Fave Jazz of 2018

I'm repeating myself, but doing year-end round-ups when the year isn't even over still feels a bit odd. That said, having voted in Francis Davis annual Jazz Critics Poll over the past 7 or so years, where votes are due at the beginning of December, has made me get used to a Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving "jazz season" of sorts. So, putting together a top 10 ballot for this year's edition of the Jazz Critics Poll is where and when this now expanded list was started. I do consider of whatever crosses my path after this "season" ends, of course, and have added a couple of notables here, too. Withthat out of the way, below is my list of the 50, which seemed an apt and sufficient amount at he time of posting, best jazz albums released since the turn of the year. An asterisk denotes that I've written about the album in question (see here and here for info about where and when). As has been my custom in recent year, I separate these recordings into sections rather than rank them in any strict, numbered manner. That said, they are loosely listed in order of preference.

Cream of the crop:

• Hanna Paulsberg + Magnus Broo: Daughter of the Sun (Odin) *
• Salim Washington: Dogon Revisited (Passin' Thru) *
• Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Ole Morten Vågan: Happy Endlings (Odin) *
• Ken Vandermark, Klaus Kugel & Mark Tokar: No-Exit Corner (Not Two Records) *
• Henry Threadgill 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg: Dirt... And More Dirt (Pi Recordings) *

Heavy rotation:

• Angelika Niescier, Christopher Tordini & Tyshawn Sorey: The Berlin Concert (Intakt Records) *
• Daniel Carter, William Parker, Matthew Shipp: Seraphic Light (AUM Fidelity)*
• Erlend Olderskog Albertsen: RødssalG nEEn GlassdøR (Dugnad Rec.) *
• Rodrigo Amado, Joe McPhee, Kent Kessler, Chris Corsano: A History of Nothing (Trost Records)*
• Dave Holland, Evan Parker, Craig Taborn & Ches Smith: Uncharted Territories (Dare2 Records) *
• James Brandon Lewis & Chad Taylor: Radiant Imprints (Off) *
• The Necks, Body (Fish of Milk) *
• Johan Lindström Septet: Music For Empty Halls (Moserobie Music Productions) *
• Friends & Neighbors: What's Next (Clean Feed) *
• Myra Melford Snowy Egret: The Other Side of Air (Firehouse 12) *

Thoroughly enjoyed:

• Mia Dyberg Trio: Ticket! (Clean Feed)*
• María Grand: Magdalena (Biophilia)
• Kaja Draksler, Petter Eld, Christian Lillinger: Punkt.Vrt.Plastik (Intakt) *
• Fredrik Nordström: Needs (Clean Feed) 
• Adam Hopkins: Crickets (Out of Your Head Records)
• Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty (Sunnyside Records) 
• Bjørn Marius Hegge: The Creator Has a Bachelor Plan (Particular Recordings) * [review due to be published before the end of the year.]
• Tord Gustafsen Trio: The Other Side (ECM) *
• Moskus: Mirakler (Hubro) *
• Fay Victor's SoundNoiseFUNK: Wet Robots (ESP Disk') *
• Josephine Davies' Satori: In the Corner of Clouds (Whirlwind Recordings) * [published in Musikkmagasinet, Dec. 17th.]
• Jemeel Moondoc Quartet: The Astral Revelations (RogueArt)
• Brandon Lopez: quoniam facta sum vilis (Astral Spirits)
• Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore: After Caroline (Northern Spy)
• Chris Pitsiokos CP Unit: Silver Bullet in the Autumn of Your Years (Clean Feed) 
• David S. Ware Trio: The Balance (Vision Festival XV +) (AUM FIdelity)
• The Heat Death: The Glenn Miller Sessions (Clean Feed) *
• Sylvie Courvoisier Trio: D'Agala (Intakt) *
• Tyshawn Sorey: Pillars (Firehouse 12)
• Barre Phillips:End to End (ECM)
• Håvard Wiik Trio: This Is Not a Waltz (Moserobie Music Productions, 2017)
• Igor Lumpert & Innertextures: Eleven (Clean Feed) 
• Christian McBride: Christian McBride's New Jawn (Mack Avenue Records)
• Luke Stewart: Work for Upright Bass and Amplifier (Astral Spirit)
• Bjørn Marius Hegge Trio: Assosiasjoner (Particular Recordings) *
• Lauren Sevian: Bliss (Posi-Tone)
• Steve Coleman and Five elements: Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets) (Pi Recordings) *
• Mette Rasmussen & Chris Corsano: A View of the Moon (From the Sun) (Clean Feed) *
• Emmeluth's Amoeba: POLYP (Øra Fonogram)
• Espen Eriksen Trio & Andy Sheppard: Perfectly Unhappy (Rune Grammofon)
• Atomic: Pet Variations (Odin) *
• Mary Halvorson: Code Girl (Firehouse 12) *
• JD Allen: Love Stone (Savant)
• Amaro Freitas: Rasif (Far Out Recordings) 
• Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band: Presence (Smoke Sessions)

Reissues/vault:

• Frode Gjerstad with William Parker and Hamid Drake: Frode Gjerstad with William Parker and Hamid Drake (4 CD, NotTwo Records) *
• Svein Finnerud Trio: Plastic Sun (ODIN) *
• Sonny Rollins: Way Out West (Deluxe) (Craft)
• Charles Mingus: Live In Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden (BBE) *
• Anthony Braxton: The Essential Anthony Braxton: The Arista Years (Arista/Legacy)
• John Coltrane Quartets: Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album (Impulse!) *
• Miles Davis & John Coltrane: The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series Vol. 6 (Columbia/Legacy)
• Erik Andresen Quartet: GIP (Jazzaggression Records)

(The Ornette Coleman 10 LP box set The Atlantic Years (Atlantic/Rhino) would trump pretty much any music any year, but though I know the music contained here inside out, I do not own this particular box set and so I only mention this in passing here rather than add it to the list proper).

PS: If you think the album is a silly concept to care about in the era of streaming, then 1) you tell that to musicians who have spent time and energy writing compositions, hours practicing with a group of musicians (regulars or not) that they probably already had in mind when writing the music and whom they have to pay for their services as they also have to do for studio time. Go tell them that they should only record a single in stead. 2) f*ck the exploitative nature of the current streaming services, and finally 3) f*ck off!

Listening Booth: Music releases (and other stuff) covered July through November, 2018

As I've been listening back on some of the year's notable releases with the deadline for the Francis Davis run Jazz Critics Poll coming up this weekend, it seemed an apt opportunity to post a rundown of the music I've covered during the second half of 2018. I've got no time to add translated excerpts or listening notes this time around, so this post lists artists and releases, plus my original grading where applicable, in addition to where and when they were published.

For Musikkmagasinet (Klassekampen's weekly music supplement):

• Mia Dyberg Trio: Ticket (Clean Feed) - Reviewed Aug. 6th, 2018. Original grade: 5/6

•  Daniel Carter, William Parker, Matthew Shipp: Seraphic Light (AUM Fidelity) - Reviewed Aug. 13th, 2018. Original grade: 5,5/6

•  Moskus: Mirakler (Hubro) - Reviewed Aug. 20th, 2018. Original grade: 5/6

•  Wayne Shorter: Emanon (Blue Note) -Reviewed Aug. 27th, 2018. Original grade: 4/6

•  Ken Vandermark / Klaus Kugel / Mark Tokar: No-Exit Corner (Not Two Records) - Reviewed Sept. 3rd, 2018. Original grade: 5,5/6 

• Lassen: Eventyrer (Jazzland) - Reviewed Sept. 17th, 2018. Original grade: 4,5/6

•  Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Other Side (ECM) - Reviewed Oct. 1st, 2018. Original grade: 5/6

• The Necks: Body (Fish of Milk/Northern Spy) - Reviewed Oct. 1st, 2018. Original grade: 5,5/6

•  Fay Victor’s SoundNoiseFUNK: Wet Robots (ESP-disk) - Reviewed Oct. 8th, 2018. Original grade: 5/6

• Hanna Paulsberg Concept + Magnus Bro: Daughter of the Sun (Odin) - Reviewed Oct. 15th, 2018. Original grade: 5,5/6

• Jonathan Finlayson: 3 Times Round (Pi Recordings) - Reviewed Oct. 22nd, 2018. Original grade: 4/6

•  Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Ole Morten Våga: Happy Endlings (Odin) - Reviewed Oct. 29th, 2018. Original grade: 5,5/6

•  Charles Mingus: Live In Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden (BBE) - Reviewed Nov. 5th, 2018. Not graded.

• Atomic: Pet Variations (Odin) - Reviewed Nov. 12th, 2018. Original grade: 4,5/6

• Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret: The Other Side of Air (Firehouse 12) - Reviewed Nov. 19th, 2018. Original grade: 5/6

• Eric Dolphy: Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance Records) - Reviewed Nov. 26th, 2018. Not graded.

Live reviews:

• Sons of Kemet, Oslo Jazzfestival, Nasjonal Jazscene August 12. Published Aug., 20th, 2018

For Jazznytt:

• Steve Coleman and Five Elements: Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets) (Pi Recordings) - Reviewed in Jazznytt #248, fall 2018. No grade.

• Der Lange Schatten: Concurrances (Trouble In The East Records) - Reviewed in Jaznnytt #248, fall 2018. No grade.

• Friends & Neighbors: What’s Next? (Clean Feed) - Reviewed in Jaznnytt #249, winter 2018. No grade.

• Mette Rasmussen Chris Corsano: A View of The Moon (from the Sun) (Clean Feed) - Reviewed in Jaznnytt #249, winter 2018. No grade.