It’s striking the restless, ever searching, spread of the stylistic range in this survey of all that’s good in Irish jazz this year.
Best Irish jazz this year – begin here
1/ Matt Benson Sit Back Down Again (No Label)
2/ Dave Redmond All in Motion (Step By Records)
3/ Pharos, Silfra, Whirlwind
4/ Michael Buckley Ebb and Flow (Livia)
5/ Ronan Guilfoyle’s Bemusement Arcade At Swing, Two Birds (Livia)
6/ Tom Caraher Ninety Degrees (No Label)
7/ Nils Kavanagh Trio No Expectations Flaming Sword Records
8/ Carole Nelson Trio Through the Storm (Livia)
9/ Neil Burns Golden Sunsets (Second Degree Burns)
10/ Organ Freeman Busywork (Charlie Moon Music)
MORE FROM MARLBANK
- Wynton Marsalis and Vince Giordano, The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Blue Engine **** recommended
- Alcyona Mick and Liam Noble, Distant Plains: The Planets Revisited, Caliban Sounds/One Little Independent ***1/2
- Alex Ho and Donovan Haffner, Serendipity, No label ***1/2
- Billy Childs, Triumvirate, Mack Avenue ****
- Miho Hazama and the Danish Radio Big Band, Frames, Edition **** recommended