Billy Bang’s last recording session Da Bang! is released on Monday by Finnish record label TUM. Recorded two years ago, just a few months before the avant garde violinist died at the age of 63 having fought the ravages of cancer Da Bang! features his extended composition 'Daydreams' plus the title track written by Barry Altschul, along with ‘Guinea’ by Don Cherry, ‘Law Years’ by Ornette Coleman from the 1972 Science Fiction album, Miles Davis' 'All Blues’ from Kind of Blue, and Sonny Rollins’ signature piece ‘St Thomas’ from Saxophone Colossus. Da Bang! sees the influential avant gardist joined by former-Rahsaan and Sun Ra trombonist Dick Griffin, pianist Andrew Bemkey, bassist Hilliard Greene, and drummer Newman Taylor-Baker. Bang had previously recorded Prayer For Peace and appeared with the FAB Trio for the highly respected Helsinki label, and this release is a reminder of a remarkable creative talent gone too soon. Billy Bang photo: Maarit Kytöharju