WDCB Faves: Top Five Jazz Discs in 2014
Hey everyone!
As we wrap up 2014, a few of us jazz DJs at WDCB took a fond look back at the multitude of jazz releases this past year, and the avalanche of fantastic new music that made its way to our ears. Vocalists Gregory Porter and Gretchen Parlato both contributed albums that will have people rethinking what constitutes “jazz vocals.” JC Stylles and Dave Stryker both put out discs with greasy, funky organ/guitar combos that took interesting trips based on familiar material, “Fathead” Newman proved that even from the great beyond, he was still capable of putting out exciting music. And Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band released another disc that keeps fans of big band music excited about the artform. So, without further ado, here’s our batch of top fives (and more) from 2014…
John Burnett:
Cyrus Chestenut: MIdnight Melodies (Smoke Sessions)
Henry Butler & Steve Bernstein: Vipers Drag (Impulse/Universal)
Dee Alexander: Songs My Mother Loves (Blujazz)
J.C.Stylles: Blakey Grease (American Showplace Music)
Jimmy Cobb: The Original Mob (Smoke Sessions)
Barry Winograd:
Louis Armstrong: The Columbia and RCA/Victor Live Recordings of Louis Armstrong and the All-Stars (Mosaic)
Chick Corea: Trilogy (Concord)
Steve Khan: Subtext (Tone Center)
Jason Moran: All Rise (Blue Note)
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra: Overtime – The Music of Bob Brookmeyer (Planet Arts)
Bruce Oscar:
Joshua Breakstone – With the Wind and the Rain (Capri)
Tilden Webb Trio with David “Fathead” Newman: Cellar Groove (Cellar Live)
Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: L.A. Treasures Project (Capri)
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band: Life in the Bubble (Telarc)
Pete Christlieb & Linda Small: High on You (Bosco)
Honorable Mention:
Adam Schroeder: Let’s (Capri)
Jay Greene:
Dave Stryker: Eight Track (strikezone)
Alan Broadbent: America the Beautiful (Jan Matthies Records)
Jason Roebke Octet: High/Red/Center (Delmark)
Gregory Porter: Liquid Spirit (Blue Note)
Trombone Shorty: Say That to Say This (Verve)
Bes Nievera:
Pat Metheny/Unity Group: Kin (Nonesuch)
Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden: Last Dance (ECM)
Miles Davis: Miles At The Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Volume 3 (Columbia/Legacy)
Laurenzi/Ernst/Green: Sightline
Daniel Lanois: Flesh And Machine (Anti-)
John Knopfle:
Gretchen Parlato: Live in NYC (Obliqsound)
Helen Sung: Anthem for a New Day (Concord)
Dayna Stevens: Peace (Sunnyside)
Gregory Porter, Donald Smith, Mansur Scott w/Paul Zauner's Blue Brass: Great Voices of Harlem (Blujazz)
Jimmy Cobb: The Original Mob (Smoke Sessions)
Honorable Mentions:
JC Stylles: Blakey Grease (American Showplace Music)
Gabriel Espinosa & Hendrik Meurkens: Samba Little Samba (zoho)
Conrad Herwig: Latin Side of Joe Henderson (Half Note)
Gregory Porter: Liquid Spirit (Blue Note)
Joshua Redman: Trios Live (Nonesuch)
Leslie Keros:
Elias Haslanger and Church On Monday: Live At The Gallery (Cherrywood)
Aaron Lington and Paul Tynan, Bicoastal Collective: Chapter 4 (OA2)
Harold Mabern: Right on Time (Smoke Sessions)
Catherine Russell: Bring It Back (Jazz Village)
Tilden Webb Trio with David “Fathead” Newman: Cellar Groove (Cellar Live)
Paul Abella:
Gretchen Parlato: Live in NYC (Obliqsound)
Azar Lawrence: The Seeker (Sunnyside)
David Binney: Anacapa (Criss Cross)
Medeski, Martin & Wood + Nels Cline: Woodstock Sessions, Volume 2 (Indirecto)
Jackie Allen: My Favorite Color (Avant-Bass)
Honorable Mentions:
Harold Lopez-Nussa: New Day (Jazz Village)
Miles Davis: Miles At The Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Volume 3 (Columbia/Legacy)
