Jazz Selections for 2022

 

My selections for the year’s best jazz releases appear below. I discovered some of these releases while I was sick with Covid and only able to sit in front of the television. I called up YouTube and added Gondwana Records in the search bar and then while bundled up in blankets, I started listening to Jasmine Myra and Chip Wickham.

There were a few other releases that I discovered during the year, but I haven’t listened to them often enough to make a definitive decision as of yet. Sometimes I return to records released in previous years, such as Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd’s Jazz Samba, which was released in 1962 and which I prefer over the album Getz/Gilberto. I also stumble onto more recent releases that I had missed when they were initially released, such as Hania Rani's Esja.

My selections below appear in no particular order. Three of them can be found at Bandcamp. 

Jasmine Myra, Horizons 

This debut album contains Jasmine Myra's own compositions and a band of talented musicians from the north of England. One memorable track is titled "Words Left Unspoken," which was written for Myra's grandmother who died during the pandemic. Many of the titles emphasize distance and create an overall melancholic feel to the music. Even so, this album places emphasis on melody. One critic when reviewing this album called for more dissonance, which wouldn't have fit at all. I look forward to hearing more of Jasmine Myra's music.

Chip Wickham, Astral Traveling

Released as a kind of preview to Wickham's Cloud 10, this album of three tracks, containing  22 minutes of music, is meant to be savored during the quiet times of day. The title track emphasizes the harp and Wickham's tenor saxophone. Wickham's flute is more prominent on "Sais (Egypt)." If I were one to astral project, I would want to return to my body to hear this music. 

Matthew Halsall, Changing Earth 

One memorable track from this EP is the one named "Upper Space." The return of the melody towards the close of this track makes me want to hit the repeat button and to listen to the entire album again and again. 

Tord Gustavsen Trio, Opening 

The addition of Steiner Raknes on bass has allowed Tord Gustavsen to experiment with different sounds. This album has been one that has been playing in my alarm clock for several months now. I love waking up to it.