Jazz Journalists Association 2023 Best of Jazz from JJA Members.

Steve Braunginn

Stephen Braunginn — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:50:11 GMT

Top 20 Jazz Recordings for 2025

Steve Braunginn, Host/Producer Strictly Jazz Sounds Podcast

I may be a little late with this, but it was a hard year medically speaking for me. One thing I can say about this music is that it saw me through some very tough nights in the hospital. Great jazz is the best medicine.

Linda May Han Oh-Strange Heavens, Biophilia Records

Sullivan Fortner-Southern Nights, Artwork Records

John Patitucci-Spirit Fall, Edition Records

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier, and Eric Harland -First Meeting, Five Passion

Mark Turner-Reflections On: An Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, Giant Step Arts

Yuhan Su-OVER the MOONs, Endectomorph Music

Patricia Brennan-Of the Near and Far, Pyroclastic Records

Chick Corea, Christian McBride, & Brian Blade- Trilogy Three, CANDID

Billy Hart-Just, ECM

Joshua Redman-Words Fall Short, Blue Note Records

Artemis-Arboresque, Blue Note

Branford Marsalis -Belonging, Blue Note

Simon Willson-Bet, Self-Released

Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Daschiel, We Insist 2025, CANDID Records

Sylvie Courvoisier & Mary Halverson-Bone Bells, Pyroclastic

Steve Lehman with Mark Turner-The Music of Anthony Braxton, Pi Recordings

Jaleel Shaw-Painter of the Invisible, Changu Records

Christian McBride Big Band-Without Further Ado Vol. 1, Mack Ave.

Keith Jarrett-The Old Country, ECM

Rodney Jordan-Memphis Blue, Baxter Music Enterprises

Kaisa’s Machine, Moving Parts, Greenleaf Records

Archival/Historical Releases

Charles Mingus-Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts, Resonance Records

Horace Silver-Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse, Resonance Records

Rahsaan Roland Kirk-Vibrations in the Village: Live at the Village Gate, Resonance Records

Freddie Hubbard-Freddie Hubbard On Fire: Live from the Blue Morocco, Resonance Records

Rahsaan Roland Kirk-Seek & Listen: Live at the Penthouse, Resonance Records

Kenny Dorham-Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live from the Blue Morocco, Resonance Records

Geoffrey Himes

Geoffrey Himes — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:59:34 GMT

Geoffrey Himes: Twenty Best New Jazz Albums of 2025:

1. Charles Lloyd: Figure in Blue (Blue Note)

2. Linda May Han Oh: Strange Heavens (Biophilia)

3. First Meeting: Gonzalo Chris Eric Larry Live at Dizzy's Club (5 Passion)

4. Henry Threadgill: Listen Ship (Pi)

5. Lucian Ban John Surman Mat Maneri: Cantica Profana (Sunnyside)

6. Fieldwork: Thereupon (Pi)

7. Billy Hart: Just (ECM)

8. Joe Farnsworth: The Big Room (Smoke Sessions)

9. Ron Blake: Scratch Band (7ten33)

10. Branford Marsalis: Belonging (Blue Note)

11. The David Amram Quintet: The David Amram Quintet Honors the Songs of Woody Guthrie and Phil Ochs (Guthrie Legacy)

12. Baltimore Jazz Collective: Baltimore Jazz Collective (Stricker Street)

13. Joe Lovano & the Marcin Wasilewski Trio: Homage (ECM)

14. Shakti: Mind Explosion: 50th Anniversay Tour Live (Abstract Logix)

15. Joshua Redman: Words Fall Short (Blue Note)

16. Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin-Jazz Orchestra: Mundoagua: Celebrating Carla Bley (Zoho)

17. Martin Berejano: The Purple Project: Reimagining the Music of Prince (Figgland)

18. Aaron Parks: By All Means (Blue Note)

19. Artemis: Arboresque (Blue Note)

20. Dayna Stephens: Hopium (Conscious)

Geoffrey Himes: Twenty Best New Non-Jazz Albums of 2025:

1. The Delines: Mr. Luck and Ms. Doom (Décor/Jealous Butcher)
2. The Beths: Straight Line Was a Lie (Anti-)
3. Sam Fender: People Watching (Polydor)
4. Various Artists: A Tribute to the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier (Valcour)
5. The Wood Brothers: Puff of Smoke (Honey Jar)
6. Wet Leg: Moisturizer (Domino)
7. Charley Crockett: Lonesome Drifter (Son of Davy)
8. Ken Pomeroy: Cruel Joke (Rounder)
9. Hayes Carll: We’re Only Human (Highway 87)
10. Bob Mould: Here We Go Crazy (Granary/BMG)
11. Willie Nelson: Oh What a Beautiful World (Legacy)
12. Bon Iver: Sable/Fable (Jagjaguwar)
13. Taylor Swift: The Life of a Sweetheart (Republic)
14. Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons: Panther Tracks, Vol. 1 (World Will Turn)
15. Paul Kelly: Seventy (Cooking Vinyl)
16. James McMurtry: The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy (New West)
17. Flock of Dimes: The Life You Save (Sub Pop)
18. The Dropkick Murphys: For the People (Dummy Luck)
19. Craig Finn: Always Been (Tamarac)
20. Sabrina Carpenter: Man’s Best Friend (Island)

Geoffrey Himes’s Five Best Historical Jazz Albums of 2025:

1. Thelonious Monk: Bremen 1965 (Sunnyside)

2. Charles Mingus: Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts (Resonance)

3. Horace Silver: Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (Blue Note)

4. Keith Jarrett: New Vienna (ECM)

5. Roy Brooks: Free Slave (Timeless Tales)

Geoffrey Himes’s Five Best Historical Non-Jazz Albums of 2025:

1. Bob Dylan: Through the Open Window—1956-1963 (Columbia)
2. Neil Young: Tonight's the Night (50^th Anniversary) (Reprise)
3. The Drive-By Truckers: The Definitive Decoration Day (New West)
4. Luke Bell: The King Is Back (Thirty Tigers)
5. Husker Du: 1985: The Miracle Year (Numero)

Danica Pantovic

Danica Pantovic — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:51:27 GMT

I had an enormous pleasure of listening lots of truly great music during some European festivals. My list is based on what I find has marked 2025 and that I had heard performed live and was released in 2025.

Ambrose Akinmusire, The Honey From a Winter Stone
Johnathan Blake, My Life Matters
Patricia Brennan, Of The Near And Far
Sullivan Fortner, Southern Nights
Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts
Sun-Mi Hong Quintet, Meaning Of A Nest
James Brandon Lewis, Abstraction is Deliverance
Charles Lloyd, Figure In Blue, memories of Duke
Brad Mehldau, Ride into the Sun
Marc Ribot Quartet (Ava Mendoza, Sebastian Steinberg, Chad Taylor), Hurry Red Telephone
Spinifex, Maxximus

Howard Mandel

Howard Mandel — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 23:10:10 GMT

Recordings of 2025 I've most enjoyed listening to:

Mulatu Astakte, Mulata Plays Mulata

Extraordinary Popular Delusions, The Last Quintet

Gustavo Cortiñas, The Crisis Knows No Borders

Lucian Ban/John Surman/Mat Maneri, Cantica Profana: The Bela Bartøk Field Recordings

Billy Branch, The Blues is my biography

Thelonious Monk Quartet, Bremen 1965

Etienne Charles, Gullah Roots

patrick brennan - Cooper Moore - On Ka'a Davis - Jason Kao Hwang - K n current

Myra Melford with Michael Formanek and Ches Smith, Splash

Things of This Nature

Natalia Rikker

Natalia Rikker — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 18:19:18 GMT

2025 was fruitful for the Russian jazz community. Dozens of jazz festivals were held in different cities. Dozens of albums by Russian jazz musicians were released. A series of books about jazz music was published. Jazz art activists received state awards.

Without pretending to be completely objective, I would like to offer my personal list of important events from this year.

Jazz Albums

Igor Butman, Moscow Jazz Orchestra, Images. Mussorgsky and Borodin (Butman Music)

Victoria Kaunova, Iliya Morozov 's Sextet, Reflections (Butman Music)

Kle2Go Trio, The Mockingbird (ArtBeat Music)

Krugly Band, Look...or 4/4 of the Path. In memory of Vladimir Kruglov (ArtBeat Music)

Makar Novikov (feat. Olivia Trummer, Alex Sipiagin, Donald Edwards & Gianni Gagliardi), Long Journey (Rainy Days)

Oleg Grymov, Petr Ivshin, Winter Dream (FANCYMUSIC)

Alexey Kruglov, Masami Suzuki, Song For My Friend. Seaside Conversation (Contempora Records)

Jazz Books

Vladimir Feyertag, Jazz Chronicles (Russian publishing house, Scythia)

Cyril Moshkov, The History of Musical Variety Styles (Igor Butman Foundation Publishing House)

Anatoliy Tekuchyov, Solos by great drummers (Compozitor Saint-Petersburg Publishing House)

Jazz Events

7th International Forum-Fest Jazz Across Вorders (JAB, Moscow, June 13-14, 2025)

The First All-Russian Scientific and Practical Forum on Jazz Education (JAB, Moscow, June 13-14, 2025)

Find of the year

The first recording of the Uralskiy Dixieland Jazz Ensemble (Chelyabinsk Regional Radio, 1969)

Wilbert Sostre

Wilbert Sostre — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 15:37:05 GMT

Best Jazz Albums from Puerto Rico 2025

Dimas Sánchez - Afro Antillano
Richard Peña - The Latin Side of Jazz Guitar
Miguel Zenón - Vanguardia Subterránea Live at The Village Vanguard
José Negroni - Heart Beats
Nomar Negroni - Standards Jazz Vol. 1.
Aldemar Valentín - Insight
Alex Apolo Ayala - Afro Puerto Rican Jazz
Julito Alvarado - My Musical Journey 40 Years Celebration
The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective - Cortadito
Humberto Ramírez - Las Canciones de Tite Curet Alonso

Philip Booth

Philip Booth — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:25:56 GMT

TEN FAVORITE NEW JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2025
Chris Cheek, Keepers of the Eastern Door (Analog Tone Factory)
Chick Corea - Christian McBride - Brian Blade, Trilogy 3 (Candid)
Randal Despommier, South (Sunnyside)
Joe Farnsworth, The Big Room (Smoke Sessions)
Charles Lloyd, Figure in Blue (Blue Note)
Brad Mehldau, Ride Into the Sun (Nonesuch)
Nordkraft Big Band - Remy Le Boeuf - Danielle Wertz, Silent Course (Gateway)
Linda May Han Oh, Strange Heavens (Biophilia)
John Patitucci, Spirit Fall (Edition)
John Scofield & Dave Holland, Memories of Home (ECM)

THIRTEEN OTHER NOTABLE JAZZ RELEASES
Etienne Charles, Gullah Roots (Culture Shock)
Cyrus Chestnut, Rhythm, Melody and Harmony (Impulse!)
Gerald Clayton, Ones & Twos (Blue Note)
Duduka Da Fonseca Trio, Rio Fantasia (Sunnyside)
Luigi Grasso & NDR Bigband, La Dimora dell’Altrove (LP345)
Billy Hart Quartet, Just (ECM)
Branford Marsalis Quartet, Belonging (Blue Note)
David Murray Quartet, Birdly Serenade (Impulse!)
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Mundoagua – Celebrating Carla Bley (Zoho)|
Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest, Somni (GroundUP)
James Suggs, For All We Know (Arbors)
Craig Taborn, Nels Cline, Marcus Gilmore, Trio of Bloom (Pyroclastic)
WDR Big Band featuring Darol Anger and Mike Marshall, Bluegrass (MCG Jazz)

REISSUES/ARCHIVAL
Bill Evans, Further Ahead: Live in Finland 1964-1969 (Elemental)
Charles Mingus, Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts (Resonance)
Charles Mingus, Mingus at Monterey (Candid Records)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Seek & Listen: Live at the Penthouse (Resonance)
The Charlie Rouse Band, Cinnamon Flower: The Expanded Edition (Resonance)

VOCAL
Kurt Elling & Christian Sands, Wildflowers Vol. 3 (Big Shoulders)
Allan Harris, The Poetry of Jazz (Love Productions)
Cecile McLorin Salvant, Oh Snap (Nonesuch)

TEN NON-JAZZ FAVORITES
Annie & the Caldwells, Can’t Lose My (Soul) (Luaka Bop)
Tyler Childers, Snipe Hunter (Hickman Holler)
Galactic and Irma Thomas, Audience With the Queen (Tchoup-Zilla)Jason Isbell, Foxes in the Snow (Southeastern Records)
Lettuce, Cook (Lettuce)
Robert Plant with Suzi Dian, Saving Grace (Nonesuch)
Quetzal and David Hidalgo, Memory and Return (A Tlacuilo Joint!)
Mavis Staples, Sad and Beautiful World (Anti-)
Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override (dBpm)
Various Artists, Tedeschi Trucks Band & Leon Russell Present: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (Live at LOCKN’) (Fantasy)

John Chacona

John Chacona — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:52:16 GMT

John Chacona
Cleveland, Ohio, USA, All About Jazz, PostGenre Media and blogger at let's call this

I'm not a big fan of polls, but one of journalism's functions is to clock a certain consensus about what's happening, and polls are one way to do that. Herewith: my favorite recordings of the year, alpha by artist.

New releases

Ambrose Akinmusire, Honey From A Winter Stone, (Nonesuch)

Nels Cline, Consentrik Quartet (Blue Note)

Nicole Glover, Memories, Dreams, Refoections (Savant)

Colin Hancock’s Jazz Hounds featuring Catherine Russell, Cat & The Hounds

Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts (Nonesuch)

Billy Hart, Multidirectional (Smoke Sessions)

Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith, Defiant Life (ECM) 4.

Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner, The Music of Anthony Braxton (Pi)

Eric McPherson, Double Bass Quartet, (Giant Step Arts)

Amina Claudine Myers, Solace of the Mind (Red Hook)

Reissues, historical &c.

Masabumi Kikuchi, Hanamichi: The Final Studio Recording Vol. II (2013, Red Hook)

Anthony Braxton, Quartet (England) 1985 (Burning Ambulance)

Stanley Cowell, Musa: Ancestral Streams (1974, Strata-East/Mack Avenue)

Vocal albums

Theo Bleckmann, Love and Anger (Sunnyside Records)

Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Dawn (Stretch Music/Ropeadope)

Cécile McLorin Salvant, Oh Snap! (Nonesuch)

Debut album

Caelan Cardello, Chapter One (Jazz Bird Records)

Paul Cornish, You’re Exaggerating! (Blue Note Records)

Jeff Walton, Pack Animals (self released)

Latin jazz album

Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Mundoagua - Celebrating Carla Bley (Zoho)

Juan Pastor's Chinchano, Memorias (Calligram Records)

Miguel Zenón, Vanguardia Subterranea (Miel Music)

Marcela Breton

Marcela Breton — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:22:51 GMT

New Releases:

Patricia Brennan "Of the Near and Far" (Pyroclastic)

George Coleman "George Coleman with Strings" (HighNote)

Joe Farnsworth "The Big Room" (Smoke Session)

Ruben Reinaldo "Fusion Olivica" (Free Code Jazz)

John Santos Sextet & Friends "Horizontes" (Machete Records)

Deborah Silver & The Count Basie Orchestra "Basie Rocks" (Green Hill Music)

Various "Salsa de la Bahia v. 3 : Renegade Queens" (Patois) (2 CDs)

Ines Velasco "A Flash of Cobalt Blue" (Bespoke Jazz)

Brandee Younger "Gadabout Season" (Impulse)

Reissues:

Freddie Hubbard "On Fire : Live from the Blue Morocco" (Resonance) (2 CDs)

Rahsaan Roland Kirk "Vibrations in the Village : Live at the Village Gate" (Resonance)

Rahsaan Roland Kirk "Seek and Listen : Live at the Penthouse" (Resonance) (2 CDs)

Charles Mingus "Mingus in Argentina : the Buenos Aires Concert" (Resonance) (2 CDs)

Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:08:34 GMT

Here are my ten favorite new albums of 2025. A full write-up on each of these, as well as my selections for numbers 11 through 35 can be found at PostGenre. Also on that site, you can find interviews from the past year with several of the artists on my list.

NEW JAZZ ALBUMS

Patricia Brennan, Of the Near and Far (Pyroclastic)
Ambrose Akinmusire, Honey From a Winter Stone (Nonesuch)
Charles Lloyd, Figure in Blue (Blue Note)
Amina Claudine Myers, Solace of the Mind (Red Hook)
Theon Cross, Affirmations: Live at the Blue Note New York (New Soil)
James Brandon Lewis Trio, Apple Cores (Anti-)
For Living Lovers, Natural Name (Sunnyside)
Amir ElSaffar & Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch, Inner Spaces (Ornithology/Maqām)
Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts (Nonesuch)
Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio, Armageddon Flower (TAO Forms)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

Pharoah Sanders, Love Is Here: The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings (Transcendence Sounds)
Sun Ra, Uncharted Passages: New York Piano Soliloquies 1977-79 (Modern Marmonic)
Carlos Garnett, Cosmos Nucleus (1976, Muse/Time Traveler)
Spiritual Jazz 18: Behind the Iron Curtain: Esoteric, Modal, and Progressive Jazz From Central and Eastern Europe (1962-1988) (Jazzman)
Anthony Braxton, Quartet (England) 1985 (Burning Ambulance)

VOCAL

Ambrose Akinmusire, Honey From a Winter Stone (Nonesuch)
Amina Claudine Myers, Solace of the Mind (Red Hook)
Sonya Belaya, Dacha (Ropeadope)

LATIN

Patricia Brennan, Of the Near and Far (Pyroclastic)
Adam O'Farrill, For These Streets (Out of Your Head)
Aruán Ortiz, Créole Renaissance (Intakt)

DEBUT

Thomas Morgan, Around You Is a Forest (Loveland Music)
Marcus Gilmore, Journey to the New: Live at the Village Vanguard (Drummerslams)
Paul Cornish, You're Exaggerating! (Blue Note)

Ralph A. Miriello

Ralph A. Miriello — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 20:00:55 GMT

My Best of Jazz 2025

Branford Marsalis Quartet-Belonging- (Blue Note)
Sullivan Fortner-Southern Nights-(Artwork)
Bela Fleck, Edmar Castaneda, Antonio Sanchez-BEATrio- (Flecktone Recs)
Joe Lovano with Marcin Wasilewski Trio-Homage-(ECM)
Sinne Eeg and Jacob Christoffersen-Skikori-(Stunt Recs)
Wolfgang Muthspiel w Scott Colley an Brian Blade-Tokyo-(ECM)
John Ellis-Heroes-(Blue Room Music)
John Patitucci-Spirit Fall- (Edition)
Alex Sipiagin-Reverberations-(Cris Cross)
Linda May Han Oh-Strange Heavens-(Biophilia)
Carl Allen-Tippin'-(Cellar)
Amaury Faye-RUST-(Hypnote)
Rez Abassi Quintet-Sound Remains-(Whirlwind)
Denny Zeitlin-Worth A Song in My Heart-(Sunnyside)
Larry Goldings-I Will-(Sam First)
Pasquale Grasso-Fervency-(Sony Masterworks)
The Perception Trio-The Wicked Trio-(Music Release Club)
Tessa Souter-Shadows and Silence: The Erik Satie Project-(NonAra)
Michael Dease-Flow-(Posi-Tone)
Michael Mayo-Fly-(Mack Ave)
Jeff Parker ETA IV Ntet-The Way Out Easy-(Anthem Int)
Pheeroan aKlaff, Scott Robinson, Julian Thayer-aRT- (ScienSonic)
Guilio Gentile-Dream's Madness-(Auand)
WDR Big Band featuring Mike Marshall and Darol Anger-Bluegrass-(MCG)
Phil Haynes, Steve Salerno. Drew Gress-Return to Electric-(Cornerstore)
Gonzalo Rubalcaba-First Meeting: Live at Dizzy's Club-(5Passion)
Josh Lawrence-Still We Dream-(Posi-Tone)

Best Debut Album:

Tyreek McDole-Open Up Your Senses-(Artwork)

Best Latin Jazz Albums:

Miguel Zenon Quartet-Vanguardia Subterranea-Live at the Village Vanguard-(Miel Music)
Conrad Herwig, Eddie Palmieri. Luques Curtis-Reflections-Facing South-(Savant)

Best Historical and Reissue Albums:

George Colligan-Live at the Jazz Standard-(Whirlwind)
John Surman-Flashpoints and Undercurrents-(Cuneiform)
The Charlie Rouse Band-Cinnamon Flower-(Resonance)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Vibrations in the Village-Live at the Village Gate- (Resonance)
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian-The Old Country-Live at the Deer Head Inn- (ECM)
Zakir Hussain-Making Music-(ECM)

C. Andrew Hovan

C. Andrew Hovan — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:01:13 GMT

New Recordings:

1. Joe Farnsworth- “The Big Room” (Smoke Sessions)
2. Sullivan Fortner- “Southern Nights” (Artwork)
3. Brandee Younger- “Gadabout Season” (Impulse!)
4. Artemis- “Arboresque” (Blue Note)
5. Jimmy Greene- “As We Are Now” (Greene Music Works)
6. Branford Marsalis- “Belonging” (Blue Note)
7. Dave Stryker- “Stryker with Strings Goes to the Movies” (Strikezone)
8. Gregory Groover, Jr.- "Old Knew" (Criss Cross Jazz)

Reissues/Rara Avis:

1. Bill Evans- “Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings” (Craft Recordings)
2. Pharoah Sanders: The Complete Theresa Recordings (Mosaic Records)
3. Horace Silver- “Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse” (Blue Note)
4. Keith Jarrett: “The Old Country” (ECM)
5. Roy Brooks- “Free Slave” (Muse/Jazz Detective)
6. Sonny Criss- “Sonny’s Dream (Birth of the New Cool)” (Craft OJC)
7. Ken McIntyre/Eric Dolphy- “Looking Ahead” (Craft OJC)
8. Nathan Davis- “Happy Girl” (MPS)

Michael J. West

Mike West — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 22:09:08 GMT

10 Best of 2025:

1. Mary Halvorson – About Ghosts (Nonesuch)

1. Theo Croker – dream manifest (Dom Recs) [TIE]

3. Donny McCaslin – Lullaby for the Lost (Edition)

4. Trio of Bloom – Trio of Bloom (Pyroclastic)

5. James Brandon Lewis Quartet – Abstraction Is Deliverance (Intakt)

6. Paul Cornish – You’re Exaggerating! (Blue Note)

7. Benjamin Lackner – Spindrift (ECM)

8. Ambrose Akinmusire – honey from a winter stone (Nonesuch)

9. Kalia Vandever – Another View (Northern Spy)

10. Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Plays Mulatu (Strut)

Bill Milkowski

Bill Milkowski — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:15:09 GMT

Top 50 Picks for 2025:

1. Mark Turner, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (Giant Step Arts)

2. Fred Hersch, The Surrounding Green (ECM)

3. Joshua Redman, Words Fall Short (Blue Note)

4. Dave Douglas, Alloy (Greenleaf Music)

5. Nels Cline, Concentric Quartet (Blue Note)

6. Branford Marsalis, Belonging (Blue Note)

7. Carl Allen, Tippin’ (Cellar Music)

8. John Scofield/Dave Holland, Memories of Home (ECM)

9. Shakti, Mind Explosion (Abstract Logix)

10. Jerome Sabbath, Stand Up! (Analog Tone Factory)

11. Chris Cheek, Keepers of the East Door (Analog Tone Factory)

12. Linda May Han Oh, Strange Heavens (Biophilia)

13. Anthony Wilson Nonet, House of the Singing Blossoms (Sam First Records)

14. Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quintet, Sound Remains (Whirlwind Recordings)

15. Miguel Zenon, Vanugardia Subterranean (Miel Music)

16. George Coleman, With Strings (Highnote)

17. Gilad Hekselman, Downhil From Here (La Reserve Records)

18. Gonzalo Rubalcaba/Chris Potter/Larry Grenadier/Eric Harland, First Meeting: Live at Dizzy's Club (5Passion Records)

19. Mike Clark, Itai Doshin (Wide Hive)

20. Sullivan Fortner, Southern Nights (Artwork Records)

21. Jaleel Shaw, Painter of the Invisible (Changu)

22. Tony Davis, Jessamine (La Reserve Records)

23. Aaron Parks, By All Means (Blue Note)

24. Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts (Nonesuch)

25. Bela Fleck/Edmar Castaneda/Antonio Sanchez, BEATrio (Thirty Tigers)

26. Michael Dease, City Life: Music of Gregg Hill (Origin)

27. Gregory Groover Jr., Old Knew (Criss Cross)

28. John O'Gallagher, Ancestral (Whirlwind Recordings)

29. Amina Claudine Myers, Solace of the Wind (Red Hook)

30. John McLaughlin, Music for Abandoned Heights (IMPEX Records)

31. David Kikoski Trio, Weekend at Smalls (Cellar Music)

32. Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet, Turn It Up! Live at the Side Door (Cellar Music)

33. Juan Chiavassa, Fourth Generation (Whirlwind Recordings)

34. Nicole Glover, Memories, Dreams, Reflections (Savant)

35. Josh Lawrence, Still We Dream (PosiTone)

36. Kenny Barron, Songbook (Artwork Records)

37. Nicole Zuraitis & Friends, Live at Vic's Las Vegas (La Reserve)

38. Olli Soikkeli, New York Trio (ollisoikkeli.com)

39. Eric McPherson, Double Bass Quartet (Giant Step Arts)

40. Theon Cross, Affirmations: Live at the Blue Note New York (New Soil)

41. Pasquale Grasso, Solo Be-Bop! (Sony Masterworks)

42. Anat Fort, The Dreamworld of Paul Motian (Sunnyside)

43. Al Foster, Live at Smoke (Smoke Sessions)

44. David Becker/Paul Wertico, Tuxedo Man (GAD Records)

45. Billy Hart, Multidirectional (Smoke Sessions)

46. Eric Reed, Out Late (Smoke Sessions)

47. Karl Ratzer Trio, Vienna Red (In+Out Records)

48. Tessa Souter, Shadows and Silence: The Erik Satie Project (Noanara Music)

49. George Colligan, Live at the Jazz Standard (Whirlwind Recordings)

50. Danny Gatton, Live at the Holiday Inn, 1987 (Gress Records)

Hank Shteamer

Hank Shteamer — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:56:22 GMT

Top 10 new releases of 2025:

1. Marcus Gilmore, Journey to the New: Live at the Village Vanguard
2. Amina Claudine Myers, Solace of the Mind
3. Jacob Garchik, Ye Olde 2: At the End of Time
4. Craig Taborn, Nels Cline, Marcus Gilmore, Trio of Bloom
5. Kassa Overall, Cream
6. Billy Hart Quartet, Just
7. Brandee Younger, Gadabout Season
8. Chicago Underground Duo, Hyperglyph
9. Joe Farnsworth, The Big Room
10. Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons, Live in Philadelphia

Marcia K Hocker

Marcia K Hocker — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 03:26:25 GMT

What a joy to have shared tracks from a number of new releases from local Portland musicians as well as established icons. Alternate Wednesdays on KBOO.FM/program/jazz-lives.

The Powerhouse Quintet - Shared Stories; https://www.youtube.com/@PowerhouseJazz Quintet-xb6wt.

Christopher Brown Quartet - Sole City; PJCE Records

Kerry Politzer - Ruminations; PJCE Records

Tom Wakeling - West By Northwest/Live at Ravenscroft:Vol 1; Cellar Music Group

Domo Branch - Hands of Gifts: Albina Music Trust

*Terell Stafford - Between Two Worlds; Le Coq Records

Allan Harris - The Poetry of Jazz/Live at Blue Llama

Caelan Cardello - Chapter One; Jazz Bird Records

NYO Jazz - Live in Johannesburg; Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute

Lucy Yeghiazaryan - Some Other Spring w/Grant Steward; self published

Nicholas Payton - Triune w/Esperanza Spalding, Karriem Riggins; Smoke Sessions

The EMPRESS - Square One; Cellar Music

*Live interview on 11/19 in the second hour

Dan Polletta

Daniel Polletta — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:56:31 GMT

Here's some of favorite recordings we shared with listeners on Ideastream Public Media's JazzNEO https://www.ideastream.org/jazz in no particular order in 2025

Omer Avital, New York Now & Then (Zamzama) →
Marty Ehrlich Trio Exaltation, This Time (Sunnyside) →
Anat Fort, The Dreamworld of Paul Motian (Sunnyside) →
James Brandon Lewis Quartet, Abstraction Is Deliverance (Intakt) →
Billy Mohler, The Eternal (Contagious Music) →
Linda May Han Oh, Strange Heavens (Biophilia) →
John Scofield & Dave Holland, Memories of Home (ECM) →
Chad Taylor Quintet, Smoke Shifter (Otherly Love) →
Wild Iris Brass Band, Way Up (Ear Up) →
Sarah Wilson, Incandescence (Brass Tonic) →

David Haney

David Haney — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:11:31 GMT

Top ten from Cadence Magazine

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - LARRY HOLLIS

SHAREL CASSITY—GRATITUDE--SUNNYSIDE

ERIC ALEXANDER/VINCENT HERRING—SPLIT

DECISION—SMOKE SESSIONS

BRANFORD MARSALIS—BELONGING--BLUE NOTE

BUDDY GUY—AIN'T DONE YET—RCA SILVERTONE

JOE FARNSWORTH—BIG ROOM—SMOKE SESSIONS

CORY WEEDS—MEETS JERRY WELDON—CELLAR

BLUE MOODS—FORCE AND GRACE—POSITONE

ERIC ALEXANDER—LIKE SUGAR—CELLAR MUSIC

GEORGE COLEMAN—WITH STRINGS—HIGHNOTE

ALVIN QUEEN—THE JAZZ CUP CAFE BLUES—CELLAR

REISSUES/HISTORICAL - LARRY HOLLIS

CHARLIE PARKER—BIRD IN K.C.--VERVE

TUBBY HAYES—ANTIBES 1962—JAZZ IN BRITAIN

BACK DOOR—VIENNA BREAKDOWN—ESOTERIC

JIMMY WITHERSPOON/ROBBEN FORD—JUMP BLUES

LIVE 1972—LIBERATION HALL

CHET BAKER QUINTET—FIVE FROM 65—NEW LAND

ROY BROOKS—THE FREE SLAVE—TIME TRAVELER

MEMPHIS SLIM—AT THE GATE OF HORN—CRAFT

MILES DAVIS QUINTET—COMPLETE PLUGGED

NICKEL—SONY LEGACY

KENNY BURRELL-ON VIEW AT THE FIVE SPOT—BLUE

NOTE

ROLAND KIRK QUARTET—DOMINO—MIG(CD/DVD}

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - FRANK KoHL

Florian Arbenz — The Alpine Sessions

Yunmi Kang & John Stowell Duo — A Timeless

Piece

Dave Stryker — Goes To The Movies

Ari Hoenig — Punkbop- Live At Smalls

Leo Larratt — Rahim’s Blues

Donny McCaslin — Lullaby Of The Lost

Shawn Purcell — Oblivity

Mike Stern — Echoes And Other Songs

Johnathan Blake — My Life Matters

Randy Napoleon — Waking Dream

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - ABE goldstein

Eric McPherson — Double Bass Quartet —

Giant Steps

James Brandon Lewis — Abstractions in

Deliverance — Intakt

Thomas Ruckert — For All We Know

— Challenge

Ehud Asherie — Thank You Barry Harris —

Arbors

Michael Bisio — NuMBq — Mahakala

Joe McPhee — We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings — Rogue Art

Thomas Heberer — Hipp Hipp Hooray — FSR

David Kikoski— Weekend at Smalls — Cellar

Joris Roelofs— Rite of Spring — ICP

Steve Hirsh — The Back Nine — Self produced

REISSUES/HISTORICAL - ABE goldstein

Dave Burrell — The Lost Session — No Business

Rashied Ali — Sidewalks In Motion — Survival

Ellery Eskelin — About (Or On) First —

Ezzthetics

Kenny Dorham — Blue Bossa in the Bronx — Resonance

Irene Schweizer — Irene’s Hot Four — Intakt Gato Barbieri — Standards Lost & Found

ChaRles Mingus — In Argentina — Resonance

Jimmy Bennington — Blue Veils — That Swan

Frank Kimbrough — The CallHorace Tapsctott — Live at Widney High 1971

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - Jerome wilson

Ensemble C — Every Journey — Adhyaropa

Amina Claudine Myers — Solace of the Mind

Linda May Han Oh — Strange Heavens

Fabia Mantwill Orchestra — In - Sight

Jason Kao Hwang — Myths of Origin

Patricia Brennan — Of the Near and Far

Van Morrison — Remembering Now — Exile

Jimmy Farace — Hours Fly, Flowers Die

The Hemphill Stringtet — Plays the Music of

Julius Hemphill — Out Of Your Head

Branford Marsalis Quartet — Belonging (

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - Ken weiss

RAPHAEL PANNIER QUARTET/KHADIM NIANG &

SABAR GROUP – LIVE IN SAINT LOUIS, SENEGAL

SYLVIE COURVOISIER/MARY HALVORSON – BONE

BELLS – PYROCLASTIC

SATOKO FUJII TOKYO TRIO – DREAM A DREAM

PATRICIA BRENNAN – OF THE NEAR AND FAR

SYLVIE COURVOISIER /WADADA LEO SMITH – ANGEL

FALLS – INTAKT

ALISTER SPENCE TRIO – GATHER

HENRY THREADGILL – LISTEN SHIP – PI

SPINIFEX – MAXXIMUS – TRYTONE

MARTY EHRLICH EXALTATION TRIO – THIS TIME

PLAINS PEAK – SOMEONE TO SOMEONE

REISSUES/HISTORICAL - Ken weiss

PHAROAH SANDERS – THE COMPLETE THERESA

RECORDINGS

ELLERY ESKELIN - ELLERY ESKELIN TRIO NEW YORK:

ABOUT (OR ON) FIRST VISIT

FREDDIE HUBBARD – FREDDIE HUBBARD ON FIRE LIVE

FROM THE BLUE MOROCCO – RESONANCE

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK – SEEK & LISTEN: LIVE AT THE PENDTHOUSE – RESONANCE

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS IN ARGENTINA – THE

BUENOS AIRES CONCERTS

JIMMY LYONS – LIVE FROM STUDIO RIVBEA –1974 &

1976

KENNY DORHAM – KENNY DORHAM BLUE BOSSA IN

THE BRONX LIVE FROM THE BLUE MOROCCO

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK – VIBRATIONS IN THE

VILLAGE: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE GATE

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - Scott Yanow

Joe Farnsworth – The Big Room – Smoke

Sessions

Irving Flores Afro-Cuban Sextet – Armando mi

Conga – Amor de Flores Productions

Sullivan Fortner – Southern Nights – Pias

nenna Freelon – Beneath The Skin – Origin

Caity Gyorgy – Hello! How Are You? – Self-

Released

David Kikoski – Weekend At Smalls – Cellar

Branford Marsalis – Belonging – Blue Note

Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz

Orchestra - Mundoagua – Zoho

Anais Reno – Lady Of The Lavender Mist – Club

Gonzalo Rubalcaba – First Meeting –

5passion

REISSUES/HISTORICAL – Scott Yanow

Bob Crosby - Classic Decca Recordings Of

Bob Crosby Orchestra/Bob Cats (1936-1942) Miles Davis – Miles In Paris – Columbia/Legacy

Ella Fitzgerald – Live At The Concetgebouw

1961 – The Lost Recordings

Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Vibrations In The

Village - Resonance

Oscar Moore – The Enchanting Guitar – Fresh

Sound

Charlie Parker – Bird In Kansas City - Verve

Art Pepper – An Afternoon In Norway –

Elemental Music

Andre Previn – Early Years – Acrobat

McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson – Forces Of

Nature – Blue Note

Various Artists – Classic Vanguard Small

Group Swing Sessions – Mosaic

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - George Harris

Eddie Daniels – To Milton With Love

Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet– Turn It Up!

Denny Zeitlin – With A Song In My Heart

Bob James and Dave Koz – Just Us

Diego Figuieredo – I Love Samba

Gunhild Carling – Jazz Is My Lifestyle

Horace Silver – Live At The Penthouse

Gillian Margot and Geoffrey Geezer – Gillian

Margot and Geoffrey Geezer

Freddie Hubbard – On Fire

Kenny Dorham – Blue Bossa In Bronx

2025 TOP NEW RECORDINGS - ZIM TARRO

DAVID “FATHEAD” NEWMAN - RETURN TO THE WIDE

OPEN SPACES

Rob Brown - Walkabout - Mahakala

Dave Sewelson, Steve Swell, Matthew Shipp,

William Parker & Steve Hirsh – Muscle Memory

LOUIS ROSEN – AMERICAN SUNSET – DI-TONE

HENRY THREADGILL – LISTEN SHIP – PI

Patricia Brennan — Of the Near and Far

The Hemphill Stringtet — Plays the Music of

Julius Hemphill — Out Of Your Head

BUDDY GUY—AIN'T DONE YET—RCA SILVERTONE

John Taylor, Marc Johnson, Joey Baron · -

Tramonto — ECM

Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:50:16 GMT

Top Jazz Albums 2025

Charles Lloyd, Figure In Blue

Branford Marsalis Quartet, Belonging

Kenny Barron, Songbook

Artemis, Arboresque

Joshua Redman, Words Fall Short

Fieldwork, Thereupon

David Murray Quartet, Birdly Serenade

Mike Clark, Itai Doshin

Tyreek McDole, Open Up Your Senses

Irving Flores Afro-Cuban Jazz Sextet, Armando Mi Conga

Joe Farnsworth, The Big Room

Isaiah J. Thompson, The Book of Isaiah: Modern Jazz Ministry

Billy Hart Quartet, Just

Ryan Truesdale Presents Gil Evans Project, Shades of Sound

George Coleman, George Coleman with Strings

Comment: Though it was not planned, it occurs to me that each of these albums except one has one or more bad-ass saxophonists: The band leaders Charles Lloyd, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman and David Murray; the essential band members or side players Steve Lehman (with Fieldwork), Craig Handy (with Mike Clark), Mark Turner (with Billy Hart) Steve Wilson and Donny McCaslin (with Ryan Truesdale), Norbert Stachel (with Irving Flores); and the relative newcomers Nicole Glover (with Artemis), Sarah Hanahan (with Joe Farnsworth), Julian Lee (with Isaiah J. Thompson) and Dylan Band (with Tyreek McDole). And then there's 90-year-old George Coleman, surrounded by a bed of strings. The one exception is Kenny Barron's Songbook, which is all about the singers and the songs.

Five non-jazz albums I enjoy.

Van Morrison, Remembering Now

Various Artists, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco

Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Groove in the Face of Adversity

Mavis Staples, Sad and Beautiful World

Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo', Room on the Porch

Geoffrey Himes

Geoffrey Himes — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 12:50:48 GMT

GEOFFREY HIMES

TWENTY BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2024:

1. Ambrose Akinmusire: Owl Song (Nonesuch)

2. Steve Coleman and Five Elements: Polytropos/Of Many Turns (Pi/M-Base)

3. Charles Lloyd: The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (Blue Note)

4. Hamilton de Holanda/Gonzalo Rubalcaba: “Saudade, Saudade” from Collab (De Holanda)

5. David Murray Quartet: Francesca (Intakt)

6. Ben Wendel: Under Story: Ben Wendel Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)

7. Bill Frisell/Kit Downes/Andrew Cyrille: Breaking the Shell (Red Hook)

8. Micah Thomas: Mountains (Artwork)

9. The Lux Quartet: Tomorrowland (Enja)

10. Leo Genovese: Forward (577)

11. Vijay Iyer: Compassion (ECM)

12. Patricia Brennan Septet: Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic)

13. Marta Sanchez Trio: Perpetual Void (Intakt)

14. Tyshawn Sorey Trio: The Susceptible Now (Pi)

15. Lucian Ban Mat Maneri: Transylvanian Dances (ECM)

16. Geof Bradfield: Colossal Abundance (Calligram)

17. Melissa Aldana: Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Blue Note)

18. Lakecia Benjamin: Phoenix Reimagined (Live) (Ropeadope)

19. Erik Friedlander: Dirty Boxing/Floating City (Friedlander)

20. Kenny Barron: Beyond This Place (Artwork)

TWENTY BEST NON-JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2024:

1. Charley Crockett: $10 Cowboy, Chapters One & Two (Son of Davy)

2. Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department (Republic)

3. Beyonce: Cowboy Carter (Columbia)

4. Kevin Gordon: “You Can’t Hurt Me No More” from The In Between (Gordon)

5. MJ Lenderman: “She’s Leaving You” from Manning Fireworks (Anti-)

6. Steve Dawson: “Sooner than Expected” from Ghosts (Pravda)

7. Billie Eilish: “Lunch” from Hit Me Hard and Soft (Dark Room/Interscope)

8. Willi Carlisle: “Two-Headed Lamb” from Critterland (Signature Sounds)

9. Willie Nelson: “Last Leaf on the Tree” from The Last Leaf (Legacy)

10. Jeremie Albino: “I Don’t Mind Waiting” from Our Time in the Sun (Easy Eye)

11. Japandroids: “D&T” from Fate + Alcohol (Anti-)

12. Yasmin Williams: “Harvest” from Acadia (Nonesuch)

13. The Decemberists: “Burial Ground” from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again (Yarb)

14. Zach Bryan: “Sandpaper” from The Great American Bar Scene (Warner)

15. Kali Uchis: “Pensamientos Intrusivos” from Orquideas (Geffen)

16. T Bone Burnett: The Other Side (Verve)

17. Charli XCX: Brat (Atlantic)

18. Miranda Lambert: Postcards from Texas (Big Loud/Republic)

19. Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore Texicali (Yep Roc)

20. Cedric Burnside: Hill Country Love (Provogue)

FIVE BEST HISTORICAL JAZZ ALBUMS:

Sonny Rollins: Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings (Resonance)
Andrew Hill Sextet Plus 10: A Beautiful Day Revisited (2002, Palmetto)
Wayne Shorter: Celebration, Volume 1 (2014, Blue Note)
Art Tatum: Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Club Recordings (Resonance)
Sun Ra: Lights on a Satellite: Live at the Left Bank (1978, Resonance)

FIVE BEST HISTORICAL NON-JAZZ ALBUMS:

1. Elvis Costello: King of America & Other Realms (Universal)
2. Neil Young: Archives III (Reprise)
3. Joni Mitchell: Archives—Volume Four (1976-1980) (Rhino)
4. The dBs: Stands for Decibels (Propeller)
5. Joe Grushecky: Houserocker: A Joe Grushecky Anthology (Omnivore)

Jeff Cebulski

Jeff Cebulski — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:21:23 GMT

TOP 10 NEW RELEASES

Vijay Iyer, Compassion (ECM)
Charles Lloyd, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (Blue Note)
James Brandon Lewis Quartet, Transfiguration (Intakt)
Lux Quartet, Tomorrowland (enja)
Peter Bernstein, Better Angels (Smoke Sessions Records)
One for All, Big George (Smoke Sessions Records)
Walter Smith III, three of us are from Houston and Rueben is not (Blue Note)
Joel Ross, Nublues (Blue Note)
Chris Potter-Brad Mehldau-John Patitucci-Brian Blade, Eagle's Point (Edition)
Immanuel Wilkins, Blues Blood (Blue Note)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

Tomasz Stanko Quartet, September Night (ECM)
Roy Hargrove's Crisol, Grande-Terre (Verve)
Emily Remler, Cookin' at the Queens: Live in Las Vegas (Resonance)
Kurt Rosenwinkel, The Next Step Band: Live at Smalls, 1996 (Heartcore Records)
McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, Forces of Nature, Live at Slugs (Blue Note)

VOCAL

1. Alyssa Allgood, From Here (Next Records)

2. Samara Joy, Portrait (Verve)

DEBUT ALBUM

1. Sarah Hanahan, Among Giants (Blue Engine Records)

Chuck Koton

Chuck Koton — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 23:33:12 GMT

1) Azar Lawrence Experience @Yoshi's, Oakland...6/18/2024. Master tenor and soprano saxophonist Azar Lawrence brought his band to a nearly sold out, mid-week gig at venerable Oakland jazz club, Yoshi’s, to celebrate Freedom Day, Juneteenth. On this night, Lawrence was joined by long time band mate, Brian Swartz (trumpet), among others, and special guests vocalist Tiffany Austin and old friend ,the legendary Taj Mahal!!!! The band generated the fire that one expects from Azar Lawrence, a searing heat he felt first hand with the bands of Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner in the 1970s. A Tyner composition, ”Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit,” that Lawrence recorded with the piano master on the classic “live” album, “Enlightenment Suite,” afforded an opportunity for the band to stretch out. In my humble opinion, there is no one on the jazz scene today who blows the saxophone with the fire Lawrence generates.

2)The great alto saxophonist, Charles McPherson, celebrated his 85^th birthday and his hard swinging 2024 release, “Reverance”(Smoke Sessions Records), with Mr Jazz San Diego, Gilbert Castellanos(trumpet) at Lou Lou's, a swanky new club in San Diego. McPherson, at eight-five, still plays with the speed of a 20 year old but tempered by the more than six decades of musical experience he embodies. The alto master's display of his undiminished dexterity on the Be Bop classic, “Cherokee,” had Castellanos shaking his head in admiration. The band performed several compositions from the CD, including sensitive originals honoring McPherson’s beloved fellow Motowners, Barry Harris and Lonnie Hillyer. To reference a Be Bop classic, “Now's The Time” to honor Charles McPherson with an NEA Jazz Masters award.

3) Veteran tenor saxophonist, Ralph Moore, brought a hard swingin' band into one of the top jazz clubs in the Los Angeles area, Sam First, conveniently located just down the street from LAX. This cozy club has also started recording music, as well as presenting live jazz almost nightly for the last several years. It's hard to believe that Moore has been one of the most respected saxophonists of the last forty years. It seems like just yesterday he was one of the Young Lions of the 80s, along with Cats like his dear, departed friend Roy Hargrove, the Marsalis Brothers & Joshua Redman, among others. Moore and the band, including the supernaturally youthful 88 year old dynamo of the drums, Roy McCurdy, came out of the gate with an uptempo composition, “Ugetsu” by master pianist and composer, the late Cedar Walton. And on the classic, “Moment's Notice,” the band transported the audience to a 1950s smoky club on NYC's Lower East Side where this pure, unadulterated, foot tappin' hard bop could be heard regularly. These days it seems, at least to my jaundiced ears, there's a bit too much ambient sound emanating from the band stand. Not on this night as Moore breathed a Coltrane influence and McCurdy drove the band to delirious heights.

4) Phil Ranelin, “The Found Tapes: Live in Los Angeles, 1978-1981” (Org Music). One of the most important musicians of the last 50+ years, trombonist, composer and band leader Phil Ranelin discovered these recordings in the (process of moving back to his Indianapolis hometown after suffering a debilitating stroke. Most of this CD was recorded by Ranelin on cassettes during a performance at Maiden Voyage in LA in the summer of 1981. The band included a young and already brilliant pianist, Billy Childs along with two of LA’s first call Cats, bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Ralph Penland. Included is music from a broad spectrum of jazz including be bop and the post-bop modal sound that Ranelin reveled in. While the music is technically a bit raw, that quality has its charms in preserving these vital years of Ranelin’s on the LA jazz scene.

5) Michael Stephans, “Om Shalom” (Dot Time Records). This remarkable recording by drummer, composer, author and educator, Michael Stephans is a valuable reissue first recorded in 2005. Stephans had an epiphany over decades ago in which he was inspired to create music that would somehow blend his memories of Jewish sounds(both songs and prayers) with the Eastern influenced sounds in John Coltrane’s music in which he immersed himself as an adult. The result is an unforgettable recording made with his intrepid friends including NEA saxophone master, David Liebman, Bennie Maupin(saxophones, bass clarinet), Scott Colley(acoustic bass) and percussionist Munyungo Jackson.

And 5 more special performances of 2024

1) Henry “the Skipper” Franklin Quintet @ LACMA, 5/9/2024.

2) Cosmic Vibrations @The World Stage, 5/30/2024.

3) Pan African Peoples Arkestra @The World Stage, 2/9/2024.

4) Bobby West Trio @The World Stage, 1/19/2024.

5) Joshua White Trio @The World Stage, 2/2/2024.

C. Andrew Hovan

C. Andrew Hovan — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 18:03:58 GMT

Top Jazz Releases of 2024:

NEW ALBUMS

1. Jim Snidero, For All We Know (Savant)

2. Kenny Barron, Beyond This Place (Artwork)

3. Immanuel Wilkins, Blues Blood (Blue Note)

4. Peter Bernstein, Better Angels (Smoke Sessions)

5. Louis Hayes, Artform Revisited (Savant)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

6. McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs' (1966, Blue Note)

7. Roy Hargrove's Crisol, Grande-Terre (1998, Verve)

8. Louis Armstrong, Louis in London (1968, Verve)

9. Sonny Rollins, A Night at the Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters (1957, Blue Note)

10. Bobby Hutcherson, Classic Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970 (Mosaic)

Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 15:46:40 GMT

Here are my ten favorite new albums of 2024. A full write-up on each of these, as well as my selections for numbers 11 through 35 can be found at PostGenre. Also on that site, you can find interviews from the past year with several of the artists on my list.

NEW RELEASES

Wadada Leo Smith & Amina Claudine Myers, Central Park's Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens (Red Hook)
Mulatu Astatke and Hoodna Orchestra, Tension (Batov)
Brandon Ross Phantom Station, Off the End (Sunnyside)
Amaro Freitas, Y'Y (Psychic Hotline)
Colin Stetson, The love it took to leave you (Envision)
Patricia Brennan, Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic)
David Leon, Bird's Eye (Pyroclastic)
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis (Impulse!)
Mary Halvorson, Cloudward (Nonesuch)
Sun Ra Arkestra, Lights on a Satellite (In + Out)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

Emily Remler, Cookin' at the Queens: Live in Las Vegas (1984 & 1988) (Resonance)
Wayne Shorter, Celebration Vol. 1 (Blue Note)
Alice Coltrane, Live at Carnegie Hall (Impulse!)
Joe Henderson & McCoy Tyner, Forces of Nature: Live at Slug's 1966 (Blue Note)
The Malombo Jazz Men, Castle Lager Jazz Festival, 1964 (Strut)

VOCAL

Arooj Aftab, Night Reign (Verve)
John Zorn & Jesse Harris, Love Songs Live (Tzadik)
Milton Nascimento & esparanza spalding, Milton + esperanza (Concord)

DEBUT

Riley Mulherkar, Riley (Westerlies)
Willy Rodriguez, Seeing Sounds (Coucs)
Alfredo Colón, Blood Burden (Out of Your Head)

LATIN

Amaro Freitas, Y'Y (Psychic Hotline)
Patricia Brennan, Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic)
David Leon, Bird's Eye (Pyroclastic)

Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:30:02 GMT

Top Ten New Releases

Charles Lloyd, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (Blue Note)

Jon Batiste, Beethoven Blues (Verve)

Milton + Esperanza, Milton + Esperanza (Concord)

Joel Ross, nublues (Blue Note)

Vijay Iyer, Compassion (ECM)

Walter Smith III, three of Us Are From Houston and Reuben Is Not (Blue Note)

Tarbaby, You Think This America (Giant Step Arts)

Ndudzo Makhathini, Unomkhubulwane (Blue Note)

Lizz Wright, Shadow (Blues and Greens)

Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix Reimagined (ropeadope)

Ten (or so) More

Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few, The Almighty/The World Is On Fire (Division 81) (I counted these as one release because it's my list and I can do what I want.)

Sun Ra Arkestra, Lights on a Satellite (In+Out Records)

Steve Turre, Sanyas (Smoke Sessions)

Jazzmeia Horn, Messages (Empress Legacy)

Melissa Aldana, Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Blue Note)

Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre, No Words Needed (Ovation)

Brian Bromberg, LaFaro (Be Squared)

Mike Stern, Echoes and Other Songs (Mack Avenue)

Emmet Cohen, Vibe Provider (Mack Avenue)

Out of/Into, Motion 1 (Blue Note) (This is probably a top ten album but it was just released and I have only listened to it once...)

Best Archival Releases

Art Tatum, Jewels in the Treasure Box, The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings (Resonance)

Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Paul Motian, The Old Country (ECM)

Roy Hargrove Crisol, Grande-Terre (Verve)

Best Non-Jazz Archival Release

B.B King In France, Live at the 1977 Nancy Jazz Pulsations Festival (Deep Digs/Elemental)

Best Non-Jazz New Release

Beyonce, Cowboy Carter (Parkwood/Columbia)

Best Dance Music

Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Swing Forever (Ovation) (This is the best salsa album I have heard in decades...)

Philip Booth

Philip Booth — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:31:51 GMT

Some 2024 favorites

NEW ALBUMS (alphabetical)

Peter Bernstein, Better Angels (Smoke Sessions) →
John Escreet, The Epicenter of Your Dreams (Blue Room Music) →
Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band, Walk a Mile in My Shoe (Imani) →
Bill Frisell, Orchestras (Blue Note) →
Julian Lage, Speak to Me (Blue Note) →
Brian Landrus, Plays Ellington & Strayhorn (Palmetto) →
Charles Lloyd, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (Blue Note) →
One for All, Big George (Smoke Sessions) →
Chris Potter-Brad Mehldau-John Patitucci-Brian Blade, Eagle's Point (Edition) →
Joel Ross, Nublues (Blue Note) →

REISSUES/ARCHIVAL

McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs' (1966, Blue Note) →
Sonny Rollins, Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings (Resonance) →
Miles Davis Quintet, Miles in France 1963 & 1964 [The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8] (Columbia/Legacy) →
John Abercrombie-Dave Holland-Jack DeJohnette, Gateway (1975, ECM) →
Terry Gibbs Dream Band, Vol. 7: The Lost Tapes, 1959 (Whaling City Sound) →

VOCAL

Samara Joy, Portrait (Verve) →
Kurt Elling & Sullivan Fortner, Wildflowers Vol. 1 (Edition) →
Kurt Elling & Sullivan Fortner, Wildflowers Vol. 2 (Edition) →

LATIN

Miguel Zenón, Golden City (Miel Music) →
Dafnis Prieto, 3 Sides of the Coin (Dafnison Music) →
Diego Rivera, Ofendra (Posi-Tone) →

Michael Ambrosino

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:41:56 GMT

My 20 favorite albums for 2024.

Andrew Bird - Sunday Morning Put On

Arooj Aftab - Night Reign

David Preston - Volume 2 - Purple / Black

Edward Simon - Three Visitors

Eyolf Dale - The Space Between Two Notes

Fernando Huergo - Relentless

Ivanna Cuesta - A Letter To The Earth

Jihye Lee Orchestra - Infinite Connections

Jonathan Powell - Mambo Jazz Party

Joy Guidry - Amen

Karl-Martin Almqvist - The Travelers

Marlon Simon - On Different Paths

Michael Eckroth - Human Geography

Miguel Zenón - Golden City

Milton Nascimento & esperanza spalding - Milton & esperanza

OKAN - Okantomi

Ryan Keberle & Catharsis - Music Is Connection

Ryan Truesdell - SYNTHESIS: The String Quartet Sessions

Shabaka - Perceive its Beauty, Acknowledge its Grace

Taylor Eigsti - Plot Armor

Filipe Freitas

Filipe Freitas — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 17:20:06 GMT

Patricia Brennan Septet - Breaking Stretch
Oded Tzur - My Prophet
Tomeka Reid - 3+3
Vijay Iyer - Compassion
Charles Lloyd - The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
Peter Evans - Extra
Miguel Zenon - Golden City
Jon irabagon - Recharge the Blade
Anna Webber - Simpletrio2000
Nduduzo Makhathini - Unomkhubulwane

Wilbert Sostre

Wilbert Sostre — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:17:05 GMT

Best Puerto Rico Jazz Albums 2024

1. Miguel Zenón - Golden City

2. Papo Vázquez - Songs del Yucayeke

3. Oscar Hernández Alma Libre - No Words Needed

4. Giovanni Hidalgo - Jubilation

5. William Cepeda - The Sound of Puerto Rican Jazz

6. Sofia Ramos y Richard Peña - La Música de Sylvia Rexach

7. Rubén Caban - Kangana

8. Angel Cuyar - Chapter One

9. William García - Aventuras del Caribe

10. Willy Rodríguez - Seeing Sounds

Steve Braunginn

Stephen Braunginn — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 16:47:35 GMT

2024 Top 20 Recordings + Historical Recordings-Strictly Jazz Sounds Podcast
1. Kris Davis: Run the Gauntlet-Pyroclastic Records
2. Tarbaby: You Think This America-Imani Records
3. Patricia Brennan Septet: Breaking Stretch-Pyroclastic Records
4. Orin Evans and The Captain Black Big Band: Walk a Mile in My Shoe-Imani Records
5. Lakecia Benjamin: Phoenix Reimagines (Live)-Ropeadope Records
6. Geoffrey Keezer: Live at Birdland-Markeez Records
7. Melissa Aldana: Echoes of the Inner Prophet-Blue Note
8. Charles Lloyd: The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow-Blue Note
9. Sarah Hanahan: Among Giants-Blue Engine Records
10. Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y: A New Beat-Cellar
11. Marta Sanchez: Perpetual Void-Intakt Records
12. Caleb Wheeler-Curtis: The True Story of Bears and the Invention of the Battery-Imani Records
13. Jason Palmer: The Cross Over: Live in Brooklyn-Giant Step Arts
14. The Fury: Live in Brooklyn-Giant Step Arts
15. Walter Smith III: three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not-Blue Note
16. Jason Robinson: Ancestral Numbers-Playscape Records
17. Alex Spain: Horizons-Blue Room Music
18. Neta Raanan: Unforeseen Blossom-Giant Step Arts
19. Out of/Into: Motion 1-Blue Note
20. Marius Van Den Brink: New York Knock-Highline Music NYC

Historical

McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson: Forces of Nature: Live at Slubs’-Blue Note

Roy Hargrove: Grande-Terre-Verve

Alice Coltrane: The Carnegie Hall Concert-Impulse

Louis Stewart & Jim Hall: Louis Stewart with Jim Hall-The Dublin Concert-Livia Records

Wayne Shorter: Celebration, Vol. 1-Blue Note

Sanford Josephson

Sanford Josephson — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 20:45:19 GMT

Top 10 2024 Albums, alphabetical by artist

Brian Bromberg, La Faro (Be Squared)

Summer Camargo, To Whom I Love (Blue Engine)

Anat Cohen, Bloom (Anzic)

Sarah Hanahan, Among Giants (Blue Engine)

Vincent Herring (Something Else!), Soul Jazz (Smoke Sessions)

Charles McPherson, Reverence (Smoke Sessions)

Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y, A New Beat (Cellar Music)

Ken Peplowski, Live at Mezzrow (Cellar Music)

Catherine Russell & Sean Mason, My Ideal (Dot Time)

Bria Skonberg, What It Means (Cellar Music)

Natalia Rikker

Natalia Rikker — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:28:12 GMT

In my personal chart, I would include not only musicians, but also those who contribute to the development of jazz, such as teachers and educators.

Among my favorites in 2024 are super professionals, with whom I had the opportunity to meet and work at the University of North Texas College of Music. These include

Alan Baylock, a composer, arranger, band leader, and director of the One O’clock Lab Band,
Kimberly Hannon Teal, Associate Professor of Jazz History and Research, whose lectures on Jazz I was grateful to attend,
the fantastic Ari Hoening Trio which brought me bright emotions,
and Park Stickney, a wonderful harpist, and his magical harp which stole my heart.

Ralph A. Miriello

Ralph A. Miriello — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:12:39 GMT

Best of Contemporary Jazz Releases 2024:

Taylor Eigsti-Plot Armor-Ground Up Music
Jamie Baum- What Times Are These-Sunnyside
Jim Snidero-For All We Know- Savant
Peter Bernstein-Better Angels-Smoke Sessions
Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas, Ted Nash- Tell The Birds I Said Hello; The Music of Herbie Nichols- Sonic Camera
Kenny Barron-Beyond This Place-Artworks/PIAS
Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few-The World Is On Fire-Division 81
Chris Potter-Eagle's Point-Edition
Julian Lage-Speak To Me-Blue Note
Ryan Keberle And Catharsis-Music Is Connection-Alternate Side
Charles Llyod-The Sky Will Be There Tomorrow- Blue Note
Tomasz Stanko Quartet-September
Gregoire Maret and Romain Collin-Ennio-ACT
Andy Milne and Unison-Time Will Tell-Sunnyside
John Surman-Words Unspoken-ECM
Pat Bianchi-Three-21H
Jenny Scheinman-All Species Parade-Royal Potato Family
Michael Shrieve- Drum Compassion- 7D Media
Ron Horton-A Prayer for Andrew-Newvelle
Ben Wolfe-The Understated-Resident Arts
Tyshawn Sorey Trio- the Susceptible-PI

Best Jazz and Contemporary Music Releases:

Fay Victor-Life Is Funny That Way-Tao Form
Catherine Russell and Sean Mason-My Ideal-Dot Time
Lizz Wright-Shadow-Blues and Greens

Best Latin Jazz Releases:

Donald Vega- As I Travel- Imaginary
Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Hamilton De Holanda- Collab- Sony Brazil
Zaccai Curtis-Cubop Lives! -Truth Revolution

Best Jazz Debut Albums:

Art Baden-How Much Of It Is Real-Rainy Day
Euan Edmonds-Beyond Hope and Fear- Desafino Candente

Best Big Band Jazz Releases:

Mike Holober- This Rock We're On: Imaginary Letters- Palmetto
Jihye Lee Orchestra- Daring Mind-Motema
John Hollenbeck and The NDR Big Band-Colouring Hockets-Flexatonic

Bets Historical Release:

Art Tatum-Jewels In The Treasure Box-Resonance
Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon-In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album- Jazz Detective
Yusef Lateef-Atlantis Lullaby- Elemental
Emily Remler- Cookin' at The Queens- Resonance
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Paul Motion-The Old Country-ECM

Lawrence Peryer

Lawrence Peryer — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:47:19 GMT

The Kris Davis Trio - Run the Gauntlet

Kevin Sun - Fate of the Tenor

Spinifex - Undrilling the Hole

Satoko Fujii Quartet - Dog Days of Summer

John Johnson - Unusal Object

Paul Rauch

Paul Rauch — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 20:39:10 GMT

Joel Ross- Nu Blues
Kris Davis Trio- Run the Gauntlet
Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band- Walk a Mile in My Shoe
Miguel Zenon- Golden City
Nicole Glover- Plays
Eric Jacobson- Heading Home
Immanuel Wilkins- Blues Blood
Samara Joy- Portrait
Isaiah Collier- The Almighty
Caleb Wheeler Curtis- The True Story of the Bear and the Invention of the Battery

Notable Recordings 2024

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 15:37:29 GMT

1. Omar Sosa - 88 Well-Tuned Drums (Lossless)

2. David Schumacher and Cubeye - Smoke in the Sky (Cellar Live)

3. Pete Rodriguez - I'm Pete Rodriguez (Sunnyside)

4. William Cepeda Afro-Puerto Rican Big Band - The Sound of Puerto Rican Jazz (Casabe Records)

5. Roy Hargrove's Crisol - Grand Terre (Lossless)

6. Kenny Garrett - Sounds from the Ancestors (Mack Avenue)

7. Milton + Esperanza - Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding (Lossless)

8. Avy'a Jave -Joaju Quartet (Lossless)

9. Jonathan Powell - Mambo Jazz Party (Circle Nine).

10. 85 Anos de la Orquesta Aragon (Lossless).

Chuck Koton

Chuck Koton — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 21:18:10 GMT

Gratefully Live: Favorite shows of 2023

#10. January 13, 2023. Virtuosic pianist Bobby West, back in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles during a break in his years long Taiwan residency, opened The World Stage’s 2023 season of Friday night concerts. His trio, which included long time veterans of the LA music scene, bassist Kevin O’Neal and drummer Jerrell Ballard, began with the thunderous and instantly recognizable George Gershwin composition, “Rhapsody In Blue.” The rest of the evening rocked with this hard swingin’ trio performing original compositions from West’s highly acclaimed recording, “Leimert Park After Dark.” If you’re living in Taiwan or gonna be there soon, look up Bobby West!

#9. July 20, 2023. Pianist Adam Ledbetter brought an inspiring band into The World Stage that transformed this historic Leimert Park venue(founded over 35 years ago by jazz giant Billy Higgins and world renowned poet Kamau Daaood), into the church that it often becomes. Along with his better half, vocalist Kizzie Ledbetter, and Houston born drummer Reggie Quinerly, the Cats and “Catress” truly lifted the spirits of all. Their original composition, “Train,” created a dynamic tension that built more and more as Ms Ledbetter’s vocals buoyed up the listeners to “climb on board” the Freedom Train. Then Mr Ledbetter exhorted the audience to join in with his dexterous, rapid rapping of his spiritual experience and, all the while, the talented, slick drumming of Reggie Quinerly drove the beat with restrained yet insistent rhythms. The Ledbetters make every performance feel like Sunday!

#8. June 8, 2023. Tenor saxophonist Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq, a long time fixture on the Los Angeles jazz scene and an integral member and often the leader of Horace Tapscott’s Pan African People’s Arkestra (PAPA), departed the US several decades ago. Eventually resettling in Germany where he has continued performing for European audiences, Abdul-Khaliq has regularly returned to Leimert Park in Los Angeles for gigs where he has seamlessly stepped right back into the scene, performing with his own bands as well as with PAPA. His band cooked at The World Stage, reminding the listeners in the room, as well as those watching via “live stream,” that he is at the top of his game!

#7. Jan. 9,2023. One of the top drummers of the last 35 years, Marvin “Smitty” Smith brought his All Stars to the venerable Baked Potato in Universal City, just a stones throw from where “Smitty,” along with brilliant tenor saxophonist, Ralph Moore, played for several years in the Tonight Show band. Joining Moore on the front line were veteran multi-reedist Dale Fielder and rising star, trumpeter Chris Lowery who gained invaluable experience and exposure the last few years with Azar Lawrence. Recently arrival to the LA area, keyboardist Adam Ledbetter and veteran bassist Edwin Livingston rounded out the band. A sold out audience was treated to a night of hard swinging, straight ahead jazz that included compositions by Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner and Thelonious Monk.

#6 Feb. 24, 2023. The World Stage audience was treated to a celebration of Los Angeles born and raised jazz giant, Dexter Gordon, by an all star band of veterans. Like a previous tribute when the tallest jazz fan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, presented Maxine Gordon and her memoir of life with Dex, the front line included tenor sax masters Justo Almario and Teodross Avery. The dynamic veteran of the drums, Roy McCurdy, was joined by first call Cats, pianist Theo Saunders and bassist Henry Franklin. The band swung hard on “The Chase,” with Almario and Avery pushing each other like Gordon and Wardell Grey famously did on Central Avenue in the 1940s!

#5 June 22, 2023. Since 1999, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival has been presenting the finest unadulterated jazz to its devoted California wine country audiences. Founder Jessica Felix literally and figuratively received her flowers as she stepped down as festival director. New musical director, bassist and band leader Marcus Shelby, organized a stirring tribute to two of the music's legends who ascended to Jazz Heaven this past year, legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and master of the Hammond B3 organ Joey DeFrancesco. The front line of recently named NEA jazz master saxophonist Gary Bartz, the great tenor and soprano saxophonist Azar Lawrence and Pharoah's son, tenor saxophonist Tomoki Sanders led the performance of Sanders’ compositions. Brian Ho, on organ, represented DeFrancesco's legacy and the interstellar rhythm section of pianist Marc Cary, bassist Marcus Shelby and, legend in his own right, drummer Billy Hart drove the band through the tribute. The Cats generated cheers and tears from the audience when they performed Sanders' transcendent composition “The Creator Has a Master Plan.” An unexpected highlight of the performance came when young Sanders mimicked his father's inimitable way of introducing his band mates, a display that elicited plenty of amazement from the audience. The Cats may be gone, but the music lives on!

#4) June 15, 2023. Legendary pianist and composer Horace Tapscott’s Leimert Park, Los Angeles based Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, now led by drummer Mekala Session, performed their spirited, joyful yet, at times, solemn music to a wildly responsive and appreciative audience at The World Stage. On the tune, “Dred Scott,” composed by the late Nate Morgan, bass clarinetist James Andrews and bassist Joey Ector established a haunting groove with their deep, low notes. The bass drum of Session joined in, followed by the powerful horns to express a mood of profound and sacred outrage at this ugliest of decisions by the US Supreme Court. In 1857, the infamous Chief Justice Taney “interpreted” the Constitution to rule that Black Americans “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.” That is the nation’s history, still reflected in white supremacy today, which the Black nationalist creative arts movement has been dedicated to overcoming since the 1960s. Now in its 62nd year, the “Ark,” as it is known, continues to keep the Black community-based mission and musical legacy of founder and visionary Tapscott alive. When one considers the criminally scant financial resources that Tapscott and the Ark have had to subsist on for all these years, the accomplishment rightfully assumes mythic proportions.

#3) Sept. 23, 2023. The venerable Charles Lloyd, at 85, as inventive and unrelenting as ever, and with a still mesmerizing tone, closed his set at the Monterey Jazz Festival with his iconic composition,“Forest Flower,” which he had performed with universal acclaim on this same stage in 1966. Unforgettable!

#2) Oct. 23, 2023. Marcus Miller brought his latest band, featuring trumpeter Russell Gunn, into Catalina's Bar & Grill in Hollywood for 4 sold out nights of pure jazz funk! One only needed to hear the band perform, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” to understand why a line of people snaked around the club for Miller’s second set.

#1) Sept. 23, 2023. The Azar Lawrence Experience closed out the Monterey Jazz Festival and, as they finished the 90 minute set (twice the allotted length), the audience was screaming & dancing in the aisles and in front of the stage. Saxophonist Lawrence blew ecstatically on his eponymous original composition from the recently re-released 1976 Prestige recording, People Moving! Lawrence’s performance seared the ears of the listeners and reminded them that the young saxophonist who performed in the bands of Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyler and Miles Davis in the 1970s, still played this fiery music like no one else on the scene today.

Danica Pantovic

Danica Pantovic — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 21:26:36 GMT

From what I have heard live, in my opinion, 2023 has been marked by these artists in the widest possible range of their concepts and collaborations including their 2023 recordings.

Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding (diverse creative concepts; North Sea Jazz, Rotterdam, Netherlands)

Myra Melford (from her latest project to unique colaborations in Saalfelden, Austria and Lisbon, Portugal)

Zoh Amba (various formations and contexts, Saalfelden, Austria)

Kris Davis (MVPlayer, Umbria Jazz Winter Orvieto, Italy, and NSJ, Roterdam)

Brandee Younger (harph back in spotlight and Alice Coltrane's heritage, passionately and freshly redefined; NSJ, Rotterdam)

Kurt Elling's Super Blue (pulsating party; NSJ, Rotterdam)

Oded Tzur (NSJ, Rotterdam; BJF, Belgrade, Serbia; master of dynamics, draining the wood out his sax)

Isaiah Collier (Belgrade; an exclamation of "Peace and Love")

John Scofield Uncle John's Band (that being enough, Belgrade)

Ambrose Akinmusire's Owl Song (this colaboration and because of his impact on other mostly younger musicians, becoming an important point of reference)

Henry Threadgill (performance in Berlin, Jazzfest and an impact he has and an inspiration he is for other musicians)

Cecile McLorin Salvant Melusine (meticulous; almost herd her for NYE but I had missed the plane reservation for Rome- Orvieto,Italy)

Bark Out Thunder, Roar out Lightning by Chief Adjuah (because of delicately coloured performance of Christian Scott in Belgrade, some years ago, and the way his interests evolve I would like to hear this live. Is it happening anywhere?)

Leslie Lynnton Fuller

Leslie Lynnton Fuller — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 03:37:03 GMT

From the Jazz State of Indiana:

A Highly Hoosiercentric Selection of 14 Best Jazz Releases of 2023.

The Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, The Gennett Suite (Patois Records)

This album is a soaring sonic expedition to jazz Mt. Olympus, otherwise known as the Gennett Records studio of Richmond, Indiana.

Sam Butler, Folklore (Shifting Paradigm Records)

Composer/trumpeter Butler avoids the “primrose path” and strikes out on his own bold creative direction.

Sara Caswell, The Way To You (Anzic Records)

Well worth the 17+ year wait for the GRAMMY-nominated violinist/composer’s latest as bandleader.

Discover the artist that esperanza spalding describes as “an anointed musician.”

Jeff Coffin, Live At The Jazz Kitchen (Bandcamp)

Coffin generously dropped this free album of his band’s performance at The Jazz Kitchen, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Coffin: “In The Kitchen” was written during soundcheck and performed during both sets.”

Free, but put something in the online tip jar for the musicians, won’t you?

Here: https://coffinperlsonkrauss.bandcamp.com/album/a-free-pop-up-album-live-the-jazz-kitchen

Andrew Danforth, Homegrown (Self Released)

Hoosier trombonist proudly owns the label Homegrown, with a requiem for an Indiana Avenue scene decimated by urban renewal and a love song for Bloomington.

Monika Herzig, Both Sides of Joni (ACME Records)

An excellent album, with a backstory worthy of a movie.

Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)

Composer/pianist Jason Moran follows the footsteps of legendary Harlem Hellfighters James Reese Europe and Indy’s own Noble Sissile, revealing hallowed and joyful ground.

Mark Ortwein, It Was Time (Terra Voce)

An accomplished jazz and classical multi-instrumentalist unafraid to explore any/all instruments, genres or emotions.

Walter Smith III, return to casual (Blue Note Records)

Despite the album’s title, the music is not casual, but insistent, a bandleader and band reuniting with much to say.

Quinn Sternberg, Walking On Eggshells (Mind Beach)

As JAZZIZ Online Editor Matt Micucci says: “meticulously crafted songs that navigate complexities of modern life through the prism of group dynamics.”

Jared Thompson & Premium Blend, Virtue (Self Released)

Jared Thompson’s band continues to further the reach of the Naptown sound, using bebop, hard bop, R&B and groove.

Historic Releases

Wes Montgomery, Wes Montgomery: The Complete Full House Recordings (Craft Recordings)

2023 was the Naptown guitarist’s centenary, but every year is the year of Wes. Hear him live at Tsubo coffee house in Berkeley, with saxophonist Johnny Griffin, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb.

Wes Montgomery/ Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance Records)

Treasures from indefatigable jazz detective Zev Feldman’s latest Wes quest. Recorded at the Half Note jazz club in New York City in 1965 with drummer Jimmy Cobb and bassists Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Herman Wright, and Indiana’s own Larry Ridley.

Latin Jazz

Pavel & Direct Contact, Essentials (Self Released)

Oye, mamacita, ¿quieres bailar? Let’s dance. Grab this hit reel from Indiana pianist Pavel Polanco-Safadit.

Greetings from the land of Hoagy, Cole, Slide, J.J., Freddie, Wes, Buddy, Monk and others.

Link to article:

https://www.nuvo.net/music/craving-jazz-get-your-music-fix-with-these-14-picks/article_32c0c71a-b15c-11ee-aa6a-9b94d0cdbd51.html

J Hunter

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:27:06 GMT

TOP 10 JAZZ2K RELEASES OF 2023

ARTEMIS - In Real Time (Blue Note)
ALLISON MILLER - Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)
LAKECIA BENJAMIN - Phoenix (Whirlwind Recordings)
CHRISTIAN McBRIDE'S NEW JAWN - Prime (Brother Mister/Mack Avenue)
ORRIN EVANS - The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
JACQUES SCHWARZ-BART - The Harlem Suite (Ropeadope)
JAKOB BRO / JOE LOVANO - Once Around the Room: A Tribute to Paul Motian (ECM)
JD ALLEN - This (Savant)
ERIC KRASNO & STANTON MOORE - Krasno Moore Project: Book of Queens (Concord Jazz)
JOEY ALEXANDER - Continuance (Mack Avenue)

AND NOW, THE WINNERS OF "THE 2023 JAZZ2K AWARDS!"

BEST PARTY DATE:
DAVE McMURRAY - Grateful Deadication 2 (Blue Note)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
JOE CHAMBERS - Dance Kobina (Blue Note)
BEST SOLO OR DUO RELEASE:
FRED HERSCH & ESPERANZA SPALDING - Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
BEST VOCAL RELEASE:
CHRISTIE DASHIELL - Portrait in Black (Self-released)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (Best first release as a Leader):
ARMAN SANGALANG - Quintet (Calligram)
LOCAL HERO AWARD (Best regional Release):
PATRICIA JULIEN PROJECT - Sky Pointing (Planet Arts)

Howard Mandel

Howard Mandel — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:20:10 GMT

My list as prepared for the Francis Davis poll. It feels very provisional to me, and begs for annotation. I've sketched in brief comments --

· this year's 10 best New Releases (albums of new music, recorded since 2013) listed in descending order, one-through-ten).

Hear the Light Singing, Myra Melford’s Fire and Water Quintet - all-stars inspiring each other. Serious, original, endlessly fresh.

Viento Sur, Edmar Castañeda World Ensemble upbeat, passionate take on Caribbean/Central American sources for new world music

Inception, JoVia Armstrong imaginative, percussive, electric Afro-futuristic blues

Uncle John’s Band, John Scofield laid back and so masterful, guitar trio of unforced but real feeling

Rivers in Our Veins, Allison Miller ingenious compositions show off a unique ensemble (akin to Hear the Light Singing)

Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, Chief Adjuah unexpected deep funk, ancient to the future (akin to Inception)

Going Home, Greg “Organ Monk” Lewis Trio hottest organ trio of the century to date

Ancient Future, Dwight Trible the baritone as seer, prophet, healer

Captivity, Caroline Davis’ Alula an alto saxophonist with her own voice and unique direction (I'm quick to add Ingrid Laubrock deserves kudos, too)

Sun Ra’s Journey, Tyler Mitchell Octet featuring Marshall Allen cosmic grace and the freedom to be awful (one track) in honor of enduring elders

· Top-three Historical/Rara Avis (albums with old music: reissued of any age or previously unissued recorded before 2013), again listed in descending order

With Strings, Dorothy Ashby prior to her Rubyait, she was cooly blue and sexy on that harp -- with super Frank Wess, flute, and A-list bass/drums.

Classic Jazz at the Philharmonic Jam Sessions (1950 – 1957) swing to bop masters blew to the rafters, night after night

A Lovesome Thing, Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel ruminative communications, achingly lyrical

· Best Vocal album

Ancient Future, Dwight Trible

· Your choice for the year's best Latin jazz album

Havana Nocturne, Aymee Nuviola - forthright Cuban singer with empathic piano-led accompaniment.

Steve Braunginn

Stephen Braunginn — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:16:17 GMT

This was an extraordinary year for women musicians and my top 25 albums reflect that. My list also includes a separate category of Historical albums, limited to five. As promised to Terri Lyne Carrington in my final episode of 2023 in my podcast, Strictly Jazz Sounds, I intend to advance the names of women in jazz. Not because they are women but because they are outstanding artists who are women. Most notably, Lakecia Benjamin. 2023 was the year of Lakecia Benjamin in jazz.

1. Lakecia Benjamin-Phoenix (Whirlwind)
2. Linda May Han Oh-The Glass Hours (Biophilia)
3. Chien Chien Lu-Built In System: Live in New York (Feeling Good Music)
4. Mike Clark-Kosen Rufu (Wide Hive Records)
5. Isaiah J. Thompson-The Power of the Spirit (Blue Engine)
6. Kris Davis-Diatom Ribbons: Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
7. James Brandon Lewis-For Mahalia, With Love (TAO Forms)
8. Miki Yamanaka-Shades of Rainbow (Cellar)
9. Johnathan Blake-Passage (Blue Note)
10. Orrin Evans-The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
11. Walter Kemp 3: Black Whole-Live (Walter Kemp)
12. Artemis-In Real Time (Blue Note)
13. Emmet Cohen Featuring Houston Person-Master Legacy Series Vol. 5 (Mack Ave.)
14. Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing (Pi Recordings)
15. Christian McBride’s New Jawn (Mack Ave.)
16. Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band-Live From the Archives (Stoner Hill)
17. Brandee Younger-Brand New Life (Impulse)
18. Mark Turner-Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)
19. Sean Mason-The Southern Suite (JALC-Blue Engine)
20. Joe Farnsworth-In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)
21. Rachel Therrien Latin Jazz Project-Mi Hogar (Outside in Music)
22. Kaisa’s Machine-Taking Shape (Greenleaf)
23. Jane Bunnett and Maqueque-Playing With Fire (Jane Bunnett)
24. Arturo O’Farrill-Legacies (Blue Note)
25. Walter Smith III-return to casual (Blue Note)
Best Historical
1. John Coltrane/Eric Dolphy-Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Impulse)
2. Terri Lyne Carrington-TLC& Friends (Candid)
3. Charles Mingus-Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Recordings (Rhino)
4. Dorothy Ashby-Dorothy Ashby with Strings Attached (New Land)
5. Dexter Gordon-Bouncin’ With Dex (Steeplechase)

Russell Perry

Russell Perry — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 01:22:15 GMT

Favorite 2023 Releases in order of release:

John Bailey - Time Bandits (Freedom Road Records, 01/13/2023)

Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix (Whirlwind Recordings, 01/27/2023)

Ben Wolfe - Unjust(Resident Arts, 02/03/2023)

Brad Mehldau - Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles(Nonesuch, 02/10/2023)

John D’earth Quintet - Coin of the Realm (Cosmology Records, 02/14/2023)

Chris Potter - Got The Keys To the Kingdom (Edition Records, 02/17/2023)

Jane Bunnett & Maqueque - Playing With Fire (Linus Entertainment, 03/10/2023)

Billy Childs - Winds of Change (Mack Avenue, 03/17/2023)

Chembo Corniel Quintet - Artistas, Músicos Y Poetas(Chemboro Records, 03/17/2023)

Wayne Escoffery - Like Minds (Smoke Sessions, 04/14/2023)

Artemis - In Real Time (Blue Note, 05/05/2023)

Avishai Cohen - Abraham Rodriguez Jr. - Iroko (Naive Records, 05/05/2023)

Joe Farnsworth - In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions, 05/19/2023)

Edward Simon - Femeninas: Songs of Latin American Women (Artist Share, 05/31/2023)

Buselli / Wallarab Jazz Orchestra - The Gennett Suite (Patios Records, 06/09/2023)

Johnathan Blake - Passages (Blue Note, 08/11/2023)

Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo - El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2 (Miel Music, 08/25/2023)

Jaimie Branch Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) (International Anthem, 08/25/2023)

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society - Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch, 09/08/2023)

Mark Turner - Live At The Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts, 09/08/2023)

Clark Sommers - Feast Ephemera (Irabbagast Records, 09/15/2023)

Shuteen Eredenebaatar - Rising Sun (Motéma Music, 09/15/2023)

Miho Hazama - m_unit: Beyond Orbits (Edition Records, 09/23/2023)

Allison Miller - Rivers In Our Veins (Royal Potato Family, 10/06/2023)

Philip Booth

Philip Booth — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 01:33:11 GMT

Ten Favorite 2023 Recordings
(alphabetical)
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch Records)
Kenny Barron, The Source (Artwork Records)
Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, Kings Highway (Stoner Hill Records)
Aaron Diehl & the Knights, Zodiac Suite (Mack Avenue)
Joe Locke, Makram (Circle 9 Records)
Linda May Han Oh, The Glass Hours (Biophilia Records)
Chuck Owen and the WDR Big Band, Renderings (Summit Records)
Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom (Edition Records)
John Scofield, Uncle John’s Band (ECM)
Ben Wolfe, Unjust (Resident Arts)

Favorite historical albums
(alphabetical)
John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (Impulse!)
Wes Montgomery, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance Records)
Kurt Rosenwinkel and Geri Allen, Lovesome Thing (Motema Music)

Favorite vocal album
Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto Records)

Favorite debut album
Christian Dillingham, Cascades (Greenleaf Music)

Favorite Latin jazz album
Alfredo Rodriguez, Coral Way (Mack Avenue)

10 other favorites
(alphabetical)
Sara Caswell, The Way to You (Anzic)
Johnathan Blake, Passage (Blue Note Records)
Joe Farnsworth, In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions Records)
Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork Records)
Rickie Lee Jones, Pieces of Treasure (Modern Recordings)
Christian McBride’s New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue Records)
Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles (Nonesuch)
Pat Metheny, Dream Box (Modern Recordings)
Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes Records)
Rudy Royston, Flatbed Buggy (Greenleaf Music)

C. Andrew Hovan

C. Andrew Hovan — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:17:53 GMT

A Select Dozen of the Best Jazz Releases of 2023:

New Recordings-

Jim Snidero- Far Far Away (Savant)

Joe Farnsworth- In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)

John Scofield- Uncle John's Band (ECM)

John Hart- Resonance (SteepleChase)

Jim Rotondi- Over Here (Criss Cross Jazz)

Steve Smith & Vital Information- Time Flies (Wounded Bird)

Historical/Reissues-

Charles Mingus- Changes: The Complete 1970's Atlantic Recordings (Rhino)

McCoy Tyner- Extensions (Blue Note Tone Poet)

Jack Wilson- Easterly Winds (Blue Note Tone Poet)

Big John Patton- Let 'Em Roll (Blue Note Tone Poet)

Wes Montgomery- The Complete Full House Recordings (Craft)

Cal Tjader- Catch the Groove (Jazz Detective)

Geoffrey Himes

Geoffrey Himes — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:27:51 GMT

BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2023:

1. Piernick Pedron & Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Pedron & Rubalcaba (Gazebo)
2. Lafayette Gilchrist: Undaunted (Morphius)
3. Allison Miller: Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)
4. Ivo Perelman-Matthew Shipp: Triptych (ESP-Disk)
5. Rudy Royston: Day (Greenleaf)
6. Johnathan Blake: Passages (Blue Note)
7. Cecile McLorin Salvant: Melusine (Nonesuch)
8. Koppel Colley Blade Perspective (Nu)
9. Orrin Evans: The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
10. James Brandon Lewis & the Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia with Love (Tao Forms)
11. Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing (Pi)
12. John Scofield: Uncle John's Band (ECM)
13. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
14. Joe Lovano’s Trio Tapestry: Our Daily Bread (ECM)
15. Walter Smith III: Return to Casual (Blue Note)
16. Dan Weiss Trio: Dedication (Cygnus)
17. Magos Herrera: Aire (Sunnyside)
18. Bela Fleck-Zakir Hussain-Edgar Meyer: As We Speak (Thirty Tigers)
19. Susan Alcorn & Septeto del Sur: Canto (Relative Pitch)
20. Christian McBride's New Jawn: Prime (Mack Avenue)

BEST NON-JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2023:

1. Jon Dee Graham: Only Dead for a While (Strollin’ Bones)
2. Jerry Joseph: Baby, You're the Man Who Would Be King (Cosmo Sex School)
3. Charley Crockett: Live from the Ryman Auditorium (Son of Davy)
4. SZA: SOS (Top Dawg, RCA)
5. boygenius: The Record (Matador)
6. Ashley McBryde: The Devil I Know (Warner Nashville)
7. Zach Bryan: Zach Bryan (Warner Nashville)
8. Buddy & Julie Miller: In the Throes (New West)
9. Olivia Rodrigo: Guts (Geffen)
10. Martin Hayes & the Common Ground Ensemble: Peggy’s Dream (251)
11. The Nude Party: The Nude Party Rides On (New West)
12. Low Cut Connie: Art Dealers (Contender)
13. Martin Zellar: Head West (Owen Lee)
14. Iris DeMent: Workin’ on a World (Flariella)
15. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit: Weathervanes (Southeastern)
16. The Young Fathers: Heavy Heavy (Ninja Tune)
17. Lucero: Should’ve Learned by Now (Liberty & Lament)
18. Ray Bonneville: On the Blind Side (Stonefly)
19. Joy Oladokun: Proof of Life (Amigo/Republic/Verve Forecast)
20. Robbie Fulks: Bluegrass Vacation (Compass)

Bill Brownlee

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 22:33:25 GMT

1. Sebastian Rochford and Kit Downes- A Short Diary (ECM)
2. Jason Moran- From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
3. Sylvie Courvoisier- Chimaera (Intakt)
4. Kassa Overall- Animals (Warp)
5. Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry- Our Daily Bread (ECM)
6. Henry Threadgill Ensemble- The Other One (Pi)
7. Cécile McLorin Salvant- Mélusine (Nonesuch)
8. Aja Monet- When the Poems Do What They Do (Drink Sum Wtr)
9. Matt Otto- Umbra (Origin)
10. Irreversible Entanglements- Protect Your Light (Impulse!)

John Chacona

John Chacona — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 16:11:21 GMT

NEW RELEASES

1. fLuXkit Vancouver (~~i-t-s~~ suite but sacred), Darius Jones (Northern Spy Records)

2. Diatom Ribbons Live At The Village Vanguard, Kris Davis (Pyroclastic Records)

3. Continuing, Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Pi Recordings)

4. From the Dancehall to the Battlefield, Jason Moran (Yes Records)

5. London Brew, London Brew (Concord Jazz)

6. As Things Do, Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet (Intakt Records)

7. Bear Proof, Todd Sickafoose (Secret Hatch Records)

8. The Separatist Party Mike Reed (We Jazz Records and Astral Spirits)

9. Legacies, Arturo O'Farrill (Blue Note Records)

10. Live At The Village Vanguard, Mark Turner (Giant Step Arts)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

Abdul Wadud, By Myself (Gotta Groove Records)
Nina Simone, You've Got To Learn (Verve)
John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (Impulse!)

VOCAL

Jo Lawry, Acrobats (Whirlwind)

DEBUT

Vicente Archer, Short Stories (Cellar)

LATIN

Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2 (Miel Music)

Mark Lomanno

Mark Lomanno — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:05:25 GMT

Highlights from the “Year in review – 2023” at rhythmofstudy.com.

Ten of the many recordings worth mentioning (in alphabetical order)

Kenny Barron, The Source (PIAS, released January 20th)
Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind, released January 27^th)
Josh Lawrence, And That Too (Positone, released February 24th)
Myra Melford, Hear the Light Singing (Rogue Art, released November 17th)
Allison Miller, Rivers in our Veins (Royal Potato, released October 6th)
Hery Paz, Jardineros (577 Records, released August 25^th)
Matana Roberts, Coin Coin chapter 5 - In the Garden (Constellation, released September 29th)
Rudy Royston and Flatbed Buggy. Day (Greenleaf, released May 5th)
Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Night Time Creatures (Pyroclastic, released October 27th)
Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch. Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto, released January 6th)

Read the entire “Year in Review” post – with dozens more recordings - at rhythmofstudy.com.

Rob Hoff

Rob Hoff — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 17:34:27 GMT

1 Kris Davis' Diatom Ribbons, Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)

2 Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)

3 Steve Lehman & Orchestra National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)

4 Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)

5 Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)

6 James Brandon Lewis Trio, Eye of I (Anti-)

7 Mike Reed, The Separatist Party (We Jazz/Astral Spirits)

8 Yuhan Su, Liberated Gesture (Sunnyside)

9 Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)

10 Antti Lotjonen Quintet East, Circus/Citadel (We Jazz)

Filipe Freitas

Filipe Freitas — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:36:39 GMT

1- Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
2- Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet, As Things Do (Intakt)
3- Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, Kings Highway (Stoner Hill)
4- Ingrid Laubrock, The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
5- Bobo Stenson Trio, Sphere (ECM)
6- Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe, The Rite of Spring/Spectre D'Un Songe (Pyroclastic)
7- Darius Jones, Fluxkit Vancouver (We Jazz)
8- Walter Smith III, Return to Casual (Blue Note)
9- Dan Rosenboom, Polarity (Orenda)
10- Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Family (We Jazz)

My 30 best of the year here: https://jazztrail.net/best-jazz-albums-2023

Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:22:17 GMT

Here are thirty top albums played on my radio programs Jazz in the New Millennium (syndicated through the African American Public Radio Consortium) and The Motif (KBOO-FM, Portland, Oregon). Together, I think these albums help define a 21st Century mainstream, centered straight-ahead, bracketed by the avant-garde and funk/fusion, with a healthy infusion of Afro-Latin. What they also have in common is a strong rhythmic core. And so this year I have decided to give the drummers some by naming the drummers and percussionists on each album.

Joshua Redman, where are we, Blue Note: (Brian Blade, drums)

Cecile McLoren Salvant, Melusine, Nonesuch: (Kyle Poole, Obed Calviere, drums; Weedie Bramah, percussion)

Joe Chambers, Dance Kobina, Blue Note: (Joe Chambers, drums; Emilio Valdez, percussion)

Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing, Pi: (Tyshawn Sorey, drums)

Billy Childs, The Winds of Change, Mack Avenue: (Brian Blade, drums)

Mike Clark, Kosen Rufu, Wide Hive: (Mike Clark, drums; Bill Summers, percussion)

Sammy Figueroa, Searching for a Memory, Ashe: (Sammy Figueroa, percussion; Ludwig Afonso, drums)

Johnathan Blake, Passage, Blue Note: (Johnathan Blake, drums)

Terrell Stafford, Between Two Worlds, Le Coq: (Johnathan Blake, drums; Alex Acuna, percussion)

Walter Smith III, Return to Casual, Blue Note: (Kendrick Scott, drums)

Kendrick Scott, Corridors, Blue Note: (Kendrick Scott, drums)

Artemis, In Real Time, Blue Note: (Allison Miller, drums)

Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Big Band, Cry Me a River, Alma: Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, drums; Jose Luis Torres, Magdelys Savigne, percussion)

Isiah J. Thompson, The Power of the Spirit, Blue Engine: (TJ Reddick, Domo Branch, drums)

Eddie Henderson, Witness to History, Smoke Sessions: (Lenny White, drums)

Orrin Evans, The Red Door, Smoke Sessions: (Marvin "Smitty" Smith, drums)

Dave Stryker Trio, Prime, Strike Zone: (McClenty Hunter, drums)

SuperBlue: Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter, The Iridescent Spree, Edition: (Corey Fonville, drums)

John Scofield, Uncle John's Band, ECM: (Bill Stewart, drums)

Michael Feinberg, Blues Variant, Criss Cross: (Nasheet Waits, drums)

Ben Wolfe, Unjust, Resident Arts: (Aaron Kimmel, drums)

Cecilia Smith, The Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project. Volume One, Innova: (Ron Savage, drums)

Joe Farnsworth, In What Directrion Are You Headed, Smoke Sessions: (Joe Farnsworth, drums)

Louis Hayes, Exactly Right, Savant: (Louis Hayes, drums)

Edmar Castenada World Ensemble, Viento Sur, self-released: (Marcelo Woloski, Rodrigo Villalon, percussion)

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Playing with Fire, Linus: (Yissy Garcia, drums; Mary Paz, percussion)

Harold Lopqz-Nussa, Timba a la Americana, Blue Note: (Ruy Adrian Lopez-Nussa, drums; Barbaro "Machito" Crespo, percussion)

Noah Haidu, Standards, Sunnyside: (Lewis Nash, drums)

Lauren Henderson, Conjuring, Brontosaurus: (Joe Dyson, drums)

Leon Lee Dorsey, Cantaloupe Island, Jazz Avenue: (Mike Clark, drums)

Jeff Cebulski

Jeff Cebulski — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:50:43 GMT

Top 10

Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)
Billy Childs, The Winds of Change (Mack Avenue)
James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
Joe Farnsworth, In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)
Paul Wertico, Paul Wertico's Drums Without Boundaries (Da Vinci Classics)
Christian McBride's New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue)
Fareed Haque, Casseus! The Music of Frantz Casseus Re-Imagined (Wardude Music)
Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry, Our Daily Bread (ECM)
Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
Eric Alexander, A New Beginning: Alto Saxophone With Strings (HighNote)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)
Sonny Rollins, Go West! The Contemporary Records Albums (1957-58, Craft)
Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)

VOCAL

Libby York, Dreamland (OA2)

DEBUT

Christian Dillingham, Cascades (Greenleaf Music)

LATIN

Roy McGrath, Menjunje (JL)

David Basse

David Basse — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:04:45 GMT

2023 Top Ten – no particular order - Jazz with David Basse

Melissa Pipe Sextet and the album Of What Remains on Odd Sound (Canada)

Don Aliquo and the album Growth a self-produced project in Nashville

Planet D Nonet and their album Blues To be There on Eastlawn Records

Fareed Haque and his tribute to Franz Casseus, entitled Casseus! On Wahdude Music

Gabriel Latchin Trio’s album Viewpoint produced by Alys Jazz in the UK

Mike Allen and his To A Star on Cellar Music Group (Canada)

Jivco Petrov Trio entitled On The Way produced by JP3 (Bulgaria)

Pianist Hilario Duran and Paquito D Rivera Cry Me A River for Alma Records (Canada)

Joe Chambers and Dance Kobina on Blue Note

Diego Rivera and Love & Peace for Posi-Tone

Dan Ouellette

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:07:56 GMT

2023 Best Ofs:

1. Todd Sickafoose—Bear Proof (Secret Hatch Records)

2. Tania Giannouli—Solo (Rattle Records)

3. Will Bernard & Beth Custer—Sky (Dreck to Disc Records)

4. Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente—Cometa (Sunnyside)

5. Allison Miller—Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)

6. Janiece Jaffe & Monika Herzig—Both Sides of Joni (Acme Records)

7. Tyshawn Sorey Trio—Continuing (Pi Recordings)

8. The Peggy Lee Band—A Giving Way (Songlines)

9. Susan Alcorn—Canto (Relative Pitch Records)

10. Wolfgang Muthspiel—Dance of the Elders (ECM)

Honorable Mentions:

1. Mod Cons (with Charlie Hunter)—(SideHustle Records)

2. Lafayette Gilchrist—Undaunted (Morphius Records)

3. Ralph Towner—At First Light (ECM)

4. Douyé—The Golden Sèkèrè (Rhombus Records)

5. Malika Zarra—RWA (The Essence) (D. Zel Records)

Tomas Pena

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 15:56:06 GMT

Flautas Gigantes - Orlando Maraca Valle Big Band Flute Gigantes (Egrem)

Artemis - In Real Time (Blue Note)

Cal Tjader - Catch the Groove - Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Ingrooves)

Chembo Corniel - Artistas, Musicos y Poetas (Chemboro Records)

Donald Vega - As I Travel (Imagery Records)

Colette Michaan - Earth Rebirth (Independent)

Humberto Ramirez - Better Days (Three Two Music)

Jay Rodriguez Sierra - Muthaflower (Jay Rodriguez Sierra)

Lezlie Harrison - Let Them Talk (Cellar Live)

Carlos Henriquez - A Nuyorican Tale (Carlos Henriquez)

Wilbert Sostre Maldonado

Wilbert Sostre — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 02:32:40 GMT

Best 5 Puerto Rico Jazz Albums

1. Sammy Figueroa - Searching for a Memory

2. Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo - El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2

3. Bobby Sanabria - Vox Humana

4. Carlos Henríquez - A Nuyorican Tale

5. Chembo Corniel - Artistas, Músicos Y Poetas

Christopher Burnett

Christopher Burnett — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 02:20:38 GMT

Jazz Artistry Now | JAN Best of 2023

JAN Editor Christopher Burnett’s favorite albums of 2023 list, with audio embeds, and reasons why. 10+1 favorite albums released in 2023 featuring the work of Seula Noh Jazz Orchestra, Johnathan Blake, Darcy James Argue, Patrick Cornelius, David Binney, Darden Purcell, Logan Richardson, Florian Arbenz, Greg Osby, Arno Krijger, The Count Basie Orchestra, Mikkel Ploug, Mark Turner, Matt Otto, Enzo Carniel, Hermon Mehari...

Ralph a. Miriello

Ralph A. Miriello — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 23:51:17 GMT

My List of best in no particular order:

Billy Childs: The Winds of Change: Mack Ave Records
Nick Finzer: Dreams, Visions, Illusions: Outside in Music
Kenny Barron: The Source: Artwork Records
Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing: PI Records
Rudy Royston & Flatbed Buggy: Day: Greenleaf Music
John Scofield: Uncle John's Band: ECM
Chris Potter: Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Edition Records
Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke: Lean In: Edition Records
Steve Lehman and the Orchestre National De Jazz: Ex Machina: PI Records
Ralph Towner: At First Light: ECM
Sullivan Fortner: Solo Game: Artwork Records
Brad Turner: The Magnificent: Cellar Music Group
Denny Zeitlin: Crazy Rhythm Exploring George Gershwin: Sunnyside Records
Michael Blake: Dance with the Mystic Bliss: PM Records
Champian Fulton: Meet Me at Birdland: Champian Records
Brian Blade Fellowship Band: Kings Highway: Stoner Hill Records
Chuck Owens with the WDR Big Band: Renderings: Mama Records
Art Hirahara: Echo Canyon: Positone Records
Ryan Keberle & Collectiv Do Brasil: Considerado: Alternate Side Records
Pat Metheny: Dream Box: Modern records/BMG
Sammy Figueroa: Searching for a Memory: Ashe Records
Loren Stillman: Time and Again: Sunnyside Records
Nicole Zuraitis: How Love Begins: Outside in Music
Ambrose Akinmusire: Owl Song: Nonesuch Records
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: Dynamic Maximum Tension: Nonesuch Records
Mark Turner Quartet: Live at the Village Vanguard Giant Steps Arts
Claire Daly w/Geroge Garzone: Vu Vu for Francis: Self-Produced
Jim Snidero featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel: Far, Far Away: Savant Records
Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel: A Lovesome Thing: Motema Music
John Ellis Quartet: Bizet: Carmen in Jazz: Blue Room Music
Cecile McLorin Savant: Melusine: Nonesuch Music
Langren, Wollny, Danielsson, Haffner:4 Wheel Drive II: ACT Records
Michael Dease: Swing Low: Positone Records
Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo: El Arte Del Bolero Vol 2: Meil Music
J.D. Simo Trio: Songs from the House of Grease: Self-Produced
Rachel Ekroth: Humanoid: Sam First Records
Blue Cranes: My Only Secret: Butcher Records
Joshua Redman with Gabrielle Cavassa: Where We Are: Blue Note Records
Walter Smith II: Return to Casual: Blue Note Records
Rob Luft: Dahab Days: Edition Records

Best Historical Releases:

Pharoah Sanders (live from 1977): Pharoah: Luaba Bop Records
John Coltrane w/Eric Dolphy: Evenings at the Village Gate: Impulse Records
Wes Montgomery/Wynton Kelly Trio: Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings: Resonance Records
Bill Evans Trio: Live in Copenhagen 1965: Elemental Music
The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Live from the Northwest: Brubeck Edition

Best Debut Album: Jonathan Suazo: Ricano: Ropeadope

Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:32:49 GMT

Here are my ten favorite new albums of 2023. A full write-up on each of these, as well as my selections for numbers 11 through 25 can be found at PostGenre.

NEW RELEASES

Susan Alcorn and Septeto Del Sur - Canto (Relative Pitch
Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz - Ex Machina (Pi)
James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet - For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
Angel Bat Dawid - Requiem for Jazz(International Anthem)
Anna Webber - Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
John Zorn and Bill Laswell - Memoria (Tzadik)
Wadada Leo Smith and Orange Wave Electric: Fire Illuminations (Kabell)
Ingrid Laubrock - Monochromes (Intakt)
Brandon Seabrook Epic Proportions- Brutalovechamp (Pyroclastic)
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily - Love in Exile (Verve)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

Various Artists - WaJazz: Japanese Jazz Spectacle Vol. II - Deep, Heavy and Beautiful Jazz from Japan 1962-1985 - The King Records Masters (Universounds)
Abdul Wadud - By Myself (Gotta Groove)
John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy - Evenings at the Village Gate (Impulse!)

VOCAL

Cautious Clay - Karpeh (Blue Note)

DEBUT

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson - Les Jardins Mystiques (Vol. 1) (Brainfeeder)

LATIN

Susan Alcorn and Septeto Del Sur - Canto (Relative Pitch)

David Adler

David Adler — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 09:36:40 GMT

New Releases:

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)

Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)

Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Nighttime Creatures (Pyroclastic)

JD Allen, This (Savant)

Daniel Santiago & Pedro Martins, Movement (Heartcore)

säje, säje (säjevoices)

Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons: Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)

Lesley Mok, The Living Collection (American Dreams)

Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (ONJ)

Linda May Han Oh, The Glass Hours (Biophilia)

Historical:

Hasaan Ibn Ali, Reaching for the Stars: Trios/Duos/Solos (Omnivore)

Sonny Stitt, Boppin’ in Baltimore: Live at the Left Bank (Jazz Detective)

Luis Russell, At the Swing Cats Ball: Newly Discovered Recordings from the Closet, Vol. 1 1938-1940 (Dot Time Legends)

Vocal:

säje, säje (säjevoices)

Debut:

Lesley Mok, The Living Collection (American Dreams)

Latin:

Sofia Rei & Jorge Roeder, Coplas Escondidas (Cascabelera)

Gene Seymour

Gene Seymour — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 12:00:20 GMT

There’s been so much wonderful music out and about this year that I could have easily plucked a few more from my runners-up without losing any sleep. (A motif to which, as with others baked into this year’s blog, we shall, in roundabout manner, return.) And not to sound like a broken record, as it were, but you wonder why with so much talent and achievement coming from so many directions and from so many generations, jazz remains an afterthought, a marginal presence in the global marketplace. Unless I’m mistaken, nobody’s yet asked Esperanza Spalding – sorry, esperanza spalding – to headline a Super Bowl halftime show. Or even an NBA All-Star Weekend. At least, she headlines this list, or, more accurately, shares top billing.

            But then, I often wonder whether music, any music, has much of a place in people’s lives these days. If whatever I’ve been seeing lately on Saturday Night Live’s musical guest shots are any indication, presentation and fashion are what matter more than whatever sounds are being made. (I know, I know, whatever the hell am I doing watching Saturday Night Live lately in the first place? Can’t blame COVID anymore, even if it doesn’t seem to have gone away after all…) So maybe it’s no longer just jazz –whatever people believe it to be – that’s getting hit in the face; it’s all the other genres that are now all merely boutiques. There are now college curricula in Hip-Hop History in case you haven’t heard.

            Maybe this explains why lately I’ve been thinking about the way past generations, including mine, used to buy records. Briefly: you went to whatever outlet or department store had people you could trust, and you hung out, browsed, and maybe something was playing in the background that made you go, “What’s that?” The people you trusted were happy to not only tell you, but bring out a fresh copy of the thing that turned our head and you decided you needed to take this “ride” home. And then you shared it with other people who trusted you and maybe if there were little people in your house, they would hear it and start getting ideas…

            My origin story. If you’re reading this, it’s probably yours, too.

            I don’t know what the equivalent of this process is today unless you count tweets and Bandcamp messages in whatever in-box you reserve for such intelligence. I only know it’s not the same and neither is the world that make those earlier, more haphazard encounters possible.

            All I know is that the Good Stuff still somehow makes it out and about. Think of me, then, as that guy in the department store or record outlet – whatever that is – tilting his head at the turntable in the corner. Like that? There’s some more over here…
1.) Fred Hersch & esperanza spalding, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto) – You need to give this one to the wisenheimers in your life demanding to know what’s so special about jazz, or even what jazz is. It’s possible these people at least remember hearing Barack Obama profess affection for Spalding while he was still president; maybe they’ve heard or even seen live performances of her varied bands showcasing her upright bass, acrobatic vocals, and varied ensembles. For this bare-bones live set at jazz’s Holy Dive with the redoubtable pianist Hersch, Spading left her bass at home and what results from their collaboration – which I’ve been labeling “Herschsperanza,” and try and stop me from obtaining a copyright! – may be the grandest, most insurgent act of her still-ascendant career. Traditional pop standards are blown up, rewoven, and all-but terraformed into audacious counter-narratives through the interaction of Hersch’s polymorphic variations and Spalding’s serpentine, uproarious digressions. From Ira Gershwin’s lines of “But Not For Me” (“I was a fool to fall and get that way/Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day”), Spalding extrapolates the following strain of vocalese: “Oh, me. Oh, my. What a sad case I seem to be. It's my fault, letting love to lead the way. I should know that there'll be skies of gray. I can't say I've seen too many, but they say that Russian plays do boast of many gray skies, all right - and then some words I don't really understand because it's, like, old English - hi-ho, alas, and lackaday. That's how I feel, confused about the whole situation…” She carries this willed ingenuity into smart-alecky battle against Bobby Troup’s ring-a-ding lyrics on Neal Hefti’s “Girl Talk, which in her hands becomes a twelve-minute proto-feminist interrogation of male presumptiveness, at one point, veering into issues of “economic sustainability. Reduce, Reuse. Recycle…Am I lying?” while still riding the song’s theme and changes as if she were on a thoroughbred leading the Preakness by a length-and-a-half. Charlie Parker’s “Little Suede Shoes,” in like fashion, weaves a dream of dancing in suede shoes just as Hersch’s “Dream of Monk” becomes, with Spalding’s vocals, a clarion call for diligent, if circumspect weirdness. These tracks were culled from a three-night engagement, and I bet those in attendance felt as you will when this album ends: wishing these two crazy kids never stop.
2.) Matthew Shipp, The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala) –Three years ago, Shipp wrote an intriguing essay/manifesto, “Black Mystery School Pianists” (Monk, Herbie Nichols, Mal Waldron, Andrew Hill, Hassan Ibn Ali, to name a few examples) who each cultivated willfully idiosyncratic styles constituting “the subconscious of the jazz idiom…a secret code, passed through an underground way of passage, a language outside the mainstream.” Shipp’s own body-of-work over the last quarter-century so exemplifies this subversive counter-tradition he’s defined that it’s tempting to think of him as its apotheosis, especially when weighing the considerable assets of this latest solo album, which could be a kind of hypertext to his essay. The performances here feel at once more expansive and more challenging than usual. While he can still pile on the tone clusters with his customary intensity, as on the aptly named “Crystal Structures,” Shipp here lets more air and space flow and settle in his thematic extensions as with the graceful and intricate “That Vibration” and in his enigmatic montage of fugitive riffs on “The” – yes, that’s what it’s called and whatever mood he’s in, there abides in Shipp a punkish “what’s-it-to-you” impertinence hat, oddly and appropriately, makes him more endearing, whether he’s throwing down the sledgehammer on “The Bulldozer Poetics” or letting his ruminative side reach for deeper, wider tonal combinations on “Tune Into It.” Shipp cherishes his “Mystery School” progenitors for giving him permission to be as mad, bad, glad, and unpredictable as he wants, and needs, to be. However far he continues to expand on this tradition (and there’s a lot about this album that suggests a transition, even a breakthrough), this school won’t close with him. And times being what they are, I think the school will only increase its enrollment because there’ll always be outliers in America’s backyards and basements searching, as Shipp once did, for affirmation that it’s not only O.K. to be as weird as Thelonious, Herbie, and the rest, it’s necessary.
3.) Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes) – Visionary badass James Reese Europe (1881-1919) helped make the American Century possible, though you likely never heard of him. He journeyed from his native Alabama to New York in his early 20s to write and conduct show music, then organized the Clef Club, an ambitious collective of Black musicians, whose dance orchestra, 125 members strong, performed a significant recital at Carnegie Hall. His ensembles bent the angularities of ragtime closer towards the looser, more propulsive syncopations shaping the jazz to come. He fought in World War I and organized the 369^th Infantry Band, better known as the “Hellfighters.” He hadn’t been back home in Harlem for very long before he was stabbed to death, at just 38, by a drummer incensed with the boss’s criticisms of his on-stage deportment. You would think that a legend of this magnitude yielded dozens of contemporary tribute albums by now, if not a whole Netflix series. But you would also figure that Moran, an artist of comparable vision, would leap to the forefront of an eclectic parade in Europe’s honor, carrying the Hellfighter’s legacy across the century by seamlessly fusing Europe’s arrangement of “Ballin’ the Jack” with the late Geri Allen’s rousing standard “Feed the Fire.” A similar, even greater melding of different eras is executed with Europe’s paean to fallen soldiers, “Flee as a Bird to Your Mountain” transitioning to Albert Ayler’s “Ghosts” with solicitousness and intelligence towards both forms of 20^th century modernism. Throughout, Moran’s wide-ranging pianistic gifts and crafty showmanship honors tradition and extends its possibilities with neither undue solemnity nor gratuitous flourish and his various ensembles, anchored by longtime trio mates bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits and including David Adewumi on trumpet, Reginald Cyntje and Chris Bates on trombones, Logan Richardson on alto sax, Brian Settles on tenor sax, Darryl Harper on clarinet, José Davila (about whom more later) on tuba, acquit themselves on “Clef Club March,” “Castle House Rag,” “St. Louis Blues” and “That Moaning Trombone” with discipline and energy that would have mightily pleased the demanding Europe. (Available on vinyl and from Bandcamp.)
4.) Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (PI) – The best jazz book I read this past year is Easily Slip Into Another World (Knopf), Threadgill’s autobiography, written with Brett Hayes Edwards. If you only knew Threadgill’s music, for which he’s already received the Pulitzer Prize, you could have surmised he had an extraordinary life. But…wow! Growing up musical in Chicago and helping create the seminal Association for the advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) before touring with an evangelical preacher in the mid-1960s and then heading off to Vietnam, hoping to survive jungle combat and racism…And even these experiences, however vividly rendered, are no less significant than all his spellbinding insights into modernism, improvisation, and using time and space to extend harmonic possibilities. Not that you couldn’t retrieve some of those same insights from listening to this three-movement composition, “On Valence,” conducted by Threadgill, rendered by an arresting 12-member combination of musicians, including pianist Davis Virelles, violinist Sara Caswell (about whom more later), violist Stephanie Griffin, cellists Christopher Hoffman and Mariel Roberts, and Threadgill’s longtime tuba player Jose Davilo. Even bassoonists Sara Schoenbeck and Adam Cordero are given opportunities to break off into their own intricate, elegantly woven musings. The 16-minute “Movement II” is a tour-de-force of roiling, extemporaneous interplay of the string section with saxophonists Alfredo Colón, Noah Becker, and Peyton Pleninger Each movement and subsection can be heard as episodes in an edge-of-the-seat pursuit thriller and its myriad arcane pleasures may be more accessible. But then, even at its most abstract and inscrutable, Threadgill’s music, in any configuration, finds a way of inviting you in. At the precipice of 80, Threadgill’s compositional powers seem, if anything, more formidable than ever. And as both his book and this album prove, he’s a helluva storyteller, too.
5.) Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch) – So let’s see: Buckminster Fuller, Levon Helm, Mae West, Bob Brookmeyer, Alan Turing…The far-flung subject matter for this wild and, yes, somewhat wooly program of inspirational big-band adventures comes across like a code waiting to be deciphered. Indeed, the first track on the second disc, a tribute to Turing, whose genius helped break down the Nazis, is entitled “Codebreaker” and its opening bars dare you to write out whatever combination of words and numbers its beat is tapping out – except you’ll be too busy digging that beat to care whether it means anything or not. The pleasures are constant, the inventions surprise. “Dymaxion,” a portmanteau of the album title, was coined by Fuller the merry futurist and the rhythmic mischief makes you alert to possibility and transfiguration throughout from “All In,” a tribute to charter Secret Society member Laurie Frank, to “Last Waltz for Levon,” which honors the memory of the late drummer for The Band to “Wingèd Beasts,” whose silky, tendril-like design is reminiscent of Brookmeyer’s arrangements for Gerry Mulligan’s big bands. Elsewhere, Cecile McLorin Salvant (about whom more later) drops by for “Mae West: Advice,” to have her impudent fun with Paisley Rekdal’s dada-like lyrics mimicking La West’s saucy bon mots (“…date a cad and canoodle/be éclat on a cot…”) As brainy as Argue’s music is, thematically and conceptually, it never fails to hit and sustain a solid groove, even on the epic, near-35-minute “Tensile Curves,” an anthology of tension-release motifs, time signatures, and riff extensions inspired by Duke Ellington’s “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue.” Once again, you’ll be tempted to take the track apart, shove its fragments beneath an ontological microscope, and probe for methodology by virtue of its sheer dimension. But as with everything else in this bountiful, sunny exhibition of relentless virtuosity and cheeky intelligence, you’re better off just letting the orchestrations wash over and carry you along with its most of its mysteries intact and undisturbed. Not for nothing, after all, does Argue’s 18-piece aggregation roam the Earth as a “Secret Society.”
6.) Cecile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (Nonesuch) – She keeps raising the stakes on her range of expression, her repertoire, and her conceptual prowess, both as a vocalist and as a maker of albums. Once again, she shows her fearlessness in not doing the same thing twice with this daring, almost imposing array of French chanson and other music woven around the record’s eponymous half-woman-half-serpent mythic figure from the 14^th century. (The short version: she turned into a dragon and flew away after her duplicitous lover came upon her snake-like part.) The song cycle fashioned to tell her story begins with “Est-Ce Ainsi Que Les Hommes Vivent” (“Is This the Way Men Live?”) with lyrics by Louis Aragon and music by Leo Ferre, which is followed closely by Charles Trenet’s “La Route Enchantée” and eventually to Mélusine posing the musical question, “Dites Moi Que Je Suis Belle” (“Tell Me I’m Beautiful”), carrying echoes of Salvant’s “Look at Me” from her 2015 For One to Love. Which is as good a prompt as any to how the singer’s gifts as a composer meld so seamlessly with those of the French composers she honors here, most especially in the startlingly gorgeous title song, which she performs bilingually with only Daniel Swenberg’s acoustic guitar as backup. It would be tempting to say that Salvant, like her heroine here, has taken flight it weren’t for the fact – yes, an irrefutable fact – that she is already her own mighty legend, soaring several hundred miles above any vocalist in any medium you can name.
7.) Sara Caswell, The Way to You (Anzic) – One of those cases where a seasoned, resourceful instrumentalist is matched with a first-rate supporting cast (vibraphonist Chris Dingman as special guest star!) and a far-flung itinerary of genres and styles. And what you get is an album that refuses to sit quietly on the shelf all year long. Caswell’s clear tone, fluid dynamics, and agile phrasing on the violin is something you needed all year round, whether to paint sonic landscapes you can imagine drifting by your car window (“South Shore”), pull your coat in frisky, breathless give-and-take on a crowded dance floor (“7 Anéis”), tear off an aromatic slice of classic hard bop (“Voyage” by Kenny Barron – about whom more later), or bathe the senses in balladry, by turns probing (”Stillness”), impassioned (“O Que Tinha De Ser,” “On the Way to You”), and pastoral (“Warren’s Way”). Caswell led her working quartet of bassist Ike Sturm, drummer Jared Schonig, and guitarist Jesse Lewis for a project that, if the album notes are to be believed, took 17 years to put together. She’s very busy; her dance card has names like the aforementioned Threadgill, Spalding and Argue, and prominent jazz bandleaders crowded all along the genre waterfront in pursuit of her services. I speak here only for myself, but I hope it doesn’t take as long for a follow-up to materialize, even though I don’t expect to get tired of this one.
8.) Kenny Barron, The Source (Artwork) – The first thing to mention is the gorgeous acoustics. I’ve never actually been to the Théâtre d’Athenéé in Paris, but after diving deep into this solo recital countless times over the past year, the place is as familiar to me as my family’s basement rec room (where, by the way, I first heard Barron’s piano comping on Joe Henderson’s 1967 album, The Kicker.) As with his immediate surroundings, Professor Barron conveys an imposing, but expansive familiarity in his playing. And yet, as much as you think you may already know about the Strayhorn-Ellington standards, “Daydream” and “Isfahan,” Barron burrows deep within the contours of their melodies rather than spin into virtuosic inventions. The corners, this approach insists, is where you find the gold. He also reasserts his primacy as an interpreter of Monk’s music, speaking fluent Thelonious (while remaining his elegant. dryly romantic self) on “Teo” and “Well, You Needn’t.” But it’s in Barron’s own beautiful and haunting compositions where what once seems familiar is transformed into something you never heard before. “Dolores Street, SF” comes across a landscape huge enough to contain both possibility and loss and he has you on the edge of your seat wondering how, or if, it reaches resolution. The Brazilian-inflected “Sunshower” has a different, downward trajectory that puts for its own bittersweet lyricism while the jocular “What If?” and the eerie “Phantoms” are reinvigorated by Barron’s authoritative progressions. The master, all told, is in wondrously durable voice and leaves you waiting for more surprises, alone or with others.
9.) Anat Fort Trio, The Berlin Sessions (Sunnyside) – The world as we know it has been all too much with Israeli pianist Fort, who was forced by the 2020 lockdown to be separated from bassist Gary Lang and drummer Roland Schneider after two decades of working together. Two-and-a-half years later, they reunited in Munich for a one-time gig and then headed for Berlin’s Hansa Studios to release what was apparently a metric ton of pent-up energy. In these sessions, you hear the joy, relief, and exuberance in being able to let chance take its course and play freely with whatever ideas and phrases materialize in their shared space. “First Dance” sets off a four-part, 16-minute suite of reacquaintance that gives the group a chance to loosen up, pitch, catch, and spin off each other’s ideas and, as the cliché goes, it’s as though they’ve never been away each other. Once they’re settled in, the trio settles in for another series of pieces written by Fort and inspired by pieces of eastern art at New York’s Rubin Museum, making “The Jain Suite” its own gallery of insinuating harmonic and tonal designs. The reunion spills over into another disc with a rollicking blend of Fort originals (“Wish Cloud,” “Fire Drill Blues”), a matched set of old (“All the Things You Are”) and (relatively) new (“Just The Way You Are”) pop standards delivered with conviction and affection, and even a little something from Level 42 (“The Sun Goes Down”) What made this trio session stand out so starkly from others released this year are two meditative pieces that seemed especially affecting given the violent upheavals in Fort’s homeland: “Oseh Shalom,” a rendition of composer Nurit Hirsh’s prayer for peace and “The World as a Human Being,” which comes across as both a somber lament for squandered opportunities and a defiant plea for renewal and resolution. At least, that’s what I heard. But, as a listener, I’m part of this collaborative process, too.
10.) Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra, In the Dark (ESP) – These three discs celebrate (if that’s the right word) a more arduous recovery process. Lowe, a protean composite of saxophonist, bandleader, archivist, producer, composer, sound engineer, musicologist, cultural historian, and gadfly (still not sure whether he altogether approves of my using that last one) has had to somehow persevere through these myriad vocations while undergoing more than a dozen operations for cancer, including surgery for removal of a tumor from his sinus. This left Lowe with a debilitating case of insomnia in which he was at best able to doze for minutes at a time, said times being as early at 5 a.m. or as late as, well, 5 a.m. Throughout this harrowing time, Lowe somehow kept writing and composing music and, with the help of his faithful and highly adaptable musician friends – pianist (and fellow musicologist) Lewis Porter, clarinetist Ken Peplowski, altoist Aaron Johnson, drummer Rob Landis, bassist Kyle Colina, trombonist Brian Simontacchi, trumpeter Kellin Hannas, and baritone saxist Lisa Parrott – assembled a formidably eclectic bounty of recordings that manage to evoke several traditions of jazz and blues in ways that sound both cutting edge and mischievously retro in the manner of Lowe’s previous projects. (In case you need it, there’s even a tango called “Velasco’s Revenge.”) Scattered throughout are compositions prefaced by “In the Dark” suggesting they were written at those midnight-or-later hours when he couldn’t sleep. The rest of those titles suggest his moods of those moments; on the one hand, there are “Night Terrors,” “Tears,” and “; on the other, there’s “Dance of the Apparitions” and “Elvis Don’t you Weep.” Along with the tributes to Eric Dolphy, Barry Harris, Jelly Roll Morton, and Duke Ellington, there are other crafty gnomish tunes with such crafty gnomish titles as “Kickin’ the Bucket,” “Innuendo in Blue,” “Blues for Old Jews,” and “Do You Know What It Means to Leave New Orleans,” the latter of which could be a teaser for his long-awaited Louis Armstrong project. Yes, he’s working as you read this, despite the ongoing physical challenges and, lest one forget, he sounds pretty good on his tenor saxophone for somebody who’s been through as much as he has.

HONORABLE MENTION: Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (PI), Myra Melford’s Fire & Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt), Christian McBride’s New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue), Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles (Nonesuch), Kris Davis’s Diatom Ribbons, Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic), Orrin Davis, The Red Door (Smoke Sessions) Craig Taborn, Joëlle Léandre, Mat Maneri, hEARoes (RogueArt).

VOCAL

Fred Hersch & esperanza spalding, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)

Cecile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (Nonesuch)

Luciana Sousa & Trio Corrente, Cometa (Sunnyside)

LATIN

Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo, El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 2 (Miel Music)

Luciana Sousa & Trio Corrente, Cometa (Sunnyside)

Arturo O’Farrill, Legacies (Blue Note)

HISTORIC

Kurt Rosenwinkel & Geri Allen, Lovesome Thing (Motema)

Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective)

Sun Ra & His Arkestra, Jazz in Silhouette: Expanded Edition (Cosmic)

Sanford Josephson

Sanford Josephson — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:39:16 GMT

Best of 2023 in no particular order

Terell Stafford Between Two Worlds (Le Coq)

Benny Benack Third Time's the Charm (La Reserve/Bandstand Presents)

Sean Mason The Southern Suite (Blue Engine)

Bill Mays Autumn Serenade (Sunnyside)

Lafayette Harris, Jr. Swinging Up in Harlem (Savant)

Jocelyn Gould Sonic Bouquet (Jocelyn Gould Music)

Noah Haidu Standards (Sunnyside)

Eric Alexander: A New Beginning-Alto Saxophone with Strings (HighNote)

Isaiah J. Thompson The Power of Spirit (Blue Engine)

Emmet Cohen ft Houston Person (Bandstand Presents)

Diego Figueiredo My World (Arbors)

Count Basie Orchestra Basie Swings the Blues (Candid)

Kenny Barron The Source (Artwork Records)

Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann: Big Mo and Little Joe (self-produced)

Danny Jonokuchi Big Band Voices (Outside in Music)

Mariel Bildsten Steppin' Out (Outside in Music)

Mike LeDonne and Eric Alexander The Heavy Hitters (Cellar Music Group)

Miki Yamanaka Shades of Rainbow (Cellar Live)

George Coleman Live at Smalls Jazz Club (Cellar Music Group)

Adam Birnbaum Preludes (Chelsea Music Festival Records)

Aaron Diehl & the Knights Zodiac Suite (Mack Avenue)

Louis Hayes Exactly Right (Savant)

Lucy Wijnands Something Awaits (self produced)

Virgil Mihaiu

Virgil Mihaiu — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:23:22 GMT

Among the festivals I was able to attend in 2023, I note first of all Montenegro’s JAM (=Jazz Appreciation Month), organised by Maja Popovic throughout that country during April. Its highlight was the concert by the marvellous group TRIGON, founded in Chisinau (Eastern Moldova) in 1992, and which continues to be active ever since under the direction of viola-virtuoso Anatol Stefanet.

Last spring I participated, as an emcee, in the Jazz in Church Festival, organized in the premises of the Evangelical Church in Bucharest by Cristian Moraru. A revelation of this festival was the recital of a "Eurasian" duo, made up of graceful Japanese performer Mieko Miyazaki, on the traditional instrument koto, and French saxophonist Franck Wolf.

In June I was invited by Romania's Federation of Jewish Communities to participate in the 120th anniversary of Dadaism-coryphaeus Victor Brauner (b. Piatra Neamț 1903 - d. Paris 1966), which took place in the Baal Shem Tov Wooden Synagogue of Piatra Neamț. The main organiser was writer Emanuel Nadler, custodian of this Synagogue dating back to the Middle Ages. My contribution consisted in presenting CONSTRUCT, an artistic documentary film by Sorin Iliesiu about Marcel Iancu, close friend of Brauner and Tristan Tzara (the three of them launched the Dadaist movement in Zurich in 1916). The picture’s avant-garde-cum-free jazz soundtrack was conceived and performed by Andrei Tanasescu as a solo piano suite.

Other memorable events: the tenth edition of the excellent Jazz Festival in the Bran Mediaeval Castle, located in southern Transylvania/central Romania (with Lia Doru Trandafir, Paul Tutungiu, Alex Priscu as deserving managers); the impressive recitals given by Azerbaijan’s Rain Sultanov/soprano sax & Shahin Novrasli/piano in some Transylvanian locations; the Romanian tour of Triosence led by pianist Bernhard Schuler, a group nicknamed "the New Faces of German Jazz" (organiser: Ciprian Moga); the 32nd edition of the Festival managed by Johnny Bota at the Timisoara Philharmonic; the Retracing Bartok concert performed by John Surman, Mat Maneri, Lucian Ban & Brad Jones in Timisoara (European cultural capital in 2023); the masterful recital of American vibraphonist Eldad Tarmu - together with bassist Johnny Bota and Hungarian drummer Gyorgy Jeszenszky – at Cluj’s Sala Urania. It was an emotional reunion, after at the beginning of the century Eldad had been a teacher for five years in Timișoara at Romania’s first Jazz Faculty. Last but nost least, two enticing performances by the Duo Alex Harding/bar s & Lucian Ban/p & el-p, put on by Thomas Mendel in Ban’s home-city Cluj.

Jeroen de Valk

Jeroen de Valk — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:15:50 GMT

My favorite albums for 2023 are, in no particular order:

- SUN RA / 'Paradiso 1970 Amsterdam' (Nederlands Jazz Archief)

- CHET BAKER / 'Blue Room' (same)

- TEUS NOBEL / 'After Hours' (TNMCD)

- VINCE MENDOZA & METROPOLE ORKEST / 'Olympians' (Modern Recordings/BMG)

- FRED HERSCH/ESPERANZA SPAULDING: 'Alive at the Village Vanguard' (Palmetto Recordings)

all the best, Jeroen de Valk / www.jeroendevalk.nl

Michael Ambrosino

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 20:30:46 GMT

My favorite 20 albums for 2023.

Áron Tálas - New Questions, Old Answers
ARTEMIS - In Real Time
Ben Wendel - All One
Billy Childs - The Winds of Change
Bobby Sanabria - Vox Humana
Chuck Owen - Renderings
Clark Sommers - Feast Ephemera
Darcy James Argue - Maximum Dynamic Tension
Hugues Mayot & L'Arbre Rouge - Invocations
Jalen Baker - Be Still
Kenny Barron - The Source
Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix
Lauren Henderson - Conjuring
Leon Foster Thomas - Calasanitus
Nicole Zuraitis - How Love Begins
Peter Somuah - Letter to the Universe
Sammy Figueroa - Searching For A Memory (Busco Tu Recuerdo)
Tim Garland & Jason Rebello - Life to Life
Vince Mendoza - Olympians
Walter Smith III - return to casual

Read my summary for the year in Jazz on 33third.org

Lawrence Peryer

Lawrence Peryer — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 22:08:03 GMT

Noteworthy Jazz and Jazz-Adjacent Artists who Appeared on the Spotlight On podcast in 2023.

Javon Jackson gives Peter Bradley's art a swinging soundtrack

Benjamin Koppel plays jazz with a novelist's narrative

Simon Berz creates art with drums, sound, and trash

Joe Mills (Aver) of Move 78 decodes jazz from the algorithms

EMBER are a jazz trio with a collective mindset

Brandon Seabrook’s magic clusterf**k of merciless banjo torture

Brian McCarthy blends jazz, astronomy, and the AfterLife

LILAMORS electronically redefine the jazz trio

Danny Fox loves good jazz and great pizza

Bruno Råberg pushes the boundaries of acoustic bass

Marijus Aleksa

Dominic Miller

Monika Herzig

Jane Ira Bloom & Mark Helias

Christopher Hale

Conic Rose

Bart Wirtz and Emiel van Rijthoven of WAAN

Tomas Pena

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 14:31:07 GMT

Best of 2023 So Far (August 28, 2023)

Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo - El Arte del Bolero Vol.2 (Miguel Zenon)

Eddie Palmieri presents Sonido Solar (TRR Collective)

Doug Beavers - Luna (Circle 9 Records)

Artemis - In Real Time (Blue Note Records)

Jonathan Suazo - Ricano (Ropeadope)

Dan Ouellette

Howard Mandel — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 20:58:52 GMT

https://danouellette.net/f/jazz-beyond-intel-december-2022-top-ten-plus-three-dot-lounge

Philip Booth

Philip Booth — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 02:26:38 GMT

Jazz remains a thing of great beauty and intrinsic value, a lively art worthy of our support and admiration. That's despite the best efforts of the likes of Spotify and other bean-counting music industry profiteers to ensure that sales of recordings profit platform owners to the greatest degree possible and financially benefit the actual music makers (the "content creators") to the least degree legally permitted. Consequently, it’s more difficult than ever for musical artists to sustain life by solely focusing on their artistic efforts.

Sadly, in 2022 public radio overlords – at WUSF-FM in my town, Tampa, and elsewhere -- continued dismantling decades-long traditions, ditching originally produced jazz programming and replacing it with generic news broadcasts, consequently damaging local musical communities.

Still, jazz art flourishes, with challenging and provocative music presented live and on recordings by younger and established players alike, in communities around the globe.

Here are some of my favorite jazz releases of 2022, in alphabetical order:

New Releases

Martin Bejerano, #CubanAmerican (Figgland)

Jeff Coffin, Between Dreaming and Joy (Ear Up)

Billy Drummond and Freedom of Ideas, Valse Sinistre (Cellar)

Al Foster, Reflections (Smoke Sessions)

Tom Harrell, Oak Tree (HighNote)

Julian Lage, View With a Room (Blue Note)

Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge, Within Us: Celebrating 25 Years of the Jazz Surge (MAMA)

Redman Mehldau McBride Blade, LongGone (Nonesuch)

Joel Ross, The Parable of the Poet (Blue Note)

Snarky Puppy, Empire Central (GroundUp)

Historical

Bill Evans, Morning Glory (Resonance)

Bill Evans, Inner Spirit (Resonance)

Jack McDuff, Live at Parnell’s (Soul Bank)

C. Andrew Hovan

C. Andrew Hovan — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 19:24:02 GMT

In terms of music and life, it seemed to me that 2022 was in many ways an extension of 2020 and 2021. Opportunities for straight ahead jazz seemed to be fewer and farther between as the industry embraced music that sports more extreme outlooks. As a full time educator and active musician, my time for enjoying music has become limited these days, so quite honestly the time I do have is devoted to music that truly moves me and that is usually material within the swing tradition. As such, my list of favorite new recordings for 2022 is slim. But I have decided to focus on music that often gets overlooked and make that my muse. So, this list includes a deep dive into what inspires me: the ever-growing vinyl reissue market.

John Chacona

John Chacona — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 20:29:09 GMT

Not a big fan of rankings, nor of presuming that I know which recordings were the year's best. So here are my ten favorite recordings released between Dec. 1, 2021 and Dec. 1, 2022, arranged in alpha order by title.

Similar lists appear at PostGenre and will post soon at Tom Hull's mammoth yearend concatenation. I'll probably have more to say about these recordings--and probably a few late additions--at my own site, let's call this, depending on my ambition.

Amyrillis and Belladonna, Mary Halvorson (Nonesuch)

For The Love Of Fire And Water, Myra Melford's Fire And Water Quintet (RogueArt)

Ghost Song, Cécile McLorin Salvant (Nonesuch)

Good Time Music: Community Music, Vol. 2, Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra with Catherine Russell (Royal Potato Family)

New Gospel Revisited , Marquis Hill (Edition Records, Ltd.)

New Standards Vol. 1, Terri Lyne Carrington (Candid)

Other Zones, Michael Formanek Quartet (Circular File Records)

Séances, Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant avec Folie à Quatre (Pyroclastic Records)

Seismic Shift, John Escreet (Whirlwind Records)

The Bottom, Luke Stewart's Silt Trio (Cuneiform)

Reissues or Historical albums

Albert Ayler, Revelations (Elemental Music)
Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1963-1964 (Jazz Detective Records)
Cecil Taylor, The Complete, Legendary, Live Return Concert (Oblivion Records)

Lagniappe

589 recordings qualified for consideration (509 qualified last year; I get a lot of music).
Of these, 24 made the not-so-shortlist for this page
Here are the other 14 as they stand today (in alpha order by artist):

JD Allen, Americana, Vol. 2

David Binney, Tomorrow’s Journey

Amanda Ekery, Some (more) Short Songs

Bill Frisell, Four

Art Hirahara, Verdant Valley

Miles Okazaki, Thisness

Aaron Parks, Volume 1

Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade, LongGone

Matthew Shipp Trio, World Construct

Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Mesmerism

Tyshawn Sorey Trio +1, The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism

Thumbscrew, Multicolored Midnight

Dan Weiss, Dedication

various artists, John Zorn's Bagatelles

Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 17:11:15 GMT

Here are my ten favorite new albums of 2022. A full write-up on each of these, as well as my selections for numbers 11 through 25 can be found at PostGenre.

1. The Philadelphia Experiment (Christian McBride, Questlove, Uri Caine, DJ Logic), Live at Newport Jazz 2017 (Newport Jazz)

2. Columbia Icefield, Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes (Pyroclastic)

3. Jamaaladeen Tacuma & Mary Halvorson, Strings & Things (self-release)

4. Sélébéyone, Xaybu: The Unseen (Pi)

5. Mary Halvorson, Amaryllis and Belladonna (Nonesuch)

6. Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese, esperanza spalding, Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival (Candid)

7. Steven Bernstein, Manifestos of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3) (Royal Potato Family)

8. Wolfert Brederode, Matangi Quartet, & Joost Lijbaart, Ruins and Remains (ECM)

9. Ulf Ivarsson & Bill Laswell, Nammu (Ropeadope)

10. Sam Gendel, Cicada Lite (Live in Texas) (Beyond Language)

Best of 2022

Stephen Braunginn — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 22:03:12 GMT

I provided a list of top 20-25 jazz recordings during my last five years at WORT89.9-FM, Madison, WI and played those on the air. Now that I am no longer on the air, I proudly display this list on JJA's site along with my first list on my new website which will soon announce my new podcast, "Strictly Jazz Sounds."

It was my delight to meet a number of these artists and interview a few. I am particularly honored to have spent time with Brian Blade during my final days in Madison, WI during the Madison Jazz Festival. Thanks to Brian Blade for his tremendous contribution in 2022 as, during my last count, he can be found on at least eight releases. Not all of them were under his name. This demonstrates his broad appeal.

1. Terri Lyne Carrington: New Standards Vol. 1 (Candid Records)
2. Tyshawn Sorey: The Off-Off Guide to Synergism (Contemporary Jazz)
3. Jon Irabagon: Rising Sun (Irrabagast Records)
4. Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Brian Blade: LongGone (Nonesuch)
5. John Patitucci Trio: Live in Italy (Three Faces Music)
6. Marquis Hill: New Gospel Revisited (Contemporary Jazz)
7. Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band: Liver From the Archives (Stoner Hill)
8. Nduduzo Makhathini: In the Spirit of Ntu ( Blue Note)
9. Avram Fefer Quartet: Juba Lee (Clean Feed Records)
10. Melissa Aldana: 12 Stars (Blue Note)
11. Immanuel Wilkins: The 7^th Hand (Blue Note)
12. Roxy Coss: Disparate Parts (Outside In Music)
13. Samara Joy: Linger Awhile (Verve)
14. Joel Ross: The Parable of the Poet (Blue Note)
15. Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes (In & Out Records)
16. Geof Bradfield, Scott Burns, John Wojciechowski (AFAR)
17. Mary Halvorson: Amaryllis (Nonesuch)
18. The Jon Cowherd Trio & Jon Cowherd: Pride & Joy (Le Coq Records)
19. Johannes Wallmann: Precarious Towers (Shifting Paradigm Records)
20. Caleb Wheeler Curtis: Heatmap (Imani Records)
21. Timo Vollbrecht: Givers & Takers (BERTHOLD Records)
22. Somi: Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba (Salon Africana)
23. Alexander Claffy: Good Spirts (Contemporary Jazz)
24. Dennis Mitcheltree: Golden Rule (Dengor)
25. Michael Dease: Best Next Thing (Posi-Tone)

Legacy/Historical:

Charles Mingus: The Lost Album from Ronnie Scotts (Resonance)

Ornette Coleman: Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums (2-LP Box Set) (Craft Recordings)

Keith Jarrett: Budapest Concert (ECM)

Oscar Peterson: On a Clear Day (Mack Ave)

Ahmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1963-64 (Live) (Jazz Detective)

Best Beyond Jazz:

Tedeschi-Trucks Band: I Am the Moon-A Four Album Set (Fantasy)

Howard Mandel

Howard Mandel — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 21:55:12 GMT

NEW RELEASES

Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, For the Love of Fire and Water (RogueArt)
Tony Malaby's Sabino, The Cave of Winds (Pyroclastic)
Charles Lloyd, Trios: Sacred Thread (Blue Note)
Immanuel Wilkins, The 7th Hand (Blue Note)
Al Foster, Reflections (Smoke Sessions)
Terri Lyne Carrington, New Standards Vol. 1 (Candid)
John Scofield, John Scofield (ECM)
Franco Ambrosetti, Nora (Enja)
Free Form Funky Freqs, Hymn of the 3rd Galaxy (Ropeadope)
SWR Big Band-Magnus Lindgren-John Beasley, Bird Lives (ACT '21)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Los Angeles Forum April 26, 1969 (Legacy/Experience Hendrix)
Cecil Taylor, The Complete, Legendary, Live Return Concert: The Town Hall, NYC November 4, 1973 (Oblivion)
Frank Kimbrough, 2003-2006: Lullabluebye/Play (Palmetto)

Bill Milkowski

Bill Milkowski — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 20:13:40 GMT

1. Franco Ambrosetti, Nora (Enja)

2. Julian Lage, View with a Room (Blue Note)

3. Charles Lloyd Trios, Chapel (Blue Note)

4. John Scofield, John Scofield (ECM)

5. Pasquale Grasso, Be-Bop! (Sony Masterworks)

6. Bill Frisell, Four (Blue Note)

7. Marta Sanchez, SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum) (Whirlwind Reordings)

8. Dave Stryker, As We Are (Strike Zone)

9. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Mesmerism (Yeros7 Music)

10. Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra, Popular Culture (Community Music, Vol. 4) (Royal Potato Family)

Honorable Mention:

Seamus Blake, New York Factor, Vol. 1 (self-release); Tyshawn Sorey Trio + 1, The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism (Pi); Javon Jackson, The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni (Solid Jackson); Immanuel Wilkins, The 7th Hand (Blue Note); Mary Halvorson, Amaryllis (Nonesuch); The Jon Cowerd Trio, Pride And Joy (Le Cog Records); Enrico Rava/Fred Hersch, The Song Is You (ECM); Terri Lyne Carrington, New Standards Vol. 1 (Candid); Gaia Wilmer Large Ensemble, Folia: The Music of Egbert Gismonti (Sunnyside); Fareed Haque, Return to the Joyous Lake (Wahdude Music); Marc Copland Quartet, Someday (InnerVoice Jazz); Conrad Herwig, The Latin Side of Mingus (Savant); Melissa Aldana, 12 Stars (Nonesuch).

Redman/Mehldau/McBride/Blade, LongGone (Nonesuch); JD Allen, Americana Vol. 2 (Savant); Samara Joy, Linger Awhile (Verve); Burton/McPherson Trio featuring Dezron Douglas,The Summit Rock Session at Seneca Village (Giant Step Arts); Miguel Zenón, Mùsica De Las Américas (Miel Music); Peter Erskine, Live in Italy (Fuzzy Music); Dave Liebman, Truth and Honesty (Newvelle Records); Erik Friedlander, A Queen's Firefly (Skiptone Records); Bobby Watson, Back Home in Kansas City (Smoke Sessions); Will Vinson, Tripwire (Whirlwind Recordings); Harish Raghavan, In Tense (Whirlwind Recordings).

Jakob Bro/Joe Lovano, Once Around The Room: A Tribute to Paul Motian (ECM); Samo Salamon, Dolphyology: Complete Eric Dolphy for Solo Guitar (Samo Records); Alternative Guitar Summit, Honoring Pat Martino, Vol. 1 (HighNote); Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead, Poetic (self release); Julieta Eugenio, Jump (Greenleaf Music); Steve Cardenas/Ben Allison/Ted Nash, Healing Power (Sunnyside); Jon Irabagon, Rising Sun (Irabbagast); Kris Allen, June (Truth Revolution Recording); Gary Smulyan, Tadd’s All, Folks (SteepleChase); Michael Blake, Combobulate (Newvelle Records); Wadada Leo Smith, The Emerald Duets (TUM); James Singleton, Malabar (Sinking City Records); Kate Baker & Vic Juris, Return to Shore (StrikeZone).

John Pietaro

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 03:49:42 GMT

Poll 2022

MUSICIANS OF THE YEAR

Lifetime achievement: Amina Claudine Myers

Violin: Gwen Laster

Viola: Melanie Dyer

Cello: Lester St. Louis

Harp: Zeena Parkins

Flute: Nicole Mitchell

Clarinet: Ned Rothenberg

Bassoon: Claire de Brunner

Trumpet: Mac Gollehon

French Horn: Vincent Chancey

Trombone: Steve Swell

Tuba: Joe Daley

Soprano saxophone: Sam Newsome

Alto saxophone: Darius Jones

Tenor saxophone: James Brandon Lewis

Baritone saxophone: Claire Daly

Electric guitar: Chris Cochrane

Acoustic guitar: Marco Capelli

Various fretted instrument: Cynthia Sayer (plectrum banjo)

Upright bass: Ken Filiano

Electric bass: Jamaaladeen Tacuma

Piano: Mara Rosenbloom

Drumset: Michael Wimberly

Percussion: Warren Smith

Vibraphone: Patricia Brennan

Multi-instrumentalist: Scott Robinson

Vocals: Fay Victor

Spoken Word: Tracie Morris

DUO: Elliott Sharp and Tracie Morris

SMALL GROUP: Ceramic Dog

LARGE ENSEMBLE: Ed Palermo Big Band

New Releases

1) Sun Ra Arkestra, Living Sky (Omni Sound)

2) Ches Smith, Interpret It Well (Pyroclastic)

3) Elliott Sharp and Eric Mingus, Songs From the Rogue State (Zoar)

4) We Free Strings, Love in the Form of Sacred Outrage (ESP-Disk)

5) Bi Ba Doom, Graceful Collision (Astral Spirits)

6) Mac Gollehon, The End is the Beginning (Nefarious Industries)

7) Heroes Are Gangleaders, LeAutoRoiOgraphy (577)

8) Gene Pritsker’s Sound Liberation, Let’s Save the World Suite (Composers Concordance)

9) John Zorn, Meditations on the Tarot (Tzadik)

10)Cint Bahr, Puzzle Box (MoonJune)

Historical albums/Unearthed Gems

1) No Safety, Spill (Cuneiform)

2) Cecil Taylor, The Complete, Legendary, Live Return Concert (Oblivion)

3) Nikki Giovanni, The Way I Feel (Modern Harmonic)

Vocal album: Elliott Sharp and Eric Mingus, Songs from the Rogue State (Zoar)

Debut album: Bi Ba Doom, Graceful Collision (Astral Spirits)

Live album: No Safety, Live at the Knitting Factory (Cuneiform)

Solo album: Ava Mendoza, New Spells (Relative Pitch)

Large ensemble album: Sun Ra Arkestra, Living Sky (Omni Sound)

Record labels of the year:Cuneiform, 577, Modern Harmonic

Venues of the year: Café Bohemia (Manhattan), 411 Kent (Brooklyn)

The music has experienced an expanse over recent years, particularly with spoken word coming into a newly rediscovered place up front. I feel this advancement, only in part an homage to the Beat Generation, compiles the best of free jazz, post-mod composition and a bold, Left outspokenness.

Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 22:02:47 GMT

Here are my 25 favorite jazz tracks to be featured on the year-end-best episode of my radio program The Motif, KBOO-FM in Portland, Oregon. The top ten albums correspond to my poll ballot, though not in this order.

"On the Way to Be Free," Chicago Soul Jazz Collective (On the Way to Be Free, Chicago Soul Jazz Collective Meets Dee Alexander, jMarq)

"Respected Destroyer," Terri Lyne Carrington (The New Standard Vol. 1, Candid)

"Navegando (Las Estrellas Nos Guian)," Miguel Zenon (Musica de las Americas, Miel Music)

"Blood Count," Charles Lloyd Trios (Chapel, Blue Note)

"Newport Aperitif/Diminuendo & Crescendo in Blue," Steven Bernstein and the Hot 8 (A Manifesto of Henryisms, Community Music Vol. 3, Royal Potato Family)

"Finger Buster," Emmet Cohen (Uptown in Orbit, Mack Avenue)

"Monroe," Bill Frisell (Four, Blue Note)

"Autumn Leaves," Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Mesmerism, Yeros 7 Music)

"Moon Song," Cecile McLoren Salvant (Ghost Song, Nonesuch)

"Marshall's Groove," Sun Ra Arkestra (Living Sky, Omni Sound)

"Invitation," Ahmad Jamal (Emerald City Nights Live at the Penthouse 1965-1966, Jazz Detective)

"Pent-up House," Al Foster (Reflections, Smoke Sessions)

"Sittin' at the Bar," Eugenie Jones (Players, Open Mic Records)

"Wade in the Water," Javon Jackson (The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni, Solid Jackson Records)

"In These Times," Makaya McCraven (In These Times, International Anthem Recording)

"Prayer," Joel Ross (The Parable of the Poet, Blue Note)

"Witness," Immanuel Wilkins (The 7th Hand, Blue Note)

"David's Tumbao," Duran/Virelles (Front Street Duets, Alma)

"Cairo Street Ride," Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra (In the Valley, Stricker Street)

"Homesick," Doug Wamble (Blues In the Present Tense, Halcyonic)

"Unonkanyamba," Ndudozo Makhathini (In the Spirit of Ntu, Blue Note)

"You've Got It Bad Girl," Donald Byrd (Cookin' With Blue Note at Montreux, Blue Note)

"Tributary," Julian Lage (View with a Room, Blue Note)

"Sweet Pumpkin," Samara Joy (Linger Awhile, Verve)

"This World Is a Mean World," JD Allen (Americana Vol. 2, Savant)

Favorite Non-Jazz Album

I Am the Moon, Tedeschi Trucks Band (Fantasy, Four Discs, available separately or in a boxed set)

John Szwed

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:56:00 GMT

1 Jim McNeeley/Frankfurt Radio BigBand/Chris Potter Ritual Double Moon

2 David Virelles Nuna Pi

3 Mary Halvorson Belladonna Nonesuch

4 Charles Lloyd Sacred Thread Blue Note

5 Matt Shipp World Construct ESP

7 Sun Ra Living Sky Omni

8 Billy Drummond & Freedom of Ideas. Valse Sinistre Cellar Music Group

9 Marta Sanchez SAAM Whirlwind

10 Steve Cardenas / Ben Allison /Ted Nash Healing Power: The Music of Carla Bley Sunnyside

10 Eve Risser Red Desert Orchestra Clean Feed

Historical:

Lennie Tristano Personal Recordings Mosaic

Sun Ra Universe in Blue Cosmic Myth

Max Roach We Insist Candid

Vocal:

Peter Stampfel 20^th Century in 100 Songs Louisiana Red Hot

Latin:

Dafnis Prieto Cantar Dafnison Music

Best of 2022

Ralph A. Miriello — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 01:34:53 GMT

BEST NEW RELEASES OF 2022 :

Geoff Keezer And Friends : "Playdate"

Tyshawn Sorey Trio +1 Greg Osby : "The Off-Off-Broadway Guide to Synergism"

Dave Stryker: "As We Are"

Peter Erskine Trio "Live in Italy"

Mary Halvorsen: "Amaryliss"

Gonzalo Rubalcaba Trio D'Ete: "Turning Point"

Grant Geisman:"Blooz"

Boris Kozlov: "First Things First"

Jeff Coffin: "Between Dreaming and Joy"

Dave Liebman: "Trust and Honesty"

Steve Feifke & Bijon Watson: Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra

Reverso: "Harmonic Alchemy"

Pete Malinverni: "On the Town"

Oz Noy, Ugoma Okegow, Ray Marchica: "Riverside"

Yellowjackets: "Parallel Motion"

Martin Wind and the NY Bass Quartet: "Air"

Michael Blake: "Combobulate"

Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison & Ted Nash: "Healing Power-The Music of Carla Bley"

Pasquale Grasso: "BeBop!"

JD Allen: "Americana Vol2"

Kevin Eubanks & Orrin Evans: "EEE"

Michael Dease: "Best Next Thing"

Jon Cowherd Trio: "Pride & Joy"

Michael Wollny Trio: "Ghosts"

Marshall Gilkes: "Cyclic Journey"

Best Vocal Albums:

Claudia Acuna: "Duo"

Giacomo Gates: "You"

Flora Purim: "If You Will"

Cecile McLorin Savant: "Ghost Song"

Sarah Gazarek: "Vanity"

Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Aymee Nuviola: "Live at Marciac"

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM:

Miguel Zenon: "Musica de Las Americas"

BEST HISTORICAL RECORDINGS

Bill Evans: Morning Glory/ Inner Spirit (2 albums)

Ahmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights: (2 albums)

Mingus the lost tapes at Ronnie Scott's :

Danica Pantovic

Danica Pantovic — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 23:43:46 GMT

2022 List

Home.S. Esbjørn Svensson Solo, ACT

I AM Beyond by Isaiah Collier & Michael Shekwoaga Ode, HHV Records

Ghost Song by Cecile McLorin Salvant, Nonesuch

Jazz is Expensive/Live in Saalfelden by Kühn Fu, Berthold Records

Elastic Wave by Gard Nilssen Acustic Unity, ECM

Louise by Emile Parisien, ACT

Wind Rose by Majamisty TriO, Mistyland

Melange by Schime & Muzikon, Sequoia Music

Catching the Wind by Vladimir Samardžić, SKC NS

Fruška Džungla (Jungle) by Dragon's Fuel, HORZ

Bonus

3 Generations by Nils Landgren, ACT

David Basse

David Basse — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 22:51:00 GMT

TOP TEN 2022

SAMARA JOY LINGER AWHILE

STEVE DAVIS BLUESTHETIC

SAN GABRIEL 7 / SINNE EEG UNDER THE STARS

JOSH NELSON/BOB BOWMAN TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED

BEN MORRIS POCKET GUIDES

BILL CHARLAP TRIO STREET OF DREAMS

IDIT SHNER & MHONDORO HEAT WAVE

SIMEON DAVIS GROUP OF NARRATIVES & NOCTURNES

BEN SIDRAN SWING STATE

TIERNEY SUTTON PARIS SESSIONS 2

http://davidbasse.com

Ken Franckling

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:44:58 GMT

Favorite new jazz releases of 2022

Dave Wilson Quartet, Stretching Supreme (self-released)
Lynne Arriale, The Lights Are Always On (Challenge)
Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese, esparanza spalding, Live st the Detroit Jazz Festival (Candid)
Jo Harrop, The Heart Wants (Lateralize)
Javon Jackson, The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni (Solid Jackson)
Samara Joy, Linger Awhile (Verve)
Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson, … present Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra (Cellar)
Sam Kirmayer, In This Moment (Cellar Music)
Ricky Ford, Paul's Scene (Whaling City)
Chris Cortez, Live at Blue Bamboo (Blue Bamboo)

Favorite 2022 vocal recordings:

Jo Harrop, The Heart Wants (Lateralize)
Samara Joy, Linger Awhile (Verve)
Tierney Sutton, Paris Sessions 2 (BFM Jazz)
Mark Winkler, Late Bloomin' Jazzman (Café Pacific)
Carol Sloane, Live at Birdland (Club 44)
San Gabriel 7 featuring Sinne Eeg, Under the Stars (JRL-SGS)
Catherine Russell, Send For Me (Dot Time)
Kim Nalley Band, I Want a Little Boy (self-released)
Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola, Live in Marciac (5Passion)
Xiomara Torres, La Voz Del Mar (Patois)

Favorite historical/reissues of 2022 (includes any recordings made over 10 years ago, whether newly released or reissued):

Bill Evans, Morning Glory (Resonance)
Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse1965-1966 (Jazz Detective)
Dave Brubeck Trio, Live From Vienna 1967 (Derry Music)
Charles Mingus, Mingus: The Los Album From Ronnie Scott's (Resonance)
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella at the Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook (Verve)
Elvin Jones, Revival: Live at Pookie's Pub(Blue Note)
Chet Baker Trio, Live in Paris (Elemental)
Clark Terry, Big Bad Band, Live in Holland 1979 (Storyville)
Frank Kimbrough, 2003-2006 (Palmetto)
Peck Allmond Quartet, Live at Yoshi's 1994 (Eastlawn)

Favorite 2022 debut recording:

Timothy Norton, Visions of Phaedrus(Truth Revolution Recording Collective)

Favorite 2022 Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings:

Oscar Hernández & Alma Libre, Visión (Ovation)
Miguel Zenón, Música de las Américas (Miel)
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Aymée Nuviola, Live in Marciac (5Passion)
Xiomara Torres, La Voz Del Mar (Patois)
Juan Carlos Quintero, Table for Five (Moondo)

Favorite new compositions from CDs released in 2022, listed alphabetically:

Lynne Arriale, ”Sounds Like America” from The Lights Are Always On (Challenge)
Bob Bowman, “Yae San”” from Josh Nelson/Bob Bowman Collective, Tomorrow is Not Promised (Steel Bird)
Yelena Eckemoff, “Like Rain Upon the Mown Grass” from I Am a Stranger in This World (L&H)
Yosef Gutman and Gilad Ronen, “Joshua” from Yosef Gutman, Upside Down Mountain (independent)
Jo Harrop, Natalie Williams, James McCredie, Hannah Vasanth, “Weather the Storm” from Jo Harrop, The Heart Wants (Lateralize)
Timothy Norton, “King's Inn” from Visions of Phaedrus (Truth Revolution Recording Collective)
Rick Roe, “Agent 88” from Roe Bickley Kramer, Lucid Dream (RNR Unknown)
Jamieson Trotter and Mark Winkler, “Old Enough” from Mark Winkler, Late Bloomin' Jazzman (Café Pacific)
Walt Weiskopf, “Other Jewels” from Walt Weiskopf European Quartet, Diamonds and Other Jewels (AMM)
Miguel Zenón, “Imperios” from Música de las Américas (Miel)

Matty Bannond

Matty Bannond — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 12:24:28 GMT

Here’s my top ten albums that I reviewed in 2022, in alphabetical order…

Full Circle - Nadje Noorhuis.

Ibio-Ibio - Camilla George.

I get along without you very well - Ellen Arkbro & Johan Graden.

Marram - Matt Carmichael

Pale Blue Dot - Georg Demel Quartett.

Spiritual Car Wash - Taxi Consilium.

The Good Spirits Part 2 - Denis Gäbel.

The Sound of Listening - Mark Guiliana.

White Juju - Soweto Kinch.

Wolves and Mirrors - Wolves and Mirrors.

Michael Ambrosino

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 03:19:54 GMT

Below are my favorite 25 albums for 2022.

They are listed in alphabetical and not any hierarchical order.

------

Pablo Ablanedo - Chistreza

Afro Bop Alliance - The Pan American Nutcracker Suite

Kenny Barron - The Source

Andrea Brachfeld - Evolution

Tito Carrillo - Urbanessence

Terri Lyne Carrington - New Standards Vol 1

Sarah Elizabeth Charles - Blank Canvas

Anat Cohen - Quartetinho

Roxy Coss - Disparate Parts

Luis DenizEl - Tinajón

Marshall Gilkes - Cyclic Journey

Robert Glasper - Black Radio III

Rafael Greco - Dice Que Vive (Signs Of Life)

Connie Han - Secrets of Inanna

Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side of Mingus

Samara Joy - Linger Awhile

Ryan Keberle - Sonhos Da Esquina

Brian Lynch - Songbook Vol. 2: Dance The Way U Want To

Makaya McCraven - In These Times

Kham Meslien - Fantômes... Futurs

Hailey Niswanger & Mia Garcia - Between All Things

Rufus Reid - Celebration

Cécile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song

Dave Stryker - As We Are

Miguel Zenón - Musica De Las Americas

------

Michael Ambrosino

Programmer/Producer/Host of Currents, Dialogs, Tapas and Los Olvidados

33third.org

Wilbert Sostre

Wilbert Sostre — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 14:40:13 GMT

Top 3 Jazz Albums from Puerto Rico Jazz Musicians 2021

1. Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo - El Arte del Bolero

2. Carlos Henriquez - South Bronx Story

3. Charlie Sepulveda - This is Latin Jazz

Geoffrey Himes

Geoffrey Himes — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:51:12 GMT

GEOFFREY HIMES: BEST ALBUMS OF 2021

TWENTY BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2021:

1. Charles Lloyd & the Marvels: Tone Poem (Blue Note)
2. Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Soundprints: Other Worlds (Greenleaf)
3. Matthew Shipp: Codebreaker (Tao Forms)
4. Vijay Iyer: Uneasy (ECM)
5. Amir El Saffar Rivers of Sound The Other Shore (Out Note)
6. East Axis: Cool with That (ESP-Disk)
7. David Sanford Big Band featuring Hugh Ragin: A Prayer for Lester Bowie (Greenleaf)
8. Henry Threadgill: Zooid Poof (Pi)
9. Johnathan Blake: Homeward Bound (Blue Note)
10. Abdullah Ibrahim: Solotude (Gearbox)
11. Allison Miller & Jane Ira Bloom: Tues Days (Outline)
12. Jihye Lee Orchestra: Daring Mind (Motema)
13. Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: Virtual Birdland (Zoho)
14. William Parker: Painters Winter (AUM Fidelity)
15. Julian Lage: Squint Blue Note
16. Gonzalo Rubalcaba Ron Carter Jack DeJohette Skyline (Passion)
17. James Brandon Lewis: Jesup Wagon Tao
18. Lionel Loueke: Close Your Eyes (Sounderscore)
19. Pat Metheny Side Eye: NYC V1.IV (Metheny Group)
20. Esperanza Spalding: Songwrightsapothecarylab (Concord Jazz)

TWENTY BEST NON-JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2021:

1. James McMurtry: The Horses and the Hounds (New West)
2. Charley Crockett: Music City USA (Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers)
3. Valerie June: The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (Fantasy)
4. Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi: They're Calling Me Home (Nonesuch)
5. Robert Plant / Alison Krauss: Raise the Roof (Rounder)
6. Hayes Carll: You Get It All (Dualtone)
7. Mickey Guyton: Remember Her Name (Capitol Nashville)
8. Olivia Rodrigo: “Driver's License” from Sour (Geffen)
9. Lindsey Buckingham: Lindsey Buckingham (Reprise)
10. Lil Nas X: Montero (Columbia
11. Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor’s Version) (Republic)
12. Billie Eilish: Happier than Ever (Inerscope)
13. Julien Baker Little Oblivions (Matador)
14. The Black Keys: Delta Kream (Nonesuch)
15. The Hold Steady: Open Door Policy (Partisan)
16. Yasmin Williams Urban Driftwood (Spinster)
17. Lucy Dacus: Home Video (Matador)
18. Eric Church: Heart & Soul (EMI Nashville/Big EC)
19. The Dropkick Murphys: Turn Up That Dial (Born & Bred)
20. Lady Blackbird: Black Acid Soul (Foundation)

THE FIVE BEST HISTORICAL JAZZ ALBUMS:

1. Sam Rivers Quartet: Braids (No Business)
2. Hasaan Ibn Ali: Metaphysics and Retrospect in Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings (Omnivore)
3. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle (Impulse)
4. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Blue Note)
5. Sheila Jordan: Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri)

THE FIVE BEST HISTORICAL NON-JAZZ ALBUMS:

1. The Beach Boys: Feel Flows: The Sunflower & Surf’s Up Sessions: 1969-1971 (Universal/Capitol/Brother)
2. Bob Dylan: Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16, 1980-1985 (Columbia/Legacy)
3. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concert (Columbia/Legacy)
4. Various Artists: It's a Good Feeling: The Latin Soul of Fania Records, The Singles (Craft Latino)
5. Buck Owens: The Capitol Albums (Omnivore)

Michael Ambrosino

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:46:10 GMT

33third.org's Top ten Albums for 2021

Another banner year for Jazz made all the more remarkable given COVID and the polarized response to the pandemic in the US.

Here's is my write up of the very best for 2021

Enjoy!

Michael Ambrosino / 33third.org

Stephen Braunginn

Stephen Braunginn — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 22:17:29 GMT

Top 30 Jazz Albums for 2021

Stephen Braunginn

Producer/Host – Strictly Jazz Sounds: WORT89.9-FM, Madison, WI

Not in particular order:
As I compiled this list while preparing for my annual "Jazz in Retrospective" show, I realized the different strategies jazz musicians used to advance their music, to just play music with someone else. Trends reflect the times. I'm mostly moved by the passion exhibited through the music. I spent more time with smaller and indie labels this year. One final observation, the British are coming. Innovative jazz is springing from the UK!
1) Benito Gonzalez: Sing to the World
2) Joe Chambers: Samba de Maracatu
3) Pierrick Pedron: Fifty-Fifty (New York Sessions)
4) Miguel Zenón: Long Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman
5) Joe Lovano, Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi: Trio Tapestry: Garden of Expression
6) Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff
7) Isaiah Collier& The Chosen Few: Cosmic Transitions
8) Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Sound Prints: Other Worlds
9) Alchemy Sound Project: Afrika Love
10) Dennis Mitcheltree: Nevermind the Circus
11) Nicole Glover: Strange Lands
12) Ches Smith and We All Break: Path of Seven Colors
13) Terence Blanchard: Absence
14) Johannes Wallmann: Elegy for an Undiscovered Species
15) Chick Corea Akoustic Band: Live
16) Christian McBride and Inside Straight: Live at the Village Vanguard
17) Brandee Younger: Somewhere Different
18) Sons of Kemet: Black to the Future
19) Frank Kimbrough: Ancestors
20) Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh and Tyshawn Sorey: Uneasy
21) Carlos Henriquez: The South Bronx Story
22) Victor Gould: In our Time
23) Renee Rosnes: Kinds of Love
24) Pat Metheny: Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV)
25) Kenny Garrett: Sounds From the Ancestors
26) James Brandon Lewis Quartet: Code of Being
27) Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows: Architect of Storms
28) Jihye Lee Orchestra: Daring Mind
29) Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: Virtual Birdland
30) The Cookers: Look Out!

Historical:

Hal Galper Quintet: Live at the Berlin Philharmonic 1977

Ella Fitzgerald: The Berlin Tapes

Alice Coltrane: Turiya Sings

John Coltrane: A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings

Lee Morgan: The Complete Live at the Lighthouse

Luis Cubells - 99.9% Jazz

Luis Cubells — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 14:21:18 GMT

SOME OF MY “BEST OF 2021”

GREGORI HOLLIS - LANDING

MIGUEL ZENON - EL ARTE DEL BOLERO

ROY HARGROVE & MULGREW MILLER - IN HARMONY

JOCELYN GARTH - TELL HIM I SAID HELLO

WILD BLUE HERONS - Darlene Cooper & Bill Sample - YOU & I

CONNIE HAN - PRETTY WOMAN

PAU MOLTO - FRENCH HORN JAZZ PROJECT

MICHAEL STEPHENSON - meets ALEXANDER CLAFFY TRIO

DAN WILSON - VESSELS OF WOOD AND EARTH

BILL CHARLAP - STREET OF DREAMS

CARLOS HENRIQUEZ - THE SOUTH BRONX STORY

ALEXANDER BROTT - THE AESTHETIC ATTITUDE

TONY BENNETT - LOVE FOR SALE

LUCY YEGHIAZARYAN & VANISHA GOULD - IN HER WORDS

JARED SCHONIG - TWO TAKES VOL 2

ROSA PASSOS - DUNAS, LIVE IN COPENHAGEN

MADS MATHIAS - I’M ALL EARS

ANTHONY WONSEY - LORRAINE’S LULLABYE

JOHANNA PATTERSON - THE SHOW MUST GO ON

SHANNON GUNN - ON A MOUNTAIN

Mirian Arbalejo

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 13:14:06 GMT

50 Favorite Recordings of 2021*

Artifacts. Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, Mike Reed. ... And Then There's This. Astral Spirits

Patricia Brennan. Maquishti. Valley of Search

Roy Brooks. Understanding. Reel To Real

George Cables. Too Close For Comfort. HighNote Records

Caminero Trio. Al Toque. Karonte

Àlex Cassanyes. Composició II. UnderPool

Bill Charlap Trio. Street Of Dreams. Blue Note Records

Clasijazz Valparaíso Big Band. Casijazz Fundación Valparaíso

John Coltrane. A Love Supreme - Live In Seattle. Impulse!

Sylvie Courvoisier - Mary Halvorson. Searching for the Disappeared Hour. Pyroclastic

Dr. Lonnie Smith. Breathe. Blue Note

Scott DuBois. Summer Water. Watertone Music

Bill Evans Trio. On a Friday Evening. Craft

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra. Promises. Luaka Bop

Michael Formanek - Peter Formanek. Dyads. Out Of Your Head

María Grand. Reciprocity. Biophilia Records

Roy Hargrove - Mulgrew Miller. In Harmony. Resonance

Abdullah Ibrahim. Solotude: My Journey, My Vision. Gearbox Records

Ethan Iverson & Umbria Jazz Orchestra, Bud Powell in the 21st Century. Sunnyside

Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey. Uneasy. ECM

Jazz Worms. Squirmin'. Capri

Sheila Jordan, Comes Love: Lost Session 1960. Capri

Charlotte Keefe. Right Here, Right Now. Discus Records

Martín Leiton. Desde a Bajo. UnderPool

James Brandon Lewis - Red Lily Quintet. Jesup Wagon. TAO Forms

Charles Lloyd & the Marvels. Tone Poem. Blue Note

Jean-Marie Machado Quartet. Majakka. La Buissonne

Georgia Mancio - Alan Broadbent. Quiet Is The Star. Roomspin Records

Ossi Maristo. Arc. Eclipse Music / Supersounds Music Oy

Marco Martínez. NOI. Errabal

Makaya McCraven. Deciphering the Message. Blue Note

Tomoko Omura. Branches Vol. 2. Outside In Music

Moisés P. Sánchez. Bach (Re)Inventions. MarchVivo

Gretchen Parlato. Flor. Edition Records

Marcelo Peralta. Northwest Wind. Mariana Potenza y Juan Calvi

Guillem Plana, Aleix Forts, David Viñolas. NUCLI TRIO. Errabal

Alex Riel, Bo Stief, Carsten Dahl. Our Songs. Storyville Records

Sara Serpa. Intimate Strangers. Biophilia Records

Fran Serrano Quintet. 0202. ESMUC

Archie Shepp / Jason Morán. Let My People Go. Archieball

Ches Smith & We All Break. Path of Seven Colors. Pyroclastic Records

Sons Of Kemet. Black To The Future. Impulse!

Kevin Sun. <3 Bird. Endectomorph Music

Arthur Taylor, Marc Cary, Tyler Mitchell, Abraham Burton, Willie Williams. Taylors Wailers [sic] Live In NYC (Birdland, 1992). The Harlem Sessions / Marc Cary

UNDP Collective. Esto Sí Se Llama Querer. UnderPool

UNDP Collective. UNDERPOOL 5 Vol 2. UnderPool

Angel Unzu Cuarteto. Orain. Moskito Rekords

Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet. The Chicago Symphonies. TUM

Wadada Leo Smith, Jack DeJohnette, Vijay Iyer. A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday. TUM

Anna Webber. Idiom. Pi

Mareike Wiening. Future Memories. Greenleaf Music

*As published by Mirian Arbalejo on December 31st 2021.

A shorten list was presented to the Jazz Critics Poll (The Arts Fuse).

Bill Milkowski Best of 2021 List

Bill Milkowski — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 23:48:26 GMT

The Top Ten:

1. Henry Threadgill, Poof (Pi Recordings)

2. Charles Lloyd & the Marvels, Tone Poem (Blue Note)

3. Terence Blanchard, Absence (Blue Note)

4. Andrew Cyrille Quartert, The News (ECM)

5. Dave Holland, Another Land (Edition)

6. Brian Lynch, Songbook, Vol. 1: Bus Stop Serenade (Hollistic Music Works)

7. Dave Stryker, As We Are (Strikezone)

8. Alex Conde, Descarga for Bud (SedaJazz Records)

9. Michael Feinberg, Hard Times (Fresh Sound)

10. Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra, Community Music, Vol. 1: Tinctures in Time (Royal Potato Family)

The Other Forty:

11. Miguel Zenon, Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman (Miel Music)

12. Eric Wyatt, A Song of Hope (Whaling City Sound)

13. Dan Wilson, Vessels of Wood (Mack Avenue)

14. Kurt Elling w/Charlie Hunter, Super Blue (Edition)

15. Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios, Songs From My Father (Whaling City Sound)

16. John McLaughlin, Liberation Time (Abstract Logix)

17. Renee Rosnes, Kinds of Love (Smoke Sessions)

18. Pasquale Grasso, Pasquale Plays Duke (Sony Music Masterworks)

19. Dave Stryker, Baker’s Circle (Strikezone)

20. Rale Micic, Only Love Will Stay (Whaling City Sound)

21. Orrin Evans, The Magic of Now (Smoke Sessions)

22. Nicole Glover, Strange Lands (Savant)

23. Charged Particles w/Tod Dickow, Live at the Baked Potato! (Summit)

24. Don Braden/Joris Teepe Quartet, In the Spirit of Herbie Hancock (O.A.P.)

25. Fred Hersch, Breath By Breath (Palmetto)

26. John Pizzarelli, Better Days Ahead (Ghostlight Deluxe)

27. Lorne Lofsky, This Song Is New (Modica Music)

28. Greg Belisle-Chi, Koi: Performing the Music of Tim Berne (Relative Pitch)

29. Alex Sipiagin, Upstream (Posi-Tone)

30. Fay Claassen & David Linx w/WDR Big Band Köln, And Still We Sing (Jazzline)

31. Franco Ambrosetti, Lost Within You (Unit Records)

32. Reggie Quinerly, New York Nowhere (Redefinition)

33. Dr. Lonnie Smith, Breathe (Blue Note)

34. David Kikoski/Boris Kozlov, Sure Thing (HighNote)

35. Frank Kimbrough, Ancestors (Sunnyside)

36. Martin Wind Quartet, My Astorian Queen (Laika Reocrds)

37. Leon Lee Dorsey/Manuel Valera/Mike Clark, Freedom Jazz Dance (Jazz Avenue 1)

38. Alex Norris, Fleet from the Heat (SteepleChase)

39. Dafnis Prieto, Transparency (Dafnison Music)

40. Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge, Within Us (Summit)

41. Bill Charlap, Street of Dreams (Blue Note)

42. Johnathan Blake, Homeward Bound (Blue Note)

43. Brian Charette, Power from the Air (SteepleChase)

44. Steve Slagle, Nascentia (Panorama Records)

45. Eliane Elias, Mirror Mirror (Candid)

46. Mark Masters, Masters and Baron Meet Blanton and Webster (Capri)

47. Jeff Lederer, Eightfold Path (little i music)

48. Graham Dechter, Major Influence (Capri)

49. Roseanna Vitro, Sing a Song of Bird (Skyline)

50. Mike Neer, Keepin' It Real (Mike Neer Music)

Best Historical Recordings/Reissues:

1. Hasaan Ibn Ali, Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album (Omnivore)

2. Roy Brooks, Understanding (Reel to Real)

3. Sheila Jordan, Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri)

4. Larry Coryell & Philip Catherine, The Last Call (ACT)

5. Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller, In Harmony (Resonance)

6. John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle (Impulse!)

7. Oscar Peterson, A Time For Love (Two Lions/Mack Avenue)

8. Bill Evans, Everybody Still Digs Bill Evans: A Career Retrospective (1956-1980) (Craft Recordings)

9. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Blue Note)

10. Harvie S w/Mike Stern and Alan Dawson, Going For It (Savant)

C. Andrew Hovan

C. Andrew Hovan — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 14:18:42 GMT

TOP JAZZ PICKS FOR 2021

New Releases-

1. Joe Farnsworth- City of Sounds (Smoke Sessions)

2. Donald Edwards- The Color of Us Suite (Criss Cross)

3. Orrin Evans- The Magic of Now (Smoke Sessions)

4. Pat Metheny- Side-Eye NYC (Modern Recordings)

5. Bill Charlap- Street of Dreams (Blue Note)

6. Mike LeDonne- It's All Your Fault (Savant)

7. John Pizzarelli- Better Days Ahead: Solo Guitar Takes on Pat Metheny (Ghostlight)

8. Brian Lynch- Songbook Vol.1: Bus Stop Serenade (Hollistic Music)

9. Renee Rosnes- Kinds of Love (Smoke Sessions)

10. Brian Charette- Power From the Air (SteepleChase)

Historical Releases-

1. Louis Armstrong- The Complete Columbia and RCA Victor Sessions 1946-1966 (Mosaic)

2. Lee Morgan- The Complete Live at the Lighthouse (Blue Note)

3. Roy Brooks- Understanding (Reel to Real)

4. Thelonious Monk- Palo Alto (Impulse)

5. Harold Land- Westward Bound (Reel to Real)

John Chacona

John Chacona — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 14:19:15 GMT

In alpha order by artist name, my favorite recordings of creative music

in the Black American tradition.

Artifacts Trio, …and then there’s this

Roy Brooks, Understanding

Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Live at the Village Vanguard Volume II (MDW NTR)

Mark Feldman, Sounding Point

Irreversible Entanglements, Open The Gates

David Leon, Aire De Agua

James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, Jesup Wagon

Dave Liebman Expansions, Selflessness

William Parker, Migration of Silence Into & Out of the Tone World

Diego Rivera, Indigenous

Ches Smith and We All Break, Path Of Seven Colors

Sons Of Kemet, Black To The Future

Stringers and Struts, Stringers and Struts

Kevin Sun, <3 Bird

Craig Taborn, Shadow Plays

Henry Threadgill Zooid, Poof

Thumbscrew, Never Is Enough

Miguel Zenón, Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman

various artists, John Zorn's Bagatelles

Christopher Burnett

Christopher Burnett — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 20:07:33 GMT

I'm founder and editor of Jazz Artistry Now. Our Contributing Writers lists follow:

READ: Christopher Burnett
READ: David R. Adler - part 1 and part 2
READ: Scott Yanow

Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 17:54:19 GMT

Here are my top ten for 2021. I also list another 15, with commentary on the whole twenty-five, over at PostGenre.

NEW RELEASES

Kaidi Tatham, An Insight to All Minds(First Word)
Kenny Garrett, Sounds From the Ancestors (Mack Avenue)
Natural Information Society & Evan Parker, Descension (Out of Our Constrictions) (Aguirre/Eremite)
Wadada Leo Smith-Jack DeJohnette-Vijay Iyer, A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday (TUM)
Archie Shepp & Jason Moran, Let My People Go (Archieball)
Pino Palladino and Blake Mills, Notes With Attachments (Impulse!)
Sylvie Courvoisier & Mary Halvorson, Searching for the Disappeared Hour(Pyroclastic)
James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, Jesup Wagon (Tao Forms)
Terence Blanchard, Absence (Blue Note)
Brandee Younger, Somewhere Different (Verve)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

Marcos Resende & Index, Marcos Resende & Index (1976, Far Out)
Khan Jamal, Infinity (1982, Jazz Room)
John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle (1965, Impulse)

VOCAL

Jen Shyu & Jade Tongue, Zero Grasses: Ritual for the Losses (Pi)

DEBUT

Sara Schoenbeck, Sara Schoenbeck(Pyroclastic)

LATIN

Arturo O'Farrill, . . . Dreaming in Lions . . . (Blue Note)

Jordannah Elizabeth

Howard Mandel — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 18:03:23 GMT

This is the time of year where jazz critics clammer to contribute their favorite albums of the passing year. This year has been particularly fruitful for jazz musicians as the pandemic continues to create opportunities to explore and release new bodies due to the lessening of live performances and tours, specifically at the beginning of 2021 when the live venues were unable to open their doors to full capacity.

The end of 2021 has offered many more opportunities as many jazz clubs completed successful fundraising campaigns to keep their doors open and have reverted back to full offering capacity shows with the condition that attendees show their vaccination cards. I personally attended an Artemis performance at Birdland in New York City last week and was able to enjoy the show maskless because I had proof of vaccination.

I have my opinions of the Best Jazz Albums of 2021 which I am sure reflects similar sentiments from several jazz critics yet, of course, is also arguable and may invite differing outlooks and choices. This list is a culmination of my choices for Year-End Polls for a number of publications and from notable albums, I wanted to highlight during my chat with Nate Chinen and Greg Bryant for the taping of the Jazz United podcast, which will be released later this month.

I’ve listened, enjoyed and learned so much on my continuing journey as a busy jazz critic who has published nearly 30 reviews, articles and columns this year. I am thankful for these artists’ courageousness and ingenuity during these uncertain times. I look forward to hearing more music in 2022.

Makaya McCraven, Deciphering the Message (November 2021)
Brandee Younger, Somewhere Different (August 2021)
Jamie Branch, Fly or Die Live (May 2021)
Amirtha Kidambi & Lea Bertucci, End of Softness & Phase Eclipse (June 2021)
Steph Richards, Zephyr (October 2021)
Vijay Iyer Trio, Uneasy (April 2021)
Terence Blanchard, Absence - tribute to Wayne Shorter (August 2021)
Alice Coltrane, Kirtan: Turiya Sings (July 2021)
John Coltrane, Live in Seattle (October 2021)
Luke Stewart, Works for Electric Bass Guitar (September 2021)
Luke Stewart & Jarvis Earnshaw Quartet, Self-titled (October 2021)
Brad Linde with Wendy Eisenberg/Erika Dohi/Luke Stewart/Allison Miller, Into Thin Air (October 2021)
Irreversible Entanglements, Open the Gates (Nov 2021)
Sara Serpa and Emmanuel Iduma, Intimate Strangers (December 2021)
Esperanza Spalding, Songwrights Apothecary Lab (September 2021)
William Parker, Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World (January 2021)
Roxana Amed, Ontology (April 2021)
James Brandon Lewis, Jesup Wagon (May 2021)
Branford Marsalis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2021)
James Brandon Lewis – Molecular (October 2021)
Jazzmeia Horn, Dear Love (September 2021)
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, & The London Symphony Orchestra, Promises (2021)

Howard Mandel

Howard Mandel — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 21:19:17 GMT

For convenience, I've followed the template of the Davis-Hull poll, but for honesty of my enjoyments, I've added albums beyond its proscription.. When the year ends and these lists are compiled, I learn of how much I missed. It's not gone, I'll try to catch up, but (gladly) there's so much more to come.

XXXX (ACT) - Wollny-Parisien-Lefebvre-Lillinger

The Other Shore (El Saffar Music) – Amir ElSaffar Rivers of Sound

. . . And Then There's This (Astral Spirits) – Artifacts (Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, Mike Reed)

Everything Happens to Me (BAG Production Records) – Ben Goldberg

Kimbrough (Newvelle Records) – Various Artists

Skyline, Gonzalo Rubalcaba-Ron Carter-Jack DeJohnette

A Love Suite for Billie Holiday (Tum) – Wadada Leo Smith

Homeward Bound (Blue Note) – Johnathan Blake

Angels Over Oakanda – Burnt Sugar

The News (ECM) – Andrew Cyrille Quartet

Reissues/Historical

Corona (FMP) Cecil Taylor and Sunny Murray

The Summer House Sessions (Blank Forms Editions) – Don Cherry

A Love Supreme Live in Seattle (Impulse!) – John Coltrane

Best Boxed Set

Julius Hemphill (1938 – 1995): The Boyé Inter-National Crusade for Harmony (New World Records)

Vocal

Dear Love (Empress Legacy) – Jazzmeia Horn

Petite Fleur (Storyville)- Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra featuring Cyrille Aimée

Superblue (Edition Records) – Kurt Elling with Charlie Hunter

Debut

Ruminate: Improvisations for Fretless Guitar and Dutar (Worlds Within Worlds) - Gabriel Ahkmad Marin

Jazz with prominent Afro-Caribbean characteristics and marketing: Chapter 10: Breaking Cover (Picaro Records) -- Papo Vasquez and the Latin Troubadours

Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 17:49:11 GMT

Here are twenty recommended tracks featured on my radio shows, Jazz In the New Millennium (syndicated nationally through the African American Public Radio Consortium) and KBOO-FM in Portland, Oregon. The first ten are from my top albums ballot, though not necessarily in this order. Obviously, no one can listen to everything; what I heard was in part dictated by what came my way.

Top Ten Albums and Tracks

Charles Lloyd and the Marvels, "Ramblin'" (Tone Poem, Blue Note)

Dr. Lonnie Smith, "Why Can't We Live Together," (Breathe, Blue Note)

Lauren Henderson, "I Concentrate on You," (Musa, Brontosaurus)

Kenny Garrett, "Sounds from the Ancestors" (Sounds from the Ancestors, Mack Avenue)

Pat Metheny, "Time Line" (Side Eye NYC V1.1V, Metheny Group)

Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios, "Tango for Terry" (Songs From My Father, Whaling City Sound)

Vijay Iyer, "Drummer's Song" (Uneasy, ECM)

Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas, "The Transcendentalists" (Other Worlds, Greenleaf)

Arturo O'Farrill The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, "Del Mar" (Dreaming In Lions..., Blue Note)

Johnathan Blake, "Steppin' Out" (Homeward Bound, Blue Note)

Ten More for the Radio

Joe Chambers, "Samba de Maracatu" (Samba de Maracatu, Blue Note)

Leon Lee Dorsey, "Freedom Jazz Dance" (Freedom Jazz Dance, Jazz Avenue)

Julian Lage, "Saint Rose" (Squint, Blue Note)

Kurt Elling, "Manic Panic Epiphanic" (SuperBlue, Edition)

John Patitucci/Vinnie Colaiuta/Bill Cunliffe, "Ana Maria" (Trio, Le Coq)

Terence Blanchard feat. the E! Collective and Turtle Island Quartet, "Diana" (Absence, Blue Note)

Noah Haidu, "Chambers of Tain" (Doctone, Sunnyside)

Brandee Younger, "Love & Struggle" (Somewhere Different, Impulse)

James Francies, "My Favorite Things" (Purest Form, Blue Note)

Makaya McCraven, "Wail Bait" (Deciphering the Message, Blue Note)

Three Very Cool Reissues

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost Recordings (Blue Note): Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Jymie Merritt, Art Blakey. We now have proof. On January 14, 1961, this was the greatest band in the world.

Sheila Jordan, Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri): She can't remember who was in the band but they sound great. She does, too.

Oscar Peterson Quartet, A Time for Love (Mack Avenue): Oscar is Oscar, Joe Pass is shredding...

Three Very Cool Non-Jazz Albums

Robert Plant/Alison Krauss, Raise the Roof (Rounder)

Allison Russell, Outside Child (Fantasy)

Charley Crockett, The Valley (Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers)

Ken Franckling

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 15:44:54 GMT

The 10 best new jazz releases of 2021

Yoko Miwa, Songs of Joy (Ubuntu)
Greg Abate, Magic Dance: The Music of Kenny Barron (Whaling City Sound)
Pasquale Grasso, Pasquale Plays Duke (Sony Music Masterworks)
Paxton/Spangler Septet, Anthem for the New Nation (Eastlawn)
Dave Stryker, Baker’s Circle (Strikezone)
Graham Dechter, Major Influence (Capri)
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Skyline (Passion)
Diego Rivera, Indigenous (Posi-Tone)
Dan Wilson, Vessels of Wood and Earth (Brother Mister)
Out To Dinner, Play On (Posi-Tone)

2021’s best vocal recordings:

Veronica Swift, This Bitter Earth (Mack Avenue)
Samara Joy, Samara Joy (Whirlwind)
Roderick Harper, Evolving (RHM Entertainment)
Anaïs Reno, Lovesome Thing (Harbinger)
Roxana Amed, Ontology (Sony Latin)

The best historical/reissues of 2021 (includes any recordings made over 10 years ago, whether newly released or reissued):

Lee Morgan, The Complete Live at the Lighthouse (Blue Note, 1970)
Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller, In Harmony (Resonance, 2006-7)
John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle (Impulse!, 1965)
Oscar Peterson, A Time For Love ((Two Lions/Mack Avenue, 1987)
Bill Evans, Behind the Dikes: The 1969 Netherlands Recordings (Elemental, 1969)
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Blue Note, 1961)
Miles Davis, Merci Miles! Live at Vienne (Rhino, 1991)
Roy Brooks, Understanding (Reel to Real, 1970)
Sheila Jordan, Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri, 1960)
Juan Carlos Quintero, Caminando [originally The Way Home] (Moondo, 1997)

2021’s top debut recording:

Emma-Jean Thackray, Yellow(Movementt/Warp)

2021’s best Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings:

Carlos Henriquez, The South Bronx Story (Tiger Turn)
Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo, El Arte Del Bolero (Miel Music)
Antonio Adolfo, Jobim Forever (AAM Music)
Lunar Octet, Convergence (Summit)
Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet, Social Distancing (Saponegro)
Iván Melon Lewis, Voyager (Cezanne Producciones)
Roxana Amed, Ontology (Sony Latin)
Carlos Barbosa-Lima and Johannes Tonio Kreusch, Manisero (Zoho)
Mauricio J. Rodriguez, Luz (self-produced)
Various arists, CHANGÜÍ - The Sound of Guantánamo (Petaluma)

The 10 best new compositions from CDs released in 2021, listed alphabetically:\

Gabriel Alegria, “The New Normal” from Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet, Social Distancing (Saponegro)
Rahsaan Barber, “Quarantine Queens” from Mosaic (Jazz Music City)
Ollie Dudek, “Children of the Sun” from The Scenic Route Trio, Flight of Life (Crosscurrent Jazz)
Giveton Gelin, “Armageddon” from Out To Dinner, Play On (Posi-Tone)
Cameron Graves, “Seven” from Seven (Mack Avenue)
Lisa Hilton, “So This Is Love” from More Than Another Day (Ruby Slippers)
Aron Kaufman, “Norm’s Nambo” from Lunar Octet, Convergence (Summit)
Chuck Owen, “American Noir” from Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge, Within Us (Summit)
Lukasz Pawlik, “Indian Garden” from Long-Distance Connections (Summit)
Diego Rivera, “Sombras Del Pasado” from Indigenous (Posi-Tone)

Philip Booth

Philip Booth — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 06:16:49 GMT

21 for '21 -- the albums that topped my jazz pile this year
(in alphabetical order)

+ The Baylor Project, Generations (Be a Light)
+ Stephen Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra, Community Music, Vol. 1: Tinctures in Time (Royal Potato)
+ The Cookers, Look Out! (Gearbox)
+ Chick Corea Akoustic Band, Live (Concord Jazz)
+ Joey DeFrancesco, More Music (Mack Avenue)
+ Kurt Elling feat. Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue (Edition)
+ Orrin Evans, The Magic of Now (Smoke Sessions)
+ Joe Farnsworth, Time to Swing (Smoke Sessions)
+ Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios, Songs From My Father (Whaling City Sound)
+ Carlos Henriquez, The South Bronx Story (Blue Engine)
+ Vincent Herring, Preaching to the Choir (Smoke Sessions)
+ Dave Holland, Another Land (Edition)
+ Samara Joy, Samara Joy (Whirlwind)
+ Remy Le Boeuf's Assembly of Shadows, Architecture of Storms (Soundspore)
+ John McLaughlin, Liberation Time (Abstract Logix)
+ Pat Metheny, Side Eye NYC (V1.IV) (Modern)
+ Arturo O’Farrill The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, …dreaming in lions… (Blue Note)
+ Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge Within Us (Summit)
+ Nicholas Payton, Smoke Sessions (Smoke Sessions)
+ Chris Potter There is a Tide (Edition)
+ Nate Smith, Kinfolk 2: See the Birds (Edition)

Jeffrey Siegel

Jeffrey Siegel — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 20:54:59 GMT

Andrew Cyrille Quartet - The News

Charles Lloyd & the Marvels - Tone Poem

Kenny Garrett - Sounds of the Ancestors

Todd Cochran TC3 - Then & Again, Here & Now

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Soundprints - Other Worlds

Johnathan Blake - Homeward Bound

Veronica Swift - The Bitter Earth

James Brandon Lews/Red Lily Quintet - Jesup Wagon

Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra - Promises

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle

Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller - In Harmony

Roy Brooks - Understanding

Lee Morgan - The Complete Live at the Lighthouse

Terence Blanchard featuring E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet - Absence

To listen to the Straight No Chaser Podcast "A Few of My Favorite Things 2021' please visit https://straightnochaserjazz.libsyn.com/podcast-870-a-few-of-my-favorite-things-2021

Dee Dee McNeil

Dee Dee McNeil — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 17:11:17 GMT

JOHN COLTRANE: "A Love Supreme:1965"

HAROLD MABERN: "Mabern Plays Coltrane"

MICHAEL STEPHENSON MEETS THE ALEXANDER CLAFFY TRIO

TONY BENNETT & LADY GAGA: "Cheek to Cheet"

MARK ZALESKI BAND: "Our Time Reimagining Dave Brubeck"

JAZZMEIA HORN & HER NOBLE FORCE: "Dear Love"

OSCAR PETERSON: "A Time for Love Live in Helsinki 1987

A GIFT TO POPS

PAUL JOST: "While We Were Gone"

JEREMY MONTEIRO & ALBERTO MARSICO: "Jazz Blues Brothers"

NICHOLAS PAYTON, RON CARTER, KARRIEM RIGGINS & GEORGE COLEMAN -"Smoke Sessions"

SHEDRICK MITCHELL: "What Do You Say"

GONZALO RUBALCABA, RON CARTER, JACK DEJOHNETTE: "Skyline"

CARLOS HENRIQUEZ: "The South Bronx Story"

BRANDON GOLDBERG: "In Good Time"

THE TEMPLE UNIV. JAZZ BAND: "Without You No Me honoring legacy of Jimmy Heath"

GERRY GIBBS THRASHER DREAM TRIOS: "Song From My Father"

JOE FARNSWORTH: "City of Sounds"

KIRK LIGHTSEY: "I Will Never Stop Loving You"

LAUFEY & PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRAY

ELLA FITZGERALD: "Sunshine of Your Love"

LADY BLACKBIRD: "Black Acid Soul"

MICHAEL WOLFF: "Live at Vitellos"

JEREMY MONTEIRO & JAY ANDERSON

LEWIS NASH: "Live at No Black Tie"

ARTURO O'FARRILL: "The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra - Virtual Birdland"

HENRY "SKIPPER" FRANKLIN: "Showers & Blessings"

NOAH HAIDU, BUSTER WILLIAMS, BILLY HART: "Slowly, Song for Keith Jarrett"

WADADA LEO SMITH/MILFORD GRAVES/BILL LASWELL: "Sacred Ceremonies"

BRIAN BROMBERG: "A Little Driving Music"

RALPH PETERSON: "Raise Up Off Me"

ROY HARGROVE & MULGROVE MILLER: "iN hARMONY"

GABRIEL MARK HASSELBACH: "Tongue & Groove"

TANYA DENNIS: "White Sails Blue Skies"

GENERATIONS: "The Baylor Project"

HAROLD LAND: "Westward Bound"

GRAHAM DECHTER: "Major Influence"

KENNY GARRETT: "Sounds From the Ancestor"

ANTONIO ADOLFO: "Jobim Forever"

THE JAZZ ALL STARS - VOL 1.

FREDDIE HUBBARD: "The Hub of Hubbard"

OSCAR PETERSON: "Motions & Emotions"

RENEE ROSNES: "Kinds of Love"

JOEY DEFRANCESCO: "More Music"

Marcela Breton

Marcela Breton — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 15:33:16 GMT

2021 Favorites

Book: Mary Lou Williams : Music for the Soul by Deanna Witkowski (Liturgical Press).

Releases:

Greg Abate “Magic Dance: the Music of Kenny Barron” (Whaling City Sound).

Ruben Blades & Robert Delgado & Orchestra “Salswing!” (Ruben Blades Productions).

Ruben Blades & RGO "Swing!" (RBP).

Ruben Blades & RGO “Salsa Plus!” (RBP).

Brian Charette “Power from the Air” (Steeplechase Records).

Alice Coltrane “Kirtan : Turiya Sings” (Impulse).

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra “Promises” (Luaka Bop).

Gene Perla & Various “3 Trios” (PM Records).

Sharp 5 “Shine a Bright Light” (Valley Jazz Records).

Deanna Witkowski “Force of Nature : the Music of Mary Lou Williams” (MCG Jazz).

Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo “El Arte del Bolero” (Miel Music).

Ralph A. Miriello

Ralph A. Miriello — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 22:59:10 GMT

Reissues and Historical Releases:

Roseanna Vitro: Listen Here: self-produced 1982

Roy Hargrove and Mulgrew Miller: In Harmony: 2006 & 2007 Resonance Records

Wolfgang Lackerschmidt and Chet Baker: Quintet Sessions 1979 Dot Time Records

Harvie S Trio w Mike Stern and Alan Dawson: Going For It: 1985 Savant Records

Best New Releases: In no Specific Order

Jakob Bro w Arve Hendriksen and Jorge Rossy: Uma Elmo: ECM Records

Chick Corea Akoustic Band: Chick Corea Akoustic Band Live w John Patitucci and Dave Weckl: Concord Records

Steve Gadd: Steve Gadd Band Live at Blue Note Tokyo: BFM Jazz

Lyle Mays: Eberhard: OIM Records

Chris Potter Circuits Trio: Sunrise Reprise: Self-produced

Alex Sipiagin: Upstream: Posi Tone Records

Lorne Lofsky: This Song is New: Modica Music

Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Soundprints: Other Worlds: Greenleaf Music

Dave Holland Trio w Kevin Eubanks and Obed Calvaire: Another World: Edition Records

Pharoah Sanders w Sam Shepherd and the London Symphony Orchestra: Floating Points:

Kirk Lightsey: I'll Never Stop Loving You: Jo Jo Records

Nnenna Freelon : Time Traveler: Origin Records

Marc Johnson: Overpass: ECM Records

John Daversa Jazz Orchestra featuring Justin Morell: All Without Words

Gonzala Rubalcaba w Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette: Skyline: 5 Passion records

Sinne Eeg and Thomas Fonnesbaek: Staying in Touch: Stunt Records

Carlos Henriquez: The South Bronx Story: self produced

Kate McGarry +Keith Ganz Ensemble feat Ron Miles and Gary Versace: What to Wear in the Dark: self-produced

Mike LeDonne Grover Quartet + Big Band : It's All You Fault: Savant Records

Dave Zinno and Unisphere: Fetish: Whaling City Sound

Rachel Eckroth: The Garden: Rainy Day Records

Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios: Songs From My Father: Whaling City Sound

The Baylor Project: Generations: Be A Light Records

Roberto Magris and Eric Hochberg: Shuffling Ivories: J Mood Records

Ross Hammond: It's Been Here All Along: self-produced

David Kikoski w Boris Kozlov: Sure Thing: High Note Records

Gabor Lesko: Earthway: self-produced

Slowly Rolling Camera: Where The Streets Lead: Edition Records

Michael Wolff: Michael Wolff Live at Vitellos: Sunnyside Records

Jim Snidero: Jim Snidero Live at the Deer Head Inn: Savant Records

Steve Reeves Quintet: The Alchemist: Origin Records

Chuck Owens and the Jazz Surge: Within Us: Mama Records

John Szwed

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 19:44:41 GMT

1. Charles Lloyd Tone Poem Blue Note
2. Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Floating Point Luaka Bop
3 East Axis Cool with That ESP

4. Tim Bernes/Chris Speed/Reid Anderson/Dave King. Broken Shadows Intakt
5. Michael Wollny, Emile Parisien, Tim Lefebvre, Christian Lillinger XXXX Act
6. Chick Corea Akoustic Band Live Concord
7. Julian Lage Squint Blue Note
8. Eivind Aarset Phantasmagoria or A Different Kind of Journey Jazzland
9. Jihye Lee Daring Mind Matema
10. Joao Lencastre Unlimited Dreams Clean Feed

Vocal

Veronica Swift This Bitter Earth Mack Ave.

Reissue or Historical

1. Louis Armstrong The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia & RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946 – 66 Mosaic
2. Hasaan Ibn Ali Metaphysics Omnivore
3. Neil Ardley Kaleidoscope of Rainbows Jazz in Britain

Latin

Arturo O’Farrill … Dreaming in Lions Blue Note

Best of 2021

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 19:36:04 GMT

Charles Lloyd Tone Poem Blue Note
Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony
Floating Point Luaka Bop 3.
East Axis Cool with That ESP
Tim Bernes/Chris Speed/Reid Anderson/Dave King. Broken Shadows Intakt
Michael Wollny, Emile Parisien, Tim Lefebvre, Christian Lillinger XXXX Act
Chick Corea Akoustic Band Live Concord
Julian Lage Squint Blue Note
Eivind Aarset Phantasmagoria or A Different Kind of Journey Jazzland
Jihye Lee Daring Mind Matema
Joao Lencastre Unlimited Dreams Clean Feed

Vocal

Veronica Swift This Bitter Earth Mack Ave.

Historical

Louis Armstrong The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia & RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946 – 66 Mosaic
Hasaan Ibn Ali Metaphysics Omnivore
Neil Ardley Kaleidoscope of Rainbows Jazz in Britain

Latin

Arturo O’Farrill … Dreaming in Lions Blue Note

Patrick Hinely

Patrick Hinely — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 13:32:02 GMT

2021's finest dozen

John Coltrane A LOVE SUPREME LIVE IN SEATTLE (Impulse)

Miles Davis LOST CONCERT 1991 (Sleepy Night)

Chet Doxas YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (Whirlwind)

Harold Land WESTWARD BOUND (Reel to Real)

Chris Laurence KEN WHEELER: SOME GNU ONES (Jazz in Britain)

Jeff Lederer/Sunwatch EIGHTFOLD PATH (Little Music)

Charles Lloyd & the Marvels TONE POEM (Blue Note)

Charles Mingus AT CARNEGIE HALL deluxe edition (Rhino)

Wes Montgomery NDR HAMBURG STUDIO RECORDINGS (Jazzline/NDR)

Lee Morgan COMPLETE LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE (Blue Note)

Oregon 1974 (Moosicus)

Eberhard Weber ONCE UPON A TIME (ECM)

Karl Ackermann

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 19:49:59 GMT

Best Debut album

East Axis: Cool with That (ESP Disk)

Reissues or Historical albums

Billy Bang: Lucky Man (BBE Records)

Eberhard Weber: Once Upon a Time - Live in Avignon (ECM)

Roberto Miranda: Live at the Bing Theater; Los Angeles, 1985 (Dark Tree Records)

Hasaan Ibn Ali: Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album (Omnivore Recordings)

Best New Releases

Ches Smith/We All Break: Path of Seven Colors (Pyroclastic Records)

Allen Lowe: A Love Supine: Ascension into the Maelstrom (ESP Disk)

Ill Considered: Liminal Space (New Soil)

Matthew Shipp: Codebreaker (Tao Forms)

Johan Lindström Septett: On the Asylum (Moserobie)

Marc Johnson: Overpass (ECM)

Jeff Pearring/Pearring Sound: Socially Distanced Duos (Self-Produced)

Wadada Leo Smith: Trumpet (TUM)

PLS.trio: Cosmonauts (Dot Time Records)

MMBC Terma: MMBC Terma (Self-Produced)

Becca Stevens / Elan Mehler: Pallet On Your Floor (Newvelle Records)

Satoko Fujii: Piano Music (Libra)

Fred Lonberg-Holm, Abdul Moimême & Carlos Santos: Transition Zone (Self-Produced)

Adam Berenson, Scott Barnum & Bob Moses: Assemblages (Dream Play Records)

Nik Bärtsch: Entendre (ECM Records)

Sammy Stein

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:02:53 GMT

The Underflow - Instant Opaque Evening (Blue Chopsticks)

Nigel Price 'Wes Re-imagined (Ubunto)

Binker Golding, John Edwards, Steve Noble - Moon Dog ( Byrd Out)

Even Parker Quartet - All Knavery and Collusion ( Cadillac records)

Ivo Perelman and Nate Wooley - Polarity ( Burning Ambulance)

Rachel Musson - Dreamsing ( 577)

Matt Shipp and William Parker - Re-Union ( Rogue Art)

Sons of Kemet - Black To The Future ( Impulse)

Georgia Mancio and Alan Broadbent 'Quiet Is The Star' (Roomspin Records)

Polyorchard - An Excess of Primary Forms ( Out and Gone records)

Archie The Goldfish - Water and Light ( Funkiwala)

Fabulous Red Diesel - The Queensbury Sessions

Enzo Capua

Enzo Capua — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:28:16 GMT

1) Jazzmeia Horn - Dear Love

2) Damon Locks - Now

3) Irreversible Entanglements - Open the Gates

4) Ledisi - Sings Nina Simone

5) William Parker - Mayan Space Station

6) Anthony Braxton - Quartet Standards 2020

7) Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette - Skyline

8) Code Quartet - Genealogy

9) Jihye Lee - Daring Mind

10) Veronica Swift - This Bitter Earth

Bill Brownlee

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 20:38:19 GMT

Top Ten Albums of 2021
1. Irreversible Entanglements- Open the Gates (International Anthem)
2. Mathias Eick- When We Leave (ECM)
3. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills- Notes With Attachments (New Deal/Impulse!)
4. Nala Sinephro- Space 1.8 (Warp)
5. Sons of Kemet- Black to the Future (Impulse!)
6. Evan Parker Quartet- All Knavery and Collusion (Cadillac)
7. Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble- Now (International Anthem)
8. Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson- Searching for the Disappeared Hour (Pyroclastic)
9. Artifacts- …And Then There’s This (Astral Spirits)
10. Angel Bat Dawid- Hush Harbor Mixtape Vol. 1: Doxology (International Anthem)

adam weissler

adam weissler — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 19:11:27 GMT

Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders - Promises

Weedie Braimah - The Hands of Time

Sons of Kemet - Black to the Future

Nubya Garcia - Source # We Move

Fave gig - Joel Ross live at Mr. Musichead Gallery, L.A. Sept. 17

Mike Shanley

Mike Shanley — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 22:39:31 GMT

1. Chad Taylor Trio -The Daily Biological (Cuneiform)
2. Michael Formanek Quartet - Pre-Apocalyptic (Out Of Your Head)
3. Luke Norris - Northernsong (earsandeyes)
4. Rudresh Mahanthappa -Hero Trio (Whirlwind)
5. Threadbare (Jason Stein/Ben Cruz/Emerson Hunter) - Silver Dollar (NoBusiness)
6. Matthew Shipp - The Piano Equation (Tao Forms)
7. Tim Berne’s Snake Oil - The Fantastic Mrs. 10 (Intakt)
8. Liberty Ellman - Last Desert (Pi)
9. James Brandon Lewis Quartet - Molecular (Intakt)
10. Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell - How To Turn the Moon (Pyroclastic)

Mirian Arbalejo

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:35:03 GMT

FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2020

Kenny Barron/Dave Holland Trio featuring Johnathan Blake. Without Deception. Dare2

Lakecia Benjamin. Pursuance: The Coltranes. Ropeadope

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. Just Coolin'. Blue Note

Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow. Life Goes On. ECM

Blue Note Re:Imagined. Blue Note

John Coltrane. Giant Steps: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. Rhino

Wayne Escoffery. The Humble Warrior. Smoke Sessions Records

Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band. The Intangible Between. Smoke Sessions Records

Ella Fitzgerald. The Lost Berlin Tapes. Verve

Bill Frisell. Valentine. Blue Note Records

Jacob Garchik. Clear Line. Yestereve Records

Kely García y Rubén Reinaldo. Acuarel. Free Code Jazz Records

Lafayette Gilchrist. Now. Lafayette Gilchrist

Mary Halvorson's Code Girl. Artlessly falling. Firehouse 12

Tigram Hamasyan. The Call Within. Nonesuch Records

Stan IB Trio. Confluences. Records DK

Ahmad Jamal. AHMAD JAMAL At The Pershing' And Other 'Live' Recordings 1958-59". Acrobat

Keith Jarrett. Budapest Concert. ECM

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The Music of Wayne Shorter. Blue Engine

The JCA Orchestra. Live at the BPC. JCA Recordings

Jyoti. Mama, you can bet! Georgia Anne Muldrow / eOne

Nick Keeling. Queensgate. Torn Light

Charles Lloyd. 8: Kindred Spirits (Live from the Lobero). Blue Note Records

Rudresh Mahanthappa. Hero trio. Whirlwind Recordings

Pablo Martín Caminero. Bost. Bost

Baldo Martínez, Juan Saiz, Lucía Martínez. Frágil Gigante. Leo Records

Christian McBride Big Band. For Jimmy Wes and Oliver. Mack Avenue Records

Zara McFarlane. Songs of an Unknown Tongue. Brownswood Recordings

Pat Metheny. From This Place. Nonesuch Records

Ron Miles. Rainbow Sign. Blue Note Records

Thelonious Monk. Palo Alto. Impulse!

Enrique Oliver & Jaume Llombart. Everything I Love. Underpool

Jeff Parker. Suite for Max Brown. International Anthem

Ester Quevedo Quintet. Trabalenguas. Underpool

Redman Mehldau McBride Blade. RoundAgain (Nonesuch)

Sonny Rollins. Rollins in Holland. Resonance Records

Felix Rossy Quintet Live. Looking At The Surroundings. Underpool

Chema Saiz. Solo Album. Volumen Dos. Errabal Jazz

Miguel Salvador Quartet. Hamar Urte Geroago. Diez Años Después. Errabal Jazz

Moisés P. Sánchez Project. There's Always Madness. Uno / Moisés P. Sánchez

Maria Schneider Orchestra. Data Lords. ArtistShare

Shabaka And The Ancestors. We Are Sent Here By History. Impulse!

Sergi Sirvent & David Viñolas. Recreacions tímbriques. De Mompou a Bartók Vol. II. Selfish Records

Neil Swainson Quintet. 49th Parallel. Real to Reel

The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums. Wabi Sabi. Sowiesound

María Toro. Fume. María Toro

Gonzalo del Val. Cancionero. Fresh Sound New Talent

For deeper thoughts on these albums please visit my site [in Spanish]

Steve Feeney

Stephen Feeney — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 15:17:10 GMT

Rudresh Mahanthappa, Hero Trio (Whirlwind)
Thumbscrew, The Anthony Braxton Project (Cuneiform)
James Brandon Lewis Quartet, Molecular (Intakt)
Tani Tabbal Trio, Now Then (Tao Forms)
Kenny Barron-Dave Holland Trio Featuring Johnathan Blake, Without Deception (Dare2)
Tomas Fujiwara, 7 Poets Trio (RogueArt -19)
Maria Schneider Orchestra, Data Lords (Artists Share)
Fred Hersch, Songs From Home (Palmetto)
Rich Halley-Matthew Shipp-Michael Bisio-Newman Taylor Baker, The Shape of Things (Pine Eagle)
Ron Miles, Rainbow Sign (Blue Note)

Travis Rogers Jr.

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 02:48:43 GMT

Favorites of 2020

The year 2020 belied all expectations and defied all predictions. Nevertheless, this annus horribilis was met with unabashedly remarkable music that flew in the face of dashed hopes. He was speaking of violence but Leonard Bernstein said, “This will be our reply…to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.”

This is exactly what the following artists have done. In the face of pandemic, cultural distrust, incompetent political leadership and, yes, violence, these wonderful people have created intense, beautiful, and devoted music.

I cannot categorize the music between formats and styles this year. All I can say is that this is the music that inspired me and gave me hope. I love these artists as people as much as musicians and composers.

AJOYO – War Chant

Do not let it be said that Jazz has nothing to offer in this present time. The glory days of jazz are not over, far from it, and if you need proof of it, all you need to do is listen to AJOYO’s new album War Chant. This is their second release following their 2015 eponymous album.

War Chant is a spiritual call-to-arms against oppression, greed, fear of others, and isolation—national and individual. AJOYO does it with grace and strength, intelligence and wit, and—most of all—a love and acceptance of who we are and who we should be.

Markus Reuter Oculus – Nothing is Sacred

Markus Reuter is one of the most extraordinary musicians and composers of this or any other century. In the wake of so many brilliant and innovative releases, Reuter presents his first Oculus project, featuring equally remarkable musicians who fit like a fist in glove in their presentation of Nothing is Sacred.

Markus Reuter Oculus’s Nothing is Sacred is everything we have come to expect, respect, and admire from Markus Reuter. No idea is left unexplored, no question unanswered, in this brilliant album of shadow and light.

Alex Wintz Trio – Live to Tape

Alex Wintz decided to go old school with his trio and record his latest album Live to Tape on analog equipment in a successful attempt to recapture the warmth of the Blue Note era recordings. It was the perfect set-up for the guitar trio format, made more perfect with the artistry of bassist Dave Baron and drummer Jimmy Macbride, his longstanding comrades in arms.

Antonio Adolfo – BruMa: Celebrating Milton Nascimento

Antonio Adolfo breathes new life into the work of the maestro in a time when Milton Nascimento’s vision and voice should not be forgotten.

David Cross & Peter Banks – Crossover

David’s violin brilliance and Peter’s guitar work is more beautiful than ever and the support of these astounding musicians with Peter and David make this album feel as monumental as the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Bravo, David Cross, for finishing what you and Peter Banks started over seven years ago. It has truly been worth the wait.

David K. Mathews – The Fantasy Vocal Sessions, Vol. 2

David K. Mathews has taken a delightful collection of songs from several genres and has given us a masterwork of favorite vocalists interpreting these moving and inspiring and reflective songs in ways that do honor to the originals. Mathews’ playing is incredible and his assembly of supporting artists is appropriate and well-conceived.

I can’t wait for Volumes 3 and 4.

Sarah Elizabeth Charles & Jarrett Cherner – Tone

Toneis the inevitable evolution of the talents, skills, and hearts of Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Jarrett Cherner. Like lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids combing to make life, these two amazing artists have created something unique that the world has awaited since the beginning. It’s that good.

Jasnam Daya Singh and the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble – EKTA: The Unity Project

EKTA: The Unity Project is not about Utopia—it is not the absence of division but the overcoming of it. Nor is it simply a hope for the future but a vision that begins with coming together, followed by acceptance, and ending in oneness and walking forward together.

Jasnam Daya Singh is not only a national treasure. He is a global one.

Gary Husband & Markus Reuter – Music of Our Times

Gary Husband and Markus Reuter were on tour in China and Japan with Stick Men. They had finished their one and only performance in Nagoya, Japan, at the famed Blue Note. Then the world changed. The Stick Men Tour (with Tony Levin, Markus Reuter, Pat Mastelotto and special guest Gary Husband) was abruptly canceled. Producer and MoonJune Records owner Leonardo Pavkovic quickly booked studio time in Tokyo before the return flights of Reuter and Husband. The results—Music of Our Time—are something extraordinary.

LP and the Vinyl – Heard and Seen

I’ve been a fan of Danny Green for quite some time now. His trio’s Altered Narratives was on my Favorites of 2016 list and 2018’s One Day It Will ranks as one of my all-time favorites. In the review of One Day It Will, I wrote, “And just when I thought Danny Green’s Trio had outdone themselves with 2015’s Altered Narratives, they release One Day It Will, their third album on OA2 Records. It is the very same brilliant trio of Danny Green on piano, Justin Grinnell on bass, and Julien Cantelm on drums. In fact, they have been together since 2010.”

On One Day It Will, Danny & Company added a string quartet from the San Diego Symphony. The latest project brings a return of that great trio with the remarkable addition of Leonard Patton on vocals. That assembly is called LP and the Vinyl and their album is Heard and Seen.

Susan Tobocman – Touch & Go

Now this is a good album. Susan Tobocman has chosen a fine collection of standards, classics, and originals and a band of dedicated and interpretive artists that can give life to the instrumentation and can give her space for her own vocal expressions to make her album Touch & Go a work worthy of great attention and praise.

Susan Tobocman is a Jazz lover’s dream. Her vocals are beyond compare but her arrangements and compositions are beyond description. She is talented and brilliant beyond measure. Touch & Go does not describe the power and beauty of the album; she was full on, right on, every step of the way.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra – The Latin Jazz Project

The Latin Jazz Project is what we have been waiting for from Spanish Harlem Orchestra. With six previous recordings, they have given us glimpses and splashes of Latin jazz. Thanks to Artistshare, a fan-funded project program, SHO have given us a full-length recording of pure Latin jazz. Their last album, Anniversary, was the Grammy winner for Best Tropical Latin Album. A wonderful album.

But Musical director Oscar Hernandez, with two brilliant Latin Jazz albums under his belt, has brought his full creative force to bear with SHO for another album of wonder. The Latin Jazz Project will certainly be a Grammy contender.

Rudresh Mahanthappa – Hero Trio

I've always enjoyed about Rudresh Mahanthappa is the way he never settles on a given expression or style. Ever since I began listening to him, he has pushed his own boundaries to new places and always finds fertile soil for his musical imagination wherever he ventures. Such is the case with his new album entitled Hero Trio.

Hero Trio is exactly what it says it is. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Franςois Moutin, and Rudy Royston have created a powerful, precise, and—okay—perfect album. There’s no Kryptonite on this album.

Lauren Henderson – The Songbook Session

Lauren Henderson continues to thrill, comfort, and amaze with every album she has released. Whether YouTube live performances, EPs, or full-length albums, Lauren never disappoints. Her 2020 CD The Songbook Session is no different.

The Songbook Session is Lauren’s third full-length album and it is her best to date. She takes standards from the 30s and 40s and breathes sweet life into them all over again, almost as if we had never heard them before. When an artist can make you forget everything that has gone before, it is something amazing. Such is this album.

Jesse Fischer – Resilience

It has been an excellent year for Jesse Fisher. First, he participated in the phenomenal War Chant album by Ajoyo. Now he releases his latest project as a leader called Resilience. Resilience incorporates the influences of modern Jazz, African music, and Near Eastern music reflecting Jesse's own Jewish heritage.

Jesse Fischer has not only envisioned and composed a beautiful album, he has brought together the right players for the right job. It is executed with power and precision and—dare I say—purity. Resilience does not lose its way once. It is focused and is a frontal assault at what life throws our way, and how we can overcome.

Gato Libre – Koneko

Koneko is the eighth album from Gato Libre and the first since 2017’s Neko. Since 2015, Gato Libre (Spanish for Free Cat) has been a trio comprised of Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Yasuko Kaneko on trombone and Satoko Fujii and accordion. Unlike Kaze (Japanese for Breeze), the other band with Tamura and Fujii, Gato Libre is more informed by tone and texture than in frenetic virtuosity.

Koneko (Japanese for Kitten) is a further exploration into the far reaches of said tone and texture. It is music to be heard with intent—not background music while making breakfast.

(Live Streaming Performance) Farofa – Jazz on YOUR Green; Live at the Omaha Performing Arts

In the days of limited access to live music, innovative promoters and artists are finding a way to still bring the joy and magic of the live performance. God bless Jazz on YOUR Green, Omaha Performing Arts, Manager Marian Liebowitz, and the band of extraordinary artists called Farofa.

It was a joyous romp that was energetic, spirited, fascinating, and leaving you wanting more. Farofa is a new band with original compositions and original takes on old songs. Farofa pulls the listener up to their level and makes you crave their understanding of life in the world we live.

I am thankful for all the beautiful work offered in 2020 by all of these beautiful people.

~Travis Rogers, Jr. is the Jazz Owl

Christopher Burnett

Christopher Burnett — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:05:00 GMT

Jazz Artistry Now - JAN Best of Jazz 2020

MMXX was the centennial year of Charlie Parker’s birth in 1920. Although the coronavirus pandemic inherently muted the magnitude and scope of celebrations marking such a momentous occasion, artists released a wide variety of music that Bird would surely appreciate as a legacy to his own efforts. As with earlier works, the music today continues to inculcate the avant garde but it’s also grounded in the innovations of the modern jazz pioneers like Mr. Parker. Jazz Artistry Now presents our “Best of …” list for 2020 of recordings that reflect the positive evolution of the music and the premium state of the art in our times. Check out our list. Listen.

Jazz Artistry Now - JAN Best of Jazz 2020

C. Andrew Hovan

C. Andrew Hovan — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 15:27:50 GMT

A Dozen Top Jazz Picks for 2020

1. Connie Han- Iron Starlet (Mack Avenue)

2. Redman/Mehldau/McBride/Blade- Round Again (Nonesuch)

3. Joe Farnsworth- Time to Swing (Smoke Sessions)

4. John Scofield- Swallow Tales (ECM)

5. Peter Bernstein- What Comes Next (Smoke Sessions)

6. Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy- Onward & Upward (Onyx)

7. Christian McBride Big Band- For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver (Mack Avenue)

8. Wayne Escoffery- The Humble Warrior (Smoke Sessions)

9. Paul Desmond- The Complete 1975 Toronto Recordings (Mosaic)

10. Thelonious Monk- Palo Alto (Impulse)

11. George Coleman- In Baltimore (Reel to Real)

12. Bill Evans- Live at Ronnie Scott's (Resonance)

SPECIAL MENTION- Blue Note Records' Tone Poet Series brought over two dozen choice titles from the vaults delivered in pristine sound and deluxe gatefold packaging complete with Frank Wolff photos.

J Hunter

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 18:31:03 GMT

TOP 10 JAZZ2K DISCS OF 2020:

Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords (ArtistShare)
Shabaka & the Ancestors - We Are Sent Here by History (impulse!)
Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science - Waiting Game (Motema)
Orrin Evans / Captain Black Big Band - The Intangible Between (Smoke Sessions)
Lakecia Benjamin - Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope)
Bright Dog Red - Somethin' Comes Along (Ropeadope)
Dave Douglas - Dizzy Atmosphere (Greenleaf Music)
Dan Loomis - Job's Trials: A Jazz Song Cycle (Self-released)
Jimmy Greene - While Looking Up (Mack Avenue)
Nduduzo Makhatini - Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds (Blue Note)

2020 JAZZ2K AWARDS:

BEST PARTY DISC: Funk Shui NYC - SharkNATO On A Plane (Zoho)
BEST VOCAL DISC: Karrin Allyson Sextet - Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women's Suffrage (eOne)
BEST SOLO OR DUO DISC: Brian Charette - Like The Sun (Self-released)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Randy Brecker / Eric Marienthal - Double Dealin' (Shanachie)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Nubya Garcia - Source (Concord Jazz)
LOCAL HERO AWARD: Dylan Canterbury - Going Places (Self-released)

top 10 2020

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 17:05:04 GMT

NEW RELEASES

Thana Alexa, ONA (self-released)
Jyoti, Mama, You Can Bet! (SomeOthaShip)
Webber/Morris Big Band, Both Are True (Greenleaf Music)
Ron Miles, Rainbow Sign (Blue Note)
Liberty Ellman, Last Desert (Pi)
Lakecia Benjamin, Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope)
Susan Alcorn Quintet, Pedernal (Relative Pitch)
Dafnis Prieto Sextet, Transparency (Dafnison Music)
Joel Harrison + 18, America at War (Sunnyside)
Jason Miles & Kind of New, Black Magic (Ropeadope)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

Thelonious Monk, Palo Alto (1968, Impulse)
Sonny Rollins, Rollins in Holland (1967, Resonance)
Nina Simone, I Put a Spell on You (1965, Verve)

Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 18:38:58 GMT

On December 19, 2020, from 2-5 p.m., I reviewed the top tracks from some of the best jazz albums that came my way this year on the radio program The Motif: Reimagine a Jazz Sensibility on KBOO, 90.7 FM in Portland, Oregon. Many of these tracks also have been or will be featured on my national program, Jazz In the New Millennium, syndicated through the African American Public Radio Consortium. The aesthetic core of these programs is to help define a modern mainstream for the 21st Century. It does not represent the full range of what I listen to, both within the jazz world and beyond. Here is the playlist:

Set one

Christian McBride, "Sister Rosa," The Movement Revisited (Mack Avenue)

Warren Wolf, "For Ma," Reincarnation (Mack Avenue)

Gregory Porter, "Dad Gone Thing," All Rise (Blue Note)

Christian Sands, "Can't Find My Way Home," Be Water (Mack Avenue)

Set two

Tim Ray, "Paint It Black," Excursions and Adventures (Whaling City Sound)

Charles Lloyd, "La Llorona," 8: Kindred Spirits (Blue Note)

Bill Frisell, "Baba Drame," Valentine (Blue Note)

Tony Allen/Hugh Masekela, "Coconut Jam," Rejoice (World Circuit)

Set three

Joel Ross, "After the Rain," Who Are You? (Blue Note)

Immanuel Wilkins, "The Dreamer," Omega (Blue Note)

Lauren Henderson, "Day by Day," The Songbook Session (Brontosaurus)

Aaron Diehl, "Polaris," The Vagabond (Mack Avenue)

Set four

Doctor Michael White, "Summertime," Live (Basin Street)

Maceo Parker, "Hard Times," Soul Food: Cookin' with Maceo (The Funk Garage)

Christian McBride Big Band, "Road Song," For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver (Mack Avenue)

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, "Hammer Head," The Music of Wayne Shorter (Blue Engine)

Set five

Derrick Hodge, "The Cost," Color of Noize (Blue Note)

Ndudzo Makhathini, "Saziwa Nguwe," Modes of Communication Letters from the Underworlds (Blue Note)

Gerald Clayton, "Rejuvenation Agenda," Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note)

Ambrose Akinmusire, "Yessss," On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment (Blue Note)

Set six

Maria Schneider Orchestra, "The Sun Waited for Me," Data Lords (Artist Share)

Billy Childs, "Leimert Park," Acceptance (Mack Avenue)

John Beasley, "Monk's Mood," Monk'estra Plays John Beasley (Mack Avenue)

Pat Metheny, "Same River," From This Place (Nonesuch)

Set seven

Artemis, "If It's Magic," Artemis (Blue Note)

Rudresh Mahanthappa, "Ring of Fire," Hero Trio (Whirlwind)

Harold Lopez Nussa, "Van Van Meets New Orleans," Te Lo Dije (Mack Avenue)

Derrick Shezbie, "Didn't He Ramble," The Ghost of Buddy Bolden (Clubhouse)

Set eight

Fred Hersh, "Wichita Lineman," Songs from Home (Palmetto)

Warren Wolf, "Do You Hear What I Hear?," Christmas Vibes (Mack Avenue)

Closer

Robert Cray Band, "This Man," That's What I Heard (Nozzle/Thirty Tigers)

Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd — Sun, 20 Dec 2020 04:00:45 GMT

Here are my top eleven for 2020. I also list another 14 albums that greatly impressed me- along with comments on these 11- over at PostGenre.

New Releases

1. Jennifer Curtis & Tyshawn Sorey, Invisible Ritual (Tundra/New Focus)

2. Alabaster Deplume, To Cy & Lee: The Instrumentals Vol. 1 (International Anthem) [Much of this album was previously released, so often doesn't count on new releases lists]

3. Kahil El'Zabar, Kahil El'Zabar's Spirit Groove ft. David Murray (Spiritmuse)

4. Lakecia Benjamin, Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope)

5. Josh Johnson, Freedom Exercise (Northern Spy)

6. Carla Bley - Andy Sheppard - Steve Swallow, Life Goes On (ECM)

7. Charles Lloyd, 8: Kindred Spirits (Live from the Lobero) (Blue Note)

8. Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell, How to Turn the Moon (Pyroclastic)

9. Susan Alcorn Quintet, Pedernal (Relative Pitch)

10. George Burton, Reciprocity (self-released)

11. Lionel Loueke, HH (Edition)

Historical

1. Dudu Pukwana, Dudu Phukwana and the "Spears" (Matsuli Music)

2. The Heshoo Beshoo Group, Armitage Road (We are Busy Bodies)

3. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Just Coolin' (Blue Note)

4. Sonny Rollins, Sonny Rollins in Holland (Resonance)

5. Thelonious Monk, Palo Alto (Impulse!)

Vocal

Norah Jones, Pick Me Up Off the Floor (Blue Note)

Debut

Josh Johnson, Freedom Exercise (Northern Spy)

Latin

Aruan Ortiz with Andrew Cyrille and Mauricio Herrera, Inside Rhythmic Falls (Intakt)

Marcela Breton

Marcela Breton — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 14:40:19 GMT

1. Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow “Life Goes On” (ECM)
2. Muriel Grossmann “Reverence” (RR Gems Records)
3. John Santos “Art of the Descarga” (Smithsonian Folkways)
4. Lakecia Benjamin “Pursuance : the Coltranes” (Ropeadope)
5. Sasha Berliner “Azalea” (eponymous?)
6. Carolina Calvache “Vida Profunda” (Sunnyside)
7. Ingrid Laubrock & Kris Davis “Blood Moon” (Intakt)
8. Allegra Levy “Lose My Number : Allegra Levy Sings John McNeil” (SteepleChase)
9. Eva Cortés “Todas Las Voces” (Truth Revolution)
10. Jason Yeager “New Songs of Resistance” (Outside In)
11. Luedji Luna "Bom Mesmo e Estar Debaixo D'Agua" (album visual, 23 min. youtube.com)
12. Ingrid Laubrock "Dreamt Twice, Twice Dreamt" (Intakt) (2 CDs)
Reissues:
- 1. Bill Evans “Live at Ronnie Scott’s” (Resonance) (2 CDs)
- 2. Nina Simone “Fodder on My Wings (Verve)
- 3. Ibrahim Ferrer “Buenos Hermanos” (World Circuit)
- 4. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers "Just Coolin'" (Blue Note)

John Szwed

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 19:11:45 GMT

Keith Jarrett Budapest ECM

Charles Lloyd 8: Kindred Spirits Blue Note

Maria Schneider Data Lords Artist Share

Matt Shipp Unidentifiable ESP-Disk

Susan Alcorn Pedernol Relative Pitch

Carla Bley Life Goes On ECM

Ron Miles Rainbow Sign Blue Note

Sun Ra Swirling Strut

The Warriors of the Wonderful Sound Soundpath. Clean Feed

Jeff Parker. Suite for Max Brown. Nonesuch

Historical:

Charles Mingus Mingus at Bremen 1964 and 1975 Sunnyside

Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins in Holland Resonance Records

Thelonious Monk Palo Alto Impulse

Vocal:

Leïla Martial Warm Canto Laborie Jazz

Debut:

Raphaël Pannier Faune French Paradox

Latin:

Poncho Sanchez Trane’s Delight Concord Picante

Best of 2020

James Hale — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:51:48 GMT

Lina Allemano’s OHRENSCHMAUS: Rats & Mice (Lumo)
Nels Cline Singers: Share The Wealth (Blue Note)
Dave Douglas: Marching Music (Greenleaf Music)
Ran Blake & Andrew Rathbun: Northern Noir (SteepleChase)
Joshua Redman/Brad Mehldau/Christian McBride/Brian Blade: Round Again (Nonesuch)
Aaron Parks: Little Big II—Dreams Of A Mechanical Man (Ropeadope)
Carla Bley: Life Goes On (ECM)
Liberty Ellman: Last Desert (Pi)
John Scofield: Swallow Tales (ECM)
Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign (Blue Note)

Sanford Josephson

Sanford Josephson — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 14:21:08 GMT

10 Favorite Albums of 2020 (alphabetical)

Eric Alexander: Eric Alexander With Strings (HighNote)

Don Braden, Joris Teepe: The Spirit of Herbie Hancock (O.A.P. Records)

Joe Farnsworth: Time To Swing (SmokeSessions)

Lafayette Harris, Jr.: You Can't Lose the Blues (Savant)

Eddie Henderson: Shuffle and Deal (SmokeSessions)

Diana Krall: This Dream of You (Verve)

Alex Levin: A Sunday Kind of Love (Alex Levin Music)

Jeremy Pelt: The Art of Intimacy (HighNote)

Eric Reed: Such a Time as This (SmokeSessions)

James Taylor/John Pizzarelli: American Standard (Fantasy)

My best of Jazz 2020 in no particular ranking

Ralph A. Miriello — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 19:58:16 GMT

Big Band:

John Hollenbeck w Kate McGarry, Theo Bleckmann and Gary Versace and the Franfurt Radio Band: Song You Like A Lot, Flexatonic Records

Maria Schneider: Data Lords: Artists Share

Dave Stryker w Bob Mintzer and WDR Big Band : Blue Soul: Strikezone Records

John Beasley's Monk'estra: Monk'estra Plays John Beasley: Mack Avenue Records

The Ed Palmero Big Band: The Great Un-American Songbook Vol III: Sky Cat Records

Gregg August: Gregg August Dialogues on Race Vol 1: Self Produced

Modern Jazz Smaller Groups:

Jerry Bergonzi: Nearly Blue: Savant Records

Jeff Cosgrove w John Medeski and Jeff Lederer: Histroy Gets Ahead of the Story: Grizzley Music

Wolfgang Musthspiel w Scott Colley and Brian Blade: Angular Blues ECM Records

Gregoire Maret w Romain Collin and Bill Frisell: Americana: ACT Records

Brian Landrus: For Now: Blueland Records

Ricardo Grilli: 1962 : Tone Rogue Records

John Scofield w Bill Stewart and Steve Swallow: Swallow Tales: ECM Records

Aaron Parks Little Big III: Dreams of a Mechanical Man: Ropeadope Records

Dayna Stephens w Ben Street and Eric Harland: Liberty: Contagious Music

Eric Revis: Slipknots Through a Looking Glass; Pyroclastic Records

Chamber Jazz and Jazz Opera:

Ryan Keberle, Frank Woeste and Vincet Courtois: Reverso The MElodic Line: Outhere Music

Pete Malinverni and Juliet Kurtzman: Candlelight: Love in the Time of Cholera: Self-Produced

John Ellis and Andy Bragen: The Ice Siren: Parade Light Records

Best Debut Jazz Album :

Raphael Pannier Quartet: Faune: French Paradox

Best Vocal Jazz Album:

Somi w John Beasley and the Franfurt Radio Band: Holy Room Live at Alte Opre:

Best Latin Jazz Album:

Chico Pinheiro: City of Dreams: Buriti Records

Best Historical Jazz Releases:

Thelonious Monk Quartet: Live at Pao Alto : Impulse Records

Bill Evans w Eddie Gomez and Jack Dejohnette: Bill Evans Live at Ronnie Scott's : Resonance Records

Nat King Cole: Nat King Cole Hittin' the Ramp The Early Years 1936-1945: Resonance Records

Additional worthy music from this year:

Aaron Diehl w Pal Skivie and Gregory Hutchinson: The Vagabond: Mack Avenue Records

Rudresh Mahanthappa: Hero Trio : Whirlwind Records

Chick Corea w Christian McBride and Brian Blade: Trilogy 2: Concord records

Edgar Djangirov: Rhapsodize: Twelev Tone Resonance

Steve Cardenas: Blue Has A Range: Sunnyside records

Amina Figarova Edition 113: Persistence: AmiFi Records

Kenny Barron w Dave Holland and Joanthan Blake: Without Deception: Dare 2 Records

Marvin Stamm and Mike Holober: Live @ Maureen's Jazz Cellar: Big Miles Music

Denny Zeitlin w Buster Williams and Matt Wilson: Denny Zeitlin Live at Mezzrow: Sunnyside Records

Martin Wind, Philip Catherine and Ack Van Rooyen: White Noise: Liaka Records

Rez Abbazi w Neil Alexander and Michael Sarin: Django Shift: Whirlwind Records

Chris Dingman: Embrace: Inner Arts Inniative

Jason Palmer:The Concert: 12 MUsings for Isabella: Giant Steps Arts

John DiMartino: Passion Flower: The Music of Billy Strayhorn: Sunnyside Records

Than Alexa: Ona: Self-Produced

Sirkis/Bialis IQ: Our New World: Moonjune Records

Dave Douglas: Dizzy Atmsophere: Dizzy at Zero Gravity: Greenleaf Music

Marcin Wasilewski Trio w Joe Lovano: Artic Riff: ECM

Keb'Mo': Oklahoma: Concord records

Craig Taborn: Junk Magic- Compass Confusion: Pyroclastic records

Jeff Hamilton Trio: Catch Me if You Can: Capri Records

Guiseppe Paradiso Meridian 71: Metropolitan Sketches: Self Produced

Bill Brownlee

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:32:00 GMT

Top Ten Jazz Albums of 2020
1. Jyoti- Mama, You Can Bet! (SomeOthaShip Connect)
2. Jennifer Curtis and Tyshawn Sorey- Invisible Ritual (New Focus)
3. Ambrose Akinmusire- On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment (Blue Note)
4. Bill Frisell- Valentine (Blue Note)
5. Kaja Draksler Octet- Out For Stars (Clean Feed)
6. Jeremy Pelt- The Art of Intimacy, Vol. 1 (HighNote)
7. Angelica Sanchez and Marilyn Crispell- How to Turn the Moon (Pyroclastic)
8. Sara Serpa- Recognition (Biophilia)
9. Rudresh Mahanthappa- Hero Trio (Whirlwind)
10. Brad Mehldau- Suite: April 2020 (Nonesuch)

W. Royal Stokes

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 03:04:15 GMT

BEST RELEASES OF 2020

Nota bene: All of my choices are in alphabetical order by artist and are to be equally rated within each category.

BEST 10 NEW RELEASES

Susan Alcorn Quintet, Pedernal (Relative Pitch)

David Boswell, The Story Behind the Story (My Quiet Moon)

The Claire Daly Band, Rah! Rah! (Ride Symbol)

Chris Hopkins, Chris Hopkins Meets the Jazz Kangaroos, Vol. 1 (Echoes of Swing)

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wayne Shorter and Wynton Marsalis, The Music of Wayne Shorter (Blue Engine)

Okuden Quartet (Mat Walerian/Matthew Shipp/William Parker/Hamid Drake), Every Dog Has His Day But It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Fatter (ESP-Disk)

Benny Rubin Jr. Quartet, Know Say or See (Benny Jr. Music)

Maria Schneider, Data Lords (Artists Share)

Gregory Tardy, If Time Could Stand Still (WJ3)

Charles Tolliver, Connect (Gearbox)

BEST 3 REISSUES/HISTORICAL

Sonny Rollins, Rollins in Holland, 1967 (Resonance)

Lennie Tristano, The Duo Sessions, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1976, (Dot Time)

Norma Winstone & John Taylor, In Concert, 1988 (Sunnyside)

BEST VOCAL

Kurt Elling, Secrets Are the Best Stories (Edition)

BEST DEBUT

New Orleans High Society, New Orleans High Society (2020) (1718 Records)

BEST LATIN

Carla Campopiano, Chicago/Buenos Aires Connections Vol. II (CarlaCampopiano.com)

Also see See my “A ROUNDUP OF 140 OR SO JAZZ, BLUES, BEYOND, AND OTHER BOOKS PUBLISHED IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO,” at wroyalstokes.com.

W. Royal Stokes

Amazon.com/W.-Royal-Stokes/e/B001HD17MY

Michael J. West

Mike West — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:16:41 GMT

Charles Tolliver Connect (Gearbox)
Nubya Garcia Source (Concord Jazz)
Jeff Parker Suite for Max Brown (International Anthem)
Chicago Underground Quartet Good Days (Astral Spirits)
Jim Snidero Project K (Savant)
Tyshawn Sorey Unfiltered (self-released)
Charles McPherson Jazz Dance Suites (Chazz Mack)
Ron Miles Rainbow Sign (Blue Note)
Lakecia Benjamin Pursuance: The Coltranes (Ropeadope)
Kenny Barron & Dave Holland Trio Without Deception (Blue Note)

Ken Franckling

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:17:55 GMT

The 10 best new jazz releases of 2020

1.     Tim Ray, Excursions and Adventures (Whaling City Sound)
2.     Maria Schneider Orchestra, Data Lords (ArtistShare)
3.     Artemis, Artemis (Blue Note)
4.     Jeff Rupert and George Garzone, The Ripple (Rupe Media)
5.     Lynne Arriale, Chimes of Freedom (Challenge)
6.     Bernard Purdie, Christian Fabian, Ron Oswanski, Move On! (Consolidated Artists)
7.     3D Jazz Trio, I Love to See You Smile (DIVA Jazz)
8.     Funk Shui NYC, Shark NATO on a Plane (Zoho)
9.     Wayne Alpern, Standard Deviation (Henri Elkan Music)
10.The Michael O’Neill Quartet, And Then It Rained (Jazzmo)

The best historical/reissues of 2020 (includes any recordings made over 10 years ago, whether newly released or reissued):

Sonny Rollins, Rollins in Holland (Resonance)
Thelonious Monk: Palo Alto (Impulse!/Sony)
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes (Verve)
Bill Evans, Live at Ronnie Scott’s (Resonance)
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Just Coolin' (Blue Note)

2020’s best vocal recordings:

1.     Sinne Eeg & The Danish Radio Big Band, We’ve Just Begun (Stunt/BFM Jazz)
2.     Kenny Washington, What’s The Hurry (A-Train Entertainment)
3.     Clairdee, A Love Letter to Lena (Declare Music)
4.     Melody Gardot, Sunset in Blue (Decca)
5.     Susan Tobocman, Touch & Go (Soliterra)

2020’s best Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings:

1.     Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra, Puertos: Music From International Waters (Avantango)
2.     Calle Loiza Jazz Project, There Will Never be Another You (self-produced)
3.     John Daversa Quintet, Cuarantena: With Family at Home (Tiger Turn)
4.     Jose Rizo’s Mongorama, Mariposas Cantan (Saungu)
5.     Vanderlei Pereira, Vision for Rhythm (Jazzheads)

2020’s best debut recording:

Douglas Olsen, 2 Cents (self-produced)

The 10 best new compositions from CDs released in 2020, listed alphabetically:

Lynne Arriale, “3 Million Steps” from Chimes of Freedom (Challenge)
Frank Colón, “Spanish Heart” from Latin Lounge (Technoprimal)
Jenny Davis, “Wise Up” from Rearranged (Three Penny)
Erik Jekabson, “Dusk” from Erik Jekabson Sextet III, One Note at a Time (Wide Hive)
Austin McMahon, “Sol” from The Lost Melody, New Songs For Old Souls (Tie)
Dave Morgan, Noel Cohen, “July Groove/September Funk” from Funk Shui NYC, Shark NATO on a Plane (Zoho)
Josh Nelson, “Kintsugi” from Josh Nelson Trio, The Discovery Project Live in Japan (Steel Bird)
Jose Rizo and Francisco Torres, “Descarga Ramon Banda” from Jose Rizo’s Mongarama, Mariposas Cantan (Saungu)
Renee Rosnes, “Big Top” from Artemis (Blue Note)
Maria Schneider, “A World Lost” from Data Lords (ArtistShare)

John Chacona

John Chacona — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 15:07:41 GMT

In a year overflowing with mixed blessings, the opportunity to hear more recorded music must rank in my Top Ten--not that I always had the taste or mental energy for doing so. Still, this extraordinary year brought so much extraordinary music to my ears that this alphabetical list is 15 items long. The fact that all releases are by BIPoC and women artists is not an accident.

Ambrose Akinmusire: On the tender spot of every calloused moment (Blue Note)

Camilla Nebbia: Aura (ears & eyes Records)

Code Girl: Artlessly Falling(Firehouse 12)

Dayna Stephens Quartet: Right Now! Live at the Village Vanguard (Contagious Music)

Eric Revis: Slipknots Through A Looking Glass (Pyroclastic Records)

Ingrid Laubrock: Dreamt Twice, Twice Dreamt (Intakt Records)

Ingrid Laubrock+Kris Davis: Blood Moon (Intakt Records)

Irreversible Entanglements: Who Sent You? (International Anthem)

Manuel Valera & New Cuban Express Big Band: José Martí En Nueva York (Greenleaf Music)

Maria Schneider Orchestra: Data Lords (ArtistShare)

Matthew Shipp: The Piano Equation (Tao Forms)

Shabaka And The Ancestors : We Are Sent Here By History (Impulse!)

Steph Richards: Supersense (Northern Spy)

Thumbscrew: The Anthony Braxton Project (Cunieform)

Tyshawn Sorey: Unfiltered (self released)

Howard Mandel

Howard Mandel — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 18:28:37 GMT

Yes, it's hard to select 10 best of the year. Downloads are not making it easier to organize -- I'm flooded! Great to have so much music at my fingertips, so that's not a complaint. And I may return to this list to add other notable releases, but I can recommend all of these albums -- and urge you to hear the title track of 92-year-old-though-you-wouldn't-know-it bluesman Jimmy Johnson's "Ever Day of Your Life."

Monk'estra plays John Beasley (Mack Avenue), John Beasley

Ism (International Anthem), Junius Paul*

Old New, (Cuneiform), Tomeka Reid Quartet*

Omega (Blue Note), Immanuel Wilkins

General Semantics (Delmark), Geof Bradfield-Ben Goldberg-Dana Hall Trio

Night Visitors (SE Records), by Dave Bryant with Charnette Moffett and Gregg Bendian

Every Day of Your Life (Delmark), Jimmy Johnson

Rainbow Sign (Blue Note), Ron Miles

Like the Sun (Dim Mak), Brian Charrett

Cosmicomics (Queen Bee Records), Lisa Mezzacappa

* released in 2019

Also -- Human Rights Trio, Jason Kao Hwang

Swallow Tales (ECM), John Scofield

Sammy Stein

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:38:45 GMT

Top releases 2020 - in no order

Sothiac feat Paul Jolly ' Superluna' ( Sotrhiac/33Jazz)

Ivo Perelman/Gordon Grdina ' The Purity of desire' ( Not Two records)

The End Allt Ir Intet ( Rare Noise records)

Will Glaser and James Allsop ' New River Ramble' ( self release)

Archie The Goldfish 'Hidden Depths' ( Ropeadope)

Elliot Galvin and Binker Golding 'Ex Nihillo (Byrd Out)

Ensemble C Small World ( Self Release)

Dinosaur ' to THe Earth' ( Edition)

Erodoto Project ' Mythos- Metomorphosis ( Cultural Bridge)

Tony Kofi - Another Kind Of Soul ( Last Music Company)

Witch N Monk ' Witch 'N Monk' ( Tzadik )

David Grubbs/Mats Gustafsson ' The Underflow' (Corbet vs Dempsey)

All of these are worth checking out. So difficult to choose just a few.

Best Interviews I carried out in 2020

Ivo Perelman Ivo Perelman is Prolific in His Creativity: An Interview with Ivo Perelman ~ The Free Jazz Collective (freejazzblog.org)

Mats Gustafsson An Interview with Mats Gustafsson ~ The Free Jazz Collective (freejazzblog.org)

Daniel Bennett LOOKING FOR THE BLESSINGS! - Daniel Bennett offers hope during Coronavirus (jazzviews.net)

These interviews were very revealing