2018 'Best of Jazz' Selected by JJA Members

Jazz Artistry Now – 2018 marks the 17th year I have submitted a “Top Jazz” recordings list for consideration.

PARAMETERS

This is the same list submitted to the Jazz Journalists Association and posted to my long-time “Musings In Cb” blog as well. The list contains links to the recordings or published reviews.

Readers are encouraged to listen and enjoy these records for themselves.

The parameters of this list conclude that all of these recordings are objectively brilliant in artistry and scope.

Therefore I do not rank them – it’s all great work.

Jazz Artistry Now only reviews work that we justly believe to be in the 4.0- to 4.5- out of 5.0-star range.

You will find music by widely-publicized jazz musicians and not-so-well-known alike. That’s cool.

I always include recordings released on our Artists Recording Collective label because we believe the inherent nature of acceptance into the collective ensures the quality of music we release is organically among the best recordings produced each year.

There is also a mixture of “types” of jazz among the music listed here – from melodic and traditional-sounding music to progressive, improvised and abstract experimentations. That’s cool too.

Again, we hope that you explore these particular works along with your normal listening playlists.

Thanks for reading.

~ Christopher Burnett, a JAN editor, writer, and a professional voting member: Jazz Journalists Association

[ JAN ‘Best of Jazz’ 2018 Reviews ]

1. Rez Abbasi
2. As Is
3. Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York
4. Sharel Cassity & Evolve
5. Teddy Wilson Mosaic Box Set
6. Jon Irabagon
7. Alchemy Sound Project
8. Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel Quartet
9. Charles Pillow

JAN REVIEW SCALE

JAN uses a 5-point scale for reviews. We only review music we think is in the 4.0 to 4.5 out of 5 stars range. So, all of the music reviewed here is the best of the best in our editorial and collectively informed opinions.

Our highest review rating is 4.5 because objective reality remains that nobody is 5 stars. We know that some writers and publications give fives. But, is there really a five-out-of-five recording, though? We say not. So, if we write about yours, or your client’s recording, it is likely among the best music being released by any scale.

When JAN publishes a review, the recording is representative of the best jazz artistry now.

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www.JazzArtistryNow.com

[ ARC Records 2018 Stellar Releases ]

• Dan Arcamone
• James Armstrong
• Greg Carroll + Mike Pagan
• Alchemy Sound Project
• Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel Quartet

[ Christopher Burnett’s 2018 personal picks ]

• Logan Richardson …state of the art alto saxophonist whose original voice has matured and moved the music forward into this Century.
• Ernest Melton …a young prodigy who is a refreshing throwback to the era when the essence of the music was learned from elders on the bandstand and many hours in the personal woodshed.
• Sean Conly …hey, everybody – modern jazz sounds like this.
• Dan Arcamone …genius is often bandied about in jazz, but in the case of this thoughtful and formidable artist, I say not – he is a ‘genius.’

The 10 best new jazz releases of 2018

1.       Jeff Hamilton Trio, Live from San Pedro (Capri)
2.       Benjamin Boone and Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz (Origin)
3.       Lynne Arriale Trio, Give Us These Days (Challenge)
4.       Eric Alexander, Song of No Regrets (HighNote)
5.       Benito Gonzalez, Gerry Gibbs, Essiet Okon Essiet Passion Reverence Transcendence (Whaling City Sound)
6.       Fred Hersch Trio, Live in Europe (Palmetto)
7.       Yelena Eckemoff, Desert (L&H)
8.       Mica Bethea Big Band, Suite Theory (self-produced)
9.       Roxy Coss, The Future Is Female (Posi-Tone)
10.    Dongfeng Liu, China Carib (Zoho)   

2018’s best vocal recording:  Amy Cervini, No One Ever Tells You (Anzic)

The best historical/reissues of 2018 (includes any recordings made over 10 years ago, whether newly released or reissued):
1.     John Coltrane, Both Directions at Once: The Lost Sessions (Verve)
2.     Esbjorn Svensson Trio, E.S.T. Live in London (ACT)
3.   Fred Hersch Trio, '97 @ The Village Vanguard (self-produced)

2018’s best Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings:

1.     Dafnis Prieto Big Band, Back to the Sunset (Dafnison)
2.     Bobby Sanabria, West Side Story Revimagined (JazzHeads)
3.     Antonio Adolfo, Encontros - Orquestra Atlantica (AAM)
4.     Akira Tana, JAZZaNOVA (Vega)
5.     Eddie Daniels, Heart of Brazil (Resonance) 

The 10 best new compositions from CDs released in 2018, listed alphabetically:

• Lynne Arriale, “Appassionata” from Give Us These Days (Challenge)
• Benjamin Boone, The Unknowable (Homage to Sonny Rollins)” from Benjamin Boone and Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz (Origin)
• Roxy Coss, “Females are Strong as Hell” from The Future Is Female (Posi-Tone)
• Yelena Eckemoff, “Bedouins” from Desert (L&H)
• Thomas Fonnesbæk, “Panic Attack” from Fonnesbæk and Kauflin, Synesthesia (Storyville)
• Ken Fowser, “Coming Up Shorter” from Don’t Look Down (Posi-Tone)
• Benito Gonzalez, “Brazilian Girls” from Benito Gonzalez, Gerry Gibbs, Essiet Okon Essiet Passion Reverence Transcendence (Whaling City Sound)
• Fred Hersch, “Newklypso” from Fred Hersch Trio, Live in Europe (Palmetto)
• Monika Herzig, “Nancy Wilson Portrait” from Sheroes (Whaling City Sound)
• Dongfeng Liu, “Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon” from China Carib (Zoho)

Here are the top 30 tracks from 2018 releases featured on my radio programs Jazz In the New Millennium (syndicated nationally through the African American Public Radio Consortium) and The Motif/Jazz In the Afternoon (KBOO.FM, Portland, Oregon). They are not in ranked order, but I have divided them into two discs, "Geezer Jazz" and "Not-So-Geezer Jazz." I would add that while evaluating jazz through the prism of how it is going to be received on the radio can dilute one's taste, it can also hone it. I don't have to prove how hip I am; I just want to do right by the music and for people to keep listening. Peace. 

Geezer Jazz

"One Up, One Down (Take 1)," John Coltrane

"Fly With the Wind," Benito Gonzalez/Gerry Gibbs/Essiet Okun Essiet

"Blues for Langston and Larue," Charles Lloyd and the Marvels

"Some Folks' Lives Roll Easy," Paul Simon

"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," Dr. Lonnie Smith 

"Que Sera Sera," Marcus Miller

"El Guije," Chucho Valdes

"Adventures Aboard the Golden Mean," Wayne Shorter

"DPW," Kenny Barron Quintet

"Dang Swing," John Scofield

"Nobody Said Love Was Easy," Karrin Allyson

"Close Enough for Jazz," Van Morrison and Joey DeFrancesco

"I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town," Wynton Marsalis Septet w/ Ray Charles

"Submarine," Bob James

"Merry Christmas Baby," Les McCann

Not-So-Geezer Jazz

"It Don't Mean a Thing," Grace Kelly

"Respond," R+R=Now

"Save Your Love for Me," Tia Fuller

"General Thunder," Julian Lage

"Hialeah," Harold Lopez Nussa

"Will You Love Me Tomorrow," Kamasi Washington

"Just the Two of Us," Jose James

"Timing," Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life

"14th Street Bounce," Corcoran Holt

"Fight for Freedom," Christian Sands

"Walkin' Funny," Christian McBride

"The Gentleman Is a Dope," Cecile McLorin Salvant

"The Very Thought of You," Joey Alexander feat. Joshua Redman

"Boffadem," The Bad Plus

"Atomic Dog 2017," Me'Shell Ndegeocello

Top Ten Albums of the Year (Across Category, based on Lester Bangs' honest criterion of what got the most play at home, in the car and on the radio)

1. Charles Lloyd and the Marvels + Lucinda Williams, Vanished Gardens (Blue Note) 

2. Ry Cooder, The Prodigal Son (Fantasy)

3. Dr. Lonnie Smith, All In My Mind (Blue Note)

4. Buddy Guy, The Blues Is Alive and Well (Silvertone/RCA)

5. Chucho Valdes, Jazz Bata 2 (Mack Avenue)

6. Bettye Lavette, Things Have Changed (Verve)

7. Boz Scaggs, Out of the Blues (Concord)

8. Harold Lopez Nussa, Un Dia Cualquiera (Mack Avenue)

9. Julian Lage, Modern Lore (Mack Avenue) 

10. Jose James, Lean On Me (Blue Note)

Leslie Pintchik You Eat My Food, You Drink My Wine,You Steal My Girl   Pinch Hard

Martin Wind Light Blue  Laika

Cecile McLorin Salvant  The Window  Mack Avenue

Jeremy Pelt Noir En Rouge High Note

Fred Hersh Trio Live In Europe  Palmetto

Sachal Vasandani Shadow Train GSI

Amy Cervini  NoOne Ever Tells You  Anzic

Cyrille Aimee Cyrille Aimee Live   Mack Ave

Eric Alexander Song Of No Regrets  High Note

Stacey Kent I Know I Dream   The Orchestral Sessions   Okeh

Nancy Barell Jazz Spotlight On Sinatra

Purejazzradio.org

My Best of 2018

1) Kenny Barron "Concentric Circles" (Blue Note)

2) Roxy Coss "The Future is Female" (Posi-Tone)

3) Monika Herzig "Sheroes" (Whaling City Sound)

4) Steve Coleman "Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets)" (Pi Recordings)

5) Henry Threadgill "Dirt… And More Dirt" (Pi Recordings)

6) Satoko Fujii "Solo" (Libra)

7) Andrew Cyrille "Lebroba" (ECM)

8) Henry Threadgill "Double Up, Plays Double Up Plus" (Pi)

9) Keith Jarrett "La Fenice" (ECM)

10) Carol Liebowitz and and Birgitta Flick "Malita-Malika" (Leo) 

Reissues

1) Woody Shaw "Tokyo' 81" (Elemental)

2) Sun Ra "Discipline 27-11" (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

3) Dexter Gordon "Tokyo 75" (Elemental) 

My best Jazz Bits of 2018

Where to begin is the first question. 2018 has seen many stellar recordings, gigs and surprising live experiences, both in the UK and in South America, where I spent much of the year. 

Highlight releases include

Ed Jones' album, Prick Up Your Ears'  (impossible Ark'

Mark Ward 'Moving Day' ( Edition 66) 

Mats Gustafsson's Fire! The Hands (Rune Gramofon)

Paul Jolly and Mike Adcock 'Risky Furniture' (33 Jazz) 

Han Bennink, Steve Noble and Alexander Hawkins 11.1.17 (Otoruku)

John Edwards/Mark Sangers/John Hall FGBH (Entr'Acte)

Monk - Monk (Gearbox)

Wayne Shorter 'Emanon' (Blue Note Records)

Writing Highlights - writing with Mats Gustafsson for Free Jazz Collective. Mats did the pictures and I did the narrative about his trip to Columbia.

Also, reviews of gigs including Full Blast at Café Oto - Peter's incredible energy and musical mastery were just amazing.

Other highlights include the amazing women who have come in on my new book which has been commissioned by 8th House Publishing in Canada and some great reviews for my last book ' All That's Jazz' on All About Jazz and Amazon as well as elsewhere, which was incredible.  

                             

 

Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Love is Here to Stay (Verve)

Scott Hamilton, Live at Pyatt Hall (Cellar Live)

Eric Alexander, Songs of No Regret (HighNote)

Houston Person, Ron Carter, Remember Love (HighNote)

Harold Mabern, The Iron Man (Smoke Sessions)

Don Braden, Earth Wind and Wonder (Creative Perspective)

Adrian Cunningham, Ken Peplowski, Duologue (Arbors)

Jeff Hamilton Trio, Live From San Pedro (Capri Records)

Eddie Daniels, Heart of Brazil (Resonance Records)

MY OWN 'BEST OF 2018' - a perhaps alternative view...

Albums

New Releases:

John Zorn, The Urmuz Epigrams (Tzadik)

Harriet Tubman, Araminta (Sunnyside)

Marty Ehrlich, Trio Exaltation (Clean Feed)

Ra Kalam Bob Moses and Bukky Leo, Spaceships Over Africa (Ra Kalam)

Benjamin Boone/Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz (Origin)

Yusef Komunyakaa/David Cieri/Mike Brown, White Dust (Ropeadopa)

Christine Correa and Ran Blake, Streaming (Red Piano)

Elliot Levin/Gabriel Lauber Duo, Yu (Dimensional Recordings)

 

Historic:

 Coltrane, Both Directions at Once (Impulse)

Walt Dickerson/Richard Davis - Divine Gemini (SteepleChase)

Latin : Arturo O’Farrill, Fandango at the Wall (Resilience)

Vocals : Christine Correa and Ran Blake, Streaming (Red Piano)

Debuts: Benjamin Boone/Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz (Origin)

 

Concert:

I Never Left and Now I’m Back: A Tribute to Roswell Rudd (Nov 17, 2018, Murmrr, Brooklyn)

 

Musicians:

piano:

Ran Blake

Chris Forbes

Matt Shipp

organ:

Matthew Whitaker

bass:

Ken Filiano

Adam Lane

drums:

Milford Graves

Nasheet Waits

Kenny Wolleson

vibes:

Brian Carrot

Bill Ware

Patricia Brennan

percussion:

Warren Smith

Cyro Baptista

Ches Smith

guitar:

Marc Ribot

Brandon Ross

Mary Halvorson

On' Kai Davis

flute:

Nicole Mitchell

Steve Gorn

soprano saxophone:

Lee Odom

alto:

Sonny Fortune

Gary Bartz

Avram Fefer

tenor:

Joe Lovano

Ras Moshe

James Brandon Lewis

bari:

Dave Sewlson

trumpet:

Wadada Leo Smith

Tom Harrell

trombone:

Steve Swell

tuba:

Bob Stewart

violin:

Gwen Laster

vocals:

Cassandra Wilson

Jay Clayton

Sheila Jordan

poetry:

 Steve Dalachinsky

Amina Baraka

Venues:

Minton’s Playhouse (Harlem)

Village Vanguard (West Village)

Joe’s Pub (SoHo/East Village)

ShapeShifter Lab (Park Slope/Gowanus Bklyn)

Roulette (Boerum Hill Bklyn)

17 Frost (Williamsburg Bklyn)

Scholes Street Studio (Williamsburg Bklyn)

The Colony (Woodstock NY)

THE BEST OF 2018

1. JD Allen, Love Stone (Savant)
2. John Scofield, Combo 66 (Verve)
3. Bill Frisell, Music IS (OKeh/Sony Masterworks)
4. Francois Moutin & Kavita Shah, Interplay (Dot Time)
5. Michael Leonhart Orchestra, The Painted Lady Suite (Sunnyside)
6. Wayne Shorter, Emanon (Blue Note)
7. Eddie Henderson, Be Cool (Smoke Sessions Records)
8. Andrew Cyrille, Lebroba (EMC)
9. Joshua Redman, Still Dreaming (Nonesuch)
10. Carlos Hernandez, Dizzy Con Clave (Rodbros Music)

11. Rudy Royston, Flatbed Buggy (Greenleaf Music)
12. Kurt Elling, The Questions (OKeh)
13. Steve Cardenas, Charlie and Paul (Newvelle)
14. Ben Allison, Quiet Revolution (Sonic Camera)
15. Henry Threadgill, Dirt…And More Dirt (Pi Recordings)
16. Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret, The Other Side of Air (Firehouse 12)
17. Dr. Lonnie Smith, All In My Mind (Blue Note)
18. Cuong Vu, Change in the Air (RareNoise)
19. The Nels Cline 4, Currents, Constellations (Blue Note)
20. Mary Halvorson-Bill Frisell, The Maid With The Flaxen Hair — A Tribute to Johnny Smith (Tzadik)
21. Adam Nussbaum, The Lead Belly Project (Sunnyside)
22. Dafnis Prieto Big Band, Back to the Sunset (Dafnison Music)
23. Marshall Gilkes w/WDR Big Band, Always Forward (Alternate Side Records)
24. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, West Side Story Reimagined (Jazzheads)
25. The Gil Evans Orchestra, Hidden Treasures, Vol. 1 (Geo)
26. Ralph Peterson’s Gen-Next Big Band, I Remember Bu: Alive Vol. 4 at Sculler’s (Onyx)
27. Ralph Peterson’s Aggregate Prime, Inward Venture: Alive Vol. 5 at the Side Door (Onyx)
28. Frank Kimbrough, Monk’s Dream (Sunnyside)
29. Davy Mooney/Ko Omura, Benign Strangers (Sunnyside)
30. The Chick Corea-Steve Gadd Band, Chinese Butterfly (Concord Jazz)
31. Joey Alexander, Eclipse (Motema Music)
32. Cecile McLorin Salvant, The Window (Mack Avenue)
33. Roman Filiu, Quarteria (Sunnyside) Mark Masters, Our Metier (Capri)
34. Fernando Garcia, Guasabara Puerto Rico (Zoho)
35. Jon Iragabon Quartet, Dr. Quixotic’s Traveling Exotics (Irrabagast)
36. Julian Lage, Modern Love (Mack Avenue)
37. Gilad Hekselman, Ask for Chaos (Hexaphonic/Motema Music)
38. Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas, Scandal (Greenleaf)
39. Matthew Shipp, Sonic Fiction (ESP-Disk)
40. Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams, Vanished Gardens (Blue Note)
41. Christian McBride, New Jawn (Mack Avenue)
42. James Brandon Lewis/Chad Taylor, Radiant Imprints (Off Records)
43. Sylvie Courvoirsier, D’Agala (Intakt)
44. Bobby Previte, Rhapsody (Tzadik)
45. Thumbscrew, Theirs (Cuneiform)
46. Aaron Parks, Little Big (Ropeadope)
47. Jonathan Finlayson, 3 Times Round (Pi Recordings)
48. Marcus Miller, Laid Black (Blue Note)
49. Fima Ephron, Songs From The Tree (Fima)
50. Jean Chaumont, The Beauty of Differences (Musfitme Music)

Best of 2018

 

Not Two, Amir ElSaffar/Rivers of Sound (New Amsterdam Records)

All the Rivers – Live at Panteão Nacional, Susana Santos Silva (Clean Feed Records)

Arild Andersen/Paolo Vinaccia/Tommy Smith In-House Science (ECM Records)

Zero, Matthew Shipp (ESP Disk)

Bright Force, Satoko Fujii’s Kira Kira (Libra Records)

Aruán Ortiz Trio with Brad Jones and Chad Taylor: Live in Zürich (Intakt Records)

Obsidian, Kit Downes (ECM Records)

Marcin Wasilewski Trio Live (ECM Records)

Lionel Loueke Close Your Eyes (Newvelle Records)

Introverted Cultures, Adam Berenson / Scott Barnum / Eric Hofbauer (Dream Play Records)

Esbjorn Svensson Trio e.s.t. live in London (ACT)

Keith Jarrett / Gary Peacock / Jack DeJohnette After The Fall (ECM Records)

Anniversary, Spanish Harlem Orchestra (ArtistShare)

Cyrille Aimée Live, Cyrille Aimée (Mack Avenue records)

Goya, Giuseppe Doronzo (Tora Records)

10³²K, The Law of Vibration (Self-Produced)

Tyshawn Sorey, Pillars (Firehouse 12)

 

Historical Albums:

Espace Cardin 1977, Dexter Gordon Quartet (Elemental Music)

Mønk, Thelonious Monk (Gearbox Records)

Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album, John Coltrane (Impulse!)