Top 10 Eurojazz labels so far in 24

It's interesting where the powerhouses in terms of countries in this state-of-the-art 10 locate themselves - Germany and the Netherlands scoring best of all. Worthy of note also but outside the list going Dutch is the Timeless Imprint Daybreak whose Steve Nelson trio album A Common Language we loved back in May. But Denmark mentioned here and way beyond this list has also been particularly strong across the board - major distributor Universal Music's Denmark label operation also scored with Idyl by the guitarist Casper Hejlesen and indie Blikflak impressed us a good deal by putting out the latest dreamjazz from the very exciting less-is-moreness of Udsyn who one would hope will explode some day beyond their home scene so they get better known about.

Click on the record titles for examples of some of these recent top jazz labels' choicest releases to delve into more:

Bubbling under in Belgium: Clever cats get Félix and Félix loves clever cats. The long running Brussels label Igloo is worth seeking out again particularly for the FÉLIX ZURSTRASSEN led NOVA album ELUSIVE

10 Storyville (Denmark)

Usually a bit too ''trad'' for us, these incredibly jazz versed and erudite Danes at the label nevertheless. But we have warmed to Storyville a lot particularly since 2022's stunning Michel Petrucciani Solo in Denmark archival release. But formidably in 2024 GINMAN, BLACHMAN, DAHL'S WHAT'S TO COME took our admiration a step further. A record we played almost to death earlier in the year. And it proves right up our street again revisiting the sheer flow found therein months on.

9 Ozella (Germany)

Blew us away with the latest ODDGEIR BERG TRIO, A PLACE CALLED HOME release as discussed the other day.

8 Challenge (Netherlands)

A very professional outfit - this year they have scored big with the LYNNE ARRIALE TRIO's wondrous BEING HUMAN.

7 Intakt (Switzerland)

Scored mightily with the new David Murray quartet instant classic that is FRANCESCA.

6 Traumton (Germany)

Imaginative A&R and quirky left field wisdom appeals - and THE OLGA REZNICHENKO TRIO'S RHYTHM DISSECTION we appreciated most.

5 Jazz & People (France)

Big band choice from all of these labels this year is this French outfit's DAL SASSO BIG BAND release CHICK COREA'S THREE QUARTETS REVISITED epic reviewed last month.

4 ACT (Germany)

So many releases - it's like The Generation Game conveyor belt. And the strike rate ratio of good 'un to complete turkey in the former's favour is happily pretty high. This year so far we have adored most GRÉGOIRE MARET AND ROMAIN COLLIN'S ENNIO and IIRO RANTALA's TOUGH STUFF.

3 Fresh Sound New Talent (Spain)

So many great new names and a willingness to take a chance on artists just starting out or not that known by anyone other than by their mums and that bearded type with all the tats behind the counter in every vape shop yep it's our homage to Catalonia & RICARDO PINHEIRO'S FINE TONE STORIES as a top choice.

2 Criss Cross Jazz (The Netherlands)

Why? GREGORY GROOVER JR's 5-star LOVABYE that's why. And, just in, fabulous Italian master Antonio Faraò's trio record with Wayne Shorter Quartet bass great John Patitucci and Brad Mehldau paradiddle wrangler Jeff Ballard's TRIBUTES.

Do check out their stunning cover of Chick Now He Sings, Now He Sobs classic 'Matrix' drawn from it for fire starters. Such a storming conflagration of full-on maximalist jazzing all the way through sweeps through.

1 ECM (Germany)

John Surman's WORDS UNSPOKEN is the easy good vibes ECM Olympics year winner. And judging by what we have heard all through now more treasure is in store from the tender live recorded hitherto unreleased new 2004-recorded Stańko Quartet epic September Night and the poetic collaboration between the great English jazz singer Norma Winstone and compatriate pianist Kit Downes who also is famously on the bubbling-under Belgian choice up top where we began.

Tags:

Featuring pianist Esben Tjalve and the Robert Plant drummer Dave Smith the Babel label returns with its first album in four years in expatriate Dane bassist Henrik Jensen's piano trio recording Above Your House. Dazzling player Jensen, heard by marlbank in singer Sara Colman's band playing live with pianist Rebecca Nash and surprise guest saxophonist Trish Clowes at the Vortex last year, says confirming the plan: ''All the compositions are written by me with Esben and Dave's sound and musical approach in mind. I don't really like to tell anyone what to play, and what they bring naturally to the music is invaluable. The last 3 albums of mine were written for a quartet, which was really good fun, but I must admit I'm really enjoying being back in the intimacy and freedom of the trio setting.''

The Babel label's Oliver Weindling, above: photo: marlbank, is clearly excited at the prospect of a new record given his positivity about the project in a brief phone call this week when he revealed his plans, the first Babel release since Lockdown and last recording he masterminded which was a luminous Fred Thomas Wagner tribute.

Above Your House was recorded at the Crescent studios in Swindon last October. Very different in nature to the Thomas, brief initial listens suggest a progressively dreamy approach that would sit well in a listening session with the different approaches of trios led by Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen and by Jensen's fellow Dane Jasper Høiby particularly on a track such as 'The Hunt.'

Jensen explains that ''Esben and I go back to the early 2000s in Copenhagen, before we both started studying at the Royal Academy Music in London.''

''Esben has played on all my Followed By Thirteen albums.''

''And I love his energy and creativity, always trying to push it, and he's a wonderful composer, which can be heard in his own group Red Kite.''

Somerset based

As the Jazz Locavores Jensen has also performed with Iain ''Balloon Man'' Ballamy and Smith

''I moved from London to Frome in 2020 and got reconnected with Dave who had already been there for a couple of years. I've been absolutely spoiled and blessed having the opportunity to play with Dave regularly in lots of amazing settings here in the area together with such legends as Iain Ballamy, Sam Crockatt, Rebecca Nash and Gareth Williams. Dave, like Esben is super creative, he is always searching for new ways to approach the music, and is obviously such a master behind the drumkit.''

Smith has also cropped up on recent Polar Bear sax legend Mark Lockheart's album Smiling.

Above Your House which is to be released on 20 September is dedicated to Henrik's son, Aksel. London label Babel was founded by Vortex director Weindling in 1994 and has released over 130 albums including the acclaimed Mercury nominated Polar Bear album Held on the Tips of Fingers and Portico Quartet classic, Knee-Deep in the North Sea.

Henrik Jensen, pictured. Photographer: unknown

Daily jazz blog, Marlbank