Jazz Consumer Guide Index

#27: No Respect: Untitled, Unpublished

Links: Archive

Picks
  • Dan Raphael/Rich Halley/Carson Halley: Children of the Blue Supermarket (Pine Eagle) A
  • David S. Ware: Onecept (AUM Fidelity) A-
A
  • Muhal Richard Abrams: SoundDance (Pi) A-
  • Rodrigo Amado: Searching for Adam (Not Two) A-
  • Mathias Eick: Skala (ECM) A-
  • Ellery Eskelin/Gerry Hemingway: Inbetween Spaces (Auricle) A-
  • Terrence McManus/Gerry Hemingway: Below the Surface Of (Auricle)
  • Avram Fefer/Eric Revis/Chad Taylor: Eliyahu (Not Two) A-
  • Free Fall: Gray Scale (Smalltown Superjazz) A-
  • Humanization 4tet: Electricity (Ayler) A-
  • Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya: Sotho Blue (Sunnyside) A-
  • Inzinzac: Inzinzac (High Two) A-
  • Jon Irabagon: Foxy (Hot Cup) A-
  • Steve Swell's Slammin' the Infinite: 5000 Poems (Not Two) A-
  • Tarbaby: The End of Fear (Posi-Tone) A-
HM [A-]
  • Eero Koivistoinen & Co.: 3rd Version (Porter)
  • David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/William Parker/Muhammad Ali: Planetary Unknown (AUM Fidelity)
  • Honey Ear Trio: Steampunk Serenade (Foxhaven)
  • Jerry Bergonzi: Convergence (Savant)
  • Conference Call: What About . . . . ? (Not Two)
HM [***]
  • Mostly Other People Do the Killing: The Coimbra Concert (Clean Feed)
  • Matthew Shipp: Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear)
  • Harriet Tubman: Ascension (Sunnyside)
  • I Compani: Mangiare! (Icdisc)
  • Terrence McManus: Transcendental Numbers (NoBusiness)
  • E.J. Antonio: Rituals in the Marrow (Blue Zygo)
  • Rakalam Bob Moses/Greg Burk: Ecstatic Weanderings (Jazzwerkstatt)
  • Jaruzelski's Dream: Jazz Gawronski (Clean Feed)
  • Sonic Liberation Front: Meets Sunny Murray (High Two)
  • Mike Reed's People, Places & Things: Stories and Negotiations (482 Music)
  • Ken Filiano & Quantum Entanglements: Dreams From a Clown Car (Clean Feed)
  • Stephen Gauci/Kris Davis/Michael Bisio: Three (Clean Feed)
  • Trygve Seim/Andreas Utnem: Purcor (ECM)
  • Júlio Resende: Assim Falava Jazzatustra (Clean Feed)
  • The Ullmann/Swell 4: News? No News! (Jazzwerkstatt)
  • Decoy & Joe McPhee: Oto (Bo Weavil)
  • Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore: Three Kinds of Happiness (Not Two)
  • Andrew Lamb Trio: New Orleans Suite (Engine)
  • Scenes: Rinnova (Origin)
  • Brian Landrus: Foward (Cadence Jazz)
  • The Dynamic Les DeMerle Band: Gypsy Rendezvous, Vol. One (Origin)
  • Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: Accomplish Jazz (Hot Cup)
  • Correction: Two Nights in April (Ayler)
  • Barb Jungr: The Men I Love: The New American Songbook (Naim)
  • François Carrier/Alexey Lapin/Michel Lambert: Inner Spire (Leo)
  • Todd DelGiudice: Pencil Sketches (OA2)
  • William Hooker: Crossing Points (NoBusiness)
  • The Jazz Passengers: Reunited (Justin Time)
  • Jamaladeen Tacuma: For the Love of Ornette (Jazzwerkstatt)
  • Premier Roeles: Ka Da Ver (Vindu)

#26: Pure Joy and Hard Work

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Benjamin Herman: Hypochristmastreefuzz [Special Edition] (Dox) A
  • Ivo Perelman/Dominic Duval/Brian Willson: Mind Games (Leo) A-
A
  • Anthony Brown's Asian American Orchestra: India & Africa: A Tribute to John Coltrane (Water Baby) A-
  • Commitment: The Complete Recordings 1981/1983 (1981-83, NoBusiness) A-
  • Marilyn Crispell/David Rothenberg: One Night I Left My Silent House (ECM) A-
  • Stephan Crump: Reclamation (Sunnyside) A-
  • Paquito D'Rivera: Tango Jazz: Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center (Sunnyside) A-
  • Henry Grimes/Rashied Ali: Spirits Aloft (Porter) A-
  • ICP Orchestra: ICP 049 (ICP) A-
  • Lean Left: The Ex Guitars Meet Nilssen-Love/Vandermark Duo, Volume 1 (Smalltown Superjazz) A-
  • Lisa Mezzacappa's Bait & Switch: What Is Known (Clean Feed) A-
  • The Microscopic Septet: Friday the Thirteenth: The Micros Play Monk (Cuneiform) A-
  • Wadada Leo Smith and Ed Blackwell: The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer (1986, Kabell) A-
HM [A-]
  • Anthony Braxton: 19 Standards (Quartet) 2003 (Leo)
  • Profound Sound Trio: Opus de Life (Porter)
  • Rob Wagner/Hamid Drake/Nobu Ozaki: Trio (Valid)
  • Marcin & Bartlomiej Brat Oles: Duo (Fenomedia)
  • Ben Syversen: Cracked Vessel (self-released)
HM [***]
  • Billy Fox's Blackbirds & Bullets: Dulces (Clean Feed)
  • Vijay Iyer: Tirtha (ACT)
  • Ernestine Anderson: Nightlife (High Note)
  • Sun Ra Arkestra, Under the Direction of Marshall Allen: Live at the Paradox (In+Out)
  • Anat Fort: And If (ECM)
  • John McNeil/Bill McHenry: Chill Morn He Climb Jenny (Sunnyside)
  • Marshall Allen/Matthew Shipp/Joe Morris: Night Logic (RogueArt)
  • World Saxophone Quartet: Yes We Can (Jazzwerkstatt)
  • Stephan Crump/James Carney: Echo Run Pry (Clean Feed)
  • Lean Left: The Ex Guitars Meet Nilssen-Love/Vandermark Duo, Volume 2 (Smalltown Superjazz)
  • The Warren Vaché/John Allred Quintet: Top Shelf (Arbors)
  • Hugo Antunes: Roll Call (Clean Feed)
  • Harold O'Neal: Whirling Mantis (Smalls)
  • Mike Mainieri: Crescent (NYC)
  • Rich Halley Quartet: Live at the Penofin Jazz Festival (Pine Eagle)
  • Chris Dahlgren & Lexicon: Mystic Maze (Jazzwerkstatt)
  • David Smith Quintet: Anticipation (Bju'ecords)
  • James Carney Group: Ways & Means (Songlines)
  • Kenny Burrell: Be Yourself (High Note)
  • Pablo Aslan: Tango Grill (Zoho)
  • Rafi Malkiel: Water (Tzadik)

#25: Low-End Theories

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra: Ashcan Rantings (Clean Feed) A
  • William Parker: I Plan to Stay a Believer (AUM Fidelity) A
A
  • Angles: Epileptical West: Live in Coimbra (Clean Feed) A
  • Tommy Babin's Benzene: Your Body Is Your Prison (Drip Audio) A-
  • The Nels Cline Singers: Initiate (Cryptogramophone) A-
  • Anat Cohen: Clarinetwork: Live at the Village Vanguard (Anzic) A-
  • Freddy Cole: Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B (High Note) A-
  • Bill Frisell: Beautiful Dreamers (Savoy Jazz) A-
  • Fred Hersch Trio: Whirl (Palmetto) A-
  • Oleg Kireyev/Keith Javors: Rhyme & Reason (Inarhyme) A-
  • Myra Melford's Be Bread: The Whole Tree Gone (Firehouse 12) A-
  • Sounds of Liberation: Sounds of Liberation (Porter) A-
  • The Stryker/Slagle Band: Keeper (Panorama) A-
  • Henry Threadgill Zooid: This Brings Us To: Volume II (Pi) A-
  • Vandermark 5: Annular Gift (Not Two) A-
HM [A-]
  • Paal Nilssen-Love/Ken Vandermark: Milwaukee Volume (Smalltown Supersound)
  • Paal Nilssen-Love/Ken Vandermark: Chicago Volume (Smalltown Supersound)
  • 3ology: With Ron Miles (Tapestry)
  • Allison Miller: Boom Tic Boom (Foxhaven)
  • James Blood Ulmer: In and Out (In+Out)
HM [***]
  • Vijay Iyer: Solo (ACT)
  • Bryan and the Haggards: Pretend It's the End of the World (Hot Cup)
  • Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Llyrěa (ECM)
  • Steve Turre: Delicious and Delightful (High Note)
  • Ralph Alessi: Cognitive Dissonance (CAM Jazz)
  • Rova & Nels Cline Singers: The Celestial Septet (New World)
  • Peter Evans Quartet: Live in Lisbon (Clean Feed)
  • David Murray Black Saint Quartet: Live in Berlin (Jazzwerkstatt)
  • James Moody: 4B (IPO)
  • Erica Lindsay/Sumi Tonooka: Initiation (ARC)
  • Paul Motian/Chris Potter/Jason Moran: Lost in a Dream (ECM)
  • Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet + 1: 3 Nights in Oslo (Smalltown Superjazz)
  • Evan Parker/Barry Guy/Paul Lytton + Peter Evans: Scenes in the House of Music (Clean Feed)
  • Curtis Fuller: I Will Tell Her (Capri)
  • William Parker: At Somewhere There (Barnyard)
  • Roscoe Mitchell and the Note Factory: Far Side (ECM)
  • Nels Cline: Dirty Baby (Cryptogramophone)
  • Gia Notte: Shades (Gnote)
  • David Weiss & Point of Departure: Snuck In (Sunnyside)
  • Nils Petter Molvaer: Hamada (Thirsty Ear)
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green: Apex (Pi)
  • Mort Weiss: Raising the Bar (SMS Jazz)
  • Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage: Copacabana (Zoho)
HM [**]
  • Jason Robinson: The Two Faces of Janus (Cuneiform)
  • Food: Quiet Inlet (ECM)
  • Brad Mehldau: Highway Rider (Nonesuch)
Duds
  • Jason Robinson and Anthony Davis: Cerulean Landscapes (Clean Feed) B
  • Metropole Orkest: 54 (Emarcy) B-
  • Puttin' On the Ritz: White Light/White Heat (Hot Cup) C+

#24: Play Louder, and Pray for Peace

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Billy Bang: Prayer for Peace (TUM) A
  • The Mark Lomax Trio: The State of Black America (Inarhyme) A
A
  • Juhani Aaltonen Quartet: Conclusions (TUM) A-
  • Borah Bergman Trio: Luminiscence (Tzadik) A-
  • First Meeting: Cut the Rope (Libra) A-
  • John Hicks & Frank Morgan: Twogether (High Note) A-
  • New York Art Quartet: Old Stuff (Cuneiform) A-
  • Ben Perowsky Quartet: Esopus Opus (Skirl) A-
  • RED Trio: RED Trio (Clean Feed) A-
  • Roberto Rodriguez: Timba Talmud (Tzadik) A-
  • Tin Hat: Foreign Legion (BAG) A-
  • Gerald Wilson Orchestra: Detroit (Mack Avenue) A-
HM [A-]
  • Nellie McKay: Normal as Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day (Verve)
  • Andrea Fultz: The German Projekt: German Songs From the Twenties & Thirties (The German Projekt)
HM [***]
  • Abraham Inc: Tweet Tweet (Table Pounding)
  • Dave Holland Octet: Pathways (Dare2)
  • Jason Moran: Ten (Blue Note)
  • The Claudia Quintet + Gary Versace: Royal Toast (Cuneiform)
  • Brandon Wright: Boiling Point (Posi-Tone)
  • Bernardo Sassetti Trio: Motion (Clean Feed)
  • The Gordon Grdina Trio: . . . If Accident Will (Plunge)
  • Arild Andersen: Green in Blue: Early Quartets (ECM)
  • NYNDK: The Hunting of the Snark (Jazzheads)
  • Scott DuBois: Black Hawk Dance (Sunnyside)
  • Jason Adasiewicz's Rolldown: Varmint (Cuneiform)
  • Ben Goldberg: Go Home (BAG)
  • Gabriel Johnson: Fra_ctured (Electrofone)
  • Kirk Knuffke: Amnesia Brown (Clean Feed)
  • Soren Moller & Dick Oatts: The Clouds Above (Audial)
  • Wolter Wierbos: 3 Trombone Solos (Dolfjin)
  • Tord Gustavsen Ensemble: Restored, Returned (ECM)
  • Roberto Rodriguez: The First Basket (Tzadik)
  • Babatunde Lea: Umbo Weti: A Tribute to Leon Thomas (Motéma)
  • Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Desert Ship (Not Two)
  • Matt Lavelle and Morcilla: The Manifestation Drama (KMB Jazz)
  • Dan Tepfer/Lee Konitz: Duos With Lee (Sunnyside)
  • Rempis/Rosaly: Cyrillic (482 Music)
  • Minamo: Kuroi Kawa - Black River (Tzadik)
  • Luis Lopes/Adam Lane/Igal Foni: What Is When (Clean Feed)
  • Edward Ratliff: Those Moments Before (Strudelmedia)
  • Will Sellenraad: Balance (Beeswax)
  • Gary Peacock/Marc Copland: Insight (Pirouet)
  • David Crowell Ensemble: Spectrum (Innova)
  • Dave Douglas: Spirit Moves (Greenleaf Music)
  • John Hollenbeck: Rainbow Jimmies (GPE)
  • Cynthia Sayer: Attractions (Plunk)
  • Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo: Zakopane (Libra)
  • Fight the Big Bull: All Is Gladness in the Kingdom (Clean Feed)
HM [**]
  • John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension: To the One (Abstract Logix)
  • Pat Metheny: Orchestrion (Nonesuch)
  • Ralph Towner/Paolo Fresu: Chiaroscuro (ECM)
  • Led Bib: Sensible Shoes (Cuneiform)
  • Jones Jones: We All Feel the Same Way (SoLyd)
Duds
  • Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project (Hancock) B
  • Esperanza Spalding: Chamber Music Society (Heads Up) B-
  • Jamie Cullum: The Pursuit (Verve) C

#23: Mocking Traditions, or Joining Them

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa & Steve Lehman: Dual Identity (Clean Feed) A
  • Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Forty Fort (Hot Cup) A-
A
  • Ben Allison: Think Free (Palmetto) A-
  • Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra: Where or When (Owl Studios) A-
  • Ralph Carney: Serious Jass Project (Akron Cracker) A-
  • Bill Frisell: Disfarmer (Nonesuch) A-
  • Jan Garbarek Group: Dresden (ECM) A-
  • Darius Jones Trio: Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) (AUM Fidelity) A-
  • PianoCircus Featuring Bill Bruford: Skin and Wire (Summerfold) A-
  • Enrico Pieranunzi/Marc Johnson/Joey Baron: Dream Dance (CAM Jazz) A-
  • Radio I-Ching: No Wave Au Go Go (Resonant Music) A-
  • Wadada Leo Smith: Spiritual Dimensions (Cuneiform) A-
  • Tomasz Stanko Quintet: Dark Eyes (ECM) A-
  • Matt Wilson Quartet: That's Gonna Leave a Mark (Palmetto) A-
  • John Zorn: Alhambra Love Songs (Tzadik) A-
HM [A-]
  • Maria Muldaur & Her Garden of Joy (Stony Plain) A-
  • The Godforgottens: Never Forgotten, Always Remembered (Clean Feed) A-
  • Anders Nilsson: AORTA Ensemble (Kopasetic) A-
HM [***]
  • Anthony Braxton/Maral Yakshieva: Improvisations (Duo) 2008 (SoLyd)
  • Randy Brecker: Nostalgic Journey: Tykocin Jazz Suite/The Music of Wlodek Pawlik (Summit)
  • Timucin Sahin Quartet: Bafa (Between the Lines)
  • Gebhard Ullman: Don't Touch My Music I (Not Two)
  • Mose Allison: The Way of the World (Anti-)
  • The Nice Guy Trio: Here Comes . . . the Nice Guy Trio (Porto Franco)
  • Jeff Healey: Last Call (Stony Plain)
  • Jon Irabagon: The Observer (Concord)
  • Rodrigo Amado: Motion Trio (European Echoes)
  • Quartet Offensive: Carnivore (Morphius)
  • Abdullah Ibrahim & WDR Big Band Cologne: Bombella (Sunnyside)
  • Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Seize the Time (Naim)
  • Ehud Asherie: Modern Life (Posi-Tone)
  • Greg Burk: Many Worlds (482 Music)
  • Ben Stapp Trio: Ecstasis (Uqbar)
  • Andrew Rathbun: Where We Are Now (SteepleChase)
  • The New Jazz Composers Octet: The Turning Gate (Motema Music)
  • Joey DeFrancesco: Snap Shot (High Note)
  • Linda Oh Trio: Entry (Linda Oh Music)
  • Blink: The Epidemic of Ideas (Thirsty Ear)
  • Jerry Bergonzi: Three for All (Savant)
  • David S. Ware: Saturnian (AUM Fidelity)
HM [**]
  • Gaucho: Deep Night (Gaucho)
  • Fernando Benadon: Intuitivo (Innova)
  • Dan Aran: Breathing (Smalls)
  • Ben Neill: Night Science (Thirsty Ear)
  • Tribecastan: Strange Cousin (Evergreene Music)
  • Houston Person: Mellow (High Note)
  • Ralph Bowen: Dedicated (Posi-Tone)
  • Gebhard Ullman: Don't Touch My Music II (Not Two)
  • Dom Minasi String Quartet: Dissonance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (Konnex)
Duds
  • EEA: The Dark (Origin) C+
  • Trombone Shorty: Backatown (Verve Forecast) C+

#22: Adapt, Improvise, Party

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Digital Primitives: Hum Crackle & Pop (Hopscotch) A-
  • The Fully Celebrated: Drunk on the Blood of the Holy Ones (AUM Fidelity) A
A
  • Mulatu Astatke/The Heliocentrics: Inspiration Information (Strut) A-
  • Jerry Bergonzi: Simply Put (Savant) A-
  • James Carter: Heaven on Earth (Half Note) A-
  • Freddy Cole: The Dreamer in Me (High Note) A-
  • Lars Danielsson: Tarantella (ACT) A-
  • Hal Galper/Reggie Workman/Rashied Ali: Art-Work (Origin) A-
  • Dennis González Jnaana Septet: The Gift of Discernment (Not Two) A-
  • Vijay Iyer Trio: Historicity (ACT) A-
  • Adam Lane/Lou Grassi/Mark Whitecage: Drunk Butterfly (Clean Feed) A-
  • Steve Lehman Octet: Travail, Transformation, and Flow (Pi) A-
  • Chris Morrissey Quartet: The Morning World (Sunnyside) A-
  • De Nazaten & James Carter: Skratyology (Strotbrock) A-
  • Roswell Rudd: Trombone Tribe (Sunnyside) A-
  • Tim Sparks: Little Princess (Tzadik) A-
  • Ulf Wakenius: Love Is Real: A Tribute to Esbjörn Svensson (ACT) A-
HM [A-]
  • Arthur Kell Quartet: Victoria: Live in Germany (Bju'ecords) A-
  • Allen Toussaint: The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch) A-
  • Mulatu Astatke: New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 (Strut) A-
  • Joe Morris: Wildlife (AUM Fidelity) A-
HM [***]
  • Paul Giallorenzo: Get In to Go Out (482 Music)
  • The Second Approach Trio With Roswell Rudd: The Light (SoLyd)
  • Mike Reed's People, Places & Things: About Us (482 Music)
  • Henry Threadgill Zooid: This Brings Us To, Volume 1 (Pi)
  • Chris Potter Underground: Ultrahang (ArtistShare)
  • Chad Taylor: Circle Down (482 Music)
  • The Aggregation: Groove's Mood (DBCD)
  • The Harry Allen-Joe Cohn Quartet: Plays Music From South Pacific (Arbors)
  • Avram Fefer Trio: Ritual (Clean Feed)
  • Joe Morris Quartet: Today on Earth (AUM Fidelity)
  • Louis Sclavis: Lost on the Way (ECM)
  • Friedlander/Mike Sarin/Trevor Dunn: Broken Arm Trio (Skipstone)
  • Jeff Johnson: Tall Stranger (Origin)
  • John Patitucci Trio: Remembrance (Concord)
  • Dave Holland/Gonzalo Rubalcaba/Chris Potter/Eric Harland: The Monterey Quartet: Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey Jazz Festival)
  • Peter Delano: For Dewey (Sunnyside)
  • The Ron Hockett Quintet: Finally Ron (Arbors)
  • Branford Marsalis Quartet: Metamorphosen (Marsalis Music)
  • Lucky 7s: Pluto Junkyard (Clean Feed)
  • Marty Grosz: Hot Winds, the Classic Sessions (Arbors)
  • Oliver Jones/Hank Jones: Pleased to Meet You (Justin Time)
  • Stacey Dillard: One (Smalls)
  • Steve Shapiro/Pat Bergeson: Backward Compatible (Apria)
  • Dennis González: A Matter of Blood (Furthermore)
  • Miroslav Vitous Group w/Michel Portal: Remembering Weather Report (ECM)
HM [**]
  • Johnny Varro Featuring Ken Peplowski: Two Legends of Jazz (Arbors)
  • Rez Abbasi: Things to Come (Sunnyside)
  • Harry Allen: New York State of Mind (Challenge)
Duds
  • Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone: Thin Air (Thirsty Ear) B-
  • Robert Glasper: Double Booked (Blue Note) B-

#21: Loosening (or Tightening) Up

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Rova: The Juke Box Suite (Not Two) A-
  • Peter Brötzmann/Toshinori Kondo/Massimo Pupillo/Paal Nilssen-Love: Hairy Bones (Okka Disk) A-
A
  • Curlew: 1st Album/Live at CBGB (DMG/ARC) A-
  • Melvin Gibbs' Elevated Entity: Ancients Speak (Live Wired Music) A-
  • Abdullah Ibrahim: Senzo (Sunnyside) A-
  • Darren Johnston: The Edge of the Forest (Clean Feed) A-
  • Jim McAuley: The Ultimate Frog (Drip Audio) A-
  • Francisco Mela: Cirio: Live at the Blue Note (Half Note) A-
  • Zaid Nasser: Escape From New York (Smalls) A-
  • Evan Parker Electro-Acoustic Ensemble: The Moment's Energy (ECM) A-
  • Andy Sheppard: Movements in Colour (ECM) A-
  • Lisa Sokolov: A Quiet Thing (Laughing Horse) A-
  • Ken Vandermark: Collected Fiction (Okka Disk) A-
HM [A-]
  • Anthony Braxton/Milford Graves/William Parker: Beyond Quantum (Tzadik) A-
  • Béla Fleck: Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From the Acoustic Planet Vol. 3: Africa Sessions (Rounder) A-
  • Larry Ochs/Sax & Drumming Core: Out Trios Volume Five: Up From Under (Atavistic) A-
  • Anat Cohen: Notes From the Village (Anzic) A-
  • Roy Nathanson: Subway Moon (Yellow Bird/Enja) A-
  • Jim Snidero: Crossfire (Savant) A-
  • Zaid Nasser: Off Minor (Smalls) A-
  • Isotope: Golden Section (Cuneiform) A-
  • Joe McPhee/Paal Nilssen-Love: Tomorrow Came Today (Smalltown Superjazz) A-
HM [***]
  • Darren Johnston/Fred Frith/Larry Ochs/Devin Hoff/Ches Smith: Reasons for Moving (Not Two)
  • Adrian Iaies Trio + Michael Zisman: Vals de la 81st & Columbus (Sunnyside)
  • Lajos Dudas: Jazz on Stage (Jazz Stick)
  • Steven Bernstein/Marcus Rojas/Kresten Osgood: Tattoos and Mushrooms (ILK)
  • Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Strange Strings (Atavistic)
  • Joe Lovano Us Five: Folk Art (Blue Note)
  • Denman Maroney Quintet: Udentity (Clean Feed)
  • On Ka'a Davis: Seed of Djuke (Live Wired Music)
  • Brötzmann/Pliakas/Wertmüller: Full Blast/Black Hole (Atavistic)
  • Joe McPhee/Peter Brötzmann/Kent Kessler/Michael Zerang: Guts (Okka Disk)
  • Maybe Monday: Unsquare (Intakt)
  • Nathan Eklund: Trip to the Casbah (Jazz Excursion)
  • Evan Parker/Ingebrigt Hĺker Flaten: The Brewery Tap (Smalltown Superjazz)
  • Bruno Rĺberg: Lifelines (Orbis Music)
  • Townhouse Orchestra: Belle Ville (Clean Feed)
  • Vassilis Tsabropoulos/Anja Lechner/U.T. Gandhi: Melos (ECM)
  • Chuck Bernstein: Delta Berimbau Blues (CMB)
  • François Carrier/Michel Lambert: Nada (Creative Sources)
  • Exploding Customer: At Your Service (Ayler)
HM [**]
  • Fat Cat Big Band: Meditations on the War for Whose Great God Is the Most High You Are God / Angels Praying for Freedom (Smalls)
  • Rogério Bicudo/Sean Bergin: Mixing It (Pingo)
  • Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra: Secrets of the Sun (Atavistic)
  • Daniel Levin Trio: Fuhuffah (Clean Feed)
  • Jon Irabagon: I Don't Hear Nothin' but the Blues (Loyal Label)
  • The Thing: Now and Forever (Smalltown Superjazz)
  • Michael Blake/Kresten Osgood: Control This (Clean Feed)
  • Atomic/School Days: Distil (Okka Disk)
  • Peter Brötzmann/Paal Nilssen-Love: Sweet Sweat (Smalltown Superjazz)
Duds
  • Fire Room: Broken Music (Atavistic) B
  • Christian McBride & Insight Straight: Kind of Brown (Mack Avenue) B
  • Terri Lyne Carrington: More to Say . . . (Koch) C-

#20: A Summer Suite of Harmonic Disorder

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York: Summer Suite (Libra) A
  • The Matthew Shipp Trio: Harmonic Disorder (Thirsty Ear) A
A
  • Arild Andersen: Live at Belleville (ECM) A-
  • Patricia Barber: The Cole Porter Mix (Blue Note) A-
  • Jorge Lima Barreto: Zul Zelub (Clean Feed) A-
  • François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Jean-Jacques Avenel: Within (Leo) A-
  • François Carrier: The Digital Box (Ayler) A-
  • Bill Cole's Untempered Ensemble: Proverbs for Sam (Boxholder) A-
  • Satoko Fujii Trio: Trace a River (Libra) A-
  • Oleg Kireyev: Mandala (Jazzheads) A-
  • William Parker Quartet: Petit Oiseau (AUM Fidelity) A-
  • Brad Shepik: Human Activity Suite (Songlines) A-
  • Cedar Walton: Seasoned Wood (High Note) A-
HM [A-]
  • Count Basie Orchestra: Mustermesse Basel 1956 Part 1 (TCB) A-
  • Jimmy Rushing: The Scene (High Note) A-
  • Raoul Björkenheim/William Parker/Hamid Drake: DMG @ the Stone: Volume 2 (DMG/ARC) A-
  • Diana Krall: Quiet Nights (Verve) A-
HM [***]
  • Bebo Valdes & Javier Colina: Live at the Village Vanguard (Calle 54/Norte)
  • Ahmad Jamal: It's Magic (Dreyfus)
  • Bridge Quartet: Night (Origin)
  • Andy Middleton: The European Quartet Live (Q-rious Music)
  • Michael Bates: Clockwise (Greenleaf Music)
  • Evan Parker/The Transatlantic Art Ensemble: Boustrophedon (ECM)
  • Gato Libre: Kuro (Libra)
  • Luis Lopes: Humanization 4Tet (Clean Feed)
  • Brad Leali-Claus Raible Quartet: D.A.'s Time (TCB)
  • Todd Coolman: Perfect Strangers (ArtistShare)
  • Donald Bailey: Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 3 (Talking House)
  • Craig Enright: La Belleza . . . (CDBaby)
  • Roger Davidson & Raúl Jaurena: Pasión por la Vida (Soundbrush)
  • Burnt Sugar/The Arkestra Chamber: Making Love to the Dark Ages (Live Wired)
  • Natsuki Tamura/Satoko Fujii: Chun (Libra)
  • Satoko Fujii/Myra Melford: Under the Water (Libra)
  • Scotty Barnhart: Say It Plain (Unity Music)
  • John Ettinger/Pete Forbes: Inquatica (Ettinger Music)
  • Steve Herberman Trio: Ideals (Reach Music)
  • Wolfert Brederode: Currents (ECM)
HM [**]
  • Jamie Davis: Vibe Over Perfection (Unity Music)
  • Michel Sajrawy: Writings on the Wall (Ozella)
  • Bo's Art Trio: Live: Jazz Is Free and So Are We! (Icdisc)
  • Billy Harper: Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 2 (Talking House)
  • Junk Box: Sunny Then Cloudy (Libra)
  • Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Sanrei (Bamako)
  • Anthony Braxton/Kyle Brenders: Toronto (Duets) 2007 (Barnyard)
Duds
  • Tim Ries: Stones World: The Rolling Stones Project II (Sunnyside) B
  • The Blue Note 7: Mosaic (Blue Note) B
  • East West Quintet: Vast (Native Language Music) C+

#19: Grand Arcs, Gratifying Climaxes

Links: Village Voice, Archive

Picks
  • Houston Person: The Art and Soul of Houston Person (High Note) A
  • Randy Sandke: Unconventional Wisdom (Arbors) A
A
  • Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Rea (Ronin Rhythm) A
  • Jerry Bergonzi: Tenor Talk (Savant) A-
  • Kris Davis: Rye Eclipse (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
  • Bill Frisell: History, Mystery (Nonesuch) A-
  • Kenny Garrett: Sketches of MD (Mack Avenue) A-
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa: Kinsmen (Pi) A-
  • Donny McCaslin Trio: Recommended Tools (Greenleaf Music) A-
  • Mostly Other People Do the Killing: This Is Our Moosic (Hot Cup) A-
  • The Soprano Summit: In 1975 and More (Arbors) A-
  • The Gust Spenos Quartet: Swing Theory (Swing Theory) A-
  • David S. Ware: Shakti (AUM Fidelity) A-
  • Cassandra Wilson: Loverly (Blue Note) A-
HM [A-]
  • The Microscopic Septet: Lobster Leaps In (Cuneiform) A-
  • Mike Reed's People, Places & Things: Proliferation (482 Music) A-
  • Scott DuBois: Banshees (Sunnyside) A-
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-Pak Coalition: Apti (Innova) A-
  • Duke Robillard: A Swingin' Session With Duke Robillard (Stony Plain) A-
HM [***]
  • Maurice Horsthuis: Elastic Jargon (Data)
  • Angles: Every Woman Is a Tree (Clean Feed)
  • Bob Mover: It Amazes Me . . . (Zoho)
  • Martial Solal Trio: Longitude (CAM Jazz)
  • Mauger: The Beautiful Enabler (Clean Feed)
  • Charles Lloyd Quartet: Rabo de Nube (ECM)
  • Buffalo: Collision (Duck) (Screwgun)
  • Mike Reed's Loose Assembly: The Speed of Change (482 Music)
  • Corey Wilkes: Drop It (Delmark)
  • Ryan Blotnick: Music Needs You (Songlines)
  • Torben Waldorff: Afterburn (ArtistShare)
  • Bill Easley: Business Man's Bounce (18th & Vine)
  • Brazilian Trio: Forests (Zoho)
  • Bobo Stenson Trio: Cantando (ECM)
  • Steve Lehman Quartet: Manifold (Clean Feed)
  • Júlio Resende: Da Alma (Clean Feed)
  • Jerry Bergonzi: Tenorist (Savant)
  • Harry Whitaker: One Who Sees All Things (Smalls)
  • Bryan Beninghove: Organ Trio (CDBaby)
  • Tobias Gebb & Trio West: An Upper West Side Story (Yummy House)
  • Jim Hall & Bill Frisell: Hemispheres (ArtistShare)
  • Grace Kelly/Lee Konitz: GraceFulLee (Pazz Productions)
  • Kenny Davern/Ken Peplowski: Dialogues (Arbors)
HM [**]
  • Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quartet: Tabligi (Cuneiform)
  • Sheila Jordan: Winter Sunshine (Justin Time)
  • Ernestine Anderson: A Song for You (High Note)
  • Lee Konitz and Minsarah: Deep Lee (Enja)
HM [*]
    B
      Duds
      • Bill Dixon: 17 Musicians in Search of a Sound: Darfur (AUM Fidelity) B
      • The Bad Plus: For All I Care (Heads Up) B-
      • Jon Hassell: Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street (ECM) B-

      #18: Little Innovations Run the World

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra: We Are MTO (Mowo!) A
      • Vijay Iyer: Tragicomic (Sunnyside) A
      A
      • Ben Allison & Man Size Safe: Little Things Run the World (Palmetto) A-
      • Steven Bernstein: Diaspora Suite (Tzadik) A-
      • Dave Douglas & Keystone: Moonshine (Greenleaf Music) A-
      • Mike Ellis: Bahia Band (Alpha Pocket) A-
      • Scott Fields Freetet: Bitter Love Songs (Clean Feed) A-
      • Fieldwork: Door (Pi) A-
      • David Murray/Mal Waldron: Silence (Justin Time) A-
      • Sun Ra: Some Blues but Not the Kind That's Blue (Atavistic) A-
      • Sonny Rollins: Road Shows Vol. 1 (Doxy/Emarcy) A-
      • Vandermark 5: Beat Reader (Atavistic) A-
      HM [***]
      • Steve Reid Ensemble: Daxaar (Domino) A-
      • Maceo Parker: Roots & Grooves (Heads Up) A-
      • Art Pepper: Unreleased Art, Vol. III: The Croydon Concert, May 14, 1981 (Widow's Taste) A-
      • Peter Brötzmann/Peeter Uuskyla: Born Broke (Atavistic)
      • Bobby Previte & the New Bump: Set the Alarm for Monday (Palmetto)
      • Houston Person/Ron Carter: Just Between Friends (High Note)
      • Jon Larsen: The Jimmy Carl Black Story (Zonic Entertainment/Hot Club, 2CD)
      • Marcin Wasilewski Trio: January (ECM)
      • ZMF Trio: Circle the Path (Drip Audio)
      • Territory Band-6 With Fred Anderson: Collide (Okka Disk)
      • Louie Bellson & Clark Terry: Louie & Clark Expedition 2 (Percussion Power)
      • Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis: Two Men With the Blues (Blue Note)
      HM [**]
      • Esmée Althuis/Albert Van Veenendaal: The Mystery of Guests (Evil Rabbit)
      • Mort Weiss/Ron Eschete: All Too Soon (SMS Jazz)
      • The James Moody and Hank Jones Quartet: Our Delight (IPO)
      • The Peter Brötzmann Octet: The Complete Machine Gun Sessions (Atavistic)
      Duds
      • Rob Mosher's Storytime: The Tortoise (Old Mill) B-
      • Lindha Kallerdahl: Gold (ESP-Disk) C+
      • Kate McGarry: If Less Is More . . . Nothing Is Everything (Palmetto) C

      #17: Festival Visions

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • William Parker: Double Sunrise Over Neptune (AUM Fidelity) A
      • Rob Brown Ensemble: Crown Trunk Root Funk (AUM Fidelity) A-
      A
      • Bloodcount: Seconds (Screwgun) A-
      • The Roy Campbell Ensemble: Akhenaten Suite (AUM Fidelity) A-
      • Ted Des Plantes' Washboard Wizards: Thumpin' and Bumpin' (Stomp Off) A-
      • Brent Jensen: One More Mile (Origin) A-
      • Alex Kontorovich: Deep Minor (Chamsa) A-
      • Myra Melford/Mark Dresser/Matt Wilson: Big Picture (Cryptogramophone) A-
      • Nublu Orchestra: Conducted by Butch Morris (Nublu) A-
      • Slow Poke: At Home (Palmetto) A-
      • Mike Walbridge's Chicago Footwarmers: Crazy Rhythm (Delmark) A-
      HM [***]
      • The Harry Allen-Joe Cohn Quartet: Music From Guys and Dolls (Arbors) A-
      • Grupo Los Santos: Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea (Deep Tone) A-
      • Dick Hyman/Chris Hopkins: Teddy Wilson in 4 Hands (Victoria) A-
      • Mary Lou Williams: A Grand Night for Swinging (High Note) A-
      • Paul Shapiro's Ribs and Brisket Revue: Essen (Tzadik) A-
      • Ari Roland: And So I Lived in Old New York . . . (Smalls) A-
      • Marilyn Mazur/Jan Garbarek: Elixir (ECM)
      • Steve Lehman Quintet: On Meaning (Pi)
      • Giacomo Gates: Luminosity (Doubledave Music)
      • Sal Mosca Quartet: You Go to My Head (Blue Jack Jazz)
      • Adam Kolker: Flag Day (Sunnyside)
      • Stacey Kent: Breakfast on the Morning Tram (Blue Note)
      • James Carter: Present Tense (Emarcy)
      • The Jack & Jim Show Presents: Hearing Is Believing (Boxholder)
      • Harry Allen: Hits by Brits (Challenge)
      • Jason Kao Hwang/Edge: Stories Before Within (Innova)
      • Tom Teasley: Painting Time (T&T Music)
      • Brad Leali Jazz Orchestra: Maria Juanez (TCB)
      • The Joe Locke Quartet: Sticks and Strings (Jazz Eyes)
      • Vince Seneri: The Prince's Groove (Prince V)
      • Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble: The Messenger: Live at the Original Velvet Lounge (Delmark)
      HM [**]
      • Rob Brown Trio: Sounds (Clean Feed)
      • Marty Ehrlich & Myra Melford: Spark! (Palmetto)
      • The Rocco John Group: Don't Wait Too Long (COCA Productions)
      Duds
      • Maria Schneider Orchestra: Sky Blue (ArtistShare) B
      • Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble: Black Unstoppable (Delmark) B-
      • Christian Scott: Anthem (Concord) B-

      #16: Funk Fusion, Bebop Terrorism in New Jazz Records (2008-05-13)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • MI3: Free Advice (Clean Feed) A
      • Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Shamokin!!! (Hot Cup) A
      A
      • Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Holon (ECM) A-
      • Miles Davis: The Complete On the Corner Sessions (Columbia/Legacy) A-
      • Jostein Gulbrandsen: Twelve (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette: My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux (ECM) A-
      • Rafi Malkiel: My Island (Raftone) A-
      • William Parker/Raining on the Moon: Corn Meal Dance (AUM Fidelity) A-
      • Art Pepper: Unreleased Art, Vol. 1: The Complete Abashiri Concert (1981, Widow's Taste) A-
      • Art Pepper: Unreleased Art, Vol. II: The Last Concert (1982, Widow's Taste) A-
      • Alvin Queen: I Ain't Looking at You (Enja/Justin Time) A-
      • Louis Sclavis: L'Imparfait des Langues (ECM) A-
      • Joan Stiles: Hurly-Burly (Oo-Bla-Dee) A-
      • McCoy Tyner: Quartet (McCoy Tyner Music/Half Note) A-
      HM [***]
      • Horace Silver: Live at Newport '58 (1958, Blue Note) A-
      • Jimmy Blythe: Messin' Around Blues (Delmark)
      • Nanette Natal: I Must Be Dreaming (Benyo Music)
      • Ila Cantor: Mother Nebula (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Joe Temperley/Harry Allen: Cocktails for Two (Sackville)
      • Alvin Fielder Trio: A Measure of Vision (Clean Feed)
      • Enrico Rava: The Words and the Days (ECM)
      • George Lewis: Sequel (For Lester Bowie) (Intakt)
      HM [**]
      • Wallace Roney: Jazz (High Note)
      • Nicki Parrott/Rossano Sportiello: People Will Say We're in Love (Arbors)
      • Anthony Braxton: Solo Willisau (Intakt)
      Duds
      • Eric Alexander: Temple of Olympic Zeus (High Note) B-
      • Kurt Elling: Nightmoves (Concord) C+
      • Enrico Rava/Stefano Bollani: The Third Man (ECM) B

      #15: Old Forms, Fresh Outlooks (2008-02-12)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Chris Byars: Photos in Black, White and Gray (Smalls) A-
      • That Devilin' Tune: A Jazz History [1895-1950] (WHRA) A
      A
      • The Claudia Quintet: For (Cuneiform) A-
      • The Neil Cowley Trio: Displaced (Hide Inside) A-
      • Happy Apple: Happy Apple Back on Top (Sunnyside) A-
      • Matt Lavelle Trio: Spiritual Power (Silkheart) A-
      • Hugh Masekela: Live at the Market Theatre (Times Square/4Q) A-
      • Chris Potter Underground: Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard (Sunnyside) A-
      • John Sheridan and His Dream Band: Swing Is Still the King (Arbors) A-
      • Assif Tsahar/Cooper-Moore/Chad Taylor: Digital Primitives (Hopscotch) A-
      • Fay Victor Ensemble: Cartwheels Through the Cosmos (ArtistShare) A-
      • David S. Ware Quartet: Renunciation (AUM Fidelity) A-
      • Yerba Buena Stompers: The Yama-Yama Man (Stomp Off) A-
      HM [***]
      • Von Freeman: The Best of Von Freeman on Premonition (Premonition)
      • Adam Lane/Ken Vandermark/Magnus Broo/Paal Nilssen-Love: 4 Corners (Clean Feed)
      • Josh Roseman: New Constellations: Live in Vienna (Accurate)
      • Marcus Strickland Twi-Life Group: Open Reel Deck (Strick Muzik)
      • The Blueprint Project: People I Like (Creative Nation Music)
      • Amir ElSaffar: Two Rivers (Pi)
      • Terence Blanchard: A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (Blue Note)
      • Frank Morgan: A Night in the Life (High Note)
      • Sonic Openings Under Pressure: Muhheankuntuk (Clean Feed)
      • Matt Chamberlain/Bill Frisell/Tucker Martine/Lee Townsend: Floratone (Blue Note)
      • Paul Zauners Blue Brass: Soil (PAO/BluJazz)
      • Quadro Nuevo: Tango Bitter Sweet (Justin Time)
      • Charlie Haden/Antonio Forcione: Heartplay (Naim)
      HM [**]
      • The Phil Woods Quintet: American Songbook II (Kind of Blue)
      • Allen Lowe: Jews in Hell: Radical Jewish Acculturation (Spaceout)
      Duds
      • Chris Potter 10: Song for Anyone (Sunnyside) B
      • Satoko Fujii Quartet: Bacchus (Onoff)
      • Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters (Verve)
      • Miroslav Vitous: Universal Syncopations II (ECM)

      #14: The Raw Power of a Fresh Start (2007-10-23)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Jewels and Binoculars: Ships With Tattooed Sails (Upshot) A
      • Powerhouse Sound: Oslo/Chicago Breaks (Atavistic) A
      A
      • Maria Anadon: A Jazzy Way (Arbors) A-
      • Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake: From the River to the Ocean (Thrill Jockey) A-
      • Pablo Aslan: Buenos Aires Tango Standards (Zoho) A-
      • Billy Bang Quintet Featuring Frank Lowe: Above & Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids (Justin Time) A-
      • Kahil El'Zabar's Infinity Orchestra: Transmigration (Delmark) A-
      • David Murray Black Saint Quartet: Sacred Ground (Justin Time) A
      • Joshua Redman: Back East (Nonesuch) A-
      • Logan Richardson: Cerebral Flow (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Sonic Liberation Front: Change Over Time (High Two) A-
      • The Tierney Sutton Band: On the Other Side (Telarc) A-
      • Albert van Veenendaal/Meinrad Kneer/Yonga Sun: Predictable Point of Impact (Evil Rabbit) A-
      HM [***]
      • William Parker & Hamid Drake: First Communion + Piercing the Veil (AUM Fidelity) A-
      • Joe Morris/Ken Vandermark/Luther Gray: Rebus (Clean Feed) A-
      • Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet: American Landscapes 1 (Okkadisk)
      • Frank Carlberg: State of the Union (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Avishai Cohen: As Is . . . Live at the Blue Note (Razdaz/Half Note)
      • Phil Bodner: Once More With Feeling (Arbors)
      • Tord Gustavsen Trio: Being There (ECM)
      • Jason Lindner: Ab Aeterno (Fresh Sound World Jazz)
      • Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy (Delmark)
      • Dave Liebman: Back on the Corner (Tone Center)
      • Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid: Tongues (Domino)
      • Nicole Mitchell/Harrison Bankhead/Hamid Drake: Indigo Trio: Live in Montreal (Paperback Series Vol. 3) (Greenleaf Music)
      HM [**]
      • Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet: American Landscapes 2 (Okkadisk)
      • Charles Mingus Sextet With Eric Dolphy: Cornell 1964 (Blue Note)
      Duds
      • Soweto Kinch: A Life in the Day of B19: Tales of the Tower Block (Dune) B-
      • Kenny Burrell: 75th Birthday Bash Live! (Blue Note) C+
      • Kenny Garrett: Beyond the Wall (Nonesuch) B
      • Mark Murphy: Love Is What Stays (Verve) D

      #13: Muscling Up and Rocking Out (2007-06-26)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Wolfgang Muthspiel: Bright Side (Material) A-
      • Anders Nilsson's Aorta: Blood (Kopasetic) A-
      A
      • Club D'Elf: Now I Understand (Accurate) A-
      • Satoko Fujii Four: When We Were There (Libra) A-
      • Gato Libre: Nomad (No Man's Land) A-
      • Vijay Iyer + Mike Ladd: Still Life With Commentator (Savoy Jazz) A-
      • Steve Lacy Quintet: Esteem (1975, Atavistic) A-
      • Joe Lovano & Hank Jones: Kids: Duets Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Blue Note) A-
      • Rudresh Mahanthappa: Codebook (Pi) A-
      • Bob Reynolds: Can't Wait for Perfect (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Sound in Action Trio: Gate (Atavistic) A-
      • David Torn: Prezens (ECM) A-
      • Frank Wright: Unity (1974, ESP-Disk) A-
      HM
      • The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project: Simpático (ArtistShare) A-
      • Vittor Santos: Renewed Impressions (Adventure Music) A-
      • Carneyball Johnson: Carneyball Johnson (Akron Cracker) A-
      • Anat Fort: A Long Story (ECM)
      • Gordon Grdina's Box Cutter: Unlearn (Spool/Line)
      • Joel Frahm: We Used to Dance (Anzic)
      • Anat Cohen & the Anzic Orchestra: Noir (Anzic)
      • BassDrumBone: The Line Up (Clean Feed)
      • Bob French: Marsalis Music Honors Bob French (Marsalis Music/Rounder)
      • Jerry Granelli/V16: The Sonic Temple: Monday and Tuesday (Songlines)
      • Satoko Fujii/Natsuki Tamura: In Krakow in November (Not Two)
      • Uri Caine Ensemble: Plays Mozart (Winter & Winter)
      • Russell Malone: Live at Jazz Standard: Volume One (MaxJazz)
      • Les DeMerle: Cookin' at the Corner, Vol. 1 (Origin)
      HM [**]
      • Michael Brecker: Pilgrimage (Heads Up)
      • Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker: Get Ready (Mack Avenue)
      Duds
      • Turtle Island String Quartet: A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane (Telarc) C+
      • John Abercrombie: The Third Quartet (ECM) B
      • Vijay Iyer & Rudresh Mahanthappa: Raw Materials (Savoy Jazz) B
      • Wynton Marsalis: From the Plantation to the Penitentiary (Blue Note) B

      #12: No Training Wheels Necessary (2007-03-20)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Nils Petter Molvaer: ER (Thirsty Ear) A
      • The Vandermark 5: Free Jazz Classics Vols. 3 & 4 (Atavistic) A
      A
      • Omer Avital: The Ancient Art of Giving (Smalls) A-
      • Ignacio Berroa: Codes (Blue Note) A-
      • Scott Hamilton: Nocturnes & Serenades (Concord) A-
      • Hat: Hi Ha (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid: The Exchange Session Vol. 1 (Domino) A-
      • Frank Hewitt: Fresh From the Cooler (1996, Smalls) A-
      • Andrew Hill: Pax (1965, Blue Note) A-
      • Maurice Hines: To Nat "King" Cole With Love (Arbors) A-
      • Kidd Jordan/Hamid Drake/William Parker: Palm of Soul (AUM Fidelity) A-
      • Diana Krall: From This Moment On (Verve) A-
      • Bucky Pizzarelli: 5 for Freddie: Bucky's Tribute to Freddie Green (Arbors) A-
      HM
      • Maurice El Médioni Meets Roberto Rodriguez: Descarga Oriental: The New York Sessions (Piranha) A-
      • Billy Stein Trio: Hybrids (Barking Hoop)
      • Sergi Sirvent & Xavi Maureta: Lines Over Rhythm (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Ellery Eskelin: Quiet Music (Prime Source)
      • Regina Carter: I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey (Verve)
      • Tomasz Stanko Quartet: Lontano (ECM)
      • Von Freeman: Good Forever (Premonition)
      • Mark Helias' Open Loose: Atomic Clock (Radio Legs Music)
      • Samo Salamon Quartet: Two Hours (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Sathima Bea Benjamin: Song Spirit (Ekapa)
      • Wayne Horvitz Gravitas Quartet: Way Out East (Songlines)
      • Frank Morgan: Reflections (High Note)
      • Dennis González Boston Project: No Photograph Available (Clean Feed)
      • John Hicks: Sweet Love of Mine (High Note)
      • Sonny Simmons: I'll See You When You Get There (Jazzaway)
      • Kali Z. Fasteau/Kidd Jordan: People of the Ninth: New Orleans and the Hurricane 2005 (Flying Note)
      Duds
      • Warren Vaché and the Scottish Ensemble: Don't Look Back (Arbors) B-
      • Cheryl Bentyne: The Book of Love (Telarc) C-
      • David 'Fathead' Newman: Life (High Note) C+
      • Charles Tolliver Big Band: With Love (Blue Note/Mosaic) B

      #11: Fractious Grammar (2006-12-13)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Ornette Coleman: Sound Grammar (Sound Grammar) A
      • Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra: New Magical Kingdom (Clean Feed) A-
      A
      • Ben Allison: Cowboy Justice (Palmetto) A-
      • François Carrier: Happening (Leo) A-
      • Jeff Healey & the Jazz Wizards: It's Tight Like That (Stony Plain) A-
      • Junk Box: Fragment (Libra) A-
      • Charles Lloyd: Sangam (ECM) A-
      • Paul Motian: On Broadway Vol. 4 (Winter & Winter) A-
      • Sonny Rollins: Sonny, Please (Doxy) A-
      • Thomas Strřnen: Pohlitz (Rune Grammofon) A-
      • The Vandermark 5: A Discontinuous Line (Atavistic) A-
      • Ulf Wakenius: Notes From the Heart (ACT) A-
      HM
      • Nils Petter Molvaer: An American Compilation (Thirsty Ear) A-
      • Anders Aarum Trio: First Communion (Jazzaway)
      • Pete McCann: Most Folks (Omnitone)
      • Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Maru (Bakamo)
      • Marcus Strickland: Quartets: Twi-Life (Strick Muzik)
      • François Carrier/Dewey Redman: Open Spaces (Spool/Line)
      • Enrico Pieranunzi/Marc Johnson/Joey Baron: Ballads (CAM Jazz)
      • Adam Lane Trio: Music Degree Zero (CIMP)
      • Terra Hazelton: Anybody's Baby (HealeyOphonic)
      • Shot x Shot: Shot x Shot (High Two)
      • Avishai Cohen: Continuo (RazDaz/Sunnyside)
      • The Gift: Live at Sangha: Nov 6, 2004 (Bmadish)
      • Christian McBride: Live at Tonic (Ropeadope, 3CD)
      • Kris Davis: The Slightest Shift (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Aaron Weinstein: A Handful of Stars (Arbors)
      • Boxhead Ensemble: Nocturnes (Atavistic)
      • Mike Boone: Yeah, I Said It . . . (Dreambox Media)
      Duds
      • The Matt Savage Trio: Quantum Leap (Savage) C+
      • Geri Allen: Timeless Portraits and Dreams (Telarc) B-
      • The Chris Walden Big Band: No Bounds (Origin) C+

      #10: Shine Balls (2006-08-29)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Jon Faddis: Teranga (Koch) A
      • World Saxophone Quartet: Political Blues (Justin Time) A
      A
      • Rabih Abou-Khalil/Joachim Kühn: Journey to the Centre of an Egg (Enja/Justin Time) A-
      • Bill Carrothers: Shine Ball (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Ramón Díaz: Diŕleg (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Erik Friedlander: Prowl (Cryptogramophone) A-
      • Manu Katché: Neighbourhood (ECM) A-
      • Adam Lane Trio: Zero Degree Music (CIMP) A-
      • Joe Morris Quartet: Beautiful Existence (Clean Feed) A-
      • Francis Wong: Legends & Legacies (Asian Improv) A-
      • Zentralquartett: 11 Songs -- Aus Teutschen Landen (Intakt) A-
      HM
      • Trio 3 (Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille): Time Being (Intakt)
      • NOW Orchestra & Marilyn Crispell: Pola (Victo)
      • Batagraf: Statements (ECM)
      • Johnnie Valentino: Stingy Brim (Omnitone)
      • Dave Burrell/Billy Martin: Consequences (Amulet)
      • Carl Maguire: Floriculture (Between the Lines)
      • Michael Musillami's Dialect: Fragile Forms (Playscape)
      • Helen Sung Trio: Helenistique (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Trio-X: Moods: Playing With the Elements (CIMP)
      • Erik Truffaz: Saloua (Blue Note)
      • Unexpected: Plays the Blues in Need (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Industrial Jazz Group: Industrial Jazz a Go Go! (Evander Music)
      • Dave Frishberg: Retromania: At the Jazz Bakery (Arbors)
      • Randy Sandke and the Metatonal Big Band: The Subway Ballet (Evening Star)
      • Buck Hill: Relax (Severn)
      • Dom Minasi: The Vampire's Revenge (CDM)
      Duds
      • Kenny G: The Essential Kenny G (1986-2004, Arista/Legacy) C
      • Randy Brecker w/Michael Brecker: Some Skunk Funk (Telarc) C
      • Larry Goldings: Quartet (Palmetto) B-
      • The Ed Palermo Big Band: Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance (Cuneiform) C-

      #9: Second Term Blues (2006-05-30)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Bernardo Sassetti Trio˛: Ascent (Clean Feed) A
      • Irčne Schweizer: Portrait (1984-2004, Intakt) A
      A
      • The Harry Allen-Joe Cohn Quartet: Hey, Look Me Over (Arbors) A-
      • Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Stoa (ECM) A-
      • The Claudia Quintet: Semi-Formal (Cuneiform) A-
      • Garage A Trois: Outre Mer (Telarc) A-
      • Moncef Genoud: Aqua (Savoy Jazz) A-
      • Steve Lehman: Demian as Posthuman (Pi) A-
      • Mario Pavone Sextet: Deez to Blues (Playscape) A-
      • Bob Rockwell: Bob's Ben: A Salute to Ben Webster (Stunt) A-
      • Alexander von Schlippenbach: Monk's Casino (Intakt) A-
      • Sonny Simmons: The Traveller (Jazzaway) A-
      • Miguel Zenón: Jíbaro (Marsalis Music/Rounder) A-
      HM
      • Sonny Simmons: The Complete ESP-Disk' Recordings (1966, ESP-Disk)
      • Marc Johnson: Shades of Jade (ECM)
      • Gianluca Petrella: Indigo 4 (Blue Note)
      • Ben Goldberg Quintet: The Door, the Hat, the Chair, the Fact (Cryptogramophone)
      • Exploding Customer: Live at Tampere Jazz Happening (Ayler)
      • Jamie Davis: It's a Good Thing (Unity Music)
      • Jason Kao Hwang: Graphic Evidence (Asian Improv)
      • Antonio Arnedo: Colombia (Adventure Music)
      • Ray Barretto: Time Was - Time Is (O+ Music)
      • Bob Belden: Three Days of Rain (Original Soundtrack) (Sunnyside)
      • Brent Jensen: Trios (Origin)
      • String Trio of New York With Oliver Lake: Frozen Ropes (Barking Hoop)
      • Ray Russell: Goodbye Svengali (Cuneiform)
      • Jimmy Amadie Trio: Let's Groove! A Tribute to Mel Tormé (TP)
      • Kenny Wheeler: What Now? (Cam Jazz)
      • Andrew Lamb/Warren Smith: The Dogon Duo (Engine)
      Duds
      • Taylor Eigsti: Lucky to Be Me (Concord) B-
      • James Carter/Cyrus Chestnut/Ali Jackson/Reginald Veal: Gold Sounds (Brown Brothers)
      • Jazz at Lincoln Center's Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra With Arturo O'Farrill: Noche Inolvidable (Palmetto)

      #8: Fungible Insights (2006-02-21)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • FME: Cuts (Okka Disk) A
      • Sheila Jordan + Cameron Brown: Celebration (High Note) A-
      A
      • Uri Caine/Bedrock: Shelf-Life (Winter & Winter) A-
      • Peter Epstein/Brad Shepik/Matt Kilmer: Lingua Franca (Songlines) A-
      • Rich Halley Trio: Mountains and Plains (Louie) A-
      • Arthur Kell Quartet: Traveller (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Steve Lacy/Joëlle Léandre: One More Time (Leo) A-
      • Hilary Noble & Rebecca Cline: Enclave (Zoho) A-
      • Triptych Myth: The Beautiful (AUM Fidelity) A-
      • Assif Tsahar/Cooper-Moore/Hamid Drake: Lost Brother (Hopscotch) A-
      • Mark Whitecage & the Bi-Coastal Orchestra: BushWacked: A Spoken Opera (Acoustics) A-
      HM
      • Dominic Duval/Mark Whitecage: Rules of Engagement, Vol. 1 (Drimala)
      • Randy Reinhart: At the Mill Hill Playhouse: As Long as I Live (Arbors)
      • Sam Rivers/Ben Street/Kresten Osgood: Violet Violets (Stunt)
      • Bayashi: Rock (Jazzaway)
      • Joe Fielder Trio: Plays the Music of Albert Mangelsdorff (Clean Feed)
      • Billy Jenkins: When the Crowds Have Gone (Babel)
      • Dominic Frasca: Deviations (Cantaloupe/Serious Music)
      • Joel Futterman/Alvin Fielder/Ike Levin Trio: Resolving Doors (Charles Lester Music)
      • The Onus: Triphony (Hipnotic)
      • Trygve Seim: Sangam (ECM)
      • Paul Motian/Bill Frisell/Joe Lovano: I Have the Room Above Her (ECM)
      • Joe Giardullo: No Work Today: Nine for Steve Lacy (Drimala)
      • Hamid Drake & Assif Tsahar: Live at Glenn Miller Café (Ayler)
      • George Colligan's Mad Science: Realization (Sirocco Jazz)
      • Julius Tolentino: Just the Beginning (Sharp Nine)
      • Mark Weinstein: Algo Mas (Jazzheads)
      • Rake-Star: Some Ra (Spool/Line)
      • The Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet: Be Music, Night (Okka Disk)
      Duds
      • Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra: Don't Be Afraid . . . The Music of Charles Mingus (Palmetto) B-
      • Jamie Cullum: Catching Tales (Verve/Forecast)
      • Nnenna Freelon: Blueprint of a Lady: Sketches of Billie Holiday (Concord)
      • David Murray 4tet & Strings: Waltz Again (Justin Time)

      #7: Low Rent (2005-12-14)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Anthony Braxton: 20 Standards (Quartet) 2003 (Leo) A
      • Paraphrase: Pre-Emptive Denial (Screwgun) A
      • Fred Anderson/Hamid Drake/William Parker: Blue Winter (Eremite) A-
      • Tom Christensen: New York School (Playscape) A-
      • Anat Cohen: Place & Time (Anzic) A-
      • Gerry Hemingway Quartet: The Whimbler (Clean Feed) A-
      • George Russell and the Living Time Orchestra: The 80th Birthday Concert (Concept Publishing) A-
      • Jenny Scheinman: 12 Songs (Cryptogramophone) A-
      • Mary Stallings: Remember Love (Half Note) A-
      • Ralph Sutton & Dick Cary: Rendezvous at Sunnie's 1969 (1969, Arbors) A-
      • The Vandermark 5: Alchemia (Not Two) A-
      • The Vandermark 5: The Color of Memory (Atavistic) A-
      HM
      • Diane Reeves: Good Night, and Good Luck (Concord)
      • David Hazeltine: Modern Standards (Sharp Nine)
      • Mike Ladd: Negrophilia [The Album] (Thirsty Ear)
      • Will Calhoun: Native Lands (Half Note)
      • Enrico Rava: Full of Life (CAM Jazz)
      • Marc Copland/John Abercrombie/Kenny Wheeler: Brand New (Challenge)
      • Ernest Dawkins' Chicago 12: Misconceptions of a Delusion Shades of a Charace (Dawk)
      • Hank Jones: For My Father (Justin Time)
      • Joe Lovano: Joyous Encounter (Blue Note)
      • The Dave Brubeck Quartet: London Flat London Sharp (Telarc)
      • Gerry Hemingway Quintet: Double Blues Crossing (Between the Lines)
      • Sunny Murray: Perles Noires, Vol. I (Eremite)
      Duds
      • Herbie Hancock: Possibilities (Hear Music) C
      • Peter Apfelbaum & the New York Heiroglyphics: It Is Written (ACT)
      • Bill Charlap/Sandy Stewart: Love Is Here to Stay (Blue Note)
      • Marian McPartland & Friends: 85 Candles -- Live in New York (Concord)
      • Mizell: The Mizell Brothers at Blue Note (Blue Note)
      Drops
      • Art Pepper: Mosaic Select (1956-57, Mosaic) A
      • Larry Young: Of Love and Peace (1966, Blue Note) A-
      • Andrew Hill: Mosaic Select (1967-70, Mosaic) B+

      #6: Bush Medicine (2005-08-24)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Fieldwork: Simulated Progress (Pi) A-
      • Dennis González Spirit Meridian: Idle Wild (Clean Feed) A-
      • Eric Alexander: Dead Center (HighNote) A-
      • Scott Amendola Band: Believe (Cryptogramophone) A-
      • Pierre Dřrge & New Jungle Orchestra: Dancing Cheek to Cheek (Stunt) A-
      • Jerry Granelli: Sandhills Reunion (Songlines) A-
      • Jim Hall: Magic Meeting (ArtistShare) A-
      • Happy Apple: The Peace Between Our Companies (Sunnyside) A-
      • Ari Hoenig: The Painter (Smalls) A-
      • Ibrahim Electric: Meets Ray Anderson (Stunt) A-
      • Russ Lossing: Phrase 6 (Fresh Sound New Talent) A-
      • Ravish Momin's Trio Tarana: Climbing the Banyan Tree (Clean Feed) A-
      • One More: Music of Thad Jones (IPO) A-
      • Greg Osby: Channel Three (Blue Note) A-
      • Houston Person: To Etta With Love (High Note) A-
      HM
      • Triot With John Tchicai: Sudden Happiness (TUM)
      • The Nels Cline Singers: The Giant Pin (Cryptogramophone)
      • Benoît Delbecq Unit: Phonetics (Songlines)
      • Fred Lonberg-Holm Trio: Other Valentines (Atavistic)
      • Steve Turre: The Spirits Up Above (High Note)
      • James Finn Trio: Plaza de Toros (Clean Feed)
      • Eugene Chadbourne: The Hills Have Jazz (Boxholder)
      • Sherman Irby: Faith (Black Warrior)
      • Duo Nueva Finlandia: Short Stories (TUM)
      • Keely Smith: Vegas '58--Today (Concord)
      • Rosenberg/Baker/Hatwich/Daisy: New Folk, New Blues (482 Music)
      • Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Ground (ECM)
      Duds
      • Javon Jackson: Have You Heard (Palmetto) C+
      • Bill Frisell: Richter 858 (Songlines)
      • Doug Wamble: Bluestate (Marsalis Music/Rounder)

      #5: Odd Tangents (2005-06-27)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • William Parker Quartet: Sound Unity (AUM Fidelity) A
      • Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock: Symbiosis (Spartacus) A
      • Rez Abbasi: Snake Charmer (Earth Sounds) A-
      • The Blueprint Project (Creative Nation Music) A-
      • Brötzmann/Friis Nielsen/Uuskyla: Medicina (Atavistic) A-
      • Avishai Cohen Trio & Ensemble: At Home (RazDaz/Sunnyside) A-
      • Dave Douglas/Louis Sclavis/Peggy Lee/Dylan van der Schyff: Bow River Falls (Premonition) A-
      • Gerd Dudek/Buschi Niebergall/Edward Vesala: Open (1977, Atavistic) A-
      • FME: Underground (Okka Disk) A-
      • The Frank and Joe Show: 33 1/3 (Hyena) A-
      • Scott Hamilton: Back in New York (Concord) A-
      • Raphe Malik Quartet: Last Set: Live at the 1369 Club (1984, Boxholder) A-
      • William Parker: Luc's Lantern (Thirsty Ear) A-
      • Steve Shapiro and Pat Bergeson: Low Standards (Sons of Sound) A-
      HM
      • Tony Malaby: Adobe (Sunnyside)
      • Per Henrik Wallin: Burning in Stockholm (1981, Atavistic)
      • Willie Nelson: Nacogdoches (1997, Pedernales)
      • Raphe Malik/Joe McPhee/Donald Robinson: Sympathy (Boxholder)
      • John Hagen: Segments (Cadence Jazz)
      • Gian Tornatore: Sink or Swim (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Jeff Parker: The Relatives (Thrill Jockey)
      • Michiel Scheen Quartet: Dance, My Dear? (Data)
      • John Ellis: One Foot in the Swamp (Hyena)
      • Brötzmann Clarinet Project: Berlin Djungle (1984, Atavistic)
      • Ricardo Silveira/Luiz Avellar: Live: Play the Music of Milton Nascimento (Adventure Music)
      • Sonore: No One Ever Works Alone (Okka Disk)
      • Noël Akchoté: Sonny II: The Music of Sonny Sharrock (Winter & Winter)
      • Bobby Watson & Horizon: Horizon Reassembled (Palmetto)
      • Cosmosamatics: Three (Boxholder)
      • Fred Hess Quartet: Crossed Paths (Tapestry)
      Duds
      • Chris Botti: When I Fall in Love (Columbia) B-
      • Steve Cole: Spin (Narada Jazz)
      • The Frank and Joe Show: 66 2/3 (Hyena)
      • Sun Ra: Spaceship Lullaby (1954-60, Atavistic)

      #4: Rituals of Getting Acquainted (2005-04-04)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Amalgam: Prayer for Peace (1969, FMR) A
      • Triage: American Mythology (Okka Disk) A
      • Raoul Björkenheim/Lukas Ligeti: Shadowglow (TUM) A-
      • Anthony Braxton: 23 Standards (Quartet) (Leo) A-
      • Claudia Quintet: I, Claudia (Cuneiform) A-
      • Dennis González Inspiration Band: Nile River Suite (Daagnim) A-
      • Frank Hewitt: We Loved You (Smalls) A-
      • Jewels & Binoculars: Floater (Ramboy) A-
      • Mylab (Terminus) A-
      • Chris Potter Quartet: Lift: Live at the Village Vanguard (Sunnyside) A-
      • Steve Reid: Rhythmatism (1976, Universal Sound) A-
      • Lisa Sokolov: Presence (Laughing Horse) A-
      HM
      • E.S.T.: Seven Days of Falling (215 Records)
      • Scott Hamilton Quartet: Live in London (Concord)
      • Yeah No: Swell Henry (Squealer)
      • Patricia Barber: A Fortnight in Paris (Blue Note)
      • Nils Petter Molvaer: Live: Steamer (Sula)
      • Rudresh Mahanthappa: Mother Tongue (Pi)
      • Jacob Young: Evening Falls (ECM)
      • Henry Grimes Trio: Live at the Kerava Jazz Festival (Ayler)
      • Gorka Benítez: Sólo la Verdad Es Sexy (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Jessica Jones Quartet: Nod (New Artists)
      • The Flip Phillips Quartet: Live at the Beowulf (1977-78, Arbors)
      • Jim Black: Habyor (Winter & Winter)
      • Evan Parker: The Snake Decides (1986, Psi)
      • Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Walking With Giants (Hyena)
      Duds
      • Branford Marsalis Quartet: Eternal (Marsalis Music/Rounder) B-
      • Miles Davis: Birdland 1951 (Blue Note)
      • Fred Hersch Ensemble: Leaves of Grass (Palmetto)
      • Mount Analog: New Skin (Film Guerrero)
      • Maria Schneider Orchestra: Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare)

      #3: Updates, Not Throwbacks (2005-01-04)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Matthew Shipp: Harmony and Abyss (Thirsty Ear) A
      • Don Pullen: Mosaic Select (1986-90, Mosaic) A
      • Rabih Abou-Khalil: Morton's Foot (Enja/Justin Time) A-
      • Geri Allen/Dave Holland/Jack DeJohnette: The Life of a Song (Telarc) A-
      • Steven Bernstein: Diaspora Hollywood (Tzadik) A-
      • Big Satan: Souls Saved Hear (Thirsty Ear) A-
      • Chicago Underground Trio: Slon (Thrill Jockey) A-
      • Denis Colin Trio: Something in Common (Sunnyside) A-
      • Satoko Fujii Quartet: Zephyros (NatSat) A-
      • Jerry Gonzalez y los Piratas del Flamenco (Sunnyside) A-
      • Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Paseo (Blue Note) A-
      • Septeto Rodriguez: Baila! Gitano Baila! (Tzadik) A-
      • Tripleplay: Gambit (Clean Feed) A-
      • Warren Vaché: Dream Dancing (Arbors) A-
      HM
      • Adam Pieronczyk: Amusos (PAO)
      • Firehouse: Live at Glenn Miller Café (Ayler)
      • Mats Gustafsson/Sonic Youth: Hidros 3 (to Patti Smith) (Smalltown Supersound)
      • Paal Nilssen-Love/Ken Vandermark: Dual Pleasure 2 (Smalltown Supersound)
      • The Thing: Garage (Smalltown Superjazz)
      • Jan Garbarek: In Praise of Dreams (ECM)
      • Paradigm Shift: Shifting Times (Nagel Heyer)
      • Satoko Fujii Trio: Illusion Suite (Libra)
      • Eddie Gale: Afro-Fire (Black Beauty)
      • The Great Jazz Trio: Someday My Prince Will Come (Eighty-Eights/Columbia)
      Duds
      • Chick Corea Elektrik Band: To the Stars (Stretch) C
      • Helen Merrill: Lilac Wine (Sunnyside)
      • Bob Mintzer Big Band: Live at MCG With Special Guest Kurt Elling (MCG Jazz)
      • Steve Swallow/Ohad Talmor Sextet: L'Histoire du Clochard: The Bum's Tale (Palmetto)
      • Kim Waters: In the Name of Love (Shanachie)

      #2: The Caribbean Tinge (2004-09-28)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • David Murray & the Gwo-Ka Masters: Gwotet (Justin Time) A
      • Sonic Liberation Front: Ashé a Go-Go (High Two) A
      • Fred Anderson/Hamid Drake: Back Together Again (Thrill Jockey) A-
      • James Brown: Soul on Top (1969, Verve) A
      • Marilyn Crispell Trio: Storyteller (ECM) A-
      • Marty Ehrlich: Line on Love (Palmetto) A-
      • El-P/The Blue Series Continuum: High Water (Thirsty Ear) A-
      • Percy Heath: A Love Song (Daddy Jazz) A-
      • Ian Hendrickson-Smith: Up in Smoke! (Sharp Nine) A-
      • Michel Portal/Stephen Kent/Mino Cinelu: Burundi (PAO) A-
      • Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Breeding Resistance (Delmark) A-
      HM
      • Fred Anderson: Back at the Velvet Lounge (Delmark)
      • Joe Locke & 4 Walls of Freedom: Dear Life (Sirocco)
      • Dave Burrell Full-Blown Trio: Expansion (High Two)
      • Lafayette Gilchrist: The Music According to Lafayette Gilchrist (Hyena/Shantytone)
      • Henry Kaiser & Wadada Leo Smith: Yo Miles! Sky Garden (Cuneiform)
      • Arild Andersen: The Triangle (ECM)
      • Kris Davis: Lifespan (Fresh Sound New Talent)
      • Ken Vandermark/Brian Dibblee: Duets (Future Reference)
      • Ignasi Terraza Trio: IT's Coming (TCB)
      • Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Random Acts of Happiness (Summerfold)
      • Hiromi: Brain (Telarc)
      • Roy Haynes: Fountain of Youth (Dreyfus)
      Duds
      • Michael Brecker/Joe Lovano/Dave Liebman: Saxophone Summit: Gathering of Spirits (Telarc) C+
      • George Benson: Irreplaceable (GRP)
      • Wayne Escoffery: Intuition (Nagel Heyer)
      • Fourplay: Journey (Bluebird)
      • Antonio Hart: All We Need (Downtown Sound/Chiaroscuro)
      • Keith Rowe/Axel Dörner/Franz Hautzinger: A View From the Window (Erstwhile)
      • Spyro Gyra: The Deep End (Heads Up)

      #1: All True, More or Less (2004-07-01)

      Links: Village Voice, Archive

      Picks
      • Zu & Spaceways Inc.: Radiale (Atavistic) A
      • Bennie Wallace: The Nearness of You (Enja/Justin Time) A-
      • The Bad Plus: Give (Columbia) A-
      • Anthony Brown's Asian American Orchestra: Monk's Moods (Water Baby) A-
      • James Carter: Live at Baker's Keyboard Lounge (Warner Bros.) A-
      • Sir Roland Hanna/Carrie Smith: I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues: The Songs of Harold Arlen (IPO) A-
      • Lyambiko: Shades of Delight (Nagel Heyer) A-
      • Michiko Ogawa Trio: . . . It's All About Love! (Arbors) A-
      • Quartet B: Crystal Mountain (Fono) A-
      • Jenny Scheinman: Shalagaster (Tzadik) A-
      • Tomasz Stanko: Suspended Night (ECM) A-
      R&R
      • Duke Ellington: The Bubber Miley Era (1924-29, Jazz Legends)
      • Duke Ellington: Ellington Uptown (1947-52, Columbia/Legacy)
      • Benny Carter: Sax ŕ la Carter (1960, Capitol Jazz)
      • Charles Lloyd/Billy Higgins: Which Way Is East (ECM)
      • Sir Roland Hanna: Tributaries: Reflections on Tommy Flanagan (IPO)
      • Tomasz Stanko: Rarum Vol. 17: Selected Recordings (1975-98, ECM)
      HM
      • Brian Lynch Meets Bill Charlap (Sharp Nine)
      • Allan Vaché and Friends: Ballads, Burners and Blues (Arbors)
      • The Yoko Miwa Trio: Fadeless Flower (PJL)
      • Cooper-Moore/Assif Tsahar: America (Hopscotch)
      • The New Archie Shepp Quartet: Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day (PAO)
      • Randy Sandke: Cliffhanger (Nagel Heyer)
      Duds
      • James Carter: Gardenias for Lady Day (Columbia) B-
      • Monty Alexander/Ernest Ranglin: Rocksteady (Telarc)
      • John Pizzarelli: Bossa Nova (Telarc)
      • Spring Heel Jack: The Sweetness of the Water (Thirsty Ear)

      "R&R" stands for Reissues and Redundancies. The idea was to second some items, all A- or better, that other Voice writers had already reviewed, and throw in some quick votes for obvious reissues. Wasn't my name for the section, and I never returned to it.