Best of...2005

[Nate Dorward]

Hm....doesn't this poll mostly just show which labels have deep enough pockets to send out a pile of review copies? Not that they aren't all excellent discs (well, of the ones I've heard, I'd take exception to the inclusion of the Gustavsen--if you want an ECM piano trio disc the choice pick this year is Bobo Stenson) but it does seem to me the decks are stacked...

fwiw, the Jazztimes critics' poll:

New releases:

1. Monk/Coltrane

2.Diz/Parker Town Hall

3. Coltrane--Live at the Half Note

4.Sonny--9/11 Concert

5. Wayne Shorter-Beyond the Sound Barrier

6.Terrance Blanchard--Flow

7.Vijay Iyer--Reimagining

8. Motian/Frisell/Lovano--I Have the Room Above Her (ECM)

9. Tord Gustavesen--The Ground (ECM)

10. Brad Mehldau-Day is Done

Reissues:

1. Metheny/Ornette--Song X

2. Jelly Roll Morton Complete Library of Congress...

3. Miles--Cellar Door Sessions

4. Bill Evans--Complete Village Vanguard

5. Andrew Hill--Andrew!!

6. Sonny Sharrock--Black Woman

7. Woody Shaw --Live at Village Vanguard

8. Julian Priester -- Love, love

9. Various--100 years of jazz guitar (Columbia)

10. (tie) Basie (Mosaic), Don Cherry (Symphony for Improvisors), Hutcherson (Oblique)

[montg]

Hm....doesn't this poll mostly just show which labels have deep enough pockets to send out a pile of review copies? Not that they aren't all excellent discs (well, of the ones I've heard, I'd take exception to the inclusion of the Gustavsen--if you want an ECM piano trio disc the choice pick this year is Bobo Stenson) but it does seem to me the decks are stacked...

The first few on the 'new release' are obvious (imo), but thereafter I agree. The conflicts of interest run deep, I mean the biggest advertisers for the magazines are the deep pocket labels.

[White Lightning]

I'll add 2 excellent new releases:

Not in Our Name - LMO.

Afriques 20 - Either/Orchestra

[B. Goren.]

One of the best new releases of the year (IMHO) is this one:

[adam hill]

RE: Jazz Times critics poll...

Terrance Blanchard: Flow--this is one of the worst records of the year. Occasionally

you can hear some good things, but it's mostly dreck, with some smooth jazz and

neo-World beat stuff swirled in as if Blanchard couldn't make up his mind as to what

kind of music he wants to make. Blame Herbie Hancock's production too. Just a bad, bad

record.

[relyles]

RE: Jazz Times critics poll...

Terrance Blanchard: Flow--this is one of the worst records of the year. Occasionally

you can hear some good things, but it's mostly dreck, with some smooth jazz and

neo-World beat stuff swirled in as if Blanchard couldn't make up his mind as to what

kind of music he wants to make. Blame Herbie Hancock's production too. Just a bad, bad

record.

I have not heard enough 2005 releases to credibly state what I believe the best of the year was, but I did not find this recording anywhere nearly as offensive as you seem to have. I have not had the opportunity for real "critical" listening, but in the few times I played it while driving I found it to have some substance and I am looking forward to a closer examination.

[Guest akanalog]

yeah i would never buy the blanchard because i avoid new music, but i listened to it through and found it to be surprisingly decent. for what it is, i like the neo-world stuff, for instance. i can respect blanchard a lot more than a guy like roy hargrove, for instance.

[Guest akanalog]

also don't forget dutton vocalion released some good stuff this year (where are you crazy british board members to hype this stuff?)

my favorites were-

henry lowther-child song

john cameron-off centre

mike westbrook-love songs

ian carr, et all-willpower

and...

michael gibbs-down another road live reissue on BGO was nice too.

and not jazz per se but, two excellent soft machine live discs were issued this year-

soft machine-british tour '75

soft machine-bbc in concerts 1972

i would nominate my top reissues of the year as-

henry lowther-child song

mike westbrook-love songs

julian priester-love love

and some new old music-

the two soft machine discs i mentioned

actually impulse! released some good reissues too-

i woudl say my favorites were...

michael white-the land of spirit and light

pharaoh sanders-elevation

the gato barbieri is also quite good.

i know blue note reissued some albums i like a lot this year but since i already had them all i didn't repurchase them and can't remember which ones. but i remember thinking a lot of good stuff was RVGed this year.

[ep1str0phy]

One of the best new releases of the year (IMHO) is this one:

Easy to forget, having been released so early on. Very glad to see Grachan back in action--and with a top flight band, to boot! A fine trombone player, an icon of modern jazz, and easily one of the most interesting, idiosyncratic composers of the last few decades (it's a pity his output has been so minimal)... Grachan's always been a favorite, and I certainly hope that he records more in the future.

[ornette]

Re Souls Within the Veil (Craig Harris)

Has any board member from Europe managed to get hold of this? His website only ships within the USA.

[Kalo]

I've been listening to the Andrew Hill Mosaic Select, having recently received it, and there's no doubt in my mind that this would have been the "vault issue" of the year but for the unbelievable finds of the Bird/Diz and Monk/Coltrane.

I wonder what will emerge from the vaults in 2006? There's got to be some more amazing stuff in those "Voice of America" tapes at the LOC.

[Kalo]

Best live show I saw all year, without a doubt, was the Mingus Big Band at the Regattabar in Cambridge, MA.

And the Pandelis Karayorgis/Jef Charland/Eric Rosenthal trio at the Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge was another highlight for me.

[montg]

New Yorker magazine top ten for 2005

Dave Douglas (Keystone)

Diz & Bird (Town Hall)

Haden ('Not in our name')

Jim Hall & Enrico Pieranunzi (Duolouges)

Shirley Horn (But beautiful...)

Marc Johnson (Sahdes of Jade)

Hank Jones (For my father)

Paul Motian Trio (I have the room...)

Kenny Wheeler (What now)

Lizz Wright (Dreaming..)

[nathan]

13, rather than 10, jazz new releases, in honor of the date and my indecision:

1. John Zorn's Bar Kokhba Sextet - 50th Birthday vol 11

2. John Schott's Typical Orchestra - s/t

3. Paul Motian Trio - I Have the Room Above Her

4. Jamie Saft Trio - Astoroth: Masada Book 2

5. Dave Douglas - Mountain Passages and/or Live at Bimhaus

6. Bill Frisell - East/West

7. Reuben Radding - Intersections

8. Bill Stewart Trio - Keynote Speakers

9. Brad Mehldau Trio - Day Is Done

10. Ben Monder - Oceana

11. Bobo Stenson Trio - Goodbye

12. Trevor Dunn & Shelley Burgon - Brooklyn 2005

13. Kurt Rosenwinkel - Deep Song.

5 non-jazz:

1. Deerhoof - The Runners Four

2. Akron/Family - s/t

3. Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth

4. Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers

5. Sam Prekop - Who's Your New Professor?

nathan