Editor’s Choice: November 2022 | The best new jazz albums

Friday, October 14, 2022

Featuring The Bad Plus. Terri Lyne Carrington, Makaya McCraven and more

The Bad Plus

the bad plus

Edition 

Reid Anderson (b), Dave King (d), Chris Speed (ts, cl) and Ben Monder (g)

'It’s effectively a brand new band sound under The Bad Plus moniker, albeit with heightened iconoclastic leanings, yet retaining their subversive and wide angle eclecticism that pulls in other musical influences.' Stuart Nicholson

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Espen Berg

The Trondheim Concert

NXN

Espen Berg (p)

'Berg effortlessly sustains interest throughout the length of these two discs, and far from a shortage of ideas, he seems bursting at the seams to tell his musical story.' Stuart Nicholson

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Jakob Bro/Joe Lovano

Once Around The Room: A Tribute To Paul Motian

ECM

Jakob Bro (g), Joe Lovano (ts, taragato), Larry Grenadier, Thomas Morgan (b), Anders Christensen (el b), Joey Baron and Jorge Rossy (d)

'Much more than a tribute, Once Around The Room captures Motian's spirit and walks with it to a performance that has a compelling sense of vibrant celebration as well as solemn recognition of greatness.' Kevin Le Gendre

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Terri Lyne Carrington 

New Standards Vol. 1 

Candid

Terri Lyne Carrington (d, perc), Kris Davis (p), Linda May Han Oh (b), Nicholas Payton (tp), Matthew Stevens (g). Special Guests: Ambrose Akinmusire (t), Melanie Charles, Samara Joy, Michael Mayo, Dianne Reeves, Somi (v), Ravi Coltrane (s), Val Jeanty (elec), Julian Lage (g), Elena Pinderhughes (f), Negah Santos (perc), Edmar Colon Shadrack Oppong (spoken word). Wind Ensemble: Milena Casado Fauquet (flhn), Anabel Gil Diaz (f) and Veronica Leahy (bcl)

'Slick sounding yet diversely stimulating, it’s that rare instance of a guest-star-heavy recording that succeeds in hitting most of the high notes.' Selwyn Harris

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Jeff Denson/Brian Blade/Romain Pilon

Finding Light

Ridgeway Records

Jeff Denson (b), Brian Blade (d) and Romain Pilon (g)

'Given the technical excellence of all concerned, it’s pleasing to report that this 10-track recital is not restricted to one mood and there’s a variety of time-signatures involved throughout – even involving some relatively “free” improv on ‘Wishing Well’.' Brian Priestley

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Trevor Dunn’s Trio Convulsant

Seances

Pyroclastic Records

Trevor Dunn (b), Mary Halvorson (g), Ches Smith (d) with Oscar Noriega (bcl), Anna Webber (f), Carla Kihlstedt (vn, vla) and Mariel Roberts (clo)

'Halvorson comes on at times like a bastard child of Tony Iommi and Derek Bailey, cocking an ear perhaps to Jeff Parker’s distortions, while Smith goes rogue without losing his discipline as on ‘Secours Meurtrie’ which also features cloud chasing fiddle.' Andy Robson

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Makaya McCraven

In These Times

International Anthem/Nonesuch/XL Recordings

Makaya McCraven (d), Jeff Parker, Matt Gold (g), Greg Spero, Rob Clearfield (p), Junius Paul (b), Brandee Younger (hp), Joel Ross (vb), Greg Ward, Irvin Pierce, De’Sean Jones (saxes, f), Marquis Hill (t), Lia Kohl (clo), Macie Stewart, Zara Zaharieva and Marta Sofia Honer (vn)

'An album that creates and sustains its own unique atmosphere, there’s an admirable effort to avoid cliché, and everything is super hip.' Eddie Myer

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Read the reviews of all of these albums – and many more – in the November issue of Jazzwise. Never miss an issue – subscribe today

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