IT’S TOP TEN TIME!

EACH YEAR, I GET THE HONOR OF GETTING THE “TOP TEN” LISTS OF SOME OF THE MOST ASTUTE JAZZ JOURNALISTS. THIS LIST WILL SAVE YOU TONS OF TIME AND MONEY IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO. IF SOMETHING IS LISTED MORE THAN ONCE, GO FOR IT.

IF AFTER YOU FIND THAT ONE OF US HAS MATERIAL YOU TEND TO LIKE, KEEP DELVING INTO THAT JOURNALIST. LET HIM BECOME YOUR FRIEND.

 

I. GEORGE HARRIS

1. Miles Davis Quintet-In Concert at the Olympia, Paris 1957 (Fresh Sounds)
2. Quartet San Francisco/Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band: Raymond Scott Reimagined (Violin Jazz)
3. The Stax Songwriter Demos: Written In Their Souls (Concord)
4. Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis with Shirley Scott: Cookin’ With Jaws and The Queen (Craft Recordings)
5. Classic Jazz At The Philharmonic Jam Sessions 1950-1957(Mosaic)
6. Al DiMeola/Jean-Luc Ponty-Stanley Clarke: Rite Of Strings Live at  Montreux 1994 (Mercury)
7. Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones Volume 1 (Smoke Sessions)
8. Wes Montgomery Trio: Maximum Swing (Resonance)
9. Ron Blake: MIstaken Identity (Ron Blake Music)
10. Diego Figueiredo: My World (Arbors

II BILL MILKOWSKI:

1 Wes Montgomery, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)

2. Shakti, This Moment (Abstract Logix)

3. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Undercover (Live at the Village Vanguard) (Heartcore Records)

4. John Scofield, Uncle John’s Band (ECM)

5. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)

6. Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles (Nonesuch)

7. Joshua Redman, where are we (Blue Note)

8. Dan Wilson, Things Eternal (Brother Mister)

9. Mark Turner, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)

10. Steve Davis, Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Volume 1 (Smoke Session

III.SCOTT YANOW:

III. THOMAS CONRAD:

IV DAVID ADLER

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)

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

Linda May Han Oh, The Glass Hours (Biophilia)

Lesley Mok, The Living Collection (American Dreams)

V. JOHN MCDONOUGH:

Mosaic’s 10-CD Clef and Verve Jazz at the Philharmonic 1950-57

 

VI. MARK TURNER:

1.  Daniel Villarreal – Lados B (International Anthem)

2.  Myra Melford’s Fire and Water Quintet – Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)

3.  James Brandon Lewis / Red Lily Quintet  – For Mahalia with Love (Tao Forms)

4.  Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke – Lean In (Edition Records)

5.  BlankFor.ms / Jason Moran / Marcus Gilmore – Refract (Red Hook Ltd.)

      6.  Mike Reed – The Separatist Party (We Jazz)

        7.  Salamanda – In Parallel (Band Camp)

        8.  Caroline Davis’ Alula – Captivity (Ropeadope)

        9.  Lowcountry – Lowcountry (Ropeadope)

      10. Joshua Redman – Where Are We (Blue Note)

VII KAZUNE HAYATA: NEW RELEASES:

 

1.Blaque Dawn                            Kaito Nakamura

2.Prime                                  Christian McBride New Jawn

3.When the Poems Do What They Do         Aja Monet

4.NoteSpeak 12                            Lisa Marie Simmons

5.LaFaro                                 Brian Bromberg

6.Short Stories                          Vicente Archer

7.Things Eternal                         Dan Wilson

8.Linger Awhile                          Samala Joy

9.Espressivo                              Miwa Wakabayashi

10.Live at the Village Vanguard          Kris Davis’ Diatom Ribbons

 

 

 

REISSUES, HISTORICAL

 

1.Emerald City Nights 1966-68                   Ahmad Jamal

2.Treasures: Solo, Trio & Orchestra Recordings from Denmark   Bill Evans

3.Evening at the Village Gate                   John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy
4.Maximum Swing                          Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio

5.Boppin’ in Baltimore: Live at the Left Bank  Sonny Stitt

6.The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Los Angeles Forum, April 26, 1969     Jimi Hendrix Experience

7.You’ve Got to Learn                          Nina Simone

8.Bouncing with Dex                      Dexter Gordon

9.What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series Vol. 7   Miles Davis
10.Dance with Death                      Andrew Hill

VIII LARRY HOLLIS-NEW RELEASES

WAYNE ESCOFFERY—LIKE MINDS—SMOKE SESSIONS
THE HEAVY HITTERS—SELF TITLED—CELLAR MUSIC
PRECARIOUS TOWERS—TEN STORIES—SHIFTING PARADIGM
TERELL STAFFORD—BETWEEN TWO WORLDS—LECOQ
GEORGE COLEMAN—LIVE AT SMALL’S JAZZ CLUB—CELLAR
MUSIC
JIM ROTONDI—OVER HERE—CRISS CROSS
LOUIS HAYES—EXACTLY RIGHT!–SAVANT
RON BLAKE—IS THAT SO? MISTAKEN IDENTITY—7TEN33
PRODUCTIONS
CONSTANTINE ALEXANDER—FIRETET–SELF RELEASED
ED CHERRY—ARE WE THERE YET?–CELLAR MUSIC GROUP

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

JOHN COLTRANE/ERIC DOLPHY—EVENINGS AT THE VILLAGE
GATE—IMPULSE
MILES DAVIS-IN CONCERT AT THE OLYMPIC PARIS –FRESH
SOUND
BASIE ALL STARS—LIVE AT FABRIK VOL. 1—NDR KULTUR
DEBUT: ANTHONY HERVEY—WORDS FROM MY HORN—
OUTSIDE IN MUSIC
VOCAL: JOHN PIZZARELLI—STAGE & SCREEN—PALMETTO
LATIN: IVAN LINS—MY HEART SPEAKS–RESONANCE

IX BERNIE KOENIG-NEW RELEASES

DAVID HANEY, JULIAN PRIESTER, ADAM LANE, MICHAEL BISIO
LIVE AT THE DEEP LISTENING INSTITUTE CMR 019
THE SOCIETY FOR ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC MUSIC IN THE UNITED
STATES MUSIC FROM SEAMUS VOL 21 NEW FOCUS 2012
THE SOCIETY FOR ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC MUSIC VOL 5 NEW
FOCUS
STEPHANIE LAMPREA 14 RECITATIONS NEW FOCUS
GUY BARASH KILLDEER NEW FOCUS
CHARLIE APICELLA & IRON CITY – THE GRIOTS SPEAK:
DESTINY CALLING, ORIGIN RECORDS
TOMAS JANZON NOMADIC – CHANCES MUSIC
RICHARD BEAUDOIN – DIGITAL MEMORY AND THE ARCHIVE
NEW FOCUS

X LUDWIG VAN TRIKT-NEW RELEASES

OÙAT PLAYS PER HENRIK WALLIN – THE STRANGE
ADVENTURES OF JESPER KLINT (DOUBLE LP) UMLAUT
RECORDS
TURBULENCE AND PULSE – ASHER GAMEDZE –
INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM
COIN COIN CHAPTER FIVE: IN THE GARDEN… MATANA
ROBERTS – CANADA CONSTELLATION
RUDY ROYSTON – DAY – GREENLEAF MUSIC
KAISA’S MACHINE – TAKING SHAPE – GREENLEAF MUSIC
RENDERINGS – CHUCK OWEN AND THE WDR BIG BAND –
SUMMIT
WITH BEST INTENTIONS – JOCHEN RUECKERT – COLONEL
BEATS
ZACK LOBER – NO FILL3R – ZENNEZ RECORDS
TOMAS FUJIWARA – PITH – FIREHOUSE 12BUILT IN SYSTEM – CHIEN CHIEN LU – GIANT STEPS ARTS

XI JEROME WILSON-NEW RELEASES

JAIMIE BRANCH, FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE ((WORLD
WAR), (INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM)
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS RED LILY QUINTET, FOR MAHALIA,
WITH LOVE, (TAO FORMS)
LEAP DAY TRIO, LIVE AT THE CAFE BOHEMIA, (GIANT STEP
ARTS)
TYSHAWN SOREY TRIO, CONTINUING, (PI)
INGRID LAUBROCK, THE LAST QUIET PLACE (PYROCLASTIC)
DANIEL HERSOG JAZZ ORCHESTRA, OPEN SPACES – FOLK
SONGS REIMAGINED (CELLAR MUSIC)
DAN ROSENBOOM, POLARITY (ORENDA)
ROXANA AMED / FRANK CARLBERG, LOS TRABAJOS Y LAS
NOCHES (SONY MUSIC LATIN)
KRIS DAVIS’ DIATOM RIBBONS, LIVE AT THE VILLAGE
VANGUARD (PYROCLASTIC)
ERICA SEGUINE / SHON BAKER ORCHESTRA, THE NEW DAY
BENDS LIGHT (SELF-RELEASED)

XII KEN WEISS-NEW RELEASES

ANNA WEBBER – SHIMMER WINCE – INTAKT
HENRY THREADGILL ENSEMBLE – THE OTHER ONE – PI
JIM & THE SCHRIMPS – AIN’T NO SAINT – INTAKT
SATOKO FUJII PIANO SOLO – TORRENT – LIBRA
INGRID LAUBROCK – THE LAST QUIET PLACE – PYROCLASTIC
MICHAEL FORMANEK ELUSION QUARTET – AS THINGS DO –
INTAKT
KRIS DAVIS DIATUM RIBBONS – LIVE AT THE VILLAGE
VANGUARD – PYROCLASTIC
TYSHAWN SOREY TRIO – CONTINUING – PI
LEAP DAY TRIO – LIVE AT THE CAFÉ BOHEMIA – GIANT STEP
ARTS
SUSAN ALCORN SEPTETO DEL SUR – CANTO – RELATIVE PITCH
HAROLD DANKO – TRILLIUM – STEEPLECHASE

TOP HISTORICAL RECORDINGS

LES MCCANN – NEVER A DULL MOMENT – LIVE FROM COAST TO
COAST (1966-1967) – RESONANCE
AHMAD JAMAL – EMERALD CITY NIGHTS-LIVE AT THE
PENTHOUSE 1966-1968 – JAZZ DETECTIVE
WES MONTGOMERY WYNTON KELLY TRIO – MAXIMUM SWINGTHE UNISSUED 1965 HALF NOTE RECORDINGS – RESONANCE
CAL TJADER – CATCH THE GROOVE-LIVE AT THE PENTHOUSE
1963-1967 – JAZZ DETECTIVE
CHET BAKER – BLUE ROOM-THE 1979 VARA STUDIO SESSIONS IN
HOLLAND – JAZZ DETECTIVE

XIII SCOTT YANOW-NEW RELEASES

JANE BUNNETT AND MAQUEQUE – PLAYING WITH FIRE – LINUS
ENTERTAINMENT
GUNHILD CARLING – GOOD EVENING CATS! – SELF-RELEASED
KENT ENGELHARDT & STEPHEN ENOS – CENTRAL AVENUE S
WING & OUR DELIGHT – MADD FOR TADD
NOAH HAIDU – STANDARDS – SUNNYSIDE
ALINE HOMZY – ECLIPSE – ELASTIC
JON-ERIK KELLSO AND THE EARREGULARS – LIVE AT THE EAR
INN – ARBORSJAMES BRANDON LEWIS – FOR MAHALIA, WITH LOVE – TAO
FORMS
QUARTET SAN FRANCISCO & GORDON GOODWIN – RAYMOND
SCOTT REIMAGINED – VIOLINJAZZ
OHAD TALMOR – BACK TO THE LAND – INTAKT
SAM TAYLOR – LET GO – CELLAR MUSIC

REISSUES, HISTORICAL

TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI – TOSHIKO’S BLUES 1953-1957 – FRESH
SOUND
SONNY CLARK – THE COMPLETE BLUE NOTE SESSIONS –
MOSAIC
JOHN COLTRANE WITH ERIC DOLPHY – EVENINGS AT THE
VILLAGE GATE – IMPULSE
MILES DAVIS – IN CONCERT AT THE OLYMPIA PARIS 1957 –
FRESH SOUND
JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC – THE COMPLETE JAM SESSIONS
1950-1957 – MOSAIC
DAN LEVINSON – CELEBRATING BIX – TURTLE BAY
LOREN MCMURRAY – THE MOANINEST MOAN OF THEM ALL –
ARCHEOPHONE
MULGREW MILLER – SOLO IN BARCELONA – STORYVILLE
MICHEL PETRUCCIANI – THE MONTREUX YEARS – MONTREUX
SOUNDS/BMG
HAZEL SCOTT – COLLECTED RECORDINGS 1939-57 – ACROBAT

XIV FRANK KOHL-NEW RELEASES:

JOHN SCOFIELD – YANKEE GO HOME
DAVE STRYKER – PRIME – STRIKEZONE RECORDS
DONNY MCCASLIN – I WANT MORE – EDITIONS RECORDS
SCENES- VARIABLE CLOUDS – ORIGIN RECORDS
FLORIAN ARBENZ – CONVERSATION #9 TARGETED
FRED HERSCH – ESPERANZA SPALDING- ALIVE AT THE VILLAGE
VANGUARD
HAL GALPER – IVORY FORREST REDUX – ORIGIN RECORDS
TOM KENNEDY – STORIES
ANTOINE BOYER – TANGRAM
BIRELLI LAGRENE – PLAYS LOULOU GASTE

XV NORA MCCARTHY-NEW RELEASES:

HENRY THREADGILL, THE OTHER ONE, PI RECORDINGS
DOM MINASI, ME MYSELF AND I, UNSEEN RAIN RECORDS
TIM ARMACOST, THE INEVITABLE NOTE, TMA RECORDS
MATT VON RODERICK, CELESTIAL HEART, BFD SONY, 2023
DAVID STROTHER, EAR REVERENT, DIGITAL
KUBA CICHOCKI, FLOWING CIRCLES, BJURECORDS (BROOKLYN
JAZZ UNDERGROUND)
ANTHONY BRANKER & IMAGINE, WHAT PLACE CAN BE FOR US?
A SUITE IN TEN MOVEMENTS
SANTI DEBRIANO & ARKESTRA BEMBE, ASHANTI, JOJO RECORDS
CANDICE IVORY, WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS, THE MUSIC OF
MEMPHIS MINNIE, LITTLE VILLAGE
JACK DESALVO AND CHRIS FORBES, BREAKING THE DRAGON,
UNSEEN RAIN RECORDS

XVI LOREN SCHOENBERG