"Best of 2009" Channel on AccuJazz.com

[AccuJazz]

Hello, Organissimo folks. It's Lucas from AccuJazz.com here. It's been a while since I've told you about a new channel, but I have a couple of really interesting ones to let you know about here: "Best of 2009" and "2010 Jazz Grammy Nominations." Check 'em out now or read on for more info.

It's the time of year for giving gifts, spending time with family, and, of course, making year-end top-10 lists. Dozens of jazz critics and bloggers have taken it upon themselves to publish their opinions about the jazz of the last 12 months, and AccuJazz.com has been keeping tabs. The Internet jazz radio site has launched a free, streaming channel called "Best of 2009," playing music from the albums most frequently cited by critics as being among the best of the year.

Pooling together over 20 lists, including the annual JazzTimes critics poll, AccuJazz.com has created a channel that reflects the critical consensus on the best jazz released in 2009. The channel makes for an exhilarating and diverse listen, playing everything from the futuristic piano jazz of Vijay Iyer's "Historicity" to the down-home New Orleans grit of Allen Toussaint's "The Bright Mississippi" and the brainy free improvisation of Henry Threadgill's "This Brings Us To, Vol. 1."

With nearly 60 albums making up the channel, there is a large amount of music to take in, but AccuJazz is doing what it can to help you wade through all of the excellent music. The channel is programmed so that the albums mentioned in the greatest number of lists will be heard the most often. The channel offers listeners plenty of opportunities to see what all the fuss is about in regards to critical favorites like Iyer [pictured], Threadgill and big-band composer/conductor Darcy James Argue. If a listener disagrees with a particular artist's place on the channel, he or she has the ability to "deselect" any artist they would rather not hear.

AccuJazz also introduced a channel playing music nominated for the 2010 Grammy Awards in the jazz categories. All 5 "Best Instrumental Jazz Album" nominees are playing on the channel as well as albums nominated in other jazz categories, like "Best Jazz Vocal Album," and "Best Improvised Solo."

Both the "Best of 2009" and "2010 Jazz Grammy Nominations" channels are part of a month-long roll-out of new AccuJazz channels called "Jazz Holiday," which you can read more about on the AccuJazz blog. Two more new channels will be introduced before January 1st. Listen now at AccuJazz.com.