2025 in Jazz

[Rabshakeh]

Most years around this time, I snatch a begrudging Scrooge-like look at critics' end of year lists, to see what overhyped and soon to be forgotten jazz and improv releases the critics are pushing that year, give a few a cursory stream, and then go retire back to my counting house, cursing the times. 

But this year, it seems to me like there's been a real upswing in quality. I'm really impressed by what I have been hearing. This could be a feature of my age, but, for once there are a lot of records that I really enjoyed and will definitely go back to.

They are also quite evenly spread between established and new artists, and across different styles and genres. The last time I enjoyed my end of year listens this much it was that pre pandemic period when International Anthem, Relative Pitch and the new London, LA, Chicago and SA scenes were all kicking into gear. I can't see any such narrative here. Just lots of unexpectedly good releases.

I'm not able to set down my list just now (family times!) but will do so in the period between Christmas and New Year. 

But in the meantime, I'd love to hear other forum members' views, and any favourites. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Rabshakeh

[colinmce]

These were my favorites of the year:

*Sven-Åke Johansson - Stumps (Second Version) (Trost)

*Sven-Åke Johansson/Fritz Hautzinger/Ignaz Schick - Rotations (Trost)

*Sven-Åke Johansson - Two Days At Café Oto (Otoroku)

[Ahmed] - سماع [Sama'a] (Audition) (Otoroku)

Ab Baars/Oscar Jan Hoogland/Uldis Vitols/Onno Govaert ‎– Loot (De Platenbakkerij/ICP)

Bill Nace & Sakina Abdou - Rinse Cycle (Open Mouth)

Bill Stewart - Live At The Village Vanguard (Criss Cross)

Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle - Exhaust (Relative Pitch)

Chris Byars - The Dark Forest (Steeplechase)

Das B - Love (Thanatosis/Corbett vs. Dempsey)

Georg Graewe/Brad Jones/Hamid Drake - More Than Anything (Random Acoustics)

Jean-Luc Guionnet - L'Epaisseur de l'air Live (Potlatch)

Joe McPhee/Susanna Gartmayer/John Edwards/Mariá Portugal - Monster (Klanggalerie)

Julius Hemphill Stringtet - Plays The Music of Julius Hemphill (Out Of Your Head)

Martín Escalante/Charlie Mumma/Teté Leguía - This Molten Salt (Wash and Wear)

Myra Melford Trio - Splash (Intakt)

Pat Thomas - Sufi Women (Scatter Archive)

Sophie Agnel - Learning (Otoroku) Stefan Keuene/Sandy Ewen/Damon Smith - Two Felt Tip Pens: Live At Moers (Balance Point Acoustics)

*Various - The Bottle Tapes (Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1996-2005) *Irène Schweizer/Rüdiger Carl/Johnny Dyani/Han Bennink - Irene's Hot Four (Intakt, 1981) *Rashied Ali Quintet - Sidewalks In Motion (Survival, 2002) AMM w/ Sachiko M - Testing (Matchless, 2004) Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley - Flashing Spirits (Burning Ambulance, 1988) Joe Maneri/Tyson Rogers/Jacob Braverman - In The Shadows, First Visit (ezz-thetics, 2002) Khan Jamal - Give The Vibes Some (Souffle Continu, 1974) Larry Stabbins/Keith Tippett/Louis Moholo-Moholo - Live In Foggia 1985 (Ogun, 1985) Marco Eneidi Quintet - Wheat Fields of Kleylhof (Balance Point Acoustics, 2004) Mujician - In Concerts (Jazz In Britain, 1993-2010) Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Vibrations in the Village: Live at Village Gate (Resonance, 1963) Sun Ra - Uncharted Passages (Modern Harmonic, 1977-79) Webster Young - A Quiet Legend: Live In St. Louis 1961 (Fresh Sound, 1961)