Matthew Shipp Trio

The concept of a “greatest hits” album by free jazz pianist Matthew Shipp is admittedly a rather strange notion, but that’s what Shipp is promoting on his current tour. A Delaware native who started playing piano when he was 6 years old, Shipp has never had anything resembling a hit, at least not by pop music standards, not that his work is any less diminished because of it. His career is a prodigious one that dates back to the early ’90s when he played with free jazz icon David Ware. Shipp, who’s collaborated with a number of musicians from both the jazz and hip-hop worlds, pushes the boundaries of what’s conventionally considered jazz in a variety of settings but will lead a trio for this rare Northeast Ohio appearance. (Jeff Niesel)