New Age Doom & Lee "Scratch" Perry - Lee "Scratch" Perry's Guide to the Universe (2021)

This collaboration is Lee "Scratch" Perry last album and testify that he experimented till the very end. New Age Doom is a (somewhat) "free drone rock" band (built around the core of Eric J. Breitenbach and Greg Valou) that had previously released two interesting albums. This time they were joined not only by Lee Perry but also by Donny MacCaslin, a leading figure of the new generation of forward-thinking sax players, Dahm Majuri Cipolla of MONO on drums and gong, and a few others. The result, Lee "Scratch" Perry's Guide to the Universe, is a nice piece of droning and psychedelic fusion jazz / dub mix. Recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

 

John Zorn - Chaos Magick (2021)

John Zorn has released a few excellent albums in 2021 and Chaos Magick, is one of them, featuring the Simulacrum ensemble (John Medeski playing organ, Kenny Grohowski playing drums and Matt Hollenberg playing guitar) joined by pianist Brian Marsella. Largely in a fusion jazz vein (think Miles Davis / In A Silent Way or Bitches Brew) but with a capacity of turning in an instant into something a lot heavier and sharper (Grohowski also plays in Imperial Triumphant and Hollenberg in Cleric). To say it is inspired and perfectly executed would be an understatement.

Chaos Magick on Tzadik website.

 

Bill Laswell - Against Empire (2020)

Bassist and producer Bill Laswell is always releasing a lot of music, so it's hard to keep up, but I'd say its best album in recent years is this one, Against Empire (released last year). What is sure is that it's excellent. The music is in a fusion jazz vein, but Bill Laswell style, with of course his trademark bass playing style and sound, and around him is an impressive crew of musicians, with no less than Herbie Hancock on the electric piano and Pharoah Sanders on sax (bringing a spiritual jazz feel), with also Peter Apfelbaum on sax, flute and keys and sharing the drumming duties : Jerry Marotta, Chad Smith, Hideo Yamaki, Satoyasu Shomura, and on percussions Adam Rudolph. Four long tracks with no dull moment. Recommended !

The Bandcamp page.