IT’S NOT “ALL GOOD”

One of the great things about “TOP TEN” lists, is that it dispels the cliche’ that “it’s all good.” Some things are good, some are excellent, some are average, some are below average, and some are terrible. The reason that people are afraid to say that something is bad is because that means they are “judging” and in this day of political correctness, how dare anyone “judge” something to be bad.

PHOOEY! These jazz journalists have their own criteria for what’s “good” or “bad,” and it’s not just the shallow justification of “I like it.” They have a filter to screen out gold from the dross. It may be creativity, imagination, swing, tone, beauty, excitement, or just that they notice that they play these albums more often than others. If you observe carefully, some of the picks between the various journalists overlap. That may be a good place to start checking out albums you may have missed the past year.

I. GEORGE HARRIS (jazzweekly.com)

 

1. Bill Evans: Some Other Time (Resonance)
2. Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra: All Our Yesterdays (Resonance)
3. Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto: Getz-Gilberto ‘76
4. Jules Farmer: Complete 1959 Imperial Recordings (Fresh Sound)
5. Jackie Paris: Sings Ira Gershwin-Song of Paris (Fresh Sound)
6. Count Basie/Lester Young: Classic 1936-1947 Studio Sessions (Mosaic)
7. NHOP & Mulgrew Miller: The Duo Live (Storyville)
8. Timmie’s Treasures (Storyville)
9. Tom Harrell: Something Gold, Something Blue (High Note)
10. David Bromberg: Full Circle (Mack Avenue)
11. David Krakauer: Checkpoint (www.davidkrakauer.com)

 

II.JOHN MCDONOUGH (Downbeat) :

1. Count Basie-Lester Young: 1936-47 (Mosaic)
2. Bill Charlap trio: Notes from New York (Impulse!)
3. Miles Davis: Freedom Dance (Columbia) [for the session rehearsals]
4. Sonny Rollins: Holding the stage
5. Fred Hersch: Sarabande (Sunnyside)
6. Ella Fitzgerald: JATP sessions (Verve)
7. Accordi Disccordi Trio: Bouncing Vibes  [Hot Club of France stylings]
8. Kenny Barron: Book of Intuition (Impulse!)
9. Benny Golson: Horizon Ahead (High Note)
10. Dick Hyman: House of Pianos (Arbors)

——————————————

11. Mary Halvorson: Away with You (Firehouse)
12. Chuck Israels Orch: Garden of Delights (Dot Time)
13. Nathan Zaporski: Live Recitation (ZGR)
14. Karen Marguth: Just You Just Me (Wayfare)
15. Jane Monheit: Ella Songbook Sessions (Emerald City)
16. Marlene Verplanck: The Mood I’m In (Audiophile)
17. Houston Person-Ron Carter: Chemistry (High Note)
18. Scott Hamilton-Jeff Hamilton: Live in Bern (Capri)

III MARK TURNER (All About Jazz)
Logan Richardson: Shift (Blue Note)

Mike Baggetta: Spectre  (Fresh Sound New Talent)

Myra Melford + Ben Goldberg: Dialogue (Self Produced)

Esperanza Spalding: Emily’s D+Evolution (Concord Music Group)

Twin Talk: Twin Talk (ears&eyes Records)

Richard Sears: Altadena (Ropeadope)

James Brandon Lewis Trio: No Filter (BNS Records)

Nate Wooley: Argonautica ( Firehouse 12 Records)

Beekman: Beekman Vol. 02 (Ropeadope)

Kris Davis: Duopoly (Pyroclastic Records)

 

IV SCOTT YANOW

 

1. Andy Schumm/Enrico Tomasso – When Louis Met Bix – Lake
2. The Cookers – The Call Of The Wild and Peaceful Heart – Smoke Sessions
3. The Fat Babies – Solid Gassuh – Delmark
4. Brian Bromberg – Full Circle – Artistry Music
5. Alyssa Allgood – Out Of The Blue – Jeru Jazz
6. Count Basie and Lester Young – Classic 1936-1947 Studio Sessions – Mosaic
7. Rent Romus’ Life’s Blood Ensemble – Rising Colossus – Edgetone
8. Derek Brown – Beatbox Sax – Self-Released
9. Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – All My Yesterdays – Resonance
10. Lennie Tristano – Chicago, April 1951 – Uptown

V. DAVID ADLER

 

 

New Releases:

Esperanza Spalding, Emily’s D+Evolution (Concord)

Mike Moreno, Lotus (World Culture)

Dan Weiss, Sixteen: Drummers Suite (Pi)

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Real Enemies (New Amsterdam)

Tony Moreno Quintet, Short Stories (Mayimba)

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau, Nearness (Nonesuch)

Rez Abbasi & Junction, Behind the Vibration (Cuneiform)

Nels Cline, Lovers (Blue Note)

Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus, The Distance (ECM)

Stephan Crump, Rhombal (Papillon)

 

Historical:

The Savory Collection, Volume 1: Body & Soul: Coleman Hawkins & Friends (NJMH)

Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Resonance)

Miles Davis Quintet, Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5 (Sony)

Larry Young, In Paris: The ORTF Recordings (Resonance)

Bill Evans, Some Other Time: The Lost Session from The Black Forest (Resonance)

Getz/Gilberto ’76 (Resonance)

Patrick Zimmerli Quartet, Shores Against Silence (Songlines)

 

VI THOMAS CONRAD (JazzTimes, Stereophyle, The New York City Jazz Record)

 

 

 

1. Wolfgang Muthspiel #Rising Grace# (ECM)
2. Bill Evans #Some Other Time# (Resonance)

3. Charlie Haden & Liberation Music Orchestra #Time/Life (Song for the Whales and Other Beings)# (Impulse)

4. Avishai Cohen #Into the Silence# (ECM)
5. Charles Lloyd & The Marvels #I Long to See You# (Blue Note)
6. Brad Mehldau #Blues and Ballads# (Nonesuch)
7. Henry Threadgill Ensemble Double Up #Old Locks and Irregular Verbs# (Pi)
8. Pat Metheny #The Unity Sessions# (Nonesuch)
9. Branford Marsalis Quartet/Special Guest Kurt Elling #Upward Spiral# (OKeh)
10. Francesco Diodati Yellow Squeeds #Flow, Home.# (Auand)

 

VII JEROME WILSON (CADENCE MAGAZINE:

 

1. NELS CLINE, LOVERS (BLUE NOTE)
2. THE FRED HERSCH TRIO, SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE VANGUARD – PALMETTO
3. MARK DRESSER SEVEN, SEDIMENTAL YOU, (CLEAN FEED)
4. DARRELL KATZ & ODDSONG, JAILHOUSE DOC WITH HOLES IN HER SOCKS, (JCA RECORDINGS)
5. JEFF LEDERER, BROOKLYN BLOWHARDS, (LITTLE (I) MUSIC
6. JANE IRA BLOOM, EARLY AMERICANS (OUTLINE)
7. HENRY THREADGILL ENSEMBLE DOUBLE UP, OLD LOCKS + IRREGULAR VERBS (PI)
8. SATOKO FUJII – JOE FONDA, DUET (LONG SONG)
9. MICHAEL FORMANEK ENSEMBLE KOLOSSUS, THE DISTANCE (ECM)
10. NANCY HARMS, ELLINGTON BY NIGHT (GAZELLE)

 

VIII LARRY HOLISS (CADENCE)

1. LOUIS HERIVEAUX-TRIADIC
2. EPISODE-HOT SHOE JERRY BERGONZI-SPOTLIGHT ON STANDARDS-SAVANT
3. BLACK ART JAZZ COLLECTIVE-SIDEDOOR JAZZ CLUB PRESENTS- SUNNYSIDE
4. LUIS PERDOMO-SPIRITS AND WARRIORS-CRISS CROSS
5. 
6. EHUD ASHERIE-SHUFFLE ALONG-BLUE HERON
7. DAVE STRYKER-EIGHT TRACK II-STRIKE ZONE
8. FERIT ODMAN-DAMERONIA WITH STRINGS-EQUINOX
9. JD ALLEN-AMERICANA-SAVANT
10. THE COOKERS-CALL OF THE WILD & PEACEFUL HEART-SMOKE SESSIONS

 

IX DAVE HANEY (CADENCE)

1. CRAIG HARTLEY- BOOKS ON TAPE – VOLUME 2
2. ANDREW CYRILLE, THE DECLARATION OF MUSICAL INDEPENDENCE – ECM
3. ANTHONY BRAXTON QUARTET (WARSAW)
4. 2012 FORTUNE TRIO X LIVE IN TERRYTOWN – CIMPOL
5. NEIL ROLNICK EX MACHINA – INNOVA
6. STEVE SWELL KANREKI: REFLECTION AND RENEWAL – NOT TWO
7. KENNY WERNER – THE MELODY – PIROUET
8. WADADA LEO SMITH/VIJAY IYER – A COSMIC RHYTHM WITH EACH STROKE – ECM
9. MARILYN CRISPELL / GERRY HEMINGWAY – TABLE OF CONTENTS – INTAKT
10. SAMUEL BLAIS – DAVID LIEBMAN – CYCLING

X LUDWIG VAN TRIKT (CADENCE)

1. DENNY ZEITLIN, “EARLY WAYNE” (SUNNYSIDE 1456)
2. DAVID MURRAY,GERI ALLEN,TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON,GERI ALLEN – POWER TRIO, “PERFECTION” (MOTEMA MTA-CD-193)
3. JEREMY PELT, “#JIVE CULTURE” (HIGH NOTE HCD 7285)
4. JAIMEO BROWN, “TRANSCENDENCE WORK SONGS” (MOTEMA CD-191)
5. I AM THREE, “MINGUS MINGUS MINGUS” (LEO RECORDS CD LR 752)
6. MATT PARKER, “PRESENT TIME” (BYNK 002)
7. TOM HARRELL, “SOMETHING GOLD, SOMETHING BLUE” (HIGH NOTE HCD 7289)
8. WOODY SHAW & LOUIS HAYES, “THE TOUR – VOLUME ONE” (HIGH NOTE 7291)
9. PETER EVANS/ALFRED VOGEL, “II PICCOLO INCIDENTE” (BOOMSLANG RECORDS)
10. CORTEX, “LIVE IN NEW YORK” (CLEAN FEED 381)

 

XI KEN WEISS (CADENCE)

 

1. AZIZA (POTTER/LOUEKE/HOLLAND/HARLAND) – (DARE2)
2. JIM BLACK TRIO – THE CONSTANT (INTAKT)
3. JANE IRA BLOOM – EARLY AMERICANS (OUTLINE)
4. BARRY GUY – MARILYN CRISPELL – PAUL LYTTON – DEEP MEMORY (INTAKT)
5. MARY HALVORSON OCTET – AWAY WITH YOU (FIREHOUSE 12)
6. WADADA LEO SMITH – AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS (CUNEIFORM)
7. HENRY THREADGILL ENSEMBLE DOUBLE UP – OLD LOCKS AND IRREGULAR VERBS (PI)
8. MARCOS VARELA – SAN YGNACIO (ORIGIN)
9. DAN WEISS – SIXTEEN: DRUMMER’S SUITE (PI)
10. MATT WILSON’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY – BEGINNING OF A MEMORY (PALMETTO)

 

XII ROBERT IANOOPOLLO (CADENCE)

 

1.TAYLOR HO BYNUM – ENTER THE PLUSTET (FIREHOUSE 12)

2. COURVOISIER / FELDMAN / MORI / PARKER – MILLER’S TALE (INTAKT)
3. ANDREW CYRILLE – DECLARATION OF MUSICAL INDEPENDENCE (ECM)
4. .MARK DRESSER – SEDIMENTAL YOU (CLEAN FEED)

5.MICHAEL FORMANEK ENSEMBLE KOLOSSUS – THE DISTANCE (ECM)

6.GENERATIONS QUARTET – FLOW (NOT TWO)

7.MARY HALVORSON – AWAY WITH YOU (FIREHOUSE 12)

8.JON LUNDBOM & BIG FIVE CHORD – 2016: EPS (HOT CUP)

9.WADADA LEO SMITH – AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS (CUNEIFORM)

10. TIERRA MESTIZA (ANGELICA SANCHEZ / OMAR TAMEZ) –

 

XIII MICHAEL NASTOS(HOT HOUSE MAGAZINE)

 

Best CD’s of 2016 (top to bottom order)

1) MARK DRESSER “Sedimental You” (Clean Feed)

2) STEVE LEHMAN “Selebeyone” (Pi)

3) VIJAY IYER / WADADA LEO SMITH

“A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke”(ECM)

4) AVATAAR “Petal” (Sundar Sond)

5) Mn’JAM EXPERIMENT “Live With A Boom” (Sena)

6) AZIZA (Dare 2)

7) INGRID LAUBROCK “Serpentines” (Intakt)

8) KRIS DAVIS “Duopoly” (Polyclastic)

9) JEFF PARKER “The New Breed” (International Anthem

10) LARRY YOUNG “The ORTF Sessions” (Resonance)

 

XIV DAVID KUNIAN

 

Noah Preminger – Dark Was the Night/Cold Was the Ground – Self

Jaimeo Brown Transcendence – Work Songs – Motema

Magnetic Ear – Aliens of Extraordinary Ability – self

Mike Reed/Tomeka Reid/Nicole Mitchell – Artifacts – 482 Music

Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra – Time/Life: Songs for Whales and Other Beings – Impulse

Steve Lehman and Selabayone – Selabayone – Pi

Nolatet – Dogs – Royal Potato Records

Wadada Leo Smith – America’s National Parks – Cunieform

The Cookers – The Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart – Smoke Sessions

Herlin Riley – New Directions – Mack Avenue