone) made strong showings in their respective categories.

The members of Farmers By Nature, who recently released their second AUM Fidelity record, Out Of This World’s Distortions, also made some noise for their recent individual accomplishments. William Parker and Gerald Cleaver were recognized in the Bass and Rising Star Drums categories respectively, and Craig Taborn scored a hat trick with wins for Rising Star Piano, Electronic Keyboard and Rising Star Organ.

Darcy James Argue got the most votes in the Rising Star Composer category and his GRAMMY® nominated big band Secret Society grabbed the second spot for Rising Star Big Band. He and the group were also recognized in the Arranger, Rising Star Arranger, Composer and Big Band categories.

James Falzone, who appeared on three very different recordings in the past year (KLANG’s Other Doors, Allos Musica Trio’s Lamentations and Vox Arcana’s Aerial Age), was fourth in the Rising Star Clarinet category.

Firehouse 12 Records and Mary Halvorson share the credit for Saturn Sings‘ number eight spot on the Jazz Album of the Year list.

Ms. Halvorson also went on to win for Rising Star Guitar while also being recognized in the Rising Star Jazz Artist category. Her longstanding trio, featuring Rising Star Bass winner John Hébert, finished fourth in the Rising Star Jazz Group category.

Last but definitely not least, Fay Victor, who has been impressing critics and fans alike in recent months with her own bands as well as collaborations with Other Dimensions In Music and the ICP Orchestra, was recognized in both the Rising Star Female Vocals and Female Vocals categories.

Congratulations to all the musicians and labels on this recognition of their work and thanks to all the voters for their attention and support of our clients and their music.

Photo by John Rogers

Farmers By Nature, featuring pianist Craig Taborn, bassist William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver, kicks-off its six-city European tour tonight in Amsterdam.

The four year-old improvising trio is celebrating the release of its second AUM Fidelity recording, Out Of This World’s Distortions, with performances in The Netherlands, France and Slovenia.

Friday, June 24th at 8:30 p.m.
Bimhuis
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Saturday, June 25th at 6:00 p.m.
musée du quai Branly
Paris, France

Sunday, June 26th at 7:00 p.m.
Jazz Agricole Day
Puimichel, France

Monday, June 27th at 9:00 p.m.
Cité de la Musique de Marseille
Marseille, France

Tuesday, June 28th at 8:30 p.m.
Petit Kursaal
Besançon, France

Wednesday, June 29th at 9:15 p.m.
Klub CD
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Critics have called Out Of This World’s Distortions “a conversation at an otherworldly level” (S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!), ”a deeply wistful, bracing musical adventure” (Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise), and ”a novel variation on an enduring format that transcends customary expectations through considered interplay and empathetic unanimity” (Troy Collins, Point Of Departure).

“Like on the previous album,” adds Free Jazz blogger Stef Gijssels, “this piano trio again demonstrates that it’s one of the best around…one of those rare piano trios that manages to create a common sound, rather than being just a piano plus rhythm section. The music is intelligent, creative, expressive, incredibly well-paced and precise.”

Learn more about Farmers By Nature and its members’ other AUM Fidelity releases at http://www.aumfidelity.com

The July issue of Jazzwise features four-star reviews of the two latest AUM Fidelity releases, Farmers By Nature’s Out Of This World’s Distortions (AUM067) and David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/William Parker/Muhammad Ali’s Planetary Unknown (AUM068).

In his review of the former, Kevin Le Gendre notes the trio’s trademark “contrast of high energy sonic exuberance and meditative delicacy.”

“Creating a developmental arc in a song that is more about understated, incremental movements rather than outright ‘chapter headings’ has been practiced by many in jazz over the years,” he writes, “but it is done with consummate authority here, and the title track is the high point of this extreme attention to detail in the touch of every member of the band. The result is a deeply wistful, bracing musical adventure.”

“The four musicians had never worked together as a group when they gathered in Brooklyn in late 2010,” explains Marcus O’Dair in his review of Planetary Unknown, “but the seven tracks they laid down are gravity-defying.”

He adds, “Both Ware and Parker have worked with Cecil Taylor, while Ali—who hasn’t recorded for 30 years—played with Albert Ayler; the spirits of both forefathers are evident here, alongside that of Coltrane at his most ecstatic. Despite its debt to the blistering, transcendent spirit of the 1960’s, however, the album feels fresh.”

Farmers By Nature kicks off its six-city European CD release tour tomorrow in Paris and Ware will play back-to-back solo sets this weekend in New York at AUM Fidelity’s two-week series at The Stone (Friday) and Undead Jazzfest (Saturday).

Learn more about AUM Fidelity, its artists and its releases at http://www.aumfidelity.com

Tonight at 8:00 p.m., Farmers By Nature will celebrate its latest AUM Fidelity release, Out Of This World’s Distortions (AUM067), with a performance at Montreal’s Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival.

The group, which features Craig Taborn (piano), William Parker (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums), will then head to Europe for a six-city tour of France, Slovenia and The Netherlands beginning on Friday.

“Like seeds planted in the fertile ground of inventiveness,” writes AllAboutJazz.com’s Mark F. Turner, “the trio’s ideas germinate into enthralling music that is organic and spontaneous.”

Reviewers have called them “three of the most accomplished improvisers to be found anywhere” (Eric Snider, Creative Loafing), “a testament to rumination” (Jim Macnie, Village Voice), and “a group that has a language all its own” (Bill Meyer, DownBeat).

“Sensitive and subtle,” adds Jazzwise contributor Kevin Le Gendre, “the group dynamic is as impassioned as a Brötzmann juggernaut yet as delicate as sashimi.”

Learn more about Farmers By Nature and its members’ other AUM Fidelity releases at http://www.aumfidelity.com

Nic Jones’ review of Farmers By Nature’s latest AUM Fidelity release, Out Of This World’s Distortions, was posted today at AllAboutJazz.com

“Pianist Craig Taborn, bassist William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver have the ability to produce work that’s never stale,” Jones writes. “But saying that they always come to play doesn’t do them justice: individually and collectively, they have a knack for carving out their own space, and this program makes that point in no uncertain terms…all three players work with the kind of unassuming reverence which is easily talked about but nowhere near as easily struck.”

He adds, “Parker is at a stage in his life where two notes from his bass can carry authority, while Taborn’s shading is the work of a man alert to worlds of possibility. Cleaver’s also a musician capable of extraordinary subtlety, and the result of this collective effort is a three-way discussion of a highly cerebral but earthy order.”

Out Of This World’s Distortions officially hits the streets June 14th.

Farmers By Nature is celebrating its release with a performance at Montreal’s Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival on June 21st followed by a six-city tour of France, Slovenia and The Netherlands beginning June 24th.

Learn more about AUM Fidelity and its releases at http://www.aumfidelity.com

Photo by John Rogers

This June, Farmers By Nature, the four year-old improvising trio featuring pianist Craig Taborn, bassist William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver, will celebrate the release of its second AUM Fidelity recording, Out Of This World’s Distortions, with performances in The Netherlands, France and Slovenia.

The six-city European tour begins June 24th in Amsterdam, and follows the group’s only North American CD release concert at the Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival in Montreal on June 21st.

Friday, June 24th at 8:30 p.m.
Bimhuis
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Saturday, June 25th at 6:00 p.m.
musée du quai Branly
Paris, France

Sunday, June 26th at 7:00 p.m.
Jazz Agricole Day
Puimichel, France

Monday, June 27th at 9:00 p.m.
Cité de la Musique de Marseille
Marseille, France

Tuesday, June 28th at 8:30 p.m.
Petit Kursaal
Besançon, France

Wednesday, June 29th at 9:15 p.m.
Klub CD
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Reviewers have called Farmers By Nature “three of the most accomplished improvisers to be found anywhere” (Eric Snider, Creative Loafing), “a group that has a language all its own” (Bill Meyer, DownBeat), and “as impassioned as a Brötzmann juggernaut yet as delicate as sashimi” (Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise).

Out Of This World’s Distortions, which officially hits the streets June 14th, follows the group’s self-titled 2009 debut, which earned critical praise as “a success of the highest order” (Scott Hreha, PopMatters.com), “music of diversity, thoughtfulness and commitment” (Nilan Perera, Exclaim!) and “enthralling music that is organic and spontaneous” (Mark F. Turner, AllAboutJazz.com).

AllMusic.com’s Thom Jurek adds, “It gives up its secrets slowly, but the gems hidden in this sonic earth are plentiful, poetic and remarkable.”

Learn more about Farmers By Nature and its members’ other AUM Fidelity releases at http://www.aumfidelity.com

Ware’s solo set at La Sala Rossa on Tuesday, June 14th at 8:00 p.m. will be the second of two Canadian performances the eminent musician/composer has planned for the month during his first tour of the country in nearly a decade. It also coincides with the street date for his latest release, Planetary Unknown (AUM Fidelity AUM068), featuring his new quartet with Cooper-Moore (piano), William Parker (bass) and Muhammad Ali (drums).

This is the latest in a string of four diverse AUM Fidelity recordings since 2009 documenting the current era of Ware’s long and distinguished career. Recent reviews have called him “a master musician” (Dan Warburton, The Wire), “a force-of-nature improviser” (Nate Chinen, New York Times) and “one of today’s more important artists” (Troy Collins, Point of Departure). BBC Music’s Daniel Spicer adds, “Ware’s playing is astonishing, pushing the limits of brain, fingers and equipment, ideas rushing out in a stream of furious, liquid invention, with an almost superhuman precision.”

Farmers By Nature will take to the La Sala Rossa stage a week after Ware on Tuesday, June 21st at 8:00 p.m. The group will be celebrating Out Of This World’s Distortions (AUM Fidelity AUM067), its first studio recording and second AUM Fidelity release overall. This will be the New York-based trio’s only North American CD release performance before heading to Europe for a three-country tour later that week.

“Like seeds planted in the fertile ground of inventiveness,” writes AllAboutJazz.com’s Mark F. Turner, “the trio’s ideas germinate into enthralling music that is organic and spontaneous.” Reviewers have called them “three of the most accomplished improvisers to be found anywhere” (Eric Snider, Creative Loafing), “a testament to rumination” (Jim Macnie, Village Voice), and “a group that has a language all its own” (Bill Meyer, DownBeat). “Sensitive and subtle,” adds Jazzwise contributor Kevin Le Gendre, “the group dynamic is as impassioned as a Brötzmann juggernaut yet as delicate as sashimi.”

Learn more about David S. Ware and Farmers By Nature at http://www.aumfidelity.com

On June 14th, AUM Fidelity will release Farmers By Nature’s Out Of This World’s Distortions (AUM067) and David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/William Parker/Muhammad Ali’s Planetary Unknown (AUM068). These two new recordings are part of a busy month for the label that also includes curating more than 20 performances by its artists and related musicians at The Stone in New York.

Out Of This World’s Distortions is the second AUM Fidelity release by the improvising trio of Gerald Cleaver (drums), William Parker (bass) and Craig Taborn (piano), which takes its name from its acclaimed 2009 debut, Farmers By Nature (AUM053). On this latest effort, its first studio recording, the group and its musical approach continue to reference agrarian themes, while also expressing a grateful awe at the planet’s infinite potential for nurturing itself and its inhabitants.

“The phrase, Out Of This World’s Distortions, came to me one night while in that awake-asleep-in-between state,” writes Cleaver in the liner notes. “The interpreted significance of this title to the music for me has to do with the clear indomitableness of Earth. I’m happily baffled by how resourceful Earth is at taking care of itself and its willing subjects (flora, fauna), all while realigning us, the World, whether we’re willing or not. The titles and the music as a whole reflect our great friendship, the fun we have together, our mutual respect for one another, and the wealth of our shared Worldly experiences.”

“Like seeds planted in the fertile ground of inventiveness,” explains AllAboutJazz.com’s Mark F. Turner, “the trio’s ideas germinate into enthralling music that is organic and spontaneous.” Critics called Farmers By Nature “a success of the highest order” (Scott Hreha, PopMatters.com), “music of diversity, thoughtfulness and commitment” (Nilan Perera, Exclaim!) and “a pensive dialogue that could simultaneously satisfy lovers of the Bill Evans Trio and AMM” (Bill Meyer, DownBeat). AllMusic.com’s Thom Jurek adds, “It gives up its secrets slowly, but the gems hidden in this sonic earth are plentiful, poetic and remarkable.”

Planetary Unknown documents a series of notable firsts. In addition to being the first time eminent improvisers David S. Ware (tenor saxophone, sopranino and stritch), Cooper-Moore (piano), William Parker (bass) and Muhammad Ali (drums) have ever played together as a quartet, this session also marks the first collaboration by Ware and Cooper-Moore in 30 years, as well as Ali’s first appearance on record since the early 1980′s. Now that they, and their roughly 150 years of collective professional experience, are together, the group plans to perform as a working unit, starting with its June 10th live debut at Vision Festival XVI.

“The web of musical, personal and spiritual connections that brought these men together at that particular time and place is like a modern jazz parable that proclaims: all good things come to those who wait,” writes music journalist Philip Clark in the liner notes. “So, imagine the scene as all those shared histories came together inside that Brooklyn studio space. All four men are quick to stress that the seven pieces on Planetary Unknown were a consequence of time, place, feeling, and were brought into the world without any note-specific pre-planning. ‘History opens telepathic channels between the four of us,’ Ware explains, ‘and that’s what makes this music deep.’”

Ware’s fourth AUM Fidelity recording since 2009, and eighth for the label overall, Planetary Unknown is the latest in a string of diverse releases documenting the resurgence of productivity in this latest era of his long and distinguished career. Recent reviews have called him “a master musician” (Dan Warburton, The Wire), “a force-of-nature improviser” (Nate Chinen, New York Times) and “one of today’s more important artists” (Troy Collins, Point of Departure). BBC Music’s Daniel Spicer adds, “Ware’s playing is astonishing, pushing the limits of brain, fingers and equipment, ideas rushing out in a stream of furious, liquid invention, with an almost superhuman precision. It’s the sound of an artist purposefully striving to be a better human.”

Learn more about AUM Fidelity, its artists and its releases at http://www.aumfidelity.com