The Vandermark 5, 'Annular Gift'

The Vandermark 5 has become the gold standard of American punk jazz, if that’s what it can be called. Ken Vandermark, the Natick-bred saxophonist and clarinetist who lives in Chicago, plays acoustic jazz with an angry rock attitude; his flagship band is a quintet that now includes saxophonist Dave Rempis, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, bassist Kent Kessler, and drummer Tim Daisy. It’s a powerful group best experienced live. The band’s newest effort, “Annular Gift,’’ was recorded in concert at the Polish club Alchemia, a home away from home for the band (which calls itself Vandermark5 on this jacket). The record adds six excellent new tunes to Vandermark’s oeuvre, starting with the 20-minute tour de force “Spiel,’’ which has the saxophonists alternately blowing with wrath and warmth. The disc’s killer number is the raging “Cement,’’ perhaps the most potent tune Vandermark has yet written. “Annular Gift’’ isn’t the only great new release from the prolific saxophonist, however. Also worth checking out are “35mm’’ by his Frame Quartet (Vandermark, Lonberg-Holm, Daisy, and bassist Nate McBride) and the double-CD “Call Before You Dig’’ from Sonore, the triple-sax trio of Vandermark, Peter Brötzmann, and Mats Gustafsson. (Out now)