To tell the truth, I don’t really listen to much new music these days. The things I find myself most listening to are old – either things I want to study, perhaps transcribe and learn to play, or things I want to chill to in these stressful times. That being said, here is a list of 2019 releases that did get into my head and heart this year to varying degrees.
In no particular order:
- Mats Eilertsen- And Then Comes the Night (a favorite)
- Bill Frisell Thomas Morgan – Epistrophy
- Dave Holland/Chris Potter/Zakir Hussain – Good Hope
- Tigran Hamyasan They Say Nothing Stays the Same (soundtrack to the film -simply gorgeous music)
- E.S.T. – Live in Gothenburg (their best live album – maybe their best album period.)
- Keith Jarrett – Munich (For disc 2)
- Ethan Iverson Quartet – Common Practice
- Avishai Cohen/Yonathan Avishai- Playing the Room
- Celesta – Michael Jon Fink (meditative and mysterious solo Celeste)
- Søren Bebe- Echoes
- Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance
- Rymden- Rymden
- Scott Kinsey – We Speak Luniwaz (because its good, and because it’s an homage to Zawinul and I miss him.)
- Marc Copland – And I Love Her
- Nguyen Le- Streams (Nguyen le is back in jazz form with this hard hitting but subtle quartet album with bass, vibes, drums and of course guitar. His best in years.)
Reissues (HD downloads)
- Double Image – Dawn
- Art Lande Rubisa Patrol – Desert Marauders
- Tom Van der Geld – Path
- Gallery – Gallery
Reissues Pop
- King Crimson 50th box – In the Court of the Crimson King
- Beatles – Abbey Road
Chill Albums
- GS Sachdev – The Art of the Bamboo Flute (I never get tired of this album- no rhythm or tablas, just on the breath with tamboura- essential listening)
- Tony Scott – Music for Zen meditation (classic for a reason)
- W A Mathieu – Streaming Wisdom/In the Wind
- W A Mathieu – Second Nature
(These are two CD reissues of three 80’s albums by my teacher, who went thru a wonderful period of experimentation with an analog 4 track recorder and his piano, recorded in his octagonal studio high on a hill in Sebastopol. While much of Mathieu’s music is highly composed, these pieces are mostly improvised, joyful multitrack discoveries, sometimes employing prepared piano and vocals which were inspired by his study of the North Indian vocal tradition and African mbira music.)