As Dickens so wisely wrote, “It was the best of times, It was the worst of times”
For concert performances,.2021 was definitely one of the worst years ever. Most clubs were either closed down for most of the year, or closed down completely. In Los Angeles, the loss of the Blue Whale and (so far) the Jazz Bakery was a body blow from which we may never recover. Other clubs like Vitellos and SamFirst have opened up, but have discriminatory restrictions that leave out the unvaccinated (although the those that have had COVID are the least likely to transmit the disease). In other words, it’s been a discouraging time. As drummer Gregg Bissonette told me, “the paying gigs have dried up, but the bills keep coming”.
On the plus side, musicians and labels have worked extra hard to release either new and creative material, or have dug into closets and caves to uncover rare musical treasures. The below listed TOP TEN of 2021 reflects that surfeit of recordings, making this year one of the best ever.
We are fortunate to have the generosity of opinions from some the very best jazz journalists. You ignore their choices to your musical peril:
I GEORGE HARRIS
- Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Mosaic)
The King of Gospel Music: The Life and Music of Reverend James Cleveland (Malaco)- Pat Metheny: Side Eye V1.IV (Pat Metheny)
- Tommy Flanagan: Solo Piano (Storyville)
- The Baylor Project: Generations (The Baylor Project)
- Roy Brooks: Understanding (Cellar Live)
- Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller: In Harmony (Resonance)
- Larry Coryell & Philip Catherine: Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic XI (Act Music)
- Louis Armstrong: The Complete RCA & Studio Recordings 1946-1966 (Mosaic)
- Jim Snidero: Live at the Dear Head In (Jazz Depot)
II. SCOTT YANOW
Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio – Songs From My Father – Whaling City SoundIII. DAVID ADLER
1. Ches Smith and We All Break, Path of Seven Colors (Pyroclastic)
2. Various Artists, Kimbrough (Newvelle)
3. Michael Mayo, Bones (Mack Avenue)
4. Ben LaMar Gay, Open Arms to Open Us (International Anthem)
5. Caroline Davis, Portals, Volume 1: Mourning (Sunnyside)
6. Vijay Iyer Trio, Uneasy (ECM)
7. Pino Palladino & Blake Mills, Notes With Attachments (Impulse!)
8. Gregg Belisle-Chi, Koi: Performing the Music of Tim Berne (Screwgun)
9. Matt Mitchell & Kate Gentile, Snark Horse (Pi)
10. Anna Webber, Idiom (Pi)
IV. JOHN MCDONOUGH
3. Keith Jarrett: Budapest Concert (ECM)
New Releases:
1. Dr. Lonnie Smith Breathe (Blue Note)
2. Keith Jarrett Budapest Concert (ECM)
3. John McLaughlin Liberation Time (Abstract Logix)
4. John Daversa Jazz Orchestra Featuring Justin Morell All Without Words: Variations Inspired By Loren (Tiger Turn)
5. Kenny Garrett Sounds from The Ancestors (Mack Avenue)
6. Renee Rosnes Kinds of Love (Smoke Sessions)
7. Lyle Mays Eberhard (Lyle Mays Music)
8. Bob Mintzer & WDR Big Band Cologne Soundscapes (MCG Jazz)
9. Jana Herzen Live (Motema)
10. Andrew Renfroe Run in The Storm
Historical/Reissues
1. Lee Morgan The Complete Live At The Lighthouse (Blue Note)
2. Harold Land Westward Bound! (Reet to Reel)
3. Allan Holdsworth Leverkusen ’97 (Manifesto)
4. Peggy Lee Something Wonderful: Peggy Lee Sings The Great American Songbook (Omnivore)
5. Roy Hargrove/Mulgrew Miller In Harmony (Resonance)
6. Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit)
VI. THOMAS CONRAD
- James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet: Jesup Wagon (TAO Forms)
- David Sanford Big Band: A Prayer for Lester Bowie (Greenleaf)
- Francesco Cafiso: Irene of Boston (EFLAT)
- Johnathan Blake Homeward Bound (Blue Note)
- Bill Charlap Street of Dreams (Blue Note)
- Charles Lloyd & the Marvels: Tone Poem (Blue Note)
- Will Vinson/Gilad Hekselman/Antonio Sánchez Trio Grande (Whirlwind)
- Jakob Bro Uma Elmo (ECM)
- Marcin Wasilewski Trio En Attendant (ECM)
- Renee Rosnes Kinds of Love (Smoke Sessions
VII. MICHAEL NASTOS
Best Of 2021
Don Cherry “The Summer House Sessions” (Blank Forms)
Top 10 (in aphabetic order)
Nik Bartsch “Entendre” (ECM)
Ruben Blades “Salswing! (RBPCD)
Brian Charette “Power From The Air” (SteepleChase)
Charged Particles w/Tod Dickow “Live At The Baked Potato (Summit)
Cowboys & Frenchmen “Our Highway” (Outside In Music)
David Janeway “Distant Voices” (SteepleChase LookOut)
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels “Tone Poet” (Blue Note)
Lunar Octet “Convergence” (Summit)
Wiliam Parker “Mayan Space Station” (AUM Fidelity)
Miguel Zenon “Law Years: The Music Of Ornette Coleman,
Live At The Bird’s Eye Jazz Club” (Miel)
VIII. NEW RELEASES – LARRY HOLLIS
THE COOKERS—LOOKOUT! — GEARBOX
RONNIE CUBER/GARY SMULYAN—TOUGH
BARITONES—STEEPLECHASE
GRAHAM DECHTER—MAJOR INFLUENCE—CAPRI
GERRY GIBBS—SONGS FROM MY FATHER—
WHALING CITY SOUND
ORRIN EVANS—THE MAGIC OF NOW—SMOKE
SESSIONS
RAHSAAN BARBER—MOSAIC—JAZZ CITY MUSIC
HOUSTON PERSON—LIVE IN PARIS—HIGHNOTE
TOWER OF POWER—LIVE AT THE FOX THEATRE—
MACK AVENUE
WILLIE JONES III—FALLEN HEROES—WJ3
MICHAEL DEASE—GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT—
POSITONEREISSUES/HISTORICAL – LARRY HOLLIS
TUBBY HAYES—TUBBY THE TENOR—WAXTIME
(LP)
ROY BROOKS—UNDERSTANDING—REEL TO REAL
ROY HARGROVE/MULGREW MILLER—IN
HARMONY—RESONANCE
MILES DAVIS—THE LOST CONCERT—SLEEPY
NIGHT RECORDS
JOHN COLTRANE—LOVE SUPREME:LIVE IN
SEATTLE—IMPULSE
BILL EVANS—BEHIND THE DIKES—ELEMENTAL
CHARLES LLOYD QUARTET—MONTREUX 1967—
TCB SWISS RADIO
GEORGE COLEMAN QUINTET-IN BALTIMORE—
REEL TO REAL
BENNY GOLSON—EUROPEAN TOUR—BLAU
RECORDS
HAROLD LAND—WESTWARD BOUND—REEL TO
REALIX . -GEORGE HARRIS
NEW RELEASES/REISSUES/HISTORICAL
ALAN HOLDSWORTH/SOFT WORKS—
ABRACADABRA—MOONJUNE
BILL EVANS—BEHIND THE DYKES—ELEMENTAL
ROY HARGROVE/ MULGREW MILLER— IN
HARMONY—RESONANCE
LARRY CORYELL/PHILIP CATHERINE— LAST
CALL—ACT
THE BAYLOR PROJECT—GENERATIONS—THE
BAYLOR PROJECT
JAZZMEIA HORN—DEAR LOVE—ARTISTRY OF
JAZZ HORN
ROY BROOKS—UNDERSTANDING—CELLAR LIVE
TOMMY FLANAGAN—SOLO PIANO—STORYVILLE
RECORDS
SCOTT HAMILTON AND DUKE ROLLIBARD—
SWINGING AGAIN—SHINING STONE RECORDS
RAHSAAN BARBER—MOSAIC—NEW MUSICA
NEW RELEASES – SCOTT YANOW
THE COOKERS – LOOK OUT – GEARBOX
ELIANE ELIAS – MIRROR MIRROR – CANDIDXI. BENITO GONZALEZ – SING TO THE WORLD – RAINY
DAYS
VINCENT HERRING – HARD TIMES – SMOKE
SESSIONS
JULIAN LAGE – SQUINT – BLUE NOTE
JOHN MCLAUGHLIN – LIBERATION TIME –
ABSTRACT LOGIX
ANAIS RENO – LOVESOME THING: SINGS
ELLINGTON AND STRAYHORN – HARBINGER
VERONICA SWIFT – THIS BITTER EARTH – MACK
AVENUE
ANGELA VERBRUGGE – THE NIGHT WE COULDN’T
SAY GOOD NIGHT – SELF-RELEASED
TERRY WALDO &TATIANA EVA-MARIE – I DOUBLE
DARE YOU – TURTLE BAYXII. REISSUES/HISTORICAL SCOTT YANOW
HASAAN IBN ALI – METAPHYSICS – OMNIVORE
LOUIS ARMSTRONG – THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA
AND RCA VICTOR STUDIO SESSIONS – MOSAIC
ARV GARRISON – THE UNKNOWN ARV GARRISON,
WIZARD OF THE SIX STRING – FRESH SOUND
ROY HARGROVE & MULGREW MILLER – IN
HARMONY — RESONANCE
JOE HENDERSON – THE COMPLETE BLUE NOTE
SESSIONS – MOSAIC
HELEN HUMES – THREE CLASSIC ALBUMS PLUS –
AVID
BOB JAMES – ONCE UPON A TIME – RESONANCE
RENDELL/CARR QUINTET – BBC JAZZ CLUB II 1965-
1966 – RHYTHM & BLUES RECORDS
SONNY ROLLINS – ROLLINS IN HOLLAND —
RESONANCE
ROSEANNA VITRO – LISTEN HERE – SKYLINEXIII. NEW RELEASES – BILL DONALDSON
CHICK COREA AKOUSTIC BAND—LIVE —
CONCORD JAZZ
ARTURO O’FARRILL— …DREAMING IN LIONS… —
BLUE NOTE
ROY HARGROVE & MULGREW MILLER— IN
HARMONY — RESONANCE
MIGUEL ZENON—LAW YEARS: THE MUSIC OF
ORNETTE COLEMAN— MIEL
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE & INSIDE STRAIGHT — LIVE
AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD — MACK AVENUE
WADADA LEO SMITH – TRUMPET AND SACRED
CEREMONIES — TUM
STEVE SLAGLE — NASCENTIA — PANORAMA
GERRY GIBBS—SONGS FROM MY FATHER—
WHALING CITY SOUND
BENITO GONZALEZ — SING TO THE WORLD —
RAINY DAYS
LUCY YEGHIAZARYAN, VANISHA GOULD — IN HER
WORDS — LA RESERVE RECORDSXIV. NEW RELEASES – LUDWIG VAN TRIKT
ROOTS MAGIC — TAKE ROOT AMONG THE STARS —
CLEAN FEED
ALEX SIPIAGIN — UPSTREAM — POSI – TONE ROBERTMAGRIS & ERIC HOCHBERG — SHUFFLING
IVORIES — JMOOD
MARK LEWIS — NAKED ANIMALS — AUDIO
DADDIO
GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN SEXTET —
SOCIAL DISTANCING — SAPONEGRO
ARTIFACT: TOMEKA REID, NICOLE
MITCHELL,MIKE REED — …AND THEN THERE’S
THIS — ASTRAL SPIRITS
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS’ RED LILY QUINTET —
JESUP WAGON — TAO FORMS TAO
CHES SMITH / WE ALL BREAK — PATH OF SEVEN
COLORS — PYROCLASTIC RECORDS
SLAVA GANELIN,ALEXEY KRUGLOV,OLEG
YUDANOV — ACCESS POINT” — LOSEN RECORDS
YUMA UESAKA AND MARILYN CRISPELL —
STREAMS — NOT TWOXV. NEW RELEASES – NORA MCCARTHY
JOHN COLTRANE — A LOVE SUPREME, LIVE IN
SEATTLE — IMPULSE RECORDS/UME RELEASE
HENRY THREADGILL AND ZOOID —POOF —PI
RECORDINGS
MAYHEM AT LARGE — SPONTANEOUS
EXPRESSIONS — REDZEN RECORDS
ALEXANDER HAWKINS FEAT. EVAN PARKER +
RIOT ENSEMBLE — TOGETHERNESS MUSIC —
INTAKT RECORDS
JOEL FUTTERMAN — CREATION SERIES —
NOBUSINESS RECORDS
BETTY LAVETTE — BLACKBIRDS —
VERVE
DANIEL ELI WEISS — OF CURSE- — DIGITAL RELEASE
CHARLES LLOYD AND THE MARVELS — —TONE
POEM — BLUE NOTE
KUBA CICHOCKI/BRANDON SEABROOK — BRISK
DISTORTIONS — DIGITAL RELEASE
THE UNDERFLOW — INSTANT OPAQUE EVENING
— DIGITAL/VINYL RELEASEXVI. NEW RELEASES – KEN WEISS
OHAD TALMOR TRIO – MISE EN PLACE – INTAKT
ROY HARGROVE/MULGREW MILLER – IN
HARMONY – RESONANCE
WADADA LEO SMITH’S GREAT LAKES QUARTET –
THE CHICAGO SYMPHONIES – TUM
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS QUARTET – CODE OF
BEING – INTAKT
SARA SCHOENBECK – SARA SCHOENBECK –
PYROCLASTIC
THE VINNY GOLIA QUARTET – LEFT, OUTSIDE …! –
NINE WINDS
HAROLD DANKO – SPRING GARDEN –
STEEPLECHASE
RICH HALLEY-DAN CLUCAS-CLYDE REED-CARSON
HALLEY – BOOMSLANG – PINE EAGLE
GORDON GRDINA’S SQUARE PEG – KLOTSKI –
ATTABOYGIRL
ALISTER SPENCE TRIO WITH ED KUEPPER –
ASTEROID EKOSYSTEM – ALISTER SPENCE MUSICXVII. NEW RELEASES – JEROME WILSON
CHARNETT MOFFETT — NEW LOVE — MOTEMA
JOHN DAVERSA JAZZ ORCHESTRA — ALL
WITHOUT WORDS – VARIATIONS INSPIRED BY
LOREN — TIGER TURN
WILLIAM PARKER — MAYAN SPACE STATION —
AUM FIDELITY
JEFF LEDERER/SUNWATCHER — EIGHTFOLD PATH
— LITTLE I MUSIC
BARRY ALTSCHUL’S 3DOM FACTOR — LONG TALL
SUNSHINE — NOT TWO
MARY LAROSE — OUT HERE — LITTLE I MUSIC
RODRIGO FAINA AND CHANGE ENSEMBLE —
DIFFERENT ROOTS — RED PIANO
MARQUES CARROLL — THE ANCESTORS’ CALL —
SELF-RELEASED
CHARLES LLOYD AND THE MARVELS — TONE
POEM — BLUE NOTE
ANDREW CYRILLE QUARTET — THE NEWS — ECM
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