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Mike Jurkovic's Best Releases Of 2020

By Mike Jurkovic
December 14, 2020
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Here we are on the heels of Annus Horriblis still clinging to traditions both minuscule and grand like year end best of lists. So in the spirit of the season and survival, here's a 2020 playlist. Listen to these in this order or random play and perhaps the year in retrospect won't appear so damn bad.

Nubya Garcia
Source
Concord Jazz

This one's the bomb. The whole damn trip. Just catching up to it but sooner is better than never and can't stop playing it now.

Lakecia Benjamin
Pursuance: The Coltranes
Ropeadope Records

This following Source should give you more than a good idea where the future of jazz lays.

Maria Schneider
Data Lords
ArtistShare

Though her career is far from over, this is by far her most challenging and rewarding achievement thus far.

Charles Lloyd
8 Kindred Spirits
ECM Records

Truly amazing what some folks envision and accomplish as they get older.

Joni Mitchell
Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967)
Rhino Records

Five discs of genius from beginning to end.

Dave Brubeck
Time OutTakes
Brubeck Editions

Lots of if this had been that and that this and isn't it funny how history is written on a whim?

Sun of Goldfinger
Congratulations To You
Screwgun Records

Tim Berne, David Torn and Ches Smith tearing it all apart because it needs to be.

Tim Berne's Snakeoil
The Fantastic Mrs. 10
Intakt Records

Modern mayhem Mach 10.

Charles Mingus
@Bremen '64 & '75
Sunnyside Records

There was no music or stage that could hold all of Mingus's fury and frenetic creativity. Even in '75 ALS couldn't hold him down.

Sonny Rollins
Rollins In Holland
Resonance Records

Rollins bares all his disillusionment with the record industry in one three day swoop.

Aaron Parks
Little Big II: Dreams of A Mechanical Man
Ropeadope

Despite the underlying news of the day, Parks is in a heightened state of melodic contentment and assurance throughout the whole.

Steph Richards
Supersense
Northern Spy

Top grade experimental avant-garde and then some.

Anne Mette Iversen
Racing Butterflies
Brooklyn Jazz Underground

Iverson's deft and nervy, new swing bop/pop never disappoints.

Keith Jarrett
Budapest Concert
ECM

A one night stand of long lasting beauty.

The Nels Cline Singers
Share The Wealth
Blue Note Records

Stimulus check or no stimulus check, you owe yourself this one. Anyone with an ear for this amazing form of spontaneous combustion does.

Andy Milne
The reMission
Sunnyside Records

Almost forgot this one. Don't you.

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