Tom Hull reassess some Charlie Parker

"Christgau went on to write one of the best Parker lines ever: "No one else has ever articulated so many ear-boggling, mind-exploding, stomach-churning, rib-tickling musical ideas so easily -- so brilliantly -- so insouciantly -- so passionately -- so fast." Were it only true: the clue is "no one else" because Christgau has shown virtually no interest in any of Parker's contemporaries (aside from Thelonious Monk, who easily bests Parker on at least half of those counts -- it's worth recalling that Monk wrote music no one could play, whereas in rapid course everyone was aping Parker)."

Wholeheartedly agree. Also worth noting, his notes on the splendid The Group Live disc out on NoBusiness Records.

The 2011 Jazz Critics' Poll + notes

Late last year, I was invited by Francis Davis to vote in the 6th edition of the Jazz Critics' Poll, which he has been running the past five years at the Village Voice, but has now been moved to the US based streaming site Rhapsody. Over 120 jazz writers participated, and the results were posted yesterday. Tom Hull has the individual ballots at his site, including mine (look for me in the batch "Kaplan - Nastos", or under Ballots [4])

I predicted the runner-up to win it, based upon what I've read on over the past year, 'though I suppose Sonny Rollins was among the favorites also. A few quick observations:

• Six of my chosen ten picks made the top 60
• Of those, Wadada Leo Smith placed highest, at no. 13.
• My runner-up, Darius Jones Trio, was second highest at no. 19.
• My number one pick, Avram Fefer, received only two votes: Me and Tom Hull, who had it as his runner-up.
• I count 13 among the top 60 that are also on my "2011 favorites" list (records graded 7, i.e. recommended, or higher.) (Though, I have some five records in my pending pile that made the list.)

My three picks for best reissue also made up the top three in the results, albeit not in the same order. I'd also note that had I known Monk's Music had been reissued this year, it would have been my number one pick, it quite possibly being my favorite Monk album. Then again, the record has been widely available for a while in various formats, so it doesn't quite feel like a reissue in the same way my top three does.