The Jazz.com Blog
September 29, 2009 · 0 comments
The Best of the Recent Releases
According to my non-scientific estimate, between 2,000 and 3,000 jazz CDs will be released this year. By comparison, Downbeat received fewer than 500 albums to review back in 1959. So those who fret about the future of jazz are clearly looking at the demand and not the supply—which is growing faster than the fan base by any measure.
Much of this music is formulaic, yet every month exciting projects are released—many of them never finding their audience because they are lost in the glut of product. For this reason, jazz.com features one track per day of exceptional merit, and presents it to site visitors as our Song of the Day. Our goal is to cut through the noise and introduce listeners to outstanding new music they might otherwise miss.
Below are links to our reviews of the tracks highlighted during the last month. As always, our featured songs include both the well-known stars of jazz and less familiar artists who also deserve to be heard. The high profile releases this month, include excellent projects by Robert Glasper (jazz meets hip-hop), Bud Shank (his last CD recorded shortly before his death earlier this year), and Jan Garbarek (his first ECM leader date in five years). Roberta Gambarini, Stefon Harris, John Abercrombie and James Carter will also be familiar to jazz fans and have fine new releases on the market. But listeners are also advised to check out the less familiar names here, such as guitarists Rez Abbasi and Kobie Watkins, alto saxophonist Francesco Cafiso, pianist Mark Levine or Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.
We always throw in an occasional ringer from outside the jazz realm. This month the outliers on our distribution curve include a highly recommended electric blues project from the Oregon-based band Woodbrain, and an orchestral work by John Adams. Check out these and other tracks below, where you will find links to each review. There you will find a full assessment, complete personnel and recording info, a ranking from 0 to 100, and a further link to a third-party vendor where you can purchase a (legal) download.
Happy listening!
Jan Garbarek: Milagre dos Peixes
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Dan Moretti: Cajun the Squirrel
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Rez Abbasi: Why Me Why Them
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Alex Terrier: Tompkins Square
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Roberta Gambarini: Medley from Cinema Paradiso
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Francesco Cafiso: King Arthur
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Mark Levine: Nanã
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Bud Shank: Over the Rainbow
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Stefon Harris & Blackout: Gone
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
John Abercrombie: I've Been Overlooked Before
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Kobie Watkins: Spastic
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
John Adams: Guide to Strange Places
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Marcus Strickland: Portrait of Tracy
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Four in One
Reviewed by Scott Albin
Robert Glasper: No Worries
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Fiona Boyes: Howlin' at Your Door
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Mimi Jones: Suite Mary
Reviewed by Scott Albin
Dafnis Prieto: Si o Si
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Edmar Castaneda: Entre Cuerdas
Reviewed by Ralph A. Miriello
James Carter: Diminishing
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Woodbrain: Shake 'Em on Down
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
This blog entry posted by Ted Gioia
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