The creativity of today’s jazz artists never ceases to amaze, as this year’s best recordings attest:
Patricia Barber: “Higher” (ArtistShare). Listeners have come to expect surprises from singer-pianist-songwriter Barber, who’s in residence Monday nights at the Green Mill when she’s not on tour. But “Higher” pushes against convention more boldly than even Barber’s more ardent fans might have anticipated, particularly in the song cycle at the heart of this recording, “Angels, Birds and I …” The long-gestating work distills Barber’s art to its essence, expressing hope, desire, grief and more in meticulously crafted melody and lyrics, and exquisitely ambiguous harmony. A tour de force in all regards.
Miguel Zenon: “Sonero” (Miel Music). Alto saxophonist Zenon has received wide and deserved acclaim – including a MacArthur Fellowship – for illuminating links between jazz and the folkloric music of his native Puerto Rico. His ventures into this fertile realm continue with “Sonero,” subtitled “The Music of Ismael Rivera.” On these tracks, which open with a snippet of Rivera’s singing, Zenon and his long-running quartet explore music associated with Rivera and take it to distant places via jazz improvisation. Even apart from the recording’s theme, the music proves gripping, thanks to the ease and eloquence with which these four musicians communicate.
Greg Ward‘s Rogue Parade: “Stomping Off From Greenwood” (Greenleaf Music). The title evokes the rambunctious spirit of saxophonist Ward’s album, but there’s more to this music than just its high-level energy. Ward’s unusual instrumentation, unorthodox sonorities and intricately layered music-making give listeners a great deal to ponder amid all the hyperactive improvisation. Ward’s signature tone on alto – keen and penetrating yet remarkably supple – captivates the ear.
Anat Cohen Tentet: “Triple Helix” (Anzic Records). Cohen ranks among the world’s most compelling clarinetists, and here she takes on an Everest: the world premiere recording of the title work, Oded Lev-Ari’s Concerto for Clarinet and Ensemble. The piece stands as a significant addition to the clarinet repertoire, but it’s just the high point of an album bursting with the spirit of invention.
David Sanchez: “Carib” (Ropeadope/Melaza Music). Like Miguel Zenon, Puerto Rican tenor saxophonist Sanchez long has stood at the forefront of digging deeply into Afro-Caribbean musical roots. “Carib” probes Puerto Rican and Haitian influences with extraordinary insight, Sanchez’s singularly plush tone on tenor intertwined with many rhythmic strands.
Vijay Iyer, Craig Taborn: “The Transitory Poems” (ECM Records). What happens when two of today’s most innovative and skilled pianists perform together in concert? Iyer and Taborn offered a deeply satisfying answer in this release, recorded live at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. By turns pensive and disruptive, agitated and calm, the music ceaselessly engages attention, thanks in part to the pianists’ virtuosity and sensitivity.
Herlin Riley: “Perpetual Optimism” (Mack Avenue). A national treasure steeped in the musical rituals of his native New Orleans, drummer Riley brings a great deal of that city’s joy and love of life to this recording. Beyond that, though, the intricacies and subtleties of his work – carried forward by a fine band featuring pianist Emmet Cohen, bassist Russell Hall, saxophonist Godwin Louis and trumpeter Bruce Harris – make this an important document of Riley’s incalculable value to jazz today.
Dee Alexander: “It’s Too Hot for Words” (Delmark Records). Pair Chicagoan Alexander’s stylistically versatile vocals with Jim Gailloreto’s glistening arrangements for the Metropolitan Jazz Octet, and you have new ways of appreciating Alexander’s art. All the more because she takes on music associated with Billie Holiday, but not the most obvious songs (with the exception of “Strange Fruit,” delivered here on a nearly operatic scale). Alexander’s voice produces fascinating colors and textures throughout.
Ethan Iverson Quartet with Tom Harrell: “Common Practice” (ECM Records). Any recording that features trumpeter Harrell demands study, especially when he’s heard with the translucent accompaniment of pianist Iverson’s quartet. The musicians deconstruct jazz standards to poetic effect, sprinkling the repertoire at this 2017 Village Vanguard date with Iverson originals. The intimacy of the music-making stands out; you feel as if you’re in the room.
Paul Green & Two Worlds: “A Bissel Rhythm” (Big Round Records). Jazz and Jewish music share a long and beautiful history, which clarinetist-composer Green traced on an earlier album, “Music Coming Together.” This time, rather than record songs reflecting both idioms, Green has written original compositions that give him and his colleagues freer reign in which to experiment. The music – sometimes joyous, sometimes mournful – attests to these artists’ conversance with two alluring musical languages.
Howard Reich is a Tribune critic.
hreich@chicagotribune.com
