year in review 2009
Posts, ripostes
Regarding a recent post, Chris Kelsey issues a thoroughly patronizing reply that devolves into a personal attack. That’s cool, I started it. But I plead not guilty to misconstruing the meaning of “formally conventional.” Also, note Darcy James Argue’s comment under Chris’s post, in which he also takes issue with Chris’s evaluation of Hollenbeck. Other than that, I think Chris
Of big bands, critics’ priorities, etc.
Three strong big band recordings have crossed my desk in the last few days. Abdullah Ibrahim’s Bombella, arranged by the late Steve Gray for the WDR Big Band Cologne, sheds new light on the pianist’s compositions and answers Ibrahim’s marvelous solo-piano disc Senzo from last year. Omar Sosa’s Ceremony, arranged by Jacques Morelenbaum for the NDR Bigband, offers a similar
Village Voice annual jazz poll
I was glad to take part once again. Results here. Francis Davis’s reflections here. Individual ballots here.
The decade in jazz, 2000-2009
The decade now ending happens to have been my first spent as a jazz critic (I started in 1999). So the simplest way to encapsulate my view is just to point to some of the things I’ve done. My 2001 New York Times piece [pdf] on the resurgence of the Fender Rhodes — apart from my error in crediting Dave
Jazz impressions 2009
~ If you liked Vijay Iyer’s version of Julius Hemphill’s “Dogon A.D.” from Historicity, check out the one from Things Have Got to Change, by Marty Ehrlich’s Rites Quartet. Reeds, trumpet, cello and drums as opposed to piano trio. Different angles and colors. ~ If you liked FLY’s Sky & Country, don’t miss Diego Barber’s Calima, featuring the young nylon-string
Top shows 2009
This list is somewhat skewed, given the degree to which new fatherhood slowed my gig attendance in 2009. Nonetheless, I managed to attend roughly 120 shows. Here are my top 30. 1. David Sanchez with Lage Lund, Orlando Le Fleming, Henry Cole Village Vanguard, March 20 2. Peter Bernstein solo guitar Smalls, July 15 3. John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble Painted
Top 25 of 2009, plus
My list of faves for 2009, now up at the Jazz Journalists Association website. I realize there are overlaps in the supplemental categories (a debut disc might also be a large ensemble disc and vice versa, for instance). But listing them this way seemed to make the most sense. Also bear in mind that I have about 100 more CDs