Let the Festival Season Begin! (In New Orleans)

The onset of warmer weather can mean only one thing: music festival season is nigh! There may be other joys that Summer brings, but for me it's all about savoring great music in the great outdoors. AccuJazz has a tradition of creating channels dedicated to the jazz festivals we're most excited about, from Montréal to Monterey, and we're getting ready to offer up updated playlists based on all of this year's big fests, too.

The first of the main jazz events to happen each year is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, taking place this April 27 through May 6. Naturally, that's also the first festival channel we're launching on AccuJazz. (How about you launch the channel now before going on?)

If you visit the festival's official website, you'll see pictures of big-name headliners like the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and Cee Lo Green. But if you check out the full line-up, you'll notice there is indeed a wealth of exceptional jazz scheduled to take place at this year's event. Our channel (you just launched it, right?) leaves out the Eagles and the Boss in favor of a diverse mix of jazz artists, from Grammy-winning "It" girl Esperanza Spalding to the legendary Herbie Hancock. Of course, there's always a slew of exceptional local New Orleans talent including Ellis Marsalis, Trombone Shorty and the usual line-up of stellar brass bands (Dirty Dozen, Rebirth, and Soul Rebels, for starters).

Whether you're actually planning on attending Jazz Fest or just wish you were, AccuJazz's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2012 channel makes for a great listen. Be sure to look out for more channels as the festival season really gets under way in the next few months.

The Best Jazz of 2011, According to the Critics

Click here for our Best Jazz of 2011 Channel.

The best jazz album of 2011, according to the 122 people who participated in this year's Rhapsody Jazz Critics' Poll (formerly the Village Voice Jazz Critics' Poll), was made by an artist who first came to prominence in the 1950s. Road Shows, Vol. 2, by Sonny Rollins, won in a landslide. Rollins also received recognition from much higher powers than jazz critics, receiving the Kennedy Center honors from the president. Interestingly, the Rhapsody poll's No. 2 spot belongs to one of the youngest musicians on the list, 29-year-old trumpet phenom Ambrose Akinmusire. Akinmusire's exhilarating Blue Note Records debut, When the Heart Emerges Glistening, seemed to appeal to more traditional- and progressive-minded voters alike.

The rest of the list is typically diverse, ranging from quintessential New York free improvisation (David S. Ware's Planetary Unknown) to R&B-inflected modern jazz (Terri Lyne Carrington's Mosaic Project) and many well-conceived experiments in fusing jazz with ethnic musics from around the globe (Amir ElSaffar's Inana Suite, Vijay Iyer's Tirtha and Miguel Zenon's Alma Adentro). There are also an eye-opening six-and-a-half solo piano discs (the half being one disc of Matthew Shipp's double-disc Art of the Improviser).

To bring you, the listener, the best of what jazz had to offer in 2011, we're continuing in our annual tradition of creating a channel based on this definitive crtitics' list. Just click here to start listening. Our channel is playing 42 out of the 60 albums on the list, with programming weighed more heavily towards the highest-ranking albums. Therefore, you'll hear more Sonny and Ambrose than Starlicker (a great Chicago trio that came in 58th place).

As for my personal favorites, you can listen to my Staff Picks channel to hear my top 30 albums. I'll be posting a blog soon about the selections.

What were your favorite albums released in 2011? Do you agree with the critics? Do you think important albums got snubbed? Leave your opinions in the comments, or talk to me on Twitter.

Again, click here to start listening to the Best of 2011 Channel.

R.I.P. Sam Rivers

The great multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader Sam Rivers died Monday, December 26 at the age of 88. Rivers' death makes for the third important jazz figure to pass in the final months of 2011, along with drummer Paul Motian and trombonist/composer Bob Brookmeyer.

To celebrate Rivers' legacy, we are featuring him on the AccuJazz Saxophone channel. Along with the usual lineup of hundreds of jazz saxophonists of every style and era, you'll hear an extra large dose of Rivers' playing. We've included his well-loved 1960s Blue Note output as well as his adventurous big band work and albums where Rivers appears as a sideman with artists like Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson and Dave Holland.

Whether playing swinging post-bop with organist Larry Young or grand-scale avant-garde jazz with his own Studio Rivbea Orchestra, Rivers always played the saxophone (or flute, or piano, or whatever else was in his hands) with strikingly clear articulation and sonic focus. His music reflected a rigorous and uncompromisingly unique vision, whether creating stirring improvisations seemingly out of thin air or constructing intricate soundscapes for other musicians to interpret. His idiosyncratic composition style, which fused complex written material with free improvisation, influenced generations of adventurous jazz musicians including Steve Coleman and Jason Moran.

For a musician often affixed with the "avant-garde" label, Rivers was quite versatile: he played with bebop pianist/composer Tadd Dameron early in his career, played briefly in Miles Davis' renowned 1960s quintet, and even toured in Dizzy Gillespie's band. There is also a broad stylistic palette among music recorded under his own name. Consider the gorgeous melodicism of 1964's "Beatrice" (Rivers' most famous composition) and the frenetic energy of "Capricorn Rising," a 1975 album co-led by Rivers and pianist Don Pullen.

While many octogenarian jazz musicians find their skills steadily waning, Rivers was arguably still playing at his peak up until his death. He spent the last two decades of his life in Orlando, where he led a version of his famed Rivbea Orchestra. This video of a 2010 performance by that group displays not only Rivers' vital sax playing, but his continued compositional ingenuity and playful rapport with his band. Isn't it just great to see an old guy so happy doing what he does?



Enjoy our Sam Rivers feature on the Saxophone channel and look below for further reading:

-Nate Chinen's obituary in the New York Times
-Peter Hum's blog post, with some great videos
-Hank Shteamer's post, with recommended listening

Here's the list of albums featuring Sam Rivers to listen for on the Saxophone channel:

As a leader

-Fuchsia Swing Song
-Countours
-Dimensions and Extensions
-Crystals
-Culmination
-Celebration
-Violet Violets

As a sideman

-Miles Davis: Miles in Tokyo
-Larry Young: Into Somethin'
-Bobby Hutcherson: Dialogue
-Tony Williams: Spring
-Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds
-Don Pullen: Capricorn Rising

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

I'm definitely no stranger to last-minute Christmas shopping, and apparently that also goes for Christmas channel-creating. Just in time for Christmas Eve-Eve, we're introducing two new, and very different, Christmas jazz channels: Mellow Christmas Jazz and Non-Standard Christmas Jazz.

Our Mellow Jazz channel is one of AccuJazz's most popular, so I figured our listeners would be interested in sampling a holiday flavor of it. You'll hear plenty of versions of both "The Christmas Song" and "Christmas Time Is Here" as well as newer, original songs that also set a soothing and cheerful mood.

Speaking of new and original Christmas music, that's what the Non-Standard Christmas Jazz channel is all about. This channel is for listeners who love Christmas music but are tired of hearing the same 10 or 15 songs over and over again. Highlights include Jimmy Rushing singing "Good Morning Blues" with an early incarnation of the Count Basie Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald belting out the novelty tune "Christmas Island," and Geri Allen's brand new "Journey to Bethlehem."

Of course, you can also listen to one of our four other Christmas Jazz channels: Swingin' Christmas, Christmas Instrumentals, Christmas Vocals and New Christmas Jazz. Here's wishing you and yours a very happy and jazzy holiday!

Now Playing on AccuJazz - 10/28/11

What's that? A new Now Playing post only a month after the last one? I'm trying to be a little more on top of new music additions, folks. Hopefully that means I'll finally get around to regularly updating the Staff Picks channel, too. Not yet, but soon.

This most recent crop of music has a couple of promising new releases by uber-creative drummer/composers: Oblique I by Tyshawn Sorey and What Is the Beautiful? by John Hollenbeck's long-running Claudia Quintet. There's also a big band album by everyone's first-call bass player, Christian McBride, and a disproportionately large batch of CDs coming from the under-30 crowd (what is it with all these CDs by youngsters lately?)

Most all of these titles are playing on the Main Channel and New Releases channel on AccuJazz.com; I've also listed the other AccuJazz channels on which you're most likely to hear each CD. Album titles are links to purchase on Amazon.

Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard - Chano y Dizzy (Concord)
Latin, Modern Mainstream, Trumpet, Drummers, Composers: Bird and Diz

Trombone Shorty - For True (Verve Forecast)
New School, Emerging Voices, New Orleans, Trumpet, Trombone, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Christian McBride Big Band - The Good Feeling (Mack Avenue)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, New York, Big Band, Bassists

Claudia Quintet +1 Featuring Kurt Elling and Theo Bleckmann - What Is the Beautiful? (Cuneiform)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York

Tyshawn Sorey - Oblique I (Pi Recordings)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York, Avant-Garde, Drummers

Alan Pasqua - Twin Bill: The Two Piano Music of Bill Evans (BFM Jazz)
Piano, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast

Stanley Jordan - Friends (Mack Avenue)
Straight Ahead, Guitar, Modern Mainstream

Mike LeDonne - Keep the Faith (Savant)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, New York, Organ, Pop Composers

George Benson - Guitar Man (Concord)
Guitar, Pop Composers, Groove Jazz

Sophie Milman - In the Moonlight (Entertainment One)
Vocals, Emerging Voices, Women of Jazz

Freddy Cole - Talk to Me (HighNote)
Vocals, Pop Composers

Grace Kelly - Grace (Pazz)
Saxophone, Emerging Voices, Spiritual, Women of Jazz

Josh Nelson - Discoveries (Steel Bird Music)
New School, Cutting Edge, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Modern West Coast

Brent Canter - Urgency of Now (Posi-Tone)
Guitar, New School, Cutting Edge, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Organ

Cinque - Catch a Corner (Alma)
Modern Mainstream, Organ, Groove Jazz

Aaron Staebell - Bending and Breaking (Self-Released)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York, Drummers

Patrick Cornelius - Maybe Steps (Posi-Tone)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York

Kevin Crabb - Waltz for Dylan (CrabbClaw)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast, Drummers

Nick Hempton - The Business (Posi-Tone)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream

Ken Fowser and Behn Gillece - Duotone (Posi-Tone)
Straight Ahead, Saxophone, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Vibes

Sean Nowell - Stockholm Swingin' (Posi-Tone)

Straight Ahead, Saxophone, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz

The Headhunters - Platinum (Owl Studios)
Saxophone, New School, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Jason Kao Hwang Edge - Crossroads Unseen (Eunymus Records)
Avant-Garde

Jason Kao Hwang Spontaneous River - Symphony of Souls (Mulatta Records)
Cutting Edge, Avant-Garde, Third Stream

Jazz Links Ensemble - The Drive (JICSAR)
Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Chicago

Oscar Perez Nuevo Comienzo - Afropean Affair (Chandra Records)
Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York

Rubinho Antunes - De Viterbo (Tratore)
Latin, Brazilian, Modern Mainstream

A Festival of Festival Channels

The summer may be inching ever closer to its inevitable and regrettable end, but some might say the best is yet to come. Three of North America's most celebrated jazz festivals are still ahead of us, and we're shining a spotlight on them at AccuJazz.com.

So far this year we've had channels dedicated to SF Jazz, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the Montreal and Newport jazz festivals. Still to come are the Chicago, Detroit and Monterey jazz festivals.

The Monterey Jazz Festival, happening September 16-18 this year, is in a class with Newport as a long-standing fest with a much-celebrated history. In fact, Concord Music Group even created a whole separate label, Monterey Jazz Festival Records, to share some of the fest's greatest recorded moments with jazz fans everywhere. Big-name headliners this year include Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard and, ahem, these guys. Some notable acts on smaller stages include Robert Glasper, Donny McCaslin and Steve Coleman. The AccuJazz channel is playing music by most all of the musicians playing, so whether you're planning for a trip to the fest or just wish you could be there, check it out.

For the past few decades, Labor Day weekend has traditionally seen two great Midwestern cities host free, open-to-the-public jazz fests in their downtowns, and this year is no different. The Chicago and Detroit Jazz Festivals are persisting in their populist ideal of bringing world-class jazz to the people at zero cost, and we've got all the artists playing on our channels.

The Chicago Jazz Festival channel features this year's artist-in-residence Orbert Davis (pictured) and his Chicago Jazz Philharmonic as well as a great lineup of local and international artists including Randy Weston, Cassandra Wilson, the Deep Blue Organ Trio, Roy Hargrove, and many more.

The Detroit Jazz Festival channel features their artist-in-residence, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, as well as Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Regina Carter, Joe Lovano and many more.

Are you planning on attending any of these festivals? Who are you most excited to see? If you're not going, who do you wish you could go to see?

Check out all of our festival channels at AccuJazz.com.

Now Playing - 7/29/11

As usual, it's been a while since the last Now Playing post. And as usual, there is SO MUCH MUSIC to let you know about. I didn't even bother counting up just how many new releases we've added in the last few months, but you can have a look-see at every last one of them below. The album titles are links to buy, and the AccuJazz channels on which you're most likely to hear them are listed below. Most all new adds are also playing on the Main Channel and New Releases. Why don't you fire one of those up to listen while you peruse?


Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis - Here We Go Again (Blue Note)
Straight Ahead, Vocals, Live Jazz, Trumpet, Pop Composers, Blue Note

Gretchen Parlato - The Lost and Found (Obliqsound)
Vocals, New School, Emerging Voices, New York

Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White - Forever (Concord)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, Fusion

Pat Metheny - What's It All About (Nonesuch)
Guitar, New School, Pop Composers

Eric Alexander - Don't Follow the Crowd (HighNote)
Saxophone, Modern Mainstream, New York

Ambrose Akinmusire - When the Heart Emerges Glistening (Blue Note)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York, Modern West Coast, Trumpet, Blue Note

Monty Alexander - Uplift (Jazz Legacy Productions)
Straight Ahead, Piano, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz

Ben Allison - Action-Refraction (Palmetto)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Fusion, Pop Composers

Karrin Allyson - 'Round Midnight (Concord)
Vocals, Women of Jazz

Terrell Stafford - This Side of Strayhorn (Max Jazz Records)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, New York, Trumpet, Composers: Ellington

Freddie Hubbard - Pinnacle: Live and Unreleased From the Keystone Korner (Resonance)
New School, Live Jazz, Trumpet, 80s

Ben Williams - State of Art (Concord)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Bassists, Groove Jazz

Gerald Wilson - Legacy (Mack Avenue)
Big Band

Yellowjackets - Timeline (Mack Avenue)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Fusion

Fred Hersch - Alone at the Vanguard (Palmetto)
Piano

Joshua Redman, Aaron Parks, Matt Penman and Eric Harland - James Farm (Nonesuch)
Saxophone, New School, Cutting Edge, Modern Mainstream, New York

Captain Black Big Band - Captain Black Big Band (Positone)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, Big Band

Charlie Haden Quartet West - Sophisticated Ladies (Emarcy)
Saxophone, Vocals, Mellow

Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo - Songs of Mirth and Melancholy (Marsalis Music)
Piano, Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Mellow Jazz, Third Stream

Stefon Harris, David Sanchez and Christian Scott - Ninety Miles (Concord Picante)
Saxophone, Trumpet, Good Vibes, Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices

Vinicius Cantuária & Bill Frisell - Lagrimas Mexicanas (Ent. One Music)
Guitar, Vocals, Latin, Brazilian Jazz

Kenny Werner - Balloons (Half Note)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, New York

Gary Burton - Common Ground (Mack Avenue)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Good Vibes

Eliane Elias - Light My Fire (Concord Picante)
Vocals, Latin, Brazilian Jazz, Women of Jazz

Brian Lynch - Unsung Heroes (Hollistic MusicWorks)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, Trumpet

Sachal Vasandani - Hi-Fly (Mack Avenue)
Vocals, Emerging Voices

Benny Green - Source (Jazz Legacy Productions)
Straight Ahead, Piano

Randy Brecker With the DR Big Band - The Jazz Ballad Song Book (Halfnote Records)
Modern Mainstream, Big Band, Trumpet

Klang - Other Doors (Allos Documents)
New School, Chicago, Avant-Garde, Good Vibes

BANN - As You Like (Jazz Eyes)
New School, Modern Mainstream

Etienne Charles - Kaiso (Culture Shock Music)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Trumpet

Noah Haidu - Slipstream (Positone)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York

Sean Jones - No Need for Words (Mack Avenue)
New School, Modern Mainstream, New York, Trumpet

Larry Gray Trio - Three Equals One (Chicago Sessions)
Guitar, Modern Mainstream, Chicago, Bass

Tom Harrell - The Time of the Sun (HighNote)
New School, Modern Mainstream, New York, Trumpet

Hiromi - Voice (Telarc)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Fusion, Women of Jazz

Marika Hughes - Afterlife Music Radio (DD Records)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Women of Jazz

Jambalaya Brass Band - It's a Jungle Out There (890 West Music)
New School, New York, Groove Jazz

Dave Juarez - Round Red Light (Positone)
Guitar, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York

Darren Lyons - Evil Genius (Self-Released)
Fusion

Mike Reed's My Silence - It Only Happens at Night (482 Music)
Cutting Edge, Chicago, Avant-Garde, AACM

Andrew McCormack and Jason Yarde - My Duo (Joy and Ears)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Europe

Jessica Pavone - Army of Strangers (Porter)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices

Alex Skolnick Trio - Veritas (Palmetto)
Guitar, New School, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Slumgum - Quardboard Flavored Fiber (Accretions)
New School, Cutting Edge, Modern West Coast

Odean Pope - Universal Sounds (Porter)
Avant-Garde

Sonic Liberation Front - Sonic Liberation Front Meets Sunny Murray (High Two)
New School, Avant-Garde

Don Stiernberg - Swing 220 (Blue Night Records)
Guitar, Old School

Larry Goldings - In My Room (BFM Jazz)
Piano, Modern Mainstream, Mellow

Roseanna Vitro - The Music of Randy Newman (Motema)
Vocals, Pop Composers, Women of Jazz

Judy Wexler - Under a Painted Sky (Jazzed Media)
Vocals, Women of Jazz

Bryan Carter - Enchantment (Imaginate Records)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Chicago, Drummers

Jane Bunnett and Hilario Duran - Cuban Rhapsody (Alma Records)
Piano, Saxophone, Latin, Modern Mainstream, Women of Jazz

Gerald Clayton - Bond: The Paris Sessions (Emarcy)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Modern West Coast

Les Doigts de L'Homme - 1910 (Alma Records)
Guitar, Old School

Blue Cranes - Observatories (Meester Records)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, Modern West Coast

Diane Schuur - The Gathering (Vanguard Records)
Vocals, Pop Composers

Dr. Michael White - Adventures in New Orleans Jazz: Part 1 (Basin Street)
New Orleans

Marquis Hill - New Gospel (Self-Released)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Chicago, Trumpet

Steve Khan - Parting Shot (Tone Center)
Guitar, Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream, Drummers, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Jared Gold - All Wrapped Up (Posi-Tone)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, New York, Organ, Groove Jazz

Tiempo Libre - My Secret Radio (Sony)
Latin

Ernest Dawkins - The Prairie Prophet (Delmark)
New School, Chicago

Taylor Ho Bynum, Joe Morris and Sara Schoenbeck - Next (Porter)
Avant-Garde

Club D'Elf - Electric Moroccoland (Face Pelt Records)
World Fusion, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Tara Davidson - View (Self-Released)
Saxophone, New School, Cutting Edge, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Women of Jazz

Benjamin Drazen - Inner Flights (Positone)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York

Alex Pinto - Inner State (Pursuance Records)
Guitar, New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, Modern West Coast

John Vanore and Abstract Truth - Contagious Words (Acoustical Concepts)
Modern Mainstream, Big Band, Trumpet

Blue Cranes - Cantus Firmus (Self-Released)
Cutting Edge, Modern West Coast, Pop Composers

Seabrook Power Plant - Seabrook Power Plant II (Loyal Label)
Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York, Avant-Garde

T.K. Blue - Latinbird (Motema)
Latin, Modern Mainstream, New York, Composers: Bird and Diz

Come Sunday - Crosscurrents (Self-Released)
Chicago, Vocals, Spiritual

Luis Conte - En Casa De Luis (BFM Jazz)
Latin, Modern Mainstream, World Fusion

Carlo de Rosa's Cross Fade - Brain Dance (Cuneiform)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Bassists

Larry Coryell - Larry Coryell With the Wide Hive Players (Wide Hive)
Guitar, New School, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Matt Haimovitz and Uccello - Meeting of the Spirits (Oxingale Records)
New School, Third Stream

Khan Jamal - Cool (Porter)
Avant-Garde, Good Vibes

Irvin Mayfield - A Love Letter to New Orleans (Basin Street)
New Orleans, Trumpet, Groove Jazz

Michael J. Miles - Col-lage (Right Turn on Red Music)
New School, Third Stream

Darius Jones and Matthew Shipp - Cosmic Lieder (AUM Fidelity)
New School, New York, Avant-Garde

Dado Moroni - Live in Beverly Hills (Resonance)
Piano, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, Europe

Jason Parker Quartet - Five Leaves Left: A Tribute to Nick Drake (Broken Time Records)
Vocals, New School, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast, Trumpet, Pop Composers

Profound Sound Trio - Opus De Life (Porter)
Avant-Garde

Rebirth Brass Band - Rebirth of New Orleans (Basin Street)
New School, New Orleans, Groove Jazz

The Nightcrawlers - Down In the Bottom (Cellar Live)
Straight Ahead, Big Band, Organ, Groove Jazz

Matthew Shipp - Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear)
New School, New York, Avant-Garde

Sinistrio - Ride the Dragon (Chronograph)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Organ, Groove Jazz

Nate Wooley, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Jason Roebke - Throw Down Your Hammer and Sing (Porter)
Avant-Garde

Renee Yoxon and Rene Gely - Let's Call It a Day (Self-Released)
Vocals, Emerging Voices, Women of Jazz

Weasel Walter, Mary Halvorson and Peter Evans - Electric Fruit (Thirsty Ear)
Emerging Voices, Avant-Garde

Ralph Bowen - Power Play (Positone)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York

Colorlist - The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean (Serein)
Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, Chicago

Led Bib - Bring Your Own (Cuneiform)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, Europe, Fusion

Louie Belogenis Trio - Tiresias (Porter)
Avant-Garde

Older Releases Just Added:

Air - Live (1977) (Black Saint)
Chicago, Avant-Garde, AACM

Kurt Rosenwinkel - Our Secret World (2010) (Word of Mouth Music)
Guitar, New School, Modern Mainstream, Big Band

David Sanchez - Cultural Survival (2008) (Concord)
Saxophone, Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream

Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman and Ravi Coltrane - Saxophone Summit: Seraphic Light (2008) (Telarc)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Spiritual

Bill Carrothers Trio - Joy Spring (2010) (Pirouet)
Straight Ahead, Piano, Modern Mainstream

Now Playing on AccuJazz - 3/3/11

As usual, it's been a little while since the last Now Playing post. Also as usual, there is a great deal of great new music playing on AccuJazz's channels to let you know about. This most recent batch includes lots of random stuff that has been sent my way as well as music specifically acquired for the Best of 2010 channel. Album titles are links to purchase, and I've listed the AccuJazz channels on which you're most likely to hear each album. Most all new releases are also playing on the Main Channel and the New Releases channel. Why not go ahead and launch the New Releases channel right now as your soundtrack to perusing the blog post?

Various Artists - Everybody Wants to Be a Cat: Disney Jazz, Vol. 1 (Disney)
Modern Mainstream, Straight Ahead

Russell Malone - Triple Play (MaxJazz)
Straight Ahead, Guitar, Modern Mainstream, Groove Jazz

Jason Moran - Ten (Blue Note)
Piano, New School, Cutting Edge, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Best of 2010, Blue Note

Kurt Elling - The Gate (Concord)
Vocals, Chicago, Pop Composers, Mellow Jazz

Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte Carlo (Concord)
New School, Live Jazz, Bass, Third Stream

Jeremy Pelt - The Talented Mr. Pelt (HighNote)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Trumpet

Donny McCaslin - Perpetual Motion (Greenleaf)
Saxophone, New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Fusion

Trio of Oz - Trio of Oz (OZmosis)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Pop Composers

Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To, Vol. 2 (Pi Recordings)
New School, Avant-Garde, Best of 2010

Noah Preminger - Before the Rain (Palmetto)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Avant-Garde, Mellow Jazz

Eric Reed - The Dancing Monk (Savant)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, Composers: Monk

Jerry Bergonzi - Convergence (Savant)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream

Vijay Iyer with Prasanna and Nitin Mitta - Tirtha (ACT)
Guitar, New School, Cutting Edge

Grace Kelly and Phil Woods - The Man With the Hat (Pazz)
Straight Ahead, Saxophone, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Women of Jazz

Jonathan Kreisberg - Shadowless (NFN Music)
Guitar, New School, Modern Mainstream, Fusion

Chantale Gagne - Wisdom of the Water (Self-Released)
Straight Ahead, Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Vibes, Women of Jazz

Wayne Wallace - To Hear From There (Patois)
Latin, Modern West Coast, Trombone

Steve Gadd and Friends - Live at Voce (BFM Jazz)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, Organ, Drummers, Groove Jazz

Paquito D'Rivera - Panamericana Suite (MCG Jazz)
Latin, New School, Live Jazz, Best of 2010

Peter Hum - A Boy's Journey (Self-Released)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream

The Microscopic Septet - Friday the 13th: The Micros Play Monk (Cuneiform)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York, Best of 2010, Composers: Monk

Marc Ribot - Silent Movies (Pi Recordings)
Guitar, Best of 2010, SFJazz

Hristo Vitchev - Perperikon Suite (First Orbit Sounds Music)
Guitar, New School, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast

Doug Webb - Renovations (Posi-Tone)
Straight Ahead, Saxophone, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast

Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth - Deluxe (Clean Feed)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Bassists

Nancy Marano - Magic (Laughing Face Productions)
Vocals, Women of Jazz

Chris Speed's Endangered Blood - Endangered Blood (Skirl)
Saxophone, New School, Cutting Edge, New York

Scott Amendola Trio - Lift (Sazi)
New School, Cutting Edge, Modern West Coast, Drummers

Matt Nelson - Nostalgiamaniac (Chicago Sessions)
Piano, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Chicago

Ehud Asherie - Organic (Posi-tone)
Straight Ahead, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York, Organ

Bizingas - Bizingas (NCM East)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Avant-Garde

James Moody - Moody 4B (IPO)
Straight Ahead, Saxophone, Best of 2010

Jane Ira Bloom - Wingwalker (Outline)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, Women of Jazz

David Cook - Pathway (Brooklyn Jazz Underground)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York

Joseph Daley Earth Tones Ensemble - The Seven Deadly Sins (JoDa)
New School, Big Band, Third Stream

Mike DiRubbo - Chronos (Posi-Tone)
Straight Ahead, Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York, Organ

Kermit Driscoll - Reveille (Nineteen Eight)
Guitar, New School, Cutting Edge, Bassists

Kellylee Evans - Nina (Plus Loin)
Vocals, Mellow Jazz, Women of Jazz

John Geggie - Across the Sky (Plunge)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Bassists

Gutbucket - Flock (Cuneiform)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York, Fusion

Kelly Harland - Long Ago and Far Away (Origin)
Vocals, Women of Jazz

Peter Paulsen - Goes Without Saying (SquarePegWorks)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Bassists

Dana Lauren - It's You or No One (Self-Released)
Vocals, Emerging Voices

Robert Hurst - Bob Ya Head (Bebop Music)
Fusion, Bassists

Robert Hurst - Unrehurst, Vol. 2 (Bebop Music)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, Bassists


Leslie Pintchik - We're Here to Listen (Pintch Hard)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York, Women of Jazz

Steven Lugerner - These Are the Words / Narratives (Self-Released)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York, Avant-Garde

Eric Person - The Grand Illusion (Distinction)
Saxophone, New School, Fusion

Plunge - Tin Fish Tango (Immersion)
Saxophone, New School, Modern Mainstream, New Orleans, Trombone

Craig Pilo - Just Play (Rue De La Harpe)
Modern West Coast, Drummers, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Nelson Riveros - Camino al Barrio (Nelsongo Music)
Guitar, Latin, Brazilian, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York

Kermit Ruffins - Happy Talk (Basin Street)
Vocals, New Orleans, Trumpet

Matt Savage - Welcome Home (Savage Records)
Piano, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices

Undivided - The Passion (W. Zimpel)
European Jazz, Avant-Garde

Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore - Three Kinds of Happiness (Not Two)
New School, Emerging Voices, Chicago, Avant-Garde

Josh Lawrence - Roots (Self-Released)
Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Trumpet, Groove Jazz

Ben Syversen - Cracked Vessel (Self-Released)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York, Avant-Garde Jazz

Mostly Other People Do the Killing - Forty Fort (Hot Cup)
Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, Avant-Garde, Best of 2010

Randy Weston - The Storyteller (Motema)
Piano, Latin, Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, Best of 2010

Dee Dee Bridgewater - Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): to Billie with Love from Dee Dee (Emarcy)
Vocals, Best of 2010, Women of Jazz

Lorraine Feather - Ages (Jazzed Media)
Vocals

Helio Alves - Musica (Jazz Legacy Productions)
Piano, Latin, Brazilian, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York

Pablo Aslan - Tango Grill (Zoho)
Latin, Modern Mainstream, Bassists, Third Stream

John Beasley - Positootly! (Resonance)
Straight Ahead, Piano, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast

Stanley Clarke - The Stanley Clarke Band (Heads Up)
Bassists, Fusion

Jeff Lorber - Now Is the Time (Heads Up)
Fusion, Groove Jazz

Magnetic Ear - Aliens of Extraordinary Ability (Self-Released)
New School, New Orleans, Trombone

Hector Martignon - Second Chance (Zoho)
Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream

John McLaughlin - To the One (Abstract Logix)
Guitar, New School, Fusion

John Scofield and the Metropole Orchestra - 54 (Heads Up)
Guitar, New School, Modern Mainstream, Big Band

Mingus Big Band - Live at Jazz Standard (Jazz Workshop)
Modern Mainstream, Live Jazz, New York, Big Band

Chucho Valdes - Chucho's Steps (Four Quarters Entertainment)
Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream, Best of 2010, Groove Jazz

Sam Trapchak's Put Together Funny - Lollipopocalypse (Raw Toast Records)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, New York

Dan Rufolo Trio - Novelty (Self-Released)
Piano, New School, Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, New York

Tal Babitzky - Moments (Self-Released)
New School, Modern Mainstream, European Jazz

The Either Orchestra - Mood Music for Time Travelers (Accurate)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Big Band, Best of 2010, Groove Jazz

Phil Hawkins - The Sugarcane Suite (P. Note Music)
Latin, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast

Mario Pavone - Arc Suite t/pi t/po (Playscape)
New School, Cutting Edge, New York

Sofia Rei Koutsovitis - Sube Azul (World Village)
Vocals, Latin, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York

Mike Pride's From Bacteria to Boys - Betweenwhile (AUM Fidelity)
New School, Emerging Voices, New York, Avant-Garde, Drummers

Scanner with the Post-Modern Jazz Quartet - Blink of an Eye (Thirsty Ear)
Cutting Edge, New York, Avant-Garde, Fusion

James Falzone - Lamentations (Allos Documents)
New School, Cutting Edge, Chicago

Jordan Young Group - Jordan Young Group (Self-Released)
Straight Ahead, New School, Modern Mainstream, New York, Organ, Drummers

Arthur Lipner & Nanny Assis - Brazilian Vibes (MalletWorks)
Latin, Brazilian, Vibes

No BS! Brass - No BS! (Self-Released)
New School, Cutting Edge, Emerging Voices, Trumpet, Trombone, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Mike Reed's Loose Assembly - Empathetic Parts (482 Music)
Avant-Garde, Chicago

Alison Ruble - Ashland (Origin)
Vocals, Chicago, Pop Composers

Wide Hive Players - Players II Guitar (Wide Hive)
Guitar, New School, West Coast, Fusion, Groove Jazz

Patrick Williams - Aurora (ArtistShare)
New School, Modern Mainstream, Modern West Coast, Big Band

Mosaik - Metrization (Self-Released)
Modern Mainstream, Emerging Voices, Vibes, Chicago