In May 1999, French bassist Joëlle Léandre was in Montreal for a concert and a recording session with drummer Danielle P. Roger (ex-Justine, Les Poules, Wondeur Brass). The result of this encounter was released in early 2000 by Ambiances Magnétiques under the tittle Tricotage (Knits), a feminine title for an album soaked in feminine sensibility. The two improvisers make one with their instruments, Léandre letting sighs and moans escape along the way (like on the beautiful "Knit One, Purl Three"). The pretentiousness found on Ambiances Magnétiques' releases from the same period is absent on this CD; the music goes down to the roots of improvising, taps into the unconscious: a bass that can sound like a drum playing with a delicate drum set that could almost sound melodious. Tricotage is a very organic record, quite sensual at times, and makes an enjoyable listen.

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Triangulation is an intriguing trio combination. Multi-reed master Vinny Golia and trombonist George Lewis seem an obvious enough match, both having worked with Anthony Braxton and sharing a musical approach that at least overlaps in part. Bassist Bertram Turetzky, however, is better known as an outstanding contemporary classical interpreter of modern music for the double bass, so his appearance on the freely improvised session is something of a surprise, though a very pleasant one. Golia, one of the rare regular practitioners of the bass sax, spends a good bit of time with that unwieldy axe, conjuring up dark, rich soundscapes in tandem with Turetzky's brooding arco work. Lewis is his typical fleet self in upper and lower registers, dancing gamely between his partners and providing some of the finer single moments on the album. Creative improv album and one that fans of any of the participants are likely to savor.

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From the violent cover art to the Japanese text inside the album, at first glance one might mistake Torture Garden for a fetishist soundtrack. But jazz madman John Zorn and Boredoms frontman Yamatsuka Eye assembled another group of open-minded musicians to carry on their vision of grindcore and jazz uniting. Distinguished musicians Wayne Horovitz and Bill Frisell help Zorn and Eye take this from a curious side project to a fantastic metal band. Songs blur together but never get boring, no lyrics are actually sung, and few songs last longer than a minute. It also never takes itself seriously, a nice relief from Zorn's heavy-handed ambient collaborations. This would make a great introduction to the noise/jazz efforts that this group of musicians pioneered in the early '90s.

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