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Many people ask me every year for my picks of the best jazz CDs. While not fond of "Top Ten" lists, here is a compilation of some of the best out of more than a thousand CDs which came my way last year.

Favorite Jazz | Reissues | Northwest | Earlier Picks


Jim's Favorite Jazz CDs of 1998

artist - album title - label

Howard Johnson,Gravity -Right Now! -Verve
Fred Hersch -Thelonious -Nonesuch
Mingus Big Band -Que Viva Mingus-Dreyfus Jazz
Mark Isham -Afterglow -Columbia
Lynne Arriale -A Long Road Home-TCB
Charlie Haden/Kenny Barron-Night & The City -Verve
Jessica Williams -Encounters II-Jazz Focus
Winard Harper -Trap Dancer-Savant
Don Sebesky -I Remember Bill-RCA
Astral Project -Elevado -Compass
Annette Sanders -Everything I Love-Annette Sanders
Steve Kuhn -Dedication -Reservoir
Charles McPherson -Manhattan Nocturne-Arabesque
Nicholas Payton -Payton's Place-Verve
One For All -Optimism -Sharp 9
Ryan Kisor -Battle Cry -Criss Cross
Patricia Barber -Modern Cool-Premonition
Don Lanphere/Pete Christlieb - Get Happy -Origin
Anthony Wilson -Goat Hill Junket-MAMA
Lee Konitz -Dialogues -Challenge
Russell Malone -Sweet Georgia Peach-impulse
Paul Motian Trio -Sound of Love-Winter & Winter
Jim Hall -By Arrangement- Telarc
Joshua Redman - Timeless Tales - Warner Bros
Eric Alexander - Solid - Milestone
Bronx Horns - Silver In The Bronx - Timeless
Shirley Horn - I Remember Miles - Verve
Heath Brothers - Jazz Family - Concord
Brad Mehldau - Songs - Warner Bros
Giacomo Gates - Fly Rite - Sharp 9
Dave Ellis - In The Long Run - Monarch
Kyle Eastwood -From There To Here - Columbia
Paul Motian - Flight of the Blue Jay - Winter & Winter
Sphere - Sphere - Verve
Burton,Corea,Metheny - Like Minds - Concord
Various trumpeters - Trumpet Legacy - Milestone
Phil Woods/Johnny Griffin - The Rev and I - Blue Note
Bill Charlap - All Through The Night - Criss Cross
Peter Bernstein - Earth Tones - Criss Cross
Joe Roccisano - Nonet - Double Time


Jim's Favorite Reissues of 1998

David Newman -    It's Mister Fathead-32 Jazz         
Charles Mingus -    Blues & Roots - Atlantic
Cy Touff -   Octet & Quintet - Pacific Jazz
Gene Ammons -   Greatest Hits - The 50s  Prestige OJC
Jimmy Witherspoon -   Jazz Me Blues - Best Of Prestige
Miles Davis -    Complete Birth of the Cool - Capitol Jazz
Fred Hersch -    Evanessence - Evidence
Phil Woods/Lou Tabackin - Phil Woods/Lou Tabackin - Evidence
Mark Murphy -   Jazz Standards - 32 Jazz
Joe Williams -   Then and Now - SeaBreeze
Dexter Gordon -   Settin' The Pace - Savoy Jazz
Kenny Dorham -   Blues in Bebop-  Savoy Jazz
Charlie Parker -   Complete Live Performances - Savoy Jazz


Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 1998Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 1998Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 1998Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 1998Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 1998

For Northwest jazz fans in particular, here are some of the exceptional releases from artists living in this part of the country.

Dave Peck -Trio - Let's Play Stella
Marius Nordall - Notoriety - Origin
Barney McClure - Photographs - MNOP
Jan Stentz - Forever-MNOP
Don Lanphere - Get Happy - Origin
Kelley Johnson - Make Someone Happy - Sapphire/Chartmaker
Jay Thomas - Live at Tula's - McVouty
Edmonia Jarrett - Legal At Any Age - MNOP
Keith Henson Octet - Our Delight - BopHen Music
Sonando - La Rumba esta Buena - Pinguiro


Earlier picks:   1997


Final note—buy any CD off this list and I guarantee you're getting some great music! Every one of these releases has received or is now getting frequent airplay on Jazz After Hours and/or Jazz Northwest.
—Jim


Amazon.com is an easy way to order the music you're looking for. That CD could be in your mailbox in a couple of days by clicking here.





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