Force Majeure cover
Released

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on live music is going to take a long, long time to feel distant enough to fully dismiss, but it’s still remarkable to consider some of the work that was able to permeate the lockdowns and restrictions just by giving some restless artists a new context to create in. Bassist Dezron Douglas and harpist Brandee Younger chose to broadcast their own Harlem house-bound musical transmissions through a recurring weekly livestream that found solace in reflective yet lively-played standards from Joe Raposo (“Sing”) to the Coltranes (John’s “Equinox”; Alice’s “Gospel Trane”) to Kate Bush (“This Woman’s Work”), strength in the reinforcement of Black-led art, and connection to an audience that only proved distant in the physical sense. Essential work in every sense of the term.

Nate Patrin

Suggestions
5 Years of Hyperdub cover

5 Years of Hyperdub

Various Artists
Ubique cover

Ubique

Claire Chase, Cory Smythe, Katinka Kleijn, Seth Parker Woods
Source cover

Source

Nubya Garcia
Vade Mecum cover

Vade Mecum

Bill Dixon
Astral Traveling cover

Astral Traveling

Lonnie Liston Smith
Komorebi cover

Komorebi

Context Chameleon
Birdland, Neuburg 2011 cover

Birdland, Neuburg 2011

Cecil Taylor, Tony Oxley
Songs You Like a Lot cover

Songs You Like a Lot

Gary Versace, John Hollenbeck, Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry