Jazz Consumer Guide (27):
Surplus

This is the surplus file for Jazz Consumer Guide #27. These are short reviews of records that for one reason or another have been dropped from active consideration while working on this column. These reviews will be published in the blog when the column comes out.

JD Allen Trio: Victory! (2010 [2011], Sunnyside): Tenor saxophonist, always makes a big impression, especially in a trio where he is front and center. My favorite kind of record, which means he has a lot of competition in the high HMs; strong as this is, it's just one more in the series. B+(***)

David Ashkenazy: Out With It (2009, Posi-Tone): Drummer-led quartet, only wrote two of eight songs, makes out fine on the strengths of his sidemen: Joel Frahm (tenor sax), Gary Versace (organ), and Gilad Hekselman (guitar). The latter, by the way, is quickly assembling an impressive resume. B+(***)

David Binney: Graylen Epicenter (2010 [2011], Mythology): The leader as producer as much as alto saxophonist, combining extra horns (Chris Potter, Ambrose Akinmusire), piano plus guitar, extra drummers, even vocals (mostly but not just Gretchen Parlato, mostly but not just for texture) stretching out to 73:43. Postbop largesse, with plenty of dazzling passages. B+(***)

Jane Ira Bloom: Wingwalker (2010 [2011], Outline): Soprano saxophonist, one of the few to have found a fluid sound in the center of the instrument rather than following Bechet, Lacy, Coltrane, Shorter, Parker, almost anyone else you'd think of into the weirder yet more traditional margins. Quartet with Dawn Clement, Mark Helias, and Bobby Previte providing superb support. B+(***)

Hadley Caliman & Pete Christlieb: Reunion (2009 [2010], Origin): Two veteran saxophonists: Caliman, b. 1932, basically a mainstream guy, so he tends to swing; Christlieb, b. 1945, is best known for a couple duo albums with Warne Marsh, which moved him into the more esoteric corners of bebop. Backed by the house rhythm section, a nice pairing. B+(**)

The Convergence Quartet: Song/Dance (2009 [2010], Clean Feed): Hard to reduce this to a one-liner, given that you need to point out all the pieces and how they came together. Alexander Hawkins (piano) and Dominic Lash (bass) work together in various UK groups and form the core here. Vector in Canadian drummer Harris Eisenstadt with his African rhythm interests and Braxton protégé Taylor Ho Bynum, a natural gadfly especially on cornet. But you don't just get convergence; you get clash too, plus a marvelous bit of township jive at the end. B+(***)

Oscar Feldman: Oscar e Familia (2009, Sunnyside): Argentine alto saxophonist, his fierce sax and roiling percussion reminds me of Gato Barbieri's early "chapters" -- but the lighter horn lacks the tenor's grit, the tango component gets a boost, and the two cuts with Carlos Franzetti's strings risk cliché. B+(***)

Ben Holmes Trio (2009, self-released): A tough record to write about, a basic trumpet-bass-drums trio, the lead centered and focused, neither avant nor conventional. Two trad pieces (one Romanian, the other Turkish) and something called "Lev Tov"), which sort of suggests Tiny Bell Trio but without Brad Shepik doesn't. B+(***)

Gianni Lenoci: Ephemeral Rhizome (2008 [2009], Evil Rabbit): Italian pianist with an impressive solo album, sometimes ethereal, more often down and dirty. I had never heard of him before, but he has seven albums since 1991 and very likely should be regarded as an important pianist -- admittedly a crowded club. A subject for further research, for sure. B+(***)

The Giuseppi Logan Quintet (2009 [2010], Tompkins Square): Saxophonist, cut two albums in the mid-sixties that are still recalled fondly by fans of ESP-Disk's anything goes aesthetic, and 45 years later has one more feather in his hat. I give a lot of the credit to co-producer Matt Lavelle, who added his trumpet and bass clarinet, and rounded up a band with Dave Burrell and Warren Smith. B+(***)

William Parker & the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra: For Percy Heath (2005 [2006], Victo): Been out a few years, but I only got a copy recently. Wanted to at least run a very high HM to acknowledge it, but I keep pulling the slot -- it is, after all, pretty old, and I don't owe any publicist for the pleasure. Among everything else, Parker has developed as a cultivator of the bass tradition -- I'm reminded that when Lou Brock got close to the stolen base record he hit the books and belatedly discovered Billy Hamilton and Arlie Lathan and Bid McPhee, although Parker gets more than talking points. Little Huey remains an unruly big band, but focusing on the bass helps rein in the excesses. And when they click they're wondrous. A-

Júlio Resende Trio: You Taste Like a Song (2010 [2011], Clean Feed): Pianist, has had a couple HMs with upbeat records featuring sax and/or guitar, strips down to trio here and sustains the same sort of interest. B+(***)

Sean Smith Quartet: Trust (2011, Smithereen): Bassist, been around a while without getting much notice, wrote some songs that often sound like variations on standards, and put a band together: John Ellis plays sax, and John Hart guitar, and both are consistently engaging, nothing over the edge, but some very nice postbop. B+(***)

Tide Tables: Lost Birdsongs (2005 [2010], Prefecture): Live electronics and percussion credited to both principles, Paul Kikuchi and Alexander Vittum, with others popping and out -- Daniel Carter (alto sax, flute, trumpet) makes the strongest impression. B+(**)

Matt Vashlishan: No Such Thing (2008 [2009], Origin): Sprightly mainstream album where the leader hitches his alto sax to Dave Liebman's quartet and gets a free ride, often pulling out front. An especially good outing for guitarist Vic Juris. B+(***)

Other Drops

Also dropping the following. Don't have anything to add to what was previously said in the prospecting notes (for this or some previous Jazz CG cycle).

• Eric Alexander: Don't Follow the Crowd (2010 [2011], High Note) B+(**)
• The Ambush Party (2008 [2011], De Platenbakkerij) B+(**)
• Bill Anschell: Figments (2010 [2011], Origin) B
• Arrive: "There Was . . ." (2008 [2011], Clean Feed) B+(**)
• Diego Barber: The Choice (2010 [2011], Sunnyside) B
• Cheryl Bentyne: The Gershwin Songbook (2010, ArtistShare) B+(*)
• Big Neighborhood: 11:11 (2006, Origin, 2CD) B
• Ketil Bjørnstad/Svante Henryson: Night Song (2009 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• T.K. Blue: Latinbird (2010 [2011], Motéma) B+(**)
• Bones & Tones (2009 [2011], Freedom Art) B+(**)
• Taylor Ho Bynum/Joe Morris/Sara Schoenbeck: Next (2009 [2011], Porter) B-
• Fredrik Carlquist: Playing Cool (2010 [2011], FCJazz) B+(**)
• Brian Carpenter's Ghost Train Orchestra: Hothouse Stomp: The Music of 1920s Chicago and Harlem (2011, Accurate) B+(**)
• François Carrier: Entrance 3 (2002 [2011], Ayler) B+(**)
• James Carter: Caribbean Rhapsody (2009-10 [2011], Decca) B-
• Rondi Charleston: Who Knows Where the Time Goes (2009 [2011], Motema) B-
• Steve Coleman and Five Elements: The Mancy of Sound (2007 [2011], Pi) B+(*)
• Francis Coletta/Jonas Tauber: Port Saïd Street (2010 [2011], Origin) B+(*)
• Laurence Cook/Eric Zinman: Double Action (2009 [2011], Ayler) B+(**)
• Marc Copland: Crosstalk (2010 [2011], Pirouet) B+(*)
• Henry Darragh: Tell Her for Me (2010, self-released) B+(*)
• Mon David: Coming True (2009, Free Ham) B-
• Jenny Davis: Inside You (2009 [2010], self-released) B+(**)
• Matija Dedic Trio: MD in NYC (2009 [2011], Origin) B
• Papa John DeFrancesco: A Philadelphia Story (2010 [2011], Savant) B+(*)
• Michael Dessen Trio: Forget the Pixel (2010 [2011], Clean Feed) B+(*)
• Lars Dietrich: Stand Alone (2010 [2011], self-released) B
• Al Di Meola: Pursuit of Radical Rhapsody (2010 [2011], Telarc) B+(*)
• Eldar Djangirov: Three Stories (2009 [2011], Masterworks Jazz) B
• Chris Donnelly: Solo (2008 [2010], ALMA) B+(*)
• Benjamin Drazen: Inner Lights (2010 [2011], Posi-Tone) B+(**)
• Kermit Driscoll: Reveille (2010 [2011], Nineteen-Eight) B+(**)
• Eco D'Alberi: Eco D'Alberi (2008-09 [2011], Porter) B+(**)
• Peter Eldridge: Mad Heaven (2011, Palmetto) B-
• Shane Endsley and the Music Band: Then the Other (2010 [2011], Low Electrical) B+(*)
• Peter Erskine/Bob Mintzer/Darek Oles/Alan Pasqua: Standards 2: Movie Music (2009 [2011], Fuzzy Music) B+(*)
• Orrin Evans: Captain Black Big Band (2010 [2011], Posi-Tone) B+(*)
• Peter Evans Quintet: Ghosts (2010 [2011], More Is More) B+(*)
• Michael Feinberg: With Many Hands (2010 [2011], self-released) B+(**)
• Fernandez & Wright: Unsung (2009 [2010], New Market Music) B
• FivePlay Jazz Quintet: Five of Hearts (2008-10 [2011], Auraline) B+(**)
• Flow Trio: Set Theory: Live at the Stone (2009 [2011], Ayler) B+(**)
• Danny Frankel: The Interplanetary Note/Beat Conference (2010, self-released) B+(*)
• Bill Frisell: Sign of Life (2010 [2011], Savoy Jazz) B+(**)
• Chantale Gagné: Wisdom of the Water (2010 [2011], self-released) B+(**)
• Roy Gaines and His Orchestra: Tuxedo Blues (2009 [2010], Black Gold) B+(**)
• Alekos Galas: Mediterranean Breeze (2010, Ehos) B-
• Laszlo Gardony: Signature Time (2011, Sunnyside) B+(*)
• David Gibson: End of the Tunnel (2010 [2011], Posi-Tone) B+(**)
• Tania Gill: Bolger Station (2009 [2011], Barnyard) B+(*)
• Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra: Córdoba (2010 [2011], Zoho) B+(*)
• Jared Gold: All Wrapped Up (2010 [2011], Posi-Tone) B
• Larry Goldings: In My Room (2010-11 [2011], BFM Jazz) B+(*)
• GRASS on Fire: Gowanus Reggae and Ska Society Plays Catch a Fire (2010 [2011], Mightly Gowanus) B
• Iro Haarla Quintet: Vespers (2010 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• Noah Haidu: Slipstream (2009 [2011], Posi-Tone) B
a
• Rich Halley Quartet: Requiem for a Pit Viper (2010 [2011], Pine Eagle) B+(**)
• Tom Harrell: The Time of the Sun (2010 [2011], High Note) B+(*)
• Atsuko Hashimoto: . . . Until the Sun Comes Up (2010 [2011], Capri) B+(*)
• Pablo Held: Glow (2010 [2011], Pirouet) B
• Fred Hersch: Alone at the Vanguard (2010 [2011], Palmetto) B+(*)
• Lisa Hilton: Underground (2010 [2011], Ruby Slippers) B+(**)
• Art Hirahara: Noble Path (2010 [2011], Posi-Tone) B+(**)
• Marika Hughes: Afterlife Music Radio: 11 New Pieces for Solo Cello (2010 [2011], DD) B+(**)
• Marika Hughes: The Simplest Thing (2010 [2011], DD) B+(**)
• Julia Hülsmann Trio: Imprint (2010 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• Whitney James: The Nature of Love (2009 [2010], Stir Stick Music) B
• Darren Johnston/Aram Shelton/Lisa Mezzacappa/Kjell Nordeson: Cylinder (2011, Clean Feed) B+(**)
• Etta Jones & Houston Person: The Way We Were: Live in Concert (2000 [2011], High Note) B+(**)
• Dave Juarez: Round Red Light (2010 [2011], Posi-Tone) B+(*)
• Stan Killian: Unified (2010 [2011], Sunnyside) B+(*)
• Landon Knobloch/Jason Furman: Gasoline Rainbow (2008 [2011], Fractamodi) B+(**)
• Adam Kolker: Reflections (2010 [2011], Sunnyside) B+(**)
• Kathleen Kolman: Dream On (2010 [2011], Walkin' Foot Productions) B+(*)
• Lee Konitz/Brad Mehldau/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian: Live at Birdland (2009 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• Ben Kono: Crossing (2010 [2011], 19/8) B+(*)
• Annie Kozuch: Here With You (2009 [2010], self-released) B+(**)
• Jonathan Kreisberg: Shadowless (2010 [2011], New for Now Music) B
• Nguyên Lê: Songs of Freedom (2010 [2011], ACT) B
• Gordon Lee: This Path (2010, OA2) B+(**)
• Les Doigts de l'Homme: 1910 (2011, ALMA) B+(*)
• Daniel Levin: Inner Landscape (2009 [2011], Clean Feed) B+(**)
• Amy London: Let's Fly (2010 [2011], Motéma) B+(*)
• Tom Luer: Project Popular (2009 [2011], Origin) B+(*)
• Steven Lugerner: These Are the Words/Narratives (2010 [2011], self-released, 2CD) B+(**)
• Curtis Macdonald: Community Immunity (2009 [2011], Greenleaf Music) B
• Thomas Marriott: Constraints & Liberations (2009 [2010], Origin) B+(**)
• Thomas Marriott: Human Spirit (2009 [2011], Origin) B
• Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters: Imaginary Sketches (2010 [2011], Origin) B+(*)
• John Medeski & Lee Shaw: Together Again: Live at the Egg (2009 [2011], ARC) B+(*)
• Brad Mehldau: Live in Marciac (2006 [2011], Nonesuch, 2CD+DVD) B+(**)
• Eddie Mendenhall: Cosine Meets Tangent (2010 [2011], Miles High) B+(**)
• Antoinette Montague: Behind the Smile (2009 [2010], In the Groove) B+(*)
• Wolfgang Muthspiel: Drumfree (2010 [2011], Material) B+(**)
• Native Soul: Soul Step (2008 [2011], Talking Drum) B+(**)
• New Tricks: Alternate Side (2010 [2011], New Tricks) B+(**)
• New York Electric Piano: Keys to the City: Volumes 1 & 2 (2011, Buffalo Puppy, 2CD) B
• Vince Norman/Joe McCarthy Big Band: Bright Future (2009 [2010], OA2) B+(*)
• Hubert Nuss: The Book of Colours (2008 [2010], Pirouet) B+(*)
• Bill O'Connell: Rhapsody in Blue (2009 [2010], Challenge) B+(*)
• Mark O'Connor Quintet: Suspended Reality (2007 [2011], OA2) B+(**)
• Mark O'Leary/Peter Friis-Nielsen/Stefan Pasborg: Støj (2008 [2011], Ayler) B+(*)
• Lutalo "Sweet Lu" Olutosin: Tribute to Greatness (2010, Sweet Lu Music) B
• Open Graves with Stuart Dempster: Flightpatterns (2010 [2011], Prefecture) B-
• Operation ID: Legs (2011, Table & Chairs) B
• Orchestre National de Jazz: Around Robert Wyatt (2009 [2011], Bee Jazz, 2CD) B+(**)
• Orchestre National de Jazz: Shut Up and Dance (2010 [2011], Bee Jazz, 2CD) B+(**)
• Matt Panayides: Tapestries of Song (2010 [2011], Pacific Coast Jazz) B+(**)
• Rich Pellegrin Quintet: Three-Part Odyssey (2010 [2011], OA2) B+(**)
• Ken Peplowski: In Search of . . . (2007-10 [2011], Capri) B+(**)
• Alex Pinto Quartet: Inner State (2010 [2011], self-released) B+(**)
• Pitom: Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes (2010 [2011], Tzadik) B+(**)
• Debbie Poryes/Bruce Williamson: Two & Fro (2010 [2011], OA2) B+(*)
• Tobias Preisig: Flowing Mood (2009 [2010], ObliqSound) B+(**)
• Q.E.D. [Ben Thomas/Chris Stover/Alex Chadsey]: Yet What Is Any Ocean . . . (2010 [2011], Origin) B+(**)
• R|E|D|S: Sign of Four (2009 [2011], Origin) B+(*)
• Michel Reis: Point of No Return (2009 [2011], Armored) B+(**)
• Jochen Rueckert: Somewhere Meeting Nobody (2010 [2011], Pirouet) B+(*)
• Sanda: Gypsy in a Tree (2010 [2011], Barbes) B+(*)
• Scanner with the Post Modern Jazz Quartet: Blink of an Eye (2010, Thirsty Ear) B+(**)
• Avery Sharpe: Running Man (2010 [2011], JKNM) B+(*)
• The Lee Shaw Trio: Live at Art Gallery Reutlingen (2009 [2011], ARC) B+(**)
• Matthew Shipp/William Parker/Beans/Hprizm: Knives From Heaven (2011, Thirsty Ear) B+(*)
• Liam Sillery: Priorité (2009 [2011], OA2) B+(*)
• Blaise Siwula/Nobu Stowe/Ray Sage: Brooklyn Moments (2005, Konnex) B+(***)
• Blaise Siwula/Dom Minasi/Nobu Stowe/Ray Sage: New York Moments (2006, Konnex) B+(*)
• Jim Snidero: Interface (2010 [2011], Savant) B+(**)
• The Rossano Sportiello Trio: Lucky to Be Me [Arbors Piano Series, Volume 22] (2010, Arbors) B+(**)
• Nick Stefanacci Band: 26 Years (2010, NS) B
• Storms/Nocturnes [Geoffrey Keezer/Joe Locke/Tim Garland]: Via (2010 [2011], Origin) B-
• Subtle Lip Can (2010, Drip Audio) B+(*)
• Helen Sung: (re)Conception (2009 [2011], SteepleChase) B+(**)
• Craig Taborn: Avenging Angel (2010 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• Taeko: Voice (2009-10 [2010], Flat Nine) B
• Jacqui Sutton: Dolly & Billie (2010, Toy Blue Typewriter) C+
• Jeremy Udden's Plainville: If the Past Seems So Bright (2011, Sunnyside) B+(*)
• Diego Urcola Quartet: Appreciation (2010 [2011], CAM Jazz) B+(**)
• Nicholas Urie: My Garden (2010 [2011], Red Piano) B
• Colin Vallon Trio: Rruga (2010 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• John Vanore & Abstract Truth: Contagious Words (2010 [2011], Acoustical Concepts) B+(*)
• Roseanna Vitro: The Music of Randy Newman (2010 [2011], Motéma) B
• Cuong Vu 4-tet: Leaps of Faith (2010 [2011], Origin) B+(**)
• Giancarlo Vulcano: My Funny Detective (2008 [2011], Distant Second) B+(*)
• Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans: Electric Fruit (2009 [2011], Thirsty Ear) B+(**)
• Cedar Walton: The Bouncer (2011, High Note) B+(**)
• Marcin Wasilewski Trio: Faithful (2010 [2011], ECM) B+(**)
• Christian Weidner: The Inward Song (2010, Pirouet) B
• Bastian Weinhold: River Styx (2010 [2011], self-released) B+(*)
• Mark Weinstein: Jazz Brasil (2010, Jazzheads) B+(*)
• David Weiss & Point of Departure: Snuck Out (2008 [2011], Sunnyside) B+(**)
• Neil Welch: Boxwork (2009 [2011], Table & Chairs) B+(**)
• Jessica Williams Trio: Freedom Trane (2007 [2011], Origin) B+(**)
• Anthony Wilson: Campo Belo (2010 [2011], Goat Hill) B+(**)
• Curtis Woodbury (2010, Jazz Hang) B+(**)
• Nate Wooley Quintet: (Put Your) Hands Together (2010 [2011], Clean Feed) B

The following appeared (or soon will) in Recycled Goods:

• Chet Baker: She Was Too Good to Me (1974 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(*)
• Chris Barber: Memories of My Trip (1958-2010 [2011], Proper, 2CD)
• George Benson: Beyond the Blue Horizon (1971 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(*)
• George Benson: White Rabbit (1971 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• George Benson: Body Talk (1973 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: The Sesjun Radio Shows (1978-83 [2011], T2 Entertainment, 2CD) B+(**)
• Kenny Burrell: God Bless the Child (1971 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(*)
• California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium (1971 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks, 2CD) B+(**)
• Ron Carter: All Blues (1973 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Deodato: Prelude (1972 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(**)
• Miles Davis: Bitches Brew Live (1969-70 [2011], Columbia/Legacy) B+(***)
• Paul Desmond: Pure Desmond (1974 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Lajos Dudas: 50 Years With Jazz Clarinet: The Best of Lajos Dudas (1976-2007 [2011], Jazz Sick, 2CD) B+(**)
• Jim Hall: Concierto (1975 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(***)
• Lena Horne: The Essential Lena Horne (1941-75 [2010], Masterworks/Legacy, 2CD) A-
• Freddie Hubbard: Red Clay (1970 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) A-
• Freddie Hubbard: Straight Life (1970 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(***)
• Freddie Hubbard: First Light (1971 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(*)
• Milt Jackson: Sunflower (1972 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Antonio Carlos Jobim: Stone Flower (1970 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Clarence "Jelly" Johnson: Low Down Papa (1920s [2011], Delmark) B+(**)
• Eartha Kitt: The Essential Eartha Kitt (1952-57 [2011], RCA/Legacy, 2CD) B+(***)
• Femi Kuti: Africa for Africa (2010 [2011], Knitting Factory) B+(**)
• La Cherga: Revolve (2010-11 [2011], Asphalt Tango) A-
• Hubert Laws: Morning Star (1972 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B-
• Hubert Laws: In the Beginning (1974 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Vesa-Matti Loiri: 4+20 (1971 [2011], Porter) B+(*)
• The NYFA Collection: 25 Years of New York New Music (1988-2010 [2010], Innova, 5CD) B+(**)
• Django Reinhardt: The Essential Django Reinhardt (1949-50 [2011], RCA/Legacy, 2CD) B+(**)
• Don Sebesky: Giant Box (1973 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B
• Sunny Voices (1981-2008 [2009], Sunnyside) B-
• The Sway Machinery: The House of Friendly Ghosts Vol. 1 (2010 [2011], JDub) B+(*)
• Stanley Turrentine: Sugar (1970 [2010], CTI/Sony Masterworks) A-
• Stanley Turrentine: Salt Song (1971 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(**)
• Stanley Turrentine: Don't Mess With Mister T. (1973 [2011], CTI/Sony Masterworks) B+(**)
• Max Wild: Tamba (2008 [2010], ObliqSound) B+(**)

The following were briefly sampled from download sources (e.g., Rhapsody). They may be revisited if/when I get real copies: noted [**].

• Ambrose Akinmusire: When the Heart Emerges Glistening (2010 [2011], Blue Note) B+(**)
• Ben Allison: Action-Refraction (2011, Palmetto) B+(***)
• Harrison Bankhead Sextet: Morning Sun Harvest Moon (2010 [2011], Engine) A-
• Banquet of the Spirits: Caym: The Book of Angels Volume 17 (2010 [2011], Tzadik) B+(**)
• Ran Blake: Grey December: Live in Rome (2010 [2011], Tompkins Square) B
• Brazilian Groove Band: Anatomy of Groove (2009, Far Out) B
• Uri Caine/Arditti String Quaret: Twelve Caprices (2011, Winter & Winter) B+(*)
• Dave Douglas: United Front: Brass Ecstasy at Newport (2010 [2011], Greenleaf Music) B+(***)
• Harris Eisenstadt: Woodblock Prints (2010, NoBusiness) B+(**)
• Harris Eisenstadt: Canada Day II (2010 [2011], Songlines) B+(***)
• Ron Horton: It's a Gadget World . . . (2009, Abeat) B+(**)
• Freddie Hubbard: Pinnacle: Live & Unreleased From the Keystone Korner (1980 [2011], Resonance) B+(*)
• Billy Jenkins: Jazz Gives Me the Blues (2011, VOTP) B+(**)
• Alexey Lapin/Yury Yaremchuk: Anatomy of Sound (2010, SoLyd) B+(*)
• Okkyung Lee: Noisy Love Songs (2011, Tzadik) B+(**)
• Marius Neset: Golden Xplosion (2010 [2011], Edition) B
• Evan Parker & Konstrukt: Live at Akbank Jazz Festival (2010 [2011], Re:konstrukt) B+(*)
• Matana Roberts: Live in London (2009 [2011], Central Control) B+(***)
• Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de Couleur Libre (2010 [2011], Constellation) B+(**)
• Wadada Leo Smith: Lake Biwa (2002-04 [2004], Tzadik) B+(*)
• Johnny Varro: Speak Low (2011, Arbors) B+(**)
• John Zorn: Nova Express (2010 [2011], Tzadik) B+(**)