A highly inventive pianist known for her extensive work in avant-garde jazz, Marilyn Crispell emerged as an adventurous soloist and composer on the free scene in the early '80s. Influenced by John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor, she gained early acclaim as a member of the Anthony Braxton Quartet during the 1980s and '90s, and with artists like Reggie Workman, Barry Guy, and Roscoe Mitchell. She has also led her own ambitious dates, like 1982's Spirit Music with Billy Bang, 1990's Circles with Oliver Lake and Gerry Hemingway, and 2013's Azure, a duo recording with longtime associate...