Kamasi Washington, "The Epic" (Brainfeeder)
On a long-anticipated debut from a protégé of the late Gerald
Wilson released on a label run by local beat visionary Flying Lotus,
saxophonist Kamasi Washington hunkered down with a tightknit group of
friends and fellow bandleaders to create ecstatic jazz richly shaped by a
proud local tradition but committed to pushing it forward. Sprawling
and immersive, "The Epic" sounds like the best of Los Angeles — and vice
versa. Makaya McCraven, "In the Moment" (International Anthem)
One of the most in-demand drummers on the Chicago
scene, McCraven recorded his performances with a rotating cast of
bandmates over a weekly improvised residency. Capturing a sound informed
by hip-hop's cut-and-paste beat constructions as much as Teo Macero,
McCraven distilled the results into an album that forms an infectious,
innovative celebration of creation and the almighty groove.
Vijay Iyer, "Break Stuff" (ECM) Another
year, another prime example of pianist Vijay Iyer expanding the piano
trio's potential. Here, songs by Billy Strayhorn, Thelonious Monk and
John Coltrane sit comfortably alongside Iyer's unique compositional
voice, including the striking "Hood," which pays tribute to minimalist
techno DJ and producer Robert Hood with a tangled valentine to the
propulsive vitality of rhythm.
Amir ElSaffar, "Crisis" (Pi Recordings) Jazz
is the music of resistance and of transcending history. Here, this
Chicago-born Iraqi American trumpeter intermingles jazz tradition with
the folkloric structures of the Middle East using Sufi poetry, the
lute-like buzuq and the oud. The rich combination of Arabic melodies
with the bedrock swing of Jason Moran's drummer Nasheet Waits is a lush
argument for understanding and the endurance of beauty. Mary Halvorson, "Meltframe" (Firehouse 12) Already
beloved among jazz fans for a slippery, pitch-melting tone that sounds
as comfortable in chamber jazz as bent noise-rock, Halvorson caught the
ear of music publications like Pitchfork and Rolling Stone upon the
release of this solo recording. With consistently surprising takes on
songs by masters that include Carla Bley, Duke Ellington and Ornette
Coleman, it's easy to hear why. Ben Monder, "Amorphae" (ECM) A
textured, shape-shifting collection from an underrated guitar explorer,
this inward-looking album combines duets between Monder and the late
drum master Paul Motian with collaborative ventures with drums and
synthesizer. It's not exactly a record that swings, but every listen
reveals another detailed layer.
Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth, "Epicenter" (Clean Feed) A
bassist who has backed Matt Wilson, Regina Carter and even the Swell
Season, Lightcap assembled a nimble band that includes keyboardist Craig
Taborn and drummer Gerald Cleaver. If you're looking for a way to close
out an upcoming New Year's party, this album's roiling take on the
Velvet Underground's "All Tomorrow's Parties" will do nicely. Myra Melford, "Snowy Egret" (Enja) A
monster improviser and composer, the Berkeley-based pianist drew from a
written history of the colonization of the Americas by Uruguayan author
Eduardo Galeano in the making of this album. In addition to attempting
to further examine the meaning of being an American through the lens of
music, the record soars on the strength of an odd-angled yet immediate
sound that draws from Africa and the East. Mike Reed's People, Places & Things, "A New Kind of Dance" (482 Music) Restless
drummer-bandleader Mike Reed's quartet doubles down on an eclectic
track record with hard-swinging, swerving tracks that include "Fear Not
of Man" by the hip-hop MC formerly known as Mos Def as well as the
buoyant Balkan folk of "Markovsko Horo." Jose James, "Yesterday I Had the Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday" (Blue Note) The
music industry can't resist the sure-thing sales of a tribute
recording, and one of the year's most moving came from this vocalist,
who recovered from an uneven recent foray into rock with a release that
transcends imitation and nostalgia. Helped by bandmates Jason Moran and
Eric Harland, James peaks on this album with a take on "Strange Fruit"
that's as haunting as it is distressingly timely. And 10 more to track down:
Recordings by Maria Schneider Orchestra, Daniel Rosenboom, Scott
DuBois, Jakob Bro, Kris Davis, Antonio Sanchez, Kirk Knuffke, Brad
Mehldau, Christian Scott and Cécile McLorin Salvant.
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