Like the alleged corpse vociferously protesting in Monty Python's “Holy Grail," the compact-disc format refuses to accede to its seemingly imminent demise. Even as CD sales continue to plunge, musicians devote considerable time and money creating albums rather than simply posting videos or offering tracks for downloading. It might seem like a waste of resources, but the effort and expense a CD requires forces musicians to hone a near evening-length body of material, while thinking through everything from sequencing and tune choice to cover art and credits. Here are some of the most memorable jazz releases of the year, in no particular order.
Thomas Marriott, “Flexicon" (Origin)
Seattle trumpeter Marriott tips his hat to horn heroes Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis without ceding his own identity as a melodically inventive composer and consistently incisive improviser whose lines simmer anxiously without boiling over. A top-shelf cast featuring pianist/keyboardist Bill Anschell, bassist Jeff Johnson, drummer Matt Jorgenson, saxophonist Mark Taylor and vibraphonist extraordinaire Joe Locke (on two tracks) brings Marriott's expansive vision vividly to life.
Ernestine Anderson, “A Song For You" (HighNote)
A national treasure, based in Seattle, whose pleasingly weathered voice has considerable warmth and flexibility, Anderson is a soul survivor who turns every song into a taut tale full of hard-won wisdom. Backed by a highly sympathetic rhythm section, she seems energized and emboldened by the tough but tender tenor sax of Houston Person, known for his generous collaborations with vocalists.
