Johan Budi
The landscape of contemporary improvisational music continues to evolve through the lens of historical reinterpretation, cross-cultural synthesis, and avant-garde exploration, as evidenced by three significant new releases entering the international jazz market in late 2024 and early 2025. These recordings—spanning the reimagining of classical staples, the fusion of West African and Jewish traditions, and the boundary-pushing experimentation of the Chicago avant-garde—highlight a period of intense creative output within the independent label sector. From the duo piano explorations of Alcyona Mick and Liam Noble to the rhythmic tapestries of Olivier Hutman and Lamine Cissokho, and the sonic architecture of Roscoe Mitchell and Michele Rabbia, these works represent a broader movement toward spontaneous composition and the dismantling of rigid genre barriers.
Reinterpreting the Classics: The Evolution of Holst’s The Planets
The release of Distant Plains by pianists Alcyona Mick and Liam Noble marks a significant milestone in the long history of adaptations of Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite, The Planets. Since its completion between 1914 and 1917, Holst’s work has been a perennial subject for transcription and transformation. The composer himself initiated this tradition by utilizing the two-piano arrangements of his assistants, Vally Lasker and Nora Day, to facilitate rehearsals. Over the subsequent century, the suite has been embraced by diverse musical communities, from the traditionalism of British brass bands to the progressive rock experimentation of Emerson, Lake and Palmer and King Crimson in the 1970s. More recently, the jazz world has reclaimed the work, notably through Jeremy Levy’s Jazz Orchestra in 2020.
However, Distant Plains diverges from the literalism of previous adaptations. Conceived by the alternative writer and artist Penny Rimbaud—best known for his work with the anarchist punk collective Crass—the project uses Holst’s astrological themes as a psychological springboard rather than a melodic roadmap. Recorded during the autumn and winter of 2024/2025 in London, the album is a testament to the long-standing musical rapport between Mick and Noble, a partnership that dates back to 1999 when Noble served as Mick’s teacher.
The recording process for Distant Plains emphasized spontaneity, with the majority of the tracks captured in first takes without overdubs. This "live-in-studio" approach yields a raw immediacy, particularly evident in "Mars, The Bringer Of War." Where Holst used a relentless 5/4 ostinato to convey the machinery of conflict, Mick and Noble utilize chordal clashes and spatial voids to evoke the same tension. In "Saturn," the duo captures what critics describe as "melancholic optimism," aligning with Holst’s original intent for the "Bringer of Old Age" while eschewing his specific motifs. The release, issued by Caliban Sounds, underscores a growing trend in the UK jazz scene toward deconstructing the Western classical canon through the lens of free improvisation.
Cultural Convergence: The Synthesis of Klezmer and Mandingo Traditions
In a parallel development within the European jazz circuit, the collaboration between French pianist Olivier Hutman and Senegalese kora master Lamine Cissokho has reached a new peak with the release of The Following. This project follows their 2023 debut, Double Skyline, which laid the groundwork for a unique amalgamation of disparate musical heritages. The new recording, released under the Frémeaux & Associés label, explores the intersections between Jewish Klezmer music and the Mandingo traditions of West Africa.
The conceptual core of the album is encapsulated in the opening track, "Klezmandingo." While these two traditions originate in vastly different geographic and social contexts, they share a fundamental reliance on minor modes and a deep-seated emotional resonance often associated with diaspora and resilience. Hutman, a seasoned figure in the European jazz scene, brings a structural rigor to the compositions, occasionally nodding to Western classical forms, as seen in the Bach-influenced contrapuntal fugue of "Syllabus Dilemma." Conversely, Cissokho elevates the kora—a 21-string bridge-harp—beyond its traditional folk role, utilizing repetitive bass ostinati and cascading improvisations that mirror the fluidity of jazz piano.
A significant addition to this recording is the presence of American blues musician Eric Bibb. His contributions on "Flood Water" and "Rockin’ Chair" provide a bridge to the African-American blues tradition, further expanding the album’s cultural scope. The inclusion of Horace Silver’s "Song For My Father" serves as a thematic anchor; Silver’s own heritage combined Cape Verdean (West African) and European influences, making the track a fitting tribute to the album’s overarching philosophy of global connectivity. Recorded across sessions in Stockholm and Maurepas, Paris, in 2025, The Following represents a deliberate effort to document the "global jazz" movement, where the specificity of local traditions is preserved within a universal improvisational framework.
The Avant-Garde Frontier: Roscoe Mitchell and the Legacy of the AACM
The third major release in this series of duo recordings is In 2, a collaboration between the legendary Roscoe Mitchell and Italian percussionist Michele Rabbia. Mitchell, a founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, has spent over six decades at the forefront of the avant-garde. His work has consistently challenged the definitions of jazz, moving toward an all-embracing vision of "Great Black Music" that incorporates silence, noise, and non-traditional instrumentation.
In 2, recorded in Udine, Italy, in May 2024 and released by the Rogue Art label, is a profound exploration of sonic environments. The centerpiece of the album consists of two long-form improvisations: "A Day In The Forest" and "A Night In The Forest." These tracks utilize an unobtrusive electronic continuum provided by Rabbia, over which Mitchell deploys a range of instruments, including the bass and sopranino saxophones. The music moves away from conventional melody and rhythm, focusing instead on the imitation of biological sounds—insect stridulations, animal calls, and the high-frequency clicks of echolocation.
This "pointillist interaction" represents a high-water mark for the duo format. Rabbia’s use of percussion is not merely rhythmic but textural, filling the gaps between Mitchell’s resonant, big-toned saxophone lines. The album’s liner notes characterize the project as a "method of working collectively," where the music is a response to the immediate environment and the presence of the other performer. This release reaffirms Mitchell’s status as a premier innovator who remains committed to the exploration of "arboreal density" and the physics of sound well into his eighties.
Chronology and Industry Context
The release of these three albums within a tight window (late 2024 to mid-2025) reflects a robust period for independent jazz labels, which continue to act as the primary conduits for non-commercial artistic expression.
- May 2024: Roscoe Mitchell and Michele Rabbia record In 2 in Udine, Italy. The session focuses on the intersection of acoustic instruments and subtle electronics.
- Autumn/Winter 2024: Alcyona Mick and Liam Noble record Distant Plains in London. The project is guided by the conceptual framework of Penny Rimbaud.
- June/September 2025: Olivier Hutman and Lamine Cissokho finalize The Following with sessions in Stockholm and Paris, incorporating guest vocals from Eric Bibb.
The industry data suggests a resilient market for high-fidelity, physical releases (CD and vinyl) in the jazz and experimental sectors. Labels like Rogue Art and Frémeaux & Associés have maintained a consistent presence by catering to a dedicated international audience that values the archival quality of these recordings. Furthermore, the geographical diversity of the recording locations—London, Stockholm, Paris, and Udine—highlights the decentralized, international nature of the modern jazz economy.
Broader Impact and Implications
The convergence of these three releases offers several insights into the current state of the musical arts. First, the reliance on the "duo" format across all three albums suggests a preference for intimate, highly responsive creative environments. The duo allows for a level of transparency and risk-taking that is often diluted in larger ensembles, making it the ideal vehicle for the "first take" philosophy championed by Mick and Noble.
Second, the albums demonstrate a sophisticated approach to history. Whether it is the deconstruction of Holst, the honoring of Horace Silver, or the continuation of the AACM’s revolutionary spirit, these artists are not merely looking backward. They are using the past as a set of tools to navigate the complexities of the present. The "melancholic optimism" found in Distant Plains or the "atmospheric landscapes" of The Following reflect a world that is increasingly interconnected yet fraught with tension.
Finally, the inclusion of environmental and biological themes in Mitchell’s In 2 suggests that the avant-garde is moving toward an ecological consciousness. By simulating the sounds of the natural world, Mitchell and Rabbia bridge the gap between human artifice and the organic environment, suggesting that the future of improvisation may lie in its ability to listen to, and replicate, the non-human world.
In summary, Distant Plains, The Following, and In 2 are more than just additions to a discography; they are documents of a global musical dialogue. They affirm that in the mid-2020s, the most vital music continues to be found at the intersections of tradition and innovation, where artists are free to explore the "distant plains" of their own imagination. These recordings stand as a testament to the enduring power of spontaneous creation and the limitless possibilities of the human-instrument connection.
