I know: I'm probably a bit late. But I love lists! And admit it: so do you! So here are some of the cd's I enjoyed most in 2010. I haven't listened yet to all I wanted (I'm looking forward to the cd by Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green, for instance, I haven't heard the live one by [em] yet... But I did listen extensively to at least 250 new cd's, mainly jazz, but also some assorted candy, as always.
Adam Lane
Ashcan Rantings
If you were wondering how Charles Mingus would sound if he was still among us, then this is your best bet. This is also how Dave Holland would sound, if he was thirty years younger. You understood the message: this is thoroughly composed music by a (almost big) band full of young virtuoso musicians. Two cd's, never a dull moment. That's not bad, is it?
Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth
Deluxe
This band really is deluxe, and just like Adam Lane, Chris Lightcap is a fantastisc bassplayer, and has assembled a very interesting band to record his beautiful music. I hear creamy melodies, slowly unwinding lines, full of musicality. With a band of avantgarde players who don't sound avantgarde here. Tony Malaby is great, but has never sounded as accessible as on this cd. Enjoy it while you can!
Frank Zappa
Hammersmith Odeon
Please read the previous post.
Ken Vandermark 5
Special Edition
The horse jumps/The ship is gone
Talking 'bout a prolific guy.... Ken Vandermark is even as bad as John Zorn... But his output is always interesting, or even impressive, like this cd of his group, combined with two Norwegians (Magnus Broo, tp, Havard Wiik, p). They are members of Atomic, Europe's best kept secret if it's jazz we're talking about.
What a band, what an energy!
Vijay Iyer
Solo
For this extremely gifted and superintelligent pianoplayer 2010 was kind of a breakthrough. His previous trio-cd, Historicity was the cd of 2009. This solo cd is at least one of the cd's of 2010. Iyer has found a highly original voice on piano. When Miles Davis played Michael Jackson's Human Nature, he just played the melody and that was that. The way Vijay Iyer tackles the same tune is much more original. Iyer combines the talents of his mentors Andrew Hil, Sun Ra, Randy Weston, Cecil Taylor and adds a personal flavor to it (though I seldom here influences of his Indian roots, contrary to the also very great Rudresh Mahanthappa).
Avi Buffalo
Please do not hold it against this 48-year old guy, but the cd I listened to most this year is beyond doubt this one by Avi Buffalo. This guy Avi wrote most of these songs when he was 16. Quite confronting... But how I loved it! This is fun hippie music that makes you smile, that makes you happy. Grateful Dead probably would sound this way if they were 19 years old in 2010.
Thank you for reading this
Peter
