The Best Jazz Albums of 2024
Initial draft collected on July 14, 2024 (jazz but not non-jazz;
the reason was to provide an aid for the mid-year poll).
The file will be updated
as additional worthy records are found (although updating may lag behind
the official
2024 list). Last year's
list was never frozen (OK, let's say it
was frozen on Nov. 1, 2024).
Note: numbering of lists (aside from A/A-) is only temporary, to
make it easier for me to tally up stats. I've made no effort to order
(other than alphaetical by artist) anything in grades below A-.
Also, several A-list albums below were close enough to Non-Jazz that
I duplicated the entries in the Non-Jazz file (sometimes giving them
lower rankings there; the year file rank is more authoritative).
[*] indicates that I reviewed this on the basis of an advance, often
a CDR copy (a good thing, I might add, for vinyl-only releases). [**]
identifies a record that I've only heard via download or through a
streaming service like Napster.
For all lists, I've included a few 2023 (and possibly earlier)
records that I discovered after last year's freeze date, but I've
only included such records if they were released on or after Dec. 1,
2023, or were so little known that they received no mention in the
2023 metacritic file. These are marked, e.g., '23, after the label.
New Music
| 1. |
 |
Fay Victor: Herbie Nichols SUNG: Life Is Funny That Way (Tao Forms, 2CD)
Jazz singer, born in Brooklyn but moved around a lot, with Trinidad
and Zambia figuring in her childhood, Long Island for her teens, with
Japan and Amsterdam major pivots in her career. She's probably sick of
the Betty Carter comparisons, but after this album it's Carter who
should be honored. I've been a huge fan of Nichols since I first heard
his Blue Note trios in a 1975 2-LP (The Third World, but still
have no idea how she managed to arrange those compositions into these
pieces (adding her lyrics, or often just scat), except to note that
Nichols' legacy has long inspired other geniuses (Misha Mengelberg,
Steve Lacy, and Roswell Rudd leap to mind). (By the way, I'm only now
noticing that the original LPs were in two volumes as The Prophetic
Herbie Nichols, following on The Amazing Bud Powell, The
Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, etc.; for CDs, look for The Complete
Blue Note Recordings, originally on Mosaic but reissued by Blue
Note in 1997, and also look out for his Bethlehem album, Love,
Gloom, Cash, Love. A good place to start for Nicols projects in
Regeneration (1983), with all three names I dropped above, but
they've each done more, as have many others.) Group here is superb,
with Michaël Attias (alto/baritone sax), Anthony Coleman (piano),
Ratzo Harris (bass), and Tom Rainey (drums). (Like Carter, she really
knows how to work a band.)
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| 2. |
 |
Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: Louis
Armstrong's America Volume 2 (ESP-Disk)
Major personal peeve here is that something that was obviously
intended as a single 4-CD work (the discs here are identified as "CD
3" and "CD 4," and the liner notes cited in the Volume 1 review
cover them) has been split up into a pair of releases. I've spent a
lot of energy the last couple years forcing poll voters to choose
between related releases -- I thought the 2022 Mary Halvorson releases
(Amaryllis, Belladonna) were distinct enough for an easy
call, the Charles Lloyd "trilogy of trios" came out separately before
they were eventually boxed, and the first two Ahmad Jamal Emerald
City Nights were part of a series that lapsed into the next year
-- but forcing people to split hairs between these two volumes will be
tough. I'm not sure I can do it myself (although as I'm writing this,
"CD 4" is sounding exceptional). One should mention somewhere here
that the supporting cast, as noted on the front covers, includes "Marc
Ribot, Andy Stein, Ursula Oppens, Lewis Porter, Loren Schoenberg,
Aaron Johnson, & Ray Anderson," although there are others (not in
the "liner notes" but in the fine cover print I can't read, which
minimally includes Matthew Shipp, Ray Suhy, Elijah Shiffer, and Jeppe
Zeeberg -- names I recognize as regulars and/or as more recent
raves.
|
| 3. |
 |
Emmeluth's Amoeba: Nonsense (Moserobie)
Danish alto saxophonist Signe Emmeluth, third group album, with guitar
(Karl Bjorå), drums (Ole Mofjell), and piano (Christian Balvig). Free
jazz with a lot of sharp edges and resonant ripples.
|
| 4. |
 |
Luke Stewart Silt Trio: Unknown Rivers (Pi)
Bassist, works in a number of DC-based groups, most notably
Irreversible Entanglements. Second Silt Trio album, with Brian Settles
(tenor sax) and either Trae Crudup or Chad Taylor on drums (second
half here is a live set with Taylor).
|
| 5. |
 |
Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: Louis
Armstrong's America Volume 1 (ESP-Disk)
In Lowe's America, Armstrong never died but just entered
some parallel dimension where he continued to evolve, along
with Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Charlie
Parker, Dave Schildkraut, Bo Diddley, Ornette Coleman, Lenny
Bruce, Roswell Rudd, and hundreds of others. I've long thought
of him primarily as a historian, but he plays alto sax, has
been making records since 1990, and significantly picked up
the pace c. 2011 (cf. the 3-CD Blues and the Empirical
Truth), which seems to have been around the time he
somehow figured out how to tap into this extra dimension,
and claim copyright for all he found. My eyes aren't good
enough to read the microprint on the CD packaging, but it's
online, and entertaining with or without the music, which
sounds like something altogether different. Bill James came
up with a concept he called "similarity scores," which is
relatively easy to calculate for baseball players, as so
much of what they do can be quantified, whereas very little
for musicians can. But intuitively, the jazz figure Lowe is
most similar to is Henry Threadgill, as they both make music
that is new yet steeped in everything that came before.
|
| 6. |
 |
Darius Jones: Legend of e'Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye)
(AUM Fidelity)
Alto saxophonist, burst onto the scene with a 2009 album called
Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing), to which this is at
least nominally a "Chapter VII" (of a planned nine). This is a trio,
with Chris Lightcap (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums), bristling with
energy, but paced with well-measured spots of reflective calm.
|
| 7. |
 |
Ballister: Smash and Grab (Aerophonic)
Sixth group outing for saxophonist Dave Rempis's fiercest group, a
trio with Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello/electronics) and Paal Nilssen-Love
(drums). I'm probably losing all credibility on him. I'm certainly
getting used to the rough stuff -- although even here, they set up
sublime moments.
|
| 8. |
 |
Dave Douglas: Gifts (Greenleaf Music)
Trumpet player, one of the most acclaimed since the mid-1990s, I've
often been unmoved by his albums but never doubted his chops, or his
commitment to forming challenging groups. Here he adds James Brandon
Lewis to a long list of heavyweight champ saxophonists, as well as two
younger players we'll hear more from: Rafiq Bhatia (guitar) and Ian
Chang (drums). Slips a four-song Billy Strayhorn medley as the sweet
center of a sandwich of originals, blurring the edges so they all flow
together.
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| 9. |
 |
The Core: Roots (Moserobie)
Norwegian jazz group, founded 2001, released eight albums 2004-10,
back for one more here. Saxophonist Kjetil Møster is the best-known
member, but Espen Aalberg (drums) wrote four (of six) pieces, with one
each for Møster and Steinar Raknes (bass), zero for Erlend Slettevoll
(piano). Expansive, like Coltrane's legendary quartet.
|
| 10. |
 |
James Brandon Lewis Quartet: Transfiguration (Intakt)
Tenor saxophonist, brilliant on his 2014 major label debut, has
continued to impress ever since, including landmark concept albums
that won the Francis Davis Poll in 2021 and 2023. On the side, he's
recorded a series of excellent working group albums for this Swiss
label. Quartet with piano (Aruán Ortiz), bass (Brad Jones), and drums
(Chad Taylor). **
|
| 11. |
 |
Roby Glod/Christian Ramond/Klaus Kugel: No ToXiC (Nemu)
German trio -- alto/soprano sax, bass, drums -- reportedly have been
playing together twenty years but discography is thin; Glod and Kugel
have an album together from 2013; Glod has side credits back to
1992. One Connie Crothers piece, the rest joint improv credits. The
sort of free sax tour de force I always love.
|
| 12. |
 |
Ivo Perelman Quartet: Water Music (RogueArt)
Avant tenor saxophonist from Brazil, started releasing albums in 1989,
did a duo with pianist Matthew Shipp in 1996, and they've released
scores of albums ever since, probably more than the years Lincoln
counted at Gettysburg. Both not only play a lot together, they're
happy to let others join in, especially when they contribute as much
as Mark Helias (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) do here.
|
| 13. |
 |
Mike Monford: The Cloth I'm Cut From (self-released)
Alto saxophonist, with spoken word, from Detroit (I gather; sorry but
I can't read anything on the CD, and I'm not doing much better with
the hype sheet). Website adds Composer and Jazz Historian, and notes
"over 30 years to practicing, performing, and experimenting with the
universal language of music," but I'm only seeing one previous
album. This one is billed as "a musical autobiography," a live set
most certainly, because that's where social music comes from. Special
credit for the violin solos.
|
| 14. |
 |
Matt Wilson: Matt Wilson's Good Trouble (Palmetto)
Drummer, originally from Illinois, studied at Wichita State, moved to
NYC in 1992, and quickly established himself as a sideman and
leader. I recall a DownBeat blindfold test where he not only grasped
everything they threw at him, but went to extraordinary lengths to
recognize and appreciate the mindset of whoever's music it was. His
records can be very eclectic, but the best ones have featured edgy
tenor saxophonist Jeff Lederer, as this one does, along with longtime
ally Ben Allison on bass, and novel ingredients Tia Fuller (alto sax)
and Dawn Clement (piano and some vocals, including the jazziest John
Denver cover ever). Title is from a John Lewis quote. Not yet the
group name, but they'll be welcome any time.
|
| 15. |
 |
أحمد [Ahmed]: Wood Blues (Astral
Spirits)
British quartet of Pat Thomas (piano), Joel Grip (bass), Antonin
Gerbal (drums), and Seymour Wright (alto sax), originally formed as a
tribute to bass/oud player Ahmed Abdul-Malik (1927-93), fourth album
since 2017, unless the 4-CD Giant Beauty box came out ahead of
it (looks like it did, by 4 days). I've had people tell me this is the
best live band on the planet. They probably thought the same of Cecil
Taylor in the 1970s. A- [sp]
|
| 16. |
 |
ØKSE: ØKSE (Backwoodz Studioz)
Free jazz quartet with an electronic twist -- "sound chemist"
Val Jeanty plays electronics, while bassist Petter Eldh also
wields sampler and synths, along with saxophonist Mette Rasmussen
and drummer Savannah Harris -- but four (of eight) pieces also
feature guest rappers: Elucid, Billy Woods, Maassal, and Cavalier.
Remarkable on all counts. **
|
| 17. |
 |
Dave Rempis/Jason Adasiewicz/Joshua Abrams/Tyler Damon:
Propulsion (Aerophonic)
Saxophonist (alto, tenor, baritone) from Chicago, first appeared
replacing Mars Williams in Vandermark 5 and immediately established
himself as one of the world's greats. He's been releasing 3-5 new
albums per year, some a bit rough for my taste, but most are so
brilliant even that can be an advantage. Not much to differentiate his
many releases, but key value added here comes from the
vibraphonist.
|
| 18. |
 |
Advancing on a Wild Pitch: Disasters, Vol. 2 (Hot Cup)
Bassist Moppa Elliott again, the highly recommended 2022 release of
Disasters, Vol. 1 credited to his old band, Mostly Other People
Do the Killing. Back to a quintet here, with Sam Kulik (trombone),
Charles Evans (baritone sax), Danny Fox (piano), and Christian Coleman
(drums). Title reflects on his heritage, with seven songs (36:01) each
"named after towns in Pennsylvania that experienced historical
disasters." Sounds like unfinished bebop from the 1950s, riffing over
barely-controlled swing. **
|
| 19. |
 |
Walter Smith III: Three of Us Are From Houston and Reuben
Is Not (Blue Note)
Tenor saxophonist, from Houston, debut 2006 -- with bassist Reuben
Rogers, who returns here (he's from the Virgin Islands), along with
two other Houston natives who have made names for themselves: Jason
Moran (piano) and Eric Harland (drums). Exemplary postbop, nicely
balanced, ever-shifting, sketchy but pointed. **
|
| 20. |
 |
Dan Weiss: Even Odds (Cygnus)
Drummer, over 100 side-credits since 1998, a dozen-plus of his own
compositions since 2005, the latter I rarely enjoyed but here he tries
something different: a bare-bones trio with brilliant improvisers --
Miguel Zenón (alto sax) and Matt Mitchell (piano) -- making the most
out of his broken free rhythms.
|
| 21. |
 |
QOW Trio: The Hold Up (Ubuntu Music)
British trio -- Riley Stone-Longeran (tenor sax), Eddie Myer (bass),
Spike Wells (drums) -- second album after an eponymous debut in 2020,
basically a retro-bop band, name taken from a Dewey Redman song, Wells
old enough to have played with Tubby Hayes. No complaints here if the
saxophonist sounds a lot like Sonny Rollins. **
|
| 22. |
 |
Ivo Perelman/Mark Helias/Tom Rainey: Truth Seeker (Fundacja Sluchaj)
Tenor sax/bass/drums trio, his ideal format (apologies to Shipp),
especially when he gets a bassist this remarkable. **
|
| 23. |
 |
Queen Esther: Things Are Looking Up (EL)
Bio is evasive beyond raised in Atlanta and "embedded" in Charleston,
Discogs says "vocalist, songwriter, lyricist, producer, musician,
actor, performance artist, TED Speaker and playwright," credits
her with 7 albums (but not yet this one), also six groups (Hoosegow,
JC Hopkins Biggish Band, The 52nd Street Blues Project, The Harlem
Experiment, The Memp0his Blood Jugband Singers, Yallopin' Hounds).
Last I heard was the banjo-fied roots album Gild the Black Lily
(an A-), so I was surprised and taken aback by the jazz diva styling
here, before the fine print revealed a Billie Holiday project, with
the few original songs credited to Lenny Molotov. Replay required,
and worth it. Promised later this year: "the alt-Americana album
Blackbirding."
|
| 24. |
 |
Dave Rempis/Pandelis Karayorgis/Jakob Heinemann/Bill Harris: Truss (Aerophonic/Drift)
Alto/tenor/baritone saxophone, with piano, bass, and drums. Two long
pieces. I've grown accustomed to the free jazz thrash, finding it both
stimulating and relaxing, heightened, of course, by the fascinating
various stretches of foreplay.
|
| 25. |
 |
Jim Snidero: For All We Know (Savant)
Alto saxophonist, many albums since 1989, straightforward trio
here with Peter Washington (bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums),
playing eight standards. Splendidly, of course.
|
| 26. |
 |
Julia Vari Feat. Negroni's Trio: Somos (Alternative
Representa)
Mexican-American standards singer, couple previous albums (but none on
Discogs), backed by Puerto Rican pianist José Negroni, who has at
least four Trio albums with Josh Allen (bass) and Nomar Negroni
(drums, José's son). Seven songs, 35:19, the sort of singer and trio I
rarely give a second thought to, but everything here delights me --
the torchy opener in Spanish, seguing into "Nature Boy," "Song for My
Father" with lyrics in Portuguese, and especially the bits of French
in "C'est si bon," a language I know just well enough to feel the
phrase without having to translate it.
|
| 27. |
 |
Chris Potter/Brad Mehldau/John Patitucci/Brian Blade: Eagle's
Point (Edition)
The tenor saxophonist's album, his pieces, but all four surnames on
the cover, fellow stars at piano, bass, and drums. Potter also plays
soprano sax and bass clarinet. When he gets going, he can be quite
astonishing. Mehldau is equally impressive, when he gets his
opportunities, as here. **
|
| 28. |
 |
Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Open Me, a Higher
Consciousness of Sound and Spirit (Spiritmuse)
Chicago percussionist and vocalist (perhaps a bit too much),
celebrates fifty years of mostly working within this ensemble, lately
a trio with Corey Wilkes (trumpet) and Alex Harding (baritone sax),
supplemented here by James Sanders (violin/viola) and Ishmael Ali
(cello). A potent mix here, especially on the funk classic "Compared
to What" -- vocal is perfect there. **
|
| 29. |
 |
David Murray Quartet: Francesca (Intakt)
Tenor sax great, includes a bit more than his usual bass clarinet
special, other names on the cover: Marta Sanchez (piano), Luke Stewart
(bass), Russell Carter (drums). Sounds great, if a bit more relaxed
than usual. (Of course, no sooner than I write that line, he rips off
a monstrous solo.) **
|
| 30. |
 |
Matthew Shipp Trio: New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz (ESP-Disk)
Pianist, has been major since c. 1990, both on his own records and
accompanying saxophonists, notably David S. Ware and Ivo
Perelman. Went through an avant-jazztronica that I was so taken by I
wound up writing a consumer
guide to his work (plus a lot more by William Parker) and a
Rolling Stone guide
entry. Since then, he's refocused on trio and solo albums,
exhaustively it can seem. This is his sixth trio album with Michael
Bisio (bass) and Newman Taylor Baker (drums), following many more with
various others (starting with Parker and Whit Dickey, then Bisio and
Dickey). I've heard pretty much all of them, and still I have no idea
what the "new concepts" are here. This is, however, a superb sample of
what he's been doing for many years now.
|
| 31. |
 |
Amanda Gardier: Auteur (Music Inspired by the Films of Wes Anderson) (self-released)
Alto saxophonist, based in Baltimore, third album, quartet with
Charlie Ballantine (guitar, a major factor here), Jesse Wittman
(bass), and Dave King (drums). I don't have any idea what the tie-in
to the films might be, but something inspired her.
|
| 32. |
 |
Houston Person/Peter Beets: Live in Holland: Houston Person
Meets Peter Beets Trio (2024, Maxanter)
I get nervous when I see a live album without the recording date,
especially when the star up around 89. His first notes here sound as
strong as ever, but that was also true of his eature turn in Emmet
Cohen's Master Legacy Series Volume 5, which I have reliably
dated to 2023. Beets is a Dutch pianist I should probably learn more
about: he has several albums on Criss Cross (Chopin Meets the
Blues is one on a recurring theme), other albums back to 1997,
ranging from Concertgebouw to an ICP quartet with Han Bennink, with an
Oscar Peterson tribute along the way. Beets is in Peterson mode
here. Norman Granz would love this. **
|
| 33. |
 |
Four + Six: Four + Six (Jazz Hang)
The Four is a saxophone quartet of Mark Watkins, Ray Smith, Sandon
Mayhew, and Jon Gudmundson. Their names adorn the top border of the
cover, so by one convention I often follow, I could have listed them
for the artist credit, but then I should also follow the "Plus Six"
named in the other borders, from left to bottom to right: Derrick
Gardner (trumpet), Vincent Gardner (trombone), Corey Christiansen
(guitar), Justin Nielsen (piano), Braun Khan (bass), Kobie Watkins
(drums). But only three or four of those names ring a bell for me --
I'm a bit confused on my Gardners -- and I usually save the
cover-listed instruments for the body. Saxophonist Mark Watkins
composed and arranged this, upbeat, richly textured, superb big
band lacking only the conventional brass overload.
|
| 34. |
 |
Charles Lloyd: The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
(Blue Note, 2CD)
Tenor saxophonist, released this album on his 86th birthday (any
reason Blue Note can't give you recording dates?), was sort of a
crossover star in the late 1960s, solidified his career when he moved
to ECM in 1989, remaining pre-eminent within his move to Blue Note in
2013. Also plays some alto here, as well as bass and alto
flute. Backed by Jason Moran (piano), Larry Grenadier (bass), and
Brian Blade (drums), a sprawling 15 songs (90:25). Longer than I'd
like as a straight-through stream, but the CD/LP versions would break
that up into manageable chunks, and it would be hard to pick among
them. He's in fine form throughout, and the band (especially Moran)
are superb. **
|
| 35. |
 |
Ivanna Cuesta: A Letter to the Earth (Orenda)
y2
Drummer, from Dominican Republic, studied there and at Berklee, based
in Boston, first album, composed by, also credited with electronics,
with Ben Solomon (sax), Kris Davis (piano), and Max Ridley (bass) --
all terrific here. Bit of guest vocal at the end (Pauli Camou). **
|
| 36. |
 |
Idit Shner & Mhondoro: Ngatibatanei [Let Us Unite!] (OA2)
Alto saxophonist, based in Oregon, as is her group, although they
channel Zimbabwe, most directly through percussionist John Mambira
(and vocal on the title cut), but with music far more universal.
|
| 37. |
 |
Jason Stein/Marilyn Crispell/Damon Smith/Adam Shead: Spi-raling
Horn (Balance Point Acoustics)
Bass clarinet player, has gotten steadily better since his 2007 debut,
adds a stellar pianist to his recent bass-drums trio. **
|
| 38. |
 |
Kirk Knuffke: Super Blonde (SteepleChase)
Cornet player, albums since 2007 range from free to mainstream, often
superb either way. This one is mostly standards, sharply etched, with
a mainstream rhythm section of two bassists (Jay Anderson and Thommy
Andersson) and drums (Adam Nussbaum). **
|
| 39. |
 |
Claudio Scolari Project: Intermission (Principal)
Italian drummer, discography goes back to 2004, seventh group album
(although Discogs only lists two), quartet features a second drummer,
Daniele Cavalca (also keyboards, with Scolari some "synth
programming"), trumpet (Simone Scolari), and electric bass (Michele
Cavalca). Occasionally hits an Miles Davis fusion vibe, which is
excellent, but not really the point, so it tails off into something
more ambient, which is also fine.
|
| 40. |
 |
Ivo Perelman/Barry Guy/Ramon Lopez: Interaction (Ibeji Music)
Tenor sax, bass, drums/tabla. An exceptionally fine outing for the
saxophonist, divided into two parts (73:52 + 55:18). **
|
| 41. |
 |
Roberto Ottaviano/Danilo Gallo/Fernando Faraò: Lacy in the
Sky With Diamonds (Clean Feed)
Italian soprano saxophonist, fairly long list of albums since 1985,
here with bass and drums, playing seven Steve Lacy songs plus a few
originals/improvs with a bit of "These Foolish Things." **
|
| 42. |
 |
Charlie Kohlhase's Explorer's Club: A Second Life (Mandorla Music)
Saxophonist (alto, tenor, baritone), based in Boston, Discogs credits
him on 48 albums since 1985 (many with Either/Orchestra) but Wikipedia
hasn't noticed yet, third group album, an octet with tenor sax (Seth
Meicht), trumpet (Dan Rosenthal), trombone (Jeb Bishop), tuba (Josiah
Reibstein), guitar (Eric Hofbauer), bass, and drums. Originals plus
covers from Elmo Hope, Ornette Coleman, John Tchicai, and Roswell
Rudd. The bottom horns provide a lot of lift. **
|
| 43. |
 |
أحمد [Ahmed]: Giant Beauty
(2022 [2024], Fönstret, 5CD): Five more shows, each on its own disc
each a single piece 44:15-49:40 long, from five consecutive nights
in Stockholm (August 10-14, so after the April 2 Glasgow date on
Wood Blues). Too intense to play straight through, possibly
redundant if you're satisfied with Wood Blues, but something
where you can just pick a disc at random when the mood strikes. **
|
| 44. |
 |
Lux Quartet: Tomorrowland (2023 [2024], Enja/Yellowbird):
Co-led by Myra Melford (piano) and Allison Miller (drums), with Dayna
Stephens (tenor sax) and Scott Colley (bass). Relentlessly inventive
postbop, the pianist can delight and dazzle, the sax more tentative
but substantial,the rhythm always en garde.
|
| 45. |
 |
Miguel Zenón: Golden City (Miel Music)
Alto saxophonist, from Puerto Rico, has explored his roots music
extensively, but is mostly a postbop guy, with an Ornette Coleman
tribute on his résumé. Some Latin tinge here (but not much, or at
least not the main point), in an expansive set of pieces commissioned
by the Hewlett Foundation and SFJAZZ, themed for San Francisco,
performed by an all-star nonet that hits all the bases.
|
| 46. |
 |
John Surman: Words Unspoken (ECM)
British saxophonist (the whole family, but just soprano, baritone,
and bass clarinet here), avant-garde into the 1970s but settled
into ECM's ambient chill by 1979 and has been secure ever since.
With Rob Luft (guitar), Rob Waring (vibes), and Thomas Strønen
(drums). This one is exceptionally engaging.
|
| 47. |
 |
William Parker/Cooper-Moore/Hamid Drake: Heart Trio (AUM Fidelity)
Longtime collaborators, three-fourths of a quartet called In Order to
Survive, where they played bass, piano, and drums. Here they focus on
percussion and exotica, with Parker on doson ngoni, shakuhachi, bass
dudek, ney and Serbian flute, with Cooper-Moore on his ashimba and
hoe-handle harp, and Drake on frame drum as well as his usual kit. For
world-class virtuosi, it's a bit underwhelming, but that seems to be
the point.
|
| 48. |
 |
Kenny Barron: Beyond This Place (Artwork)
Pianist, I first really noticed him as a duet partner for Stan Getz
(People Time, 1991), but he started in the early 1970s (cf.
Peruvian Blue, 1974), is a DownBeat hall-of-famer, one of
the most storied jazz educators in history, and still pretty sharp
entering 80s. Helped out here by Steve Nelson (vibes), Kiyoshi
Kitagawa (bass), Johnathan Blake (drums), and especially Immanuel
Wilkins (alto sax). **
|
| 49. |
 |
Catherine Russell/Sean Mason: My Ideal (Dot Time)
Standards singer, eighth album since 2006, had a famous father but
their lives only overlapped seven years, with a great distance between
his early peak in the late 1920s and her late emergence (first album
at 50). Backed with just piano here, a young pianist steeped in blues
and stride, which makes her sound rather like Bessie Smith. (I'm
assuming that the August 2003 recording date is a typo.)
|
| 50. |
 |
Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sï Quartet: 3 Sides of the Coin
(Dafnison Music)
Cuban drummer, moved to New York in 1999, debut album in 2004 was
widely acclaimed, won a MacArthur in 2011, never any doubt about his
chops but I've been slow to warm to his records, at least until this
utter delight, with Ricky Rodriguez on electric bass, and star turns
by Martin Bejerano on piano and Peter Apfelbaum on soprano sax, tenor
sax, and flute.
|
| 51. |
 |
Joel Ross: Nublues (Blue Note)
Vibraphonist, fourth album since 2019, all on Blue Note, which
instantly made him some kind of star. No doubt he is, as is
his label mate and guest here, Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax). **
|
| 52. |
 |
Radam Schwartz: Saxophone Quartet Music (Arabesque)
Keyboard player, mostly organ, first album 1988, second on Muse 1995,
maybe a half-dozen approximately soul jazz albums since. This one is
something else, with Schwartz not playing but arranging for a
saxophone quartet (Marcus G Miller, Irwin Hall, Anthony Ware, Max
Schweber), with isolated guest spots (guitar, vocal, percussion).
Starts off delightful, mixes it up from there, ends with "My
Ship."
|
| 53. |
 |
Tomeka Reid Quartet: 3+3 (Cuneiform)
Cellist, based in Chicago, helped revitalize the post-2000 AACM, and
has an impressive list of albums since her 2015 Quartet,
finally a MacArthur "Genius" Fellow in 2022. Same group here, with
Mary Halvorson (guitar), Jason Roebke (bass), and Tomas Fujiwara
(drums). Three longish pieces: sags a bit in the middle but closes
real strong. **
|
| 54. |
 |
Patricia Brennan Septet: Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic)
Vibraphonist, if memory serves was the Poll winner for her debut
album, has since only grown more ambitious. Wrote compositions here,
also plays marimba and electronics, but this is mostly a powerhouse
group, with saxophonists Jon Irabagon and Mark Shim, trumpet (Adam
O'Farrill), bass (Kim Cass), drums (Marcus Gilmore), and percussion
(Mauricio Herrera).
|
| 55. |
 |
Alfredo Colón: Blood Burden (Out of Your Head)
Alto saxophonist, based in Brooklyn, first album, quartet with Lex
Korten (piano/keybs), Steve Williams (bass), and Connor Parks (drums),
original pieces plus a Son House blues. This develops impressively, in
the "spiritual jazz" vein pioneered by Coltrane, Sanders, and Ayler,
alongside more recent efforts by saxophonists like Nat Birchall.
|
| 56. |
 |
Albert Beger/Ziv Taubenfeld/Shay Hazan/Hamid Drake: Cosmic Waves (No Business)
Tenor saxophonist, born in Istanbul, grew up in Israel, studied at
Berklee, has a 1995 album, came to my attention with a pair of 2005
albums with William Parker under Hamid Drake's name. The others play
bass clarinet and bass, for a dicey free jazz jam, with the drummer as
impressive as ever.
|
| 57. |
 |
اسم ISM [Pat Thomas/Joel Grip/Antonin Gerbal]:
Maua (577)
London-based piano-bass-drums trio, at least one previous album, they
also form the core of the quartet known as [Ahmed]. Two pieces, the
41:15 title track, plus a 6:22 extra, with a very nice Bösendorfer
grand that may have slowed the group down a bit, just to relish the
sound. Title means "flowers" in Swahili. Not as dramatic as the
[Ahmed] albums, but this should help Thomas get recognition as one of
jazz's top-tier pianists. **
|
| 58. |
 |
Welf Dorr/Elias Meister/Dmitry Ishenko/Kenny Wollesen: So Far So Good (self-released)
Alto saxophonist, born in Germany, based in New York, first album
appears to be a Flowers for Albert thinking of Einstein not
Ayler, unless it was the group called Funk Monk. Backed by guitar,
accordion/electric bass, and drums, has traces of soul jazz and funk
fusion, but mostly as a vehicle for distinguished saxophone. **
|
| 59. |
 |
The Attic & Eve Risser: La Grande Crue (NoBusiness)
Portuguese tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado's trio (Gonçalo Almeida on
bass and Onno Govaert on drums), with several superb albums so far,
joined here by the French pianist, for another one.
|
| 60. |
 |
Julieta Eugenio: Stay (Cristalyn)
Tenor saxophonist, from Italy, based in New York, 2022 debut album
was one of the year's best. Mostly trio with Matt Dwonszyk (bass)
and Jonathan Barber (drums), adding Leo Genovese (Fender Rhodes)
on two tracks. Doesn't try to blow you away here, but is steady,
assured, and consistently engaging -- not a formula yet, not so
easy to normalize.
|
| 61. |
 |
Javon Jackson/Nikki Giovanni: Javon & Nikki Go
to the Movies (Solid Jackson/Palmetto)
Tenor saxophonist, started with Art Blakey 1987-90, led his first
album on Criss Cross in 1991, moved to Blue Note 1994-99, then to
Palmetto through 2008. He's been much less prominent since then,
mostly on his own label, but got some notice in 2022 for his album
with the famed poet (22 years his senior). They return here with a
mixed concept album. She's featured on three tracks, spread out to
make room for the movie-themed standards sung superbly by Nicole
Zuraitis, lavishly burnished with Jackson's saxophone.
|
| 62. |
 |
Layale Chaker & Sarafand: Radio Afloat (In a Circle)
Violinist, sings some, group with (Jake Charkley (cello), Philip Golub
(piano/keyboards), Sam Minais (bass), and John Hadfield (drums). The
occasional vocals lend this a Middle Eastern air, while the variety in
the instruments frees the violin up as the engaging solo lead.
|
| 63. |
 |
Samo Salamon/Vasil Hadzimanov/Ra-Kalam Bob Moses: Dances of
Freedom (Samo)
Slovenian guitarist, has many fine albums since 2003, also plays some
banjo here, with piano/keyboards and drums/percussion, both
outstanding.
|
| 64. |
 |
Nicole Glover: Plays (Savant)
Tenor saxophonist, from Oregon, First Record self-released in
2015, this is her second on Savant, trio with Tyrone Allen and Kayvon
Gordon plus guest Steve Nelson (vibes). Found line fits: "a deep, rich
tone, but also lots of modern edges." Opens strong, but holds you with
ballads. **
|
| 65. |
 |
Nicole Mitchell and Ballaké Sissoko: Bamako Chicago
Sound System (FPE)
The AACM flautist hosts the Malian kora player and his cohort, most
notably Fassery Diabaté (balafon) and Fatim Kouyaté (vocals), for a
session that's much more theirs than hers, even with backing from
additional jazz musicians Jeff Parker (guitar), Joshua Abrams (bass),
and JoVia Armstrong (percussion). This is pretty delightful. **
|
| 66. |
 |
Owen Broder: Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. Two (Outside
In Music)
Alto saxophonist, also plays baritone, more from the sessions that
generated Vol. One in 2022, four songs Johnny Hodges had a hand
in writing, four more he left his indelible mark on. Comparing them
against the originals would be hopeless, but they certainly evoke the
swing era Hodges towered over. With Riley Mulkerkar (trumpet), Carmen
Staaf (piano), Barry Stephenson III (bass), and Bryan Carter
(drums).
|
| 67. |
 |
Jason Robinson: Ancestral Numbers (Playscape)
Saxophonist (tenor/soprano here, also alto flute), albums since 1998,
composed everything here, thinking about his ancestors. Quintet with
Michael Dessen (trombone), Joshua White (piano), Drew Gress (bass),
and Ches Smith (drums). Interesting throughout, but took me a while to
work through all of it.
|
| 68. |
 |
Jason Robinson: Ancestral Numbers II (Playscape)
Might as well recycle my review of the previous album, released back
in May: Saxophonist (tenor/soprano here, also alto flute), albums
since 1998, composed everything here, thinking about his
ancestors. Quintet with Michael Dessen (trombone), Joshua White
(piano), Drew Gress (bass), and Ches Smith (drums). Interesting
throughout, and this time connected even quicker.
|
| 69. |
 |
Delfeayo Marsalis Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Crescent City
Jewels (Troubadour Jass)
The famous family's trombonist stays closest to home, especially in
spirit, with a big band (and then some). "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" (Kermit
Ruffins vocal) never needed this kind of firepower, but it's wonderful
to behold. Only "Lil Liza Jane" returns to that vein, but the more
generic standards are often delightful -- notably what may be the best
"'Round Midnight" (Tonya Boyd-Cannon vocal) I've heard.
|
| 70. |
 |
Beholder Quartet: Suspension of Disbelief (Sachimay)
Streaming sources list this as Beholder Trio, but cover says Quartet,
as does a previous album -- a still earlier trio is simply credited to
Beholder. Group of Dan DeChellis (piano), John Philip Tomasic
(guitar), Jeffrey Slater (electric bass), and Zach Martin
(drums). DeChellis has albums back to 1998, including a 1999 trio with
Tomasic, and a later series of albums with avant saxophonist Gary
Hassay. Very interesting album, even in the slow spots. **
|
| 71. |
 |
Beings: There Is a Garden (No Quarter)
New York-based quartet of Zoh Amba (tenor sax, mostly), Steve Gunn
(guitar), Shahzad Ismaily (bass, synth), and Jim White (drums).
I never thought of Gunn as a jazz musician, and he doesn't have
to be one when filling in behind Amba's sax or piano (even more
indebted to Charles Gayle than her sax), but when she sings, he
presents a Velvet Underground vibe so she can be Moe Tucker. No
attempt at fusion here. Just multiplicities. **
|
| 72. |
 |
Maria Faust Jazz Catastrophe: 3rd Mutation: Moth (Bush Flash)
Alto saxophonist, from Estonia, based in Copenhagen, albums since
2008, Jazz Catstrophe released a big band album in 2013, this
"mutation" appears to be a trio, with guitar (Lars Bech Pilgaard) and
drums (Anders Vestergaard) but sounds bigger. Am I missing something?
**
|
| 73. |
 |
Gilbert Holmström: Peak (Moserobie)
Swedish tenor saxophonist, b. 1937, debut as leader in 1965 with
a free jazz quintet, led a fusion group in the 1970s called Mount
Everest. Not a lot of records over the years, but they're fairly
evenly spaced out. This, at 86, is a quintet with trumpet (Erik
Kimestad), piano (Mathias Landæus), bass, and drums, playing
four freebop originals and two Ennio Morricone themes.
|
| 74. |
 |
Hermanos Gutiérrez: Sonido Cósmico (Easy Eye Sound)
Brothers Alejandro (guitar/lap steel) and Estevan (guitar/percussion),
names and much of their music deriving from an Ecuadorian mother, but
their father is Swiss, and they at least grew up in and are based in
Zurich. After four self-released albums, Dan Auerbach (Black Keys)
signed them to his Nashville label, and released El Bueno y el
Malo in 2022. More in this sequel, as calming as new age hoped
for, with just enough Latin tinge and other cosmic exotica to keep it
fascinating. **
|
| 75. |
 |
Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet: Four Guitars Live (Palilalia)
Guitarist, from Florida, started in rock groups, notably one from
1992-96 he co-led with then-wife Adris Hoyos called Harry Pussy. He
released a solo album in 1996, then many more after 2011, along with
avant-jazz collaborations (especially with Chris Corsano). His largest
project, Music for Four Guitars, appeared in 2022, with Wendy
Eisenberg, Ava Mendoza, and Shane Parish. Here they take their 30:58
set on the road, stretching it to 58:14. **
|
| 76. |
 |
Ernesto Rodrigues/Bruno Parinha/João Madeira: Into the Wood (Creative Sources)
Portuguese trio: viola, bass clarinet, bass. Live improv set, the
bassist does an exceptional job of binding the sounds together into an
engine of endless fascination.
|
| 77. |
 |
Mathias Højgaard Jensen: Is as Is (Fresh Sound New Talent)
Danish bassist, lives in Brooklyn, probably his first album as leader
(Discogs has three side credits since 2019, his website has 13), all
his pieces, quartet with David Mirarchi (alto sax), Jacob Sacks
(piano), and Steven Crammer (drums). This is very nice: subtle and
intricate postbop that sneaks up on you.
|
| 78. |
 |
Mercer Hassy Orchestra: Duke's Place (Mercer Hassy)
Japanese big band, leader "was born as Masahide Hashimoto in Sapporo,
Japan," home base for this exceptionally racous and rather raunchy
Ellington tribute band. He is credited as arranger, also for drum
programming and guitar. Several vocals, lots of excitement. Group has
two previous albums, one in this vein (Sir Duke), the other
more varied (Don't Stop the Carnival). Hassy has a
non-Orchestra album with strings and traditional Japanese instruments,
but also Alan Pasqua and Peter Erskine. This one slops off here and
there, but is too much fun not so share.
|
| 79. |
 |
I Am Three: In Other Words (Leo)
Nikolaus Neuser (trumpet), Silke Eberhard (alto sax/percussion),
and Christian Marlen (drums), song credits split 4-2-5. Group
name comes from Mingus, the subject of their two previous
albums: Mingus Mingus Mingus (2015) and Mingus' Sound
of Love (2018, with Maggie Nichols). **
|
Also added the following older albums after freezing the 2022
year-end file:
| 1. |
 |
Espen Berg: Water Fabric (Odin)
Norwegian pianist, dozen or so albums since 2007. Cover shows
"featuring": Hayden Powell (trumpet), Harpreet Bansal (violin), Ellie
Mäkelä (viola), Joakim Munker (cello), Per Oddvar Johansen
(drums). I'm not often a big fan of strings, but here they take themes
that start enchanting and raise them to something magnificent. **
|
| 2. |
 |
Bex Burch: There Is Only Love and Fear (International
Anthem)
Percussionist, from London, but ranges far and wide (Ghana and Berlin
are mentioned), makes her own instruments, calls this first album
"messy minimalism." It's messy, but that's where the charm
emerges. **
|
| 3. |
 |
Xaver Hellmeier: X-Man in New York (Cellar Music)
German drummer, based in Munich, but went to New York to study with
Joe Farnsworth, which set him up for a first album recorded in Van
Gelder Studios with what must be his dream band: Jeremy Pelt
(trumpet), Eric Alexander (tenor sax), David Hazeltine (piano), and
Peter Washington (bass). I've long admired that group (and
Farnsworth), but it's been a while since they've put their skills to
such inspired use. **
|
Honorable Mention
Additional jazz rated B+(***), listed alphabetically.
- Acceleration Due to Gravity: Jonesville: Music by and for Sam Jones (Hot Cup, EP)
- Nick Adema: Urban Chaos (ZenneZ)
- Arooj Aftab: Night Reign (Verve) **
- Ben Allison/Steve Cardenas/Ted Nash: Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols (Sonic Camera) **
- Gonçalo Almeida: States of Restraint (Clean Feed) **
- Altus: Mythos (Biophilia) *
- Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werlin: Ghosted II (Drag City) **
- Roxana Amed: Becoming Human (Sony Music Latin)
- Jason Anick/Jason Yeager: Sanctuary (Sunnyside)
- Sam Anning: Earthen (Earshift Music)
- Andrew Barker/William Parker/Jon Irabagon: Bakunawa (Out of Your Head) **
- Basic: This Is Basic (No Quarter) **
- BassDrumBone: Afternoon (Auricle)
- Alex Beltran: Rift (Calligram)
- Pat Bianchi: Three (21H) **
- Black Lives: People of Earth (Jammin' Colors) **
- Blue Moods: Swing & Soul (Posi-Tone) **
- Benjamin Boone: Confluence: The Ireland Sessions (Origin)
- Borderlands Trio [Stephan Crump/Kris Davis/Eric McPherson]: Rewilder (Intakt) **
- Geoff Bradfield: Colossal Abundance (Calligram)
- Anthony Branker & Imagine: Songs My Mom Liked (Origin)
- Alan Braufman: Infinite Love Infinite Tears (Valley of Search) **
- Isrea Butler: Congo Lament (Vegas)
- Jonas Cambien: Jonas Cambien's Maca Conu (Clean Feed) **
- Nicola Caminiti: Vivid Tales of a Blurry Self-Portrait (self-released)
- Gerald Cannon: Live at Dizzy's Club: The Music of Elvin & McCoy (Woodneck) **
- Gunhild Carling: Jazz Is My Lifestyle! (Jazz Art)
- Kim Cass: Levs (Pi)
- Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop: A Canadian Songbook (Three Pines) **
- Bill Charlap Trio: And Then Again (Blue Note) **
- The Choir Invisible [Charlotte Greve/Vinnie Sperazza/Chris Tordini]: Town of Two Faces (Intakt) **
- Carl Clements: A Different Light (Greydisc)
- Coco Chatru Quartet: Future (Trygger Music)
- Stephan Crump: Slow Water (Papillon Sounds)
- Amalie Dahl's Dafnie: Står Op Med Solen (Sonic Transmissions/Aguirre) **
- The Kris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet (Pyroclastic)
- Jon De Lucia: The Brubeck Octet Project (Musæum Clausum)
- Michael Dease: Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill (Origin)
- Devouring the Guilt: Not to Want to Say (Kettle Hole)
- Yelena Eckemoff: Romance of the Moon (L&H Production)
- Edition Redux: Better a Rook Than a Pawn (Audiographic '23) **
- Signe Emmeluth: Banshee (Motvind) **
- John Escreet: The Epicenter of Your Dreams (Blue Room Music)
- Ethel & Layale Chaker: Vigil (In a Circle)
- Alon Farber Hagiga With Dave Douglas: The Magician: Live in Jerusalem (Origin)
- Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly: Mestizk (International Anthem) **
- Fire!: Testament (Rune Grammofon) **
- Delia Fischer: Beyond Bossa (Origin)
- Flukten: Flukten (Odin) **
- Adam Forkelid: Turning Point (Prophone)
- Anne Foucher & Jean-Marc Foussat: Chair Ça (Fou)
- Jean-Marc Foussat/Daunik Lazro: Trente-Cinq Minutes & Vingt-Trois Secondes (Fou)
- Eric Frazier: That Place Featuring "Return of the Panther Woman" (EFP Productions)
- Friends & Neighbors: Circles (Clean Feed) **
- Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Jet Black (Libra)
- Satoko Fujii Quartet: Dog Days of Summer (Libra)
- Joel Futterman/William Parker: Why (Soul City Sounds) **
- Marshall Gilkes and WDR Big Band: Life Songs (Alternate Side) **
- Frode Gjerstad Trio: Unknown Purposes (Circulasione Totale) **
- Gordon Grdina/Christian Lillinger: Duo Work (Attaboygirl)
- Gordon Grdina's the Marrow: With Fathieh Honari (Attaboygirl)
- Guillermo Gregorio: Two Trios (ESP-Disk '23)
- Andrea Grossi Blend 3 + Jim Black: Axes (We Insist!) **
- Russell Haight: Go Forth (OA2)
- Jared Hall: Influences (Origin)
- Sarah Hanahan: Among Giants (Blue Engine) **
- Aaron Yale Heisler: Guitar Sketches (Toronto 2008-24) (2nd Bechet Century) **
- Alden Hellmuth: Good Intentions (Fresh Sound New Talent)
- Enrique Heredia Trio: Plays Herbie Nichols (Fresh Sound) **
- Daniel Humair/Samuel Blaser/Heiri Känzig [Helveticus]: Our Way (Blaser Music) **
- Ill Considered: Precipice (New Soil) **
- Jon Irabagon Trio + One: Dinner & Dancing (Irabbagast) **
- Vijay Iyer: Compassion (ECM) **
- Keefe Jackson/Raoul van der Weide/Frank Rosaly: Live at de Tanker (Kettle Hole)
- Jazz at the Ballroom: Flying High: Big Band Canaries Who Soared (Jazz at the Ballroom)
- Joel and the Neverending Sextet: Marbled (Motvind) **
- Goran Kajfeš Tropiques: Tell Us (We Jazz) **
- Kaze: Unwritten (Circum/Libra)
- Izumi Kimura/Barry Guy/Gerry Hemingway: Six Hands Open as One (Fundacja Sluchaj)
- Anni Kiviniemi Trio: Eir (We Jazz) **
- Brian Landrus: Plays Ellington & Strayhorn (Palmetto)
- Matt Lavelle & the 12 Houses: The Crop Circles Suite Part One (Mahakala Music) **
- Ellie Lee: Escape (self-released)
- Janel Leppin: Ensemble Volcanic Ash: To March Is to Love (Cuneiform) *
- Frank London/The Elders: Spirit Stronger Than Blood (ESP-Disk)
- John Lurie: Painting With John (Royal Potato Family) **
- Nduduzo Makhathini: Unomkhubulwane (Blue Note) **
- Ron McClure: Just Sayin' (SteepleChase) **
- Chad McCullough: In These Hills, Beyond (Calligram)
- Terence McManus: Music for Chamber Trio (Rowhouse Music)
- Michael McNeill: Barcode Poetry (Infrasonic Press)
- Charles McPherson: Reverence (Smoke Sessions) **
- Ava Mendoza/Dave Sewelson: Of It but Not Is It (Mahakala Music) **
- The Messthetics/James Brandon Lewis: The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis (Impulse!) **
- Matt Mitchell: Zealous Angles (Pi)
- Move: Free Baile: Live in Shenzhen (Clean Feed) **
- Riley Mulherkar: Riley (Westerlies)
- Mute: After You've Gone (Endectomorph Music) *
- Simon Nabatov Quartet Feat. Ralph Alessi: Lovely Music (Clean Feed) **
- The New Wonders: Steppin' Out (Turtle Bay) **
- Michael Pagán: Paganova (Capri)
- Emile Parisien Quartet: Let Them Cook (ACT) **
- William Parker & Ellen Christi: Cereal Music (AUM Fidelity)
- Hery Paz: River Creatures (Porta Jazz) **
- Ken Peplowski: Live at Mezzrow [Smalls Live Living Masters Series] (Cellar Music) **
- Ivo Perelman/Tom Rainey: Duologues 1: Turning Point (Ibeji Music) **
- Madeleine Peyroux: Let's Walk (Just One Recording/Thirty Tigers) **
- Planet D Nonet: Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol. 2 (Eastlawn)
- Dave Rempis/Tashi Dorji Duo: Gnash (Aerophonic)
- Travis Reuter: Quintet Music (self-released)
- Steph Richards: Power Vibe (Northern Spy) **
- Ron Rieder: Latin Jazz Sessions (self-released)
- Diego Rivera: With Just a Word (Posi-Tone) **
- Jeremy Rose & the Earshift Orchestra: Discordia (Earshift Music)
- Angelica Sanchez/Chad Taylor: A Moster Is Just an Animal You Haven't Met Yet (Intakt) **
- Marta Sanchez Trio: Perpetual Void (Intakt)
- Carla Santana/José Lencastre/Maria do Mar/Gonçalo Almeida: Defiant Ilussion (A New Wave of Jazz) **
- Scheen Jazzorkester & Cortex: Frameworks: Music by Thomas Johansson (Clean Feed) **
- Adam Schroeder/Mark Masters: CT! Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters Celebrate Clark Terry (Capri)
- Frank Paul Schubert/Michel Pilz/Stefan Scheib/Klaus Kugel: Live at FreeJazz Saar 2019 (Nemu)
- Dave Schumacher & Cubeye: Smoke in the Sky (Cellar)
- Claudio Scolari Project: Intermission (Principal)
- Dirk Serries/Rodrigo Amado/Andrew Lisle: The Invisible (Klanggalerie) **
- Matthew Shipp: The Data (RogueArt) *
- Nala Sinephro: Endlessness (Warp) **
- Josh Sinton: Couloir & Book of Practitioners Vol. 2: Book W (Form Is Possibility, 2CD)
- Matthew Shipp/Steve Swell: Space Cube Jazz (RogueArt) *
- SML: Small Medium Large (International Anthem) **
- Space: Embrace the Space (Relative Pitch) **
- Jason Stein: Anchors (Tao Forms)
- Stemeseder Lillinger Quartet: Umbra II (Intakt) **
- Geoff Stradling & the StradBand: Nimble Digits (Origin)
- Sulida: Utos (Clean Feed) **
- Kevin Sun: The Fate of the Tenor (Endectomorph Music) **
- Sunny Five [Tim Berne/David Torn/Ches Smith/Devin Hoff/Marc Ducret]: Candid (Intakt) **
- Ohad Talmor/Chris Tordini/Eric McPherson: Back to the Land (Intakt, 2CD) **
>Natsuki Tamura/Jim Black: NatJim (Libra)
- Natsuki Tamura/Satoko Fujii: Aloft (Libra)
- Tarbaby: You Think This America (Giant Step Arts) **
- Terton [Louie Belogenis/Trevor Dunn/Ryan Sawyer]: Outer, Inner, Secret (Tzadik) **
- Michael Thomas: The Illusion of Choice (Criss Cross) **
- Steve Turre: Sanyas (Smoke Sessions) **
- Oded Tzur: My Prophet (ECM) **
- Kiki Valera: Vacilón Santiaguero (Circle 9 Music)
- Peter Van Huffel's Callisto: Meandering Demons (Clean Feed) **
- Piet Verbist: Flamenco Jazz Summit: El Mar Empieza Aquí (Origin)
- Jack Walrath: Live at Smalls (Cellar Music) **
- Kamasi Washington: Fearless Moment (Young) **
- WHO Trio: Live at Jazz Festival Willisau 2023 First Visit (Ezz-Thetics) **
Also added the following older albums after freezing the 2023
year-end file:
- Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: Les Jardins Mystiques Vol. 1 (Brainfeeder '23, 3CD) **
- Edmar Castañeda World Ensemble: Viento Sur (self-released '23) **
- Guillermo Gregorio: Two Trios (ESP-Disk '23)
- Makiko Hirabayashi Trio: Meteora (Enja '23) **
- The Hot Toddies Jazz Band: The Hot Toddies Jazz Band (Prohibition Productions '23) **
- Pierrick Pédron/Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Pedron Rubalcaba (Gazebo '23) **
- Patrick Shiroishi: I Was Too Young to Hear Silence (American Dreams '23) **
Reissues/Historic Music
The standard for historic music is a record where everything was
recorded 10+ years ago, regardless of whether it's ever been in print
before. Some past lists may have treated previously unreleased music
as new (regardless of actual age), but I've never been able to manage
that distinction consistently. This category also includes compilations
of previously released music, including straight reissues, although my
selection is very erratic.
| 1. |
 |
Sonny Rollins: Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings (1959, Resonance, 3CD)
Starts with a set I've heard before as St. Thomas in Stockholm
1959, which I've long recommended as one of his best live sets,
and rarely drops below that level as he moves on across Europe, trios
with Henry Grimes on bass and various drummers (Pete La Roca, Kenny
Clarke, Joe Harris).
|
| 2. |
 |
Mal Waldron/Steve Lacy: The Mighty Warriors: Live in Antwerp (1995, Elemental Music, 2CD)
Piano and soprano sax giants, often played as a duo, but are joined
here by Reggie Workman (bass) and Andrew Cyrille (drums), who are
precisely the rhythm section one might pray for. Long pieces, timed
for four 23-25 minute LP sides, the two shorter ones Monk covers, a
shared bond.
|
| 3. |
 |
Alice Coltrane: The Carnegie Hall Concert (1971, Impulse!)
Pianist and harpist, formerly Alice McLeod, of Detroit, her mother a
choir singer, others in the family had musical careers, while she had
a trio and played with others (Terry Pollard, Terry Gibbs; possibly
her first husband, singer Kenny Hagood). She married John Coltrane in
1965, joined his quartet in 1966 (replacing McCoy Tyner), and had
three children with him (most famous is Ravi Coltrane), but he died in
1967. In 1968, she released her own album, A Monastic Trio,
and followed it with six more, also on Impulse!, through 1973,
continuing on other labels through 1978, a few more later on. This
live concert, part of which was previously released in 2018 as Live
at Carnegie Hall, 1971, happened about the same time as what was
perhaps her best known album, Journey in Satchidananda
appeared. Title song leads off here (15:02), followed by three more
pieces, centered on the 28:09 "Africa." She did much to develop the
spiritual side of her husband's legacy, and if you follow the reviews,
you may detect its center of gravity shifting from him to her: she
was, after all, the one who lived the life. But compared to most
recent reissues, this concert most securely links her back to his
music, most obviously through bassists Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee,
and saxophonists Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp. But her harp is
developing (though it is her piano that brings "Africa" to its
climax), and she adds harmonium (Kumar Kramer) and tamboura (Tulsi
Reynolds), along with two drummers (Ed Blackwell and Clifford
Jarvis). I've listened to most of her albums, but this is the first
one that really moved me. **
|
| 4. |
 |
Karen Borca Trio Quartet & Quintet: Good News Blues:
Live at the Vision Festival 1998 & 2005 (No Business)
One of the few bassoon players in any branch of jazz, especially in
free jazz, she led groups so rarely that this is her first collection
as leader, but Discogs credits her with 30 albums, many with her
husband, Jimmy Lyons, also Cecil Taylor, William Parker, Joel
Futterman, Alan Silva, Bill Dixon. The early set here has Parker and
Rob Brown (alto sax). Brown returns for the late set, with Reggie
Workman, and is stellar throughout.
|
| 5. |
 |
Mars Williams & Hamid Drake: I Know You Are but What Am I (1996, Corbett vs. Dempsey)
The late saxophonist (1955-2023, credited here with "reeds"), started
with Hal Russell and continued his NRG Ensemble after Russell's death,
bringing in Ken Vandermark for reinforcements, leading to his work in
the first edition of the Vandermark 5. Williams' avant-gardism
branched out into rock and acid jazz (Liquid Soul), as well as more
esoteric ventures (like multiple volumes of An Ayler
Xmas). This tape with exceptional drums is just what friends and
fans most remember him for. **
|
| 6. |
 |
Charles Gayle/Milford Graves/William Parker: WEBO
(1991, Black Editions Archive)
Tenor sax, drums, bass, a major new find in the late drummer's
archives, running just over 2 hours (2-CD, 3-LP). Gayle (1939-2023)
was like the truest heir of Albert Ayler, pushed to extremes I found
very difficult to take when I first ran into him, so my grades are
scattered, and likely in need of revision -- e.g., I still have
Repent (1992) as a B, but at least get Touchin' on Trane
at A-. This is in the same ballpark, but perhaps better mixed to
bring out the truly amazing bass and percussion. **
|
| 7. |
 |
Mal Waldron/Terumasa Hino: Reminicent Suite (1973
[2024], BBE): Pianist, started in the mid-1950s supporting singer
Billie Holiday, and may still be best known for that, but he
produced major works for Prestige 1956-62, and moved decisively
into avant-jazz later on, especially with Enja, ECM, and Soul Note.
He cut this quintet set in Japan with the well-known trumpet player,
each writing a side-long piece. **
|
| 8. |
 |
Phil Haynes' 4 Horns and What?: The Complete American
Recordings (1989-95, Corner Store Jazz)
Drummer, mostly associated with the late trumpet player Paul
Smoker (on all three sets here), also with Ellery Eskelin
(tenor sax, on the first two sets) and Herb Robertson (on
the last two, credited here with "multi-brass"). Other horns
here include Andy Laster (alto/bari sax/clarinet/flute on
all three sets), Joe Daley ("low brass" on the first), and
John Tchicai (tenor sax on the third). It's a formula that
generates a lot of excitement. **
|
| 9. |
 |
Grupo Irakere: Grupo Irakere (1976, Mr Bongo)
Legendary Cuban jazz group, founded by pianist Chucho Valdés in 1973,
second album, band toured Eastern Europe in 1977, and gained further
international notice when Columbia released an album in 1978, followed
by notable defections in 1980-81 (Paquito D'Rivera, Arturo Sandoval).
The band continued through 1997, when Valdés left, to be replaced by
his son, Chuchito (to 1999). Excitement everywhere. **
|
| 10. |
 |
Louis Armstrong: Louis in London (1968, Verve)
A previously unreleased BBC radio shot from July 2, 1968, billed as
his "last great performance," three years before his death in 1971. He
had been in decline for several years, often unable to play trumpet,
but his vocals remained endearing, with a couple songs turning into
big pop hits. He's credited with trumpet here, which seems good
enough, his voice even better, as he runs through thirteen songs, most
signature hits, a proper career summary. **
|
| 11. |
 |
Art Tatum: Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings (1953, Resonance, 3CD)
Legendary pianist (1909-56), remarkable facility -- a friend noted
that he often sounds like three guys playing at once -- starting with
his 1933 solos (later collected as Piano Starts Here) up to the
remarkable series recorded by Norman Granz from 1953-56, later boxed
up as The Tatum Solo Masterpieces and The Tatum Group
Masterpieces -- the latter's session with Ben Webster is an
all-time favorite. These sets are mostly trio, with Everett Barksdale
(guitar) and Slam Stewart (bass), occasionally dropping down to
solo. I wouldn't rate this among his very best work, with the later
sets going through his trademark motions, but the first disc is a real
delight.
|
| 12. |
 |
Austin Peralta: Endless Planets [Deluxe Edition] (2011, Brainfeeder)
Jazz pianist, also plays soprano sax, regarded as a prodigy, moved
from classical to jazz at 10, won a prize at 12, released his first
album at 16, died at 22, a year after this third album, touted now as
the first jazz release on the label (executive producer aka Flying
Lotus). Hints at fusion but never gets too comfortable, repeatedly
fracturing the rhythm, filling with Strangeloop electronics, and
giving the saxophonists (Zane Musa and Ben Wendel) free reign. Adds a
vocal by Heidi Vogel toward the end. Deluxe edition adds a second LP
of variations -- doesn't add much, other than cost, but reminds us of
the loss. **
|
| 13. |
 |
Christer Bothén Featuring Bolon Bata: Trancedance [40th
Anniversary Edition] (1984 [2024], Black Truffle)
Swedish tenor sax/bass clarinet player, first albums were
with Don Cherry, this was the first he led, Bolon Bata the
band name, went on to a second album in 1988. Before this
he lived and studied in Mali and Morocco, also playing doson
n'goni and guimbri here, the large groups featuring other
African instruments, and various vocals. **
|
| 14. |
 |
Atrás del Cosmos: Cold Drinks, Hot Dreams (1980, Blank
Forms Editions)
Reportedly the first free jazz group to come out of Mexico, but not
much known about they: this reissue is their only album in Discogs
(which doesn't have the original), nor is there much evidence of
members Ana Ruíz (piano), Henry West (sax), Evry Mann (drums), or
Claudio Enriquez (bass). Opens with heavy piano (think Cecil Taylor),
adds in the sax, then evolves into their own milieu. **
|
| 15. |
 |
Peter Brötzmann/Toshinori Kondo/Sabu Toyozumi: Complete
Link (2016, NoBusiness)
Tenor sax/tarogato, trumpet/electronics, drums. Within our ten-year
window for "new releases," with both of the principals recently
departed, this feels more like an archival find. They had a fairly
long run together in the quartet, with William Parker and Hamid Drake,
named for their first album, Die Like a Dog. I always found
their records a bit too abrasive, but here I'm not only not bothered,
I'm feeling a bit nostalgic.
|
| 16. |
 |
Wayne Shorter: Celebration, Volume 1 (2014, Blue Note)
First in a promised series of archival albums from the late
saxophonist, a live set from the Stockholm Jazz Festival with a
quartet of Danilo Perez (piano), John Patitucci (bass), and Brian
Blade (drums) -- the same quartet that put Shorter back in business
c. 2000 (cf. Footprints Live!). I've never been much of a
Shorter fan, but this group gets him going, finally convincing me that
there's something distinct to his soprano sax. **
|
| 17. |
 |
Roberto Magris: Love Is Passing Thru: Solo/Duo/Trio/Quartet
(2005, JMood)
Italian pianist, from Trieste, many albums since 1990, has been
rifling through old tapes recently, and has come up with an
exceptionally delightful one here. Recorded over two dates. This works
out to five solo tracks (including two takes of "Lush Life"), plus two
with drums and percussion (Enzo Carpentieri, some Balinese), three
more with bass (Danilo Gallo), and finally three with tenor sax
(Ettore Martin).
|
Also added the following older albums after freezing the 2023
year-end file:
| 1. |
 |
Terri Lyne Carrington: TLC & Friends (1981, Candid)
Drummer, from Massachusetts, father and grandfather were musicians
(latter played with Fats Waller and Chu Berry), was tutored by Alan
Dawson, recorded this when she was 16 but had some major league
friends: George Coleman (tenor sax), Kenny Barron (piano), Buster
Williams (bass). She wrote one song, but otherwise went with sure
covers, slipping Billy Joel between two Sonny Rollins tunes on the
second side, "St. Thomas" and "Sonny Moon for Two" (with her father
guesting as the second tenor sax). They're all having terrific
fun. **
|
Honorable Mention
Additional jazz rated B+(***), listed alphabetically.
- Cannonball Adderley: Poppin' in Paris: Live at L'Olympia 1972 (Elemental Music)
- Derek Bailey/Sabu Toyozumi: Breath Awareness (1987, NoBusiness)
- Arthur Blythe Quartet: Live From Studio Rivbea: July 6, 1976 (NoBusiness)
- Fingers: The Complete Fingers Remember Mingus (1979-93, Jazz in Britain, 3CD) **
- Emahoy Tsegue Maryam Gebru: Souvenirs (1977-85, Mississippi) **
- Johnny Griffin Quartet: Live in Valencia 92 [The Jordi Suñol Archives 3] (1992, Storyville) **
- Gush: Afro Blue (1998, Trost) **
- Joe Henderson: Power to the People (1969, Craft) **
- Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre: Live From Studio Rivbea: July 12, 1975 [Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 1] (No Business)
- Ron Miles: Old Main Chapel (2011, Blue Note) **
- Tony Oxley: Angular Apron (1992, Corbett vs. Dempsey) **
- Phil Ranelin: The Found Tapes: Live in Los Angeles (1978-1981, ORG Music) **
- Sonny Rollins: A Night at the Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters (1958, Blue Note, 2CD) **
- Pharoah Sanders: Festival de Jazz de Nice, Nice, France, July 18, 1971 (1971, Kipepeo Publishing) **
- Septet Matchi-Oul: Terremoto (1971, Souffle Continu) **
- Wayne Shorter: Celebration, Volume 1 (2014, Blue Note) **
- Pat Smythe Quartet: New Dawn: Live 1973 (British Progressive Jazz) **
- Tomasz Stanko Quartet: September Night (2004, ECM) **
- The Louis Stewart Trio: Louis the First (1975, Livia) **
- Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Pink Elephants on Parade (1985-90, Modern Harmonic) **
- Mars Williams/Darin Gray/Chris Corsano: Elastic (2012, Corbett vs. Dempsey) **
- Jack Wood: The Gal That Got Away: The Best of Jack Wood, Featuring Guest Niehaud Fitzgibbon (Jazz Hang)
Also added the following older albums after freezing the 2023
year-end file:
- Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru: Jerusalem (1972-2012, Mississippi '23) **
- Keith Jarrett: Solo-Concerts Bremen/Lausanne (1973, ECM '23) **
- Wes Montgomery: The Complete Full House Recordings (1962, Craft '23, 2CD) **
Notes
Additional new jazz records rated B+(**) or below (listed
alphabetically by artist).
- Jessica Ackerley: All of the Colours Are Singing (AKP) ** [B+(*)]
- Nicki Adams/Michael Eaton: The Transcendental (SteepleChase LookOut) ** [B+(**)]
- Cyrille Aimée: À Fleur De Peau (Whirlwind) ** [B+(**)]
- Albare: Beyond Belief (AM) [B+(*)]
- Erlend Albertsen Basspace: Name of the Wind (Dugnad Rec) ** [B+(**)]
- Melissa Aldana: Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Blue Note) ** [B+(**)]
- Neal Alger: Old Souls (Calligram) [B+(**)]
- JD Allen: The Dark, the Light, the Grey and the Colorful (Savant) ** [B+(**)]
- Alliance [Sharel Cassity/Colleen Clark]: Alliance (Shifting Paradigm) ** [B+(**)]
- Karrin Allyson: A Kiss for Brazil (Origin) [B+(**)]
- Gino Amato: Latin Crsossroads (Ovation) [B+(*)]
- John Ambrosini: Songs for You (self-released) [B]
- Robby Ameen: Live at the Poster Museum (Origin) [B+(**)]
- Bob Anderson: Live! (Jazz Hang) [B+(*)]
- Bill Anschell: Improbable Solutions (Origin) [B+(*)]
- Florian Arbenz: Conversation #10 & #11: ON! (Hammer) ** [B+(**)]
- Daymé Arocena: Alkemi (Brownswood) ** [B+(*)]
- Lynne Arriale Trio: Being Human (Challenge) [B+(**)]
- Byron Asher's Skrontch Music: Lord, When You Send the Rain (Sinking City) ** [B+(**)]
- Art Baden: How Much of It Is Real (Rainy Days) [B+(**)]
- Andy Baker: From Here, From There (Calligram) [B+(**)]
- Jim Baker/Steve Hunt/Jakob Heinemann: Horizon Scanners (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- John Basile: Heatin' Up (StringTime Jazz) [B+(*)]
- Jamie Baum Septet+: What Times Are These (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
- Oddgeir Berg Trio: A Place Called Home (Ozella) ** [B+(*)]
- Carlos Bica: 11:11 (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- Bruna Black/John Finbury: Vã Revelação (Green Flash) [B+(**)]
- Black Art Jazz Collective: Truth to Power (HighNote) ** [B]
- Blue Lab Beats: Blue Eclipse (Blue Adventure) ** [B]
- Stix Bones/Bob Beamon: Olimpik Soul (BONE Entertainment) [B+(*)]
- Anthony Braxton: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 (Braxton House) ** [B+(*)]
- Olie Brice/Rachel Musson/Mark Sanders: Immense Blue (West Hill) ** [B+(**)]
- Bridgetown Sextet: Functionizin' (Rivermont) ** [B+(**)]
- The Bobby Broom Organi-sation: Jamalot Live (Steele) [B+(*)]
- Peter Brötzmann/Paal Nilssen-Love: Chicken Shit Bingo (Trost) ** [B+(*)]
- Martin Budde: Back Burner (Origin) [B+(*)]
- Anne Burnell & Mark Burnell: This Could Be the Start of Something Big (Spectrum Music) [B]
- Chris Byars: Boptics (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
- Caporaso Ensemble: Encounter (Psychosomatic) [B+(*)]
- Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic: Strange Arts (Slow & Steady) [B+(**)]
- Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble: Elegy for Thelonious (Sunnyside) [B+(**)]
- James Carter: Un (Unaccompanied Baritone Saxophone) (J.M.I.) ** [B+(**)]
- George Cartwright & Bruce Golden: Dilate (self-released) ** [B+(*)]
- Etienne Charles: Creole Orchestra (Culture Shock) [B+(*)]
- Annie Chen: Guardians (JZ Music) [B]
- John Chin/Jeong Lim Yang/Jon Gruk Kim: Journey of Han (Jinsy Music) [B+(*)]
- Mina Cho's Grace Beat Quartet: "Beat Mirage" (International Gugak Jazz Institute) [B+(**)]
- Marc Ciprut: Moonshine (White Label) [B]/li>
- Dawn Clement/Steve Kovalcheck/Jon Hamar: Dawn Clement/Steve Kovalcheck/Jon Hamar Trio (self-released) [B+(*)]
- Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few: The Almighty (Division 81) ** [B+(**)]
- Commodore Trio: Communal - EP (self-relesed, EP) [B+(*)]
- Chick Corea & Béla Fleck: Remembrance (Thirty Tigers) ** [B]
- Zaccai Curtis: Cubop Lives! (Truth Revolution Recording Collective) ** [B+(**)]
- Jeremiah Cymerman: Body of Light (5049) ** [B+(*)]
- Daggerboard: Escapement (Wide Hive) [B+(**)]
- Jamale Davis: Run With the Hunted (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
- On Ka'a Davis: Here's to Another Day and Night for the LWA of the Woke (Tzadik) ** [B+(*)]
- Divr: Is This Water (We Jazz) ** [B+(*)]
- The Rob Dixon/Steve Allee Quintet: Standards Deluxe (self-released) [B+(**)]
- Arnaud Dolmen/Leonardo Montana; LéNo (Quai Son) [B+(**)]
- Giuseppe Doronzo/Andy Moor/Frank Rosaly: Futuro Ancestrale (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- Nick Dunston: Colla Voce (Out of Your Head) [B+(**)]
- Isabelle Duthoit & Franz Hautzinger: Dans le Morvan (Relative Pitch) ** [B+(*)]
- Gui Duvignau/Jacob Sacks/Nathan Ellman-Bell: Live in Red Hook (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
- Wendy Eisenberg: Viewfinder (American Dreams) ** [B+(**)]
- Empirical: Wonder Is the Beginning (Whirlwind) ** [B+(**)]
- Peter Erskine and the Jam Music Lab All-Stars: Bernstein in Vienna (Origin) [B+(**)]
- Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band: Walk a Mile in My Shoe (Imani) * [B+(*)]
- Christian Fabian Trio: Hip to the Skip (Spicerack) [B+(*)]
- Doug Ferony With His Swingin Big Band: Alright Okay You Win (Ferony Enterprizes Music) [B]
- Lawrence Fields: To the Surface (Rhythm 'N' Flow) ** [B+(**)]
- Ingebrigt Håker Flaten/(Exit) Knarr: Breezy (Sonic Transmissions) ** [B+(**)]
- Forq: Big Party (GroundUP) [B+(*)]
- Chad Fowler/Shanyse Strickland/Sana Nagano/Melanie Dyer/Ken Filiano/Anders Griffen: Birdsong (Mahakala Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Amaro Freitas: Y'Y (Psychic Hotline) ** [B+(**)]
- David Friesen: This Light Has No Darkness (Origin) [B]
- Bill Frisell: Orchestras (Blue Note) ** [B+(**)]
- The Fully Celebrated Orchestra: Sob Story (Relative Pitch) ** [B+(**)]
- FUR [Hélène Duret/Benjamin Sauzereau/Maxime Rouayroux]: Bond (Budapest Music Center) ** [B+(**)]
- Hilary Gardner: On the Trial With the Lonesome Pines (Anzic) ** [B+(*)]
- Kenny Garrett & Svoy: Who Killed AI? (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(**)]
- Frode Gjerstad/Margaux Oswald/Ivar Myrset Asheim: Another Step (Circulasione Totale) ** [B+(*)]
- Jose Gobbo Trio: Current (self-released) [B+(**)]
- The Vinny Golia Quintet 2024: Almasty (Nine Winds) ** [B+(**)]
- Phillip Golub: Abiding Memory (Endectomorph Music) [B+(**)]
- Dayramir González: V.I.D.A. [Verdad, Independencia, Diversidad Y Amor] (self-released) ** [B]
- The Sofia Goodman Group: Receptive (Joyous) [B+(*)]
- Jon Gordon: 7th Ave South (ArtistShare) [B+(*)]
- Vanisha Gould and Chris McCarthy: Life's a Gig (Fresh Sound New Talent) ** [B+(**)]
- María Grand With Marta Sánchez: Anohin (Biophilia) ** [B+(*)]
- Frank Gratkowski/Ensemble Modern: Mature Hybrid Talking (Maria de Alvear World Edition) ** [B+(**)]
- Erik Griswold/Chloe Kim/Helen Svoboda: Anatomical Heart (Earshift Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Gregory Groover Jr.: Lovabye (Criss Cross) ** [B+(**)]
- Morgan Guerin: Tales of the Facade (Candid) ** [B+(*)]
- Giovanni Guidi: A New Day (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
- The Haas Company [Featuring Andy Timmons]: Vol. 1: Galactic Tide (Psychiatric) [B]
- The Haas Company [Featuring Frank Gambale]: Vol. 2: Celestial Latitude (Psychiatric) [B+(**)]
- Marika Hackman: Big Sigh (Chrysalis) ** [B+(**)]
- Noah Haidu: Standards II (Sunnyside) [B+(**)]
- Mary Halvorson: Cloudward (Nonesuch) ** [B+(**)]
- Simon Hanes: Tsons of Tsunami (Tzadik) ** [B+(**)]
- Alex Harding/Lucian Ban: Blutopia (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
- Dave Harrington/Max Jaffe/Patrick Shiroishi: Speak, Moment (AKP) ** [B+(**)]
- Stefon Harris + Blackout: Sonic Creed Volume II: Life Signs (Motéma) ** [B+(*)]
- Joel Harrison & Alternative Guitar Summit: The Middle of Everywhere: Guitar Solos Vol. I (AGS) [B+(*)]
- Keyon Harrold: Foreverland (Concord) ** [B+(**)]
- Jo Harrop: The Path of a Tear (Lateralize) ** [B+(**)]
- Alexander Hawkins/Sofia Jernberg: Musho (Intakt) ** [B+(*)]
- Eirik Hegdal Eklektisk Samband: Turnchest (Particular) ** [B+(*)]
- Aaron Yale Heisler: Zoot's Soprano EP [Alternate Takes and Remixes From the Bechet Century] (2nd Bechet Century, EP) ** [B]
- Arve Henriksen/Harmen Fraanje: Touch of Time (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
- Jihee Heo: Flow (OA2) [B+(**)]
- Fred Hersch: Silent, Listening (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
- Jake Hertzog: Longing to Meet You (self-released) [B+(**)]
- Conrad Herwig: The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner (Savant) ** [B+(**)]
- Monika Herzig's Sheroes: All in Good Time (Zoho) [B+(**)]
- Christopher Hoffman: Vision Is the Identity (2024, Out of Your Head): [sp]: B+(*)
- Mike Holober & the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: This Rock We're On: Imaginary Letters (Palmetto, 2CD) [B]
- Hyeseon Hong Jazz Orchestra: Things Will Pass (Pacific Coast Jazz) [B+(**)]
- Hot Club of San Francisco: Original Gadjo (Hot Club) [B+(**)]
- Abdullah Ibrahim: 3 (Gearbox) ** [B+(*)]
- Ill Considered: Infrared (New Soil) ** [B+(**)]
- Mikko Innanen Autonomous: Hietsu (Fiasko) ** [B+(**)]
- Jon Irabagon: Survivalism (Irabbagast) ** [B+(*)]
- Jon Irabagon's Outright!: Recharge the Blade (Irabbagast) ** [B+(**)]
- Jon Irabagon: I Don't Hear Nothin' but the Blues: Volume 3 Part 2: Exuberant Scars (Irabbagast) ** [B+(**)]
- Ethan Iverson: Technically Acceptable (Blue Note) ** [B+(*)]
- Ize Trio: The Global Suites (self-released) [B+(*)]
- Eric Jacobson: Heading Home (Origin) [B+(*)]
- Janel & Anthony: New Moon in the Evil Age (Cuneiform) * [B+(**)]
- Jazz Ensemble of Memphis: Playing in the Yard (Memphis International) [B+(*)]
- Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O: True Story (New Soil/Mushroom Hour) ** [B+(**)]
- Norah Jones: Visions (Blue Note) ** [B+(*)]
- Danny Jonokuchi Big Band: A Decade (Bandstand Presents) [B+(*)]
- Benji Kaplan: Untold Stories (self-released) [B+(*)]
- Alex Kautz: Where We Begin (Sunnyside) [B+(*)]
- Roger Kellaway: Live at Mezzrow (Cellar Music) ** [B+(*)]
- Simone Keller: Hidden Heartache (Intakt) ** [B+(**)]
- Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones: New Monuments (We Jazz) ** [B+(**)]
- Cassie Kinoshi's SEED.: Gratitude (International Anthem) ** [B+(*)]
- Tobias Klein/Frank Rosaly/Maria Warelis: Tendresse (Relative Pitch) ** [B+(**)]
- Julien Knowles: As Many, as One (Biophilia) [B+(*)]
- Julian Lage: Speak to Me (Blue Note) ** [B+(*)]
- Last Word Quintet: Falling to Earth (Origin) [B+(**)]
- Bill Laurance/The Untold Orchestra: Bloom (ACT Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Andy Laverne: Spot On (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
- Remy Le Boeuf's Assembly of Shadows: Heartland Radio (SoundSpore) [B]
- David Leon: Bird's Eye (Pyroclastic) [B+(**)]
- Omer Leshem: Play Space (Ubuntu Music) [B+(**)]
- Molly Lewis: On the Lips (Jagjaguwar) ** [B+(*)]
- David Liebman & the CNY Jazz Orchestra: If a White Horse From Jerusalem . . . (CNY Jazz Arts Foundation) [B+(**)
- Live Edge Trio With Steve Nelson: Closing Time (OA2) [B+(**)]
- The Bruce Lofgren Group: Earthly and Cosmic Tales (Night Bird) [B]
- Doug MacDonald: Sextet Session (DMAC Music) [B+(*)]
- Doug MacDonald and the Coachella Valley Trio: Live at the Rancho Mirage Library (DMAC Music) [B+(**)]
- João Madeira/Margarida Mestre: Voz Debaixo (4DaRecord) [B+(**)]
- Grégoire Maret/Romain Collin: Ennio (ACT Music) ** [B+(*)]
- Brian Marsella/Jon Irabagon: Blue Hour (Irabbagast) ** [B+(*)]
- Shawn Maxwell: J Town Suite (Cora Street) [B+(**)]
- Paula Maya: Rio De Janeiro (Yellow House) [B]
- Rob Mazurek: Milan (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- Christian McBride/Edgar Meyer: But Who's Gonna Play the Melody? (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(*)]
- James McClaskey & the Rhythm Band: Later on Blues (BigTone) ** [B+(**)]
- Zara McFarlane: Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan (Universal) ** [B+(**)]
- Mike McGinnis + 9: Outing: Road Trip II (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
- Joe McPhee With Ken Vandermark: Musings of a Bahamian Son: Poems and Other Words (Corbett vs. Dempsey) ** [B+(*)]
- Pat Metheny: MoonDial (BMG) ** [B+(*)]
- Raul Midón: Lost & Found (ReKondite ReKords) ** [C+]
- Andy Milne and Unison: Time Will Tell (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
- Yuka Mito: How Deep Is the Ocean (Nana Notes) [B]
- Modney: Ascending Primes (Pyroclastic, 2CD) [B+(*)]
- Jesus Molina: Selah (Dynamo Production) ** [B]
- Moor Mother: The Great Bailout (Anti-) ** [B+(*)]
- Willie Morris: Attentive Listening (Posi-Tone) ** [B+(*)]
- Kjetil Mulelid: Agoja (Odin) ** [B+(**)]
- Kim Myhr & Kitchen Orchestra: Hereafter (Sofa Music) ** [B+(*)]
- Fabiano do Nascimento & Sam Gendel: The Room (Real World) ** [B+(**)]
- Richard Nelson/Makrokosmos Orchestra: Dissolve (Adhyâropa) [B+(**)]
- Sam Newsome/Max Johnson: Tubes (Unbroken Sounds) ** [B+(**)]
- Cornelia Nilsson: Where Do You Go? (Stunt) ** [B+(**)]
- Carlos Niño & Friends: Placenta (International Anthem) ** B]
- Nubiyan Twist: Find Your Flame (Strut) ** [B+(*)]
- O.: WeirdOs (Speedy Wunderground) ** [B+(*)]
- The Michael O'Neill Sextet: Synergy: With Tony Lindsay (Jazzmo) [B+(**)]
- Mali Obomsawin/Magdalena Abrego: Greatest Hits (Out Of Your Head) ** [B+(**)]
- Lothar Ohlmeier/Tobias Klein: Left Side Right (Trytone) [B+(**)]
- Nils Økland Band: Gjenskinn (Hubro) ** [B+(**)]
- Alicia and Michael Olatuja: Olatuja (Whirlwind) ** [B+(*)]
- Old Mountain: Another State of Rhythm (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- One for All: Big George (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(*)]
- Chuck Owen & Resurgence: Magic Light (Origin) [B+(*)]
- Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y: A New Beat (Cellar Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Mavis Pan: Rising (self-released) [B+(*)]
- Matt Panayides Trio: With Eyes Closed (Pacific Coast Jazz) [B+(**)]
- Rob Parton's Ensemble 9+: Relentless (Calligram) [B+(*)]
- Jonah Parzen-Johnson: You're Never Really Alone (We Jazz) ** [B+(**)]
- Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra: Groove Junkies (Origin) [B+(**)]
- Jeremy Pelt: Tomorrow's Another Day (HighNote) ** [B+(*)]
- Clarence Penn: Behind the Voice (Origin) [B+(*)]
- Ken Peplowski: Unheard Bird (Arbors) ** [B-]
- Ivo Perelman/Chad Fowler/Reggie Workman/Andrew Cyrille: Embracing the Unknown (Mahakala Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Eric Person: Rhythm Edge (Distinction) [B]
- Dave Pietro: The Talisman (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
- PNY Quintet: Over the Wall (RogueArt) * [B+(**)]
- Andy Pratt: Trio (Thrift Girl) [B+(*)]
- Yvonnick Prené/Geoff Keezer: Jobim's World (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
- Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia: Quenara (Commonwealth Ave. Productions) [B+(*)]
- Jeanfrançois Prins: Blue Note Mode (GAM) ** [B+(**)]
- Reggie Quinerly: The Thousandth Scholar (Redefinition) [B+(**)]
- Bruno Råberg Tentet: Evolver (Orbis Music) [B+(**)]
- Kenny Reichert: Switch (Calligram) [B+(**)]
- Zach Rich: Solidarity (OA2) [B+(*)]
- Brandon Ross Phantom Station: Off the End (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
- Jim Rotondi: Finesse (Cellar Music) ** [B]
- Jerome Sabbagh: Heart (Analog Tone Factory) [B+(**)
- Anne Sajdera: It's Here (Bijuri) [B+(*)]
- Altin Sencalar: Discover the Present (Posi-Tone) ** [B+(*)]
- Shabaka: Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace (Impulse!) ** [B+(**)]
- Patrick Shiroishi: Glass House (Otherly Love) ** [B+(*)]
- Michael Shrieve: Drums of Compassion (7D Media) ** [B+(*)]
- Jacob Shulman: High Firmament (Endectomorph Music) * [B]
- Jacob Shulman: Ferment Below (Endectomorph Music) * [B]
- Flavio Silva: Eko (Break Free) [B+(**)]
- Håkon Skogstad: 8 Concepts of Tango (Øra Fonogram) [B+(*)]
- Harry Skoler: Red Brick Hill (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
- Bria Skonberg: What It Means (Cellar Live) ** [B+(**)]
- Ches Smith: Laugh Ash (Pyroclastic) [B+(*)]
- Ronny Smith: Struttin' (Pacific Coast Jazz) [B+(*)]
- Wadada Leo Smith & Amina Claudine Myers: Central Park's Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens (Red Hook) ** [B+(*)]
- Something Else! [Featuring Vincent Herring]: Soul Jazz (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(*)]
- Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Swing Forever (Ovation) [B+(**)]
- Simon Spiess Quiet Tree: Euphorbia (Intakt) ** [B+(**)]
- Splitter Orchester: Splitter Musik (Hyperdelia, 3CD) ** [B+(**)]
- Anthony Stanco: Stanco's Time (OA2) [B+(**)]
- Star Splitter [Gabriele Mitelli/Rob Mazurek]: Medea (We Insist!) ** [B]
- The Dave Stryker Trio With Bob Mintzer: Groove Street (Strikezone) [B+(**)]
- Superposition: II (We Jazz) ** [B+(**)]
- Aki Takase Japanic: Forte (Budapest Music Center) ** [B+(**)]
- Curtis Taylor: Taylor Made (Curtis Taylor Music) ** [B+(**)]
- TGB: Room 4 (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- Thollem: Worlds in a Life, Two (ESP-Disk) [B+(**)]
- Viktoria Tolstoy: Stealing Moments (ACT) ** [B+(*)]
- Rafael Toral: Spectral Evolution (Moikai) ** [B+(*)]
- Ryan Truesdell: Synthesis: The String Quartet Sessions (ArtistShare, 3CD) * [B+(**)]
- Akiko Tsugura: Beyond Nostalgia (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
- Tucker Brothers: Live at Chatterbox (Midwest Crush Music) [B+(*)]
- Lisa Ullén: Heirloom (Fönstret) ** [B+(**)]
- Jordan VanHemert: Deep in the Soil (Origin) [B+(*)]
- Angela Verbrugge: Somewhere (OA2) [B+(**)]
- Luis Vicente Trio: Come Down Here (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
- Ben Waltzer: The Point (Calligram) [B+(**)]
- Marta Warelis/Andy Moor: Escape (Relative Pitch) ** [B+(**)]
- Kenny Warren: Sweet World (Out of Your Head) ** [B+(**)]
- Philip Weberndoerfer: Tides (Shifting Paradigm) [B+(**)]
- Amber Weekes: A Lady With a Song: Amber Weekes Celebrates Nancy Wilson (Amber Inn) [B+(*)]
- Randy Weinstein: Harmonimonk (Random Chance) [B+(**)]
- Hein Westergaard/Katt Hernandez/Raymond Strid: The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn (Gotta Let It Out) [B+(**)]
- Stian Westerhus & Maja S.K. Ratkje: All Losses Are Restored (Crispin Glover) ** [B]
- Mark Winkler: The Rules Don't Apply (Cafe Pacific) [B+(**)]
- Chelsea Wolfe: She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She (Loma Vista) ** [B+(**)]
- Jack Wood & Nichaud Fitzgibbon: Movie Magic: Great Songs From the Movies (Jazz Hang) [B+(**)]
- Lizz Wright: Shadow (Blues & Greens) ** [B+(*)]
- Denny Zeitlin: Panoply (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
- Dann Zinn: Two Roads (Ridgeway) [B+(**)]
>Christopher Zuar Orchestra: Exuberance (self-released) [B+(**)]
Additional reissued/archival jazz records rated B+(**) or below
(listed alphabetically by artist).
- Cannonball Adderley: Burnin' in Bordeaux: Live in France 1969 (Elemental Music) [B+(**)]
- Chet Baker & Jack Sheldon: In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album (1972, Jazz Detective) [B+(**)]
- Raymond Burke: The Southland Recordings 1958-1960 (Jazzland) ** [B+(*)]
- Burnt Sugar/The Arkestkra Chamber: The Reconstru-Ducted Repatriation Road-Rage ReMiXeS (Avantgroidd) ** [B+(**)]
- George Cartwright's GloryLand PonyCat: Black Ants Crawling (Mahakala Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Nat King Cole: Live at the Blue Note Chicago (1953, Iconic) ** [B+(**)]
- John Coltrane Quartet + Stan Getz + Oscar Peterson: Live/Dusseldorf March 28th, 1960 (Lantower) ** [B+(*)]
- Gastr Del Sol: We Have Dozens of Titles (1993-98, Drag City, 2CD) ** [B+(**)]
- Stan Getz: Unissued Session: Copenhagen 1977 (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
- The Jazz Dispensary: The Freedom Sound! The People Arise (1963-76, Craft) ** [B+(**)]
- The Jazzanians: We Have Waited Too Long (1988, Ubuntu Music) ** [B+(**)]
- Sven-Åke Johansson und Alexander von Schlippenbach: Über Ursache und Wirkung der Meinungsverschiedenheiten Beim Turmbau zu Babel (1994, Trost) ** [B+(**)]
- Pete Jolly: Seasons (1970, Future Days) ** [B+(*)]
- Yusef Lateef: Atlantis Lullaby: The Concert From Avignon (1972, Elemental Music, 2CD) [B+(**)]
- Shelly Manne & His Men: Jazz From the Pacific Northwest (1958-66, Reel to Real) ** [B+(**)]
- Charlie Mariano: Boppin' in Boston 1947-1953 (Fresh Sound) ** [B+(**)]
- Brother Jack McDuff: Ain't No Sunshine: Live in Seattle (1972, Reel to Real) ** [B+(*)]
- Charles Mingus: Incarnations (1960, Candid) ** [B+(**)]
- Louis Moholo-Moholo: Louis Moholo-Moholo's Viva-La-Black (1988, Ogun) ** [B+(**)]
- Gerry Mulligan: Night Lights (1963, Philips) ** [B+(*)]
- The Oscar Pettiford Memorial Concert (1960, SteepleChase) ** [B+(*)]
- Raphael Roginski: Plays John Coltrane and Langston Hughes (2013, Unsound) ** [B+(**)]
- Sun Ra: At the Showcase: Live in Chicago 1976-1977 (Jazz Detective, 2CD) [B+(*)]
- Sun Ra: Excelsior Mill (1984, Sundazed/Modern Harmonic) ** [B]
- Alan Tomlinson Trio: Loft 1993 (Scatter Archive) ** [B+(**)]
- The John Wright Trio: South Side Soul (1960, Craft) ** [B+(**)]
Recommended but Unheard Jazz Records
New jazz records I haven't heard estimated to have a 2% (or better)
chance of making the A-list if/when I finally hear them. Also unheard
records that got votes in Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll, regardless
of their prospects.
Limited sampling grades may be noted for any record in this section.
Bracketed grades refer to older editions of reissues.
- Potsa Lotsa XL: Chamber Works (Trouble in the East '23)
New jazz records that received votes in Francis Davis Jazz Critics
Poll, but still don't meet my 2% expectation:
Reissued/historical jazz records I haven't heard estimated to have a 2% (or
better) chance of making the A-list if/when I finally hear them:
Reissued/historical jazz records that received votes in Francis Davis
Jazz Critics Poll, but still don't meet my 2% expectation:
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