New to You: 2010
I can't believe I didn't create this thread here. I was pretty sure I did, but I can't find anything. Well, anyways, I cross-posted this at AAJ and the emu forum, and now it's here. Many of my links go to AllAboutJazz forum threads where I have links to musician sites, etc where you can listen to full music, but some of the links also go to emusers threads, so you can have your choice of discussions about the below musicians to fill your time.
Also, since it was originally posted on AAJ, obviously it was only jazz discoveries. I'm gonna make one for non-jazz now, too.
I love threads like this, since they really go to the heart of the passion we all here have for music and the search for the next great album/musician that makes life that much better for living it.
Jazz Edition:
These are my favorite musicians I discovered in 2010. It won't cover everyone, just my top ten favorites.
EDIT: Okay, top twelve.
1. Tim Collins.
-A vibe player up in New York. Probably my favorite new find of the year. He has two albums, Fade and Valcour, both of which I purchased recently.
He also has a string ensemble that plays some terribly sublime music. Here's a link to an AAJ thread I created about him. It has links to his various sites that you can listen to his music on...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=46125&highlight=tim+collins
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=877&page=1#Item_5
2. Sean Wayland.
-Piano player that doesn't fit into any one specific sound. He has more traditional jazz groups (plays with a bunch of Criss Cross guys), but then also plays with ensembles that take the indie rock-jazz fusion to heart. I've picked up several of his albums this year, notably...
"'99 featuring Jesse Harris and Seamus Blake", "Stolen Van", "Lurline"
Here's an AAJ thread I created about Sean...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=45024&highlight=sean+wayland
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=810&page=1#Item_1
3. Thomas Barber
-Trumpet and big band leader. I discovered him through Tim Collins' site, who plays on Barber's album "Snow Road".
It deftly straddles the dividing line between traditional big band and the New Big Band like that of Mr. Argue. Snow Road is one of the albums that has me listening to big band again.
Here's an AAJ post I made about him and his album on the Tim Collins thread...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showpost.php?p=533583&postcount=6
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=912&page=1#Item_4
4. Benjamin Koppel
-Reed player who is classical as well as a jazz guy. I picked up two of his albums recently and am already sizing up a couple others. The two I got are "Adventures of a Polar Expedition" (which might be album of the year) and an older album he did as a duo with Kenny Werner called "Walden"...
Absolutely beautiful music. His sound is so crisp, but retains a vital warmth that makes it easy to keep coming back to his music one album after the next.
Here's a link to an AAJ thread about Kenny Werner that I post about both albums on...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=17020&highlight=kenny+werner
5. Dave Chisholm.
-Another trumpet big band leader. His album just came out this year and certainly deserves top ten album of the year recognition. It is called "Radioactive"...
It evokes, for me, much of the same emotional reaction as Gil Evans "Out of the Cool". I'm not saying they sound alike, just that I find myself responding to them similarly.
Here's some AAJ threads and posts on Dave and his album. He's a forum member...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=44789&highlight=chisholm
6. Brian Prunka.
-AAJ's very own Jazz Oud. Anybody who's into modern day ECM should check this album out for sure. It's called "In Praise of Shadows"...
I mentioned ECM because it's convenient, but this album also has some of that dark alley mystery of Frisell's trio work. Hard to pigeon hole this album. Also, follow the link to the AAJ thread and listen to some of his unreleased tracks on myspace; very rewarding...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=46255&highlight=prunka
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=890&page=1#Item_1
7. Michel Benita.
-Another guitar player that I enjoy similar to that of Frisell. I downloaded Michel's album "Ramblin'".
Reminds me a bit of "Ghost Town", but obviously unique to itself.
Here's an AAJ thread I created for the album...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=46181&highlight=michel+benita
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=882&page=1#Item_1
8. David Braid.
-Piano guy. I picked up one of his live albums "Vivid"...
Just great straight ahead jazz. This album was from a live session and it sounds great. There's a companion live album that I'll also be getting, plus I've listened to some samples of a new album he has out with an orchestral ensemble and those sound great, too.
Here's an AAJ post I made about the album. It has links to his music.
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showpost.php?p=513275&postcount=926
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=785&page=1#Item_1
9. John Zorn - various
-Zorn definitely isn't new to me, but the various ensembles he composes for are totally new to me. Especially his Alhambra and Dreamers ensembles. The musicians in those ensembles I've heard in other settings, but the various albums that the Alhambra and Dreamer musicians come together on have been the most delightful discovery this year. I've already picked up six albums this year, all new cds, and I listen to them all frequently; they are: "Alhambra Love Songs", "O'o'", "BoA: Lucifer", "Femina", "In Search of the Miraculous", and "Goddess". I'm gonna try to pick up a Filmworks or two soon, maybe as a holiday gift.
Here's a thread I have going on another site (emusers.org) which details out my Zorn excursion this year...
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=646
10. Claudia Quintet.
-Specifically their album "Royal Toast"...
Fun inventive jazz with odd interludes and moments of foot tapping music.
I don't have any posts or anything to link to, but there's plenty of discussion on the album on the AAJ forum to search for.
11. Fabrice Sotton.
-Piano player, uses some mild electronics, mostly soft introspective trio work. I bought his album "Terre Inconnue" at the beginning of the year...
Beautiful early morning music. I was totally addicted to this album for awhile. Also, he just released a new album, L'attente. Here's a link to another emusers thread which I started on the guy...
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=546
12. Steve Eliovsen.
-A guitar player who has a duo album with Colin Walcott "Dawn Dance" which was rec'd to me by Tim over on the emu forum. They make a peaceful yet driving string album together. A nice find resulting from the ECM drop on emu.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Steve-Eliovson-Dawn-Dance-MP3-Download/12250295.html
It's been another great year for discovering jazz. I look forward to 2011 being just as rewarding.
Cheers.
Also, since it was originally posted on AAJ, obviously it was only jazz discoveries. I'm gonna make one for non-jazz now, too.
I love threads like this, since they really go to the heart of the passion we all here have for music and the search for the next great album/musician that makes life that much better for living it.
Jazz Edition:
These are my favorite musicians I discovered in 2010. It won't cover everyone, just my top ten favorites.
EDIT: Okay, top twelve.
1. Tim Collins.
-A vibe player up in New York. Probably my favorite new find of the year. He has two albums, Fade and Valcour, both of which I purchased recently.
He also has a string ensemble that plays some terribly sublime music. Here's a link to an AAJ thread I created about him. It has links to his various sites that you can listen to his music on...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=46125&highlight=tim+collins
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=877&page=1#Item_5
2. Sean Wayland.
-Piano player that doesn't fit into any one specific sound. He has more traditional jazz groups (plays with a bunch of Criss Cross guys), but then also plays with ensembles that take the indie rock-jazz fusion to heart. I've picked up several of his albums this year, notably...
"'99 featuring Jesse Harris and Seamus Blake", "Stolen Van", "Lurline"
Here's an AAJ thread I created about Sean...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=45024&highlight=sean+wayland
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=810&page=1#Item_1
3. Thomas Barber
-Trumpet and big band leader. I discovered him through Tim Collins' site, who plays on Barber's album "Snow Road".
It deftly straddles the dividing line between traditional big band and the New Big Band like that of Mr. Argue. Snow Road is one of the albums that has me listening to big band again.
Here's an AAJ post I made about him and his album on the Tim Collins thread...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showpost.php?p=533583&postcount=6
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=912&page=1#Item_4
4. Benjamin Koppel
-Reed player who is classical as well as a jazz guy. I picked up two of his albums recently and am already sizing up a couple others. The two I got are "Adventures of a Polar Expedition" (which might be album of the year) and an older album he did as a duo with Kenny Werner called "Walden"...
Absolutely beautiful music. His sound is so crisp, but retains a vital warmth that makes it easy to keep coming back to his music one album after the next.
Here's a link to an AAJ thread about Kenny Werner that I post about both albums on...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=17020&highlight=kenny+werner
5. Dave Chisholm.
-Another trumpet big band leader. His album just came out this year and certainly deserves top ten album of the year recognition. It is called "Radioactive"...
It evokes, for me, much of the same emotional reaction as Gil Evans "Out of the Cool". I'm not saying they sound alike, just that I find myself responding to them similarly.
Here's some AAJ threads and posts on Dave and his album. He's a forum member...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=44789&highlight=chisholm
6. Brian Prunka.
-AAJ's very own Jazz Oud. Anybody who's into modern day ECM should check this album out for sure. It's called "In Praise of Shadows"...
I mentioned ECM because it's convenient, but this album also has some of that dark alley mystery of Frisell's trio work. Hard to pigeon hole this album. Also, follow the link to the AAJ thread and listen to some of his unreleased tracks on myspace; very rewarding...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=46255&highlight=prunka
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=890&page=1#Item_1
7. Michel Benita.
-Another guitar player that I enjoy similar to that of Frisell. I downloaded Michel's album "Ramblin'".
Reminds me a bit of "Ghost Town", but obviously unique to itself.
Here's an AAJ thread I created for the album...
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=46181&highlight=michel+benita
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=882&page=1#Item_1
8. David Braid.
-Piano guy. I picked up one of his live albums "Vivid"...
Just great straight ahead jazz. This album was from a live session and it sounds great. There's a companion live album that I'll also be getting, plus I've listened to some samples of a new album he has out with an orchestral ensemble and those sound great, too.
Here's an AAJ post I made about the album. It has links to his music.
http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showpost.php?p=513275&postcount=926
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=785&page=1#Item_1
9. John Zorn - various
-Zorn definitely isn't new to me, but the various ensembles he composes for are totally new to me. Especially his Alhambra and Dreamers ensembles. The musicians in those ensembles I've heard in other settings, but the various albums that the Alhambra and Dreamer musicians come together on have been the most delightful discovery this year. I've already picked up six albums this year, all new cds, and I listen to them all frequently; they are: "Alhambra Love Songs", "O'o'", "BoA: Lucifer", "Femina", "In Search of the Miraculous", and "Goddess". I'm gonna try to pick up a Filmworks or two soon, maybe as a holiday gift.
Here's a thread I have going on another site (emusers.org) which details out my Zorn excursion this year...
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=646
10. Claudia Quintet.
-Specifically their album "Royal Toast"...
Fun inventive jazz with odd interludes and moments of foot tapping music.
I don't have any posts or anything to link to, but there's plenty of discussion on the album on the AAJ forum to search for.
11. Fabrice Sotton.
-Piano player, uses some mild electronics, mostly soft introspective trio work. I bought his album "Terre Inconnue" at the beginning of the year...
Beautiful early morning music. I was totally addicted to this album for awhile. Also, he just released a new album, L'attente. Here's a link to another emusers thread which I started on the guy...
http://www.emusers.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=546
12. Steve Eliovsen.
-A guitar player who has a duo album with Colin Walcott "Dawn Dance" which was rec'd to me by Tim over on the emu forum. They make a peaceful yet driving string album together. A nice find resulting from the ECM drop on emu.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Steve-Eliovson-Dawn-Dance-MP3-Download/12250295.html
It's been another great year for discovering jazz. I look forward to 2011 being just as rewarding.
Cheers.