Ayman Fanous Shares Duo with Joe McPhee as Second Single from 5-CD Boxset Brooklyn Stories

 

Brooklyn-based guitarist and bouzouki player Ayman Fanous is releasing a monumental 5-CD boxset, Brooklyn Stories, via Infrequent Seams, featuring duos, trios, and quartets with some of the most inventive voices in contemporary jazz and avant-garde improvisation.

The second single, a striking duo with saxophone legend Joe McPhee, is now available to stream and pre-order on Bandcamp ahead of the full release on April 24, 2026. This collection showcases Fanous’ extraordinary versatility and deep musical empathy, spanning collaborations with William Parker, Tatsuya Nakatani, Jason Kao Hwang, Ned Rothenberg, Susan Alcorn, Mark Feldman, Thomas Ulrich, James Ilgenfritz, Denman Maroney, and the late Susan Alcorn.

Though Fanous has been active in music for decades, Brooklyn Stories marks his first major release as a leader of such an expansive project. A scientist and physician by profession, Fanous brings a unique analytical and soulful approach to improvisation. As liner notes writer Elliott Sharp observes: “How all of Ayman Fanous’ interests and vocations feed each other is the better question—how music of this intensity and complexity emerges from his fingers and soul.”

The 5-CD set includes recordings ranging from intimate duos to intricate quartets, blending jazz, avant-garde, and free improvisation. Listeners familiar with the work of Matthew Shipp, Alice Coltrane, Mary Halvorson, Cecil Taylor, or Anthony Braxton will find rich parallels in Fanous’ explorations, along with a distinctly personal voice on classical guitar, electric guitar, and bouzouki.

Release Schedule:

• Feb 24 – First single: Trio With William Parker, Tatsuya Nakatani – 4
• Mar 10 – Second single: Duo with Joe McPhee – 2 (streaming now)
• Apr 7 – Third single: Trio With Susan Alcorn, Ned Rothenberg
• Apr 24 – Full 5-CD boxset release

Brooklyn Stories is a rare and immersive journey through the intersections of improvisation, composition, and emotional depth—a must-listen for anyone interested in the outer edges of jazz and avant-garde music.