Mark Lomanno

The Year in Review – 2023

This year was a big transition for me: new job, new home, and the relaunch of the blog as part of both. Once I was settled, I started writing regularly. Some of the records I reviewed are included here with just links to earlier pieces (and longer reviews). Because of the big transition, there were a few months of new releases I missed. Trying to catch up at the end of the semester meant that some excellent records aren’t included here. In the coming year I’m looking forward to continuing the monthly feature, adding more themed/focused pieces, updating a backlog of writing, and possibly inviting guest posts (…and a podcast?).

For now — buried amid piles of papers to grade, with a long list of book interviews, grant applications, and semester-end/impending holiday travel to-do lists still to be done — I’m sharing a more condensed year-end list than I anticipated. All these records — and many others — are worth 1000s of words. Go listen to these for yourself. Support the artists, many of whom are helping us find peace, solace, and even clarity amid very, very difficult times. Invest in their music, merchandise, tickets and streaming passes for their shows as often as you can.

Feel free to share your favorites from this year in the comments below and if there’s an upcoming release that you’d like me to feature, you can reach out here.

Thanks for reading!

The Year in Review – 2023

Recordings that were as excellent as expected

Recordings that surprised

Recordings that stood out since I relaunched the blog in September

Recordings that stretched my ears

Recordings that stretched my consciousness

Maybe not “jazz,” but definitely stellar music

Recordings that I played over and over again

Recordings that’ll probably end up in my permanent rotation

The 10 recordings I submitted to the Jazz Journalists Association

  • Kenny Barron, The Source (PIAS, released January 20th)
  • Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind, released January 27th)
  • Josh Lawrence, And That Too (Positone, released February 24th)
  • Myra Melford, Hear the Light Singing (Rogue Art, released November 17th)
  • Allison Miller, Rivers in our Veins (Royal Potato, released October 6th)
  • Hery Paz, Jardineros (577 Records, released August 25th)
  • Matana Roberts, Coin Coin chapter 5 – In the Garden (Constellation, released September 29th)
  • Rudy Royston and Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf, released May 5th)
  • Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Night Time Creatures (Pyroclastic, released October 27th)
  • Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto, released January 6th)

The recordings I submitted to the Francis Davis Annual Jazz Critics Poll

  • Top ten New Releases (recorded since 2013, unranked)
    • Kenny Barron, The Source (PIAS, released January 20th)
    • Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind, released January 27th)
    • Steve Lehman, Ex Machina (Pi, released September 15th)
    • Myra Melford, Hear the Light Singing (Rogue Art, released November 17th)
    • Allison Miller, Rivers in our Veins (Royal Potato, released October 6th)
    • Hery Paz, Jardineros (577 Records, released August 25th)
    • Rudy Royston and Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf, released May 5th)
    • Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Night Time Creatures (Pyroclastic, released October 27th)
    • Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto, released January 6th)
    • Marike van Dijk, Stranded (Brooklyn Jazz Underground, released September 22nd)
  • Top three Reissues/Old Music (recorded 2012 or earlier, unranked)
    • Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel, A Lovesome Thing (Motema and Heartcore, released November 14)
    • John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Impulse, released July 14th)
    • Cal Tjader, Catch The Groove. Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Jazz Detective, released November 24th)
  • Top vocal album
    • Kavita Shah, Cape Verdean Blues (Folkalist, released September 15th)
  • Top debut album
    • Vincente Archer, Short Stories (Cellar, released June 9th)
  • Top Latin jazz album
    • Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, Vox Humana (Jazz Heads, released May 12th)

4 comments

    • Matt, I’m ever grateful for your support. I’m always hoping to turn people onto new music and active artists with this work.

      Reply

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