With their first album for Moonjune Records (and third album overall), instrumental progressive rock trio Dialeto has shown themselves to be one of the most powerful rising forces in Brazil. An eclectic mix of progressive rock, post rock, and jazz, rounded off by a raw and heavy edge, the music of The Last Tribe makes for a unique observation that features some dazzling displays of high-class musicianship. Dialeto's complete sound is created by only Nelson Coelho on guitar, Jorge Pescara on touch guitar, and Miguel Angel on drums, but the arrangements are still full and powerful - Pescara's expressive basswork especially grabs my attention, as his unique playing style and choice of instrumentation adds an original edge to Dialeto's style.

The Last Tribe does have a few shortcomings, though; the production doesn't sound fully professional to these ears (the hollow drum sound particularly stands out) and not all of the tracks are as memorable as the others, but neither of these are crippling setbacks. The bottom line is that this is still an expertly-performed slab of instrumental prog with some great tunes like "Windmaster" and "Lydia in the Playground" to top it all off. The Last Tribe is a strong effort from Dialeto, and any fan of instrumental progressive rock should find plenty to love here!

Michael Jackson's tragic passing in 2009 may have marked the end of the King of Pop's reign, but it also reignited interest in his music from younger and older listeners alike - one such listener is Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava. Although Rava had largely ignored Jackson's music when it was new, he was prompted to explore the singer's discography following the intense media coverage of his death, and the music connected with him so much that he decided to release Rava On the Dance Floor, a live tribute to Michael Jackson's music recorded in 2011 and released in early 2013 for ECM Records.

As expected, the album consists of jazz renditions of some of Jackson's more well-known tunes, and even a few deeper cuts. These recordings explore multiple styles of jazz, but an electric and distinctly 'Rava' flair pervades the entire album; the arrangements give the songs plenty of room to breathe, and the improvisations are more than competent. At the end of the day, On the Dance Floor isn't the most mind-blowing album you're ever going to hear from Enrico Rava (or ECM Records, for that matter), but it serves as a nice entryway into Michael Jackson's music for any jazz listener as well as a good way for a Michael Jackson fan to begin exploring jazz.

Drawing from both the spontaneity of jazz and the lyricism of contemporary folk, the British trio known as Quercus can be tough to pigeonhole into a specific genre description, but their self-titled debut proves that an improvisational approach to folk-inspired composition can work really well. Featuring the brooding vocal work of June Tabor accompanied by Huw Warren's detailed piano arrangements and Iain Ballamy's subtle saxophone melodies, this 2013 release leaves plenty of room for the compositions to breathe, while still feeling "busy" enough to grab its listener's attention. Although some folks may still feel that Quercus is too dynamically stagnant to feel fully engaging, I think this qualifies as a good "rainy day" album. Fans of atmospheric music should have no trouble appreciating this one!

With the untimely death of bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu after the recording of Time Stands Still, the third album from Satoko Fujii Ma-Do marks the end of this unique Japanese quartet. Led by prolific jazz pianist Satoko Fujii, this 2013 release explores avant-garde and experimental stylings while remaining under the guidance of a melodic and acoustic style of jazz. It's a unique album for sure, and although it may be tough to appreciate for fans of more conventional music, listeners with an ear for experimental sounds should enjoy this sonic journey.

Beginning with the frantic screeching of an acoustic bass before evolving into a frenzied improvisation centered around oddly melodic phrasing and dissonant chord structures, the opening tune (entitled "Fortitude") gives a pretty good idea of what you can expect from the rest of the record. Time Stands Still feels pretty esoteric at times, but the strong improvisations and group interplay keep the album from sounding "avant-garde for the sake of being avant-garde".

Time Stands Still strikes me as an inspired work created by a quartet of musicians with some real chemistry between each other. Although it's a shame we'll probably never hear another album from Satoko Fujii Ma-Do, this group has made a strong exit statement with Time Stands Still.

For those well-versed in more modern styles of jazz (particularly recordings released on the ECM label), bassist Gary Peacock and pianist Marilyn Crispell probably aren't unfamiliar names. Both have put out a wealth of material as band leaders and, especially in the case of Peacock, have participated in multiple projects under the leadership of other world-renowned players. After having their paths cross on two previous ECM records with Paul Motian (namely 1997's Nothing Ever Was, Anyway and 2001's Amaryllis), these two seasoned jazz players have finally decided to make an album as a duo with 2013's Azure.

Although this album is an interesting document of Peacock and Crispell's musical collaboration, it isn't a particularly memorable listen (to my ears, at least). The free, highly improvised compositions are clearly the product of skilled musicians - both players frequently echo ideas back and forth, making for an intriguing close listen - but they feel too esoteric to really leave a lasting impression. Without a strong melodic foundation or rhythmic backdrop, music this improvisational can easily fall into the background and lose my attention. Especially considering the album's hour-long playing time, it can become seriously challenging to tell the tunes apart without paying very close attention. Although I'm sure that Azure's mellow sense of introversion will have an atmospheric effect on some listeners, I find my mind wandering far too often to give this more than a passive recommendation.

Azure is an album that I really wanted to click with me, but it feels too laid back and loose to ever catch fire. Although it serves as a cool document of two fantastic musicians playing together, Azure is not one of the most impressive jazz releases I've heard in 2013. This is only recommended to dedicated fans of free jazz or either of the musicians involved.