Ambrose Akinmusire "The Imagined Savior is Far Easier To Paint" (Blue Note)
Excellent sophmore release by the trumpet prodigy. The vinyl is recorded at a low level but the sonics are fine.
Melissa Aldana & The Crash Trio (Concord)
Berklee graduate and winner of the 2013 Thelonious Monk competition:
.
Can't wait to see her in February at Jazz Alley.
JD Allen "Bloom" (Savant)
Another outstanding release by the tenor saxophonist; abandoning previous trio setting and working primarily in quartet form. Highlight is a solo "Stardust".
Otis Brown III "The Thought of You" Blue Note
This is an auspicious first album as a leader for the drummer best known from work with Esperanza Spaulding and Joe Lovano. Features an impressive roster of contributing guest artists.
Jimmy Greene "Beautiful Life" (Mack Avenue)
After his little girl was murdered at Sandy Hook, Greene created this beautiful elegy of "music to reflect the way that Ana lived," Greene says. He fulfills that mandate with an intense, cohesive, genre-spanning program--juxtaposing the hardcore instrumental jazz for which he is best known with traditional spirituals, contemporary Christian music, standard ballads and three original songs framing his own lyrics." Beautiful and life affirming. His cover of "Where is Love" (from Oliver) will have you reaching for the Kleenex.
The Hot Sardines (Decca)
Recreating the feeling of the 1920's with a high level of muscianship. Fronted by the lovely vocalist Elizabeth Bougerol, the rest of the band COOKS! One of the funnest releases of the year.
Sean Jones "Im*Pro*Vise: Never Before Seen" (Mack Avenue)
The guy can't make a bad LP. Excellent sonics on CD. [video]http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0003/804/MI0003804715.jpg?partner=allrovi.com[/video]
Frank Kimbrough Quartet (Palmetto)
Stanton Moore "Conversations" (Royal Potato Family)
Killer LP from Galactic's drummer. Trio outing with a New Orleans flavor. Well recorded vinyl.
Joshua Redman "Trios Live" (Nonesuch)
From The Guardian's Review "Joshua Redman, one of the most technically accomplished saxists in jazz today, parades his powers on this live set," writes the Guardian's John Fordham. "Redman performs with a skill that sometimes justifies comparison with early Sonny Rollins—notably on the old Rollins vehicle 'Moritat (Mack the Knife),'" such that "the crowd goes wild." Features Gregory Hutchinson on drums.
Trio 3 with Vijay Iyer (Intakt Records)
For their latest outing, Trio 3 (Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille) bring in pianist Vijay Iyer and the result is improvisational music of the highest caliber.
The Westerlies "Wish The Children Would Come On Home: The Music of Wayne Horvitz" (Songlines)
A tribute to their musical mentor by a quartet of Seattle's best young players. (You can read about them here: http://www.westerliesmusic.com/). See them at The Royal Room in Seattle in early January.
Hope everyone shares their favorites.
Excellent sophmore release by the trumpet prodigy. The vinyl is recorded at a low level but the sonics are fine.
Melissa Aldana & The Crash Trio (Concord)
Berklee graduate and winner of the 2013 Thelonious Monk competition:
Can't wait to see her in February at Jazz Alley.
JD Allen "Bloom" (Savant)
Another outstanding release by the tenor saxophonist; abandoning previous trio setting and working primarily in quartet form. Highlight is a solo "Stardust".
Otis Brown III "The Thought of You" Blue Note
This is an auspicious first album as a leader for the drummer best known from work with Esperanza Spaulding and Joe Lovano. Features an impressive roster of contributing guest artists.
Jimmy Greene "Beautiful Life" (Mack Avenue)
After his little girl was murdered at Sandy Hook, Greene created this beautiful elegy of "music to reflect the way that Ana lived," Greene says. He fulfills that mandate with an intense, cohesive, genre-spanning program--juxtaposing the hardcore instrumental jazz for which he is best known with traditional spirituals, contemporary Christian music, standard ballads and three original songs framing his own lyrics." Beautiful and life affirming. His cover of "Where is Love" (from Oliver) will have you reaching for the Kleenex.
The Hot Sardines (Decca)
Recreating the feeling of the 1920's with a high level of muscianship. Fronted by the lovely vocalist Elizabeth Bougerol, the rest of the band COOKS! One of the funnest releases of the year.
Sean Jones "Im*Pro*Vise: Never Before Seen" (Mack Avenue)
The guy can't make a bad LP. Excellent sonics on CD. [video]http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0003/804/MI0003804715.jpg?partner=allrovi.com[/video]
Frank Kimbrough Quartet (Palmetto)
Stanton Moore "Conversations" (Royal Potato Family)
Killer LP from Galactic's drummer. Trio outing with a New Orleans flavor. Well recorded vinyl.
Joshua Redman "Trios Live" (Nonesuch)
From The Guardian's Review "Joshua Redman, one of the most technically accomplished saxists in jazz today, parades his powers on this live set," writes the Guardian's John Fordham. "Redman performs with a skill that sometimes justifies comparison with early Sonny Rollins—notably on the old Rollins vehicle 'Moritat (Mack the Knife),'" such that "the crowd goes wild." Features Gregory Hutchinson on drums.
Trio 3 with Vijay Iyer (Intakt Records)
For their latest outing, Trio 3 (Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille) bring in pianist Vijay Iyer and the result is improvisational music of the highest caliber.
The Westerlies "Wish The Children Would Come On Home: The Music of Wayne Horvitz" (Songlines)
A tribute to their musical mentor by a quartet of Seattle's best young players. (You can read about them here: http://www.westerliesmusic.com/). See them at The Royal Room in Seattle in early January.
Hope everyone shares their favorites.
