13 EXCELLENT 2010 JAZZ RELEASES

Hank Shteamer, a writer I know, posted a list of 10 jazz releases he felt were making 2010 a particularly good year for the music, along with a bunch of honorable mentions. I agree with a bunch of his choices, but the year has in fact been so strong that I've got a list of 13 of my own, which doesn't overlap with his primary 10 at all. (A couple of his honorable mentions make my list, though.)

Here we go:

Carlos Bica, Carlos Bica + Matéria-Prima (Clean Feed)
Regina Carter, Reverse Thread (E1)
Decoy, Vol. 1: Spirit/Vol. 2: The Deep (Bo’Weavil)
Marc Edwards/Weasel Walter Group, Blood of the Earth (ugEXPLODE)
Amir ElSaffar/Hafez Modirzadeh, Radif Suite (Pi)
Fight the Big Bull, All is Gladness in the Kingdom (Clean Feed)
John Hébert Trio, Spiritual Lover (Clean Feed)
Dave Holland Octet, Pathways (Dare2)
Lawnmower, West (Clean Feed)
Earl MacDonald, Re:Visions – Works for Jazz Orchestra (Death Defying)
Dan Pratt Organ Quartet, Toe the Line (Posi-Tone)
David Weiss & Point of Departure, Snuck In (Sunnyside)

I THOUGHT THE RECORD BUSINESS WAS DYING...

Here's a list of everything I got in today's mail:

Avsky, Scorn (Moribund)
Blood Cult, We Are the Cult of the Plains (Moribund)
Bury Tomorrow, Portraits (Artery/Razor & Tie)
Jorrit Dijkstra, Pillow Circles (Clean Feed)
Elephant9, Walk the Nile (Rune Grammofon)
Amir Elsaffar/Hafez Modirzadeh, Radif Suite (Pi)
Scott Fields Ensemble, Fugu (Clean Feed)
Fight the Big Bull, All is Gladness in the Kingdom (Clean Feed)
Kirk Knuffke, Amnesia Brown (Clean Feed)
Sei Miguel, Esfingico (Clean Feed)
Marc Mommaas, Landmarc (Sunnyside)
Red Trio, s/t (Clean Feed)
Mike Reed's People, Places & Things, Stories and Negotiations (482 Music)
Daniel Bernard Roumain, Woodbox: Beats & Balladry (Thirsty Ear)
Second Hand, Death May Be Your Santa Claus (Sunbeam)
Second Hand, Chillum (Sunbeam)
Andrew Thomas, Between Buildings and Trees (Kompakt)
Prins Thomas, s/t (Full Pupp)
The Ullmann/Swell 4, News? No News! (Jazzwerkstatt)
Various Artists, 2010 (Dial/Kompakt)