|
Top ten lists are idiotic, but they do serve a purpose. They obviously reveal more about the reviewer's own musical tastes than provide any accurate valuation of the "worth" of the hard working musician/composer's creations - painstakingly birthed as they are out of the artist's blood, sweat and tears. This is especially the case since the advent of easily accessible modern recording equipment, making it - I would venture to say - next to impossible to hear every recording released in a given year. In purusing the lists of other writers, I see an astonishing array of music that I somehow missed, despite the plethora of bulky envelopes cramming my mailbox on a near daily basis. The heartbreak of somehow not having been privy to hearing what seems some of the genarally agreed upon greatest releases of the year is tempered however, by the realization that I am able to share with the readers some exceptional recordings of their own - none of which are chopped liver - but some that seem to have been unfairly overlooked. You can always read the other lists to find recordings that bypassed me. Veteran saxophonist Charles Lloyd's Mirror was an easy choice for my number one record of the year; with its haunting solos and stellar interplay between Lloyd and band members Jason Moran, Eric Harland and Ruben Rogers, this album is as close to perfection as 2010 saw. Meanwhile, pianist Brad Mehldau's ambitious, audacious epic Highway Rider is a sprawling and at times maddening endeavor that I believe will only grow in stature as a true musical record that is emblematic of our times.
After the first two selections, things get a bit murkier and cases could easily be made for rearranging the order on a daily, if not hourly, basis. It is a shame, really, that any size to the list be required (a top 27 for example?). But for now, I will just stop moving albums up and down and stick with what I have based on how I feel at this moment in time, and I feel strongly that no matter the order, all of these recordings listed are well worth your time to check out. This year's list includes a nice mixture of the old (Wadada Leo Smith and Ed Blackwell, Odean Pope, James Moody) and young (Singnam Singaratnam, Bartosz Hadala, Grege Ward, UOU), the well-known (Dave Holland, Paul Motian) and the should be better known (Gwilym Simcock, Soren Moller & Dick Oatts) and some true surprises (Luis Munoz). Of course, the selection for artist of the year was a no brainer: despite the fact I found his work with other artists somewhat more compelling than his own, with three recordings in the top ten, Jason Moran's selection was never in doubt. In the meantime, I urge you to support jazz and its artists by buying their work - at the same time helping to keep this important and interesting art form alive and well.
|
 "Mirror" |
 "Highway Rider" |
 "Lost in a Dream" |
"The Clouds Above" |
 "The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer" |
 "Invisible" |
 "Hear You Say" |
"Ten" |
"Pathways" |
 "Lost in New York" |
 Vocal Album of the Year - Alison Ruble - "Ashland" Runner up - Glawdys N' Dee - "Lynnaj" |
 Jazz Reissue of the Year: Commitment - "The Complete Recordings 1981/1983" |
 |  |
 |  |
 For his work on three excellent albums in 2010: Charles Lloyd's "Mirror," with Paul Motian and Chris Potter on "Lost in a Dream," and his own "Ten." |
 Ryan Cohan for "The River" concert and "Another Look" concert and CD. |
 Tammy McCann |
Instrumental Song of the Year: Suresh Singaratnam - "Temporal Incursions"
Instrumental Solo of the Year:
Dick Oatts sax - "Butterfly"
(from Soren Moller & Dick Oatts - The Clouds Above)
Check out 2009's Top 10 CDs
Check out other recent CD reviews
Check out 2008's Top 10 CDs