| 7th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2012 |
Tom Hull's Extended Year-End Jazz List (2012)
Extracted December 19.
New Records
Top Ten
- Steve Lehman Trio: Dialect Fluorescent (Pi)
- Sam Rivers/Dave Holland/Barry Altschul: Reunion: Live in New York (2007, Pi, 2CD)
- Houston Person: Naturally (High Note)
- Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris/Gerald Cleaver: Living Jelly (Leo)
- Jenny Scheinman: Mischief & Mayhem (self-released)
- The Ben Riley Quartet: Grown Folks Music (Sunnyside)
- Fred Lonberg-Holm's Fast Citizens: Gather (Delmark)
- Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Live (ECM, 2CD)
- Arthur Kell Quartet: Jester (Bju'ecords)
- Jacob Garchik: The Heavens: The Athetist Trombone Album (Yestereve)
A-
- Juhani Aaltonen and Heikki Sarmanto: Conversations (TUM, 2CD)
- Angles 8: By Way of Deception: Live in Ljubljana (Clean Feed)
- Ehud Asherie with Harry Allen: Upper West Side (Posi-Tone)
- Jerry Bergonzi: Shifting Gears (Savant)
- Raoul Björkenheim/Anders Nilsson/Gerald Cleaver: Kalabalik (DMG/ARC)
- Kyle Brenders Quartet: Offset (18th Note)
- Don Byron New Gospel Quintet: Love, Peace, and Soul (Savoy Jazz)
- François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Alexey Lapin: In Motion (Leo)
- Neneh Cherry & the Thing: The Cherry Thing (Smalltown Supersound)
- Ernest Dawkins: Afro Straight (Delmark)
- Dave Douglas Quintet: Be Still (Greenleaf Music)
- Bill Evans: Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate (1968, Resonance, 2CD): **
- Tomas Fujiwara & the Hook Up: The Air Is Different (482 Music): **
- Charles Gayle Trio: Streets (Northern Spy): **
- The Group: Live (1986, NoBusiness)
- Hairy Bones: Snakelust (to Kenji Nakagami) (Clean Feed)
- Holus-Bolus: Pine Barren (Prom Night): *
- Vijay Iyer Trio: Accelerando (ACT)
- Sheila Jordan/Harvie S: Yesterdays (1990, High Note)
- Diana Krall: Glad Rag Doll (Verve)
- Andrew Lamb: Rhapsody in Black (NoBusiness)
- The Peggy Lee Band: Invitation (Drip Audio)
- Living by Lanterns: New Myth/Old Science (Cuneiform)
- Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: No New Tunes (Hot Cup): *
- Branford Marsalis Quartet: Four MFs Playin' Tunes (Marsalis Music)
- Michael McNeill Trio: Passageways (self-released)
- Medeski Martin & Wood: Free Magic (Indirecto): *
- Ted Nash: The Creep (Plastic Sax): **
- Miles Okazaki: Figurations (Sunnyside)
- Old Time Musketry: Different Times (Steeplechase)
- Eivind Opsvik: Overseas IV (Loyal Label)
- William Parker: Centering: Unreleased Early Recordings 1976-1987 (1976-87, NoBusiness, 6CD)
- Art Pepper: Unreleased Art Pepper Vol. VII: Sankei Hall, Osaka, Japan (1980, Widow's Taste, 2CD)
- Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris/Gerald Cleaver: Family Ties (Leo)
- Ivo Perelman/Matt Shipp/Gerald Cleaver: The Foreign Legion (Leo)
- Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/Whit Dickey: The Clairvoyant (Leo)
- Mike Reed's People, Places & Things: Clean on the Corner (482 Music)
- Eric Revis 11:11: Parallax (Clean Feed)
- Louis Sclavis Atlas Trio: Sources (ECM)
- Elliott Sharp Trio: Aggregat (Clean Feed)
- Andy Sheppard/Michael Benita/Sebastian Rochford: Trio Libero (ECM)
- Wadada Leo Smith & Louis Moholo-Moholo: Ancestors (TUM)
- Sonic Liberation Front: Jetway Confidential (High Two)
- Juma Sultan's Aboriginal Music Society: Whispers From the Archive (1970-78, Porter)
- John Surman: Saltash Bells (ECM)
- Yosvany Terry: Today's Opinion (Criss Cross): **
- Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans: Mechanical Malfunction (Thirsty Ear)
- Mort Weiss: I'll Be Seeing You (SMS Jazz)
- The Whammies: Play the Music of Steve Lacy (Driff)
- Frank Wright Quartet: Blues for Albert Ayler (1974, ESP-Disk)
- Peter Zak: Nordic Noon (Steeplechase)
B+(***)
- Rez Abbasi Trio: Continuous Beat (Enja): *
- John Abercrombie Quartet: Within a Song (ECM)
- Harry Allen & Scott Hamilton: 'Round Midnight (Challenge)
- Ray Anderson Pocket Brass Band: Sweet Chicago Suite (Intuition): **
- Arts & Sciences: New You (Singlespeed Music)
- Michaël Attias: Spun Tree (Clean Feed)
- Gary Bartz: Coltrane Rules: Tao of a Musical Warrior (Oyo): **
- Josh Berman & His Gang: There Now (Delmark)
- Tim Berne: Snakeoil (ECM): *
- Otmar Binder Trio: Boogie Woogie Turnaround (Jump River)
- Jim Black Trio: Somatic (Winter & Winter): **
- Bobby Bradford/Frode Gjerstad/Ingebrigt Håker Flaten/Paal Nilssen-Love: Kampen (NoBusiness): *
- Chris Brubeck's Triple Play: Live at Arthur Zankel Music Center (Blue Forest)
- Brubeck Brothers Quartet: Life Times (Blue Forest)
- Kyle Bruckmann's Wrack: Cracked Refraction (Porter)
- LaVerne Butler: Love Lost and Found Again (High Note)
- George Cables: My Muse (High Note)
- François Carrier/Michel Lambert: Shores and Ditches (FMR)
- Hugo Carvalhais: Particula (Clean Feed)
- Chicago Underground Duo: Age of Energy (Northern Spy): **
- Chives: Dads (Primary)
- Anat Cohen: Claroscuro (Anzic)
- Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Honest Jon's): **
- Coat Cooke/Joe Poole: Conversations (Now Orchestra)
- Coat Cooke/Rainer Wiens: High Wire (Now Orchestra)
- Neil Cowley Trio: The Face of Mount Molehill (Naim Jazz)
- Roger Davidson Trio: We Remember Helen (Soundbrush)
- Rick Davies: Salsa Norteña (Emlyn)
- Steve Davis: Gettin' It Done (Posi-Tone)
- Kui Dong/Larry Polansky/Christian Wolff: Trio (Henceforth)
- Scott DuBois: Landscape Scripture (Sunnyside)
- Maya Dunietz/John Edwards/Steve Noble: Cousin It (Hopscotch)
- Paul Dunmall/Tony Bianco: Thank You to John Coltrane (Slam): **
- Yelena Eckemoff: Forget-Me-Not (Yelena Music)
- Ari Erev: A Handful of Changes (self-released)
- Wayne Escoffery: The Only Son of One (Sunnyside)
- Christian Escoudé Plays Brassens: Au Bois de Mon Coeur (Sunnyside)
- Ellery Eskelin/Dave Ballou/Michael Formanek/Devin Gray: Dirigo Rataplan (Skirl)
- The Fat Babies: Chicago Hot (Delmark)
- Joe Fiedler's <i>Big Sackbut (YSL)
- Jörg Fischer/Olaf Rupp/Frank Paul Schubert: Phugurit (Gligg)
- Ingebrigt Haker Flaten New York Quartet: Now Is (Clean Feed)
- Floratone: Floratone II (Savoy Jazz)
- Fly: Year of the Snake (ECM)
- Nobuyasu Furuya Quintet: The Major (NoBusiness): *
- David Gilmore: Numerology: Live at Jazz Standard (Evolutionary Music)
- Josh Ginsburg: Zembla Variations (Bju'ecords)
- Hans Glawischnig: Jahira (Sunnyside)
- Gordon Grdina's Haram: Her Eyes Illuminate (Songlines): **
- Tord Gustavsen Quartet: The Well (ECM): *
- Rich Halley 4: Back From Beyond (Pine Eagle)
- Ross Hammond Quartet: Adored (Prescott)
- Fred Hess Big Band: Speak (Alison)
- Ben Holmes Quartet: Anvil of the Lord (Skirl)
- Chris Hopkins/Bernd Lhotzky: Partners in Crime (Echoes of Swing)
- Steve Horowitz: New Monsters (Posi-Tone)
- Jason Kao Hwang: Burning Bridge (Innova)
- I Compani: Garbo (Icdisc, 2CD)
- The Impossible Gentlemen (Basho)
- Anne Mette Iversen: Poetry of Earth (Bju'ecords)
- Keith Jarrett: Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979 (1979, ECM, 2CD)
- Jeff Johnson: Suitcase (Origin)
- Karl 2000 (self-released)
- Stacey Kent: Dreamer in Concert (Blue Note): *
- Masabumi Kikuchi Trio: Sunrise (ECM)
- Frank Kimbrough Trio: Live at Kitano (Palmetto)
- Lee Konitz/Bill Frisell/Gary Peacock/Joey Baron: Enfants Terribles (Half Note)
- Jonas Kullhammar/Torbjörn Zetterberg/Espen Aalberg: Basement Sessions Vol. 1 (Clean Feed)
- Steve Kuhn Trio: Wisteria (ECM)
- Chris Lawhorn: Fugazi Edits (Case/Martingale)
- Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer Group: Signing (Motéma)
- Maïkotron Unit: Effugit (Jazz From Rant)
- Virginia Mayhew Quartet: Mary Lou Williams: The Next 100 Years (Renma)
- Rob Mazurek Pulsar Quartet: Stellar Pulsations (Delmark)
- Donny McCaslin: Casting for Gravity (Greenleaf Music)
- Bill McHenry: La Peur du Vide (Sunnyside)
- Joe McPhee/Ingebrigt Håker Flaten: Brooklyn DNA (Clean Feed)
- Ron Miles: Quiver (Enja/Yellowbird)
- Hank Mobley: Newark 1953 (1953, Uptown, 2CD): **
- Liudas Mockunas & Barry Guy: Lava (NoBusiness): *
- Mockuno NuClear: Drop It (NoBusiness)
- Hafez Modirzadeh: Post-Chromodal Out! (Pi): **
- Wes Montgomery: Echoes of Indiana Avenue (1957-58, Resonance): **
- Cristina Morrison: I Love (Baronesa)
- Sam Newsome: The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1 (self-released)
- Nadje Noordhuis (Little Mystery)
- Piero Odorici: Cedar Walton Presents (Savant)
- Linda Oh: Initial Here (Greenleaf Music): **
- Jimmy Owens: The Monk Project (IPO): **
- Lou Pallo of Les Paul's Trio: Thank You Les (Showplace Music Production)
- Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/Michael Bisio: The Gift (Leo)
- Enrico Pieranunzi: Permutation (CAM Jazz)
- Platform 1: Takes Off (Clean Feed)
- Paul Plimley/Barry Guy/Lucas Niggli: Hexentrio (Intakt): **
- Marlene Rosenberg Quartet: Bassprint (Origin)
- Gonzalo Rubalcaba: XXI Century (5Pasion, 2CD)
- Catherine Russell: Strictly Romancin' (World Village): **
- Bobby Sanabria Big Band: Multiverse (Jazzheads)
- Angelica Sanchez Quintet: Wires & Moss (Clean Feed)
- Jane Scheckter: Easy to Remember (self-released)
- Avery Sharpe: Sojourner Truth: ". . . Ain't I a Woman?" (JKNM)
- Aram Shelton Quartet: Everything for Somebody (Singlespeed Music)
- Matthew Silberman: Questionable Creatures (DeSoto Sound Factory)
- Wadada Leo Smith: Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform, 4CD)
- Tessa Souter: Beyond the Blue (Motéma)
- Mary Stallings: Don't Look Back (High Note)
- Bobby Streng's House Big Band: Getting Housed (self-released)
- Talking Cows: Almost Human (Morvin/Jazz Sick)
- Thollem/Parker/Cline: The Gowanus Session (Porter)
- Henry Threadgill Zooid: Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, Spp (Pi)
- Trespass Trio [Martin Küchen/Per Zanussi/Raymond Strid]: Bruder Beda (Clean Feed)
- Ryan Truesdell: Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
- Twopool: Traffic Bins (Origin)
- "Blue" Gene Tyranny: Detours (Unseen Worlds): **
- Upper Left Trio: Ulternative (Origin)
- Piet Verbist: Zygomatik (Origin)
- Doug Webb: Swing Shift (Posi-Tone -11)
- Allison Wedding: This Dance (GroundUp Music)
- Jessica Williams: Songs of Earth (Origin)
- Miguel Zenón & Laurent Coq: Rayuela (Sunnyside)
B+(**)
- Eivind Aarset: Dream Logic (ECM)
- Accidental Tourists: The L.A. Sessions (Challenge)
- Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring: Friendly Fire (High Note)
- Joe Alterman: Give Me the Simple Life (Miles High)
- Rodrigo Amado Motion Trio & Jeb Bishop: Burning Live at Jazz Ao Centro (JACC)
- Peter Appleyard and the Jazz Giants: The Lost Sessions 1974 (Linus)
- Clarice Assad: Home (Adventure Music)
- The Bad Plus: Made Possible (E1): **
- Ballister: Mechanisms (Clean Feed)
- Bruce Barth: Three Things of Beauty (Savant)
- Gerry Beaudoin: The Return (Francesca)
- Roni Ben-Hur/Santi Debriano: Our Thing (Motema)
- Jeb Bishop/Jorrit Dijkstra: 1000 Words (Driff)
- Todd Bishop Group: Little Played Little Bird: The Music of Ornette Coleman (Origin)
- Ran Blake/Christine Correa: Down Here Below: Tribute to Abbey Lincoln Volume One (Red Piano)
- Ran Blake/David "Knife" Fabris: Vilnius Noir (NoBusiness): *
- Theo Bleckmann: Hello Earth! The Music of Kate Bush (Winter & Winter): **
- Dan Block: Duality (Miles High)
- Anthony Branker & Ascent: Together (Origin)
- Brooklyn Jazz Underground: A Portrait of Brooklyn (Bju'ecords)
- Peter Brötzmann & Jörg Fischer: Live in Wiesbaden (Not Two)
- Kelly Bucheger: House of Relics (Harder Bop)
- Ed Byrne's Latin Jazz Evolution: Conquistador (Blue Truffle Music)
- Marco Cappelli's Italian Surf Academy: The American Dream (Mode): *
- Bill Carrothers: Family Life (Pirouet)
- Edmar Castaneda: Double Portion (Arpa y Voz)
- Ablaye Cissoko/Volker Goetze: Amanké Dionti (Motéma)
- Andy Clausen: The Wishbone Suite (Table and Chairs)
- Todd Clouser's A Love Electric: 20th Century Folk Selections (Royal Potato Family)
- Kevin Coelho: Funkengruven: The Joy of Driving a B3 (Chicken Soup/Summit)
- Avishai Cohen: Triveni II (Anzic)
- Ravi Coltrane: Spirit Fiction (Blue Note): **
- The Cookers: Believer (Motéma): **
- Marc Copland: Some More Love Songs (Pirouet)
- Chick Corea/Eddie Gomez/Paul Motian: Further Explorations (Concord, 2CD): **
- Meredith D'Ambrosio: By Myself (Sunnyside)
- The Billie Davies Trio: All About Love (Cobra Basement)
- Caroline Davis: Live Work & Play (Ears & Eyes)
- Jeff Davis: Leaf House (Fresh Sound New Talent)
- The Dan DeChellis Trio: . . . My Age of Anxiety (Sachimay)
- Joey DeFrancesco/Larry Coryell/Jimmy Cobb: Wonderful! Wonderful! (High Note)
- Philip Dizack: End of an Era (Truth Revolution)
- Kait Dunton: Mountain Suite (Real and Imagined Music)
- Duke Ellington Legacy: Single Petal of a Rose (Renma)
- Gene Ess: A Thousand Summers (SIMP)
- Bill Evans: Luminous (1972, Limetree, 2CD)
- Essex Improviser's Collective: Lifting the Light (Fred Taylor Music, 2CD)
- Adam Fairhall: The Imaginary Delta (Slam): **
- Michael Feinberg: The Elvin Jones Project (Sunnyside)
- FFEAR (Forum for Electro-Acoustic Research): Mirage (Jazzheads)
- Ken Field: Sensorium: Music for Dance & Film (Innova)
- Amina Figarova: Twelve (In + Out)
- The Fish: Moon Fish (Clean Feed)
- Michael Formanek Quartet: Small Places (ECM)
- Jacob Garchik/Jacob Sacks/David Ambrosio/Vinnie Sperrazza: 40Twenty (Yeah-Yeah)
- Kenny Garrett: Seeds From the Underground (Mack Avenue): **
- Marshall Gilkes: Sound Stories (Alternate Side)
- Aaron Goldberg/Ali Jackson/Omer Avital: Yes! (Sunnyside)
- Vinny Golia/Marco Eneidi/Lisa Mezzacappa/Vijay Anderson: Hell-Bent in the Pacific (NoBusiness)
- Mac Gollehon: La Fama (1980-96, self-released)
- Dennis González/Yells at Eels: Resurrection and Life (Ayler)
- Avi Granite's Verse: Snow Umbrellas (Pet Mantis)
- Grass Roots (AUM Fidelity): **
- Narada Burton Greene: Live at Kerrytown House (NoBusiness)
- Grupo Los Santos: Clave Heart (OA2)
- Joel Harrison 7: Search (Sunnyside): *
- Ted Hefko and the Thousandaires: If I Walked on Water (Onager)
- Ig Henneman Sextet: Live @ the Ironworks Vancouver (Wig)
- Fred Hersch Trio: Alive at the Vanguard (Palmetto, 2CD)
- Joe Hertenstein/Achim Tang/Jon Irabagon: Future Drone (Jazzwerkstatt): **
- Conrad Herwig/Richie Beirach/Jack DeJohnette: The Tip of the Sword (1994, RadJazz)
- Jim Holman: Explosion! (Delmark)
- Jeff Holmes Quartet: Of One's Own (Miles High)
- Weber Iago: Adventure Music Piano Masters Series Vol. 3 (Adventure Music)
- Benedikt Jahnel Trio: Equilibrium (ECM)
- Max Johnson: Quartet (Not Two): **
- Jessica Jones/Mark Taylor: Live at the Freight (New Artists)
- Kalle Kalima & K-18: Out to Lynch (TUM)
- Manu Katché (ECM)
- Jonny King: Above All (Sunnyside)
- Lisa Kirchner: Charleston for You (Verdant World)
- Guy Klucevsek: The Multiple Personality Reunion Tour (Innova)
- Bill Laswell: Means of Deliverance (Innerhythmic)
- The Jay Lawrence Quartet: Sweet Lime (Jazz Hang)
- Daunik Lazro/Jean-François Pauvros/Roger Turner: Curare (NoBusiness)
- Leslie Lewis with the Gerald Hagen Trio: Midnight Sun (Surf Cove Jazz)
- Christian Lillinger's Grund: Second Reason (Clean Feed)
- Igor Lumpert Trio: Innertextures Live (Clean Feed)
- Harold Mabern: Mr. Lucky: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. (High Note)
- Mahlis-Panos Project: Protoleia (self-released)
- Jacám Manricks: Cloud Nine (Posi-Tone)
- Don Mark's Fire Escape: In a New Light (Niromi)
- Max Marshall: Instant Camaraderie (Jazz Hang)
- Mark Masters Ensemble: Ellington Saxophone Encounters (Capri)
- Joel Miller: Swim (Origin)
- Marisa Monte: O Que Você Quer Saber de Verdade (Blue Note): **
- José-Luis Montón: Solo Guitarra (ECM)
- James Morrison: Snappy Too (self-released): **
- Musaner: Once Upon a Time (Lucent Music)
- Myriad 3: Tell (ALMA)
- Negroni's Trio: On the Way (AA)
- Ferenc Nemeth: Triumph (Dreamers Collective)
- Thea Neumann: Lady & the Tramps (self-released)
- Anders Nilsson: Night Guitar (Soundatone)
- Hailey Niswanger: The Keeper (Calmit Productions)
- Sebastian Noelle: Koan (Fresh Sound New Talent)
- Aaron Novik: Secret of Secrets (Tzadik): *
- The Odd Trio: Birth of the Minotaur (self-released)
- Aruán Ortiz Quartet: Orbiting (Fresh Sound New Talent)
- Paradoxical Frog: Union (Clean Feed)
- Jeff Parker Trio: Bright Light in Winter (Delmark)
- Michael Pedicin: Live @ the Loft (Jazz Hut)
- Jeremy Pelt: Soul (High Note)
- Ivo Perelman/The Sirius Quartet: The Passion According to G.H. (Leo)
- Giovanna Pessi/Susanna Wallumrød: If Grief Could Wait (ECM): *
- Dave Phillips & Freedance: Confluence (Innova)
- Ben Powell: New Street (self-released)
- Dafnis Prieto: Proverb Trio (Dafnison Music)
- Reggie Quinerly: Music Inspired by Freedman Town (Redefinition Music)
- Nate Radley: The Big Eyes (Fresh Sound New Talent)
- Ratchet Orchestra: Hemlock (Drip Audio)
- RED Trio + Nate Wooley: Stem (Clean Feed)
- Eric Reed: The Baddest Monk (Savant)
- Jason Robinson: Tiresian Symmetry (Cuneiform)
- Jerome Sabbagh: Plugged In (Bee Jazz): *
- Saint Dirt Elementary School: Abandoned Ballroom (Barnyard)
- Felipe Salles: Departure (Tapestry)
- Mark Sherman: The L.A. Sessions (Miles High)
- Matthew Shipp Trio: Elastic Aspects (Thirsty Ear)
- Gary Smulyan: Smul's Paradise (Capri)
- Bobo Stenson Trio: Indicum (ECM)
- Stone Quartet: Live at Vision Festival (Ayler)
- Tom Tallitsch: Heads or Tails (Posi-Tone)
- Natsuki Tamura/Satoko Fujii: Muku (Libra)
- Erena Terakubo with Legends: New York Attitude (4Q)
- The Thing with Barry Guy: Metal! (NoBusiness): *
- Sumi Tonooka: Now (ARC, 2CD)
- Rafael Toral/Davu Seru: Live in Minneapolis (Clean Feed)
- The Michael Treni Big Band: Boy's Night Out (self-released)
- TriBeCaStan: New Deli (Evergreene Music)
- Mikolaj Trzaska/Olie Brice/Mark Sanders: Riverloam Trio (NoBusiness): *
- Manuel Valera: New Cuban Express (Mavo)
- Andrea Veneziani: Oltreoceano (self-released)
- Elio Villafranca/Arturo Stable: Dos y Mas (Motéma)
- David Virelles: Continuum (Pi)
- Mal Waldron: The Search (1970s, Black Lion/1201): **
- Florian Weber: Biosphere (Enja)
- Joanna Weinberg: The Piano Diaries (Kissingpoint)
- Ben Wendel: Frame (Sunnyside)
- Dan Wilensky: Back in the Mix (Speechless Productions)
- Larry Willis: This Time the Dream's on Me (High Note)
- Cassandra Wilson: Another Country (E1): **
- Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts: An Attitude for Gratitude (Palmetto)
- Spike Wilner: La Tendresse (Posi-Tone)
- Andrea Wolper/Connie Crothers/Ken Filiano: Trance Formation: In Concert (New Artists)
- Nate Wooley/Christian Weber/Paul Lytton: Six Feet Under (NoBusiness): *
- Brandon Wright: Journeyman (Posi-Tone)
- Katherine Young: Pretty Monsters (Public Eyesore)
- Denny Zeitlin: Wherever You Are: Midnight Moods for Solo Piano (Sunnyside)
- Zohar's Nigun: The Four Questions (Rectify)
B+(*)
- Greg Abate: The Greg Abate Quintet Featuring Phil Woods (Rhombus)
- J.D. Allen Trio: The Matador and the Bull (Savant)
- Susie Arioli: All the Way (Jazzheads)
- Lynne Arriale: Solo (Motéma)
- Axel's Axiom: Uncommon Sense (Armored)
- Jeff Babko: Crux (Tonequake)
- BadBadNotGood: BBNG2 (self-released): **
- Jon Balke/Batagraf: Say and Play (ECM): *
- Bill Barner: Ten Tunes (self-released)
- Black Music Disaster (Thirsty Ear): *
- The Julian Bliss Septet: A Tribute to Benny Goodman (Signum)
- Ralph Bowen: Total Eclipse (Posi-Tone)
- Brazilian Trio [Helio Alves/Nilson Matta/Duduka Da Fonseca]: Constelação (Motéma)
- Georg Breinschmid: Fire (Preiser)
- Chloe Brisson: Blame It on My Youth (self-released)
- Zach Brock: Almost Never Was (Criss Cross)
- Tim Carey: Room 114 (self-released)
- Mel Carter: The Other Standards (CSP)
- Gustavo Casenave: Tango Casenave (Watch Craft Music)
- Oscar Castro-Neves: Live at Blue Note Tokyo (Zoho)
- Dan Cavanagh Trio: The Heart of the Geyser (OA2)
- Ed Cherry: It's All Good (Posi-Tone)
- Chicha Libre: Canibalismo (Barbès): **
- Roger Chong: Send a Little Love (self-released)
- Romain Collin: The Calling (Palmetto)
- Dan Cray: Meridies (Origin)
- Duduka Da Fonseca Quintet: Samba Jazz -- Jazz Samba (Anzic)
- Isaac Darche: Boom-Bap!tism (Bju'ecords)
- John Daversa: Artful Joy (BFM Jazz)
- Graham Dechter: Takin' It There (Capri)
- Dirty Dozen Brass Band: Twenty Dozen (Savoy Jazz)
- Rick Drumm and Fatty Necroses: Return From the Unknown (self-released)
- Candy Dulfer: Crazy (Razor & Tie)
- The Element Choir & William Parker: At Christ Church Deer Park (Barnyard)
- Ergo: If Not Inertia (Cuneiform): **
- Eric Erhardt: A Better Fate (Tapestry)
- Orrin Evans: Flip the Script (Posi-Tone)
- Ricardo Fassi: Sitting in a Song (Alice)
- Roman Filiu: Musae (Dafnison)
- Carlos Franzetti: Pierrot et Colombine (Sunnyside)
- Amit Friedman Sextet: Sunrise (Origin)
- Curtis Fuller: Down Home (Capri)
- Hal Galper Trio: Airegin Revisited (Origin)
- Jan Garbarek/Egberto Gismonti/Charlie Haden: Magica: Carta de Amor (1981, ECM, 2CD)
- Matt Garrison: Blood Songs (D Clef)
- Gato Libre: Forever (Libra)
- Robert Glasper Experiment: Black Radio (Blue Note): **
- Adam Glasser: Mzansi (Sunnyside)
- Jared Gold: Goldenchild (Posi-Tone)
- The Alex Goodman Quintet: Bridges (Connection Point)
- Dexter Gordon: Night Ballads: Montreal 1977 (1977, Uptown): **
- Chris Greene Quartet: A Group Effort (Single Malt)
- Charlie Haden/Hank Jones: Come Sunday (Emarcy): **
- Gerald Hagen Trio: Song for Leslie (Surf Cove Jazz)
- Tianna Hall & the Mexico City Jazz Trio: Two for the Road (Mighty Pretty)
- Jeff Hamilton Trio: Red Sparkle (Capri)
- Tom Harrell: Number Five (High Note)
- The Harris Group: Choices (self-released)
- Billy Hart: All Our Reasons (ECM)
- Boris Hauf Sextet: Next Delusion (Clean Feed)
- Lisa Hilton: American Impressions (Ruby Slippers)
- Human Spirit: Dialogue: Live at the Earshot Jazz Festival (Origin)
- I Never Meta Guitar Too (Clean Feed)
- Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band: Eleven (Deep Rhythm Music)
- Irène Jacob & Francis Jacob: Je Sais Nager (Sunnyside)
- Jazz Punks: Smashups (self-released)
- Jazz Soul Seven: Impressions of Curtis Mayfield (BFM Jazz)
- Erik Jekabson: Anti-Mass (Jekab's Music)
- Karen Johns & Company: Peach (Ptarmigan Music/Jazz)
- Marc Johnson/Eliane Elias: Swept Away (ECM)
- Anders Jormin: Ad Lucem (ECM)
- Dave King: I've Been Ringing You (Sunnyside)
- Guillermo Klein/Los Gauchos: Carrera (Sunnyside)
- Sam Kulik: Escape From Society (Hot Cup)
- Sabrina Lastman: The Candombe Jazz Sessions (Zoho)
- Linda Lavin: Possibilities (Ghostlight)
- Josh Levinson Sextet: Chauncey Street (self-released)
- Greg Lewis: Organ Monk: Uwo in the Black (self-released)
- The Little Willies: For the Good Times (Milking Bull): **
- Jeremy Long: In Suspension (Innova)
- Frank Lowe: The Loweski (1973, ESP-Disk)
- Jessica Lurie Ensemble: Megaphone Heart (Zipa! Music): **
- Paul Lytton/Nate Wooley: The Nows (Clean Feed, 2CD)
- Martin, Haynes and Driver: Freedman at Western Front (Barnyard)
- Pat Martino: Alone Together With Bobby Rose (1977-78, High Note)
- David Maxwell: Blues in Other Colors (Shining Stone)
- Daniel McBrearty: Clarinet Swing (Dan McB Music)
- Kelly McCarty 3: Roux Steady (72 Offsuit)
- Tony Monaco: Celebration: Life-Love-Music (Chicken Coup/Summit)
- Nick Moran Trio: No Time Like Now (Manor Sound)
- John Moulder Quintet: The Eleventh Hour: Live at the Green Mill (Origin)
- Russ Nolan: Tell Me (Rhinoceruss Music)
- Aruán Ortiz/The Camerata Urbana Ensemble: Santiarican Blues Suite (Sunnyside)
- Dudley Owens/Aaron Wright Band: People Calling (Origin)
- Drew Paralic: Wintertime Tunes of Drew Paralic (self-released)
- Ray Parker: Swingin' Never Hurt Nobody (Pythagoras)
- Luis Perdomo: Universal Mind (RKM)
- John Raymond: Strength & Song (Strength & Song)
- Carol Robbins: Moraga (Jazzcats)
- Pete Robbins Transatlantic Quartet: Live in Basel (Hate Laugh Music)
- The Duke Robillard Jazz Trio: Wobble Walkin' (Blue Duchess)
- Spike Robinson: Very Live in Boulder, Colorado (1974, Hep): **
- Scott Robinson Doctette: Bronze Nemesis (Doc-Tone)
- Alfredo Rodriguez: Sounds of Space (Mack Avenue): **
- Wallace Roney: Home (High Note)
- Alan Rosenthal: Just Sayin' (self-released)
- Marc Rossi Group: Mantra Revealed (Innova)
- Rusk (Fenetre/The Loyal Label)
- Carol Saboya: Belezas (AAM)
- Arturo Sandoval: Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You) (Concord): **
- Alexander von Schlippenbach: Schlippenbach Plays Monk (Intakt): **
- Christian Scott: Christian aTunde Adjuah (Concord, 2CD)
- Sara Serpa/Ran Blake: Aurora (Clean Feed)
- Elliott Sharp's Terraplane: Sky Road Songs (Enja)
- Jeremy Siskind: Finger-Songwriter (Bju'ecords)
- Sophisticated Ladies: A True Story (self-released)
- Jesse Stacken: Bagatelles for Trio (Fresh Sound New Talent): *
- John Stowell/Ulf Bandgren: Throop (Origin)
- Richard Sussman Quintet: Continuum (Origin)
- Andrew Swift: Swift Kick (D Clef)
- Melvin Taylor: Beyond the Burning Guitar (Eleven East, 2CD)
- Rich Thompson Trio: Generations (Origin)
- Steve Turre: Woody's Delight (High Note)
- Leon Foster Thomas: Brand New Mischief (self-released)
- Gian Tornatore: The Heights (Sound Spiral)
- Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington: Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Three (OA2)
- Matt Ulery: By a Little Light (Greenleaf Music, 2CD)
- David Ullmann Quintet: Falling (Wet Cash)
- Eyal Vilner: Introducing the Eyal Vilner Big Band (Gut String)
- Anne Walsh: Go (self-released)
- Sean Wayland: Click Track Jazz: Slave to the Machine (Seed Music, 2CD): *
- Nils Weinhold: Shapes (self-released)
- Ezra Weiss: Our Path to This Moment (Roark)
- Kenny Wheeler Big Band: The Long Waiting (CAM Jazz)
- Pharez Whitted: For the People (Origin)
- Steve Williams & Jazz Nation with Eddie Daniels (OA2)
- Mike Wofford/Holly Hofmann Quintet: Turn Signal (Capri)
- John Yao Quintet: In the Now (Innova)
- Katherine Young: Releasing Bound Water From Green Material (Prom Night, EP): *
- Shingo Yuji: Introducing Shingo Yuji (Yujipan Music)
B
- Arild Andersen: Celebration (ECM)
- Lisa Marie Baratta: Summertime Jazz (self-released)
- Michael Blake: In the Grand Scheme of Things (Songlines): **
- Budman/Levy Orchestra: From There to Here (OA2)
- Cactus Truck: Brand New for China! (Public Eyesore)
- Michael Campagna: Moments (Challenge)
- Joe Chambers Moving Pictures Orchestra: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Savant)
- Jeff Coffin & the Mu'tet: Into the Air (Ear Up)
- Charles Compo: Foolish Pleasure (Chaos Music)
- Adrian Cunningham: Walkabout (self-released)
- Rocco Deluca: Drugs 'N Hymns (429): **
- Denise Donatelli: Soul Shadows (Savant)
- Luis Durra: The Best of All Possible Worlds (Lot 50)
- Ecco La Musica: Morning Moon (Big Round)
- Cynthia Felton: Freedom Jazz Dance (Felton Entertainment)
- Jürgen Friedrich: Monosuite: For String Orchestra and Improvisers (Pirouet)
- Bill Frisell: The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved (429): **
- Uli Geissendoerfer: Colors (Black Coffee Music)
- Beka Gochiashvili (Exitus Entertainment)
- Eddie Gomez: Per Sempre (BFM Jazz)
- Sylvia Herold and the Rhythm Bugs: The Spider and the Fly (Tuxedo)
- Hobson's Choice: Of the Waves (Barnyard)
- Johnny Hodges: Yeah . . . About That (Veritas)
- Al Jarreau and the Metropole Orkest: Live (Concord Jazz)
- Norah Jones: Little Broken Hearts (Blue Note): **
- Sara Leib: Secret Love (OA2)
- Lionel Loueke: Heritage (Blue Note): **
- Vincent Lyn: Wing Sing (Budo)
- Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters Quartet: Urban Nightingale (Origin)
- Bob Mintzer Big Band: For the Moment (MCG Jazz)
- Jimmy Mulidore: Jazz for the Ages (Muldoon Jams)
- Johnny Padilla: Bright Morning (self-released)
- Eric Person: Thoughts on God (Distinction)
- Gregory Porter: Be Good (Motema): **
- Philippe Baden Powell: Adventure Music Piano Masters Series: Vol 2 (Adventure Music)
- The Reveries: Matchmakers Volume 2: The Music of Sade (Barnyard)
- Ro Sham Beaux (Red Piano)
- Amanda Ruzza: This Is What Happened (Pimenta)
- Anne Sajdera: Azul (Bijart)
- Diego Schissi Quinteto: Tongos (Sunnyside)
- Mark Solborg: Solborg 4+1+1 (ILK): **
- Melissa Stylianou: Silent Movie (Anzic): *
- Scott Tixier: Brooklyn Bazaar (Sunnyside)
- Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations (Sonic Architectures)
- Torben Waldorff: Wah-Wah (ArtistShare)
- Justin Walter: Stars (Walter)
- Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas (Undaunted Music)
- The Wee Trio: Ashes to Ashes: A David Bowie Intraspective (Bionic)
- The Jens Wendelboe Big Band: Fresh Heat (Rosa)
- Tom Wetmore: The Desired Effect (Crosstown)
- Florian Wittenburg: Artefacts: Solo Electronics (GEMA)
- Cory Wong: Quartet/Quintet (self-released)
- Jordan Young: Cymbal Melodies (Posi-Tone)
B-
- Clipper Anderson: The Road Home (Origin)
- David Boswell: Windows (My Quiet Moon)
- Chick Corea & Gary Burton: Hot House (Concord): **
- Chris Cortez: Aunt Nasty (Blue Bamboo Music)
- Katie Guthorn: Why Not Smile? (self-released)
- Hardcoretet: Do It Live (Tables and Chairs)
- Jon Irabagon's Outright!: Unhinged (Irabbagast): **
- Bruce Kaphan: Quartet (Wiggling Air)
- Manner Effect: Abundance (self-released)
- Pat Metheny: Unity Band (Nonesuch): **
- Kat Parra: ¡Las Aventuras de Pasión! (JazzMa)
- Josh Rosen/Stan Strickland: Instinct (Ziggle Zaggle Music)
- Esperanza Spalding: Radio Music Society (Heads Up): **
- Wave Mechanics Union: Further to Fly (HX Music)
C+
- Terence Blanchard: Red Tails [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (Sony Classical)
- Kurt Elling: 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project (Concord): **
- Letizia Gambi: Introducing Letizia Gambi (Jando Music)
- Hood Smoke: Laid Up in Ordinary (Origin)
- Hendrik Meurkens/Gabriel Espinosa: Celebrando (Zoho)
- Davy Mooney: Perrier Street (Sunnyside)
- Maria Neckam: Unison (Sunnyside)
- Take 6: One (Shanachie)
C
- THOMAS: Janela (Barnyard)
U
- Uniquely Standard: Akua Allrich Live! (self-released)
- Christopher Alpiar Quartet: The Jazz Expression (Behip)
- Amikaeyla: Being in Love (Roots Jazz)
- Bill Anschell/Brent Jensen/Chris Smyer: Blueprints (Origin)
- Bob Arthurs/Steve Lamattina: Jazz for Svetlana (self-released)
- Augi: Citizens of the World (Diapson West)
- Jim Bedner: Of Light and Shadow (self-released)
- Joel Behrman: Steppin Back (self-released)
- Anna Borges & Bill Ward: Receita de Samba (Brasil)
- Kaylé Brecher: Spirals and Lines (Penchant Four)
- Carter Calvert: Carter Calvert and the Roger Cohen Trio (self-released)
- Masha Campagne: Like Water, Like Air (Impetus)
- Bill Cantrall & Axiom: Live at the Kitano (Up Swing)
- Bruce Cox Core: Tet (self-released)
- Natalie Cressman & Secret Garden: Unfolding (self-released)
- Jaiman Crunk: Encounters (Origin)
- Jason Paul Curtis: Love Holiday (self-released)
- Ori Dagan: Less Than Three (Scat Cat)
- Hamilton de Holanda Quinteto: Brasilianos 3 (Adventure Music)
- Tom Dempsey/Tim Ferguson Quartet: Beautiful Friendship (Planet Arts)
- Eric Divito: Breaking the Ice (Pioneer Jazz Collection)
- Paulette Dozier: In Walked You (PF&E)
- Elina Duni Quartet: Matanë Malit (ECM): *
- Louis Durra: Rocket Science (Lot 50)
- Nathan Eklund: Craft Christmas (OA2)
- Sarah Elgeti Quintet: Into the Open (Your Favourite Jazz)
- Anna Estrada: Volando (Feral Flight)
- Fado em Si Bemol: QB (Vidisco)
- Doug Ferony: You Will Be My Music (self-released)
- José Garcia: Songs for a Lifetime: Live (José Garcia Music)
- Joe Gilman: Relativity (Capri)
- Danny Green: A Thousand Ways Home (Tapestry)
- Lua Hadar with Twist: Like A Bridge (Bellalua)
- Jon Hamar: Hymn (Origin)
- Scott Healy Ensemble: Hudson City Suite (Hudson City)
- Scott Healy-Glenn Alexander Quartet: Northern Light (Hudson City)
- Florian Hoefner Group: Songs Without Words (OA2)
- Justin Horn: Hornology (Rotato)
- Christian Howes: Southern Exposure (Resonance)
- Iron Dog: Interactive Album Rock (self-released)
- Patricia Julien Project: Still Light at Night (self-released)
- Cecily Kate: Standards (self-released)
- Knoxville Jazz Orchestra: Christmas Time Is Here (self-released)
- Steve Lipman: Ridin' the Beat (Locomotion)
- Luce Trio: Pieces, Vol. 1 (Museum Clausum): *
- Sandra Marlowe: True Blue (LoveDog!)
- Matt and the City Limits: Crash (Island/Def Jam)
- Chris McNulty: The Song That Sings You Here (Challenge)
- Monday Michiru: Soulception (Adventure Music)
- Stephanie Nakasian: Show Me the Way to Get Out of This World (Capri)
- Tatsuya Nakatini/Kris Tiner/Jeremy Drake: Ritual Inscription (Epigraph, LP)
- Nicholl and Farquharson: Della by Moonlight (Big Empty Loo)
- Noertker's Moxie: Little Bluedevil (Blue Rider Suite, Vol. 2) (Edgetone)
- Dan Phillips BKK Trio: Bangkok Edge (self-released)
- RJ and the Assignment: Deceiving Eyes (self-released)
- Ellen Robinson: Don't Wait Too Long (EMR Music)
- Barry Romberg's Random Access: Crab People (Romhog, 2CD)
- Claudio Scolari: Synthesis (Principal)
- Will Scruggs Jazz Fellowship: Song of Simeon: A Christmas Journey (self-released, 2CD)
- Seung-Hee: Sketches on the Sky (self-released)
- Julian Shore: Filaments (Tone Rogue)
- Donna Singer: Take the Day Off: Escape With Jazz (Emerald Baby)
- Donna Singer with the Doug Richards Trio: Kiss Me Beneath the Mistletoe (Emerald Baby)
- Story City: Time and Materials (self-released)
- Joey Stuckey: Mixture (Senate)
- Milton Suggs: Lyrical: Volume 1 (Skiptone Music)
- Jacqui Sutton: Notes From the Frontier: A Musical Journey (Toy Blue Typewriter)
- Twice Thou: The Bank Attack (The Buy Back Initiative/Music Group)
- Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet: Hustlin' for a Gig (Housekat)
- The Urban Renewal Project: Go Big or Go Home (Lombardy)
- Eric Vaughn: Minor Relocation (self-released)
- The Verge: Introducing . . . the Verge (Danger Productions)
- Allen Vizzutti: Ritzville (Village Place Music)
- Joan Watson-Jones/Frank Wilkins: Quiet Conversations: A Duet (Eye of Samantha)
- Michael Webster: Momentus (OA2)
- Carrie Wicks: Barely There (OA2)
- Bob Wolfman: Transition (self-released)
- Pamela York: Lay Down This World: Hymns and Spirituals (Jazzful Heart)
- Neil C. Young: El Camino (Canadian American)
- Carlos Alves "Zingaro"/Jean Luc Cappozzo/Jerome Bourdellon/Nicolas Lelievre: Live at Total Meeting (NoBusiness)
Legend: * indicates that review was based on a really crappy
promo copy which bears little if any resemblance to the real product
(unless the real product is really, really crappy); ** indicates that
the review was based on downloading or streaming the music, and trying
to figure out background info by poking around the web. These ratings
should be taken with an extra grain of salt.
Reissues/Compilations/h3>
A
A-
- Louis Armstrong: Satchmo at Symphony Hall [65th Anniversary] (1947, Hip-O Select, 2CD): **
- Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin Quintet: Live at Minton's Playhouse in New York City: Complete Recordings (1961, Fresh Sound, 2CD): **
- Keith Jarrett: Mysteries/Shades (1975, Impulse): **
- Charles Mingus: The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady/Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (1963, Impulse): **
- Mal Waldron: Quiet Temple (1964, Black Lion/1201): **
B+(***)
- Marion Brown: Geechee Recollections/Sweet Earth Flying (1973-74, Impulse): **
- Scott Fields: 5 Frozen Eggs (1996, Clean Feed)
- Steve Kuhn Trio: Life's Magic (1986, Sunnyside)
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band: 50th Anniversary Collection (1962-2010, Columbia/Legacy, 4CD)
- Irene Reid: The Queen of the Party (1997-2003, Savant)
- Sonny Stitt: Now!/Salt and Pepper (1963, Impulse): **
- Henry P. Warner/Earl Freeman/Philip Spigner: Freestyle Band (1984, NoBusiness)
B+(**)
- Ricardo Silveira: Storyteller (1995, Adventure Music)
- Heiner Stadler: Brains on Fire (1966-74, P&C Labor, 2CD)
- Clark Terry: The Happy Horns of Clark Terry/It's What's Happenin' (1964-67, Impulse): **
B+(*)
- Don Cherry: Organic Music Society (1971-72, Caprice): **
- Alice Coltrane: Huntington Ashram Monastery/World Galaxy (1969-71, Impulse): **
- Jimmy Earl (1995, Severn)
- Steve Lacy: Estilhaços: Live in Lisbon (1972, Clean Feed)
- Oliver Nelson and Friends: Happenings/Soulful Brass (1966-68, Impulse): **
- Howard Roberts: Antelope Freeway/Equinox Express Elevator (1970-72, Impulse): **
- Eric Salzman: The Nude Paper Sermon/Wiretap (1966-72, Labor, 2CD)
- Woody Shaw: Woody Plays Woody (1977-81, Savant)
- Tim Sparks: The Nutcracker Suite (1993, Tonewood)
- Marzette Watts: Marzette Watts and Company (1966, ESP-Disk)
B
- Jimmy Earl: Stratosphere (1998, Severn)
- John Handy: Hard Work/Carnival (1976-77, Impulse): **
- Andy Jaffe: Manhattan Projections (1984-98, Big Round)
- Michael Sahl & Eric Salzman: Civilization and Its Discontents (1978, Labor)
- Michael White: Spirit Dance/Pneuma (1972, Impulse): **
B-
- Chico Hamilton: El Chico/The Further Adventures of El Chico (1965-66, Impulse): **
- Freddie Hubbard: The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard/The Body and the Soul (1962-63, Impulse): **
C+
- Mel Brown: The Wizard/Blues for We (1968-69, Impulse): **
- Sonny Criss: The Joy of Sax/Warm and Sonny (1976, Impulse, 2CD): **
C
- Blue Mitchell: African Violet/Summer Soft (1977-78, Impulse, 2CD): **
U
- Adventure Music: 10 Years (Adventure Music, 3CD)
- The Paul Winter Sextet: Count Me In (1962-63, Living Music, 2CD)