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Karl Ackermann's Best Releases of 2017

By Karl Ackermann
December 8, 2017
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2017 was an exceptional year for artists who elude convention; veterans such as Wadada Leo Smith and relative newcomers like Abdul Moimême gave us unique musical insights. It was an outstanding year for solo recordings. Along with Smith and Moimême, Rob Mazurek, Matthew Shipp, Irish multi-instrumentalist Aine O'Dwyer, Cuban pianist Aruán Ortiz, Italian pianist Stefano Battaglia, and Satoko Fujii were just a few of the creative artists that gave life to singular global perspectives. (Selections are not ranked.)

Wadada Leo Smith
Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk
(TUM Records)

Mostly Other People Do the Killing
Paint
(Hot Cup Records)

Gary Peacock
Tangents
(ECM Records)

Vijay Iyer Sextet
Far from Over
(ECM Records)

Tyshawn Sorey
Verisimilitude
(Pi Recordings)

Oded Tzur
Translator's Note
(Yellowbird)

Abdul Moimême
Exosphere
(Creative Sources Recordings)

Rob Mazurek
Rome
(Clean Feed Records)

Jonah Parzen-Johnson
I Try To Remember Where I Come From
(Clean Feed Records)

AVA Trio
Music From An Imaginary Land
(TryTone)

Aruán Ortiz
Cuban Nocturne
(Newvelle Records)

Gato Libre
Neko
(Libra Records)

Derby Derby
Love Dance
(Ormo Records)

Matthew Shipp Trio
Piano Song
(Thirsty Ear Recordings)

Adam Berenson & Scott Barnum
Penumbra
(Dream Play Records)

Club d'Elf
Live at Club Helsinki
(Face Pelt Records)

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