Jazz Spectrum - Best of 2010

Best of 2010

Jazz, despite murmurs of its demise, remains vibrant, diverse, intriguing, and irresistible.  Major jazz labels are shriveling if not dying, but new and wonderful music continues to issue in a widening stream.  Here are 50 releases from the year that struck me as especially memorable.  (* denotes special favorites.)

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* Geri Allen, Flying Toward the Sound

Jerry Bergonzi, Three For All

David Binney, Aliso

Geof Bradfield, African Flowers

Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Mezzanine

Marc Cary Focus Trio Live 2009

Chris Colangelo, Elaine’s Song

The Cookers, Warriors

Cyrus Chestnut, Journeys

The Clayton Brothers, The New Song and Dance

Linda Ciofalo, Dancing With Johnny

* Steve Coleman, Harvesting Semblances and Affinities

Denise Donatelli, When Lights Are Low

* Amina Figarova, Sketches

Michael Formanek, The Rub and Spare Change

Anat Fort, And If

Mary Halvorson Quintet, Saturn Sings

Tom Harrell, Roman Nights

Tamir Hendelman, Destinations

* Fred Hersch - Whirl

Conrad Herwig, the Latin Side of Herbie Hancock

Dave Holland, Pathways

Vijay Iyer, Solo

Keith Jarrett & Charlie Haden, Jasmine

Jazz Passengers, Reunited

Matt Jorgensen, Tatooed by Passion

Guillermo Klein, Domador de Huellas

* Lee Konitz, New Quartet, Live at the Village Vanugard

Dana Lauren, It's You or No One

Charles Lloyd, Mirror

Russell Malone, Triple Play

* Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green - Apex

Rudresh Mahnathappa and Steve Lehman, Dual Identities

Mike Mainieri, Crescent

Myra Melford Be Bread - The Whole Tree Gone

* Microscopic Septet, Friday the 13^th

Charnett Moffett, Treasure

James Moody, 4B

* Jason Moran, Ten

* Paul Motian Trio, Lost in a Dream

Odean Pope, Odean's List

Marc Ribot, Silent Movies

* Christian Scott, Yesterday You Said Tomorrow

Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Jimmy Heath: The Eternal Search

Liam Sillery, Phenomenology

Tomasz Stanko, Dark Eyes

Henry Threadgill, This Brings Us To, Vol 2

Chucho Valdes, Chucho's Steps

Randy Weston, The Storyteller

Norma Winstone, Stories Yet to Tell