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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 1999

artist - album title - label

Bob Florence Serendipity 18 MAMA
Lester Bowie Brass Fantasy The Odyssey of Funk & Popular Music Atlantic
Milt Jackson/Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orch Explosive! Qwest / Warner Bros
J.J.Johnson Heroes Verve
Steve Turre Lotus Flower Verve
Eddie Henderson Reemergence Sharp Nine
Michel Petrucciani Solo Live Dreyfus
Branford Marsalis Requiem Columbia
Jim Hall & Pat Metheny Jim Hall & Pat Metheny Telarc
Astral Project Voodoo Bop Compass records
Regina Carter Rhythms of the Heart Verve
Jim Hall & Bob Brookmeyer Live at The North Sea Jazz Fest Challenge
Fred Hersch Let Yourself Go Nonesuch
Vanessa Rubin Language Of Love Telarc
Norma Winstone & John Taylor ... like song, like weather Koch
Diana Krall When I Look In Your Eyes Verve
Brad Mehldau Elgiac Cycle Warner Bros
Jane Ira Bloom The Red Quartets Arabesque Jazz
Benny Green These Are Soulful Days Blue Note
Kenny Garrett Simply Said Warner Bros
Ralph Lalama Music for Grown-Ups Criss Cross
Bud Shank After You, Jeru Fresh Sound
Eric Alexander Man With A Horn Milestone
Larry Goldings Moonbird Palmetto
Mingus Big Band Blues & Politics Dreyfus Jazz
Scott Hamilton Blues, Bop & Ballads Concord
Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown & Milt Jackson Very Tall Band Telarc
Lynne Arriale Melody TCB
Diane Witherspoon You May Never Know Koch Jazz
Ingrid Jensen Higher Grounds Enja
Bob Brookmeyer,New Art Orch New Works - Celebration Challenge
Freddy Cole Le Grand Freddy Fantasy
Ian Shaw & Cedar Walton In A New York Minute Milestone
Tom Harrell Time’s Mirror RCA Victor
Paul Motian El Bebop Band Monk & Powell Winter & Winter
Chico O’Farrill Heart Of A Legend Milestone
Patricia Barber Companion Blue Note / Premonition
Don Sebesky Joyful Noise -Tribute to Ellington RCA Victor
Dave Douglas Convergence Soul Note
Count Basie Orch Swing Shift MAMA
Jessica Williams It’s Jessica’s Time Red & Blue
Jessica Williams Some Ballads Some Blues Red & Blue
Richie Cole Trenton Style Alto Madness
Keith Jarrett The Melody At Night, With You ECM
John Abercrombie Open Land ECM
Kenny Wheeler A Long Time Ago ECM


Jim's Favorite Reissues of 1999

Chris Connor Warm Cool - The Atlantic Years 32 Jazz
Art Blakey Moanin’ Blue Note
Horace Silver Blowin’ The Blues Away Blue Note
Horace Silver Song For My Father Blue Note
Duke Ellington Best of Ellington Centennial Ed. RCA Victor
Duke Ellington Such Sweet Thunder Columbia Legacy
Duke Ellington Complete Ellington at Newport Columbia (2 CDs)
Herbie Hancock Maiden Voyage Blue Note
Lee Morgan The Sidewinder Blue Note
Miles Davis The Best of Quintet 1965-68 Columbia / Legacy
Ray Bryant Alone at Montreux 32 Jazz
Joe Mooney Do You Long for Oolong? Hep
Sarah Vaughan In The City Of Lights Justin Time
Dizzy Gillespie Dizzy in South America 1958 CAP
Mel Tormé/Frances Faye Porgy & Bess - complete Bethlehem /Avenue Jazz
Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert Columbia Legacy
Various artists The Savoy Story, Vol.1 - Jazz Savoy Jazz (3 CDs)
Fats Navarro Goin’ To Minton’s Savoy Jazz



Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 1999

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

Dave Peck Solo Let’s Play Stella
Jay Thomas 12th & Jackson McVouty
Dan Greenblatt Stretch Bopware
Janis Mann Lost In His Arms Pancake
Steve Korn Here & Now Origin
New Stories & Ernie Watts Speakin’ Out Origin
Steve Griggs Jones for Elvin Hip City
Nelda Swiggett Hands On Moving Room Prod.
Garfield Jazz Ensemble From Manhattan to Montreux GHS
Jack Brownlow Trio Suddently It’s Bruno Jazz Focus


Earlier picks:   1998   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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