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
- Joe Block lands in the album of the week spot plus the latest podcast & track of the week
- Moisés P. Sánchez, Where Light Begins, Fresh Sound ***1/2
- Espen Eriksen Trio, Almost There, Runne Grammofon ***1/2
- Linda May Han Oh & Melissa Aldana, Beneath Lifted Skies, Biophilia ***1/2
- Lizz Wright and Kenny Banks Sr, Nearness, Blues & Greens/Candid Records ****