{"id":1133,"date":"2012-12-27T12:05:42","date_gmt":"2012-12-27T17:05:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=1133"},"modified":"2012-12-27T14:47:49","modified_gmt":"2012-12-27T19:47:49","slug":"2012-top-jazz-beyond-jazz-recordings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2012\/12\/2012-top-jazz-beyond-jazz-recordings.html","title":{"rendered":"2012 Top Jazz Beyond Jazz recordings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Checking out new recordings is the motivation of much jazz journalism, though at top-10 time having so much new stuff can be a bedevilment, if not a curse.
\n<\/a>\"cds\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s a baker’s dozen of my favorites from among the 11-some-hundred sent by record labels, publicists and, increasingly, the artists themselves.\u00c2\u00a0They reward multiple listenings, so I keep learning about them.<\/p>\n

Maghostut Trio<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Live at Last<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (RogueArt) — In \u00c2\u00a0Oct 2003, five months before his death, Malachi Favors\u00c2\u00a0Maghostut,\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0the profoundly sure bassist who co-founded the AACM and anchored the Art Ensemble of Chicago, recorded with reeds player\/pianist Hanah Jon Taylor and drummer Vincent Davis. In sessions in a Madison, Wisconsin studio and the original Velvet Lounge, the musicians are vivid and unflagging, treating Charlie Parker’s “Au Privave” and Little Walter’s “My Babe” with the same high, rough regard as three collective improvisations, Taylor’s “Electric Elephant Dance” and Favor’s own “Beware of the Wolf.”<\/p>\n

Steve Lehman Trio<\/strong> – Dialect Fluorescent<\/em><\/strong> <\/a>(Pi) — Wow, can Lehman play alto sax! His rip-roaring yet silver-surfaced tone, flash-finger facility, far-reaching harmonic ideas and intelligent intensity \"lehman\"<\/a>are met with equal presence by bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Damion Reid. The three transform the unlikely “Pure Imagination” (from the first Willie Wonka movie), as well as Coltrane’s “Moment’s Notice,” Jackie McLean’s “Mr. E.” and Duke Pearson’s racy “Jeannine,”\u00c2\u00a0Lehman’s hottest feature. These are of a piece with five of his original themes; they all have multiple levels of interactivity in dynamic, transparent sync.<\/p>\n

Jacob Garchik<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The Heavens\/The Atheist Gospel Trombone Album<\/em><\/strong> <\/a>(Yestereve) — A refreshing appropriation of church-rockin’ motifs\u00c2\u00a0for cats of all \"garchick\"<\/a>and no religious denominations. A light filter of sceptical secular cosmopolitanism highlights ironies as well as similarities in everybody’s love of swinging, throaty, amassed sounds. Every sound is by Garchik, overdubbing ‘bone, baritone horn, sousaphone and slide ‘bone. Ingenious, solid.<\/p>\n

Frank Wright Quartet \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Blues for Albert Ayler<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (ESP-Disk) — Hot as lava, guitarist James \u00c2\u00a0Blood Ulmer and drummer Rashid Ali slam with sax-and-flutist Frank Wright,\"wright\"<\/a> a childhood friend of Albert Ayler, and bassist Benny Wilson during never-before-released tapes of a 1974 gig at Ali’s Alley in Soho. Nobody told them they couldn’t play like this — no-holds-barred, gritty, loud,”free,” devil-may-care — so they do.<\/p>\n

Living by Lanterns \u00e2\u20ac\u201c New Myth\/Old Science<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (Cuneiform) — A double quintet of \u00c2\u00a0emergent Chicago and NYC individualists \u00c2\u00a0who are also swell collaborators and interpreters. They\u00c2\u00a0transform 700 hours of unused Sun Ra archival tape into a \"living<\/a>broad and multi-faceted program that gets off into space, yet enlightens this world. Alto saxist Greg Ward, cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum, tenor saxist Ingrid Laubrock, cellist Tomeka Reid, guitarist Mary Halvorson and vibist Jason Adasiewicz, with solid yet shifting rhythms laid down by bassist Joshua Abrams, drummers Tomas Fujiwara and Mike Reed, who also adds electronics. Inside\/outside, like Ra.<\/p>\n

Jon Irabagon’s Outright!\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Unhinged\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/a>(Irabragast Records) — An audacious jazz orchestra with strings, Theremin, berimbau, banjo and found objects \"irabagon\"<\/a>besides the usual brass, reeds and rhythm, all connecting one way or another with tenor saxophonist Irabagon. Fine playing, rangy within contexts; quick change-ups lead you-never-know-where, and humor leavens the serious fun.<\/p>\n

Hafez Modirzadeh \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Post-Chromodal Out<\/em><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0<\/a>(Pi) — Alto and tenor saxist Modirzadeh has developed a unique microtonal practice, based in part on Persian (Iranian) dastgah modal music and inspired to universality by Ornette Coleman. He delves deeply into it with capable Iraqi-\"hafez\"<\/a>American trumpeter Amir ElSaffar, pianist Vijay Iyer (who plays a specially tuned keyboard), bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Royal Hartigan, plus guests on Filipino Kulintang (gongs), Persian santur (hammered dulcimer) and electric guitar. At first exposure the sound is — ?!?! — but grow accustomed to the tuning and it takes you away. . .<\/p>\n

Wes Montgomery \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Echoes of Indiana Avenue<\/em><\/strong> <\/a>(Resonance) — This is the best record of the year that could have been issued in 1958, rich with\u00c2\u00a0swinging, melodic vitality. All \"wes\"<\/a>previously unissued material that the guitar god Montgomery recorded in his hometown, with support from his brothers and cronies. Such music used to be a neighborhood staple; maybe jazz will become so local and groovy again.<\/p>\n

Harris Eisenstadt — Canada Day III<\/em><\/strong> <\/a>(Songlines) — Drummer Eisenstadt’s calm, precise yet color-filled compositions for a quintet of matured NYC pros who’ve learned to play together closely over three albums and several tours. \"harris\"<\/a>Chris Dingman, vibes; Nate Wooley, trumpet; Matt Bauder, tenor sax; Garth Stevenson, bass and Harris, lifting everyone.<\/p>\n

Ron Miles \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Quiver<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (Enja) — If Boulder-based trumpeter Miles were m0re widely heard, he’d be more widely appreciated, as he and we deserve. With guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade, Miles is thoughtful, lyrical and a touch raucous, too. It’s a live performance of originals, a blues, Ellington and Mancini tunes.\u00c2\u00a0\"ron\"<\/a><\/p>\n

REISSUES:<\/p>\n

Preservation Hall Jazz Band<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The 50th Anniversary Collection –\u00c2\u00a0<\/em>As it was and how it is.<\/p>\n

Spectrum Road<\/strong> (Palmetto) — Works of Tony Williams’ Lifetime, not really a reissue but a high-energy revisitation by guitarist Vernon Reid, keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Cindy Blackman and Lifetime’s original bassist Jack Bruce. I’m glad this material gets new life.<\/p>\n

BEST VOCAL ALBUM<\/p>\n

Neneh Cherry and The Thing<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The Cherry Thing<\/em> (Smalltown Supersound) \"neneh\"<\/a>— Tenor sax terror Mats Gustuffson leads the trio The Thing, Neneh Cherry is one fearless singer, and repertoire includes tunes by the Stooges and Suicide as well as by Don Cherry (Neneh’s stepdad) and Ornette. Brace yourself.<\/p>\n

BEST DEBUT CD:<\/p>\n

Ryan Truesdell<\/strong>, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans<\/em> (ArtistShare). Beautiful large ensemble music expertly performed.<\/p>\n

ALSO:<\/p>\n

Calvin Weston<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Of Alien Feelings<\/em> (Imaginary Chicago); Positive Catastrophe<\/strong> (Taylor Ho Bynum and Abram Gomez-Delgado nonet) Dibrujo, Dibrujo, Dibrujo<\/em> (Cuneiform); Guillermo Klein Los Gaucho<\/strong>s, Carrera <\/em>(Sunnyside); Henry Cole and the Afrobeat Collective<\/strong>, Roots Before Branches<\/em> (self-produced); Art Ensemble<\/strong>, Early Combinations<\/em> (Nessa); Sylvain Leroux Quatuor Cr\u00c3\u00a9ole<\/strong> (Completely Nuts); David Fiuczynski,<\/strong> Planet Microjam<\/em> (Rare Noise); Sam Rivers, Dave Holland, Barry Altschul,\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>Reunion: Live in New York<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0(Pi); Wadada Leo Smith & Louis Moholo<\/strong>, Ancestors<\/em> (Tum); Kurt Elling<\/strong>, 1619 Broadway, The Brill Building Project<\/em> (Concord); The Thirteenth Assembly (Bynum, Halvorson, Pavone, Fujiwara)<\/strong>, Station Direct<\/em> (Imprec); Mary Halvorson Quintet,<\/strong> Bending Bridges<\/em> (Firehouse 12); \u00c2\u00a0Nicole Mitchell and an ARCHE New Music Ensemble,<\/strong> The Arc of O<\/em> (RogueArt); Wayne Escoffrey<\/strong>, Only Son of One<\/em> (Sunnyside); Organ Monk, <\/strong>Uwo in the Black <\/em>(self-produced; I wrote the liner notes, but recommend this honestly, wholeheartedly); Pharoah Sanders<\/strong>, Early Pharoah<\/em> (ESP); Steven Feld<\/strong>, Jazz Cosmopolitanism in Accra \u00c2\u00a0<\/em>(VoxLox).<\/p>\n

\"many<\/a><\/p>\n

howardmandel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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Checking out new recordings is the motivation of much jazz journalism, though at top-10 time having so much new stuff can be a bedevilment, if not a curse. Here’s a baker’s dozen of my favorites from among the 11-some-hundred sent by record labels, publicists and, increasingly, the artists themselves.\u00c2\u00a0They reward multiple listenings, so I keep […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1133","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-main","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-ih","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":281,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2009\/12\/jazz_best_lists_of_2009.html","url_meta":{"origin":1133,"position":0},"title":"Jazz best lists of 2009","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"December 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Chicago Trib cultural critic Julia Keller decries year-end \"best of\" lists for their \"chilly, retrospective nature,\"for \u00a0their by-definition 12-month perspectives trumping spontaneous enthusiasm, and for their reinforcement of consensus. Nonsense. Here are three opportunities to see what jazz critics are recommending as 2009's hot recordings, and there's some consistency, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2007\/12\/2007_favoritesgift_ideas.html","url_meta":{"origin":1133,"position":1},"title":"2007 favorites\/gift ideas","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"December 13, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Gifts for the listener who's heard everything... for your jazz-beyond-jazz companeros . . . for yourself . . . I won't say these are all the year's \"best\" recordings, but they're the one's I've listened to the most for inspiration, surprise and pleasure. Click on the title to buy online-\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2548,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2019\/01\/legacies-of-music-makers.html","url_meta":{"origin":1133,"position":2},"title":"Legacies of Music Makers","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The deaths of multi-instrumentalist Joseph Jarman, best known as the face-painted shaman of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and Alvin Fielder, re-conceptualizing drummer, remind us that artists' contributions to music extend beyond recordings and awards. Read my essay at NPR Music, commissioned by Nate Chinen of WBGO, on the enduring\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":121,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/09\/meet_the_neas_new_jazz_masters.html","url_meta":{"origin":1133,"position":3},"title":"Meet the NEA’s new Jazz Masters","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 3, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"The National Endowment for the Arts' latest class of official \"Jazz Masters\" includes\u00c2\u00a0vocalist and guitarist\u00c2\u00a0George Benson, drummer\u00c2\u00a0Jimmy Cobb, alto saxophonist\u00c2\u00a0Lee Konitz, harmonica and guitar player\u00c2\u00a0\"Toots\" Thielemans, trumpeter\u00c2\u00a0Snooky\" Young,\u00c2\u00a0and recording engineer\u00c2\u00a0Rudy Van Gelder. \u00c2\u00a0All estimable choices, each receiving $25,000, opportunities to participate in photo shoots and public appearances and introduction\u00c2\u00a0an official\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1162,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2013\/01\/images-of-a-jazz-conference.html","url_meta":{"origin":1133,"position":4},"title":"Images of a Jazz Conference","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Jazz Connect, a confederation of jazz activists including principals of JazzTimes magazine, \u00c2\u00a0AllAboutJazz.com\u00c2\u00a0and Thirsty Ear Recordings, produced a free multi-meeting conference with no specific theme other than what's happening in the musical \"community\" now, on Jan 10 and 11 at the New York Hilton. (Correction: JazzTimes is NOT part of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"JazzConnectConference1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/JazzConnectConference11.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":301,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2010\/03\/breadth-of-jazz_radio_wkcr_fet.html","url_meta":{"origin":1133,"position":5},"title":"Breadth-of-jazz radio WKCR fetes Ornette, Bix","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"March 3, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Next week WKCR-FM 89.9 www.wkcr.org, promises all-day music of Ornette Coleman and Bix Beiderbecke, linking the \"free jazz\" iconoclast (turning 80 Mar 9) to the Roaring '20s jazz-mad kid cornetist\/pianist (who would be 107 on March 10, if he hadn't drunk himself to death at age 28 in 1931). Mark\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for ornette himmel small.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/assets_c\/2010\/03\/ornette%20himmel%20small-thumb-200x300-13696-thumb-240x360-13697.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1133\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}