Troy Collins' Best Releases of 2011

Troy Collins

Senior Contributor since 2006

After hearing Sonny Sharrock's Ask The Ages, there was no turning back.

Recent articles (518 total)

Published: December 18, 2011

Compiling end of the year lists is never easy. Considering the quantity of recordings issued during a year, attempting to mention every noteworthy session would result in a list of epic proportions. These few albums are a cross-section of some of the best modern jazz released in 2011, highlighting sophisticated new developments in composition and improvisation—from coast to coast.

New Releases
Taylor Ho Bynum Taylor Ho Bynum cornet Sextet Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12)	Kermit Driscoll Kermit Driscoll b.1956 bass Reveille (Leo)	FAB Trio FAB Trio History of Jazz in Reverse (TUM)
Vinny Golia Vinny Golia b.1946 reeds Octet Music for Baritone Saxophone (Nine Winds)	Rich Halley Rich Halley sax, tenor Quartet Requiem For A Pit Viper (Pine Eagle)	Joel Harrison Joel Harrison b.1957 guitar, electric String Choir The Music of Paul Motian (Sunnyside)
Gerry Hemingway Gerry Hemingway b.1955 percussion Quintet Riptide (Clean Feed)	Jason Kao Hwang Jason Kao Hwang violin Edge Crossroads Unseen (Euonymus)	Darius Jones Darius Jones sax, alto Trio Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) (AUM Fidelity)
Nicole Mitchell Nicole Mitchell b.1967 flute Awakening (Delmark)	Ivo Perelman Ivo Perelman b.1961 saxophone Quartet The Hour of the Star (Leo)	David S. Ware David S. Ware 1949 - 2012 sax, tenor , et al. Planetary Unknown (AUM Fidelity)
New Discoveries
Ambrose Akinmusire Ambrose Akinmusire b.1982 trumpet When The Heart Emerges Glistening (Blue Note)	Joseph Daley Joseph Daley b.1949 tuba Earth Tones Ensemble The Seven Deadly Sins (Jaro)	Carlo De Rosa Carlo De Rosa b.1970 bass 's Cross-Fade Brain Dance (Cuneiform)
Historical Reissues
Julius Hemphill Julius Hemphill 1938 - 1995 sax, alto Dogon A.D. (Int. Phonograph)	Bill Dixon Bill Dixon 1925 - 2010 trumpet Orchestra Intents And Purposes (Int. Phonograph)	Heiner Stadler Heiner Stadler Tribute to Bird & Monk (Labor)