Top Jazz Albums of 2009 by Brad Walseth (original) (raw)

Here we go again - I can't believe the year is over already. 2009 proved itself to be an interesting year in that I received hundreds of releases in a year in which jazz has been loudly proclaimed to be dead. Despite admittedly not being able to hear all of the top releases, I am confident that the entries on my list will provide listeners with considerable pleasure and perhaps will even bring attention to releases which were passed over or unfairly dismissed by the entrenched hierarchy. Cases in point include Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Strings' wonderful "Renegades" which proves strings can be just as "jazzy" as horns. Corey Wilkes' "Cries From Tha Ghetto" took jazz back into the urban streets with exciting and unsettling results. Additionally, pianist Laurence Hobgood's outing with Charlie Haden and Kurt Elling - "When the Heart Dances" is a true sonic delight full of warmth and feeling. Meanwhile, established artists like David Binney, Donny McCaslin, Arturo O'Farrill, "Tain Watts," Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter and Enrico Rava were joined by up-and-coming young guns Wilkes, Stefano Bollani, Miles Okazaki, Emilio Teubal, Jon Gordon, Edmar Casteneda, Julian Lage and Ted Sirota. This leads to the welcome belief that the future of jazz is in good hands. Additionally, the local contingent is very well-represented with numerous Chicago artists releasing worthy albums this year.

At the very top, two releases stood out in terms of appealing to my desire for surprise, color, excitement and variety in music. Joel Harrison's "Urban Myths" took the second spot with its entrancing blend of styles and thrilling solos by guitarist Harrison, violinist Christian Howe and (especially) alto god Binney. Meanwhile, my number one album has to be somewhat shocking - even for a contrarian like myself - in that I do not recall even seeing this obscure recording reviewed (other than my own) - and more's the pity because no other album I heard in 2009 brought me more pleasure than Tobin Mueller's "Rain Bather." A kaleidoscopic panorama of pulsing big band horns, wacky organs, fiddles, flutes, clarinets and beats, that inexplicably fell completely below the radar, this truly wonderful album succeeds by accurately capturing the sound of someone smiling.