{"id":1473,"date":"2014-01-03T16:47:03","date_gmt":"2014-01-03T21:47:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=1473"},"modified":"2014-01-04T15:14:31","modified_gmt":"2014-01-04T20:14:31","slug":"recommended-2013-jazz-beyond-jazz-recordings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/01\/recommended-2013-jazz-beyond-jazz-recordings.html","title":{"rendered":"Recommended 2013 jazz-beyond-jazz recordings"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m interested in \"am<\/a>the\u00c2\u00a0jazz<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0beyond\u00c2\u00a0“jazz” — \u00c2\u00a0a genre very subjectively defined as\u00c2\u00a0exciting, enticing, sooo<\/em> real recorded music to my ears. This list of “Best of 2013″\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>follows from the format critic Francis Davis designed for the NPR Music Jazz Critics’ Poll<\/a>, with one significant difference.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Francis asks, reasonably enough, that contributors to his poll refrain from voting for albums on which they’ve labored in some professional capacity. But I’d be remiss not to say I think\u00c2\u00a0two of\"jamie\"<\/span><\/p>\n

last year’s best records were\u00c2\u00a0Organ Monk’s<\/b>\u00c2\u00a0American Standard<\/b><\/i><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0Jamie Baum’s\u00c2\u00a0In This Life<\/i><\/a>,<\/b>\u00c2\u00a0both of which I wrote on professionally, as well as the “historical” album of\u00c2\u00a0Jaki Byard\/Tommy Flanagan duets<\/b>\u00c2\u00a0The Magic of Two<\/strong><\/a>,\u00c2\u00a0<\/i>the debut of\u00c2\u00a0The Puppeteers,<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0Op Der Schmelze LIve<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0by the quartet of Klaus Kugel, Roberta Picket, Robby Glod\u00c2\u00a0and Mark Tokar, Charnett Moffett’s\u00c2\u00a0The<\/i>
\n<\/span>Bridge<\/i><\/span>\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0Christian Howes\/Richard Galliano’s\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>Southern Exposure<\/i><\/span>.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/i><\/span>Last year I didn’t mentioned\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>Amina Figarova’s\u00c2\u00a0Twelve<\/i><\/a><\/b><\/span>\u00c2\u00a0in my bests, but I’m not serving readers or listeners if I disqualify a recording I honestly think is rewarding just because I worked on it.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"cecile\"<\/a>Best vocal album:<\/b><\/span>\u00c2\u00a0Cecile McLorin Salvant,\u00c2\u00a0Womanchild<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Astonishing debut of a fabulous singer \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Ms. Salvant is a knowing heir of Ella, Sarah, Billie, Bessie but entirely herself: daring, engaging, dramatic, entertaining. May she have a long career. Aaron Diehl’s trio plays precisely perfect support.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Another excellent debut:<\/b><\/span>\u00c2\u00a0Jonathan Finlayson,\u00c2\u00a0Moments and the Message<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201c A smart, incisive trumpeter, chops steeled by 16 years of close collaboration with Steve Coleman, and\u00c2\u00a0\"jonathan\"<\/a>
\na sound\u00c2\u00a0of his own, on original compositions with a tight ensemble that shows “freedom” isn’t random, chaotic or unplanned, but rather open to ideas and willing to try hard challenges.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Most intriguing historical album<\/span><\/b>:\u00c2\u00a0Miles Davis Quintet,\u00c2\u00a0Live in Europe ’69: The Bootleg Series vol. 2<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201c The mercurial trumpeter barnstorming with his never-officially recorded band \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Shorter, Corea, Holland, DeJohnette \u00e2\u20ac\u201c shifting repertoire and interpretive approach from sophisticated late ’60s to explosive early ’70s. Three cds and a dvd of a 45-minute concert in Berlin.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nilson\"<\/a>Best “Latin jazz”<\/b><\/span>: I dislike this category because its definition is inoperable — what’s ‘Latin’? and what’s not?\u00c2\u00a0Nilson Matta’s\u00c2\u00a0Black Orpheus: The Bossa Nova Tribute<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/i><\/b>is neither Afro-Cuban nor Caribbean; it features Brazilian-American all-stars and associates with personalized new approaches to the unforgettable sambas written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and equally notable Luis Bonfa.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond Category production<\/b><\/span>:\u00c2\u00a0The Road To Jajouka, A Benefit Album<\/i><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0by The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar<\/b>\u00c2\u00a0— Guests including Ornette, Zorn, Flea, Laswell, Sirius Quartet, DJ Logic,\"jajouka\"<\/a> Mickey Hart, Lee Renaldo in new performances and remixes featuring the wild winds, strings and percussion of Morocco’s Rif Mountains.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Greatest loss of the year: Lawrence Douglas “Butch” Morris (February 10, 1947 – January 29, 2013)<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>Butch was the father of Conduction<\/a>,<\/strong> a systematic hand language for directing ensembles of any makeup through spontaneous compositions. He was a cornetist, too, yes — and a \"butch\"<\/a>universal charmer, who made everyone he came in contact with feel like a specially valued friend. I’m also sad to learn of the deaths of drummer\/composer\/Decoding Society leader Ronald Shannon Jackson, venerables Frank Wess, Yusef Lateef, Marian McPartland, Jim Hall and Chico Hamilton, and at the end of Dec ’13 too young bassist Dwayne Burno — an admirable player, firm and gentle man.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best trend:<\/b><\/span>\u00c2\u00a0The continuing development of large, heterogenous improvising ensembles, a movement in which Butch Morris was a significant actor, but which also includes Karl Berger’s Creative Music Orchestra, Adam Rudolph’s Go: Organic Orchestra, David Murray’s Blues Big Band, Walter Thompson’s Soundpainting orchestra, Bill Horvitz’s Expanded Band*, Michele Rosewoman’s New Yor-uba<\/strong>* (*see below), the Revive Big Band, J.A. Deane brilliantly conducting a chamber group filled with brass players at Roulette during the Festival of New Trumpet,\u00c2\u00a0and ongoing ensembles such as Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project and the Maria Schneider’s Orchestra.<\/p>\n

Repeated listening favorites<\/span>:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Amir ElSaffar,\u00c2\u00a0Alchemy<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201c High-concept jazz should actually\u00c2\u00a0sound<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0good, \"amir\"<\/a>as do these originals by virtuosic, nuanced trumpeter ElSaffar, with dedicated collaboration from pianist John Escreet, tenorist Ole Mathisen, bassist Francois Moutin, drummer Dan Weiss. Infusions of deep Middle Eastern traditions\u00c2\u00a0into clear compositions drawing on blues and Blakey-like bebop structures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Douglas Ewart\/Yusef Lateef\/Roscoe Mitchell\/Adam \"voice<\/a>Rudolph,\u00c2\u00a0Voice Prints<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Ewart is a lesser known hero of the AACM, maybe because he’s worked across disciplines as an instillation artist, sculptor, educator and shaman besides (as here) breathing life into winds, reeds, glass didgeridoo, bells. He convened estimable elder reedist Yusef Lateef, ever-probing Roscoe Mitchell and worldly percussionist Adam Rudolph for\u00c2\u00a0four comprovisations live from the Walker Museum, Minneapolis. Exploratory improvisation which moves intuitively through mostly quiet, uncharted interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Myra Melford,\u00c2\u00a0Life Carries Me This Way<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201cI’m immensely proud of having \"myra\"<\/a>produced pianist Ms. Melford’s first recording, the solo\u00c2\u00a0One For Now<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0of 1986 on the Nisus cassette label (good luck finding it!). But in 27 years her skills and scope have grown immeasurably. She is committed to full expression through lyrical, dynamic, flowing lyricism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Michele Rosewoman,\u00c2\u00a0New Yor-uba<\/i><\/a><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201c Pianist Rosewoman has created the masterpiece she’s envisioned for 30 years, an extended, loving and fully informed evocation of the Santeria orishas, \"michele\"<\/a>bata drums prominent with her committed jazz octet and a couple of guests. Two discs is a lot of music to absorb, and doubly rewarding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other pleasures<\/b><\/span>:\u00c2\u00a0drummer Harris Eisenstat’s\u00c2\u00a0<\/b><\/span>Golden State<\/b><\/i><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/a>with flutist Nicole Mitchell, bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck and bassist Mark Dresser.<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Nicole Mitchell,\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>Engraved in the Wind<\/b><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0—<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0unaccompanied flute, lots of imagination.<\/span><\/p>\n

Guitarist Kenny Wessell Quartet,\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>Weights and Measures<\/b><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0–<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0Funky yet\"kenny\"<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0pretty, subtly swinging, harmolodically influenced and tuneful, nice moods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bassist\/composer Gregg August,\u00c2\u00a0Four By Six<\/i><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>— Quartet and sextet tracks with coming-up players worth hearing: soprano saxist Sam Newsome, pianist Luis Perdomo, drummers E.J. Strickland and Rudy Royston, tenor saxist JD Allen, alto saxist Yosvany Terry, trumpeter John Bailey.<\/span><\/p>\n

Guitarist\/composer Bill Horvitz Expanded Band,\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>The Long Walk<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>—<\/i><\/span>\u00c2\u00a0West Coast large ensemble performs carefully wrought original compositions by farseeing guitarist Bill Horvitz, celebrating his late younger brother Philip.\u00c2\u00a0Wayne Horvitz, also a sibling, plays piano. Full of feeling and even wisdom.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marty Ehrlich,\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>A Trumpet In The Morning<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>—<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0New York large ensemble takes on an orchestral piece by a brilliant saxophist\/composer who (unfortunately) doesn’ take any solos here. Or is there one lurking. . . \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More notable reissues<\/span>: Tito Puente,<\/span><\/b>\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Quatro<\/a><\/strong> —<\/i>\u00c2\u00a0Master timbalest and \"tito\"<\/a>bandleader’s lively albums of 1956 – ’60, plus out-take and alternates (released late 2012).<\/span><\/p>\n

Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald,\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>Decca Sessions 1934 – ’41<\/a><\/strong> — <\/i>A time capsule,\u00c2\u00a0<\/i>eight cds from the swing orchestra that launched the most beloved of American singers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Bley Trio,\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>Closer<\/i><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0–\u00c2\u00a0<\/b><\/b>The flinty, witty pianist, tinkers concisely with melodies by his ex-wife Carla Bley, Annette Peacock and Ornette \"bley\"<\/a>Coleman, accompanied by bassist Steve Swallow\u00c2\u00a0and drummer Barry Altschul; from 1965 when this music — spare, ironic, inconclusive — was truly new. From ESP Disk, a label that took enormous chances, many of them still paying off (controversies acknowledged), and continues to do so. \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Art Hodes,<\/b>\u00c2\u00a0I Remember Bessie<\/i><\/a><\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0–\u00c2\u00a0<\/b>Recall or be introduced to Hodes, the raggy Chicago blues pianist who lived through Bessie’s era, revisiting it 50 years later.<\/span><\/p>\n

. . . I still haven’t listened to a lot of the 1100-some albums l received for review in \u00c2\u00a02013, which wasn’t an easy year for artists on the commercial margins, overlooked by patrons and philanthropists. Thanks to musicians who stay in pursuit of enlivening, sensuous sound.<\/span>
\nhowardmandel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Subscribe by Email or RSS<\/a><\/p>\n

All JBJ posts <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m interested in the\u00c2\u00a0jazz\u00c2\u00a0beyond\u00c2\u00a0“jazz” — \u00c2\u00a0a genre very subjectively defined as\u00c2\u00a0exciting, enticing, sooo real recorded music to my ears. This list of “Best of 2013″\u00c2\u00a0follows from the format critic Francis Davis designed for the NPR Music Jazz Critics’ Poll, with one significant difference.\u00c2\u00a0 Francis asks, reasonably enough, that contributors to his poll refrain from voting […]<\/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-1473","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-nL","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":1473,"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":149,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/12\/south_asian-american_jazz_from.html","url_meta":{"origin":1473,"position":1},"title":"South Asian-American jazz from New York","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"December 31, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Rudresh Mahanthappa\u00c2\u00a0-- an extraordinary American jazzman of South Asian descent -- has a critical fave with\u00c2\u00a0Kinsmen, his album featuring his own alto sax coupled with that of Indian Carnatic master musician Kadri Golpanath, supported by Karachi-born but L.A.-bred former surfer\/electric guitarist Rez Abassi, violin, bass, traps, mridingam from East and\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":2107,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2016\/09\/chi-jazz-fest-2016-details-in-photos-and-words.html","url_meta":{"origin":1473,"position":2},"title":"Chi jazz fest 2016, details in photos and words","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"My DownBeat overview of the 38th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, comprehensive as I could make it, didn't\u00c2\u00a0go into depth on any of the couple dozen performances I heard from Sept 1 through 4 in downtown Millennium Park and the Cultural\u00c2\u00a0Center.\u00c2\u00a0So here, with imagery by my photojournalist colleagues\u00c2\u00a0and friends Marc PoKempner\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/MPOK3288a-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/MPOK3288a-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/MPOK3288a-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2552,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2019\/01\/2018-jazz-blues-and-beyond-deaths-w-links.html","url_meta":{"origin":1473,"position":3},"title":"2018 jazz, blues and beyond deaths w\/ links","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Cecil Taylor, March 15, 1929 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c April 5, 2018, photo by S\u00c3\u00a1nta Istv\u00c3\u00a1n Csaba Not a happy post, but a useful one: here are the hundreds of musicians and music industry activists who died in 2018, as compiled by photographer-writer Ken Franckling for the Jazz Journalists Association. Ken scoured local\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/CecilTaylor-nea-jazz-master-2014-santa.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2007\/07\/jazz_beyond_jazz.html","url_meta":{"origin":1473,"position":4},"title":"Jazz Beyond Jazz","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"July 17, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"What if there's more to jazz than you suppose? What if jazz demolishes suppositions and breaks all bounds? What if jazz - and the jazz beyond, behind, under and around jazz - could enrich your life? What if jazz is the subtle, insightful, stylish, soulful, substantive guide to successful navigation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "about"","block_context":{"text":"about","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/about"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":328,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2010\/07\/italy_here_i_come.html","url_meta":{"origin":1473,"position":5},"title":"Italy here I come","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"July 21, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The Siena Jazz Workshop has me present my book Miles Ornette Cecil - Jazz Beyond Jazz (buy it for your Kindle!) Sunday, July 25 at 10 am (yes, in Siena, Italy).\u00a0Can you suggest unmissable music in Tuscany (or Vetirbo through July 31? In Siena I'll talk and show brief bits\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"siena square.jpeg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/siena%20square.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473","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=1473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}