The Jazz.com Blog
October 31, 2009 · 0 comments
The Best Tracks of the Month
Five days per week, jazz.com highlights an oustanding recent track as part of its Song of the Day feature. The aim is to guide listeners through the confusing array of new CDs on the market, and direct them to superior music they might otherwise miss.
Some of the names below will be familiar, and a few—Hank Jones, Gerald Wilson—are famous veterans who were gigging back in the Swing Era. Yet many of the tracks highlighted come from new or little-known artists who have released self-produced disks or are working with small indie labels.
Given the gradual retreat of major labels from jazz music and their reluctance to promote new artists that deviate in any way from proven commercial formulas, the situation grows ever more confusing and fans have greater need for knowledgeable, impartial guides in their efforts to find the best new music. In this environment, it becomes harder—but all the more urgent—for critics to open their ears and search out the hidden gems amidst the glut of releases.
Below you will find links to reviews of the songs featured in October. Each review provides full personnel and recording info, a candid assessment, a scoring on jazz.com’s 100-point evaluation system, and a place you can go to purchase a (legal) download.
Happy listening!
Song of The Day: Featured Tracks from October 2009:
Joey DeFrancesco: Fly Me to the Moon
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Ike Sturm: Kyrie
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Jeff Hamilton: The Serpent's Tooth
Reviewed by Thomas Cunniffe
Hank Jones & Oliver Jones: What Am I Here For?
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Quartet San Francisco: Strange Meadowlark
Reviewed by Thomas Cunniffe
Loren Stillman: Man of Mystery
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Ayelet Rose Gottlieb: Some Kiss
Reviewed by Mark Saleski
Egberto Gismonti: Sertões Veredas
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Krantz-Carlock-Lefebvre: War Torn Johnny
Reviewed by Eric Novod
Jon Irabagon: January Dream
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Ben Allison: Fred
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Mika Pohjola: Blues Chacarera
Reviewed by Bill Barnes
CéU: Vira Lata
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Barrett Martin: Shapeshifter
Reviewed by Mark Saleski
Gerald Wilson: Detroit
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Anouar Brahem: Stopover at Djibouti
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Hailey Niswanger: Oliloqui Valley
Reviewed by S. Victor Aaron
Wayne Wallace: Freedom Jazz Dance (Baile de Libertad)
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
John Proulx: Let's Get Lost
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Watermelon Slim: Wreck on the Highway
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
Poncho Sanchez: Cantaloupe Island
Reviewed by Ted Gioia
This blog entry posted by Ted Gioia
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