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November 30, 2008 · 0 comments

Best Jazz Tracks for November

“This track sounds like the 1972 disco hit 'Soul Makossa' as if sung by Kate Bush in duet with Captain Beefheart,” Mark Saleski writes about the group Shakers n’ Bakers’ performance of “In Me Canoe”—one of jazz.com’s selections for Song of the Day during November.

If your Mom said that about a song, it would not be praise. (But, hey, I would give the lady credit for knowing about Captain Beefheart.) But coming from Mr. Saleski, a connoisseur of the outré and transgressive and all-around nice guy, this is coded language encouraging me to put “In Me Canoe” in me shopping cart. Shiver me timbers!

If it hadn’t been for Mark, I don’t think I would have made it past the Metallica type font on the cover. (From Wikipedia: "This font, created by typographer Santiago Metallica in 1531, before his unfortunate run-in with the Inquisition . . . ")

Not every Song of the Day selection in November was quite so transgressive. We have everything from the trad jazz stylings of Evan Christopher (paying tribute to Django Reinhardt) to the Carnatic gumbo of Rudresh Mahanthappa in musical dialogue with Kadri Gopalnath. Along the way, we enjoy tributes to Jaco Pastorius and Djavan, fine new offerings from Javon Jackson and Christian Scott, and Martin Urbach's ominously titled "I Broke the Jazz." And, yes, I must admit to giving high marks to a song featuring the late Jimmy Carl Black (of Frank Zappa fame) delivering a cryptic monologue over the telephone. (See, I can be outré and transgressive too!)

As always, we offer a pithy review, personnel and recording info, and a ranking on a scale from 0 to 100 for each selection. (“In Me Canoe” gets 94, by the way.) Also, we offer links for fast, easy and legal downloading. Below is a complete list of all the tracks featured as Song of the Day during November.

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Evan Christopher: Douce Ambience
Reviewed by Ted Gioia

Steve Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra: We Are MTO
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Ludovic & Kruno: Philadelphie Sur Seine
Reviewed by Bill Barnes

Lori Bell: A Ilha (The Island)
Reviewed by Bill Barnes

Martin Urbach: I Broke the Jazz
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

April Hall: You Must Believe in Spring
Reviewed by Scott Albin

Rudresh Mahanthappa: Ganesha
Reviewed by Ted Gioia

Bujo Kevin Jones: Tenth World Order
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Bill Cunliffe: Port Authority
Reviewed by Bill Barnes

Carl Orr: JFP
Reviewed by Walter Kolosky

Mark Weinstein: Lua e Sol
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Javon Jackson: One by One
Reviewed by Ted Gioia

Tony Malaby: Anemone
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Christian Scott: Died in Love
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron

Shakers N' Bakers: In Me Canoe
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Bill Carrothers : When Will the Blues Leave
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Jon Larsen (with Jimmy Carl Black): Jimmy-As-A-Ghost
Reviewed by Ted Gioia

Lucía Pulido: Dejala Llorar
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron

Buena Vista Social Club: Chan Chan (live at Carnegie Hall)
Reviewed by Ted Gioia

Lee Shaw: Foots
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

Amina Figarova: Chicago Split
Reviewed by Mark Saleski

This blog article posted by Ted Gioia.

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