Music Week

Expanded blog post, January archive (in progress).

Tweet: Music Week: 74 albums, 11 A-list

Music: Current count 43500 [43426) rated (+74), 19 [18] unrated (+1).

New records reviewed this week:

• Luther Allison: I Owe It All to You (2023 [2024], Posi-Tone): [sp]: B+(**)
• Arild Andersen/Daniel Sommer/Rob Luft: As Time Passes (2023 [2024], April): [sp]: B+(***)
• Steve Baczkowski: Cheap Fabric (2022 [2024], Relative Pitch): [sp]: B+(**)
• John Butcher + 13: Fluid Fixations (2021 [2024], Weight of Wax): [dl] A-
• Caxtrinho: Queda Livre (2024, QTV): [bc]: B+(***)
• Brian Charette: You Don't Know Jack! (2024, Cellar Music): [sp]: B+(**)
• Mahmoud Chouki: Caravan: From Marrakech to New Orleans (2024, Gallatin Street): [sp]: B+(**)
• Anat Cohen Quartetinho: Bloom (2024, Anzic): [sp]: B+(***)
• Avishai Cohen: Bright Light (2024, Naïve): [sp]: B+(**)
• Emmet Cohen: Vibe Provider (2024, Mack Avenue): [sp]: B+(**)
• Tomasz Dąbrowski & the Individual Beings: Better (2023 [2024], April): [sp]: B+(**)
• Caroline Davis and Wendy Eisenberg: Accept When (2023 [2024], Astral Spirit): [sp]: B+(*)
• Dubbeltrion: Bringing Scandi-Baltic Powerhousejazz to the People (2024, Sonic Transmissions): [sp]: B+(**)
• Kurt Elling/Sullivan Fortner: Wildflowers Vol. 1 (2024, Edition): [sp]: B-
• Kurt Elling: Wildflowers Vol. 2 (2024, Edition): [bc]: C+
• Fake Fruit: Mucho Mistrust (2024, Carpark): [sp]: A-
• The Flowers of Indulgence: Dylan's Lost Songs, Vol. 1 (2024, Bothy Studio): [sp]: B+(**)
• Michael Foster/Ben Bennett/Jacob Wick: Carne Vale (2024, Relative Pitch): [sp]: B+(*)
• Joel Frahm Trio: Lumination (2023 [2024], Anzic): [sp]: B+(***)
• Joel Futterman: Forever (2022 [2024], Mahakala Music): [bc]: B+(*)
• Sally Gates-Steve Hirsh-Daniel Carter: Phosphene (2024, Mahakala Music): [bc]: B+(***)
• Dennis Gonzalez Legacy Band: Live at the Texas Theatre (2024, Astral Spirits): [sp]: A-
• Charles Goold: Triptych Lespri (2023 [2024], La Reserve): [sp]: B+(**)
• Devin Gray: Melt All of the Guns (2024, Rataplan): [bc]: B+(**)
• David Hazeltine: Ballads and Blues Volume 1 (2023 [2024], Cellar Music, EP): [bc]: B+(*)
• David Hazeltine: Ballads and Blues Volume 2 (2023 [2024], Cellar Music, EP): [bc]: B+(*)
• Hubbub: abb abb abb (2019 [2024], Relative Pitch): [sp]: B+(**)
• Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra: Harbour (2022 [2024], Justin Time): [sp]: B+(*)
• Ryan Keberle: Bright Moments (2023 [2024], Posi-Tone): [sp]: B+(**)
• Kira Kira: Kira Kira Live (2024, Alister Spence Music): [bc]: B+(**)
• Mike LeDonne Groover Quartet + Gospel Choir: Wonderful! (2023 [2024], Cellar Music Group): [sp]: B-
• Jihye Lee Orchestra: Infinite Connections (2023 [2024], Motéma Music): [sp]: B+(*)
• Peggy Lee/Julien Wilson/Theo Carbo/Dylan van der Schyff: Open Threat (2024, Earshift Music): [bc]: B+(***)
• Lionel Loueke & Dave Holland: United (2023 [2024], Edition): [sp]: B+(**)
• Michael Mayo: Fly (2024, Mack Avenue): [sp]: B+(*)
• Microplastique: Blare Blow Bloom! (2024, Irritable Mystic): [bc]: B+(**)
• Grey McMurray: Crying at Breakfast (2024, Out of Your Head, EP): [sp]: B-
• Ben Monder: Planetarium (2020-23 [2024], Sunnyside): [sp]: B
• Wolfgang Muthspiel: Etudes/Quietudes (2024, Clap Your Hands): [sp]: B+(**)
• Camila Nebbia & Angelica Sanchez: In Another Land, Another Dream (2023 [2024], Relative Pitch): [sp]: A-
• Camila Nebbia/Leo Genovese/Alfred Vogel: Eyes to the Sun (2023 [2024], Boomslang): [bc]: B+(***)
• New Orleans Klezmer All Stars: Tipish (2024, self-released): [sp]: B+(***)
• Bill Orcutt: How to Rescue Things (2024, Palilalia): [sp]: B
• Ivo Perelman/Iva Bittová/Michael Bisio: Vox Popoli Vox Dei (2017 [2024], Mahakala Music): [bc]: B+(**)
• Danilo Pérez & Bohlusän Big Band: Lumen (2021 [2024], Prophone): [sp]: B+(*)
• Phelimuncasi & Metal Preyers: Izigqinamba (2024, Nyege Nyege Tapes): [sp]: A-
• Previous Industries: Service Merchandise (2024, Merge): [sp]: A-
• Tomeka Reid/Isadora Edwards/Elisabeth Coudoux: Reid/Edwards/Coudoux (2021 [2024], Relative Pitch): [sp]: B+(**)
• Diego Rivera: Ofendra (2024, Posi-Tone): [sp]: B+(***)
• Renee Rosnes: Crossing Paths (2024, Smoke Sessions): [sp]: B+(*)
• Toms Rudzinskis: Abyss (2019-21 [2023], self-released): [sp]: B+(**)
• Akira Sakata/Jim O'Rourke/Mette Rasmussen/Chris Corsano: Live at SuperDeluxe Volume 1 (2017 [2024], Trost): [bc]: B+(*)
• Michael Sarian: Live at Cliff Bell's (2023 [2024], Shifting Paradigm): [sp]: B+(***)
• Brad Shepik: Human Activity: Dream of the Possible (2022 [2024], Shifting Paradigm): [sp]: A-
• Daniel Sommer/Arve Henriksen/Johannes Lundberg: Sounds & Sequences (2022-23 [2024], April): [sp]: B+(**)
• Peter Somuah: Highlife (2024, ACT Music): [sp]: B+(**)
• Sound the Alarm: Sound the Alarm: A Large Ensemble Instigation for Palestine [Recorded Live in Concert] (2024, Relative Pitch): [sp]: A-
• Vinnie Sperrazza Apocryphal: Sunday (2022 [2024], Loyal Label): [sp]: B+(***)
• Dayna Stephens: Closer Than We Think (2023 [2024], Cellar Music): [sp]: B+(***)
• Aki Takase/Daniel Erdmann: Ellington (2023 [2024], Enja/Yellowbird): [sp]: B+(**)
• Pat Thomas: This Is Trick Step (2023 [2024], 577): [dl]: B+(**)
• Tulpas: Atsibo (2021 [2024], Astral Spirits): [sp]: B+(**)
• Weird of Mouth [Mette Rasmussen/Craig Taborn/Ches Smith]: Weird of Mouth (2022 [2024], Otherly Love): [sp]: A-
• Kathrine Windfeld Sextet: Aldebaran (2024, Stunt): [sp]: B+(***)
• Warren Wolf: History of the Vibraphone (2023 [2024], Cellar Music): [sp]: B+(**)
• Eri Yamamoto Quadraphonic: Fly With the Wings (2024, Mahakala Music): [bc]: B+(***)

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

• Peter Brötzmann/Paal Nilssen-Love: Butterfly Mushroom (2015 [2024], Trost): [sp]: B+(**)
• George Cartwright: Send Help (2008 [2024], Mahakala Music): [bc]: B+(*)
• Duke Ellington: Copenhagen 1958 [Bonus: After Hours 1950] (1950-58 [2024], Storyville): [sp]: B+(**)
• Michael Griener & Jan Roder: Be Our Guest (1994-95 [2024], Trouble in the East): [bc]: A-
• Happy Apple: New York CD ([2024], Sunnyside): [sp]: B+(*)
• Van Morrison: Live at Orangefield (2014 [2024], Townsend Music/Orangefield): [sp]: B+(***)
• Kurt Rosenwinkel: The Next Step Band: Live at Smalls 1996 (1996 [2024], Heartcore): [sp]: A-
• Brenton Wood: Brenton Wood's 18 Best (1967-71 [2024], Craft): [sp]: B

Old music:

• Fake Fruit: Fake Fruit (2021, Rocks in Your Head): [sp]: B+(**)
• Metal Preyers: Metal Preyers (2020, Nyege Nyege Tapes): [sp]: B+(*)
• Allen Ravenstine: Nautilus/Rue de Poisson Noire (2021, Waveshifter): [sp]: B+(**)

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

• Carlos Zingara/João Madeira/Sofia Borges: Trizmaris (4DaRecord) [11-21]

Daily Log

I updated the website today, posting some Q&A.

Daily Log

Occurs to me that there is still a day left to submit ballots to Pazz & Jop Ripoff Poll.

I'm still working on the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll, so still haven't had the chance to pivot to non-jazz albums, which most years results in fairly even jazz and non-jazz A-lists, but this year's are so far radically unbalanced (103 jazz vs. 49 non-jazz A/A-). So, as the clock runs out, this is the best I can do:

1. Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: Louis Armstrong's America (ESP-Disk) 18
2. Heems & Lapgan: Lafandar (Veena Sounds) 12
3. Fay Victor: Herbie Nichols SUNG: Life Is Funny That Way (Tao Forms) 12
4. Kate Nash: 9 Sad Symphonies (Kill Rock Stars) 12
5. Hurray for the Riff Raff: The Past Is Still Alive (Nonesuch) 9
6. Luke Stewart Silt Trio: Unknown Rivers (Pi) 8
7. Floating Points: Cascade (Ninja Tune) 8
8. Darius Jones: Legend of e'Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye) (AUM Fidelity) 7
9. Steve Coleman and Five Elements: PolyTropos/Of Many Turns (Pi) 7
10. Amyl and the Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness (B2B/Virgin) 7

For comments:

• Here's my Best Jazz Albums of 2024: https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/notes/eoyjazz-24.php
• Here's my Best Non-Jazz Albums of 2024: https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/notes/eoynonjazz-24.php
• And here's my Metacritic/EOY Aggregate for new music (currently compiles 148 lists, which is way down from the 617 lists I did in 2023): https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/notes/meta2024.php

Dec 2024