Nils Jacobson's Best of 2006

Over the course of 2006, I listened to about 800 new recordings. The discs below represent the high points of this experience. A few releases from 2005 are also included (as noted) because they popped up on the radar after I made last year's list.

Jazz

Yosvany Terry Cabrera Metamorphosis (Kindred Rhythm)

Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet Husky (Hyena)

John Taylor Angel of the Presence (CamJazz)

Thomas Chapin Trio Ride (Playscape)

Sound in Action Trio Gate (Atavistic)

Tomasz Stanko Quartet Lontano (ECM)

Steve Lantner Quartet Paradise Road (Skycap)

John Ettinger Kissinger in Space (Ettinger Music)

Ben Riley's Monk Legacy Septet Memories of T (Concord)

Reissues/Compilations

The Microscopic Septet Seven Men In Neckties[1980-85] Surrealistic Swing [1986-90] (Cuneiform)

David Murray Trio 3D Family [1978] (Hatology)

Nils Petter Molvaer An American Compilation [2004-05] (Thirsty Ear)

Box Sets

Tortoise A Lazarus Taxon [1994-2005] (Thrill Jockey)

The Miles Davis Quintet The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions [1957-65] (Prestige)

John Coltrane Fearless Leader [1955-58] (Prestige)

Senegal

Daby Balde Introducing Daby Balde [2005] (World Music Network)

Cheikh Lo Lamp Fall (Nonesuch)

Nuru Kane Sigil (Riverboat)

North Africa/Middle East

Maurice El Médioni Meets Roberto Rodriguez Descarga Oriental (Piranha)

Souad Massi Mesk Elil (Honeysuckle) [2005] (Wrasse)

Marcel Khalifé Taqasim (Nagam)

Southern Africa

Various Artists Hugh Masekela Presents The Chisa Years 1965-76 (BBE)

Lulendo Angola (Buda Musique)

The Green Arrows 4-Track Recording Session [Compilation 1974-79] (Alula)

Greater Mexico

Fandango, Duende Y Taraf Las Tres Orillas del Atlántico (Producciones Alebrije)

Various Artists Rolas De Aztlán [2005] (Smithsonian Folkways)

Lila Downs La Cantina (Narada)

Other

Nik Bärtsch's Ronin Stoa (ECM)

Soothsayers Tangled Roots (Red Earth)

Novalima Afro (Quango)

Son De La Frontera Son De La Frontera (World Village)

Ojos de Brujo Girando baritone [2005] (Diquela)

The Necks Chemist (ReR)

Spoofs

Coleman Hawkins Body and Soul Remixed! (Verve)

Jimmy Smith Me and Mr. Johnson (Johnson & Johnson)

Madonna 'Bone Madonna (Blonde Dissolution)