Far more interesting.
There’s less introspection around – we have mainly gone past the cycle of albums having been created during the depressing pandemic years.
It was striking last year and the year before how many solo or duo albums with musicians recording remotely there were and often these albums didn’t succeed at least compared with albums recorded more with people in the same room using more organic methods.
Sing, sing, sing
A strong pattern of jazz vocals release has included these standout releases:
Let It Unfold
An Adventurous Dream
The Path of a Tear
Wild is Love
Portrait
Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan
Almost in Your Arms
Comes Alive
Silently Held
Outpost of Dreams
Larry Klein factor – Wrapped in Rhythm and Jo Flow
Patterns within this choice show how influential Larry Klein as a producer is. He pulled together the strands of both the overall marlbank album of the year Wrapped in Rhythm: Vol. 1 by Tutu Puoane and Jo Harrop releases. Interestingly traditional jazz is showing some stirring signs of a comeback with great exemplars such as Judith Owen. And look too at how live club recorded albums can work on an atmospheric level, particularly in the Shaw and Kofi Strayhornian reveries and rituals. The PX label is leading the way in terms of great club live sound that crucially makes the leap to an album that is more than documentation.
‘Let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark’
Other, if you like, Bardic patterns have included a strong raft of releases from Denmark including a magisterial new release from the Danish Radio Big Band featuring the work of Carla Bley, new act Udsyn‘s Indsigt/Udsigt impressing and a great showing from newcomer Casper Hejlesen.
Vivacious vibes
Like a load of buses that come at once – what a year for the vibes 2024 has proved. And we could name a few more! All these to begin with work wonders:
Joel Ross
Simon Moullier
Warren Wolf
Stefon Harris
Jonny Mansfield
David Friedman with Michael Schiefel
Eurojazz label strength
We see Eurojazz as a distinct entity, often (but not always) very different in approach to the more swinging, rootsy US or again often totally different UK approaches. There are however often labels based in Europe who contradict that claim, notably ”the very American” Storyville from Denmark or NYC loving Criss Criss Jazz from the Netherlands. In general however Eurojazz has far more heavily classical input than more straightahead styles allow for. For instance following this idea check out this absorbing chamber jazz release Revolt issued by the Berthold label. The labels we turn to most for reliable releases are:
- Igloo from Belgium
- Traumton from Germany
- ACT from Germany
- ECM from Germany
- WeJazz from Finland
- Jazz & People from France
Looking ahead
Final word – and we will bring you a fuller list of albums to look out for next year – the album that we are most excited by is the prospect of El Roi by Sultan Stevenson (photo: Edition) which is out in March.
You must be logged in to post a comment.