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Blog Entries [0 - 9]Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Music Week
Music: Current count 45382 [45342] rated (+40), 9 [3] unrated (+6). This was originally published as a placeholder. It has since been updated with all records up through December 31. I'm holding out for the last day of 2025 to wrap up my December archive. Even that won't give me a full week after last week's delayed-until-Thursday Music Week. But while most months transition on the last Monday, I've long liked to give December a tidy calendar completion. My only worry this time is that I won't find time tomorrow to do what I couldn't possible do today. Still, let's save the date.The main reason I wanted to post this early is to give you an update on the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. I wound up counting 167 ballots. This is net down 10 from 2024. The actual number of 2024 voters who didn't vote in 2025 was minus 30, but we picked up 12 new voters, and 8 previous voters who had missed 2024. My impression is that the drop was mostly attributable to too many people having too much crap going on in their lives. Every year I vow to work harder and smarter to get more votes out. In some ways I thought I did this year, but the numbers didn't add up. Still, we got good results, from a terrific group of critics, who've once again been a pleasure to work with. We've voted for 569 new jazz albums and 206 rara avis — a good third of those are albums I hadn't heard. (I've been frantically trying to catch up since I started getting ballots back, but steadily losing ground. I have them marked somewhere, but not easy to count. I can confirm that that among 2025 releases, so far I've heard 1351 albums (of which 838 are jazz, somewhat loosely defined.) My own Best Jazz Albums of 2025 list has grown to 89 ranked A-list (new, +6 late-2024 adds; the old music section is up to 28 + 2). The album counts are probably a bit more than my usual year, yet I've never felt further behind. Still, I would be much further behind without the poll. The next step for me is to prepare the essays to accompany the poll results when Arts Fuse publishes them in a few days. (I'm aiming for Jan. 5, which is scary soon, but also promises the end of one difficult period, and the start of a hopefully better one.) The big difference this year is that Francis Davis is no longer with us. I have no illusions of being able to fill his shoes. And I'm notoriously bad at pressure deadlines, so I've come up with a scheme to finesse the essays: I'm going to write the frameworks, which will explain what the poll does and what each table is, and then hang some comments on the end. I've asked for help especially with the comments. I've gotten some, and will hustle up some more. And in a pinch, I figure I have quite a bit of old writing I can recycle. So instead of losing myself in deep thought about the structure of an essay, I can just slap on some scattered notes. At least that's the theory. To make it work, I need to solicit comments, and that's the purpose of this partial Music Week. I've written this pitch several times already, so I'm just going to pick one draft up and edit it a bit:
I also want to encourage people to write about the poll on their own media. Let me know if I can help facilitate that. One thing I've had no time to do during poll time has been to write anything for my Notes on Everyday Life newsletter. I got up Christmas morning, and wrote a fairly long entry into my online notebook, reminiscing about Christmases from my childhood up to the present day. About midway through it occurred to me that I had something that might be worth publishing, so I started tuning it up a bit. A couple days later, I posted it as Christmas 1950-2025 (archived copy here). I had last week's dinner pic, but I couldn't find anything from back in the day, so I appealed to my brother's family — they had taken most of the old family photos when they moved to Washington. My nephew found an old slide of me in front of an unlit Christmas tree, next to the parachute drop, which was the ultimate project from the Erector Set, one of my best remembered Christmas presents. No date given, but I was probably 9 at the time (1959), plus or minus a year but probably not two. The metal box it came in is to the lower left, and our b&w tv is in the corner. I think that was our second tv, probably bought around 1957, to be replaced with a color model around 1962-63 (in a wider, dark brown cabinet). The windows faced west, to the front of the house, so blinds and curtains were necessary to block out the afternoon sun. The room had two easy chairs for my parents, facing the tv, and a couch along the north wall. When we ate dinner, I sat in the one spot in the dining room that offered a clear view of the tv, which would be tuned into Huntley-Brinkley at our 5:30 dinner time. I tried to wrap this up after midnight, but couldn't cope, and left it for morning. Dec. 31 brought an expansion of this week's A-list from the three NoBusiness albums to seven widely varied but still all jazz records. One thing to ponder at this point is that only one of the seven received any poll votes (Joe Alterman, one vote by Sanford Josephson). The NoBusiness package and the Rick Roe were late arrivals. (The other two NoBusiness releases, Oliver Lake and Bobby Naughton, did receive Rara Avis votes. Arkady Gotesman would have made my ballot had I heard it in time.) While I got very little essay writing done yesterday, I did finally manage to start reading past Francis Davis essays (as well as a couple of min), which is giving me a lot to think about. I noticed, for instance, that Davis rarely flinched from political issues, even in years when their impact was much less overwhelming than at present. Also that many of his pieces were pretty short (whereas some of mine were extravagantly long). I've gotten very little back on the comment front, which will probably turn out to be a bust (but is still an interesting concept). I expect to do better today, and better still tomorrow. At some point the dam will burst, and I'll have more words than I know what to do with. For instance, I should be able to do something with this letter I found (from 2022, by Francis, in response to a proposal to move the poll, from a voter who has since parted ways):
One question this raises in my mind is: is there any consensus any more? is consensus even possible? and even if it is, would that be a good thing? Of course, I'm not going to try to answer those questions. Just to raise them may be all we can do. Needless to say, I'm way behind on my indexing. I used to laugh it off when people would comment about all my "hard work," but this is the year when it's finally gotten hard. I'm looking forward to working on something else. Or just cleaning up the residual mess, which is substantial. New records reviewed this week: Marshall Allen: The Omniverse Oriki (2023 [2025], High Two): Alto saxophonist, turned 100 last year, around the time that New Dawn was being touted as his "debut" album: a lie, or at least a ridiculous rationalization that proved so attractive that I wound up rejecting a dozen poll votes for him in the Debut category. The idea that one can always start afresh is as seductive as ever, but to promote it you have to overlook 70+ years of real, substantial accomplishment. True he spent most of his career just playing in Sun Ra's Arkestra, but after its namesake passed in 1993, Allen not only took over but put his name on the revitalized ghost band (at least 6 albums since 1999). Moreover, he's increasingly played with other ad hoc groups: Discogs has him on the slugline of 28 more albums, and has him playing on 400. Allen also got votes (including one Debut) for his Ghost Horizons album, but this one, where Allen's trio meets up with Kevin Diehl's bata drums and a Lucumi chorus led by Joseph Toledo escaped attention. It is a little darker and drabber than their early work as Sonic Liberation Front, but we're all getting older (even Allen), and the expanding universe is still getting emptier. A- [bc] Joe Alterman Feat. Houston Person: Brisket for Breakfast (2023 [2025], self-released): Pianist, from Atlanta, blurb cites praise from Ahmad Jamal, Les McCann,and Ramsey Lewis, and he has a McCann tribute among his nine albums since 2009. He seems to be a fine mainstream pianist, with a bass/drums trio playing standards, but my interest is the saxophonist, approaching 90 when this was cut. It's a delight, not least when the pianist breaks loose. A- [sp] Ashé Mystics: Fizzy Bubble Hummm (2025, High Two): Another new Kevin Diehl group, "Ashé" a Yoruba word previously used in a Sonic Liberation Front title (Ashé a Go-Go, from 2005). Trio with Joshua Marquez and Julius Masri, both described as "multi-instrumentalist," the former more focused on guitar the latter drums. B+(***) [bc] Olie Brice: All It Was (2024 [2025], West Hill): British bassist, based in London, has led a bunch of album since 2015, with many more side credits. Quartet with Rachel Musson (tenor sax), Alexander Hawkins (piano), and Will Glaser (drums). B+(***) [bc] Cortex & Hedvig Mollestad: Did We Really? (2025, Sauajazz): Norwegian group led by Thomas Johansson (trumpet) — with sax, bass, and drums — "(17)" at Discogs, which credits then with 9 albums since 2011, including this one with the guitarist. B+(**) [bc] Lao Dan/Vasco Trilla: New Species (2024 [2025], NoBusiness): Chinese musician, trained in traditional flutes, regarded as a master with a number of albums since 2018, picked up tenor sax and branched into free jazz, although credits line here includes "diy flute, dizi (Chinese flute). Duo with Spanish drummer recorded in Shenzhen, bridges their worlds effectively. A- [cd] Lao Dan: To Hit a Pressure Point (2024 [2025], Relative Pitch): Solo tenor saxophone on 7 (of 9) tracks, with suona ("a loud, high-pitched Chinese double-reed woodwind") on one, and "effects" on the other — the last track, which finally achieves a level of intensity unexpected in solo work. B+(**) [sp] Dieuf-Dieul De Thiès: Dieuf-Dieul De Thiès (2024, Buda Musique): Mbalax group from Senegal, two albums of their early work from 1981 were compiled by Teranga Beat and released 2013-15. The group split up in 1983, but regrouped in 2015, touring Europe in 2017. This is billed as their first studio album, but unclear when it was recorded. (One credit is that it was recorded by Christian Hierro, whose technical credits only go back to 2004.) B+(***) [sp] Editrix: The Big E (2024 [2025], Joyful Noise): Fringe jazz guitarist Wendy Eisenberg (guitar), sings in this post-punk trio with bass (Steve Cameron) and drums (Josh Daniel), third album since 2021. B+(*) [bc] Effie: Pullup to Busan 4 More Hyper Summer It's Gonna Be a Fuckin Movie (2025, Sound Republica, EP): Korea rapper, 2nd EP, 6 songs, 13:23, topped a New York Times EOY list, call it "hyperpop" if you like, all glitchy and senseless. B [sp] Peter Evans, Mike Pride: A Window, Basically (2022-25 [2025], Relative Pitch): Avant trumpet and drums duo. This is often terrific. B+(***) [bc] Feeo: Goodness (2025, AD 93): British electronic composer Theodora Laird, first album after some singles, sings, which provides most of the focus here, posing as secular gospel, ethereal and insubstantial. B [sp] Frode Gjerstad/Alexander von Schlippenbach/Dag Magnus Narvesen: Seven Tracks (2024 [2025], Relative Pitch): Norwegian alto sax/clarinet player, Discogs lists 174 performance credits since 1983, notably his groups Detail and Circulasione Totale Orchestra, plus many collaborations ranging from Han Bennink to Ken Vandermark. Trio with the legendary pianist and a drummer who has previous duo albums with each. B+(***) [bc] ICP Orchestra: Happy Birthday → Naar Zee Z.O.Z. (2025, ICP): The gang's all here, on the occasion of what would have been founder-pianist Misha Mengelberg's 90th birthday, with Guus Janssen filling at the piano, and possibly only drummer Han Bennink still here from the Instant Composer Pool's 1967 Tentet debut.. B+(**) [bc] Instant Arts Quartet: Lingua Franca (2023 [2025], High Two): Philadelphia-based percussionist Kevin Diehl, best known for leading Sonic Liberation Front, with bass (Pete Dennis) and two horns: Terry Lawson (tenor sax) and Matt Lavelle (trumpet, alto/bass clarinet), with some switches to bamboo flute, gong, and bells. The horns spin freely, relentless conflict and communication, as no one's writing harmony lines here. A- [bc] Fabia Mantwill Orchestra: In.Sight (2025, GroupUP Music): German saxophonist, sings some, second album, orchestra is loaded with strings, has half a big band's load of horns, adds harp and mallets, uses guitar but no piano, has guest spots for kora, accordion, and lap steel. B+(**) [bc] Dave McMurray: I Love Life Even When I'm Hurting (2025, Blue Note): Saxophonist from Detroit, discography starts around 1980 with Griot Galaxy and Was (Not Was), has involved a lot of prominent studio work (B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Gladys Knight, Rolling Stones, B-52s, Iggy Pop, Bootsy Collins, John Sinclair, Mitch Ryder, Brian Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Geri Allen, Kid Rock), with occasional records as a leader (3 1999-2003 albums on Hip Bop, Blue Note since 2018). I like the grit in his saxophone here. I'm less impressed with his vocalists (Herschel Boone, Kem). B+(*) [sp] Otherworld Ensemble: Soul Bird (2025, Edgetone): Septet, principally Heikki Koskinen (e-trumpet, piano, tenor recorder, ocarina, birch bark horn, bird calls) and Rent Romus (alto & soprano saxes c-flute, bird calls), with all but Vinny Golia adding to the bird calls chorus. B+(**) [cd] Zeena Parkins: Lament for the Maker (2024 [2025], Relative Pitch): Harpist, from Detroit, straddles avant-classical and avant-jazz, several dozen albums since 1987, also electronics here, performing four pieces (12:43 to 17:18), one she composed, others by Laetitia Sonami, John Bischoff, and James Fei. B+(*) [sp] Anaïs Reno: Lady of the Lavender Mist (2025, Club44): Standards singer, born in Switzerland, moved to New York when she was 2, second studio album after a fine set of Ellington & Strayhorn songs in 2021. She wrote a lyric here, again for an Ellington tune. Featuring Peter Bernstein (guitar), with bass (David Wong) and drums (Joe Farnsworth). B+(**) [sp] Crystabel Efemena Riley: Live at Ormside (2025, Infant Tree): British drummer, noticed her in the duo @xcrswx (with Seymour Wright) and the group X-Ray Hex-Tet, first name credit is this 17:52 drum solo. B+(*) [bc] Diego Rivera: West Circle (2023 [2025], Posi-Tone): Mainstream tenor saxophonist, born in Ann Arbor, long taught in East Lansing, has close to a dozen albums since 2013, also plays soprano on two tracks here. Wrote 7 (of 10) songs, with one by his pianist (Art Hirahara), two covers one from Herbie Hancock. With label regulars Boris Kozlov (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums). Strong form, as usual. B+(**) [sp] Herb Robertson/Christopher Dell/Christian Ramond/Klaus Kugel: Blue Transient (2024 [2025], Nemu, 2CD): Trumpet, vibes, bass, and drums. Trumpet player got his start with Tim Berne in 1983, also played a lot with Mark Helias and Gerry Hemingway, died in December 2024, so not much after this. The others are German, 8-14 years younger, but they've made the rounds, with Dell having the highest profile. B+(***) [cd] Rick Roe: Wake Up Call: The Music of Gregg Hill (2025, Cold Plunge): Tenth album I've heard since 2017 of Hill's compositions, all by Hill's former Michigan State students (Roe, Michael Dease, Randy Napoleon, Rodney Whitaker, and the younger, lesser-known Techno Cats). I always figured these were vanity projects, notable mostly because no other composer with no real performance credits has done so much promotion. But this postbop with an extra shot of swing is a consistent delight, especially the tenor sax of Marcus Elliot, but also some slick piano, with Robert Hurst on bass and Nate Winn on drums. A- [cd] Joris Roelofs/Guus Janssen/Han Bennink: Rite of Spring (2025, ICP): French-born, Amsterdam-based saxophonist, plays bass clarinet here, has played with Vienna Art Orchestra and ICP Septet, joins the latter's pianist and drummer for a delightful set of standards (mostly Monk), with one original, two from Janssen, and one from ICP founder Misha Mengelberg. B+(***) [bc] Sophie Tassignon: A Slender Thread (2025, Nemu): Belgian singer-songwriter, sometimes writes lyrics to others' music, sometimes writes music to other lyrics, sometimes just arranges, sings, dubs in electronics. Interesting, but leans too classical for my ears, and not just because the lead composer is someone named Bach. B+(*) [cd] Ziv Taubenfeld/Helena Espvall/João Sousa: You, Full of Sources and Night (2024 [2025], NoBusiness): Bass clarinet, cello, drums trio, the former an Israeli based in Lisbon with a half dozen albums since 2016. The combination works especially well. A- [cd] Thalin, Cravinos, VCR Slim, Pirlo & Iloveyouangelo: Maria Esmeralda (2024, Sujoground): Brazilian rappers, at least the first three, as individual piece credits tend to follow the headline order. There is a whole scene here I'm basically clueless to. I can't follow, and had to turn this up to get any clarity, but sonically someone suggested DJ Shadow, and this feels like it may be even heavier. B+(***) [sp] Luís Vicente: Live in Coimbra (2020 [2025], Combustão Lenta): Portuguese trumpet player, has a lot of work since 2012, solo here, which is always a sketchy proposition. B+(*) [bc] Luis Vicente/John Dikeman/William Parker/Hamid Drake: No Kings! (2022 [2025], JACC): Trumpet, tenor sax, bass, and drums, one 68:02 live improv from Bimhuis, the title (I suspect) slapped on post facto. B+(***) [bc] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Han Bennink & Misha Mengelberg: ICP010 (1971 [2025], ICP): Dutch avant-garde drummer and pianist, played together as early as 1961, sharing a credit on Eric Dolphy's Last Date (1964), co-founders (with Willem Breuker) of Instant Composers Pool in 1967, this the label's 10th release (1972), titled Instant Composers Pool at the time. B+(*) [bc] Michel Doneda & Frederic Blondy: Points of Convergence (2014 [2025], Relative Pitch): French soprano saxophonist, also plays sopranino here, many albums start in 1985, this a duo with piano. Long album (8 tracks, 106:28), takes a while to kick in — 6th track, when the piano starts punching hard. B+(**) [bc] Bill Evans: Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings (1959-61 [2025], Craft): The pianist's 1956-63 The Complete Riverside Recordings ran 12-CD, but this narrowly focuses on the two studio albums he made with his most famous trio, with Paul Motian (drums) and Scott LaFaro (bass), which came to an abrupt end when LaFaro was killed in a car crash, just a month after the live sets they are most famous for (Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby, which eventually grew into their own 3-CD box). CD reissues of the two albums added extra takes, and this adds still more, reaching 43 tracks, running 212 minutes. That's a lot more than seems necessary. B+(***) [sp] Arkady Gotesman: Music for an Imaginary Ballet (2000-25 [2025], NoBusiness): Lithuanian drummer, b. 1959, credits since 1990, some as Arkadijus Gotesmanas, including early work with Vyacheslav Ganelin and Charles Gayle. This "summation of a thirty-year journey" impressed first with its earliest recording, a duo with saxophonist Liudas Mockunas, then skips around, including 2025 live sets with Jan Makismovic's trio and a duo with Martin Küchen, bits with Ganelin and Gayle, Ned Rothenberg and Nate Wooley, a drums duo with Mark Sanders, and more, held together by his own relentlessly creative percussion. A- [cd] Oliver Lake: Live From Studio Rivbea 1975 & 1976 [Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 4] (1975-76 [2025], NoBusiness): Alto saxophonist, from St. Louis, early in a long and distinguished career, two sets (17:06 and 55:52) with Michael Gregory Jackson (guitar) and Fred Hopkins (bass), different drummers (Phillip Wilson and Jerome Cooper), plus trumpet (Baikida Carroll) on one long second set cut. B+(***) [cd] Bobby Naughton Trio: Housatonic Rumble: Live at Charlie's Tap (1985 [2025], NoBusiness): Vibraphonist (1944-2022), from Boston, several obscure albums, side-credits with Leo Smith and Roscoe Mitchell. Engaging trio with Joe Fonda (bass) and Randy Kaye (drums). [cd] Archie Shepp and the Full Moon Ensemble: Live in Antibes (1970 [2025], BYG): Tenor saxophonist, a major avant-garde figure starting out from 1963 (New York Contemporary Five), mostly on Impulse, but had several albums released in the French Actuell series 1969-70, with this live set originally appearing in two volumes. With Clifford Thornton (trumpet/piano), Allen Shorter (flugelhorn), Joseph Déjean (gitar), and Claude Delcloo (drums). Quite a bit of piano here, by Shepp as well as Thornton. B+(**) [yt] Alan Silva and His Celestrial Communication Orchestra: Luna Surface (1969 [2025], BYG): Best known as a bassist, born in Bermuda, grew up in New York, played with Sun Ra in 1964, also Cecil Taylor, Sunny Murray, and Albert Ayler before this (first or second album), plays violin here, as does Leroy Jenkins. Large group, from a session which produced a bunch of albums under various leaders. Notable here that there were two bassists, Beb Guérin and Malachi Favors, and that the sax section included Anthony Braxton and Archie Shepp. Intense, tough going, but short (28:20). B+(**) [sp] Old music: Chuck Redd: All This and Heaven Too (2002, Arbors): Vibraphonist, also known as a drummer, has several albums and more credits since 1996, mostly on or adjacent to this retro-swing label, often working with Charlie Byrd and Ken Peplowski. A name I barely recognized when he made news recently for canceling a "Trump-Kennedy Center" Christmas Eve performance, so I thought a refresher would be in order. (I also see that the Cookers canceled their New Years Eve gig at TKC.) Mostly trio here with Gene Bertoncini (guitar) and George Mraz (bass), playing old standards and early bebop (Charlie Parker, Thad Jones). Rather sedate, although it picks up a bit when Peplowski (tenor sax/clarinet) guests. B+(*) [sp] Joris Roelofs/Han Bennink: Icarus (2018 [2023], ICP): Duo, the former playing bass and Bb clarinet, the latter mostly drums, but also credited with "balk, C clarinet, piano." B+(**) [bc] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
Ask a question, or send a comment. Thursday, December 25, 2025 Music Week
December archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45342 [45282] rated (+60), 3 [1] unrated (+2). Music Week has been delayed this week because I've been working on the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. Deadline for voting was Sunday, the date of our own annual Hannukah dinner, so I wound up the day with a mailbox full of late ballots, which took me a couple more days to get through. I cooked again on Christmas Eve. It was a smaller affair, but still consumed a lot of time. I was disappointed in the turnout, so I grubbed a few last-minute ballots, to finish with 167. That's down 10 from 2024, but still a pretty solid showing, especially given that the most obvious difference this year is the degree of wear and tear that practically everyone is feeling under increasingly trying circumstances. Next up will be adding footnotes and adjustments to the website, so we can be clear about records that cross categories and years. Also some proofreading. But the big part will be interpreting the data in the form of essays and comments. I'm hoping the essays will be fairly minimal: just the facts, because I'm not there's that much more we can really conclude. But I'm open to all sorts of people offering comments on jazz and the world c. 2025. The most important thing about the poll is that it brings together many different takes on the year. I doubt it would help for me to try to distill them all into my own personal viewpoint. Still, I doubt that there is any practical way to get anywhere near all the viewpoints one would like to be able to share. That requires a level of engagement with the world that I simply don't have the skills or temperament to do. So I see myself as just some kind of caretaker for a bigger project that will never be able to really reveal itself. It's been really frustrating, but it's also been a really nice change of pace to be able to deal with so many fine critics on such a personal level. Expect the next Music Week on December 31. While I normally aim for Mondays, I like to end December cleanly on the last day of the year. That was my original target date for handing the poll package over to ArtsFuse to publish. Given how the weekend breaks, and how everything this year has taken longer than one hoped, I think the more realistic date is January 5. Next year we'll start thinking about resolutions for doing things differently. New records reviewed this week: @xcrswx: Moodboard (2025, Feedback Moves): British duo of Crystabel Elemena Riley (human/drum-skin) and Seymour Wright (sax), the latter especially notable for his work in Ahmed but he's done a fair amount since 2001. Focus on percussion here. B+(***) [bc] David Amram: Honors Guthrie and Ochs: Old Souls (2025, Guthrie Legacy): A familiar name, but one I haven't thought of in ages, and can't quite place, even with the help of references which show he was born in 1930, and worked with Aaron Copland, Dizzy Gillespie, Jack Kerouac, Pete Seeger, Patti Smith, and many more. His discography includes soundtracks, string quartets and symphony orchestras, odes to Lord Buckley and Langston Hughes. Here he and his quintet offer jazz arrangements of six folk songs for a leisurely and delightful 29:15. A- [sp] Ancient Infinity Orchestra: It's Always About Love (2025, Gondwana): Fifteen-piece "spiritual jazz ensemble" with reeds and strings but no brass, led by composer Ozzy Moysey. Second album. B+(*) [sp] Believe: Spirits of the Dead Are Watching (2023 [2025], Relative Pitch): Debut group album, from "four of Australia's most experienced and dedicated improvisers," names I am at best only marginally acquainted with, on alto sax (Peter Farrar), piano (Novak Manojlovic), bass (Clayton Thomas), and drums (Laurence Pike). Even tempered, constantly engaging, a fine album among scores of other more/less equally fine albums. B+(***) [sp] The Brunt [Gerrit Hatcher/Dave Rempis/Kent Kessler/Bill Harris]: Near Mint Minus (2023 [2024], Aerophonic): Chicago free jazz group, two tenor saxophonists (Rempis also plays alto/baritone), backed by bass and drums. Hatcher has several records back to 2017. B+(***) [bc] Albert Cirera & Tres Tambors: Orangina (2025, UnderPool): Catallan saxophonist (tenor/soprano), has produced a substantial body of work since 2007, has two previous Tres Tambors albums (2012 & 2017), and a previous title song that goes back at least to 2013. Leads a quartet, but only one drummer (Oscar Doménech), with Marco Mezquida (piano/rhodes) and Marko Lohikari (bass). B+(**) [bc] DJ Travella: Twende Dance Classics (2025, Nyege Nyege Tapes, EP): Tanzanian beatmaker Hamadi Hassani, released an album in 2020 called Dr. Mixondo, returns here with four fast ones ("hyper-melodic floor fillers", short at 8:45. B+(***) [sp] Pierre Dørge/Kirk Knuffke: Songs for Mbizo: Johnny Lives Forever (2024 [2025], SteepleChase): Danish guitarist, albums since 1979, notably with his swing-oriented New Jungle Orchestra. South African bassist Johnny Dyani (1947-86) landed in Denmark, and made a big impression on Dørge, who responded with his 1987 tribute album, Johnny Lives. This one features the cornet player, backed by bass (Thommy Andersson) and drums (Martin Andersen). B+(***) [sp] Pierre Dørge New Jungle Orchestra: Jazzhus Montmartre Live (2023 [2025], SteepleChase): Danish guitarist, named his large band in 1982, affectionately recalling Duke Ellington's "jungle band" and possibly Django Reinhardt's "hot club," and he's sustained it for 40+ years. Discogs lists this as their 27th album. Currently a nine-piece group, mostly playing the leader's originals. B+(**) [sp] Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Let the Spirit Out: Live at "Mu" London (2024 [2025], Spiritmuse): Group started with Three Men From Chicago in 1981, the constant for 40+ years has been the percussionist, group size has varied but Corey Wilkes (trumpet) and Alex Harding (baritone sax) have been members since 2007 and 2019, joined here by Ishmael Ali (cello). Live set, includes such standards as "Summertime" and "Caravan." B+(**) [sp] Phillip Golub/Lesley Mok: Dream Brigade (2023 [2025], Infrequent Seams): Piano and drums duo, both started c. 2020 and are making a name for themselves, but already they want to sell the album title as group name. B+(**) [sp] Gregory Groover Jr.: Old Knew (2025, Criss Cross): Tenor saxophonist, real name as far as I can tell (middle name George), father was pastor at an A.M.E. church in Boston, got a degree from Berklee, second album, 10 originals plus one piece by Jason Moran, hot shot band: Joel Ross (vibes), Paul Cornish (piano), Harish Raghavan (bass), and Kendrick Scott (drums). B+(***) [sp] Scott Hamilton: Looking Back (2024 [2025], Stunt): Retro-swing tenor saxophonist, impressive debut in 1977, a steady player especially of standards ever since. Quartet here with Jan Lundgren (piano), Hans Backenroth (bass), and Kristian Leth (drums), ten tracks referencing sax giants and other musicians Hamilton has played with, occasioned by his 70th birthday. Curious lack of info on the record (like release date and song credits), despite a fair number of reviews. B+(**) [sp] Jim Hobbs/Timo Shanko: The Depression Tapes (2024 [2025], Relative Pitch): Alto sax and bass duo, were both founders of the Fully Celebrated Orchestra in 1989 but this is their first duo album. B+(**) [sp] Julia Hülsmann Quartet: Under the Surface (2024 [2025], ECM): German pianist, steady stream of albums since 2000, fifth Quartet album since 2013: Marc Muellbauer (bass), Martin Abrahamsen (drums, new here), started with a trumpet player, but switched to tenor sax (Uli Kempendorff) in 2019. This one adds Hildegunn Øiseth (trumpet, goat horn) on five tracks. B+(***) [sp] Simon Jermyn/Otis Sandsjö/Petter Eldh/Lukas Akintaya: Obsany (2023 [2025], Elastic): Irish bassist, fifth album since 2007, based in Berlin after 11 years in New York, quartet there with sax, electric bass, and drums, adding Michaël Attias (sax) on three tracks. Nice record, tails off a bit. B+(**) [sp] Steve Johns: Mythology (2024 [2025], SteepleChase): Drummer, has a 2002 album, a few more since. Leads a postbop group with guitar (John Hart), piano (Greg Murphy), vibes (Monte Croft), and bass (Joris Teepe), playing four of his own originals, three from Teepe, one from Hart, and two standards (sung by Croft, who also plays some harmonica). Discogs credits him with four albums 1989-93, and a 16 year credits gap before he picks up again in 2020, but he's the player you notice most here. B+(*) [sp] Laura Jurd: Rites & Revelations (2024 [2025], New Soil): British trumpet player, debut 2012, probably best known for her group Dinosaur (3 albums 2016-20). Quintet with folk musos Martin Green (accordion) and Ultan O'Brien (violin/viola), along with Ruth Goller (electric bass) and Corrie Dick (drums). The folk music is vital, and the jazz just builds on it, like Miles on funk. A- [sp] Kokayi: Live at Big Ears: The Standard Knoxville, TN (2025, Why!Not): Bandcamp page threw me with "no, not the Washington, D.C.-born iconoclast who helped establish the city as a hip-hop landmark," but Discogs has the same artist (Carl Walker) I had previously filed under rap working with Steve Coleman in 1995 and Ambrose Akinmusire in 2025, so while playing this I moved him from rap to jazz vocals. I can hear the Bobby McFerrin and Jon Lucien the liner notes cite, but also echoes of Swamp Dogg and Coltrane. B+(***) [sp] Sarathy Korwar: There Is Beauty, There Already (2025, Otherland): US-born, India-raised, London-based percussionist, has a handful of albums since 2016, thoughtfully tying his whole world together. This is an enchanting, otherworldly groove album, with a bit of vocal aura and a few words. A- [sp] Mon Laferte: Femme Fatale (2025, Sony Music Latin): Singer-songwriter from Chile, based in Mexico, 10th album since 2003. Sounds like something I might like much more if I could understand the lyrics and focus better on the music. B+(**) [sp] Stian Larsen/Colin Webster/Ruth Goller/Andrew Lisle: Temple of Muses (2022 [2025], Relative Pitch): Norwegian guitarist, has several free improv albums, here with sax, bass, and drums. Liked the edginess at first, but seemed to tail off toward the end. B+(*) [sp] Tony Miceli: Nico's Dream (2024 [2025], SteepleChase): Vibraphonist, side-credits at least as far back as 1991 but counts as his first album. With guitar (Paul Bollenback), bass, and drums. Zips right along. B+(**) [sp] Wolfgang Muthspiel/Scott Colley/Brian Blade: Tokyo (2024 [2025], ECM): Austrian guitarist, has close to 30 albums since 1989, some fusion-oriented, some more introspective. His 2006 duets with Blade are a high point, and their work with the bassist goes back at least to 2000. B+(**) [sp] Max Nagl Quintett: Phasolny (2025, Rude Noises): Austrian alto saxophonist, albums since 1988, quintet with trumpet (Martin Eberle), trombone (Phil Yaeger), piano, and bass, but no drums, which gives it a chamber jazz effect, albeit with rather brassy. B+(**) [sp] Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity: Great Intentions (2024 [2025], Action Jazz): Norwegian drummer, credits pick up around 2007, notably Cortex (2011-20). Lately he's focused on two groups: Acoustic Unity (this is their 5th album since 2015), and Supersonic Orchestra (2 albums since 2020). Core group is a trio with André Roligheten (sax), Petter Eldh (bass), fortified here with two more "featured" saxophonists (Kjetil Møster and Signe Emmeluth) as well as Jonas Alaska (vocals/guitar). This has its moments, but they don't all line up. B+(***) [sp] Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico [Live at Town Hall] (2023 [2025], Tiger Turn): Pianist and bandleader, has largely cornered the market for Afro-Cuban jazz in New York, the far from missing link between his famous father — the Chico in the "original influencers" list, along with Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo mdash; and his soon-to-be famous sons Adam and Zack (trumpet and drums here). First half is a party with a lot of vocals. Second takes "Manteca" and turns it into a suite. Both are fun, but neither is wholly successful. B+(**) [sp] Ivo Perelman/Nate Wooley/Matt Moran/Mark Helias/Tom Rainey: A Modicum of the Blues (2024 [2025], Fundacja Słuchaj): Brazilian tenor saxophonist, released 6-12 albums annually, I've heard over 100, many quite good, but it's gotten hard to keep up. Most are fairly minimal duos or trios, which gives him ample opportunity to blow. Quintets like this are rare, with trumpet, vibes, bass, and drums. Only the last track realizes the group's potential. B+(***) [dl] Ivo Perelman/Nate Wooley: Polarity 4 (2025, Burning Ambulance): Tenor sax and trumpet duo, the fourth entry in a series of albums by the duo going back to 2020. B+(*) [bc] Ivo Perelman/John Butcher: Duologues 4 (2025, Ibeji): Tenor sax duo (with some soprano?), adds to an ongoing Perelman series, on top of many previous duos. My download calls this London Silhouettes, but while the email links to this series, I cannot find further evidence of the title. I couldn't bring myself to deal with Perelman's massive Reed Rapture in Brooklyn, figuring the twelve duo discs would turn into an endurance contest and wash out into some kind of meaningless B+. But even with the inevitable limits of all-saxophone groups, this is remarkably steady and engaging work. A- [dl] Rich Perry: Dream (2024 [2025], SteepleChase): One of a dozen or more fairly major mainstream tenor saxophonists to emerge in the 1990s — Beautiful Love (1995) is a good example. Still very much in that vein here, backed by piano (Gary Versace), bass (Jay Anderson), and drums (John Riley), playing three originals plus covers from Parker (2), Shorter, Silver, and Ellington. B+(***) [sp] Emma Rawicz: Inkyra (2024 [2025], ACT Music): Tenor/soprano saxophonist, several albums since 2022, rather overwhelming postbop group with Gareth Lockrand (flutes), David Preston (guitar), Scottie Thompson (keyboards), Kevin Glasgow (electric bass), and Jamie Murray (drums). B [sp] Dave Rempis/Nico Chkifi: Aula (2023 [2025], Aerophonic): Alto/tenor sax, a very strong players since he broke in with Vandermark 5, in a duo with the Belgian drummer, recorded in Liege. Seems rather par for the course. B+(**) [bc] Dave Rempis/Russ Johnson/Jakob Heinemann/Jeremy Cunningham: Embers and Ash (2024 [2025], Aerophonic): Saxophonist (soprano/alto/tenor here), quartet with trumpet, bass, and drums, live set from the Hungry Brain in Chicago. This freewheeling two horn, no piano/guitar improv is often thrilling, especially with such strong and thoughtful players. A- [bc] Dino Saluzzi: El Viejo Caminante (2023 [2025], ECM): Argentinian bandoneon player, now 90, records start around 1972, joined ECM in 1983, recording regularly through 2011, third album since. Here he is joined by two guitarists: his son, José Maria Saluzzi on classical guitar, and Jacob Young on acoustic steel-string and electric guitars. Very nice mix. B+(**) [sp] Loren Schoenberg and His Jazz Orchestra: So Many Memories (2025, Turtle Bay): Tenor saxophonist (b. 1958), bandleader, Discogs gives him a lot of "acting, literary & spoken" credits — especially on Benny Goodman, but he's expert on everything swing, as much a scholar as a musician. He had five albums under this byline 1987-98, reviving it here (where he plays piano) on discovering, as the subtitle puts it, "Unheard Eddie Sauter Arrangements for Red Norvo and Mildred Bailey," to which the cover adds "featuring Kate Kortum & Warren Wolf." B+(***) [sp] Dave Sewelson/Steve Hirsh/Steve Swell/Matthew Shipp/William Parker: Muscle Memory (2022 [2025], Mahakala Music): Baritone sax and trombone stars, a piano-bass duo that was good enough for David S. Ware, and a drummer who knows a label owner who can't get enough of improv sessions like this. B+(***) [bc] Skerik/Brian Haas/James Singleton/Simon Lott: Compersion Quartet (2024, Royal Potato Family): Tenor saxophonist Eric Walton, from Seattle, many side credits since 1991, mostly in fusion groups, including some of the more interesting ones, like Critters Buggin, Mylab, and Garage a Trois. Here With piano/harpsichord, bass/trumpet, and drums, with ample effects. B+(*) [sp] Sonic Chambers Quartet: Kiss of the Earth (2024 [2025], 577): Two saxophonists, Byron Asher and Tomas Majcherski, with the latter doing most of the writing, backed by bass and drums. Not so obvious at first, but the New Orleans connections have a way of coming out. B+(**) [dl] Thomas Strønen/Time Is a Blind Guide: Off Stillness (2021 [2025], ECM): Norwegian drummer, group name refers back to a 2015 album, same instrumentation with Håkon Aase (violin) and Ole Morten Vagan (bass) returning, plus replacements at piano (Ayumi Tanaka) and cello (Leo Svensson Sander). B+(*) [sp] Yuhan Su: Over the Moons (2024 [2025], Endectomorph Music): Vibraphonist, from Taiwan, moved to US in 2008 to study at Berklee, based in New York, fifth album since 2012. Opens in dazzling form, with saxophonists Alex LeRe and Anna Webber, Matt Mitchell on piano, Yingda Chen on guitar, electric bass, drums, and electronics. Lags a bit when they try to mix it up, like with flutes. B+(***) [sp] Things of This Nature: Things of This Nature (2025, Mahakala Music): Quartet, four musicians I'd never heard of — Caylie Davis (trumpet), Chris Ferrari (woodwinds), Shogo Yamagishi (bass), JJ Mazza (drums) — evidently quite young ("One has to have childhood memories of the Obama administration to create some of this music"). Strong first impression, but the common tendency in first albums to show off everything you can do (including the flute) scatters and winds down. B+(*) [sp] Ken Vandermark: October Flowers for Joe McPhee (2025, Corbett vs. Dempsey): Solo, inspired by McPhee's 1976 solo album Tenor, and various collaborations since 1996. He also plays baritone sax, Bb and bass clarinet, 11 compositions each named for flowers. B+(**) [bc] Rufus Wainwright With the Pacific Jazz Orchestra: I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Wainwright Does Weill (2025, Thirty Tigers): He's never been the singer or songwriter his father is, nor am I sure he actually lives up to the camp he aspires to, but Weill's songs are still magnificent, and it matters that he cares. B+(*) [sp] Wrens: Half of What You See (2023 [2025], Out of Your Head): On paper I figured this group was led by Jason Nazary, the drummer who produced and took most of the technical credits, but the album is dominated by rapper Ryan Easter, who also plays some trumpet, while cellist Lester St. Louis and pianist Elias Stemeseder work their skewed electronics. Interesting in every direction. A- [dl] X-Ray Hex Tet: X-Ray Hex Tet (2023 [2024], Reading Group): One-shot sextet, recorded live at the Taktkos Festival in Zürich, with Seymour Wright (alto sax), Pat Thomas (piano), Billy Steiger (violin), Edward George (words/electronics), and drummers Crystabel Riley and Paul Abbott. B+(*) [bc] Yes Deer: Everything That Shines, Everything That Hurts (2025, Superpang): Scandinavian free jazz trio, three 2014-18 albums, founders Karl Haugland Bjorá (guitar) and Anders Vestergaard (drums) return here with new saxophonist Signe Emmeluth for two half-title tracks, total 32:30. Rough, a bit too much for my taste, but very much the point here. B+(**) [bc] Zanussi 3: A Keen Beast (2019 [2025], Sauajazz): Norwegian bassist Per Zanussi, 80+ side credits since 1995, some in short-lived groups I recall, recorded 4 Zanussi 5 albums, strips that down to a basic trio here, with Kristoffer Alberts (sax) and Per Oddvar Johansen (drums). B+(***) [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Charlie Hunter/Bobby Previte/Skerik/Steven Bernstein: Omaha Diner (2013 [2025], SideHustle): Guitar, drums, sax, trumpet, released this as an eponymous group album in 2013, the idea being to "play the hits" — or deconstruct them, as they see fit. B+(*) [sp] Ibex Band: Stereo Instrumental Music (1976 [2025], Muzikawi): Ethiopian band, went through several iterations during the 1970s before the political situation deteriorated. Discogs shows them mostly backing singers, especially Mahmoud Ahmed and Aster Aweke, but they recorded this one instrumental album. The familiar background to much 1970s Ethiopian pop, growing into defining groove. B+(***) [bc] Masabumi Kikuchi: Hanamichi: The Final Studio Recording Vol. II (2013 [2025], Red Hook): Japanese pianist (1939-2015), survived the fire bombing of Tokyo, got a scholarship to Berklee, worked with Terumasa Hino, Gil Evans, is perhaps best known for his Tethered Moon trio with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian. Solo piano here, following an initial volume released in 2023. B+(**) [sp] Mujician: In Concerts (1993-2010 [2025], Jazz in Britain): Long-running (1988-2011) British avant-jazz quartet, with Keith Tippett (piano), Paul Dunmall (tenor/soprano sax), Paul Rogers (bass), and Tony Levin (drums). This compiles four live improv sets, one early (Cheltenham, 1993), one late (Birmingham, 2010), and two from the middle (Vienna, 2003). B+(***) [bc] Yusuf Mumin: Journey to the Ancient ([2025], We Want Sounds): Saxophonist, from Cleveland, played in Black Unity Trio in 1968, recorded this undated, uncredited "spiritual jazz" tape a bit later, with Munim also playing cello and flute, with drummer William Holmes. B+(*) [bc] Charles Tyler Ensemble: Voyage From Jericho (1974 [2025], Frederiksberg): Alto saxophonist (1941-92), started with Albert Ayler in 1965, recorded his debut for ESP-Disk in 1966, has a hole in his discography from 1967-75, when this album appeared, but was quite active (albeit little known) from then up to his death. Backed by bass (Ronnie Boykins) and drums (Steve Reid), with trumpet (Earl Cross), and on two tracks, Arthur Blythe takes over on alto sax, moving Tyler to baritone. B+(*) [sp] Mal Waldron: Candy Girl (1975 [2025], Strut): Pianist (1925-2002), first gained fame as accompanist for Billie Holiday, but that was just a drop in the bucket of a career that extended another 40 years, producing numerous highlights, like his work with Eric Dolphy, Steve Lacy, and Chico Freeman; duos with Archie Shepp and David Murray; an outstanding series of albums on Soul Note. This, well, is something else, a jazz-funk groovefest with electric keyboards (Frank Abel as well as Waldron), bass, and drums, the reissue adding alternative versions to push the total over the one hour mark. B+(*) [sp] Jessica Williams: Blue Abstraction: Prepared Piano Project 1985-1987 (1985-87 [2025], Pre-Echo Press): Pianist (1948-2022), mastered classical but moved quickly on to jazz, recorded regularly 1976-2014, with some remarkable trio albums. These "lost" tapes are solo sessions. The piano preparations are fairly mild here, producing unexpected tones but no great dissonance, developed with considerable skill. B+(***) [bc] Old music: Keith Tippett: The Unlonely Raindancer (1979 [2019], Discus Music): British avant-pianist (1947-2020), first record 1972, this a solo, released on 2-LP in 1980, showed up on a poll ballot but the only reissue I could find is this one. I'm not much of a solo piano fan, but he's always been a remarkable player, as is amply demonstrated here. B+(**) [sp] Keith Tippett: Blueprint (1972 [1973], RCA): This was the pianist's first album, with Roy Babbington (bass) and either Keith Bailey or Frank Perry (percussion), with wife Julie Tippett[s] on 4 (of 6) tracks (guitar, mandolin, recorder, voice). B [yt] Unpacking: Postponed until next week. Ask a question, or send a comment. Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Music Week
December archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45282 [45259] rated (+23), 1 [4] unrated (-3). I'm barely holding it together, although considering the circumstances one could argue that I'm doing remarkably well. Most of my time is taken up by the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. We are now less than one week away from the deadline, and I've counted about 40% as many ballots this year as we wound up with last year. That's probably bodes well, but is laced with a big shot of uncertainty. That became increasingly nerve-racking as Francis Davis faded into the background, and is all the more acute now that he's gone. But it's still not just his poll any more. I worry about wrecking it, but also suspect that if I didn't do it, no one else would. So after 19 years, consider this a bonus round. Tabulating the results is pretty easy. I have a system, some software I wrote back when I knew how, and I've developed a support network which provides a set of checks and balances. The real nightmare is figuring out what to write once the voting ends and winners are determined. I've toyed around with many schemes to offload my possibly self-imposed burden. What I've come up with this year is a scheme where I (or possibly someone else) writes a short, somewhat schematic introduction, followed by a list or table of data, and a few comments, some by me but most (hopefully) from ohers. Even if it winds up just being me, the format relieves much of the (possibly self-imposed?) pressure of having to come up with a coherent argument. Which, come to think of it, seems right, given that years are arbitrary time slices. I've written the idea up here. I'm allowing for the possibility of non-voters commenting, and for using quotes from previously published work. I'm looking for insight, not just reaction and opinion. But it's ok if the insights are scattered, as is the world. If you have something to say, feel free to use the email address in the file. Perhaps I'll add a form. I will add more guidelines, more specific suggestions, and possibly some results to prime the pump. But all of this will have to happen between now and the publication of the results, first week of January (if all goes well). Light load of albums this week. (The delay to Tuesday didn't help, except to add a newly discovered A- album. Otherwise, the cutover was early Monday, but I had little more time to wrap things up.) I can't blame this on the poll, which keeps me tied to the computer, and feeds me new finds to check out. Rather, my niece came to visit, which among other activities allowed me to cook dinner. I also had house projects, and signed a deal to get a new roof. The main reason this post is late is that I've been working in the attic getting ready for the roofers. I'm hoping they will do their thing later this week, but I'm less and less optimistic. Holidays are upon us, and weather is often precarious. Besides, it seems like literally everything is taking much longer than anyone imagined. More expensive, too. One thing that's taken longer than expected has been for me to file my own jazz ballot. I've done very little rechecking — although the top two albums still sound great, and nothing else I pegged at A- has caused me any regrets — and I've found very little new that has forced me to reconsider. Still, I've wound up tweaking the list a fair bit from last week's draft. But let's make this one official:
The ** notation carried over from my year-to-date file, representing something I downloaded or streamed. In past years I've been known to discriinate against such records, but I'm giving up here. Part of this is that I get less and less in the mail — especially since Trump turned European imports into a nightmare, although the labels there have been cutting back for a long time, at least since our "run like a business" post office started being run like venture capital prey. Perhaps some is that I can't play CDs in our new car. I've listened to quite a few jazz albums this year (760, vs. 409 non-jazz), but one thing I haven't managed to do is to go back through the download links I've saved up and see what I'm missing there. At this point I doubt I ever will. There is just literally too much to listen to. New records reviewed this week: Allo Darlin': Bright Nights (2025, Slumberland): Indie pop group, started in London by Australian singer-songwriter Elizabeth Morris as a solo project, morphing into a band. Fourth album since 2010. B+(**) [sp] Bruno Angelini/Sakina Abdou/Angelika Niescier: Lotus Flowers (2024 [2025], Abalone): French pianist, b. 1965 in Marseille, has more than a dozen albums since 2003, composed all of the pieces here, many dedicated to prominent civil rights leaders, joined by two saxophonists (tenor and alto). B+(**) [sp] Gregg Belisle-Chi: Slow Crawl: Performing the Music of Tim Berne (2024 [2025], Intakt): Guitarist, based in Brooklyn, has several albums since 2015, including two duos and a trio with saxophonist Berne, and now a second solo album of his compositions. I have little sense of most jazz musicians as composers, probably because very few of them manage to get their pieces played by others. Berne has found a capable ambassador here. B+(**) [sp] Jim Black & the Schrimps: Better You Don't (2024 [2025], Intakt): Drummer, b. 1967 in Seattle, has over 200 side credits since 1989, Tim Berne's Bloodcount and Dave Douglas's Tiny Bell Trio were important in the 1990s, he led Alasnoaxis 2000-13, this is his second Berlin-based Schrimps album, with bass (Felix Henkelhausen) and two saxophonists (Asger Nissen on alto and Julius Gawlik on tenor). B+(***) [sp] The Close Readers: Trees of Lower Hutt (2025, Austin): New Zealand singer-songwriter Damien Wilkins, has more than a dozen novels and short story collections since 1990, also recorded three pretty good albums 2010-14, comes up with another one here. Sounds a lot like the Go-Betweens. B+(***) [sp] Convergence: Reckless Meter (2019 [2025], Capri): Postbop sextet from Colorado, released three albums 1998-2003, led by John Gunther (tenor sax), with original members Greg Gisbert (trumpet), Eric Gunnison (piano), Mark Simon (bass), and Paul Romaine (drums), plus newcomer Mark Patterson (trombone), each credited with at least one song. B+(*) [sp] De La Soul: Cabin in the Sky (2025, Mass Appeal): Hip-hop group from Long Island, instant sensations with their 1989 debut, 3 Feet High and Rising. I didn't much care for them until their 2000-01 albums, but a collection of 1998-2001 singles is pretty great. Only three albums since 2004, the first without Maseo, this one finished after Dave (Trugoy the Dove) died in 2023 (he has six lead vocals here). B+(***) [sp] Hamid Drake & Pat Thomas: A Mountain Sees a Mountain (2019 [2025], Old Heaven Books): Drums and piano duo, recorded live in Shenzhen, China, and released on a label there. Some terrific piano here, but Drake makes everyone he plays with sound better. A- [bc] Effie: Pullup to Busan 4 More Hyper Summer It's Gonna Be a Fuckin Movie (2025, Sound Republica, EP): Korea rapper, 2nd EP, 6 songs, 13:23, topped a New York Times EOY list, call it "hyperpop" if you like, all glitchy and senseless. B [sp] Fred Frith/Mariá Portugal: Matter (2023 [2025], Intakt): British avant-guitarist, active since the 1970s, here in a duo with the German-based Brazilian drummer, who has a few albums since 2015. A bit of vocal toward the end. B+(***) [sp] Julius Gawlik: It's All in Your Head (2024 [2025], Unit): German tenor saxophonist (also clarinet), first album as leader, also plays in Jim Black & the Schrimps, and NDR Big Band. Quartet with Evi Filippou (vibes), Phil Donkin (bass), and Jim Black (drums). B+(***) [sp] Dave Gisler Trio: The Flying Mega Doghouse (2025, Intakt): Swiss guitarist, several albums since 2010, this a trio with bass (Raffaele Bossard) and drums (Lionel Friedli). B+(*) [sp] Jimmy Greene: As We Are Now (2024 [2025], Greene Music Works): Tenor saxophonist, some soprano, mainstream, started on Criss Cross in 1997, 13th album, backed by piano-bass-drums, plus extra guitar, organ, and/or percussion on some tracks, and a Javier Colon vocal. B+(**) [sp] Hamell on Trial: Dirty Xmas (2025, Saustex): No standards here, all originals, dirty is open to interpretation, so evidently is Xmas. B+(**) [sp] Nakibemebe Embaire Group and Naoyuki Uchida: Phantom Keys (2025, Nyege Nyege Tapes): Ugandan group, released an eponymous album in 2023, specialize in embaire, which is often described as a xylophone, but is made up of hollow logs arrayed in the dirt, large enough to be a team sport. Uchida is a Japanese DJ, credited here with the mix, which leaves it sounding like a lot of wooden mallet percussion. The group has a 2023 eponymous album, which I reviewed back then, and don't find significantly different. B+(**) [bc] Otherlands Trio [Stephan Crump/Darius Jones/Eric McPherson]: Star Mountain (2025, Intakt): Bass/alto sax/drums trio, all name players, joint credits but Crump has the inside track, with the new group name evidently spun off from Borderlands Trio, with McPherson and Kris Davis. Jones seems a bit subdued here, at least by his usual standards. B+(**) [sp] Out Of/Into [Joel Ross/Gerald Clayton/Kendrick Scott/Matt Brewer/Immanuel Wilkins]: Motion II (2025, Blue Note): House label supergroup, second album, six originals developed during a tour, unclear where or when or why but song credits are widely distributed in the band. Fitting that the mallets whiz gets first mention. B+(**) [sp] Keith Oxman: Home (2024 [2025], Capri): Tenor saxophonist, mainstream, based in Denver, has a dozen-plus albums since 1995, this a nice, relaxed quintet with trumpet, guitar, bass, and drums, playing original pieces. B+(**) [cd] Wayne Wilkinson: Holly Tunes (2025, self-released): Guitarist, from Colorado, has a handful of albums since 2007, this is billed as a trio with bass and drums, plus "special guest" Thomas J. Dawson Jr. (piano, strings, organ). Standards done so inoffensively I didn't even notice most of them. B- [cd] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Luke Bell: The King Is Back (2013-16 [2025], All Blue/Thirty Tigers): Country singer-songwriter, more western than southern, died young (32 in 2022), leaving three albums 2012-16, plus now this 28-track collection of engaging and entertaining scraps. Could be trimmed down, but he was an interesting character while he lasted. A- [sp] Fred Frith: Fred Frith and the Gravity Band (2014 [2025], Klanggalerie): British avant-guitarist, made his mark with his highly abstract Guitar Solos (1974), has played in prog rock groups like Henry Cow and Art Bears as well as in jazz and more classical-oriented ensembles. This group refers back to his 1980 "dance music" album Gravity, most obviously with a "Dancing in the Streets" medley. B+(**) [bc] Fred Frith/Shelley Burgon: The Life and Behavior (2002-05 [2025], Relative Pitch): Guitar and harp duo. The latter has some recordings with Trevor Dunn from the period, and scattered side credits since, ranging from Braxton to Björk to Eyvind Kang to William Tyler. Within limits, but "telepathic synchronicity" isn't just a boast. B+(***) [sp] Charles Mingus: Mingus at Monterey (1964 [2025], Candid): Live album, self-released in 1965, had a checkered history of reissues up to the early 1980s when Fantasy/Prestige got hold of it, but even they let it slip from sight after 1987. Opens with a quintet — Lonnie Hillyer (trumpet), Charles McPherson (alto sax), Jaki Byard (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums) — playing an Ellington medley, culminating in 13:35 of "A Train" (with John Handy added on tenor sax), then moves on to "Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk" (13:38). Then they add extra horns for a new piece, "Meditations on Intgegration" (24:45). B+(**) [sp] Thelonious Monk: Bremen 1965 (1965 [2025], Sunnyside): Radio shot, with a live audience, part of a European tour that has produced other similar documents (one from Olympia was recorded the day before, and another from Olympia a couple months later). Quartet with Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Larry Gales (bass), and Ben Riley (drums) was in peak form, with the once-quirky tunes confirmed as classics. A- [bc] Old music: Fred Frith: Gravity (1979-80 [1980], Ralph): British guitarist, started c. 1973 in left-prog Henry Cow, played on important albums by Robert Wyatt and Brian Eno (and on less important but still memorable ones by Tom Newman, Jade Warrior and Art Bears), while releasing his own pathbreaking Guitar Solos (1974) and, by 1980, hooking up with Henry Kaiser, Eugene Chadbourne, Lindsay Cooper, and the Residents. He cut this smorgasbord of deranged dance music on the latter's label, with dozens of side credits I don't recognize, including a tap dancer, lots of handclaps, and four names Discogs places under "Other [criticism]" — worth noting that at the time, I still regarded him as less notable than Simon Frith, his critic brother (and I followed the names I dropped above, although I wasn't much of a Residents fan). B+(***) [yt] Grade (or other) changes: Lily Allen: West End Girl (2025, BMG): British singer-songwriter, fifth studio album since 2007, 7 years since number four, a stretch of time covering a marriage and a divorce, so easy subject matter, which she handles adroitly. Music doesn't have quite the same zip as the earlier albums, so I hemmed and hawed, figuring I didn't want to picture her in middle age. But she's still many times smarter than most other pop stars, and that extends past her words into her music. [was: B+(***)]: A- [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week (not yet counted):
Ask a question, or send a comment. Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Music Week
December archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45259 [45223] rated (+36), 4 [3] unrated (+1). We're less than two weeks away from the Dec. 21 deadline for the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. I have 54 ballots counted, which feels like good progress, although the pace will still have to pick up to match last year's 177 voters. I've only invited a little more than a dozen new critics, and I've only gotten one ballot back from that bunch, but we've gotten a few ballots from people who missed in 2024. It helps me to get your ballots in early, not least because I worry a lot about turnout. One person who hasn't submitted their ballot yet is me. I did the cutover on Monday, early enough to post, but I wanted to include my ballot picks, and didn't figure that out. Actually, I still haven't figured it out for sure, but what follows is where my list stands at the present moment:
I haven't logged this yet. I want to give it a day or two to settle before making it official. (I'll update this post when I do, but I don't want to hold it up or do something rash.) I'm surprised to note that two Rara Avis albums are new discoveries this week (although the Braxton has been long in hand; I've just been slow getting around to it), after a couple months with nothing (but SML) coming close. I'm not especially happy with these lists: everything I recheck from my A-list sounds really good, but I spend so little time with new records that even obvious favorites never really sink in, like albums used to do before I started spreading myself so thin. I will note a couple things:
What I really recommend is that you look at my EOY lists (only compiled this week, and subject to constant revision for the next year or so): Jazz [76+6 A-list new, 26+2 A-list old; 161+15 B+(***) new, 28+4 B+(***) old], and Non-Jazz [90+2 A-list new, 8+2 A-list old; 100+1 B+(***) new, 15+2 B+(***) old]. Biggest surprise so far is that I already have more non-jazz than jazz A-list albums. Usually this time of year jazz is about 30% ahead, with non-jazz only catching up after I've finished poll work and got a chance to catch up with the EOY lists. A big part of the reason I have so much this year is that I've been following HHGA's The Best Hip Hop Albums of 2025 as they've updated it throughout the year.
Discounting two titles I picked up from my jazz list plus one late discovery from 2024, that's still about 25% of my non-jazz list. I've also done a better-than-usual job of following Saving Country Music this year, so my country list (broadly speaking) is nearly as long:
Of course, one could make this list longer with country-adjacent singer-songwriters like Hamell on Trial, Jeffrey Lewis, Patterson Hood, Jason Isbell, Neil Young, Todd Snider, and Dylan Hicks, as well as bands like Mekons, Wednesday, and Delines. And not a lot more than accent and branding separates these artists from others. Plus there's a lot more good country further down the list — same for hip-hop and everything else, especially jazz, where nearly everyone is remarkably skilled and inventive, so list placement has become inescapably quirky and personal. The years when most people shared the same listening experiences are long gone. This is going to be another trying week for me. We have another guest this week, so that will take up much of my time. I'll try to keep up with the poll tasks. I need to start writing bits and pieces for the final package. It's also beginning to look like the big roof project could fall apart. The weather isn't helping, especially with the latter. It's going to be arduous until the poll appears in the first week of January. After that is unfathomable. I have an idea for my next Substack piece, but finding the time will be difficult. Actually, I have a bunch of ideas. Just too many other commitments in the meantime. New records reviewed this week: Tarun Balani: ڪڏهن ملنداسين Kadahin Milandaasin (2024 [2025], Berthold): Indian drummer, from New Delhi, has a few albums since 2012. Title is in Sindhi, translates as "when will we meet," refers to a grandfather he never knew and a father who died in 2024, uprooted when Sind (Karachi) found itself on the Pakistani side of the 1947 partition. Quartet, recorded in Brooklyn, with Adam O'Farrill (trumpet), Olli Hirvonen (guitar), and Sharik Hasan (piano/synthesizer). B+(***) [bc] Kenny Barron: Songbook (2025, Artwork): Pianist, b. 1943, recorded some fine albums for Muse starting in 1973, came to my attention backing Stan Getz on People Time (1991), Discogs credits him with 98 albums and 770 performance credits, starting in 1960 with Yusef Lateef, then his brother, saxophonist Bill Barron. But while he's justly famous for his albums, he may have had even more impact as an educator: the number of famous pianists who cite him on their resumes must run well past 100. One thing he's not especially noted for is accompanying singers (unlike, say, Tommy Flanagan, or Ran Blake), but there have been a few (catching my eye, up to 1991, are Maria Muldaur, Sheila Jordan, and Jay Clayton; next screen adds Helen Merrill, Abbey Lincoln, Dianne Reeves, and lesser names). This is billed as his "first album to fully feature vocals." At first, I figured this was would just be a showcase for singers — he lined up eight, some famous (Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kurt Elling, Catherine Russell), some "up and coming" (Tyreek McDole, Ekep Nkwelle, Kavita Shah) — with his piano trio — Kiyoshi Kitagawa (bass) and Johnathan Blake (drums) — tying them together. But it turns out they're all singing his music, with new lyrics by Janice Jarrett. So it takes longer to sink in than standards, and the scattered voices depersonalize it a bit. But the piano is superb. B+(***) [sp] George Cartwright & Bruce Golden: South From a Narrow Arc (2025, self-released): Avant-saxophonist, also plays guitar, b. 1950 in Mississippi but long based in Minnesota, albums since 1979, best known for his 1981-2003 group Curlew, has more on his own, some (both old and new) with the Arkansas-based Mahakala label. Second duo album with Golden ("percussion and lots lots more plus the cover"). Scratchy at first, remains testy. B+(*) [bc] Che: Rest in Bass (2025, 10K): Young Atlanta rapper Chase Shaun Mitchell (b. 2006), second album. Pitchfork called this "the platonic idea of rage rap — diced-up lines and constant distortion, with enough vulnerability to balance the outrageous hedonism." Maybe if you focus, but why sort the clutter? B+(**) [sp] Silvana Estrada: Vendrán Suaves Lluvias (2025, Glassnote): Mexican singer-songwriter, has a couple albums, sounds vaguely folkie. B+(*) [sp] Al Foster: Live at Smoke (2025, Smoke Sessions): Drummer, side credits start in 1964 with Blue Mitchell, Discogs counts 515 album credits, notably played with Miles Davis 1972-85, not many albums as leader (first in 1978, three with this label since 2019), but this comes from two live sets celebrating his 82nd birthday, four months before he died. Stellar quartet with Chris Potter (tenor/soprano sax), Brad Mehldau (piano), and Joe Martin (bass). B+(***) [sp] Billy Hart: Multidirectional (2023 [2025], Smoke Sessions): Drummer, b. 1940, has more than a dozen albums under his own name (starting in 1977), scores more slugline credits, and hundreds of side credits (Discogs says 817, with Jimmy Smith in 1964 not his first gig but a break out). Earlier this year, he released a studio album with this quartet: Mark Turner (tenor sax), Ethan Iverson (piano), and Ben Street (bass). Here's they're back for a live set (five songs, 47:05). B+(***) [sp] James K: Friend (2025, AD93): "Experimental musician and visual artist from NYC," Jamie Krasner, debut EP in 2013, fourth album, sings over beguiling electronic beats. B+(**) [sp] Led Bib: Hotel Pupik (2025, Cuneiform): British fusion group, ninth album since 2005, led by drummer Mark Holub, with Liran Donin (bass) and two saxophonists (Pete Grogan and Chris Williams). B+(*) [dl] Nick León: A Tropical Entropy (2025, Tra Tra Trax): South Florida electronica/hip-hop producer, fifth album since 2016. B+(*) [sp] Los Thuthanaka: Los Thuthanaka (2025, self-released): Electronic musician Elysia Crampton, born in California, grew up in Virginia, first album released as E+E in 2008, followed by several in 2015-18 before adopting the name Chuquimamani-Condori, drawing on her Bolivian heritage, here in a duo with brother Joshua Chuquimia Crampton. I'm finding this uncomfortably loud and abrasive, but it's easy to seel the appeal if you're tuned into the energy. B+(**) [bc] Paul Marinaro: Mood Ellington (2022 [2025], Origin): Standards singer, born in Buffalo, based in Chicago, has a couple of previous albums from 2015, tackles 25 pieces from the Ellington songbook, arranged in three sets, backed by a nine-piece band plus a phalanx of violins. Good singer, songs not always well suited, arrangements hit and miss. B+(**) [sp] Fred Moten & Brandon López: Revision (2025, TAO Forms): Wikipedia describes Moten as a "cultural theorist, poet, and scholar whose work explores critical theory, black studies, and performance studies." His bibliography is split between "academic" and "creative," with the latter extending now to three albums since 2022, the first two with López (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums), this just with bass. I doubt I gave this one enough time. B+(***) [sp] Charles Owens Trio: The Music Tells Us (2024, La Reserve): Tenor saxophonist, b. 1972, which distinguishes him from another saxophonist, b. 1939 (played with Buddy Rich and Mongo Santamaria in the late 1960s, has 149 credits at Discogs). This one debuted in 1999 with quartet including Omer Avital and Jason Lindner, who led his next two credits. Discogs has a few more albums, but his Bandcamp has a different batch, and I've seen reference to, but haven't verified, a box of 2003 live recordings that appear on neither (some digitals are on Amazon). Trio with Cameron Ralston (bass) and Koli Shepsu (drums), mostly standards, starts with "Body and Soul" and ends with "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," with stops along the way for "Nature Boy" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" (the most interesting, and surprising, piece here). Owens also plays some piano (Nord Stage 3) here. B+(***) [sp] Aaron Parks: "By All Means!!" (2025, Blue Note): Pianist, albums since 2000, has a trio with Ben Street (bass) and Billy Hart (drums), adding Ben Solomon (tenor sax) here, to nice effect. B+(**) [sp] Revolutionary Snake Ensemble: Serpentine (2025, Cuneiform): Boston group led by saxophonist Ken Field, fifth album since 2003, modeled after New Orleans brass bands but somewhat removed. B+(***) [dl] Joanne Robertson: Blurrr (2025, AD 93): British singer-songwriter, from Blackpool, based in Glasgow, also a painter and poet, sixth solo album. B+(*) [sp] John Scofield/Dave Holland: Memories of Home (2024 [2025], ECM): Guitar and bass duo, both legends: Holland left Miles Davis to record one of the greatest avant-jazz albums of 1972 (Conference of the Birds), then developed into one of the definitive postbop composer-bandleaders; Scofield picked up the fusion banner in 1981 and brought it to a new level of intricacy and sophistication. Not their first meeting, but their first duo album together. A- [sp] Smerz: Big City Life (2025, Escho): Norwegian duo, Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt, second album, electronic beats, trip-hop vocals. B+(**) [sp] Omar Sosa: Sendas (2025, Otá): Cuban pianist, b. 1965, moved to Ecuador in 1990, lived in US for a while, eventually wound up in Spain. Solo, mostly downbeat, a couple of vocals. B+(*) [sp] Adrian Younge [Presents]: Something About April III (2025, Jazz Is Dead): Los Angeles-based composer-producer, started in "psychedelic soul," ventured into soundtracks, has lately mostly worked the Jazz Is Dead franchise with Ali Shaheed Muhammad, which usually features still-living-but-long-forgotten 1970s jazz figures, raising more questions than they answer. On his own, Younge's debut album was 2011's Something About April, to which he added a 2016 sequel. Here he hopes his increasing mastery of his trade — "a 30-piece orchestra, analog synthesizers, breakbeats and Brazilian vocalists" — will make the third time the charm. He may be right, but I'm not sure anyone else cares. B+(*) [sp] Adrian Younge: Jazz Is Dead 23: Hyldon (2025, Jazz Is Dead, EP): The guest star here is Brazilian singer-songwriter Hyldon De Souza Silva (b. 1951), whose albums started in 1975, for a twist on the producer's "psychedelic soul" roots. Eight songs, 24:40. B+(**) [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Anthony Braxton: Quartet (England) 1985 (1985 [2025], Burning Ambulance): The alto saxophonist, who started in AACM in Chicago, cut a Penguin Guide crown-winning solo (For Alto) that was so ugly even I can't stand it 55 years later, got a major visibility boost when Arista signed him in the late 1970s, got a long-term teaching gig at Wesleyan whence he has had several students lauded with genius grants (Mary Halvorson most famously). Now past 80, he continues to add to the hundreds of albums in his discography, which is only starting to be fleshed out with old tapes. One thing that helped solidify his reputation was his 1980s quartet, with Marilyn Crispell (piano), Mark Dresser (bass), and Gerry Hemingway (drums), which ranks among the great quartets in jazz history — peers include Coltrane's in the 1960s, and Ware's 1990s (with any of its drummers, but let's say Guillermo E. Brown). Their 1985 tour of England produced three 2-CD sets at the time, from Coventry (the Penguin Guide pick), Birmingham, and London (my pick). This digital-only release collects four more shows, each with two 36-47 minute sets, from successive nights in Sheffield, Leicester, Bristol, and Southampton. Playing them end to end is liable to feel like drowning, but any time you come up for air, you're likely to notice something simply brilliant. Ends with a bonus set drawn from soundchecks, including bits of standards. A- [dl] Don Cherry/Latif Khan: Music/Sangam (1978 [2025], Heavenly Sweetness): Trumpet player (1936-95), originally from Oklahoma City, gained fame in Ornette Coleman's Quartet, moved to Europe and expanded his horizons even wider, including this duo with tabla player (1942-89) from Delhi, during a first encounter in Paris. B+(**) [sp] Griot Galaxy: Live on WUOM 1979 (1979 [2025], Two Rooms): Jazz band from Michigan, spanned 1972-89, recorded albums in 1982 and 1985, had another live set released in 2003. Names I first recognize here are Jaribu Shahid (bass) and Tani Tabbal (drums), who were Sun Ra veterans but I know them mostly from James Carter's 1990s Quartet. Here they're backing two saxophonists, Faruq Z. Bey and Anthony Holland. Strong sax interplay, outstanding rhythm section, some spoken word. A- [bc] Old music: Tarun Balani: The Shape of Things to Come (2020, Berthold): Indian drummer, same group as his 2025 album: Adam O'Farrill (trumpet), Sharik Hasan (piano/synthesizer), Olli Hirvonen (guitar). Bold title, reminiscent of Ornette Coleman but "things" are vague where "jazz" was specific, and attached to a short album (5 songs, 31:08). The title piece, which leaps out of the modal matrix, for a moment anyhow, suggests that the future is bebop. B+(**) [bc] Daniel Carter/Gary Hassay/William Parker: Emanate (2013 [2015], self-released): No credits on the site, but Rick Lopez has the lowdown, crediting Carter with tenor/soprano sax, clarinet, flute, and trumpet, Hassay with alto/soprano sax and vocal, and Parker with bass and tuba, and setting the date and location as Easton, PA. B+(**) [bc] Gary Hassay + Paul Rogers: To Be Free (2004 [2006], Konnex): Free jazz alto saxophonist, just died (1947-2025), based in Allentown, PA, which was close enough to New York to get him some connections (e.g., with William Parker) but keep him obscure. Still, Discogs credits him with 18 albums since 1996, adding one side credit for his 1999 Ye Ren album (actually just a duo with Parker). Very little of his work is available on Spotify, but most of it is available on Bandcamp, including this remarkable duo with the British bassist — best known for numerous albums with Paul Dunmall, but in exceptional form here. I'm not so sure about the bit of Tuvan throat singing. A- [bc] Gary Hassay/Dan DeChellis/Tatsuya Nakatani: Beauty (2007, Konnex): Alto sax/piano/drums trio, one with several albums together, although the credits seem to have been missing on the original release, and are blurred ("saxophones/keyboards/percussion") on Bandcamp. Seems like they think quieter is prettier, but this is more striking when they break loose. Includes another "taste" of throat singing. B+(**) [bc] Gary Hassay/Dan DeChellis/Tatsuya Nakatini: Ritual Joy (2009 [2010], Konnex): Another trio album, with a 57:44 live set ("Haunting Said That") and a 7:36 "Thank You" (order flipped for the 2015 digital). B+(**) [bc] Gary Hassay/Michael Bisio: My Brother (2011, Konnex): Duo, Hassay playing tenor sax here, with the bassist who had worked with everyone on the New York avant scene when William Parker wasn't available. B+(**) [bc] Gary Hassay/Dan DeChellis/Tatsuya Nakatini: Seven Pieces (2015, self-released): Trio (alto sax/piano/drums), no information on when/where this was recorded, but probably within the 2007-10 window of their other albums. Pieces are untitled and numbered. B+(*) [bc] Gary Joseph Hassay/Janet Young: What Remains (2016, Dbops Music): Hassay starts using his middle name here, playing saxophones, throat-singing, and also credited with singing bowls and tuning forks, an interest shared by Young, also credited with gongs. The vocals finally lost it for me. B- [bc] Charles Owens Quartet: Eternal Balance (1999, Fresh Sound New Talent): Tenor saxophonist, first album, with Jason Lindner (piano), Omer Avital (bass), and Daniel Freedman (drums), three originals and four standards. B+(***) [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
Ask a question, or send a comment. Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Music Week
December archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45223 [45202] rated (+21), 3 [1] unrated (+2). We had guests from Boston Monday-Wednesday, so I paid them attention, neglecting everything else, especially surveying new music. Actually, the disruption started earlier, as I had to work around the house to get guest rooms ready. One thing that involved was clearing or hiding our construction projects. Monday I made a fairly substantial dinner, consisting of chicken cacciatore, potatoes dauphinois, caponata, horiatiki salad, a green beans with pancetta and parmesan (and, since I was short of pancetta, a lot of speck), with tiramisu for dessert. It's a menu I had suggested to my nephew for his birthday, as something fairly easy but still spectacular (although I think I had a chocolate cake in mind, that being a birthday). Next day we went out to George's Bistro for something fancier and more expensive. Didn't see many sights, but not much you can really do in Wichita in December. I've fallen several days behind my email in tabulating the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. I invited another dozen-plus prospective voters, and just got a ballot back from one of them. I currently have 35 ballots counted, which seems pretty good with 18 days left until the Dec. 21 deadline. That's just gauging from memory: at times like this I wish I had sequence data from previous years, so I can more accurately gauge progress-to-date. We're at a bit less than 20% of last year's 177 ballots, so I need to get a good deal busier in the next 2.5 weeks. Still time to invite more people, if I can find time to vet them. Recommendations welcome. (Most I've received recently have been very good.) The other big thing I have to figure out is the package articles. I had the thought of trying to commission some extra views of the data, but I'm having so much trouble finding time for what I minimally have to do that the extra work of recruitment and editing may prove beyond my reach. But, in case anyone is interested, some articles I'd like to see include:
I've toyed with the idea of taking some of my money and offering it for pieces, but there's so little to go around I'm not sure that's even a good idea. Plus it's becoming increasingly clear that I'm being stretched to the breaking point this year. I'd be interested in any reader comments here (although I'm not very optimistic about getting any). I will at least run these ideas past the voters and admin helpers later this week, and try to make decisions next week. The other thing I want to stress here is my hope that other people will write and/or broadcast (or is that podcast?) about the poll in their own venues after it comes out. If I can be helpful in that regard, please let me know. The poll is not a commercial venture. It's not an excuse to throw a gala, to hobnob with the stars, to hand out trophies. I'm not sure that it even matters who wins what. But the exercise matters, both in clarifying our own thinking and in communicating our experiences and expertise to other people. It helps us find our bearings in an immensely complex and confusing world. And that the process is relatively free of commercial pressures and ambitions should be taken as good. I ran my cutover Wednesday evening, and started to write this. I got almost this far, before I ran out of gas and decided to give it another day. My album count is short because I've spent so much time on other things. Even so, I've failed to make any progress on my own EOY lists, and very little on my EOY Aggregate, which has suddenly fallen very far behind. Much of today was spent catching up with email, which has brought the ballot count to 40. The number of New Jazz records with votes is up to 241, with Rara Avis at 53. I also found myself adding occasional items to the Loose Tabs draft file. I got my monthly stats report from Substack, which showed +4 subscribers (to 81), and -143 post reads (102; looks like I only posted once in November). So that's feeling like a fiasco. My mostly remedial home projects are feeling even more hopeless, especially as I'm caught between the grinding wheels of contractors and insurance companies. We were fortunate to mostly be spared the costs of inflation in 2023-24 — sure, we knew about food, but we don't need that much, and nothing else had much impact. But now I'm finding that a new roof costs three times as much as it did in 2006, and while insurance pretty much covered that 2006 roof, today's is covering less than half. And the real problem there isn't even money: it's leverage. There are still lots of cheap things, where we have lots of competitive choices, but where we don't, we're really getting screwed. Needless to add, having a government built on fraud and predatory practices doesn't offer much hope, let alone protection. With guests gone, and construction pending (I hope), I've started to line up a lot of things to listen to, so I imagine the rest of the year will be chock full of very quick and dirty reviews. But when I looked as the Jazz Passings list, I noticed saxophonist Gary Hassay among the recently departed (1947-2025): a name I recall fondly, and felt I should delve into deeper. Reviews next week, but I went ahead and added the cover scan for To Be Free (2005) to the otherwise paltry A-list above right. But he didn't record a lot, and I have trouble getting into the throat singing. I'm still happy to send out invitations when I run across a worthy name. I'm frustrated when I can't figure out an email address. (I spent some time today looking for Brent Burton, and I noticed that Mike Jurkovic has a list at AAJ.) I see that Fred Kaplan and Nate Chinen have already published lists, but haven't submitted ballots. Well past midnight now, and if I don't file this tonight, I may never get it done. So basta per ora! New records reviewed this week: أحمد [Ahmed]: سماع [Sama'a] (Audition) (2025, Otoroku): British quartet, formed 2017 in tribute to bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, with Pat Thomas (piano), Seymour Wright (alto sax), Joel Grip (double bass), and Antonin Gerbal (drums). Sixth album, follows the box set Giant Beauty, which got a lot of attention in 2024. Four pieces (66:04). Can grate in spots, but impressive or maybe I mean awesome. I've listened to a fair amount from Thomas recently, but Wright, with 60 credits since 2002, could use further research. A- [bc] Lina Allemano Four: The Diptychs (2024 [2025], Lumo): Canadian trumpet player, divides her time between Toronto and Berlin, side credits since 1996, albums since 2003, mostly "Fours," this one with alto sax (Brodie West), bass (Andrew Downing), and drums (Nick Fraser). Two two-horn interplay can take off. B+(***) [bc] Mia Dyberg/Axel Filip: Hobby House (2025, Relative Pitch): Danish alto saxophonist, a dozen or so albums since 2016, this a duo with drums. B+(**) [sp] Ryan Ebaugh/Matt Crane/Cameron Presley: Detergent (2024 [2025], Scatter Archive): Tenor sax, drums, guitar; the former seems to be younger, with a couple recent albums; the others older, with side credits starting in the 1990s, albeit mostly in bands with names like Carpet Floor (Crane) and Upsilon Acrux (Presley). Raw and harsh, which is the point. B+(***) [bc] Rachel Eckroth & John Hadfield: Speaking in Tongues (2023 [2025], Adhyâropa): Piano and drums duo (well, long list of keyboards and percussion instruments), former has 7 previous albums since 2005, latter has a 2022 album and dozens of side credits back to 2004 (they knew each other in college). B+(***) [sp] Anna Högberg Attack: Ensamseglaren (2024 [2025], Fönstret): Swedish alto saxophonist, plays in Fire! Orchestra, several other groups, this one was originally a quintet in 2016 but is up to 12 members here. B+(**) [bc] Hamilton de Holanda Trio: Live in NYC (2024 [2025], Sony): Brazilian bandolin player (using a 10-string mandolin here), dozens of albums since 1998, upbeat trio here with Salomão Soares (keyboards) and Thiago "Big" Rabello (drums), plus guest spots for Chris Potter (tenor sax), who makes the most of every opportunity. B+(**) [sp] Kelsey Mines/Erin Rogers: Scratching at the Surface (2022 [2025], Relative Pitch): Bass and sax (tenor/soprano) duo, weaving together contrasting tones. B [sp] Kelsey Mines/Vinny Golia: Collusion and Collaboration (2025, Relative Pitch): Golia plays piccolo and contrabass flutes, Bb clarinet, and sopranino saxophone, in a duo with the bassist, who also contributes "expressive vocal textures." B [bc] Oneohtrix Point Never: Tranquilizer (2025, Warp): Electronica producer Daniel Lopatin, one of the bigger names in the business since his 2006 debut. B+(**) [sp] PainKiller: The Great God Pan (2024 [2025], Tzadik): Avant-grindcore fusion band, founded 1991 with John Zorn (alto sax), Bill Laswell (bass guitar), and Mick Harris (drums, from Napalm Death), released three studio albums (plus one live) through 1994, has been revived several times since — sometimes with different drummers, but Harris returns here. One of many Zorn projects I've missed, so I'm surprised that the drumming is far from bombastic, and while the sax can cut to the quick, it's far from relentless, and could even be called ambient. B+(**) [yt] Rin Seo Collective: City Suite (2024 [2025], Cellar Music): Korean composer/conductor, based in New York, first album, group a crackling 14-piece big band, to call these complex and dynamic pieces "impressions of New York" undersells them severely. B+(***) [sp] Shifa: Ecliptic (2023 [2025], Discus Music): British trio of Rachel Musson (sax), Pat Thomas (piano), and Mark Sanders (drums), third album, a single 45:57 improv piece. B+(***) [bc] Slash Need: Sit & Grin (2025, self-released): Canadian group, "lyrics by Dusty Lee" (except for a Fang cover), eight songs, 32:28. Industrial beats, harsh gloom feels real. B+(***) [sp] Jason Stein/Marilyn Crispell/Damon Smith/Adam Shead: Live at the Hungry Brain (2023 [2025], Trost): Bass clarinetist, many albums since 2008, some exceptional, leads a live improv set here with piano, bass, and drums. B+(***) [bc] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Khan Jamal: Give the Vibes Some (1974 [2025], Souffle Continu): Vibraphone player (1946-2022), born in Florida as Warren Cheeseboro but mostly associated with the avant-garde in Philadelphia, first appeared with Sounds of Liberation in 1972, and with many other free jazz notables over the years. Three duet pieces here — one with Clint Jackson III (trumpet), two with drums (Hassan Rashid) — plus a marimba solo. B+(***) [bc] Roland Kirk Quartet: Domino: Live at Radio Bremen TV-Studios 1963 (1963 [2025], MIG): Title invites confusion with his 1962 Mercury album, Domino, with both sessions here leading off with the title tune. He plays everything, his songbook extending to Mingus. Backed by George Gruntz (piano), Guy Pedersen (bass), and Daniel Humair (drums). Package appears to come with a DVD, but I'm only hearing audio. B+(**) [yt] Stephen McCraven: Wooley the Newt (1979 [2025], Moved-by-Sound): Drummer (b. 1954), first of only a handful of albums as leader, but played extensively with Archie Shepp and Sam Rivers, and is father of Makaya McCraven. Recorded in Paris with two saxophonists (Sulaiman Hakim and Richard Raux), piano (Michel Graillier), and bass (Jack Gregg). B+(***) [sp] Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia: Live at Leverkusen 1994 (1994 [2025], Repertoire): British saxophonist (1944-2022); notable early side credits with Howard Riley, Michael Gibbs, and Colosseum (whose drummer she married). Debuted her fusion group Paraphernalia in 1978, which became her main (but not only) outlet into the 1990s, when health issues slowed her down. B+(**) [sp] Old music: Khan Jamal Quartet: Dark Warrior (1984 [1995], SteepleChase): Vibraphonist, recorded this in Denmark with Charles Tyler (alto/baritone sax), Johnny Dyani (bass), and Leroy Lowe (drums), adding a little funk quotient. B+(***) [sp] Grade (or other) changes: Patricia Brennan: Of the Near and Far (2024 [2025], Pyroclastic): Vibraphonist, from Mexico, based in Brooklyn, follow up to her poll-winning Breaking Stretch, has had a big year already with appearances on new albums by Mary Halvorson (A-), Dave Douglas (**), Tomas Fujiwara (A-), Adam O'Farrill (A-), Dan Weiss (***), Arturo O'Farrill (***), and Kalia Vandever (***). Original pieces, a large group conducted by Eli Greenhoe, with piano (Sylvie Courvoisier), guitar (Miles Okazaki), bass (Kim Cass), drums (John Hollenbeck), electronics (Arktureye), three violins and a cello. Seemed nice enough, even with an excess of strings, but poll votes persuaded me to revisit. Starts off sparkling, which is admittedly the adjective mallet instruments were designed to evoke. Ends in ambient territory, but pretty lush. [was: B+(***)] A- [cd] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
Ask a question, or send a comment. Wednesday, November 26, 2025 Music Week
Music: Current count 45202 [45155] rated (+47), 1 [12] unrated (-11). This is a couple days late. While I'm nowhere near as likely as my father was at my age to nod off, I'm finding it nearly impossible to get any serious work done after midnight, or even much before. So when I find myself failing a self-imposed deadline, increasingly I leave it for a fresher tomorrow. Last week, I resolved to publish Loose Tabs before my next Music Week. Since I number my blog posts — this goes back to the convention of an earlier generation of blog software called "s9y" (or "serendipity") — it becomes awkward to change directions. Besides, I didn't want to change. I had no desire to hold back comments on the elections past Thanksgiving. On the other hand, it didn't wrap up easily. Sunday passed unfinished. I finally posted 10292 words on Monday. I figured I'd do Music Week on Tuesday, and didn't even get started until after midnight. I was sharp enough then to effect my cutoff, but not to write an introduction. I punted again, and didn't get started until 9 PM Wednesday. We're now in a Cinderella race to see if I can post this tonight before I turn to pumpkin. I suppose I should mention that these delays aren't just good old fashioned writer's block, which I am often prone to. I spent prime time Saturday shopping for wood for my attic project: 5 sheets of plywood, 26 2x4s, 4 sheets of foamular, 4 sheets of underlayment, 48 feet each of 2x6 and 1x4 for the railing frame. On Sunday, we started using some of that, decking the center swath of the attic: not a huge part of the project, but a critical staging ground for further work. And Monday I made dinner for guests returning from a trip to Wales and Bosnia. I had little time to prepare, so I went with something simple but flexible and usually quite good: a big phat thai, with a water chestnut salad on the side, and for dessert the oatmeal stout cake, but substituting store-bought butter pecan ice cream. I was distracted enough on Monday I left nearly all of my email for Tuesday. Which during poll season takes some time to get through. The 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll is coming along nicely. By the time I finally caught up with my email, I had 24 ballots counted, with 149 new jazz albums named, and a surprise (to me, anyhow) leader. I've made little progress on a second round of invites, but have asked my email lists for recommendations. I just haven't had time to check out the 200-300 extra names I already have collected, let alone look for new ones. Still, I'm sure there are some good people we're missing. I'm afraid I'm feeling kind of schizzy about the poll. On the one hand, I want to push it to succeed beyond all expectations, and on the other I'm tempted to drop it and walk away. The obvious facts are that it's going to run my life between now and the first week of January, and that I'm not going to be able to get anywhere near as much done on or with it as I would like. And there's very little I can do about any of that. One thing I do know is that the next week is going to be especially unproductive. We're going to try to work on the house tomorrow, and get as much done as possible before it gets much colder and possibly snowy this weekend. But I'm also going to try to cook something: just a trad family meatloaf using stuff I don't have to shop for. Then on Monday we'll have guests from Boston for a couple days. I'll need to cook something on Monday. Should be another good excuse to push Music Week back toward the middle of the week. How much I can listen to by then is anyone's guess, but I should at least run across more jazz albums I hadn't heard of. Aside from the Kirk set and maybe SML, this week's top records were complete surprises. Hopefully I can get my ballot settled by next week. The first step is to assemble the jazz and non-jazz EOY files. PS: I did manage to finish posting this well after midnight Wednesday, but forgot to mention something fairly important: my server will be down for much of Monday, December 1, due to a data center migration by my provider (Shock Hosting; by the way, they've been terrific so far, providing much improved performance for much less cost). They offered to move me ahead of time, but I didn't move in time, and basically decided to ride out the storm. This will affect several other websites that I host: Hullworks (mostly jazz poll); Notes on Everyday Life (still nothing); Carol Cooper; Carola Dibbell; Barbara Howe. This won't affect Robert Christgau, which is hosted elsewhere, or places like my Substack. I also noticed and corrected some fairly severe typos in yesterday's updates to last Monday's Loose Tabs. I also misplaced the Peter Beinart book cover from the Recent Reading roll. That should now be fixed. I'm about one-third of the way through the book. It offers a pretty succinct, level-headed detail of what Israel has done to Gaza, and some measured explanation of why so many American and Israeli Jews have been so myopic about Israel's actions. I am hopeful that the remainder will draw out the self-harm that such myopia is causing. If you are Palestinian, or identify with them, I don't expect you to care, but the ability to recognize the suffering of even your enemies is a good trait to cultivate. Even though this is a holiday, I have a lot of work to do today. And not a hell of a lot to be "thankful" for, but we do what we can. New records reviewed this week: Annahstasia: Tether (2025, Drink Sum Wtr): Singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, last name Enuke, first album. Showed up on a jazz vocals list, but she's more folkie, maybe a touch of Joni Mitchell, deeper voice. B+(*) [sp] Bitchin Bajas: Inland See (2025, Drag City): Chicago group, primarily a side project for Cooper Crain (of Cave), with Dan Quinlivan and Rob Frye, with more than a dozen albums since 2010, including collaborations with natural Information Society, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Olivia Wyatt. This is their basic instrumental groove album. B+(***) [sp] Lena Bloch/Kyoko Kitamura: Marina (2022 [2025], Fresh Sound New Talent): Russian saxophonist, tenor and soprano, moved through Israel and Europe to the US, winding up in Brooklyn. Several albums since 2014. Kitamura is a vocal improviser, also based in Brooklyn, with several albums since 2012, plus notable work with Anthony Braxton and William Parker. They are backed by piano (Jacob Sacks), bass (Ken Filiano), and drums (Michael Smith). B+(**) [cd] Kara-Lis Coverdale: From Where You Came (2025, Smalltown Supersound): Canadian electronica composer/producer, based in Montreal, has a half-dozen albums since 2014. This one feels like soundtrack fodder, atmosphere undergirded by dramatic structure, but little fun. B [sp] Peter Evans/Being & Becoming: Ars Ludicra (2024 [2025], More Is More): Trumpet player, first caught our attention in Mostly Other People Do the Killing, was also the first to leave that group. Third group album, with Joel Ross (vibes/synth), Nick Jozwiak (bass/synth), and Michael Shekwoaga Ode (drums), plus some guest flute on one track. B+(***) [sp] Irving Flores Afro-Cuban Sextet: Armando Mi Conga (2025, Amor De Flores Productions): Pianist from Mexico, based om Sam Doegp, has a couple previous albums, recorded this one in New York with some Latin jazz luminaries, including Giovanni Hidalgo (congas), Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (drums), John Benitez (bass), and Brian Lynch (trumpet). B+(*) [sp] Satoko Fujii Quartet: Burning Wick (2025, Libra): Japanese pianist, well over 100 albums, this is more/less her core group, with Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), Hayakawa Takeharu (bass), and Tatsuya Yoshida (drums). B+(***) [cd] Marcus Gilmore: Journey to the New: Live at the Village Vanguard (2024 [2025], Drummerslams): Drummer, has a lot of side credits since 2005 (Clark Terry, Vijay Iyer) but this counts as his debut. Sextet billed as a collective, with Morgan Guerin (EWI), David Virelles (piano), Emmanuel Michael (guitar), Rashaan Carter (double bass), and Burniss Travis (electric bass and sound design). B+(*) [bc] John Gunther: Painting the Dream (2024 [2025], Origin): Saxophonist (soprano, tenor, flute, bass clarinet, electronics), from Denver, second album, trio with Dawn Clement (piano/rhodes, electronics, sings some) and Dru Heller (drums). Original pieces (except one from Ron Miles), into expressionism. B+(**) [cd] Carrie Jackson: Jersey Bounce (2025, Arabesque Jazz): Standards singer, from New Jersey, has an r&b/gospel background, has a 30-year career, only one previous album I've found on Discogs, possibly more. Big voice, swings, backed by Radam Schwartz (organ), bass, drums, guitar, trombone (Ku-Umba Frank Lacy) and tenor sax (Rodrigo Romero). B+(**) [sp] Jung Stratmann Quartet: Confluence (2025, self-released): Korean pianist Sujae Jung and German Wolf Robert Stratmann, based in New York, have a couple previous releases (but not on Discogs), working here with Steve Cardenas (guitar) and Marko Djordjevic (drums). B+(*) [cd] [12-03] KeiyaA: Hooke's Law (2025, XL): Singer-songwriter Chakeiya Richmond, from Chicago, started playing alto sax and into jazz before switching to neo-soul, self-releasing her debut album in 2020. Second album, a very tricky thing. B+(*) [sp] Lagon Nwar: Lagon Nwar (2025, AirFono): French group, with Reunionese singer Ann O'aro and Burkinabe drummer-singer Marcel Balboné, along with saxophonist Quentin Biardeau and bassist Valentin Ceccaldi, came to my attention on a jazz list but could have been Afropop. B+(***) [sp] Seth MacFarlane: Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements (2025, Verve): Probably better known as an actor than singer, possibly better known still for his work with cartoons like Family Guy and American Dad, but he has ten or so albums since 2011, citing Sinatra as his model. That gave him a chance to look through Sinatra's library, where he found unused arrangements, mostly from Nelson Riddle, of songs perfectly at home there. He lives in them comfortably, close enough for all practical purposes. B+(***) [sp] Nicolas Masson: Renaissance (2023 [2025], ECM): Swiss saxophonist (tenor/soprano), ten or so albums since 2002, this a quartet backed by Colin Vallon (piano), Patrice Moret (bass), and Lionel Friedli (drums). B+(**) [sp] Camila Nebbia/Gonçalo Almeida/Sylvain Darrifourcq: Hypnomaniac (2025, Defkaz): Tenor saxophonist from Argentina, has been pumping a lot of records out recently — this is the 10th I've heard since 2020, found while looking for yet another. Backed with bass and drums. Starts and ends strong. B+(**) [bc] Camila Nebbia/Marilyn Crispell/Lesley Mok: A Reflection Distorts Over Water (2024 [2025], Relative Pitch): Tenor sax, piano, and drums trio. Another typically strong free sax record. B+(***) [bc] Camila Nebbia/Michael Formanek/Vinnie Sperrazza: Live at Blow Out (2024 [2025], Soundholes): Tenor sax, bass, and drums, live from a club in Oslo, recorded by Stålke Liavik Solberg, three numbered pieces where the opener runs 29:02, the rest add up to another 12:50. Superb once again. B+(***) [bc] Ninajirachi: I Love My Computer (2025, NLV): Australian electronic DJ/producer Nina Wilson, stage name cites a Pokémon character. First album after singles (starting 2017), EPs and a mixtape. Credit is for sampler and production, but music has vocals throughout, with a cartoon metallic thrash that reminds one of Skrillex, and possibly Avalanches. B+(**) [sp] Jake Owen: Dreams to Dream (2025, Good Company): Country singer, from Florida, eighth album since 2006, fine voice and trad airs. B+(**) [sp] Recognize Ali & Stu Bangas: Guerilla Dynasty 3 (2025, 1332/Brutal Music/Greenfield Music): Underground rapper Nii Ayitey Ajin Adamafio, from Ghana, working sith Boston-based producer Stuart Hudgins. B+(**) [sp] Recognize Ali & Tragedy Khadafi: The Past the Present and the Future (2025, Greenfield Music): Producer started as Percy Chapman, then MC Percy, then Intelligent Hoodlum (for a 1993 album), then adopted his current moniker around 2000, working with Killah Priest and Capone-N-Noriega. Old style turntablism, underground, Muslim, political, encyclopedic. Some helpful advice: "love 'em, pray for 'em, but fuck 'em." A- [sp] Dave Rempis/Jason Adasiewicz/Chris Corsano: Dial Up (2025, Aerophonic): Saxophonist (the whole gamut) with two more strong live sets, one from Chicago, the other Milwaukee, both with vibes and drums. Some terrific saxophone, as usual, but the vibes don't help much. B+(***) [cd] [12-26] Bobby Rozario: Healer (2024-25 [2025], Origin): Young guitarist, so presumably not the only one in Discogs (1965 credit with Sam Butera, a few more including Bette Midler and Phil Cody). But not his first album: I have one from 2023 in my database, which I liked. Long list of supporting musicians here, including some Latin Jazz eminences, and some vocals. He fits in well, and ties them together. B+(**) [cd] Scheen Jazzorkester & Ståle Storløkken: Double Reality Beyond Space and Time (2024 [2025], Grong): All compositions by Storløkken, a "synth wizard" from Norway with occasional albums as far back as 2002 and many side credits since 1991, including work with Motorpsycho, Supersilent, Elephant9, and Krokofant. The 12-piece big band, with 10 previous albums since 2013, gives him a lot to work with. A- [cd] SML: How You Been (2024-25 [2025], International Anthem): Second group album by Anna Butterss (bass), Jeremiah Chiu (synths), Josh Johnson (sax/electronics), Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), and Booker Stardrum (drums), most with notable parallel solo work. Recorded live in various venues. The intense rhythm pieces are super appealing. The ambient pieces slightly less. A- [sp] Split System: No Cops in Heaven/Pull the Trigger (2025, Legless, EP): Actually, just a single, two songs, 6:13. Garage punk band from Melbourne, mostly singles since 2022, but Discogs shows a live album and two compilations, which I've heard but hadn't remembered — both graded B+(***). B+(**) [bc] Split System: Live in Stockholm 2023 (2023 [2025], Legless): Australian punk group, fast and furious, they have a bunch of singles since 2022, enough to field 16 songs here, averaging a bit less than 3 minutes. I wasn't really in the mood, but this is intense, relentless, and as consistent as any punk album I've heard in quite some while. A- [bc] Kevin Sun: Lofi at Lowlands (二) (2024 [2025], Endectomorph Music): Tenor saxophonist, quickly (2018) established himself as one of the best, has lately taken to experimentation with postproduction on his improv trio tracks. He released one EP-length (23:13), batch in May, and returns here with a slightly longer (7 tracks, 29:28) edition, with the Chinese for "(2)" added to the title. (I missed the number on the previous EP, so need to go back and correct that. Parens might have helped.) I don't much like the concept here, but he's a terrific musician, and this starts off quite engaging. B+(**) [sp] Chad Taylor Quintet: Smoke Shifter (2024 [2025], Otherly Love): Drummer, has anchored Chicago Underground Duo (etc.) since 1998, has led a few albums and played on 150 more, including powerhouses from Fred Anderson to James Brandon Lewis. Quintet with Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), Bryan Rogers (tenor sax), Victor Vieira-Branco (vibes), and Matt Engle (bass). Exciting at first, but winds up in a bit of a postbop rut. B+(**) [sp] Maxine Troglauer: Hymn (2024 [2025[, Fun in the Church): Bass trombonist from Germany, first album, with a fairly major contribution by Peter Evans (trumpet, pocket trumpet), backed by piano, bass, and drums. B+(**) [sp] Carolyn Trowbridge: Found Memories (2025 [2026], self-released): Austin-based vibraphonist, side-credits since 2009, first album as leader, quintet with flute (Alex Cole), guitar, bass, and drums. B [cd] [01-09] Jeff Tweedy: Twilight Override (2025, dBpm): Singer-songwriter, started with Uncle Tupelo (1990-93), since then has led Wilco (14 albums through 2024) while recording occasionally under his own name (4 albums 2017-20), now this, which actually a triple running nearly 2 hours. First song I noticed was the very last ("Enough"), at which point I saw I had the damn thing on shuffle (which I've started to use in the car, but generally abhor). I turned shuffle off, and picked up from about 7 songs in, so I may have missed one or two, and heard some others twice. Enough good songs here that a single-CD might bump it up a notch or two, but nothing bad to drag it down, and this is about where I usually land with him. B+(**) [sp] Kalia Vandever: Another View (2025, Northern View): Trombonist, based in New York, fourth album, quartet with Mary Halvorson (guitar), Kanoa Mendenhall (bass), and Kayvon Gordon (drums). Nice, steady record. [sp] Kenny Wheeler Legacy: Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores (2024 [2025], Greenleaf Music): Trumpet (actually mostly flugelhorn) player from Canada (1930-2014), moved to England in 1952, put in some years with the bop generation there (Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott) before participating in the founding of the UK avant-garde, only to wind up as an esteemed postbop composer on ECM. So this big production — featuring the Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra, Frost Jazz Orchestra, and a long list of "special contributions" including saxophonists Evan Parker and Chris Potter — isn't much of a surprise. B+(**) [sp] Stephane Wrembel: Django New Orleans II: Hors Série (2025, Water Is Life): French jazz guitarist, has had Django Reinhardt on his mind since he titled his 2005 debut Gypsy Rumble. Since then he has five Django Experiment albums, and more including a previous Django New Orleans (2023). Whereas the previous one was mostly traditional New Orleans pieces (plus "Dinah," "Caravan," and one Reinhardt), this one branches out, with Piazzolla, Jobim, Gainsbourg, and "Nature Boy," plus a couple originals. Sarah King sings, and the cross-cultural spicing is tasty, including pandeiro, sousaphone and washboard. B+(***) [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Ray Barretto Y Su Orquesta: Celia · Ray · Adalberto: Tremendo Trio! (1983 [2025], Craft): Unclear how to parse the cover, which top left starts with the first names of the stars (Cruz, Barretto, Santiago), and bottom right cites the band, which gains the upper hand on the back cover, then loses it to "Celia, Ray & Adalberto" on the label. Credits, at least on Discogs, mention the principals only in passing: the congalero/bandleader Barretto directed/produced; Santiago for backing vocals (but not for his leads, which are every bit as prominent as Cruz's). In the end, the music belongs to the band, as the singers barely stand out. B+(*) [sp] Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Live in Paris (1970): Lost ORTF Recordings (1970 [2024], Transversales Disques): Tenor saxophonist, also played manzello and strich, often at the same time (he's also credited with soprano, alto, flute, and clarinet here). At this point he was well into his Atlantic period, which was less consistent than the early-1960s work on Mercury, but continued to stretch out in the spiritual and cultural space Coltrane opened up. Sextet with trombone, piano, bass, drums, and percussion. Strong form here. B+(***) [bc] Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Vibrations in the Village: Live at the Village Gate (1964 [2025], Resonance): Previously unreleased sets originally recorded for a documentary, with Kirk playing his usual everything, backed by bass, drums, and revolving pianists (Horace Parlan, Melvin Rhyne, Jane Getz). B+(***) [cd] [11-28] Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Seek & Listen: Live at the Penthouse (1967 [2025], Resonance, 2CD): This one sprawls onto a second CD, but isn't that much longer (84 minutes vs. 78). Group is more obscure, with Rahn Burton (piano), Steve Novosel (bass), and Jimmy Hopps (drums). But the medleys are brighter here, the originals on the second disc cook, and his vocal to close is an unexpected delight. A- [cd] [11-28] Makaya McCraven: PopUp Shop (2015 [2025], International Anthem, EP): Drummer, side credits from 2003, own albums pick up around 2012. This is one of four simultaneous EPs (also available on 2-CD as Off the Record), a fusion swing set with guitar (Jeff Parker), bass guitar (Benjamin J Shepherd), and vibes (Justefan). Five songs, 21:40. B+(**) [sp] Makaya McCraven: Hidden Out! (2017 [2025], International Anthem, EP): Six songs, 23:14, from two sets in June, one with guitar (Jeff Parker) and double bass (Junius Paul); the other with trumpet (Marquis Hill), sax (Josh Johnson), and Paul again. This moves into our "new" (as opposed to "vault") timeframe, which just goes to show how arbitrary such dates are. B+(*) [sp] Makaya McCraven: The People's Mixtape (2025, International Anthem, EP): Four pieces, 21:10, with Marquis Hill (trumpet), Junius Paul (bass guitar), Joel Ross (vibes), and Jeremiah Chiu (modular synth). B+(***) [sp] Makaya McCraven: Techno Logic (2017-25 [2025], International Anthem, EP): Five pieces, 22:17, mostly with Theon Cross (tuba, electronics) and Ben LaMar Gay (cornet, voice, percussion, synths, electronics, diddley bow), with later overdubs by McCraven. B+(**) [sp] Makaya McCraven: Off the Record (2015-25 [2025], International Anthem): This rolls all four EPs up into a single CD packaged — a compilation, but as I recall released a week before the constituent EPs, so should we treat this as "new music" and the EPs as reissues? — which is handy for those of us who prefer what now seems to be considered archaic (or at least dépassé) technology. I can't speak to whether that makes a difference in how one hears this music, but I can imagine broader patterns emerging. As it is, I'm just extrapolating from the streamed EPs. I've read somewhere McCraven considers himself a "beat scientist." That seems fair. B+(**) [sp] François Tusques/Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra: Après La Marée Noire: Vers Une Musique Bretonne Nouvelle (1979 [2025], Souffle Continu): French pianist, recorded his debut Free Jazz in 1965, recorded Intercommunal Music in 1971, leading to the group which registered four volumes 1974-82, and possibly a couple more albums like this one. Front cover has no artist credit, so I'm following Discogs. Back cover has three lines of credits, with "Sonneurs Traditionnels" in between. The Celtic component comes from bombarde (an oboe) and binioù koz (a small bagpipe) but you also get darbuka (a middle eastern drum) and congas. A- [bc] X-Cetra: Summer 2000 [Y2K 25th Anniversary Edition] (2000 [2025], Numero Group): Pre-teen girl group from Santa Rosa, CA, three 11-year-olds, one just 9, singing over trip-hop tracks by Achim Treu, produced by Robin O'Brien (mother of two members, with a real but obscure discography of her own, centered around home taping experiments). Original 8-song CDR is expanded here to 11 songs, 28:21. As I understand it, they aimed for something like the Spice Girls, but what I hear is closer to Kleenex/Liliput. A- [sp] Old music: Stephane Wrembel: Django New Orleans (2022 [2023], Water Is Life): French guitarist, a Django Reinhart specialist, put this band together in New York to record traditional New Orleans pieces à la Hot Club de Paris. Sarah King sings several of them, starting with "Dinah." She has a voice suited to the period, but really excels on "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho." B+(***) [sp] Grade (or other) changes: Cecil McBee: Mutima (1974 [2025], Strata-East/Mack Avenue): Bassist, hasn't led many albums but side-credits start in 1963 and per Discogs number 463, was especially busy in the 1970s with Pharoah Sanders and Sam Rivers, slowing down around 2000. Opens with a long bass solo, followed by a short vocal bit (not to my liking, and no credit I can see), then a sextet piece with trumpet (Tex Allen) and two saxophonists (Allen Braufman and George Adams). Second side opens with another long bass solo, and again ends with a group blast. [was: B] B+(*) [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
Ask a question, or send a comment. Monday, November 24, 2025 Loose TabsNote that I previously weighed in on the elections, the shutdown, Dick Cheney, Jack DeJohnette, and more in my [11-12] Notes on Everyday Life. Also that I've completely lost control of the collection process here. This column has never been more than a collection of notes, and its publication has tended to be driven less by a sense that now I have something complete to say than by the realization that my notes are fading into the deeper recesses of history, losing relevance day by day, and I should kick them out before they lose all purpose and meaning. Still, while much is missing, many of the things I do latch onto elicit serious thoughts, which I hope will be useful, and not too repetitive. Editing in these quarters is very haphazard. I apologize for that, but options are few when you're already running late. I do hope to do a better job of editing my Substack newsletter. I may even return there with a reconsideration of what I'm posting here, as I did on Sept. 24 with my More Thoughts on Loose Tabs. Given how much other work I have to do today, tomorrow, and the rest of the week, I might as well post this today (Monday, Nov. 24). It's already pushed Music Week off until Tuesday, at the earliest. I may return with change marks here, or may just move on to the draft file — probably depends on the story. Meanwhile, I'm restarting my day with the Deluxe Edition of Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come, which I reviewed here. This is an occasional collection of newsworthy links and comments, much less systematic than what I attempted in my late Speaking of Which posts. The new name comes from my extensive use of browser tabs. When I get around to cleaning up, I often find tabs opened to old articles I might want to comment on and/or refer back to. So these posts are mostly housecleaning, but may also serve as a very limited but persistent record of what 20+ years ago I started calling "the end of the American empire" and nowadays feels more like "the end of civilization." I collect these bits in a draft file, and flush them out when periodically. My previous one appeared ? days ago, on October 21. I'm trying a experiment here with select bits of text highlighted with a background color, for emphasis a bit more subtle than bold or ALL CAPS. (I saw this on Medium. I started with their greenish color [#bbdbba] and lightened it a bit [#dbfbda].) I'll try to use it sparingly. Topical StoriesSometimes stuff happens, and it dominates the news/opinion cycle for a few days or possibly several weeks. We might as well lead with it, because it's where attention is most concentrated. But eventually these stories will fold into the broader, more persistent thmes of the following section. November Elections: November 4 was the first significant chance voters had to re-evaluate the choices they made a year ago. Democrats won pretty much everywhere, despite little evidence that voters are very pleased with their current Democratic leadership. By far the most publicized election was the mayoral race in New York City, so I'll separate that out in a following section.
And more specifically, Zohran Mamdani:
Federal government shutdown:
Gambling and sports: My interest in sports has declined steadily since the 1994 baseball lockout broke my daily habit of box score analysis, although over time the political metaphors and the cultural spectacle have also taken a considerable toll. My dislike of gambling goes back even further, and not just to my mother (who loved playing cards, but never for money). The combination is toxic, but that doesn't begin to convey the many levels of disgust I feel. So what, now we have a scandal? That's even more predictable than providing free guns and ammo to psychopaths.
Dick Cheney: Dick Cheney died, at 83. I'm showing my age here, but for sheer political evil, no one will ever replace Richard Nixon in my mind. I'm not alone in that view. I've loathed Bob Dole ever since his execrable 1972 campaign — not that I didn't dislike his 1966 campaign, or his tenure in the House — but I had to concede that he had some wit, especially for his quip on seeing a "presidents club" picture of Carter, Ford, and Nixon: "see no evil, hear no evil, and evil." But if you're 20-30 years younger than me, Dick Cheney could have left you with the same impression. I'll spare you the details, which like Nixon were foretold decades before his ascent to real power, other than to remind you that the great blogger Billmon regularly referred to the Bush years as "the Cheney administration." If you're 20 years younger still, you probably have Trump in that slot — he's the only one who exercises power on that level, although the cunning behind it is harder to credit as sheer evil (but maybe that's just proof of the great dumbing down).
Epsteinmania, again: Back in the news, by popular demand I guess, or at least by Congressional demand.
Major ThreadsIsrael:
Russia/Ukraine: Nothing much here until Trump, or wheover speaks for him in such matters, issued his "28-point plan" to end the war. Reaction predictably, much like his 20-point Gaza plan, splits between those who realize that Trump's support is necessary to end the war, even if it is ill-considered, and those willing to suffer more war for the sake of some principles, no matter how impractical. Examples of both follow below, and the ones I list are far from exhaustive. Perhaps at some point I'll find time to look at the "plan" and tell you what I think should happen, as I did with Gaza here and here. (By the way, the second piece was partly written with Ukraine in mind, if not as an explicit subject.)
Trump's War and Peace: We might as well admit that Trump's foreign policy focus has shifted from trade and isolation to war and terror.
Trump Regime: Practically every day I run across disturbing, often shocking stories of various misdeeds proposed and quite often implemented by the Trump Administration -- which in its bare embrace of executive authority we might start referring to as the Regime. Collecting them together declutters everything else, and emphasizes the pattern of intense and possibly insane politicization of everything. Pieces on the administration.
Donald Trump (Himself): As for Il Duce, we need a separate bin for stories on his personal peccadillos -- which often seem like mere diversions, although as with true madness, it can still be difficult sorting serious incidents from more fanciful ones.
Democrats:
Republicans: A late addition, back by popular demand, because it isn't just Trump, we also have to deal with the moral swamp he crawled out of:
Economy and technology (especially AI): I used to have a section on the economy, which mostly surveyed political economics. Lately, I run across pieces on AI pretty often, both in terms of what the technology means and is likely to do and in terms of its outsized role in the speculative economy. I suspect that if not now then soon we will recognize that we are in a bubble driven by AI speculation, which is somewhat masking a small recession driven largely by Trump's shutdown, tariffs, and inflation. In such a scenario, there are many ways to lose.
Miscellaneous PiecesThe following articles are more/less in order published, although some authors have collected pieces, and some entries have related articles underneath. Daron Acemoglu [01-26]: A renewed liberalism can meet the populist challenge: Liberalism is an honorable political philosophy, which for most of its history has helped not just to increase individual freedom but to more broadly distribute wealth and respect. (Unlike conservatism, which has rarely been anything but an excuse for the rich and powerful lording it over others.) However, something is amiss if this is the best you can do:
That "some willingness" doesn't get you very far. That reminds you that these days liberalism is defined not by what it aspires to but by what it's willing to discard to preserve self-interest. Meanwhile, those who still believe that individual rights can be universal have moved on to the left. Henry Farrell [10-16]: China has copied America's grab for semiconductor power: "Six theses about the consequences." Mostly that the adversarial relationship between the US and China can easily get much worse. Or, as the last line puts it: "The risks of unanticipated and mutually compounding fuck-ups are very, very high." Yasmin Nair:
Thomas Morgan [10-14]: A universe of possibilities within their resource constraints: "all about the new album Around You Is a Forest." Morgan is a jazz bassist of considerable note, out with his first album as a leader after 150+ albums supporting others. The album was built using a computer program called WOODS, which takes input from a musician and turns it into a duet of considerable variety and charm. Sean Illing [10-26]: Why every website you used to love is getting worse: "The decay of Google, Amazon, and Facebook are part of a larger trend." Interview with Cory Doctorow, author of Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. I've been reading a book called The Shock of the Anthropocene, which invents a half-dozen synonyms (Therocene, Thanatocene, Phagocene, etc.), but misses Doctorow's Enshittocene. Still, when I mention this concept to strangers, they grasp its meaning immediately. It's that obvious. I recently read Doctorow's The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation, which covers much of the same ground. Nathan J Robinson:
Dylan Scott
Julio C Gambina [11-14]: How Milei prevailed in Argentina's midterms despite economic and political problems. Danielle Hewitt/Noel King [11-22]: The 2 men fueling Sudan's civil war: "The fall of El Fasher and Sudan's ongoing conflict, explained by an expert." Alex DeWaal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts. Some notable deaths: Mostly from the New York Times listings. Last time I did such a trawl was on October 21, so we'll look that far back (although some names have appeared since):
Tweets: I've usually used this section for highlighting clever responses and/or interesting ideas, but maybe I should just use it to bookmark some of our leading horribles.
Current count: 185 links, 11365 words (14443 total) Ask a question, or send a comment. Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Music Week
November archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45155 [45120] rated (+35), 12 [16] unrated (-4). So much stuff up in the air right now I'll need a moment to map it out. One thing that's taking a lot of my time is work on or related to the house. We had a hail storm blow through town in early September, which did some significant and much trivial damage. It was followed by swarms of insurance adjusters and roofing companies squabbling over which was which, and who's on the hook for how much of it. The insurance company decided we had $25k of damage, but they only had to pay $10k to cover it. One roofing company contended that the damage was really $45k, but they offered to do something for $16k. Two more companies submitted slightly lower bids, figuring that the insurance was done and just trying to soak up the cash. More came sniffing around, and for one reason or another made themselves scarce: was it me they didn't want to deal with, or the house? One never knows for sure, but my old paranoia has been kicking in. So was my own peculiar view on what is important and what isn't. We spent a lot of time talking about attic ventilation, but I've had a 25-year itch to do something else with the attic space — not to finish it, but at least to make it accessible, and possibly useful as storage space. Also the carport, which has a patio on top, with rails around the perimeter that aren't quite straight. So I've come up with two construction projects that dovetail into roof work but I'll have to do myself: one is to lay down some more decking in the attic, raised above a lot of blown-in insulation; the other is to square away the patio railing. I have a guy lined up to help me with those two projects. I also finally decided on a roofer. Now I need to get my projects done approximately the same time the roofer shows up. That's a challenge, but I've been putting a lot of thought into it, and hopefully soon some actual work. Then there's a dozen more home projects of various size and urgency. No point listing them here, but just know that there are many, most trivial and a few not, mostly things I can put off doing but some turn into emergencies rather quickly. Right now I interrupt this paragraph to drag trash and recycle bins to the curb. By the time I returned, I had to attend to a few more chores. This everyday life is always like that. Not leaving me much time to write about it as I had intended. But by far the biggest time sink in my life this past week has been the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. I sent out a mass email to prospective voters on Nov. 12, basically affirming that we are live and open for business. While that email list is easy for me to send to, it presents problems for many recipients. What I've found works better (but still, I can't tell but don't doubt, imperfectly) is to run my invitation letter through a mail merge program and generate a batch of letters that I can then send out one-by-one. The program that spits out the letters works fine. My SMTP service doesn't, so I have to not only hit "edit" and "send" for each letter, I have to space those out so my service vendor doesn't think I'm spamming the world. I wanted to hold off on doing all that until I had time to review the invite list and do some further research to qualify more voters. I didn't get any of that done, at least in time to meet my self-imposed November 15 deadline. So I ran with what I had, and generated 287 invites. I deleted 2 of them, and held back another half-dozen (thinking I'd like to add more personal notes to them), and started sending the rest, a couple hours into November 16. I finished about 20 hours later. So that's done. I got one bounce, which I resent to an alternate address. Since then, I've gotten a small amount of mail back: 4-5 ballots, a dozen-plus promises to vote, and 3-4 notices of no intention to vote. I mentioned that in addition to the jazzpoll email list, I have a jpadmin list for people who are interested in helping out with various tasks — the bare minimum is listening to me rant, a sounding board I do very much appreciate. I've added one name to that list. I've only sent them one update since last week, but another one will be forthcoming after I get this posted. I also mentioned that I wanted to set up another list to update publicists and media about the poll. I call that jpmedia, and have initialized it with 30+ names/addresses, but haven't sent anything out yet. My main question for both of those lists will be to solicit suggestions as to who else we should invite. But we made enough progress with international contacts last year to give me a good feeling about this list. So I should probably hold back the panic. From this point up to the December 21 deadline, I can possibly slack off a bit, and just let the ballot accumulate. (Without checking, I have 2 counted and 4 more in my inbox. I should get those returned tomorrow.) Still, I have things I can do along the way: fix any problems with the website; vet and invite a few more voters; think about the ArtsFuse article package; see if I can come up with ways to get more publicity for the poll; work on redesigning the old website, as well as filling in missing pieces (some of which Francis Davis sent me a year ago). I'll write more about these things in weeks to come. With all this happening, along with my general slowdown, there is little chance I'll do any significant writing the rest of this year. The core ideas, of course, are still floating around my head. What happens next is anyone's guess. Meanwhile, I'll probably kill what little spare time I can find — mostly blah spots when I'm not feeling up to serious work but can still do something rote and brainless — adding data to my EOY aggregate file. I have to date only added one EOY list, and I doubt I'll be able to keep up, but I'd be surprised if I don't put some effort into it. I also expect I'll whip up my usual EOY lists for jazz (not updated since shortly after the mid-year poll) and non-jazz (just set up, with no real contents yet, although I was very surprised to find the A-list non-jazz outnumbering jazz 85-73, both of which are abnormally long for this point in the year). I didn't get this up on Monday, so I'm resuming here on Tuesday (no new records, although there are some drafts in the monthly archive, linked at the top). I had some more things to mention, and just ran out of steam. First, I need to release a Loose Tabs later this week. I've been collecting stuff as we go on — not a lot, and not very consistently — and it's piled up to the point where some stories are beginning to decompose and maybe even reek. (The first section is on the election, followed by the shutdown. I wrote a bit about both in my Nov. 12 Notes on Everyday Life newsletter. I also wrote about Dick Cheney and Jack DeJohnette there. Now I need to add Todd Snider. In the meantime, see Robert Christgau's Big Lookback.) I'll try to knock that out later this week. I doubt I can do justice to Snider. I've never been much good with lyrics, but he has many memorable ones. One that sticks in my mind is "in America we like our bad guys dead." That sums up a lot of what's wrong with this country. (That's from "Tension," which goes on to note that "Republicans/ that's what scares people these days/ that, and uh, Democrats.") A big chunk of this week's A-list came from Christgau's Consumer Guide: November, 2025. That came out the same day as my NOEL post, so I included a checklist of what I had heard previously and what I hadn't (and in some cases wasn't even aware of — the Todd Snider and Gurf Morlix albums were in that category, as well as one of two African albums; the other I heard on a Phil Overeem tip, one of many nearly every week). Given that this week's report was cut short two days by my delay last week, I'm surprised that the rated count hit 30. But with ballots and EOY lists coming in, 'tis the season for moving fast and disregarding subtlety, confident that the major things you missed during the year will knock you over anyway. This got me wondering how my attention this year stacks up against last year. This year, my tracking file shows I have 1159 albums rated so far. In 2024 that number was 1524, but as that includes albums rated after last year's freeze date (Mar. 31, 2025), it should be reduced by at least the number of late ratings in the 2024 file (79, so 1445). This year's total is 80.2% of last year's total. We are currently 320 days into 2025, so 87.6% through the year, which suggests that I'm down 7.4% from last year, but a more realistic gauge of the year would be February through January, as typically 80% or more of January reviews are of previous year records. (That's a swag, but wouldn't be too hard to check here. To be totally accurate, you'd also have to factor in reviews of 2024 albums in February and March, before the March 31 freeze date.) Shifting January (31 days) into the previous year means we're 289 days into 2025, so 79.1% done. That means I'm on very close to the same trajectory as in 2024: extending the current rate of 1159 albums over 289 days to a full year would bring me to 1465 albums, which would be +20 from 2024. I imagine there is some kind of function that could turn that number into a probability that I match last year's total, but lacking that, all I can do is guess, something like 85%. Nine months ago I would have guessed much less, something like 15%. So, like a Todd Snider concert, doubt this year's run of reviews is much more than an improbable "distracrtion from our impending doom." His death is a sobering reminder of how suddenly 85% can collapse to zero. New records reviewed this week: Ata Kak: Batakari (2025, Awesome Tapes From Africa): Real name Yaw Atta-Owusu, left his native Ghana in 1985 for Germany (and later Canada), recorded one and only album in 1994, Obaa Sima, which remained obscure even there until Brian Shimkovitz picked up a copy and, when he turned his blog into a label, reissued it in 2015. This appears to be a new album, making it his second, the initial hip-hop/highlife mix skewing towards boom-bap and dance grooves. Six songs, 26:19. B+(***) [sp] Bloomers: Cyclism (2022-23 [2025], Relative Pitch): Free/chamber jazz trio with trumpet (Anne Efternøler) and two clarinets (Maria Dybbroe, also on alto sax, and Carolyn Goodwin, also bass clarinet). Songs titles are place and dates, "each dedicated to an important historical event in the struggle for women's freedom" — including the 1818 birthdate of Amelia Bloomer, "whose name became synonymous with the liberational cycling garment for women in the 1800s." B+(***) [sp] Christer Bothén: Christer Bothén Donso N'goni (2022-23 [2025], Black Truffle): Swedish musician, in his 80s, most often plays clarinets but has taken an interest in African instruments, and only plays donso n'goni on this record. B+(**) [bc] Juan Chiavassa: Fourth Generation (2024 [2025], Whirlwind): Drummer, from Argentina, first album as leader, recorded this in New York, hard to really treat it as a debut album given that his group consists of John Patitucci (bass), George Garzone (tenor sax), and Leo Genovese (piano/rhodes), with featured credits for Mike Stern (guitar) and Pedrito Martinez (congas), maybe just on the "bonus track." Hard to mistake the saxophonist. B+(***) [cd] The Cosmic Tones Research Trio: The Cosmic Tones Research Trio (2025, Mississippi): Group from Portland, second album, includes: Roman Norfleet (alto/soprano sax, alto clarinet, flute, vocals, percussion); Harlan Silverman (cello, flute, modular synth, bass, vocals, percussion); Kennedy Verrett (piano/rhodes, duduk, vocals). B+(*) [sp] Eddie Daniels: To Milton With Love (2025, Resonance): Clarinet and saxophone player, in his 80s, debut 1966, quickly developed an interest in Brazilian music, which he's pursued recently with tributes to Egberto Gismonti and Ivan Lins. Here he recreates Milton Nascimento's 1969 CTI album, Courage, with Anthony Wilson (guitar), Josh Nelson (piano), Kevin Axt (bass), Ray Brinker (drums), and the Lyris String Quartet. B+(**) [sp] Amir ElSaffar: New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal (2023 [2025], Maqām): Iraqi-American trumpet player, born in Chicago, albums since 2007, often with an Arabic tinge. Member names are on cover: Tomas Fujiwara (drums), Tania Giannouli (microtonal piano), and Ole Mathisen (tenor sax). B+(***) [sp] Steve Gunn: Daylight Daylight (2025, No Quarter): Singer-songwriter, from Pennsylvania, based in Brooklyn, has a couple dozen albums since 2007, including a recent jazz album with Beings. This one is slow, pretty and very self-contained. B+(**) [sp] Lafayette Harris Jr.: All in Good Time (2025, Savant): Pianist, from Philadelphia, first album in 1993 on Muse, last couple on Savant, this with bass and drums plus "special guests" Houston Person (tenor sax) and Jeremy Pelt (trumpet). B+(**) [sp] The Kasambwe Brothers: The Kasambwe Brothers (2025, MASS MoCA): Very little info here, but what I gather is that they're three brothers originally from Malawi (or maybe Mombassa, or maybe that's where they first recorded), that they've been playing for almost 40 years (since 1987), but that they've only just "made their first trip to the United States to take part in a residency at MASS MoCA during which they will record their first full-length album at Studio 9 and perform in the Hunter Center!" This is presumably that album, using homemade instruments, playing music that sounds old and timeless. A- [sp] Dave Liebman/Billy Hart/Adam Rudolph: Beingness (2023 [2025], Meta/Defkaz): From two live sets at the Stone, Liebman plays soprano sax and wood flutes, with Hart on his drum set and Rudolph on hand drums, piano, thumb pianos, keyboards, gongs, dakha de bello, with live electronic processing. B+(**) [os] Russ Lossing: Proximity Alert (2025, Blaser Music): Pianist, from Ohio, debut 1990, has close to 20 albums, this a trio with Mark Helias (bass) and Eric McPherson (drums), playing his own original pieces. Fine pianist, strong group. B+(**) [sp] Gurf Morlix: Bristlecone (2025, Rootball): Alt-country singer-songwriter, associated with Blaze Foley early on, then with Lucinda Williams, moving on to his own albums from 2000 on. I didn't pick up the political overtones Christgau has applauded until I double-checked, but by then I was already struck by solid this feels. A- [sp] Maren Morris: Dreamsicle (2025, Columbia): Country singer-songwriter, from Texas, three obscure albums 2005-11 before she went gold/platinum on Columbia in 2016. With Jack Antonoff producing (among many others), this moves more into mainstream pop, or maybe I'm just responding to the hooks. "Deluxe Edition" includes an extra single, "Be a Bitch." B+(***) [sp] Van Morrison: Remembering Now (2025, Exile/Virgin): Legend, since 1967 has never gone more than 2 years between albums, creative peak was in the early 1970s, extending to 1982 with Into the Music and Beautiful Vision, but he's so singular and magical all he has to do is remind you of his old self. Of course, he's been less reliable lately, although 2016's Keep Me Singing and even more so 2012's Born to Sing are outstanding. This 47th studio album has more than a few moments of wonder. B+(**) [sp] Willie Nelson: Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle (2025, Legacy): At 92, he can still sing other folks' songs better than they did, even familiar ones from such unimpeachable sources as Haggard. My only reservation is that his interpretive effort was zero, even on a song like "Okie from Muskogee," which even Merle had trouble singing with a straight face. Pure chops, and not just the singer but the band. At this point I'm not even sure Lefty Frizzell would be an overreach. Still, I wish he'd do James Talley. How can he pass up a title like Are They Gonna Make Us Outlaws Again? A- [sp] Red River Dialect: Basic Country Mustard (2024 [2025], Hinterground): English neo-folk band, David Morris the singer-songwriter-guitarist, eighth album since 2005. Mostly intimate, but backed with a full band, which fits needs. B+(***) [sp] Ted Rosenthal Trio: Classics Reimagined: Impromp2 (2024 [2025], TMR): Pianist, debut 1990, made an appearance in the Maybeck Hall solo series, looking at his side credits, Randy Sandke and Ken Peplowski are prominent. I grew up with an intense distaste for classical music, which he quickly disarms with a Chopin that reminds me of boogie woogie, and ends with a Chopin waltz, touching on Beethoven and Brahms, Mussorgsky and Rachmaninoff, Satie and Elgar and Dvorak. The trio has bass (Noriko Ueda) and drums (Quincy Davis or Tim Horner), plus guest spots for Peplowski (clarinet) and Sara Caswell (violin). Only the violin riles up my allergies, and just barely. B+(**) [cd] Saint Pierre: Luck and Gravity (2025, Mutchcrud Music): Husband and wife team Julia & Danny St. Pierre, from Texas via California, seems to be their first album, press refers to Saint Pierre Band but album cover omits "Band," although they certainly have one, very straightforward rock with big gestures. Almost good enough to overcome my general disinterest in a style that reminds me first of the Eagles (but brighter and chirpier, probably because they aren't assholes). B+(***) [sp] Amanda Shires: Nobody's Girl (2025, ATO): Singer-songwriter from Texas, plays violin, ninth album since 2005, plus collaborations with Rob Picott, Bobbie Nelson, Jason Isbell, and the Highwomen, and side credits that include John Prine, Todd Snider, and Luke Combs. While I've seen arguments that she was ex-husband Isbell's better half, I don't have much of an impression of her. I still don't, but this sounds quite accomplished, the arrangements impeccable, strings included, the voice winning and words (when I notice) a plus. A- [sp] Todd Snider: High, Lonesome and Then Some (2025, Aimless): Folk singer-songwriter, started with Songs for the Daily Planet in 1994, passed through a period on John Prine's label — I saw him once, opening for Prine — into a string of superb albums at least up through 2012. Since then he's been erratic, aside from a live album where his shtick is as brilliant as his songs, but even when he's cryptic and/or harsh, he's worth listening to. A- [sp] Spinifex: Maxximus (2025, Trytone): "European international modern fusion quintet based in the Netherlands," a dozen albums since 2011, the "core band" (a sextet since 2017) directed by Tobias Klein (alto sax), with John Dikeman (tenor sax), Jasper Stadhouders (guitar), Gonçalo Almeida (bass), Philipp Moser (drums), and Bart Maris (trumpet), with extra depth here: vibes (Evi Filippou), cello (Elisabeth Coudoux), and violin (Jessica Pavone). Extra length, too, with 6 pieces running over 71 minutes. B+(***) [cd] Tortoise: Touch (2025, International Anthem): Chicago group, originally just bass (Doug McCombs) and drums (John Herndon), conceived of themselves as "post-rock," adding Dan Bitney and John McEntire for their 1994 debut, with a series of guitarist before settling on Jeff Parker in 1998. Eighth studio album, this one coming after a 9-year break. Instrumental, well practiced grooves. B+(**) [sp] Beatie Wolfe & Brian Eno: Luminal (2025, Verve): Wolfe is a "conceptual artist, composer, producer, activist" from London, much of which seems to appear as museum set pieces. She has three 2013-17 albums, and this year three collaborative albums with Eno: this one appeared at the same time as Lateral, which was credited first to Eno, and the later Liminal, which seems to be some kind of remix or merger or synthesis. Vocals are presumably hers. B+(**) [sp] Brian Eno & Beatie Wolfe: Lateral (2025, Verve/Opal): Came out the same day as Luminal, no vocals, both with keyboards, although Eno also is credited with guitar. Better than average ambient, but nothing new about that. B+(*) [sp] Beatie Wolfe & Brian Eno: Liminal (2025, Verve/Opal): Third duo album this year, appeared several months after the first two, billed as some sort of synthesis of the two previous efforts but titles are new, and Wolfe's vocals get her lead credit again. Seems slower and darker than Luminal, but that's sort of the attraction. B+(**) [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Nahawa Doumbia: Vol. II (1982 [2024], Awesome Tapes From Africa): Singer from southern Mali, released three records on AS in 1981-82, plus later ones on Syllart (reissued by Stern's Africa). This label reissued Vol. 3 in 2011, Vol. 1 in 2019, and here the fill the gap. Not obvious why they waited. B+(***) [sp] Ø: Sysivalo (2014-17 [2025], Sähkö): Unfinished work by Finnish electronica producer Mika Vainio (1963-2017), mostly short drone and/or blip pieces that add up to over an hour. B [sp] Jean Schwarz: Unreleased & Rarities (1972-2002) (1972-2002 [2025], Transversales Disques): French ethnomusicologist, composer, electronic music pioneer, with a couple dozen albums in this period. This is the first I've heard from him, although he has on occasion intersected with jazz musicians (notably Michel Portal and Don Cherry). A bit scattered, but some interesting pieces. Probably worth a deeper dive. B+(***) [bc] Zig-Zag Band: Chigiyo Music Kings 1987-1998 (1987-98 [2025], Analog Africa): "Trailblazers of Zimbabwe's Chigiyo Sound," which I've seen described as "a vibrant fusion of reggae, traditional rhythms, brass arrangements and mbira-inspired guitar," with "raw, soulful Shona vocals." Discogs lists three 1989-92 albums by this group. This finds its groove, and keeps the energy up. A- [sp] Old music: Don Cherry/Jean Schwarz: Roundtrip (1977): Live at Théâtre Réccamier, Paris (1977 [2023], Transversales Disques): Trumpet player, started with Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler, moved to Denmark and expanded his horizons to and beyond Africa. Schwarz is a French avant-fringe composer, has a coupele dozen albums since 1974. He is credited here with: tape, synthesizer, treatments, on a live set that also features Michel Portal (bass clarinet/sax/bandoneon), Jean François Jenny Clark (bass), Naná Vasconcelos (percussion), with Cherry on pocket trumpet, ngoni, whistles, and vocals. B+(***) [bc] Tortoise: Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1995 [1996], Thrill Jockey): Post-rock band from Chicago, second album (not counting the remix of their 1994 debut), named by The Wire as their record of the year, dumped on by Robert Christgau with a scornful B-. Core group of four (Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire) plus new guitarist David Pajo. I'm finding it in between, nicely centered, ambient with some extra heft but nothing remotely amazing. B+(***) [sp] Tortoise: Tortoise (1994, Thrill Jockey): First album, Bundy K. Brown was the guitarist at the time. Strikes me as a bit more tentative. B+(*) [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
Ask a question, or send a comment. Wednesday, November 12, 2025 Music Week
November archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45120 [45079] rated (+41), 16 [14] unrated (+2). I spent much of last week struggling with the feeling that I should post something on my Substack, but my original idea of a birthday dinner history was largely usurped by my planning document, and the rest would have required more research than I had time for. Besides, with the elections, I thought it might be good to offer some reaction, so I returned to an early idea, which was to every so often offer a grab bag of bits on various topics, which like Jeffrey St. Clair's Roaming Charges could end with short bits of "Booked Up" and "Sound Grammar." The latter could even be a bit more than simple lists, as I had album reviews and book notes I could draw on. I also had the draft file for Loose Tabs, although I figured that for the newsletter, I should consolidate points from the general sprawl and chaos of archival notes. Seemed straightforward enough, but as of Sunday I barely had two introductory paragraphs, but at least we settled on concept and title: Notes on Everyday Life, without the irony of trying to turn out focused essays. When I got up on Monday, I had a choice to make: rush out Music Week, and clear my cache of music reviews, or postpone and force myself to write. I chose the latter, and sent it out this evening. I don't know how often I'll do things like this, but if you sign up, you'll get first crack on some music, books, and news links. Sure, they'll show up on the website sooner or later — actually pretty soon, as I'm archiving the posts here, including today's Notes on Everyday Life. And while the big selling point is email delivery, the websites are more authoritative, as I've already fixed one mistake I made. (I said Robert Christgau had passed on Gurf Morlix's A Taste of Ashes, but he gave it a ** grade, same as mine.) Also note that since my post, I received word that DeJohnette won the DownBeat Readers Poll Hall of Fame vote, evidently just a couple days before he died. Lots more deserving people still outside, but he did earn the nod. The other reason I held Music Week back was I wanted to speak in the past tense about sending out a mass voter email introducing the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. I finally got that done late this evening (further delaying this post). The website has been set up for a while, and the invitations have been drafted. I've also set up, but haven't used yet, a third email list, jpmedia. I'm going to start adding publicists to it, and send out an update in a couple days. Anyone able to help publicize the poll who would like to be included in the list please get in touch with me. I spent a good deal of time today compiling an initial list of 34 names, but those are nearly all publicists, most from my "trash" directory. Another thing that slowed me down was writing an answer to a question about my "recent reading." Nearly everything else in my Q&A queue is a pitch for me to listen to some album. It doesn't hurt to ask, but those are best answered in Music Week. Still, lack of traffic there makes missing things easy. I was too exhausted Wednesday night to rush this out, then got distracted Thursday, pushing this into evening. Seems like everything takes forever these days. Interesting batch of records this week. My only real thought is that I kept coming up just short with hip-hop albums, which left me doubting my cognitive skills, as I never quite kept pace with lyrics that are probably worth more effort: Danny Brown, Armand Hammer, RAP Ferreira, maybe Ashnikko. Easy to counter that the country and jazz albums, Snocaps, Mountain Goats, and Mavis Staples are more my speed these days. But they are really good albums, which signify to me right now. Next week I need to focus on some house work (e.g., new roof), hopefully without bobbling the jazz poll too badly. My update of the metacritic file has been very hit-and-miss, but we should be seeing some end-of-year lists soon (looks like 4 at already at AOTY). I imagine I'll track them when/if I find time. New records reviewed this week: Rodrigo Amado: The Bridge: Further Beyond (2023 [2025], Trost): Consistently outstanding tenor saxophonist, from Portugal, albums since 2000, second album with this international quartet, where bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, drummer Gerry Hemingway, and especially pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach provide much more than backup. Their 2023 album Beyond the Margins was easily the year's best — not only topping my list, but winning El Intruso's poll and showing up all the others (including ours). This one is a bit less commanding, but the group's strengths are still much in evidence. A- [bc] Armand Hammer & the Alchemist: Mercy (2025, Backwoodz Studioz/Rhymesayers): Duo of Billy Woods and Euclid, both stars in their own right, eighth album since 2013, second with the Alchemist producing. The group albums have often seemed a bit murkier than their solo albums, and this is no exception, but the slow grind certainly has sonic appeal. B+(***) [sp] Ashnikko: Smoochies (2025, Parlophone): Rapper-singer Ashton Casey, from North Carolina, second album after some EPs (from 2017) and a mixtape (2021). I love the beat and the energy here, but not quite enough to overcome my lack of focus on the songs. Nor does the album cover make me want to show it off. B+(***) [sp] Martin Bejerano: The Purple Project: Reimagining the Music of Prince (2025, Figgland): Pianist, some electric keyboards, fifth album since 2007, side credits include Roy Haynes and Russell Malone, plays 10 Prince songs, with Nicole Yarling (vocals), Kurt Hengstebeck (bass), and David Chiverton (drums). Some great songs here, but none improved, or even reimagined in interesting ways, so the minor annoyances add up. B- [cd] [11-21] Danny Brown: Stardust (2025, Warp): Detroit rapper, actual last name Sewell, sixth album since 2010. Other than fast, not sure what "hyperpop" means, but the word crops up often viz. this album. Too fast for me to follow, but the electroclash catches my fancy. B+(***) [sp] David Broza & Omer Avital: Brozajazz: Paris Alhambra (2024 [2025], Magenta): Israeli singer-songwriter, b. 1955 in Haifa, grew up in England and Spain, lived 17 years in New Jersey before returning to Israel. Thirty-some albums, plays guitar and sings from his repertoire, backed by a jazz group led by Avital (bass), with Eden Ladin (piano), Itamar Borochov (trumpet), and Itay Morchi (drums). First I've heard of him, a long (112 minutes) live set with an enthusiastic audience, holds up well. [BDS alert: Broza has a reputation as a peace activist, but his website features a link to a "Wartime Diaries" podcast, where "Israel's leading artists began crisscrossing the country in a joint effort to lift morale." The blurb talks about the Oct. 7, 2023 Gaza revolt, with no mention of anything Israel has done since, or had done before. Needless to say, the grade below, like all of mine, reflects the music only. While in general I support BDS, and think that had the BDS movement been stronger and more effective, Israel might have veered away from its path to genocide. But I have continued to review albums by Israeli jazz artists, for various reasons, including that I personally don't want to be judged by the criminal acts of my government, and also because I believe that art given to the world breaks free from the limits and faults of its creators.] B+(***) [sp] Joy Crookes: Juniper (2025, Insanity): British (Bangladeshi-Irish) neo-soul singer-songwriter, started with YouTube covers at 13, moved on to an EP in 2017 and an album in 2021, a Mercury Prize nominee. Second album, catches my ear, gets better on multiple replays. A- [sp] Sam Dillon: My Ideal (2024 [2025], Cellar Music): Mainstream tenor saxophonist, several albums, more credits back to 2010, quartet with piano (David Hazeltine), bass (Alexander Claffy), and drums (Rodney Green). B+(**) [sp] Stella Donnelly: Love and Fortune (2025, Dot Dash): Singer-songwriter from Australia, third album since 2019, first one (Beware of the Dogs) was pretty impressive. B+(**) [sp] Chandler Dozier: Bakersfield East (2025, self-released, EP): Country singer-songwriter, from North Carolina, seems to be his first album, we'll call it an EP at 6 songs (21:13), including a Hank William cover ("Move It on Over"). Good voice, trad virtues. B+(***) [sp] Jakob Dreyer: Roots and Things (2025, Fresh Sound New Talent): German bassist, based in New York, second album, 15 originals plus one standard, quartet with Tivon Pennicott (tenor sax), Sasha Berliner (vibes), and Kenneth Salters (drums). B+(***) [cd] [11-14] R.A.P. Ferreira & Kenny Segal: The Night Green Side of It (2025, Ruby Yacht/Alpha Pup): Underground rapper, started as Milo (2011-18), prolific since 2019, shared an album with the producer in 2017. B+(***) [bc] Hannah Frances: Nested in Tangles (2025, Fire Talk): Singer-songwriter, from Chicago, second album, has elements that remind me of Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush, but not enough to really pan out. B [sp] Joshua Hedley: All Hat (2025, New West): Country singer-songwriter, plays fiddle, third album since 2018 (but Discogs also credits him with A Tribute to Bob Wills from 2000), With Ray Benson producing, this one revives his Western Swing interest. Loose, with a grin as wide as his brim. B+(**) [sp] Nicholas Jamerson: The Narrow Way (2025, Cloverdale): Country singer-songwriter, from Kentucky, has a couple previous solo albums, several more in the duo Sundy Best. Intimate settings, two duets with his sister Emily Jamerson. But I'm not sure "hell's full of hippies" is as scary as he thinks. B+(**) [sp] Jess Jocoy: Cul-De-Sac Kid (2025, self-released): Country singer-songwriter from suburban Seattle, third album, songs have some depth. B+(**) [sp] Tyler Keith: I Confess (2025, Black & Wyatt): Garage/punk singer-songwriter, started in the Neckbones (1995-99), worth checking out if your tastes run to fast, hard, and primitive; later bands include the Preacher's Kids and the Apostles. This is in a similar vein, but even more junked up. B+(*) [bc] Brennen Leigh: Don't You Ever Give Up on Love (2025, Signature Sounds): Country singer-songwriter, from Texas, steady stream of albums since 2002, which started good and just keep getting better. She is quick to take the gloss off the title song, following it with many more break up songs like "Dumpster Diving," "A Reason to Drink," "Thank God You're Gone," and "How's the Getting Over Me Going," emerging at the end with "I'm Easy to Love After All." Indeed. A- [sp] Thomas Morgan: Around You Is a Forest (2024 [2025], Loveland Music): Bassist, Discogs credits him with 154 credits since 2000, of which 17 are counted as his albums, but his name appears first on none of them, so this is arguably his debut. He plays bass on the first piece, but his main "instrument" is WOODS, a program written in SuperCollider with a recursive acronym (for WOODS Often Oscillates Droning Strings). This is followed by eight more pieces, each with a guest feeding sound into the program. Those guests are people he's worked with over the years (Bill Frisell, Dan Weiss, Craig Taborn, Henry Threadgill) plus some notables (Gerald Cleaver, Ambrose Akinmusire, Immanuel Wilkins, the poet Gary Snyder). Seems a bit scattered at first, but the many facets seem to be the point. [PS: While I generally feel that music should be evaluated free from its conception, Morgan's story did much to sell me on the process.] A- [cd] The Mountain Goats: Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan (2025, Thirty Tigers): Alias for singer-songwriter John Darnielle, 23rd album since 1994, seems to have evolved into a band, with John Wurster (drums) joining in 2007, Matt Douglas (piano/keyboards since 2015; he also does string & woodwind arrangements here), and various bassists — Cameron Ralston is new, as are Mikaela Davis (harp) and Ben Loughran (synths). Starts with a dubious instrumental, but gets better and better after that. A- [sp] Raphaël Pannier Quartet: Live in Saint Louis, Senegal (2024 [2025], Miel Music): French drummer, studied at Berklee and based in New York, has two previous quartet albums, this one with Yosvany Terry (alto sax), Thomas Enhco (piano/rhodes), and François Moutin (bass), plus Khadim Niang & Sabar Group: eight drummers from Senegal. B+(***) [cd] Rosalía: Lux (2025, Columbia): Spanish singer-songwriter, her third album (Motomami) was a big worldwide hit, which is also garnering much praise (93/13 at AOTY). I'm less convinced this time, as the orchestrations tend to veer into something like opera. B+(*) [sp] Brandon Sanders: Lasting Impression (2025, Savant): Drummer, has at least one previous album, variable cast here, including Stacy Dillard (tenor sax on 6 tracks), Warren Wolf (vibes on 3), Jazzmeia Horn (2 vocals), with Eric Scott Reed (piano) and Eric Wheeler (bass) on 7 (of 8) tracks. B+(**) [cd] Mark Sherman: Bop Contest (2025, Miles High): Vibraphonist, first albums appeared in 1980, has a fairly steady stream since. Bop-oriented quintet here, with veteran players Donald Vega (piano), Ron Carter (bass), Carl Allen (drums), and Joe Magnarelli (trumpet/flugelhorn). Two originals, covers from Oliver Nelson and Cedar Walton, a couple standards. B+(**) [cd] Nick Shoulders: Refugia Blues (2025, Gar Hole): Country singer-songwriter, from Fayetteville, Arkansas, fifth album since 2018, trimmed the music back, sometimes puts the politics forward. B+(**) [sp] Laura Ann Singh: Mean Reds (2024 [2025], Out of Your Head): Jazz singer-songwriter, first album, backed by Scott Clark (drums), Adam Hopkins (bass), John Lilley (sax), and Bob Miller (trumpet). Ballad moments recall Sheila Jordan, but noise breaks are something else. B+(**) [sp] Snocaps: Snocaps (2025, Anti-): New group effort by twin sisters Katie and Allison Crutchfield, formerly of PS Elliot (2007-11), more recently in separate bands (Waxahatchee and Swearin'), along with MJ Lenderman (of Wednesday, plus a highly regarded solo album) and Brad Cook (producer, plays some bass and drums). Makes it all seem so easy. A- [sp] Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World (2025, Anti-): Started in her father's gospel group, the Staple Singers, breaking out as a solo artist in 1969, up to 86 now. Widely scattered covers, only two I recognized instantly, and they are standouts. A- [sp] WNC WhopBezzy/70th Street Carlos: Out the Blue (2025, WNC): Baton Rouge, Louisiana rapper, has a previous album from 2018. Pretty hard core. B+(**) [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Melvin Gibbs: Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2 (2006-25 [2025], Archetext): Bass guitarist, in the 1980s played in the avant-funk Defunkt and in Ronald Shannon Jackson's avant-fusion band, the Decoding Society, and later was one of the principals in Harriet Tubman, along with side gigs with Henry Rollins, Arto Lindsay, DJ Logic, Bill Frisell, Sonny Sharrock, and John Zorn. Three tracks here with Pete Cosey (guitar) date from 2006, while the other three seem to be recent. B+(**) [sp] Joseph Kamaru: Heavy Combination 1966-2007 (1966-2007 [2025], Disciples): A major Kenyan musician (1939-2018), ethnically Kikuyu, style Benga, although he's broader than that, with "afro-funk, disco grooves, and folk style laments." Remastered by a grandson also named Joseph Kamaru, who is now based in Berlin and records as KMRU. A- [sp] Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet: Turn It Up!: Live at the Sidedoor (2004-24 [2025], Cellar Music, 2CD): Pianist, but plays Hammond B3 organ in this long-running quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), and Joe Farnsworth (drums). This double album offers two live sets, one from way back in 2004 (at Cory Weeds' Cellar Jazz Club), the other recent, from the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, CT. B+(**) [sp] Old music: Ashnikko: Weedkiller (2023, Parlophone): Ashley Casey's first studio album (33:05), after a 2021 mixtape (25:24), less explicitly dance-pop than her new album, the hard edges contributing to a genre list that includes "nu metal, trap metal, industrial pop, and hyperpop." B+(**) [sp] Melvin Gibbs: Anamibia Sessions 1: The Wave (2022, Editions Mego): Not clear to me what the relationship is between this album and its 2025 successor, this being an ambient drone album that struggles to catch let alone hold one's attention. B- [sp] The Staple Singers: The Staple Swingers (1971, Stax): Roebuck "Pops" Staples and his four children, most notably youngest daughter Mavis, who moved to the front during the 1960s, as the group moved from gospel to civil rights to secular soul. Wikipedia divides their discography between "early albums," which run from Savoy to Vee Jay to Riverside to Epic to their first two albums on Stax, and "charted albums," which starts here (9 r&b, 117 pop). The differences here were that, following Mavis' solo album, Al Bell produced with the Muscle Shoals crew, and Pervis dropped out in favor of Yvonne. Half of this is quite good, which makes you wonder about the rest. Cover features playground swings. B+(*) [sp] The Staple Singers: Be Altitude: Respect Yourself (1972, Stax): Even more of a commercial breakthrough, with three singles: "Respect Yourself" (12), "I'll Take You There" (1), and "This World" (38). The singles do stand out, which makes the rest sound like filler, but not quite. B+(**) [sp] The Staple Singers: Be What You Are (1973, Stax): Three more singles, but only one ("If You're Ready") a top-10 hit. Pretty steady. B+(*) [sp] The Staple Singers: City in the Sky (1974, Stax): As consistent as any of their Stax albums, but lacking an obvious hit. B+(**) [sp] Mavis Staples: Mavis Staples (1969, Volt): Fourth child of Roebuck "Pops" Staples, who organized his family into a gospel group in 1948 (when Mavis was 9), moving them into secular soul in the 1960s, as Mavis became their singing star. She stayed with the group, eventually billed as "featuring," but recorded this solo album in 1969, a second in 1970, more from 1979, 1989, 1993, and 1996 before landing on Anti- in 2004, with an album every few years since. Al Bell and Steve Cropper produced this set of covers. B+(**) Mavis Staples: Only for the Lonely (1970, Volt): Second solo album, short (9 songs, 29:04), produced by Don Davis, who turns up the strings. Strong vocals, on less obvious songs. B+(*) [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
Ask a question, or send a comment. Monday, November 3, 2025 Music Week
November archive (in progress). Music: Current count 45079 [45048] rated (+31), 14 [22] unrated (-8). I'm a week past my 75th birthday now. Which is to say I'm older than either of my grandfathers ever got. One was born in 1868, so our three generations span 157 years. He was 68 when he died, well before I was born. The grandfather I knew wasn't born until 1894. He was the definition of an old person when I was a child, and he died at 70 in 1964, when I was 13. My father was 77 when he died, in 2000, a few months after I moved back to Wichita. He suffered a stroke a decade earlier, which significantly impacted what was left of his life. I'm fortunate enough to be somewhat oblivious to the ailments they had to deal with. I still have pretty good hearing, and I can get through a long day without nodding off. But I'm getting less and less done, and it's getting more and more frustrating. My big project last week was fixing birthday dinner. This was a 13-dish Indonesian Rijsttafel, mostly dishes I had never made or even tasted before. I went very light on the chilies, but I murdered a lot of garlic, ginger, galangal, shallots, turmeric, tamarind, lemongrass, lime leaves, macadamia nuts (in lieu of kemiri), peanut, shrimp paste, and coconut milk along the way. Many of the dishes followed the same logic: grind up a "flavor paste," then fry it in some oil. Add coconut milk and whatever your main ingredient is, and cook it until the sauce is reduced, sometimes all the way to an oil that adds a final crispness to the meat. I did this with chicken, pork, lamb, beef, eggplant, string beans, and I had several more variations planned that I didn't get around to. In addition to the "plan" cited above, I wrote up some narrative on this dinner last week. I expected I would take that and turn it into a Notes on Everyday Life post, but didn't manage to do that. Partly that's because I was thinking that even though I had cooked and written enough for a substantial post, I should add some more value to it. I should dig through my old notebooks and come up with some history of the "birthday dinner" tradition (loosely described from memory last week). Also, I still had extra groceries from my shopping, and wanted to use some of them up (although a lot of the more perishable items hit the garbage bin early). I didn't manage the research, or the post, but I've been cooking quite a bit this week, including (on top of several days of leftovers):
Finally, I made a Chinese fried rice to go with the pork & peanuts, including bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, Chinese sausage, egg, and almonds in the mix. When I later made the twice-cooked pork, I took the leftover fried rice, some more leftover rice, what was left of the pork & peanuts, and the leftover potatoes, and mixed them all up with more scallions. I think I still have some eggplant, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, squash, and water chestnuts left, as well as things safely stashed away in the freezer (ground pork, squid, fish, crabs). I'm slowly hoping to reduce the freezer stash, imagining I can come up with a series of "clearance special" dinners. But I don't get many opportunities, and rarely take the sort of liberties I took this week. Still more fun than housework, or website work, or writing. Of those, housework is likely to weigh heaviest on my mind this next week. We need a new roof, which seems like a big and fateful decision. I expect to have four bids by the end of the week, and no obvious decision. Still, I've managed to put a lot more thought into it than I did when buying a car a few months ago. The roof, at least, will be hired out, so just a shopping job. Except maybe for the carport, where we're likely to need some structural support, and the attic, which is of no real concern to the roofers. I did break down and hire out a small plumbing project last week: the kitchen faucet head developed a serious leak, so I bought another one, and had someone else install it. I used a plumber I'm talking to about a bigger, more daunting job. I still have some work under the sink, but it shouldn't be hard. Many more projects waiting in the wings, taking forever to get done. But I did finally make a bit of progress toward the 20th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. I set up the website a few weeks ago, but needed to edit the invite and voter notes files. I got the former done today, and the latter good enough to work for now. I sent a message to the volunteer helper mailing list tonight, on the state of the poll. I hope to send a message to the voter email list soon after this. The invites should go out by November 15, with a deadline of December 21. With the website in fairly good shape, as least as regards this year's poll, the next big thing is to review the invite list, and see if I can come up with better email tools. The latter isn't an urgent need, as my server change earlier this year has been much for the better, but there is still room for improvement. I'm also thinking about setting up a third email list, one for publicists and other interested non-voters. Anyone who wants to get in on that should send me a message. I'd also welcome any tips on prospective voters. Also any questions/suggestions on the website. I've been spinning my wheels for weeks trying to figure out the exact level of detail that would be optimal to each specific component. Back to a fairly normal level of new music this week. I'm pretty close to current with unheard promo CDs, but I've still made little effort with catching up with downloads (or, indeed, with downloading files I have links for). The 2025 tracking file currently shows 1101 albums rated (out of 3203 listed; jazz only 655 of 1217.) I expect jazz will get a big kick when the ballots start coming in, and non-jazz will eventually catch up as I compile the less reliable EOY aggregate. Usually that kicks off around Thanksgiving. That's enough for now. It's very late, and I have a very early morning to contend with tomorrow. New records reviewed this week: Aesop Rock: I Heard It's a Mess There Too (2025, Rhymesayers): Underground rapper Ian Bavitz, regular releases since 2000, this a surprise quick release after May's Black Hole Superette. Not as glib as he was decades ago, but the added weight helps move the mess. A- [sp] Patricia Brennan: Of the Near and Far (2024 [2025], Pyroclastic): Vibraphonist, from Mexico, based in Brooklyn, follow up to her poll-winning Breaking Stretch, has had a big year already with appearances on new albums by Mary Halvorson (A-), Dave Douglas (**), Tomas Fujiwara (A-), Adam O'Farrill (A-), Dan Weiss (***), and Arturo O'Farrill (***). Original pieces, a large group conducted by Eli Greenhoe, with piano (Sylvie Courvoisier), guitar (Miles Okazaki), bass (Kim Cass), drums (John Hollenbeck), electronics (Arktureye), three violins and a cello. Much of this is very nice, even what seems like an excess of strings. B+(***) [cd] Carrier: Rhythm Immortal (2025, Modern Love): Brussels-based electronica producer, seems to be one of many aliases for Guy Brewer (Covered in Sand, delete_everything, Tradecraft). B+(*) [sp] Brìghde Chaimbeul: Sunwise (2025, Tak:til): Scottish smallpipes player, grew up as a native gaelic speaker on Isle of Skye, has several albums since 2019, sings some. B+(*) [sp] Paul Cornish: You're Exaggerating! (2025, Blue Note): Pianist, from Houston, first album, although he has side credits back to 2017, starting with groups Blue Iverson and Thumpasaurus, and work with Terrace Martin and Joshua Redman. Trio with bass (Joshua Crumbly) and drums (Jonathan Pinson), with a guest guitar spot for Jeff Parker. B+(**) [sp] Dave: The Boy Who Played the Harp (2025, Neighbourhood): British rapper David Orbosa Omoregie, third album since 2019, also a 2023 EP with Central Cee. Masterful lyricist, with a conscience. One line noted: "ten years in the game and I won't lie, it's gettin' difficult." But looking easy. A- [sp] Deena: This Is the Time (2025, self-released, EP): Singer-songwriter, last name Schoshkes, best known for the Cucumbers (with John Fried, 1983-2004, plus an album in 2023). Just three songs, 10:32. B+(*) [bc] Grey DeLisle & Friends: It's All Her Fault: A Tribute to Cindy Walker (2025, Brooklyn Basement): DeLisle (or Griffin or Van Oosbree) is a singer-songwriter, comedian, and actress (including her claim as "the most prolific voice actress in American animation history, having performed over 1500 cartoon voices since 1996"). I don't know how consistently her 8 previous albums hew country, but titles include Homewrecker and Driftless Girl. Obviously, the songwriter here comes from the deep country, as do most of the 13 women she counts among her friends — she only puts her name to one song, and that is a duet with Brennen Leigh, so this tends to get filed under "various artists." B+(**) [sp] Adam Forkelid: Dreams (2024 [2025], Prophone): Swedish pianist, several albums, this one is solo, all original pieces, lacks the big rhythm boost I tend to favor but sticks with you. B+(***) [cd] David Greenberger & the Hi-Ho Barbers: Ginger Ale (2025, Pel Pel): Spoken word artist, also plays bass guitar, started on radio with Duplex Planet, has more than a dozen albums since 2003, most starting with him quoting monologues collected in nursing homes, sort of like reading Studs Terkel with scattered musical accompaniment. The Hi-Ho Barbers were an amalgam of name fragments: Robyn Hitchcock (guitars), Mark Greenberg (drums), Paul Cebar and Kelly Hogan (chorus vocals). More of the latter than usual, filling a gap I never noticed before, but the extra musicality doesn't hurt. A- [cd] [11-17] Jazzwrld & Thukuthela: The Most Wanted (2025, Waltz Music Group/Empire): South African amapiano duo, first album, don't know much else. B+(**) [sp] Cate Le Bon: Michelangelo Dying (2025, Mexican Summer): Welsh singer-songwriter, moved to Los Angeles in 2013, seventh studio album since 2009, someone I've been aware of but never paid much attention to. I'm not noticing words, but I'm getting a nice layered vibe, which shifts tone on a piece that features John Cale. B+(**) [sp] Demi Lovato: It's Not That Deep (2025, Island): Dance-pop singer-songwriter, started as a Disney teen actor, ninth studio album since her 2008 debut went gold. B+(*) [sp] Joe McPhee & Strings: We Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (2021 [2025], RogueArt): A major free jazz figure since 1969, just plays tenor sax and offers some spoken words here, backed by viola (Mat Maneri), cello (Fred Lonberg-Holm), and double bass (Michael Bisio), a younger generation he's well acquainted with. B+(***) [cdr] Roscoe Mitchell/Michele Rabbia: In 2 (2024 [2025], RogueArt): Duo, the venerable saxophonist (bass and sopranino here), and percussion/electronics. B+(**) [cdr] Mobb Deep: Infinite (2025, Mass Appeal): New York hip-hop duo from the gangsta 1990s, Havoc and Prodigy, seven albums 1993-2006, one more from 2014, this 9th album coming 11 years later. Name-dropping Tupac and Biggie, who overshadowed them but are still locked in their identity. They lament: "they don't make 'em like us no more." No need. B [sp] Roberto Montero: Todos Os Tempos (2025, Vaicomtudo Music): Brazilian guitarist, based in Los Angeles, seems to be his first album, various supporting cast. B+(*) [cd] John O'Gallagher/Ben Monder/Andrew Cyrille/Billy Hart: Ancestral (2024 [2025], Whirlwind): Alto saxophonist, many albums since 2002, some quite impressive. With guitar and two drummers here. Here again he rises to the occasion. A- [cd] Tom Ollenberg: Where in the World (2025, Fresh Sound New Talent): British guitarist, has a couple previous albums since 2021. Mild-mannered quartet with piano (Aaron Parks), bass, and drums, playing original pieces. B+(**) [cd] [11-21] Ted Piltzecker: Peace Vibes (2024 [2025], OA2): Vibraphone player, half-dozen albums since 1985, some large gaps (12, 17 years), some smaller (4, 5), two originals plus his arrangements of mostly bop-era jazz standards. Sextet with trumpet (Brad Goode), bass, drums, Brazilian and Peruvian percussion. B+(**) [cd] Deborah Shulman: We Had a Moment (2025, Summit): Standards singer, sixth album since 2004, recording dates unlisted but three songs date back to early work with Terry Trotter (piano), the other 7 from "the last couple of years," with "longtime pianist and arranger" Jeff Colella. B+(*) [sp] Enoch Smith Jr.: The Book of Enoch Vol. 1 (2025, Misfitme Music): Pianist, several albums since 2011, trio with bass (Kai Gibson) and drums (David Hardy). One original, but opens with two public domain gospels, followed by an Andrae Crouch. B+(*) [cd] [11-07] Pat Thomas: Hikmah (2024 [2025], TAO Forms): British avant-pianist, started appearing around 1990 with Derek Bailey (Company), Lol Coxhill, and Tony Oxley, but his profile increased significantly in recent years, especially with the quartet Ahmed. This is one of several recent solo albums. B+(***) [cd] [11-07] Premik Russell Tubbs & Margee Minier-Tubbs: The Bells (2025, Margetoile, EP): Actually just a single, 6:42, kind of cute if you're into Xmas cheer. B [cd] Cameron Winter: Heavy Metal (2024, Partisan): Singer-songwriter, from Brooklyn, fronts the band Geese, which has four albums since 2018, with a growing critical and popular reputation, although I have yet to hear it. I'm not hearing much here either, just tortured riffing and ululating. Doesn't really register as metal, but that's hardly a saving grace. B- [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Alts 'N Outs: The Other Side of Blue Note (1958-64 [2025], Blue Note): Lazy product, compiling six alternate takes from the label's the label's most vital period, one each from Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Clark, Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, and Wayne Shorter (sessions which by my reckoning produced one A, four A-, and one B+). I don't find this very useful, but it's enjoyable enough for your time. B+(**) [sp] Big L: Harlem's Finest: Return of the King (1992-99 [2025], Mass Appeal): New York rapper Lamont Coleman, released one album (Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous) before being shot dead at 24 in 1999, followed by a couple of posthumous releases. Part of the Nas label's "Legend Has It" series. I've heard a couple albums in the series without wondering about recording dates — no surprise that still-living old-timers like Slick Rick, Ghostface Killah and Mobb Deep sound like they always did, so those albums could have been crafted from old tapes. But Coleman's clearly were, with dates given for his gree styles, and also for a 1995 pairing with Jay-Z. But this isn't strictly a reissue: new stuff has been added and/or old stuff has been merged (e.g., Mac Miller, who was 7 when Big L died, and who died in 2018, makes an appearance). B+(***) [sp] Horace Silver: Silver in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1965 [2025], Blue Note): Pianist, initially led the Jazz Messengers, the genre-defining hard bop group that went through many editions led by drummer Art Blakey. Silver continued to lead 5/6-piece groups, drawing on many of the same musicians as Blakey, but where he was unique was in composing some of the catchiest tunes ever to come out of jazz. His Blue Notes from 1956-66 were often classic. This previously unreleased live tape features Woody Shaw (trumpet) and Joe Henderson (tenor sax), with Teddy Smith (bass) and Roger Humphries (drums), stretching out on five of hi better known tunes. A- [sp] Old music: Big L: Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous (1995, Columbia): New York gangsta/horrorcore rapper Lamont Coleman (1974-99), first and only album before he was killed in a drive-by shooting, sold well, as did his posthumous The Big Picture. I never liked the philosophy, but the big, hard beats had their attractions, as they do here. And I do get "I Don't Understand It." Hardly anyone did. B+(***) [sp] Big L: The Big Picture: 1974-1999 (1997-99 [2000], Rawkus): Posthumous album, includes a 1998 single, completed by manager Rich King and various producers, including DJ Premier and Ron Browz. B+(**) [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
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