David Torn: AK

An echoed, sparkly guitar strum; a blues organ; saxophone smears and sustaining notes; stumbling drums. False starts and false stops. Finally, a heavy-metal guitar that the other band members just seem to ignore. And through this extemporaneously created morass, the foreboding soul of the song remains squarely in focus. "AK" is a chameleon, sounding completely different on each listen. Even when you've gotten to the point where you think know what's going to happen next, a new twist unfolds.

And that's what makes it jazz, the "sound of surprise." What makes it great jazz is that it relies on the players putting their trust in their muse as much as they do in their expertise.