Top Jazz Albums of 2011
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1. BB&C The Veil (Cryptogramophone) This sprawling, fangs-bared live set reunites three longtime compatriots saxophonist Tim Berne, guitarist Nels Cline and drummer Jim Black for a ferocious trio date. Berne’s scything alto, Cline’s extraterrestrial eruptions and Black’s scrapyard barrage meld into an intensely inventive whole.
2. Samuel Blaser Consort in Motion (Kind of Blue) A quantum leap beyond so much trite jazz-classical fusion, Swiss trombonist Blaser, ably abetted by undersung keyboard wizard Russ Lossing, bassist Thomas Morgan and late drum legend Paul Motian, vividly transforms the music of Monteverdi and other Italian composers of the Baroque and Renaissance into airy, cerebral beauty.
3. Craig Taborn Avenging Angel (ECM) Always an intriguing collaborative presence, Taborn’s solo piano debut is a work of unusual mystery, provocative depth and intellectual clarity.
4. Matthew Shipp Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear) To celebrate his 50th birthday, Shipp offers a monumental two-disc survey of his iconoclastic artistry, one solo, the second with his latest trio.
5. Steve Coleman & Five Elements The Mancy of Sound (Pi) Coleman’s acolytes have overtaken the jazz world of late, but the saxophonist/composer proves again that he continues to evolve. His latest forefronts Jen Shyu’s abstract vocalese as an integral element of Coleman’s singular pieces.
6. David S. Ware Organica (Solo Saxophones, Volume 2) (Aum Fidelity) The second in a series of solo releases documenting the sax titan’s return to public performance following a kidney transplant, Organica consists of two stunning concerts featuring his ever-muscular tenor and the debut of a sinuous sopranino. Proof positive of not only Ware’s vitality but the irrepressible force of his creative mind.
7. Wadada Leo Smith’s Organic Heart’s Reflections (Cuneiform) The great AACM trumpeter/composer revisits and reconceives Miles Davis’ ’70s electric period on a double-disc set, backed by an ensemble of young all-stars who offer a fresh and combustible take on funk-rock-jazz fusion.
8. Darius Jones Trio Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) (Aum Fidelity) Unlike so many of his hyper-intellectualized peers, young saxophonist Jones draws from the gut rather than the head, unleashing torrents of brawny sound from his alto. That’s not to suggest he’s any less forward-thinking, however, as this envelope-shoving second volume in his musical autobiography, centered on his rural Virginia upbringing, shows.
9. Rez Abbasi’s Invocation Suno Suno (Enja) The Pakistani-born guitarist delves into his heritage with a suite of compositions inspired by Qawwali music that never feels like a forced hybrid. It doesn’t hurt that Rudresh Mahanthappa and pianist Vijay Iyer, both of whom know something about interweaving cross-cultural influences, are also on hand.
1. Curtis Macdonald Community Immunity (Greenleaf) The young Canadian saxophonist’s debut is a showcase for his angular, tension-filled compositions. A sharp first step, full of surprises and, especially, promise.
Our Top Albums of 2011 coverage continues next week when Mary Armstrong rounds up the best roots music of the year. In the meantime, we’ll be rattling off our favorite songs of 2011 on our A&E blog, Critical Mass.