MY FAVORITE THINGS-IT’S TOP TEN TIME!!!

by George W. Harris • January 1, 2016 • 0 Comments

One of the joys of being a jazz fan, or a fan of anything (for that matter), is to compare what people consider their “TOP TEN” list of albums. Or pizzas. Or baseball players. Or hot dogs. Or chilli. Or US Presidents. Or preachers. Or…

OK, you get my point. The great thing about a list is that it doesn’t have to be objective. It’s top ten FAVORITE albums. That means, “what are the albums that you’re most often going to keep listening to as time goes by?” Therefore, while “Citizen Kane” may be one of the “greatest” movies ever, it’s not one of my favorites, as I can only take seeing it once every few years. On the other hand, “The Great Escape,” “Stalag 17,” “Bridge on the River Kwaii,” “Ben Hur,” or “Some Like It Hot” are always there in my top list as I can never see them enough times.

Same with jazz albums. Ornette Coleman’s “Free Jazz” is considered a classic, but once a lifetime is fine with me.

So it is with top ten albums. These albums are the ones I and my associates consider albums that we will keep as our friends, and return to them for continued inspiration.

In ancient times, before there was punctuation marks in writing, the way to emphasize something was to repeat it over and over. That is why in the Bible Jesus says, “Truly, Truly…” He is underlining a point.

Same here with top ten albums. Look for albums that keep popping up on peoples’ lists. Those are the ones you’ll most definitely want to check out. Then, if you like it, try out another album by a journalist/critic on the list. After awhile, these people will become your musical advisors. I got into jazz on the recommendations of Leonard Feather, Scott Yanow and John McDonough, and am a better person for it.

Have fun!

I George Harris (www.jazzweekly.com, Cadence Magazine)

Lenny Hambro: 1953-1957 (Fresh Sound Records
Wes Montgomery: In The Beginning (Resonance)
Frank Sinatra: A Voice On Air (Sony Legacy)
Romero Lubambo: Setembre (Sunnyside)
Charlie Haden-Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Tokyo Adagio (Impulse!)
Kamasi Washington: The Epic (Brainfeeder)
Dave Stryker: Messin’ With Mister T (Strike Zone)
Billie Holiday: Banned From New York City (Uptown Records)
Melissa Stylianou: No Regrets (Anzic Records)
Barry Harris: Plays Tadd Dameron (Xanadu)

II John McDonough (Down Beat, NPR, Northwestern University Music Dept.)

Wes Montgomery: In the beginning (Resonance)
Charlie Haden-Jim Hall (Impulse)
Tony Bennett sings Jerome Kern (Columbia)
Diana Krall: Wallflower (Verve)
Billie Holiday, Live 1947-54 (Uptown)
Chuck Corea-Bela Fleck
Keith Jarrett-Charlie Handen: Last Dance (ECM)
Louis Armstrong Complete Newport, 1956-58 (Mosaic)
Complete Bee Hive Sessions (Mosaic)
Oscar Peterson: Exclusively for the Friends (MPS)

–—————-

Tony Bennett-Lady Gaga (Columbia)

12, The Bad Plus-Joshua Redman (Nonesuch)

III David Kunian

Noah Preminger – Live at 55 Bar
Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns – Bad Kids Club
Bridge Trio – Search: Departure
Chicago Reed Quartet – Western Automatic
Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – Stretch Music
Wayne Kramer – Lexington
Sun Ra Arkestra – Babylon
Long Sidewalks – Staffa
James Singleton – Shiner
Plunge – In For The Out

IV Mark F. Turner

Freelance Writer

Allaboutjazz.com

Kamasi Washington: The Epic (Brainfeeder)
Ike Sturm + Evergreen: Shelter Of Trees (self produced)
Tomoko Omura: Roots (inner circle music)
Julian Lage: World’s Fair (Modern Lore Records)
Laurent Coq / Walter Smith III: The LaFayette Suite (Jazzandpeople)
José James: Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Music Of Billie Holiday (blue note records)
Donny McCaslin: Fast Future (Greenleaf)
Pete Rodriguez: El Conde Negro (Destiny Records)
Nicole Mitchell/Tomeka Reid/Mike Reed: Artifacts (482 Music)
William Parker: Raining on the Moon/Great Spirit (Aum Fidelity)

V David Adler
Top Ten New Releases

Maria Schneider Orchestra, The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare)
Vijay Iyer Trio, Break Stuff (ECM)
Julian Lage, World’s Fair (Modern Lore)
Matt Mitchell, Vista Accumulation (Pi)
Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bird Calls (ACT)
Myra Melford, Snowy Egret (Enja)
Steve Coleman and the Council of Balance, Synovial Joints (Pi)
Christian McBride Trio, Live at the Village Vanguard (Mack Avenue)
Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet, Intents and Purposes (Enja)
Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project, Lines of Color: Live at Jazz Standard (Blue Note/ArtistShare)

Reissues

John Abercrombie, The First Quartet (ECM)
David S. Ware/Apogee, Birth of a Being (AUM Fidelity)
Erroll Garner, The Complete Concert By the Sea (Sony Legacy/Octave)

VI JASON BIVINS

1. Tim Berne – You’ve Been Watching Me – ECM
2. Ellery Eskelin – Solo Live at Snugs – Hatology
3. Rudresh Mahanthappa – Bird Calls – ACT
4. Myra Melford – Snowy Egret (Enja)
5. Matt Mitchell – Vista Accumulation – Pi Recordings
6. Nicole Mitchell/Tomeka Reid/Mike Reed – Artifacts – 482
Music)
7. Evan Parker/Joe Morris/Nate Wooley – Ninth Square – Clean
Feed
8. Prism Quartet – Heritage/Evolution Volume 1 – Innova
9. Jen Shyu and Jade Tongue – Sounds and Cries of the World
– Pi
10. Henry Threadgill – In for a Penny, In for a Pound – Pi
VII Dustin Mallory
1. Kamasi Washington – The Epic – Brainfeeder
2. Vijay Iyer – Break Stuff – ecm
3. Christian Scott – Stretch Music
4. Rudresh Mahanthappa – Bird Calls – act
5. John Scofield – Past Present – Impulse
6. Obara International – Live at Manggha – For-tune
7. Jack DeJohnette – Made in Chicago – ECM
8. The Bad Plus Joshua Redman – The Bad Plus Joshua Redman
9. Maria Schneider Orchestra – The Thompson Fields –
artistshare
10. Makaya – In the Moment
VIII Jerome Wilson
1. Jack DeJohnette, Made In Chicago, ECM
2. Maria Schneider Orchestra, The Thompson Fields,
ArtistShare
3. Kamasi Washington, The Epic, Brainfeeder
4. Darius Jones Quartet, Le bebe de Brigitte, AUM Fidelity
5. Tomeka Reid Quartet, Thirsty Ear
6. Fred Hersch, Solo, Palmetto
7. Susan Alcorn, Soledad, Relative Pitch
8. Mary Halvorson, Meltframe, Firehouse 12
9. William Parker, For Those Who Are, Still, AUM Fidelity
10. Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh, Riding The Moment,
Sunnyside
IX Larry Hollis
1. John Ellis and Double Wide – Charm Parade Light
2. Cory Weeds – Condition Blue – Cellar Live
3. Dave Stryker – Messin’ with Mr. T. – Strikezone
4. Doug Webb – Triple Play – Positone
5. Gary McFarland Legacy Ens. – Cirlcuation – Planet Arts
6. Glenn Wilson – Timely – Cadence Jazz
7.Terell Stafford – Brotherlee Love – Capri
8. Grant Stewart Trio – Cellar Live
9. Giacamo Gates – Everything is Cool – Savant
10. JEFF HAMILTON TRIO-GREAT AMERICAN SONGS – CAPRI
11. SPECIAL MENTION: MOSE ALLISON-AMERICAN LEGEND –
HISTORICAL TITLES/REISSUES
1. WES MONTGOMERY-IN THE BEGINNING-RESONANCE
ERROLL GARNER-COMPLETE CONCERT BY THE SEA-SONY LEGACY
2. JIMMY HEATH-PICTURE OF HEATH-ELEMENTAL
3. CANNONBALL ADDERLEY SEXTET-COMPLETE TOKYO 1963-SOLAR
4. HORACE SILVER-LIVE AT THE HALF NOTE-HI HAT
5. MILES DAVIS-AT NEWPORT(BOX)- SONY LEGACY
6. THELONIOUS MONK-COMPLETE 1966 GENEVA CONCERT-SOLAR
7. FREDDIE HUBBARD-LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL 1972-STEPPER MUSIC
8. HORACE SILVER-JUNE 1977-LIVE LOVE SERIES
9. WES MONTGOMERY/WYNTON KELLY TRIO-UNISSUED 1965 HALF
NOTE BROADCASTS-JAZZ & JAZZ.
10. SPECIAL MENTION:ART BLAKEY/JAZZ MESSENGERS-RUTGERS
UNIV.NJ,4/15/69-HI HAT.
X DON LERMAN
1. GEOF BRADFIELD QUINTET – OUR ROOTS – ORIGIN
2. GEORGE COLLIGAN – RISKY NOTION – ORIGIN
3. ISAAC DARCHE – TEAM & VARIATIONS – CHALLENGE
4. DAVID FRIESEN CIRCLE 3 TRIO – WHERE THE LIGHT FALLS – ORIGIN
5. TED HOWE JAZZ ORCHESTRA – PINNACLE – HOT SHOE
6. MARIA SCHNEIDER ORCHESTRA – THE THOMPSON FIELDS – ARTIST
SHARE
7. THE SPIN QUARTET – IN CIRCLES – ORIGIN
8. MICHAL TOKAJ TRIO – THE SIGN -HV 0089-2-331
9. RYAN TRUESDELL – GIL EVANS PROJECT: LIVE AT JAZZ STANDARD
ARTIST SHARE BLUE NOTE ASBN 0133
10. ERIC VLOEIMANS – OLIVER’S CINEMA – CHALLENGE
XI ZIM TARRO
1. Jack DeJohnette, Made In Chicago – ECM
2. PAUL ELWOOD – SIMPLE FOLKS – INNOVA
3. Henry Threadgill – In for a Penny, In for a Pound – Pi
4. ERIC VLOEIMANS – OLIVER’S CINEMA – CHALLENGE
5. Darius Jones Quartet, Le bebe de Brigitte – AUM Fidelity
6. Prism Quartet – Heritage/Evolution Volume 1 – Innova
7. WADADA LEO SMITH – THE GREAT LAKES SUITES – tum
8. SAX GORDON – IN THE WEE SMALL HOUR – DELMARK
9 . PRISM QUARTET – THE SINGING GOBI DESERT – innova
10. LUIZ MORETTO QUINTET – VAMPYROTEUTHIS INFERNALIS – slam

XII Scott Yanow, jazz journalist for 40 years and author of 11 books including The Great Jazz Guitarists and The Jazz Singers

The Gary McFarland Legacy Ensemble – Circulation: The Music Of Gary McFarland – Planet Arts
Eddie Condon & Bud Freeman – Complete Commodore & Decca Sessions – Mosaic
Ghost Train Orchestra – Hot Town – Accurate
Andy Schumm – Bix Off The Record – Lake
Erik Friedlander – Oscalypso – Skipstone
Wes Montgomery – In The Beginning – Resonance
Mon David – This Is All I Ask – Human Connection
Miles Davis – At Newport 1955-75 – Columbia/Legacy