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Reader request for recent jazz CDs
Out here in Japan I am going through some of the old requests; here is one:
Recommendations re new jazz recordings
I have a few:
1. Anything by Brad Mehldau; he is a very subtle pianist, broadly in the mold of Bill Evans. Start with his CD with Pat Metheny.
2. Saudades, by Trio Beyond. Excellent guitar work on every cut; bluesy, lots of organ.
3. Pakistani Pomade, by Alexander von Schlippenbach; the sort of jazz that hurts most people's ears.
4. Ramasuri, by Max Nagl. An exhilarating blast, with strong overtones of Klezmer.
Those are my favorites from the last two years or so. What do you all recommend?
Posted by Tyler Cowen on June 4, 2008 at 07:07 PM in Music | Permalink
Comments
Try almost anything by Joe Lovano. "I'm all for you" came out a few years ago, but it's a good start.
Posted by: Jake at Jun 4, 2008 7:12:26 PM
Prasanna; "Be The Change"
Posted by: ideogenetic at Jun 4, 2008 7:31:15 PM
I've got your jazz-funk covered: Soulive's Turn it Out. Schleigho's Continent. Medeski Martin and Wood w/ or w/o John Scofield. The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is also spectacular.
Posted by: Sociology Graduate Student at Jun 4, 2008 8:18:32 PM
Everything by Anouar Brahem (if you consider this jazz).
Everything by Tomas Stanko and his band, "Trio," led by the phenom pianist, Marcin Wasileski. They have a new release
The new John Scofield cd "A Go-Go", with Martin Medeski Wood
Posted by: Tim Smith at Jun 4, 2008 8:19:41 PM
First, run, don't walk, to get the Brad Mehldau Trio's new live 2-CD set. It's worth it just for the covers of "Wonderwall" and "Black Hole Sun."
Seconding Tim, the Tomasz Stanko Quartet's "Suspended Night" CD has been getting major play on my iPod lately.
Another ECM group, Nik Bartsch's Ronin, sounds like what Philip Glass would sound like if he played jazz instead of classical. It's cool, smooth, and, more to the point, minimalist. Two CDs to get: "Stoa" and "Holon."
Among new, up-and-coming vocalists, I'm currently in love with Melody Gardot and singer/bassist Esperanza Spalding. Both have new CDs out.
On the fusion side of things, try guitarist Al DiMeola's "Consequences of Chaos," which came out in 2006, the same year I saw him in concert three times.
Posted by: Franklin Harris at Jun 4, 2008 9:05:52 PM
"I Have the Room Above Her" Paul Motian with Bill Frisell and Joe Lavano.
"McCoy Tyner Quartet" (w/ Joe Lavano, Christian McBride and Jeff "Tain" Watts.)
Posted by: Paul at Jun 4, 2008 9:20:57 PM
big fan of the maria schneider jazz orchestra, "sky blue".
Posted by: paul at Jun 4, 2008 10:07:23 PM
Branford Marsalis's "Requiem" is not nearly as pop as most of his ouevre, and is actually pretty aggressive and dark and moody and tight.
Posted by: D at Jun 4, 2008 10:22:21 PM
My fav: Herbie Hancock's - River the Joni letters. Jazzier interpretations of Joni's Mitchell's pop tunes. Wayne Shorter's brilliant economy of notes and Herbie's harmonic expansion add depth and color without obscuring the vocal melodies. I agree that any Brad Meldau is good listening.
Posted by: CB at Jun 4, 2008 10:40:01 PM
Seeing the ECM recommendations, I'm inclined to add one more fantastic ECM artist:
Tord Gustavsen Trio
I want to throw in this Ralph Towner album which I just got the other day as well:
http://www.amazon.com/Time-Line-Ralph-Towner/dp/B000E8NPRS
Posted by: Dedalus at Jun 5, 2008 12:54:04 AM
I strongly concur-- Tomasz Stanko Quartet is not to be missed. For a different flavor try Ben Allison (Peace Pipe or Man Sized Safe)
Posted by: scafhunt at Jun 5, 2008 1:00:30 AM
Als Preußens König seinen Barbier fragte "Was gibt's Neues?", antwortete dieser: "Kennen Majestät denn schon das Alte?".
Posted by: Hans Suter at Jun 5, 2008 4:00:59 AM
Well, since you're in Japan, you should check out the work of pianist Satoko Fujii. She has many different bands. My favorite is her trio with drummer Jim Black and bassist Mark Dresser. I like to characterize her playing as a precision clock being thrown down mountain. There are passages of composition and passages of chaos, but even in the chaos there is an impressive exactitude.
Leaving Japan, I highly recommend the works of saxophonist Tim Berne. His "Bloodcount" band is probably his most well known, and I love them. They create long works that magically transform from free improvisation to stunningly original composition and back. "Unwound" and the three Paris Concert discs are stunning. But perhaps a more accessible introduction to his style would be one of his newer bands, like Hard Cell (with Tom Rainey on drums and Craig Taborn on piano). Try their "Feign". See www.screwgunrecords.com for more info.
The latest Vandermark 5 CD, "Beat Reader," is one of their best discs ever.
Somewhat less well known, but also emerging from the Vandermark-inspired Chicago scene is a disc by Keefe Jackson's Fast Citizens called "Ready Everyday." I really like the way Jackson writes music, and he has some crack musicians working with him.
I could go on, but then what would I write about if I start my own blog one day?
Posted by: Justin W. at Jun 5, 2008 7:28:23 AM
Anything by guitarist Bill Frisell (I especially like his Trio work with Elvin Jones and Dave Holland). Also, there is a lot of good stuff by saxophonist Joe Lovano out there.
Posted by: Doug at Jun 5, 2008 8:54:31 AM
Anything by Allan Holdsworth--period.
Posted by: EcoDude at Jun 5, 2008 10:38:49 AM
I agree with Tyler about Brad Mehldau, but do not start with his Metheny recordings. In fact, there is really no reason to ever listen to them...sorry Brad. Get any other Mehldau album, most of them similarly fabulous.
Posted by: Charlie at Jun 5, 2008 10:39:36 AM
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Bill Charlap or Fred Hersch. For my money, they are two of the most interesting jazz pianists on the contemporary scene.
Posted by: Zack at Jun 5, 2008 10:40:03 AM
I second the Schleigho recommendation.
Posted by: Charles at Jun 5, 2008 10:43:37 AM
I like Saudades -- of course if you dig that kind of thing the original guitarist is pretty awesome too! In particular his work with Shakti. And if you _do_ like Sco then the new one (This meets That) is great.
Mehldau is a god, but I'm curious with "start with the Metheny collaboration." It's good, mind you. But start with his trio work. His last two are incredible.
Frisell's been on a tear the past many years, all good. Same for Dave Douglas!
Just got a new Andrew Hill which was lovely...
Posted by: Sanjay at Jun 5, 2008 5:47:57 PM
The Ramasuri link is incorrect.
Do you recommend anything with vocals?
Posted by: sim at Jun 5, 2008 6:14:07 PM
I disagree that Mehldau is a subtle pianist. He is an overtly lyrical and often sentimental player.
David Torn's Prezans should be on the list.
Posted by: chrisare at Jun 5, 2008 11:47:43 PM
I caught Jason Lindner for the second time in his group Now vs Now with drummer Mark Guiliana and they were fantastic. If I had to describe them I could do no better than to steal Justin W's sentence from above "There are passages of composition and passages of chaos, but even in the chaos there is an impressive exactitude" when describing Fujii. Coincidentally(?), when I asked the drummer afterwards to recommend me other good drummers to check out he named Jim Black, who I guess plays with Fujii.
Posted by: Todd at Jun 6, 2008 1:23:13 AM
Berlin Serengeti album by Radio Citizen
Posted by: Alex at Jun 6, 2008 2:42:29 AM
Berlin Serengeti album by Radio Citizen
Posted by: Alex at Jun 6, 2008 2:43:41 AM
Whisper Not - By Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack de Johnette
truly a mindblowing jazz experience.
Posted by: matthew at Jun 6, 2008 8:44:32 AM
