Free Jazz Collective’s Top Albums of 2025 ~ The Free Jazz Collective
24/7 Jazz

Free Jazz Collective’s Top Albums of 2025 ~ The Free Jazz Collective

By relentles
2

Related videos


 

Jazz (c) David Monaghan

Compiling top 10 lists is a nerve wracking experience. It forces one to
reconcile the year of releases and then process it in comparison to one and
another. There is a great deal of chance in it: first, the album has to have actually been listened to (that’s always a good place to start), and then it must have had the chance to grow on the listener (acquired tastes are often
stronger than instant attractions). Then, there is a psychological bit: of anxiety – what about all of the albums that do not fit? What about a recording that wasn’t reviewed here in time? And that’s just the start. So, what can you do? It’s important
not to read these lists as definitive, but as a snap-shot in time and a
best-effort to fit our format… and hopefully dear readers and writers, you all will expand
on the lists in the comments, we look forward to it!

 

So, now that that’s been gotten out, what follows are the lists from the writers of the
Free Jazz Collective, kicked off with our collective top entries. First, a quick note on how this is compiled: our rules for the individual lists are that any recording that appears on a list must have been
reviewed on the Free Jazz Blog or by the listing reviewer, personally,
somewhere. Archival recordings do not have to be reviewed and they are not considered for the top album. Next, the most listed recordings are culled to produce the list of top recordings of the year, which you will see listed below. Then, as you are checking out the lists, the collective will be busy
voting from the selections in the top album list below to come up with our number one album of the year, which will be presented on the site on January 1st.  

In the meantime, you can search our site for any of the recordings listed below to read a review of the recording. 

 

Enjoy!

Top 16 Albums of the Collective listed A – Z 
All albums that appeared on the lists three or more times each and are included in our album of the year vote.

  • Anna Högberg Attack – Ensammseglaren (Fonstret)
  • Ava Mendoza, gabby fluke mogul, Carolina Perez – Mama Killa (Burning Ambulance)
  • Camila Nebbia, Kit Downes, Andrew Lisle – Exhaust (Relative Pitch)
  • Ebaugh Crane Presley – Detergent (scatterArchive)
  • Han-earl Park, Lara Jones, Pat Thomas – Juno 3: Proxemics (Buster and Friends) 
  • Isaiah Collier, William Hooker, William Parker – The Ancients (Eremite)
  • Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio – Armageddon Flower (TAO Forms)
  • Joëlle Léandre & Evan Parker – Long Bright Summer (RogueArt)
  • Paal Nilssen-Love Circus with The Ex Guitars – Turn Thy Loose (PNL)
  • Rodrigo Amado The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost)
  • Sophie Agnel – Learning (OTORUKO)
  • Sophie Agnel / John Butcher – Rare (Les Disques VICTO)
  • Sven-Åke Johansson, Pierre Borel, Seymour Wright, Joel Grip – Two Days at Café OTO (OTOROKU)
  • The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters – self-titled (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  • Tim Berne – Yikes Too (Screwgun / Out Of Your Head)
  • Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt Records) 

Who will take the coveted Album of the Year? Check back on January 1st! 

 

And now in no particular order, the individual lists from the collective. When the lists are ranked, they will be presented with the ranking, otherwise the listing is unranked. 

 

Martin Schray 

  1. Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons – Live in Philadelphia (Otherly Love
    Records/Ars Nova Workshop)
  2. Isaiah Collier, William Parker, William Hooker – The Ancients (Eremite) 
  3. Joe McPhee- I’m Just Say’n (Smalltown Supersound) 
  4. The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters – self-titled (Corbett vs.
    Dempsey)  
  5. PainKiller – The Great God Pan (Tzadik) 
  6. Earscrather – Otoliths (Aerophonic Records) 
  7. Sophie Agnel/ John Butcher – RARE (Les Disques VICTO) 
  8. Wheelhouse (Dave Rempis, Nathan McBride, Jason Adasiewicz) – House and
    Home     (Aerophonic) 
  9. Ebaugh Crane Presley – Detergent (scatterArchive) 
  10. Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Tomeka Reid, Chad Taylor – Pivot
    (Silkheart)  

Historic/Archival Releases:  

  • Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley – Flashing Spirits (Burning Ambulance) 

  • Rodrigo Amado/ Chris Corsano – The Healing (European Echoes) 

  • Hüsker Dü: 1985 – The Miracle Year (Numero Group) 

Gary Chapin

  1. Tim Berne – Yikes Too (Screwgun / Out of Your Head)

  2. Tomas Fujiwara – Dream Up (Out of Your Head)

  3. Myra Melford – Splash (Intakt)

  4. The Hemphill Stringtet  – Plays the Music of Julius Hemphill (Out of
    Your Head)

  5. Ray Anderson/Ivo Perelman – 12 Stages of Spiritual Alchemy (Fundacj
    Słuchaj)

  6. Marilyn Crispell & Harvey Sorgen – Forest (Fundacja Sluchaj)

  7. Paul Dunmall – Red Hot Ice (Discus)

  8. George Cartwright and Bruce Golden – South From a Narrow Arc  (self-released)

  9. Ivo Perelman, Nate Wooley, Matt Moran, Mark
    Helias, Tom Rainey –     A Modicum of Blues (Fundacja Słuchaj)

  10. Gregg Belisle-Chi – Slow Crawl: Performing the Music of Tim Berne (Screwgun)

 Historic/Archival Releases:

  • Anthony Braxton (England) 1985 – Anthony Braxton

  • In Lieu – Snakeoil (Screwgun)

  • Snakeoil OK – Snakeoil (Screwgun)


Hyran Attarian

  • Marshall Allen – New Dawn (Weekend Records)
  • Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt Records)
  • Stian Larsen/Colin Webster/Ruth Goller/Andrew Lisle – Temple of Muses (Relative Pitch)
  • William Parker/Hugo Costa/Philipp Ernsting – Pulsar (NoBusiness)
  • Ivo Perelman and Nate Wooley – Polarity 4 (Burning Ambulance)
  • Bloomers – Cyclism (Relative Pitch)
  • Amir ElSafffar – New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal 2 (Maqām Records)
  • Isaiah Collier, William Parker, William Hooker – The Ancients (Eremite)
  • Alexandra Grimal & Giovanni Di Domenico – Shakkei (Relative Pitch Records)
  • SoSaLa – 1983 – Live at Montreux Jazz Festival and Rathausplatz Bern (DooBeeDoo Records)

 

Richard Blute

  1. Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp – Armageddon Flower (Tao Forms)
    Not just album of the year, but one for the all-time list. Captures the
    depraved times we live in and still manages to offer us all
    hope.  
  2. Rodrigo Amado The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost)
    An all-star band if ever there was one. The interaction between Amado and
    von Schlippenbach is especially brilliant.  
  3. Yes Deer – Everything That Shines, Everything That Hurts (Superpang)
    Signe Emmeluth’s slashing saxophone over a no-wave rock rhythm section is
    irresistible.  
  4. Frances-Marie Uitti, Milana Zarić, Elisabeth Harnik – Unified
    Field     (Strange Strings)
    Beautiful chamber jazz.  “the intersection between plucked, bowed and
    hammered strings“ makes for remarkable music.  
  5. Sophie Agnel – Learning (OTORUKO)
    Between this and her other 2025 solo album Song, Sophie Agnel seems intent
    on redefining what a solo piano album can be. She’s succeeded.
      
  6.  Stian Larsen, Colin Webster, Ruth Goller, Andrew Lisle – Temple of
    Muses     (Relative Pitch)
    A band with no respect for the boundaries of what is and isn’t jazz. Larsen
    and Webster are especially great.  
  7.  Tim Berne – Yikes Too (Screwgun / OOYH)
    Berne works so well with top-notch guitarists. Here it’s
    Gregg Belisle-Chi, who’s up to the task.  
  8.  James McKain, Damon Smith, Weasel Walter – ….seeing the way the mole
    tunnels…     (Balance Point Acoustics / International School of Evidence)
    Ferocious free jazz/noise/whatever by great musicians.  
  9. Torche! – 8 Notions De Détente (Tour de Bras)
    Éric Normand and clarinetist/saxophonist
    Philippe Lauzier are always great together. Xavier Charles brings his
    beautiful textural work from Dans Les Arbres. The whole band
    clicks. 
     
  10. Camila Nebbia, Kit Downes, Andrew Lisle – Exhaust (Relative Pitch)
    Camila Nebbia was an unstoppable force this year, with (at least) 6 albums.
    She always surrounds herself with great musicians and her playing is always
    brilliant. 

Nick Ostrum

  • Staraya Derevnya – Garden Window Escape (Ramble Records)
  • Isaiah Collier, William Parker, William Hooker –
    The Ancients (Eremite)
  • Emad Amoush’s Rayhan – Distilled Distractions (Afterday Audio)
  • The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters – S/T (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  • Ava Mendoza, gabby fluke-mogul, Carolina Pérez –
    Mama Killa (Burning Ambulance)
  • Kaze & Koichi Makigami – Shishiodoshi (Circum-Disc & Libra
    Records)
  • Paal Nilssen-Love Circus with The Ex Guitars – Turn Thy Loose (PNL)
  • Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt)
  • Extraordinary Popular Delusions – The Last Quintet (Corbett vs.
    Dempsey)
  • Lingyuan Yang – Cursed Month (Chaospace Records)

 Historic/Archival Releases:

  • Ansamblul Hyperion – 
    Conducerea Muzicală: Iancu Dumitrescu (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  • AMM with Sachiko M – Testing (Matchless)
  • Cecil Taylor and Tony Oxley – Flashing Spirits (Burning Ambulance)
  • Roy Brooks – The Free Slave (Time Traveler Recordings)

Stuart Broomer

  1. Sophie Agnel / John Butcher – Rare (Les Disques VICTO)

  2. Rodrigo Amado The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost) 

  3. Nicholas Bussmann, Sven-Åke Johansson, Yan Jun –
    Tea-Time (Ni-Vu-Ni-Connu)

  4.  Isaiah Collier, William Hooker, William Parker –
    The Ancients (Eremite).
  5.  Angharad Davies, Burkhard Beins – Meshes of the Evening (Ni-Vu-Ni-Connu)
  6.  Paul Flaherty – A Willing Passenger (Relative Pitch)
  7.  Sven-Åke Johansson, Pierre Borel, Seymour Wright, Joel Grip –
    Two Days at Café OTO (OTOROKU)
  8.  KnCurrent – KnCurrent (deep dish records)
  9.  Joëlle Léandre & Evan Parker – Long Bright Summer (RogueArt)
  10.  Wade Matthews, Abdul Moimême, Luz Prado –
    Trust from Intimacy (scatterArchive)

 Historic/Archival Release:

  • Rodrigo Amado/ Chris Corsano – The Healing (European Echoes)

  • AMM and Sachiko M – Testing (Matchless Recordings) 

  • Evan Parker – The Heraclitean Two Step (False Walls) 

Special Events:

  • [Ahmed] makes U.S. debut at Roulette as broadcast on Youtube. 
  • Christian Pouget’s MAËLSTROM for Improvisers, a singular
    two-hour film integrating 22 free improvisers in shifting dramatic settings,
    more major audio-visual composition than documentary. (review forthcoming in January 2026)

Guido Montegrandi

  1. Cosmic Ear –Traces (We Jazz)

  2. Ebaugh Crane Presley –  Detergent (scatterArchive)

  3. Bittolo Bon Grillini – Spell/Hunger (Hora Records)
  4. Painkiller –  Samsara (Tzadik)
  5. William Parker Hugo Costa Philipp Ernsting – Pulsar (No Business)
  6. Mark Dresser Paul Nicolas Roth – Signal Blur (Earwash Records)
  7. Sylvie Courvoisier Wadada Leo Smith – Angel Falls (Intakt)
  8. Ava Mendoza – The Circular Train (Palilalia)
  9. Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra – Louis Armstrong’s America (ESP disk’)
  10.  Vijay Lyer &Wadada Leo Smith – Defiant Life (ECM)

Charlie Watkins

  • Joëlle Léandre & Evan Parker – Long Bright Summer (RogueArt)
  • Sophie Agnel – Learning (OTORUKO)
  • STEMESEDER LILLINGER + Craig Taborn – Umbra III (Intakt)
  • Ebaugh Crane Presley – Detergent (scatterArchive)
  • Kai Fagaschinski – Aerodynamics (NI VU NI CONNU)
  • Anna Webber – simpletrio2000 (Intakt)
  • Steve Beresford, John Butcher, Max Eastley – Some Uncharted Evening
    (scatterArchive)
  • Ben Goldberg, Todd Sickafoose, Scott Amendola – Here to There (Secret
    Hatch)
  • Peter Brötzmann, John Edwards, Steve Noble, Jason Adasiewicz – The Quartet
     (OTOROKU)
  • Tim Berne, Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi – Yikes Too ( Screwgun / Out Of Your Head
    Records)

Nick Metzger

  • Alexandra Grimal & Giovanni Di Domenico – Shakkei (Relative
    Pitch)

  • Anna Högberg Attack – Ensammseglaren (Fonstret)

  • Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (Exit) Knarr – Drops (Sonic
    Transmissions)

  • Isaiah Collier, William Parker, William Hooker – The Ancients
    (Eremite)

  • Sven-Åke Johansson, Pierre Borel, Seymour Wright, Joel Grip – Two
    Days at Café OTO     (OTOROKU)

  • James McKain/Damon Smith/Weasel Walter – …seeing the way the mole
    tunnels…     (Balance Point Acoustics)

  • Traces – Cosmic Ear (We Jazz)

  • Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters – self-titled (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

  • Paul Flaherty – A Willing Passenger (Relative Pitch)

  • Poor Isa + Evan Parker & Ingar Zach (Aspen Edities)

 Historic/Archival Release:

Sammy Stein

  • Ivo Perelman and John Butcher – Duologue 4 (IBEJI)
  • Silvia Bolognesi and Eric Mingus –  Is That Jazz (Fonterossa Records)
  • Ivo Perelman and Matthew Shipp String Trio – Armageddon Flower (TAO Forms)
  • Zoe PIna and Mats Gustafsson – Rite ( Parco Della Musica)
  • Maggie Nicols and Geoff Eales – Beautiful Love (33 Jazz Records)
  • Ed Jones/Kamil Karlsen – Liminal Spaces (Confronting Records)
  • Ivo Perelman, Nate Wolley, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey – A Modicum Of The Blues (Fundacja Sluchaj)
  • Ava Trio – Lunae (Tora Records)
  • Han-earl Park, Lara Jones, Pat Thomas – Juno 3: Proxemics (Buster and Friends)
  • Piotr Damasiewicz and the Into The Roots – Switanie (L.A.S)

Ferruccio Martinotti

  • Anna Högberg Attack – Ensamseglaren (Fönstret)
  • Ava Mendoza, gabby fluke mogul, Carolina Perez – Mama Killa (Burning
    Ambulance)
  • Ayumi Ishito (featuring Kevin Shea and George Draguns) – Roboquarians vol,
    2     (577 Records)
  • Camila Nebbia ft. Marilyn Crispell & Lesley Mok – A reflection
    distorts over water     (Relative Pitch Records)
  • Extraordinary Popular Delusions – The Last Quintet (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  • Paal Nilssen-Love Circus with The Ex Guitars – Turn Thy Loose (PNL)
  • The Sleep of reason produces monsters – self-titled (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  • Turbulence – Objections to Realism (Evil Clown)
  • Sylvie Courvoisier, Wadada Leo Smith – Angel Falls ( Intakt Records)
  • Zoh Amba – Sun (Smalltown Supersound)

 Historic/Archival Release:

  • Cecil Taylor/Tony Oxley – Flashing spirits (Burning Ambulance)

Book:

  • Daniel Spicer – Peter Brotzmann, free jazz, revolution and the politics of
    improvisation     (Repeater) 
     

Stef Gijssels

  1. John Edwards, Luis Vicente, Vasco Trilla – Choreography Of Fractures (Fundacja Słuchaj)
  2. Sophie Agnel & John Butcher – Rare (Les Disques VICTO)
  3. Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt Records)
  4. Angles 11 – Tell Them It’s The Sound Of Freedom (Fundacja Słuchaj)
  5. Joëlle Léandre & Evan Parker – Long Bright Summer (RogueArt)
  6. Das B – Love (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  7. Alexander Hawkins & Taylor Ho Bynum – A Near Permanent State Of Wonder (RogueArt)
  8. Will Mason Quartet – Hemlocks, Peacocks (New Focus Recordings)
  9. Joe Morris, Tyshawn Sorey & Peter Evans – Comprehensive (Fundacja Słuchaj)
  10. 10. Amir ElSafffar – New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal 2 (Maqām Records)

Irena Stevanovska

  • Błoto – Grzybnia (Astigmatic Records)
  • Rodrigo Amado’s The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost)
  • Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas – Totality (Drag City Records)
  • Cosmic Ear – TRACES (We Jazz)
  • Amir ElSaffar & Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch – Inner Spaces (Ornithology)
  • Taxi Consilium – Workin’ For The Other Side (Aksioma)
  • Staraya Derevnaya – Garden Window Escape (Ramble Records)
  • Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt)
  • Moses Yoofee Trio – MYT (LEITER)
  • Anouar Brahem – After The Last Sky (ECM)

 

Fotis Nikolakopoulos 

  1. It came out very late in 2024, for me the most exciting release for the whole year:
    Almufaraka: Peter Orins/Maryline Pruvost/Patrick Guionnet/Gaëlle Debra – Master Of Disorder (Circum-Disc, Tour De Bras)
  2. with the following very close:
    -أحمد [Ahmed]* – Sama’a (Audition) (Otoroku)

    then, in no particular order:

William Rossi

  • Sophie Agnel – Learning (Otoroku)
  • Isaiah Collier & Tim Regis – Live in the Listening Room (Vinyl Factory)
  • Rodrigo Amado’s The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost Records)
  • Makoto Kawashima – Arteria (Relative Pitch)
  • Anna Högberg Attack – Ensamseglaren (Fönstret)
  • The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters – Self-titled (Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2025)
  • Angles 11 – Tell Them It’s the Sound of Freedom (Fundacja Słuchaj, 2025)
  • Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt, 2025)
  • Alexander Hawkins & Taylor Ho Bynum – A Near Permanent State Of Wonder (RogueArt, 2025) 
  • Mikołaj Trzaska & Daktyle – Transient Riot (Antenna Non Grata, 2025)

Gregg Miller

  • John Butcher & John Edwards – This Is Not Speculation (Fundacja Słuchaj)
  • Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier – Angel Falls (Intakt Records)
  • Rodrigo Amado The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost)
  • Sophie Agnel & John Butcher – Rare (Les Disques Victo)
  • Matthew Shipp – Cosmic Piano (Cantaloupe)
  • Joe Morris, Tyshwn Sorey & Peter Evans – Comprehensive (Fundacja Słuchaj)
  • Ava Mendoza, Gabby Fluke-Mogul & Carolina Pérez – Mama Killa (Burning Ambulance Music)
  • Han-earl Park, Lara Jones, Pat Thomas – Juno 3: Proxemics (Buster and Friends)
  • Camila Nebbia, Kit Downes, Andrew Lisle –  Exhaust (Relative Pitch)
  • Stefan Schultze, Peter Ehwald & Tom Rainey –  Public Radio (Jazzwerkstatt)  


Eyal Hareuveni

  • Sophie Agnel – Song (Relative Pitch)
  • Paal Nilssen-Love Circus with The Ex Guitars – Turn Thy Loose (PNL)
  • Tim Berne – Yikes Too (Screwgun / Out Of Your Head)
  • The Ex – If Your Mirror Breaks (Ex)
  • Izumi Kimura & Gerry Hemingway – How The Dust Falls (Auricle)
  • Rodrigo Amado’s The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost)
  • Lava Quartet – Ethereal Chants (Fundacja Słuchaj)
  • El Infierno Musical – II (Klanggalerie)
  • Anna Högberg Attack – Ensamseglaren (Fönstret)
  • أحمد [AHMED] – سماع [Sama’a] (Audition) (OTORoku)

Historic/Archival Release:

  • Fred Frith and the Gravity Band (Klanggalerie)
  • Peter Brötzmann / John Edwards / Steve Noble / Jason Adasiewicz – The Quartet (OTORoku)
  • Mujician – In Concerts (Jazz in Britain)

 

Lee Rice Epstein

  1. Sven-Åke Johansson, Pierre Borel, Seymour Wright, Joel Grip – Two Days at Café OTO (OTORoku)
  2. Taylor Ho Bynum and Alexander Hawkins – A Near Permanent State of Wonder (Rogue Art)
  3. Will Mason Quartet – Hemlocks, Peacocks (New Focus Recordings)
  4. Olie Brice Quartet – All It Was (West Hill Records)
  5. The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters – s/t (Corbet vs Dempsey)
  6. Steve Lehman Trio+Mark Turner- The Music of Anthony Braxton (PI Recordings)
  7. Han-earl Park, Lara Jones, Pat Thomas – Juno 3: Proxemics (Buster and Friends)
  8. Dan Rosenboom – Coordinates (Orenda Records)
  9. Larry Ochs, Charles Downs, Joe Morris – Everyday —> All the Way (ESP Disc’)
  10. Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio – Armageddon Flower (TAO Forms)

 Historic/Archival Release:

  • Anthony Braxton – Quartet (England) 1985 (Burning Ambulance)

  • Marco Eneidi Quintet – Wheat Fields of Kleylehof (Boticelli Records)

  • Michael Gregory Jackson – Frequency Equilibrium Koan (Expanded) (Cuneiform)

  • Tim Berne – snakeoil ok (Screwgun)

  • ICP Orchestra – Live in Salzburg 1988 (ICP)

Paul Acquaro

  1. Marcelo dos Reis – Our Time (JACC)
  2. Marina Džukljev, Weber & Griener – Industriesalon (Trouble In The East)
  3. Rodrigo Amado The Bridge – Further Beyond (Trost) 
  4. Vinny Golia, Ken Filiano, Michael TA Thompson – Catastasis (Nine Winds) 
  5. Camila Nebbia, Kit Downes, Andrew Lisle – Exhaust (Relative Pitch)
  6. Edition Redux – Broadcast Transformer (Audiographic)
  7. Emmeluth- Håker Flaten- Filip – Hyperboreal Trio (Relative Pitch Records)
  8. Lao Dan – To Hit a Pressure Point (Relative Pitch)
  9. Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio – Armageddon Flower (TAO Forms)
  10. Wadada Leo Smith and Vijay Iyer – Defiant Life (ECM)

  Historic/Archival Releases:

  • Peter Brötzmann Trio, Hurricane (Old Heaven Books) 
  • Noah Howard Quartet – Schizophrenic Blues: Live in Berlin (Cien Fuegos) 
  • Jean-Jacques Avenel & Daunik Lazro – Duo, Bibliothèque De Massy 13 Novembre 1980 (Fou) 
  • Jimmy Lyons – Live From Studio Rivbea: 1974 & 1976 (NoBusiness)
  • Bobby Naughton Trio – Housatonic Rumble: Live at Charlie’s Tap (NoBusiness) 





Source link

Related videos

Leave a reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

© https://conyersjazz.com/ All rights reserved