SLATE's "Year's Best Jazz Albums"

[Joe]

Chosen by Fred Kaplan. Interesting to see (yet another) list like this in a "non-specialist" publication...

http://www.slate.com/id/2111310/

[Leeway]

It was a good year for jazz recordings. Yes, sales continued to slip, a few more labels shut their doors, and the next John Coltrane or Charlie Parker—some genius-messiah who transcends all boundaries and pushes jazz to a startling new level—failed, once again, to materialize.

The paradox of contemporary jazz

A thoughtful list, overall, and one that does not look like it was put together by a PR flack.

[pryan]

Thanks for the link, Joe. I hadn't heard of those Palmetto releases. Both the Ben Allison and Matt Wilson albums look quite intriguing. That Ron Horton is on the former makes me want to check it out. I really dug his playing on Andrew Hill's DUSK.

[jlhoots]

Interesting list.

FWIW, those are the 2 Tzadik CDs I bought this year.

The Jarrett, Schneider, Ellington & Great Jazz Trio would also be on my list.

[gdogus]

Thanks for the link, Joe.  I hadn't heard of those Palmetto releases.  Both the Ben Allison and Matt Wilson albums look quite intriguing.  That Ron Horton is on the former makes me want to check it out.  I really dug his playing on Andrew Hill's DUSK.

Allison's Buzz and Wilson's Wake Up! (To What's Happening) really are fantastic. Both made my own list of favorite new releases this year.

Check out this thread on the Jazz Composers Collective, too.

Edited December 28, 2004 by gdogus