earthjuiceBlog → Top 5 Album Releases 2007
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Jan 21 2008, 17h43
Michael Brecker (ts) - Pilgrimage (Amazon)
Michael Brecker recorded this album shortly before his early death on January 13th, 2007, and it's truely a worthy last release. Just have a look at the lineup: Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Mr. Brecker himself of course, probably the most influential tenor saxophonist of the last 35 years.
Oz Noy (g) - Fuzzy (Amazon)
This is fusion in the verbal sense; Israel-born guitarist Oz Noy has been influenced by a lot of different genres, which gives him a very original yet easily-listenable style, unlike anything I've heard before. Memorable tunes that can be enjoyed by jazz- and fusion-lovers just as well as fans of rock, pop or maybe even any other genre. Be sure to also check his 2005-release "Ha!"!
Hiromi (p) - Time Control (Amazon)
If I were to pick one single last year's favorite, Japan-born pianist Hiromi Uehara's "Time Control" would make it! This one just has everything... funky laid-back at one time, then gorgeously melodic only to end in a furious outburst. Excellent compositions with great improvisation and interaction by all four musicians. This is not fusion (again, only in the verbal sense), it's music beyond any genre (why do people always have to worry about genres, anyway...)
"Time Control": Totally a must-have! "Hiromi Uehara": Remember that name!
Tal Wilkenfeld (b) - Transformation (Amazon)
This guy definitely knows how to play his instrument! Oh wait... she's a girl! Tal from down under, only 21 years old when she recorded this album, plays in a very melodic manner over the most complex, perpetually altering rythms and time signatures. No wonder she's already gigged with Chick Corea and Vinnie Colaiuta and toured with Jeff Beck, despite her young age.
Hadrien Feraud (b) - Hadrien Feraud (Amazon)
The association with Jaco Pastorius, his biggest influence, is inevitable; this french young guy performs with a marvelous virtuosity, but never as a purpose of its own. Guest appearance by John McLaughlin included, who had already engaged Hadrien for his album "Industrial Zen" in 2005 and is now touring with him as "John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension".
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Though I spent a lot of time for my choice I might easily enhance or change this list of albums once I get a sudden inspiration. Any comments to my first proper journal entry are greatly aprecciated. Did these recommendations help you? What were your favorite new publications from 2007?
Comentários
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Rapscallion87 definitely agree on the brecker disc, that was one of my top picks of 07 as well... i wasn't too thrilled by the hadrien feraud album, it was an interesting listen but on the whole a little directionless and he plays a bit too fast sometimes just for the sake of it.
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earthjuice Yeah I can see what you mean, although the more I listened to it, the more it made sense to me (which is the case with a lot of albums, btw). Thanks for your comment!
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monkey_D_luffy i like brecker:) but rest of it is not my cup of tea. i am listening new medeski - lets go everywhere and i think it might be my #1 for this year:)
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Rapscallion87
my band to watch this year is The Blessing. They're based in bristol and play a creative fusion of jazz and a lot of rock ideas - check out www.myspace.com/thisistheblessing and: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81ToKk1dwQ[/youtube] album is out on candid records at the start of february!
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Skonrokk Excellent article and great selection of albums/artist. I wasn't that sold on Tal, (I'm gonna listen more to her though). She can play, but I don't think we do her any justice by judging her abilities by her gender. I also wasn't that sold on most of the compositions/production. Hadrien is just a few years older the she is but his level of virtuosity is quite considerably higher.... then again .. age and music... let's not go there! :-D I've been thinking about writing and posting my choices for 2007... all I've done so far is to make a list of the CD's that I came across from 2007. Now I just need to find some quite moments soon... to write some..! Take care. p.s. As for Hadrien playin fast, get over it man :-) .. just kiddin... but playing fast is indeed one of the creative effects that a player can apply (specially) during a improvisation. Didn't people give Charlie Parker a hard time in the beginning! ;-) Cheers
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earthjuice
I definitely agree that Wilkenfeld is not on the same level as Feraud, but you forget that Feraud is not only a few years older but he also was only 11 when he picked up the bass, while Wilkenfeld was about 17, so in the end you compare only 4 years of experience to 10, or something like that. Then again, Tal played the guitar before... altogether it's very difficult to compare both, because their styles and their whole backgrounds are very different. That's also the reason for which I chose both albums; Considering their low age, it will be very interesting to observe how they develop and mature into, hopefully, very different directions. You probably wouldn't compare Gary Willis to Anthony Jackson, either. And there would be no good reason to listen to both of them if they played the same way. To me, the more interesting comparison is going to be between what Feraud and Wilkenfeld are doing now and in 10 years. It's like when I listen to the young Michael Brecker and the older one; although you always recognize his personal style, his newer stuff just sounds a lot more mature and somehow of a higher quality/standard, though on the other hand he probably has lost some of his juvenile fire. Same thing with Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and whoever. I'm not too sure about John McLaughlin, though (except for the fire-thingy). ;) Can't wait for your list/article. Will probably/hopefully contain quite a few interesting recommendations for me, too. :P Btw, I was going to do another list of album recommendations. This one only consisted of albums that were really from 2007, but I discovered a lot more great music during the year that I just didn't know before.
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Skonrokk
My point wasn't really to compare them. I was more trying to point out how fast people fall into judging people and their abilities based on their gender and/or age. In their cases they absolutely do play their instruments VERY WELL, no question about that. And it is admirable that they've mastered their instrument at an early age. (I'm not sure where I'm going with this... :-D ) I could compare Willis vs. Jackson, they are mature artists that have found their own voices on the instrument. They have a different approach, sound etc. But I see no need in doing so (unless I'm writing an essay about the history of the electric bass in jazz, which I've done already ! ;-D ... or describing them to a student perhaps). I hope I get around to that list/article soon. P.s do you have an multiple account? I have the idea that it could come in handy when we want to suggest music, etc. Here's mine if you happen to have one/make one: http://sigurdor.multiply.com/
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earthjuice
I once registered there but they didn't send me an activation mail. Send another e-mail didn't work either, so I decided I'd stay with lastm + flickr.
