Jim Knodle & Dave Storrs: Unprepared (Louie Records)

"Fifteen duet improvisations, live and in-studio, by trumpeter Jim Knodle and Oregon percussionist Dave Storrs. Infectiously melodic throughout, the music ranges from wry rhythm and jazz grooves to microtonal flutters." Dave Storrs (drums, percussion, sousaphone), Jim Knodle (trumpet)

Louie Records: 644 SW 5th, Corvallis, Oregon, 97333

...quartet 98, trio 97...

"Long-awaited devastating recording from some of the Northwest's finest improvisers. Improvised studio recordings with much attention given to detail." Douglas Theriault (tabletop guitar, objects, cracked electronics), James Wood (amplified small sounds, select metals, objects, electronics), Marc Collins (acoustic bass, objects), Matthew Sperry (acoustic bass, objects)

Available from Anomalous Records and Wall of Sound (Second Avenue at Bell in Seattle).

Kultur Shock: live in amerika (Pacific Records)

"Kultur Shock's recent release is shrouded in melancholy as the war-ravaged Balkan States continue to make daily headlines; the group's members all hail from Bosnia, Sarajevo, and Bulgaria. Still, the five-piece continues to celebrate life with its vibrant mix of contemporary funk and ancient Gypsy folk songs, some of them nearly 600 years old." Gino Srdjan Yevdjevich (lead vocals, percussion), John Morovich (accordion, tambura, vocals), Mario Butkovich (lead guitar), Brad Houser (bass guitar, saxophone), Borislav Iochev (drums, percussion)

Veduta Reiter (Zzaj Productions)

"The second CD collaboration between Ernesto Diaz-Infante and Rotcod Zzaj features Zzaj's very 'out' keyboards against the spoken word and guitar stylings of composer and improviser Ernesto Diaz-Infante."

John Alkins: Continuum (Zzaj Productions)

"The first-ever CD by Northwest solo pianist extraordinaire John Alkins is a stunning musical experience that will leave the listener thirsting (aurally, anyway) for more. Alkins has been composing and performing solo piano music for over 25 years now and has a unique ability to translate the beauty inherent in nature to the ears of the audience. ALIVE is the word!"