A couple of kind souls have made the mistake of considering me a journalist and inviting me to take part in their year end polls. The legendary jazz critic Francis Davis is conducting a poll in conjunction with Rhapsody.com and this was my response to his query:Top Ten New Releases:
10. Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp - Cosmic Lieder (AUM Fidelity, 2011)
9. Wadada Leo Smith - Heart's Reflections (Cuneiform, 2011)
8. William Hooker & Thomas Chapin - Crossing Points (NoBusiness, 2011)
7. Sam Rivers & the Rivbea Orchestra - Trilogy (Mosaic Select 38, 2011)
6. BB & C - The Veil (Cryptogramophone, 2011)
5. Matt Lavelle - Goodbye New York, Hello World (Musicnow, 2011)
4. Miles Davis Quintet - Live in Europe 1967, Bootleg Series Vol. 1 (Legacy, 2011)
3. Matthew Shipp - Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear, 2011)
2. World Saxophone Quartet – Yes We Can (Jazzwerkstatt, 2011)
1. Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert (Clean Feed, 2011)
Top Three re-issues:
3. Bill Dixon - Intents and Purposes (RCA 1969; International Phonograph, 2011)
2. John Coltrane - The Impulse! Albums Volume 4 (Impulse 1965-66; Hip-O Select, 2011)
1. Julius Hemphill - Dogon A.D. (Arista/Freedom 1972, 1977; International Phonograph, 2011)
Year's best vocal album:
The Claudia Quintet + 1 - What is the Beautiful (With Kurt Elling & Theo Bleckman) (Cuneiform, 2011)
Year's Best Debut CD:
Inzinzac - Self-Titled (High Two, 2011)
Year's Best Latin jazz CD:
Sao Paulo Underground - Tres Cabecas Loucuras (Cuneiform, 2011)
For the second year, the kind people at El Intruso "a website in Spanish founded in 2005 for people who care about music" have invited me to take part in their year end poll. Here are my responses to their query:
Musician of the year: Wadada Leo Smith
Newcomer Musician: Captain Black Big Band
Group of the year: Mostly Other People Do the Killing
Newcomer group: Inzinzac
Album of the year: Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert
Composer: John Zorn
Drums: Hamid Drake
Bass: William Parker
Guitar: Rez Abbasi
Piano: Vijay Iyer
Keyboards/synthesizer/organ: John Medeski
Saxophone: Billy Harper
Trumpet/Cornet: Charles Tolliver
Clarinet: Anat Cohen
Trombone: Steve Swell
Violin/Viola: Jeff Gauthier
Cello: Fred Lonberg-Holm
Vibraphone: Jason Adasiewicz
Others instruments: David Murray, bass clarinet
Female vocals: Leena Conquest
Male Vocals: Mose Allison
Best live band: Sam Rivers Rivbea Orchestra
Record Label: TUM
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