New Releases

1.    Jane Bunnett & Maqueque “On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme"  (Linus)

2.    Diva Jazz Orchestra “Diva & the Boys” (MCG Jazz)

3.    Camila Meza & the Nectar Orchestra “Ambar” (Sony Masterworks)

4.    Jaimie Branch “Fly or Die II : Bird Dogs of Paradise” (International Anthem)

5.    Melissa Aldana “Visions” (Motema)

6.    Champian Fulton with Cory Weeds “Dream a little…” (Live Cellar)

7.    Roxy Coss “Quintet” (OutsideIn)

8.    Aubrey Logan “Where the Sunshine is Expensive” (Resonance Records)

9.    Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi “There is No Other” (Nonesuch)

10.  Moy Eng and Wayne Wallace “The Blue Hour” (Patois)

Historical

1.    Nat King Cole “Hittin’ the Ramp : the Early Years (1936-1943)” (Resonance) (7 CDs)

2.    Stan Getz “Getz at the Gate : the Stan Getz Quartet Live at the Village Gate, Nov. 26, 1961” (Verve/Ume) (2 CDs)

3.    Barney Wilen Quartet “Live in Tokyo ‘91” (Elemental) (2 CDs)

 JOHN PIETARO 2019 “BEST OF”:

(Yes, it crosses boundaries judiciously)

• 1.    MUSICIANS OF THE YEAR:

Violin:

-Sarah Bernstein

-Jason Kao Hwang

-Sana Nagano

Viola:

-Melanie Dyer

Cello:

-Tomas Ulrich

-Lester St Louis

Trumpet:

-Wallace Roney

-Wadada Leo Smith

-Thomas Heberer

Trombone:

-Steve Swell       

                        

Tuba:

-Howard Johnson

-Joseph Daley

Flute:

-Nicole Mitchell

-Robert Dick

-Cheryl Pyle

Clarinet:

-Patrick Holmes

-Ben Goldberg

-Guillermo Gregorio

Bass clarinet:

-Josh Sinton

-Michael Lytle

Soprano saxophone:

-Lee Odom

-Dave Liebman

Alto saxophone:

-Marty Ehrlich

-Kendrick Smith

-Chris Pitsiokis

Tenor saxophone:

-James Brandon Lewis

-Ras Moshe Burnett

-Evan Parker

Baritone saxophone:

-Clare Daley

-Dave Sewelson

Guitar:

-Ava Mendoza

-Marc Ribot

-Mike Baggetta

-Julian Lage

-Anthony Pirog

Vibraphone:

-Bill Ware

-Patricia Brennan

-Steve Nelson

Piano:

-Ran Blake

-Aruan Ortiz

-Mara Rosenbloom

Upright bass:

-Ken Filiano

-William Parker

-Adam Lane

Bass guitar:

-Jamaaladeen Tacuma

-Steve Swallow

Drumset:

-Ronnie Burrage

-Ches Smith

-Kenny Wollesson

-Michael TA Thompson

Percussion:

-Warren Smith

-Cyro Baptista

-Newman Taylor Baker

Harp:

-Zeena Parkins

Multi-instrumentalist (winds):

-Daniel Carter

-Scott Robinson

Vocals:

-Jay Clayton

-Christine Correa

-Shelley Hirsch

-Kyoko Kitamura

Poet/Spoken Word Artist:

-David Henderson

-Tracie Morris

-Yusef Komunyakaa

-Puma Perl

• 2.    ENSEMBLES:

Large ensemble:

-Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Arkestra

-Slavic Soul Party

-Go Organic Orchestra

-Hungry March Band

Duo:

-Ran Blake and Christine Correa

Sarah Bernstein and Kid Millions

Trio:

-Harriet Tubman

-William Hooker Trio with Mara Rosenbloom and Adam Lane

-Rocco John Trio with Chris Forbes and Charlie Sabatino

-Free Form Funky Freqs

-the Messthetics

Quartet:

-Zodiac Saxophone Quartet

-Todd Capp’s Mystery Train

3. LABELS OF THE YEAR:

-Truth Revolution

-ESP-Disk

-577

-Alternative Tentacles

4. CONCERTS OF THE YEAR:

-Wall to Wall Coltrane, June 9, Symphony Space, NYC

-Arts for Art Tribute to Steve Cannon, September 6, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center, NYC

-Ronnie Burrage:Tribute to Hamiet Bluiett, May 25, Sista’s Place, Brooklyn NY

5. VENUES OF THE YEAR:

-Lady Stardust (East Village)

-The Bar Next Door (West Village)

-Jazz at Kitano (mid-town)

-Union Pool (Williamsburg)

-Downtown Music Gallery (LES)

6. ALBUMS OF THE YEAR:

-David S Ware, Theatre Garone (AUM Fidelity)

-Mike Baggetta/Mike Watt/Jim Keltner, Wall of Flowers (Big Ego Records)

-Ben Goldberg, Good Day for Cloud Fishing (Pyroclastic)

-Green Dome, Thinking in Stitches (Case Study)

7. UNEARTHED GEMS:

-David S Ware, the Balance (AUM Fidelity)

8. REISSUE:

-Charles Mingus, Mingus at Antibes (Speakers Corner; originally released 1976, Atlantic)

-Thing, Thing (Cultures of Soul; originally released 1972, Innerview)

9. ALBUM ARTWORK/PACKAGING:

-Ben Goldberg, Good Day for Cloud Fishing (Pyroclastic)

-Charles Mingus, Mingus at Antibes (Speakers Corner; originally released 1976, Atlantic)

10. BIGGEST HEARTBREAK:

-Death of Steve Dalachinsky

Ten Top

Chick Corea      Trilogy 2      (Concord)

Frank Kimbrough     Monk’s Dream  (Sunnyside)

Etienne Charles.     Carnival: The Sound of a People, Vol. 1   Culture Shock

Go: Organic Orchestra and Brooklyn Raga Massive     Ragmala      (Meta)

Michael Leonhart    Suite Extracts, Vol. 1 (Sunnyside)

Billy Lester       From Scratch      (Newvelle)

Mike Okazaki    The Sky Below   (Pi)

Allison Miller     Glitter Wolf       (Royal Potato Factory)

Joey De Francesco   In the Key of the Universe   (Mack Ave)

Eve Risser   Apres un Reve    (Clean Feed)

Historical

Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian       When Will the Blues Leave    (ECM)

Stan Getz     Getz at the Gate  (Verve)

The Art Ensemble of Chicago and Assorted Ensembles      (ECM)

Latin:

Miguel Zenon   Sonero: The Music of Ishmael Rivera     (Miel)

Vocal:

Veronica Swift       Confessions   (Mack Ave)

Debut:

Javier Red     Ephemeral Certainties   (Delmark)

 

My List of Best of Jazz that I have heard in 2019 (In no rated order)

Bob Sheppard: "The Fine Line" (Challenge Records)

Mike Holober & The Gotham Big Band: "Hiding Out" (ZoHo Records)

Randy Brecker & the NDR Big Band: "Rocks" (Jazz Line Edition)

Scott Robinson: "Tenormore" (Arbor Records)

Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan: "Epistophy" (ECM) 

Branford Marsalis Quartet: "The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul" (Okeh/Sony Masterworks)

Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain, Chris Potter (Crosscurrent Trio): "Good Hope" (Edition Records)

Ethan Iverson Quartet & Tom Harrell: "Common Practice" (ECM)

Ahmad Jamal: "Ballades" (Jazz Village/Jazzbook Records)

Amina Figarova: "Road to the Sun" (BA Records)

Miguel Zenon: Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera” (Miel Music)

George Garzone, Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, Darek Oles: "3 Nights in LA" (Fuzzy Music)

Linda May Han Oh: “Aventurine” (Biophilia Records)

Ben Monder: “Day After Day” (Sunnyside Records)

Denny Zeitlin: “Remembering Miles” (Sunnyside Records)

Sarah Gazarek : Thirsty Ghost” ( Self-Produced)

Pat Bianchi: “In the Moment” (Savant Records)

Mark Wingfield & Gary Husband: “Tor & Vale” (Moon June Records)

Dave Bass: “No Boundaries” (Whaling City Sound)

Ryan Keberle & Catharsis: “The Hope I Hold” (Greenleaf Music)

Jim Robitaille Group: “A View from Within” (Whaling City Sound)

Amendola Vs Blades: “Everybody Wins” (Royal Potato Family)

Typical Sisters: “Hungry Ghost” (Outside Music)

Alicia Olatuja: “Intuition Songs from The Minds of Women” (Resilience Music)

Peter Hand Big Band: ”Hand Painted Dream” (Savant Records)

Hendrik Meurkens: “Cobb’s Pocket” (In+Out Records)

Lynne Arriale Trio: “Give Us These Days” ( Challenge Records)

Marc Copland: ”And I Love Her” (Illussions/Mirage)

Herlin Riley: “Personal Optimism” (Mack Avenue Records)

Mark Winkler: “I’m With You: Mark Winkler Sings Bobby Troupe” (Café Pacific Records)

Roberto Magris Sextet featuring Ira Sullivan: “Sun Stone” (JMood Records)

Yotam Silverstein: Future Memories” (Jazz & People Records)

Mark Turner: Mark Turner meets Gary Foster” (ECM)

Laura Antonioli: ‘The Constant Passage of Time” (Origins Music)

Dave Wilson Quartet: “One Night at Chris’” (Dave Wilson Music)

Michael Dease: “Never More Here” (Positone Records)

Robben Ford & Bill Evans: “The Sun Room” (EAR Music)

Roger Kellaway: The Many Open Minds of Roger Kellaway” (IPO Records)

Best Debut Album:

Teymur Phell: “Master Volume” (Self-produced)

Best Historical Albums:

Eric Dolphy: Musical Prophet” (Resonance)

Louis Armstrong “Live in Europe” (DotTime Records)

Johnny Griffin/Eddie Lockjaw Davis: “Ow! Live at the Penthouse” (Reel to Reel)
Bill Evans: “Evans in England” (Resonance)

The 10 best new jazz releases of 2019

1. Tierney Sutton Band, ScreenPlay (BFM)
2. Something Blue, Maximum Enjoyment (Posi-Tone)
3. Tom Harrell, Infinity (HighNote)
4. Charlie Dennard, Deep Blue (Deneaux)
5. Akiko Tsuroga, Jeff Hamilton and Graham Dechter, Equal Time (Capri)
6. Lisa Hilton, Oasis (Ruby Slippers)
7. Brandon Goldberg, Let’s Play! (independent)
8. Dave Zinno Unisphere, Stories Told (Whaling City Sound)
9. Five Play, Live From the Firehouse Stage (5Play)
10. James Suggs, You’re Gonna Hear From Me (Arbors)

2019’s best vocal recordings:

1. Tierney Sutton Band, ScreenPlay (BFM)
2. Laurie Antonioli, The Constant Passage of Time (Origin)
3. Nancy Kelly, Remembering Mark Murphy (SubCat)
4. Nora York with Jamie Lawrence, Swoon (Good Mood)
5. Polly Gibbons, All I Can Do (Resonance)

 The best historical/reissues of 2019 (includes any recordings made over 10 years ago, whether newly released or reissued):

1. Cannonball Adderley, Swingin’ in Seattle, Live at the Penthouse 1966-67 (Reel to Real)
2. Michel Petrucciani Trio, One Night in Karlsruhe (SWR Jazzhaus)
3. Betty Carter, The Music Never Stops (Blue Engine)
4. John Coltrane, Blue World (Impulse!)
5. Miles Davis, The Complete Birth of the Cool (Blue Note/Ume)

 2019’s top debut recording:

• Brandon Goldberg, Let’s Play! (independent)

 2019’s best Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings:

1. Señor Groove, Little Havana (Zoho)
2. Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme (Linus)
3. Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, The Rhythm of Invention (Patois)
4. David Sanchez, Carib (Ropeadope/Malaza)
5. Antonio Adolfo, Samba Jazz Alley (AAM), Steve Khan Patchwork (Tone Center)

The 10 best new compositions from CDs released in 2019, listed alphabetically:

• Dave Bass, “Agenbite of Inwit” from No Boundaries (Whaling City Sound)
• Polly Gibbons and James Pearson, “If You Had the Chance” from All I Can Do (Resonance)
• Miho Hazama, “Somnambulent” from Dancer in Nowhere (Sunnyside)
• Clifford Lamb, “Blues & Hues” from Blues & Hues (Weberworks)
• Bevan Manson, Cecily Gardner and Tierney Sutton, “Caramel” from Bevan Manson, The Jazz Cave (Meistero)
• Bennett Paster, “Belgrade Booty Call” from Indivisible (self-produced)
• Michael Thomas, “Without Doubt” from Terraza Big Band, One Day Wonder (Outside In)
• Akiko Tsuruga, “Osaka Samba” from Akiko, Hamilton and Dechter, Equal Time (Capri)
• Mike Tucker, “Requiem” from Dave Zinno Unisphere, Stories Told (Whaling City Sound)
• Noriko Ueda, “Uneven Pieces” from Five Play, Live From the Firehouse Stage (5Play)

Kris Davis: Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic)

Louis Sclavis: Characters On A Wall (ECM)

Julia Hülsmann Quartet: Not Far From Here (ECM)

Keith Jarrett: Munich 2016 (ECM)

The Bad Plus: Activate Infinity (Edition)

Brad Mehldau: Finding Gabriel (Nonesuch)

Chick Corea: Trilogy 2 (Concord)

Miguel Zenón: Sonero: The Music Of Ismael Rivera (Miel)

Michael Gregory Jackson Clarity Quartet:WHENUFINDITUWILLKNOW (Golden)

Santana: Africa Speaks (Concord)

11 albums I've liked most in 2019 - descending order

1. Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic Records), Kris Davis

2. Transcending Toxic Times (Ropeadope Record), The Last Poets

3. We Are On The Edge (Pi), Art Ensemble of Chicago

4. The Terror End of Beauty (Sunnyside), Harriet Tubman

5. Love and Liberation (Concord), Jazzmeia Horne

6. Simone Zanchini Play the Music of Nino Rota (In + Out Records), Simone Zanchini & Frankfurt Radio Big Band conducted by David Grottschreiber

7. The Ambiguity Manifesto (Firehouse 12 Records), Taylor Ho Bynum 9-tette

8. Too Hot for Words (Delmark), Metropolitan Jazz Octet with Dee Alexander

9. Live at Montmarte (Storyville), Ronnie Cuber

10. Trane's Delight (Concord Piquante), Poncho Sanchez

11. On Firm Ground (Linus), Jane Bunnette and Maqueque

I can't stop listening to Diatom Ribbons, which has so many different approaches, levels, edges, moods, multiplicities of interactions, considerations and sheer sounds, exciting solos that keep their kicks even on repeat, and great rhythms! Rhythmic propulsion also imbues Jamalaadeen Tacuma's fantastic and variegated production of Transcending Toxic Times for The Last Poets, whose messages are as immediate and urgent as ever – but since it's the album not as "singing" I'm hearing, this isn't my "best vocal album" that Jazzmeia Horn's Love and Liberation strikes me as being, further demonstration of hot talent and love of music making.

Then there's Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty. Magnificent, hard rockin,' deep trolling way out black music. And the Art Ensemble of Chicago's We Are On The Edge brings the band's ethos into the 21st century with an expanded pallet that beguiles, mystifies, moves. 

For something utterly different check out the amazing accordionist Simone Zanchini improvising madly on Nino Rota themes with the Frankfort Jazz Big Band (true confession, I wrote the liner notes, am proud of them and believe this music is well-worth the recommendation). Taylor Ho Bynum's 9-tette declaring The Ambiguity Manifesto I find very companionable and fresh, abstract but taking me along for the ride. Dee Alexander shines (as always) singing rare and often upbeat Billie Holiday songs on Too Hot for Words, to fine "little big band" arrangements. Ronnie Cuber doesn’t get the recognition he deserves for his big bold baritone saxophonics – the program Live at Montmarte with organist Kield Lauritsen's trio is thick and fast, real jazz. Two great Latin jazz albums --  gotta give it up to Pancho Sanchez for Trane's Delight from the core of the subgenre impulse, and Jane Bunnett with Maqueque On Firm Ground -- a party sparked by young women of Cuba. 

• Reissues or Historical albums listed in descending order

1. The Art Ensemble of Chicago and Associated Ensembles (ECM). 21 albums by AACM standard bearers – besides the AEC, Roscoe Mitchell and Lester Bowie's separate projects, and Wadada Leo Smith's Jack DeJohnette's – as produced by Manfred Eicher.

2. Nat King Cole Hittin' The Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) (Resonance). Fantastic 182 tracks, unavailable for decades, charting the rise of the finest mid-century male jazz vocalist, better swinging than Bing, more mellifluous than Pops, more charming than Sinatra, a model for all to come. . ..

3. Been There, Done That - Ben Sidran (Sunset Blvd Records) A canny songwriter, hip wit, smart bandleader, cool pianist, and worthy heir of an American heritage.

• Best Debut albums

Ephemeral Certainties (Delmark), Javier Red. Distinctive pianism, knotty quartet.

Clockwise (Pi), Anna Weber. Orchestrated and improvised synchronized minimalism.

And of course there are many more . . .