A GREAT YEAR FOR TOP TENS…

It’s funny-I’ve been a jazz journalist for 20 years now, and EVERY year I hear the same thing, “There’s no good music anymore!”

Even as a fan, back when I’d read every Downbeat magazine, every article (and book) by the likes of Leonard Feather or Nat Hentoff, this same complaint was aired by musicians, singers, fans and writers. What is it about the present that makes people dislike it?

This complaint goes back to the days of Solomon, when he wrote in Ecclesiastes: “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions.”

Each year when I send out requests to fellow and respected jazz journalists, I invariably get at least one response saying “This was a terrible year; it was impossible to come up with ten”.

I bed to differ…

Sure, due to technology there are many, MANY, MANY more recordings to sift (suffer?) through, but the sheer joyful surprise of finding something that perks your attention enough to want to share it with someone makes all of the listening worthwhile.

Due to my more traditional ears, my selections tend on the more conservative side of sounds, which is why I’m always intrigued by the selections by my more left-of-center colleagues. When I see repeated albums by these journalists, I am given to lending an ear to see what the allure was. I’m rarely disappointed or mystified. This is the joy of discovery.

So here goes our selections of the best of 2019’s new and old.

 

GEORGE W. HARRIS

1. Nat “King” Cole-Hittin’ The Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) Resonance
2. Art Pepper-Promise Kept-The Complete Artists House Recordings Omnivore
3. Stan Getz-Getz at the Gate-Live at the Village Gate Verve
4. Wes Montgomery-Back On Indiana Avenue Resonance
5. Alfred Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez: Duologue Mack Avenue 
6. Frank Minion: Complete Recordings 1954-1959 Fresh Sound Records 
7. Louis Armstrong: Live In Europe Dot Records
8. Roger Kellaway: The Many Minds of Roger Kellaway Ipo Recordings 
9. Ahmad Jamal: Ballades www.ahamadjamal.com
10. Tom Harrell: Infinity High Note
11. BONUS: Camille Harris: Baby On The Subway www.camilleharris.net

SCOTT YANOW

1) Ehud Asherie – Wild Man Blues – Capri

2) Teodross Avery – After The Rain – Tompkins Square

3) Chicago Cellar Boys – Busy ‘Til Eleven – Rivermont

4) Nat King Cole – Hittin’ The Ramp: The Early Years 1936-1943 – Resonance

5) Chick Corea – Antidote: The Spanish Heart Band – Concord

6) Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band – The Gordian Knot – Music Of Content

7) New York Voices – Reminiscing In Tempo – Origin

8) Art Pepper – Promise Kept: The Complete Artists House Recordings – Omnivore

9) Lisa Rich – Highwire – Tritone

10) Veronica Swift – Confessions – Mack Avenue

MICHAEL NASTOS

MARK TURNER

ZIM TARRO
NEW RELEASES
1) ERIC HOFBAUER,/DAN ROSENTHAL
QUARTET (SELF-PRODUCED)
2)PAGO LIBRE – CINEMAGIQUE 2.0, LEO RECORDS
3) MATT MITCHELL – PHALANX
AMBASSADORS, PI RECORDINGS
4) MARLENE ROSENBERG – MLK CONVERGENCE,
ORIGIN RECORDS
5) JASON ANICK – RHYTHM FUTURE QUARTET
AND FRIENDS, RHYTHM FUTURE QUARTET
6) A/B TRIO – TRIOLILOQUY, CHRONOGRAPH
RECORDS
7) SCOTT ROBINSON – TENORMORE, ARBORS
RECORDS
8) CLIFFORD LAMB – BLUES & HUES, WEBER
WORKS RECORDS
9) GREGOR HUEBNER – LOS SOÑADORES, ZOHO
RECORDS
10) SETOLADIMAIALE UNIT & EVAN PARKER –
LIVE AT ANGELICA 2018, SETOLOA-DI MAIALE

 LARRY HOLLIS

1) RALPH PETERSON & MESSINGER – LEGACY,
LEGACY
2) MARK TURNER/GARY FOSTER – MEETS, CAPRI
3) JIMMY COBB – THIS IS DIG OF YOU, SMOKE
SESSIONS
4) PAUL COMBS – UNKNOWN DAMERON,
SUMMIT
5) GEORGE CABLES – I’M ALL SMILES, HIGHNOTE
6) ANDY FUSCO – VORTEX, STEEPLECHASE
7) ETHAN IVERSON – COMMON PRACTICE, ECM
8)DAVID KIKOSKI – PHOENIX RISING, HIGHNOTE
9) JOEY DEFRANCESCO – IN THE KEY OF THE
UNIVERSE, MACK AVENUE
10)JUSTIN ROBINSON – AT FIRST SIGHT, WJ3
LARRY HOLLIS REISSUES/HISTORICAL

1) ART PEPPER – PROMISE KEPT; COMPLETE
ARTISTS HOUSE, OMNIVORE
2)JOHN COLTRANE – BLUE WORLD, IMPULSE
3)ART BLAKEY – ART OF JAZZ, IN & OUT
4) TUBBY HAYES – GRITS, BEANS AND GREENS,
DECCA
5) DEXTER GORDON – IN THE CAVE,
NEDERLANDS JAZZ ARCHIEF
6) MICHEL PETRUCCIANI – ONE NIGHT IN
KARLSRUHE, JAZZ HAUS
7) FREDDIE HUBBARD, AT THE CLUB, VOL.1,
SLEEPY NIGHT
8) CANNONBALL ADDERLEY – SWINGIN’ IN
SEATTLE, REEL TO REAL
9) BILL EVANS – EVANS IN ENGLAND,
RESONANCE
10) VARIOUS ARTISTS – JAZZ AT THE
PHILHARMONIC: LIVE AMSTERDAM
1960, NEDERLANDS JAZZ ARCHIEFJAZ

 DON LERMAN

1) MICHAEL ADKINS QUARTET –
FLANEUR, HATOLOGY
2) PEDRO GIRAUDO AND THE WDR BIG
BAND – AN ARGENTINIAN IN NEW YORK, ZOHO
3) BEN ROSENBLUM COASTAL TRIO – RIVER
CITY, ONE TRICK DOG RECORDS
4) GEORGE MCMULLEN TRIO
– BOOMERANG, PFMENTUM
5) STEPHAN CRUMP’S ROSETTA
TRIO – OUTLIERS, PAPILLON SOUNDS
6) NAVY COMMODORES – MOSAIC
(SELF-PRODUCED)
7) STEPHEN RILEY – OLEO, STEEPLECHASE
8) GEORGE CABLES – I’M ALL SMILES,
HIGH NOTE
9)JAMIE FOX – I WISH (SELF-PRODUCED)

 KEN WEISS
NEW RELEASES
1) MIGUEL ZENON – SONERO: THE MUSIC OF
ISMAEL RIVERA, MIEL MUSIC
2) HUMAN FEEL (CHRIS SPEED/ANDREW
D’ANGELO/KURT ROSENWINKEL/JIM
BLACK) – GOLD, INTAKT RECORDS
3) IRO HAARLA, ULF KROKFORS & BARRY
ALTSCHUL – AROUND AGAIN: THE MUSIC OF
CARLA BLEY, TUM RECORDS
4) MILES OKAZAKI – THE SKY BELOW, PI
RECORDINGS
5) MATT MITCHELL – PHALANX AMBASSADORS,
PI RECORDINGS
6) THE VAMPIRES – PACIFICA, EARSHIFT MUSIC
7) SATOKO FUJII/RAMON LOPEZ –
CONFLUENCE, LIBRA RECORDS
8) TAYLOR HO BYNUM 9-TETTE – THE
AMBIGUITY MANIFESTO, FIREHOUSE 12
RECORDS
9) JOHNATHAN BLAKE – TRION, GIANT STEPS
ARTS
10) JASON KAO HWANG BURNING BRIDGE –
BLOOD, TRUE SOUND RECORDINGS

 DAVID HANEY
NEW RELEASES
1) RONNIE CUBER – STRAIGHT STREET,
STEEPLECHASE
2) HERE AND NOW, DOUBLEMOON RECORDS
3) HORACE TAPSCOTT – WHY DON’T YOU
LISTEN? DARK TREE RECORDS
4) THE HATCH – DARK TREE RECORDS
5) JON IRABAGON – INVISIBLE
HORIZON IRABBAGAST RECORDS
6) KAT GANG – COME CLOSER, (SELFPRODUCED)
7) GILLIAM, HALL, SORBARA –
COUNTERSTASIS – REFRACTED VOICES (SELFPRODUCED)
8) JACQUES KUBA SÉGUIN – L’ELEVATION DU
POINT DE CHUTE, ODD SOUND RECORDS
9) DENMAN MARONEY – SOLO@70 (SELFPRODUCED)

NORA MCCARTHY
NEW RELEASES –
1) ANDREW CLINKMAN, TIM DAISY, AND
KEN VANDERMARK – OPTION, CORBETT
VS. DEMPSEY/EXPERIMENTAL SOUND
2) JOEL FUTTERMAN, IKE LEVIN AND TIM
DUROCHE – TIMELESS MEMORIES, JDF/CLM
3) BLAISE SIWULA – SEDITION, SETOLOA-DI
MAIALE
4) JOSH LEVINSON SEPTET – MORNING
JOY, WISE CAT RECORDS
5) STEVE DALACHINSKY – INCOMPLETE
DIRECTIONS, KNITTING FACTORY RECORDS
6) JACK DESALVO – NEVICA, UNSEEN RAIN
7) ROCCO IACCOVONE – JUST LIKE
FALLING, UNSEEN RAIN
8) GO: ORGANIC ORCHESTRA – RAGMALA:
TNNoepew wTe nIIss Rssueuceeossrdings 2019
A GARLAND OF RAGAS (SELF-PRODUCED)
9) LINA NYBERG – TERRESTRIAL, HOOB
RECORDS
10) BRANDON ROSS AND STOMU TAKEISHI – FOR
LIVING LOVERS – REVEALING
ESSENCE, SUNNYSIDE

ROBERT IANNAPOLLO

NEW RELEASES
1) TAYLOR HO BYNUM 9-TETTE – THE
AMBIGUITY MANIFESTO, FIREHOUSE 12
2) IRO HAARLA – AROUND AGAIN, TUM
3) RICH HALLEY – TERRA INCOGNITA, PINE
EAGLE
4) ALEX HARDING/LUCIAN BAN – DARK BLUE
SUNNYSIDE
5) THOMAS HEBERER – X MARKS THE SPOT
OUTNOW
6) QUINSIN NACHOFF’S FLUX – PATH OF
TOTALITY, WHIRLWIND
7) PARNICZKY QUARTET – BARTOK
ELECTRIFIED, BMC
8) TOMEKA REID QUARTET – OLD NEW
CUNEIFORM
9) WADADA LEO SMITH – ROSA PARKS: PURE
LOVE, TUM
10) GEBHARD ULLMANN’S BASEMENT
RESEARCH – IMPROMPTUS AND OTHER
SHORT WORKS (WHY PLAY JAZZ)

 JEROME WILSON

NEW RELEASES
1) FIRE! ORCHESTRA, ARRIVAL, RUNE
GRAMMOFON
2) STEVE HAINES, AND THE THIRD FLOOR
ORCHESTRA, JUSTIN TIME
3)  WADADA LEO SMITH, ROSA PARKS: PURE
LOVE (TUM)
4) JAMES BRANDON LEWIS, AN UNRULY
MANIFESTO, (RELATIVE PITCH)
5) THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO – WE ARE ON
THE EDGE, (PI)
6) THE OGJB QUARTET – BAMAKO, (TUM)
7) BRIA SKONBERG – NOTHING NEVER
HAPPENS, (SELF-RELEASED)
8) SARA GAZAREK, THIRSTY GHOST, (SELFRELEASED)
9) EZRA WEISS BIG BAND, WE LIMIT NOT THE
TRUTH OF GOD, (OA2)
10) JAMIE SAFT / STEVE SWALLOW / BOBBY
PREVITE, YOU DON’T KNOW THE LIFE,
(RARENOISE)

.
MARK KLAFTER

NEW RELEASES
1) AVRAM FEFER – TESTAMENT, CLEAN FEED
2) DAVID FRIESEN INTERACTION, ORIGIN
3) DAVID HANEY – BIRTH OF A CITY, BIG ROUND
RECORDS
4) WILLIAM PARKER – IN ORDER TO SURVIVE
LIVE/SHAPESHIFTER, AUM FIDELITY
5) JOEL ROSS – KINGMAKER, BLUE NOTE
RECORDS
6) TOM HARRELL – INFINITY, HIGHNOTE
7) JENNY SCHEINMANN/ALLISON MILLER
PARLOUR GAME, ROYAL POTATO FAMILY
8) BIG BAND OF BROTHERS – A JAZZ
CELEBRATION OF THE ALLMAN BROTHERS
BAND, NEW WEST RECORDS
9) PAUL DUNMAL – SOULTIME, FMR RECORDS
10) ROB BROWN – FROM HERE TO HEAR,
ROUGEART

 LUDWIG VANTRIKT
NEW RELEASES
1) ANDRES VIAL – GANG OF THREE FEATURING
DEZRON DOUGLAS AND ERIC MCPHERSON,
CHROMATIC AUDIO
2) MIKROPULS – FEATURING GEBHARD
ULLMANN, HANS LUDEMANN, OLIVER
POTRATZ AND ERIC SCHAEFER, INTUITION
3) DON ALIQUO & MICHAEL JEFRY STEVENS –
LIVE AT HINTON HALL – THE INNOCENCE OF
SPRING, ARTISTS RECORDING COLLECTIVE
4) SATOKO FUJII WITH RAMON LOPEZ –
CONFLUENCE, LIBRA RECORDS
5) JEROME JENNINGS – SOLIDARITY, LOLA
RECORDS
6) IRO HAARLA, ULF KROKFORS & BARRY
ALTSCHUL – AROUND AGAIN, TUM RECORDS
7) JOHN YAO’S TRICERATOPS – HOW WE DO, SEE
TAO RECORDINGS
8) COLIN STRANAHAN, GLENN ZALESKI, RICK
ROSATO – LIVE AT JAZZ STANDARD, CAPRI
9) ERIC ALEXANDER, DOUG WEISS, JOHNATHAN
BLAKE – LEAP OF FAITH, GIANT STEPS
10) BANGKOK LINGO – SMELLS/COLOURS/NOISE,
LOSEN RECORDS

TOP 10 VOCAL RELEASES
CADENCE EDITORIAL BOARD
1) MIKE LORENZ & THE WITHERBEES
(SELF-PRODUCED)
2) SAMANTHA SIDLEY – INTERIOR
PERSON, RELEASE ME RECORDS
3) LOTTA-MARIA SAKSA – YOU’RE THE CREAM
IN MY COFFEE, ACOUSTIC MUSIC RECORDS
4) LET’S GO IN TO A PICTURE SHOW,
HARBINGER RECORDS
5) JEANNE LEE, THE NEWEST SOUND YOU
NEVER HEARD, A-SIDE RECORDS
6) BETTY BRYANT – PROJECT 88 (SELFPRODUCED)
7) GRETJE ANGELL – IN ANY KEY, GREVLINTO
RECORDS
8) KATERINA BROWN –
MIRROR, MELLOWTONE RECORDS
9) MAGGIE HERRON – RENDITIONS HERRON
SONG RECORDS
10) LICA CERATO AND PAOLO BALTARO – CALL
PORTER (SELF-PRODUCED)

CADENCE EDITORIAL BOARD

TOP 10 HISTORICAL AND REISSUES
1) ROSCOE MITCHELL – SOUND, DELMARK
2) HUBERT LAWS – MORNING STAR-1972,
CARNEGIE HALL-1973, THE CHICAGO
THEME-1975
3) BLACK SWANS – PARNASSUS RECORDS
4) AIRTO MOREIRA – FREE + IDENTITY +
PROMISES OF THE SUN. RECORDED FOR CTI
1972, ARISTA-1975 AND ARISTO-1976,
5) LONGINEU PARSONS – WORK SONG, TRIABL
RECORDS
6) EUBIE BLAKE & NOBLE SISSLE –
SING SHUFFLE ALONG, HARBINGER
RECORDS
7) SISSLE & BLAKE’S – SHUFFLE ALONG 1950,
HARBINGER RECORDS
8) SAM RIVERS – EMANATION, NOBUSINESS
RECORDS
9) FRODE GJERSTAD – DAY TWO, NOBUSINESS
RECORDS
10) NANCY WILSON – NANCY WILSON: FOUR
CLASSIC ALBUMS PLUS, AVID RECORDS