Best Albums 2013 [Getting in ahead of Ian]

[Alyn_Shipton]

What are the best jazz CDs of 2013? I'd quite like to feature as many as possible on the final JRR of the year. So post ideas on here, or email the programme...
Thanks in advance

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks Alyn.

I'd like to nominate Paul Dunmall and Tony Bianco's duo album "Tribute to Coltrane", on the Slam label.

[Old Grumpy]

The Impossible Gentlemen - Internationally Recognised Aliens

[Ian Thumwood]

Alyn

When I first caught sight of some of the new albums that were to be released this year after Christmas i did seem to be that 2013 could be quite special. Everytime a new record landed on my doormat, I was convinced that the particular cD couldn' thave been bettered yet it has been a year of constant surprise and delight. For me, 2013 has been very much a classic year. It is difficult to recollect a previous year where so many great albums being released in quick succession.

Here are my nominations:-

For small groups, you could pick any of these three.

1. Nicole Mitchell's Ice Crystals ~ "Aquarius."
2. David Binney ~ "Lifted land."
3. Wayne Shorter ~ "Without a net"

Jason Adasiewizc has been a wonderful discovery for me this year so you could argue that his appearance on the fabulous Nicole Mitchell record edges it yet I keep returning to the Binney disc time and time again. Craig Taborn's solo on "The blue whale" is the most unexpected and exciting solo I've heard on disc this year and David Binney is the epitomy of creativity in my mind. That said, Shorter has had the best group in jazz for nearly 15 years and any new record by the quartet is a major event. It is really hard to call.

The latest Dave Douglas album "Time travel" is a near miss, excellent as it is.

Shame I missed Josh Berman's "Here now" which was released last year as I would have nominated that too!

My favourite vocal album has been Youn Sun Nah's "Lento" ~ She has an amazing voice and whilst t5he cover of t5he Johnny6 Cash tune is a bit of a miscalculation, the rest of the album has delighted.

I would like to throw a curved ball in too. For me one of the best discoveries has been trombonist Alan Ferber and his big band album "March sublime" has really grown on me over the last few weeks. This is a brilliant album , full of imagination and subtle writing with some wonderful trombone playing. Easily the best big band I've heard on disc this year, I think this album must also be a contender too. A joint fourth nomination.

My experience is this year has been a sensational year for the jazz fan and wonder if fellow boardees have had the same listening experience.

Cheers

Ian

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Red Hot - Mostly Other People Do The Killing
A South Asian Suite - Arun Ghosh
Tabula Rasa - Empirical
The Bespoke Man's Narrative - Aaron Diehl

... amongst others and in no particular order and all the above posts offer worthy contenders except for me no vocalists ta

[Tom Audustus]

Greg Abate - Greg Abate Quintet Featuring Phil Woods

I love the playing of Greg Abate and his latest CD is one I've been playing again and again.

[charles t]

A refreshing (pls excuse cliche) dip into Nordic coolsonics


Christian Wallumrod Ensemble - OUTSTAIRS

'The ensemble of Christian Wallumrød continues to evolve in its own idiosyncratic way on Outstairs. By now, Wallumrød’s compositional signature is instantly recognizable. Nobody else writes pieces like this – multi-dimensional chamber music inspired by the sonorities of Norwegian folk and church music, influenced by early music and the post-Cage avant-garde, and liberated by jazz’s freedom of thought. This time around, the ensemble members share the arranging credits between them, making the music still more organic and flexible as new sound combinations emerge.'

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

thanks for that Chas just checking it out on emusic ...

[charles t]

Calum: Cuneiform Records let loose a deluge of their catalog, ystd'y, on emusic

(a welcome respite from the likes of Doris Day, etc. - in a typical day of emusic offerings.)

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Chas as in? wow ....

[RayBurns]

Could I put in a vote for Simon Spillett's "Square One", a vinyl only release, although I bought it as a CD at a gig. It's my opinion that Simon is criminally under-recorded and the quality of this album, like the previous two, serves as an indictment of the commercial music industry.

[Tenor Freak]

Without A Net. "Pegasus" being my favourite track...but it's 23 minutes long...so please play Plaza Real (7:00)

[Tenor Freak]

After I posted the last message, I discovered this album by Mark Turner and Baptiste Trotignon: Dusk Is A Quiet Place.

This is a fine album and I wish I had heard it when I sent my request. I have been listening to a lot of Turner's music of late.

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/mark-turner-baptiste-trotignon-dusk-is-a-quiet-place-1.1623301

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

as in?

your link is not working Tenor Freak

[Tenor Freak]

Thanks Calum that's the one...this is what happens when you go online using a tablet computer...

linkage now fixed to Irish Times review