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
The Hearinga Suite cover

The Hearinga Suite

Muhal Richard Abrams
Space 1​.​8 cover

Space 1​.​8

Nala Sinephro
Sunrise in the Tone World cover

Sunrise in the Tone World

The Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra, William Parker
Astigmatic cover

Astigmatic

Komeda Quintet
Phase One cover

Phase One

Art Ensemble of Chicago
Live at Birdland cover

Live at Birdland

John Coltrane
Mirage cover

Mirage

Klaus Schulze
The United States of America cover

The United States of America

The United States of America