Jazz Consumer Guide (20):
Surplus

This is the surplus file for Jazz Consumer Guide #20. These are short reviews of records that for one reason or another have been dropped from active consideration while working on this column. These reviews will be published in the blog when the column comes out.

Cosmologic: Eyes in the Back of My Head (2006 [2008], Cuneiform): Tenor sax-trombone quartet, with the latter (Michael Dessen) more than holding his own. Has a tendency to break down to noise, but the more moderate sections are tough-minded and inventive, and sometimes even the noise is bracing. B+(**)

Jim Shearer & Charlie Wood: The Memphis Hang (2008, Summit): Wood could be Memphis's answer to Dr. John -- a keyboardist-singer steeped in the city's vast musical traditions. Shearer plays jazz tuba, straddling trad jazz and bebop. He gooses Wood into a more difficult orbit, even vocalese, but he also keeps the whole affair in good humor. Billy Gibson's harmonica leads the supporting band. B+(**)

Surplus Reviews

Reviews I wrote then scratched for space (e.g., dropping a main section record to an honorable mention):

Raoul Björkenheim/William Parker/Hamid Drake: DMG @ the Stone: Volume 2 (DMG/ARC): Credit this to Bruce Lee Gallanter, the best-informed avant-jazzbo in the world because he owns the record store, New York's Downtown Music Gallery, that pushes the most product. Given the chance to currate a concert series at The Stone, Gallanter hired his favorite underrated guitarist and pairs him with the best rhythm section street cred can beg. They're show enough, not least when Parker charms snakes with his oboe-like shawm, but the guitarist slashes and grinds to keep top billing. A-

Other Drops

Also dropping the following. Don't have anything to add to what was previously said in the prospecting notes (for this or some previous Jazz CG cycle).

• Claudia Acuña: En Este Momento (2007 [2009], Marsalis Music) B-
• Bob Albanese Trio with Ira Sullivan: One Way/Detour (2008 [2009], Zoho) B+(**)
• John Allred/Jeff Barnhart/Danny Coots: The ABC's of Jazz (2008 [2009], Arbors) B+(*)
• Jon Balke/Amina Alaoui: Siwan (2007-08 [2009], ECM) B+(*)
• Shelly Berg: The Nearness of You (2009, Arbors) B-
• Josh Berman: Old Idea (2007 [2009], Delmark) B+(*)
• Todd Bishop's Pop Art 4: Plays the Music of Serge Gainsbourg: 69 Année Érotique: (2008 [2009], Origin) B
• Sarah Brooks and Graceful Soul: Under the Bones of the Great Blue Whale (2008 [2009], Whaling City Sound) B
• Bobby Broom: Plays for Monk (2009, Origin) B+(*)
• Peter Brötzmann/Fred Lonberg-Holm: The Brain of the Dog in Section (2007 [2009], Atavistic) B+(*)
• Alex Cline: Continuation (2008 [2009], Cryptogramophone) B+(**)
• Coyote Poets of the Universe: Callin' You Home (2008 [2009], Square Shaped) B+(***)
• Crimson Jazz Trio: King Crimson Songbook, Volume 2 (2006 [2009], Inner Knot) B+(*)
• Cyminology: As Ney (2008 [2009], ECM) B
• Mélanie Dahan: La Princesse et les Croque-Notes (2007 [2009], Sunnyside) B+(*)
• Tim Davies Big Band: Dialmentia (2007 [2009], Origin) B+(**)
• DKV Trio: Baraka (1997, Okka Disk) B+(*)
• Eddie Erickson: I'm Old-Fashioned (2007 [2009], Arbors) B+(*)
• Gabriel Espinosa: From Yucatan to Rio (2009, Zoho) B-
• Charles Evans: The King of All Instruments (2007-08 [2009], Hot Cup) B+(**)
• FJF: Blow Horn (1995 [1997], Okka Disk) B+(*)
• Fred Forney: Chasing Horizons (2008 [2009], OA2) B+(**)
• Jürgen Friedrich: Pollock (2007 [2009], Pirouet) B+(**)
• Rick Germanson Trio: Off the Cuff (2009, Owl Studios) B+(*)
• Clay Giberson: Spaceton's Approach (2007-08 [2008], Origin) B+(*)
• Dave Glenn: National Pastime (2009, Origin) B
• Frank Glover: Politico (2005 [2009], Owl Studios) B+(*)
• Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band: Act Your Age (2008, Immergent, CD+DVD) B+(**)
• Jerry Granelli V16: Vancouver '08 (2008 [2009], Songlines, CD+DVD) B
• Andrew Green: Narrow Margin (2007 [2008], Microphonic) B+(*)
• Lew Green and Joe Muranyi: Together (2008 [2009], Arbors) B+(**)
• Jimmy Greene: Mission Statement (2008 [2009], RazDaz/Sunnyside) B
• The Peter Hand Big Band: The Wizard of Jazz: A Tribute to Harold Arlen (2005 [2009], Savant) B+(**)
• The Kevin Hays Trio: You've Got a Friend (2007 [2009], Jazz Eyes) B+(*)
• Duke Heitger and Bernd Lhotzky: Doin' the Voom Voom (2008 [2009], Arbors) B+(*)
• Pablo Held: Forest of Oblivion (2007 [2008], Pirouet) B+(*)
• Herculaneum: Herculaneum III (2007 [2009], Clean Feed) B+(*)
• Magos Herrera: Distancia (2008 [2009], Sunnyside) B
• Nico Huijbregts: Free Floating Forms (2007 [2009], Vindu) B+(*)
• I Compani: Circusism (2007-08 [2009], Icdisc) B+(*)
• Jentsch Group Large: Cycles Suite (2008 [2009], Fleur de Son) B+(*)
• Hank Jones & Frank Wess: Hank and Frank II (2009, Lineage) B+(**)
• Pandelis Karayorgis/Nate McBride/Ken Vandermark: No Such Thing (1999 [2001], Boxholder) B+(**)
• Eryan Katsenelenbogen: 88 Fingers (2009, Eyran) B
• Daniel Kelly: Emerge (2009, Bju'ecords) B+(*)
• Charlie Kohlhase's Explorer's Club: Adventures (2007 [2009], Boxholder) B+(*)
• Tim Kuhl: King (2008 [2009], WJF) B+(*)
• Julian Lage: Sounding Point (2009, Emarcy/Decca) B+(**)
• Jermaine Landsberger: Gettin' Blazed (2009, Resonance) B
• Jennifer Lee: Quiet Joy (2008 [2009], SBE) B
• The Peggy Lee Band: New Code (2008, Drip Audio) B+(**)
• Paul Lytton/Ken Vandermark: English Suites (1999 [2000], Wobbly Rail, 2CD) B+(*)
• Jacám Manricks: Labyrinth (2008 [2009], Manricks Music) B+(**)
• Thomas Marriott: Flexicon (2008 [2009], Origin) B-
• Hugh Masekela: Phola (2009, 4Q/Times Square) B+(**)
• Rob Mazurek Quintet: Sound Is (2009, Delmark) B
• Susie Meissner: I'll Remember April (2009, Lydian Jazz) B-
• Andy Milne/Benoît Delbecq: Where Is Pannonica? (2008 [2009], Songlines) B
• Giovanni Moltoni: 3 (2008, C#2 Productions) B+(*)
• Joe Morris w/DKV Trio: Deep Telling (1998 [1999], Okka Disk) B+(**)
• Rakalam Bob Moses: Father's Day B'hash (2006 [2009], Sunnyside) B-
• Paul Meyers: World on a String (2009, Miles High) B+(*)
• David "Fathead" Newman: The Blessing (2008 [2009], High Note) B
• Adam Niewood & His Rabble Rousers: Epic Journey Volumes I & II (2008, Innova, 2CD) B+(**)
• Sean Noonan's Brewed by Noon: Boxing Dreams (2007-08 [2008], Songlines) B+(*)
• Margie Notte: Just You, Just Me & Friends: Live at Cecil's (2008 [2009], Gnote) B+(**)
• Offonoff: Slap and Tickle (2009, Smalltown Superjazz) B+(*)
• Original Silence: The Second Original Silence (2006 [2008], Smalltown Superjazz) B+(**)
• Arvo Pärt: In Principio (2007-08 [2009], ECM New Series) B+(*)
• Madeleine Peyroux: Bare Bones (2009, Rounder) B+(**)
• PIZZArelli Party with the Arbors All Stars (2009, Arbors) B+(**)
• Frank Potenza Trio: Old, New, Borrowed, & Blue (2008 [2009], Capri) B+(*)
• Refuge Trio (2008 [2009], Winter & Winter) B+(*)
• Ridd Quartet: Fiction Avalanche (2005 [2008], Clean Feed) B+(**)
• Marcus Roberts Trio: New Orleans Meets Harlem, Vol. 1 (2007 [2009], J-Master Music) B+(*)
• Rufus Huff (2009, Zoho Roots) B-
• Philippe Saisse: At World's Edge (2009, Koch) C
• David Sánchez: Cultural Survival (2007 [2008], Concord Picante) B+(**)
• Venissa Santi: Bienvenida (2006 [2009], Sunnyside) B+(**)
• Daniela Schächter: Purple Butterfly (2009, CDBaby) B+(*)
• Jenny Scheinman: Crossing the Field (2008, Koch) B+(*)
• Alfred Schnittke/Alexander Raskatov: Symphony No. 9/Nunc Dimittis (2008 [2009], ECM New Series) B-
• John Scofield: Piety Street (2009, EmArcy) B
• Sex Mob Meets Medeski: Live in Willisau (2006 [2009], Thirsty Ear) B+(*)
• Avery Sharpe Trio: Autumn Moonlight (2008 [2009], JKNM) B
• Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra: Harriet Tubman (2007 [2008], Noir, 2CD) B+(**)
• Adam Shulman: Patterns of Change (2008 [2009], Kabocha) B+(*)
• Dave Siebels With Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band (2008 [2009], PBGL) B+(**)
• Henning Sieverts Symmetry: Blackbird (2007 [2009], Pirouet) B
• Asaf Sirkis Trio: The Monk (2007-08 [2008], SAM Productions) B+(**)
• Omar Sosa: Across the Divide: A Tale of Rhythm & Ancestry (2008 [2009], Half Note) B+(*)
• Jesse Stacken: That That (2006 [2008], Fresh Sound New Talent) B+(**)
• Steam: Real Time (1996 [2000], Atavistic) A-
• John Stetch: TV Trio (2007 [2009], Brux) B-
• E.J. Strickland Quintet: In This Day (2008 [2009], Strick Muzik) B+(*)
• Mark Taylor: Spectre (2008 [2009], Origin) B+(*)
• Ximo Tebar & Ivam Jazz Ensemble: Steps (2007 [2009], Omix/Sunnyside) B
• The Thing: Bag It! (2009, Smalltown Superjazz) B+(**)
• Gian Tornatore: Fall (2007 [2009], Sound Spiral) B+(*)
• Transit: Quadrologues (2006-07 [2009], Clean Feed) B+(*)
• Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington: Bicoastal Collective: Chapter One (2008 [2009], OA2) B+(*)
• Nicholas Urie Large Ensemble: Excerpts From an Online Dating Service (2008 [2009], Red Piano) B
• Ken Vandermark: Two Days in December (2001 [2002], Wobbly Rail, 2CD) B+(***)
• Ramana Vieira: Lágrimas de Rainha / Tears of a Queen (2008 [2009], Pacific Coast Jazz) B+(*)
• Kobie Watkins: Involved (2006 [2009], Origin) B
• WHO Trio: Less Is More (2008 [2009], Clean Feed) B+(**)
• Corey Wilkes & Abstrakt Pulse: Cries From Tha Ghetto (2008 [2009], Pi) B+(*)
• Phil Woods: The Children's Suite (2007 [2009], Jazzed Media) B+(*)
• Sam Yahel: Hometown (2009, Posi-Tone) B+(**)

The following appeared (or soon will) in Recycled Goods:

• Dave Brubeck: Time Out [Legacy Edition] (1959-64 [2009], Columbia/Legacy, 2CD+DVD) A-
• Bill Bruford: The Winterfold Collection 1978-1986 (1977-85 [2009], Winterfold) B-
• Bill Bruford: The Summerfold Collection 1987-2008 (1986-2007 [2009], Summerfold, 2CD) B
• Kenny Burrell: Prime Kenny Burrell: Live at the Downtown Room (1976-2006 [2009], High Note) B+(**)
• Don Cherry/Nana Vasconcelos/Collin Walcott: The Codona Trilogy (1978-82 [2009], ECM, 3CD) B+(*)
• Miles Davis: Sketches of Spain [Legacy Edition] (1959-60 [2009], Columbia/Legacy, 2CD) B
• Freddie Hubbard: Without a Song: Live in Europe 1969 (1969 [2009], Blue Note) B+(**)
• Steve Kuhn: Life's Backward Glances (1974-79 [2009], ECM, 3CD) B+(**)
• Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um [Legacy Edition] (1959 [2009], Columbia/Legacy, 2CD) A
• Milton Nascimento and Jobim Trio: Novas Bossas (2007 [2008], Blue Note) B-
• Olatunji: Drums of Passion [Legacy Edition] (1959-66 [2009], Columbia/Legacy, 2CD) A-
• Tito Puente: Dance Mania [Legacy Edition] (1956-60 [2009], RCA/Legacy, 2CD) A-

The following were briefly sampled from download sources (e.g., Rhapsody). They may be revisited if/when I get real copies.