The Glide Jazz 20- Our Top 20 Jazz Releases For 2019 (LIST)

2019 was another eventful year in Jazz that delivered a renewed global creativity, the unearthing of lost albums from iconic figures, stellar efforts from emerging young players, and strong contributions from reliable veterans, both vocally and instrumentally. This is Glide’s effort, a wide swath of 20 remarkable albums that touch on several aspects of jazz.  We salute these artists, knowing the choices were difficult to make as there were many more worthy efforts beyond just these.

Ben Flocks – Mask of the Muse (West Cliff) – This tenor saxophonist induced similar feelings to Charlie Parker with Strings from the ‘50s. That’s a certainly lofty company and there are no strings on this album but keyboards and guitar providing a similar ambiance in a tight quintet instead. It’s marvelously dreamy, romantic, and at times soulful. Turn off all the lights. Put on your headphones and fall into dreamland. Oh, set it on repeat. You may stay there for hours.

Branford Marsalis Quartet – The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul (Sony Masterworks) Comparably serious in both concept and execution, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul concludes with the direct and deliberate communication at which the Branford Marsalis Quartet excels throughout the record. Keith Jarrett’s “The Windup” overflows with the joy of the complete and utter romp envisioned by its jazz piano icon author. As such, it is altogether revelatory in making explicit just how much pleasure this group shares by playing together.

Brian Lynch Big Band – Omni American Book Club (Hollistic Music Works) – Lynch, one of the top and most versatile trumpeters in jazz, demonstrates an immense range and breathtaking understanding of jazz’s many idioms, as a soloist, composer, and arranger. His big band compositions and arrangements are adorned with special guests Regina Carter, Dafnis Prieto, Dave Liebman, Donald Harrison, Orland “Maraca” Valle and Jim Snidero. With these nine compositions, Lynch pays tribute to several authors with exciting big band music, some of the most fully realized you’ll hear.

Catherine Russell – Alone Together (Dot Time) –  No artist has the musicologist knack for capturing the best music of the twenties through the fifties and make it sound so vital and so true to its origins. It would be difficult to find a singer of Russell’s caliber in terms of range, versatility, emotion, and unerring phrasing. She’s a master at what she loves – blues-infused jazz tunes. 

Chick Corea and The Spanish Heart Band – Antidote (Concord) –  Chick Corea and his newly formed Spanish Heart Band revisit songs from his classic albums My Spanish Heart and Touchstone. The Spanish Heart Band is a multi-cultural octet playing both these classic and new compositions with guest appearances by vocalists Ruben Blades, Gayle Moran Corea, and Maria Bianca.

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – Ancestral Recall (Ropeadope) – Called by some “The architect of a new commercially viable fusion” and “Jazz’s young style God,” the trumpeter continues to forge new ground. Close your eyes and imagine a New Orleans multi-cultural street parade 50 or 60 years from now – pulsating rhythms, chants, and soaring horns that shift seamlessly from acoustic to electronic modes. There’s just so much to feast the ears on, that it takes multiple listens to begin to digest it

Cochemea – All My Relations (Dap Tone) – Spiritual music with indigenous rhythms from the saxophonist of the Dap-Kings. Imagine a saxophonist walking into a Native American pow-wow or drum circle, conjuring up some melodies while the percussion follows. The beauty of this creative work is that you’ll hear different sounds almost every time you play it. The melodies are infectious, and the playing is immensely inspired.

The Comet Is Coming – Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (Impulse!) –  The spiritual music made by John and Alice Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders in the late ‘60s is surely an inspiration for the UK jazz trio, and, like those iconic figures. TCIC is pushing the envelope into the 21st century with spiritual jazz that owes as much to the ‘60s sound as it does to futuristic music like that from Bladerunner. This is the debut of King Shabaka (Shabaka Hutchings) on saxophone/bass clarinet, Danalogue (Dan Leavers) on keys/synth, and Betamax (Max Hallett) on drums.

David Sanchez – Carib (Ropeadope) – This flows beautifully and while there are plenty of nods to Latin music, especially in the percussion, it comes off more as a “world fusion” kind of sound with the interplay between the electric piano, electric guitar, and Sanchez’s full-bodied tenor. These are all Sanchez compositions, displaying an impressive variety of moods, tempos, and melodies. 

Hendrik Muerkens – Cobb’s Pocket (In +Out) – In his 30 years as a recording artist this is Muerkens first-ever, and the first of its kind perhaps, showcasing the swinging soul-jazz, hard bop, straight-ahead possibilities of pairing a harmonica with and an organ trio (B3 Hammond, electric guitar, and drums). Organist Mike LeDonne and guitarist Peter Bernstein join venerable drummer Jimmy Cobb in the trio backing Muerkens, who makes his harmonica sound every bit as lyrical as a saxophone.

Jamie Saft Trio – You Don’t Know the Life (Rare Noise) – As with most of Jamie Saft’s records, the interweaving of originals and covers on You Don’t Know The Life is a mark of ingenious artistry at work. The multi-instrumentalist/composer and his simpatico compatriots create music that runs a remarkably broad gamut of emotions. And in its roughly forty-five-minute arc of feeling, a listener can end up equally drained and enlivened by this trio’s own journey through the heart and soul (and beyond).

Jazzmeia Horn – Love and Liberation (Concord) – Following her Grammy-nominated debut, we find Horn’s vocal skills even more finely tuned, her songs filled with personal relevance and social messages, and progressing in improvisation and versatility. Her scat singing here, for example, is veteran-like. This a leap forward as a singer, bandleader, and songwriter, all a result of constant touring. 

Joel Ross – Kingmaker (Blue Note) – Twenty-four-year-old vibraphonist Joel Ross was the MVP of the 2019 New port Jazz Festival playing as a sideman in two groups and leading his own ensemble. This is his debut as a leader and composer with bassist Harish Raghaven who produced the album that features Ross’ Good Vibes band. They are Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax), Jeremy Corren (piano), Benjamin Tiberio (bass), and Jeremy Dutton (drums). Vocalist Gretchen Parlato takes her turn on one track. The future of jazz is in good hands.

Joey DeFrancesco – In the Key of the Universe (Mack Avenue) – On In The Key of the Universe, the organist/trumpeter reaffirms his connection with jazz history through fruitful work with venerable musicians including saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, drummer Billy Hart. as well as Troy Roberts, the saxophonist for his own band. DeFrancesco and company embark upon some deeply spiritual excursions that constitute the heart of the album, but they never forget to groove vigorously along the way. The depth of passion is unmistakable through a pithy progression of the ten tracks.

Kendrick Scott Oracle – A Wall Is Not a Bridge (Blue Note) – A contemplative, mostly ensemble-based lyrical, style of jazz that favors gentle harmonic exploration and blending over explosive firepower  While Scott is the leader, his drumming doesn’t reach for the spotlight but stays in support of the tune. Careful listening reveals intense moments as many of the moody compositions build drama and glide through dynamic shifts. 

Paul Zauner’s Blue Brass Featuring David Murray – Roots n’ Wings (PAO) – Trombonist, composer, bandleader, Paul Zauner has led his Blue Brass unit since the ‘90s, at times featuring key guests. This one, though, is every bit as much about the versatile saxophonist and composer David Murray who plays tenor sax and bass clarinet throughout and composed six of the seven tunes. This is highly imaginative music. If you love the music of Mingus, forward pushing large ensembles, or are a long-time Murray fan, this one is for you. It’s got blues, straight-ahead, NOLA, and avant-garde in one tidy package.

Stan Getz – Getz at the Gate -Live at the Village Gate (Verve) – Stan Getz from 1961, before his breakout bossa nova period. These 15 tracks, spread over two discs and three LPs, are taken from one night at NYC’s Village Gate, professionally recorded and likely intended for release, but lost for 58 years and now rediscovered. This was a relatively new quartet that didn’t stay together very long, featuring pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist John Neves, and drummer Roy Haynes. This was the unit Getz formed having recently returned from Europe and exploring a new more aggressive sound as Coltrane was the buzz at the time.

Theon Cross – Fyah (Gearbox) – Sons of Kemet tuba player steps out as bandleader with a small ensemble as he practically reinvents the role of bass and rhythm with his tuba. Cross brings the instrument to the forefront, where you’d expect electronic basslines, while also making it a principle point of focus by merging the instrument’s traditional use with his own modern sensibilities.

Vivian Sessoms – Life II (Ropeadope) – Jazz-influenced with elements of R&B, spoken word, and hints of classical. Sessoms is a vocalist and composer who likes to push the boundaries. There is an immediate sense of urgency on this one amidst both the vibrant and mellow R&B. Sessoms is fearless, not shying away from some of the most difficult emotional subjects to write about, especially “I Can’t Breathe,” as emotional as any song you’ll hear.

Yazz Ahmed – Polyhymnia (Ropeadope) – Leading a 15-piece ensemble, British-Bahraini trumpeter Yazz Ahmed’s work is cinematic in scope, stimulating, ambitious, infectious, and inspiring. Her music has been described as ‘psychedelic Arabic Jazz,’ a convenient way of describing her unique blurring of conventional jazz as she pays tribute to six important females across several cultures.