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With more than a sigh we say a collective goodbye to 2024. But before the candle of the year is fully blown out and we put the year in the rearview mirror to set our sights on 2025, TNYCJR would like to acknowledge what a truly musically stunning year it was. After listening to almost two thousand albums released last year (of which almost 650 were reviewed in these pages), we steer your attention to the “Best of 2024” Special Feature center spread, with categories ranging from new releases to concerts. Of the nearly ten thousand Event Calendar shows we listed in the last twelve months (of which over a hundred were reviewed), we have humbly selected 22 of last year’s “best.” Perhaps you were at one (if not some)?!
A sadder side to end-of-the year nostalgia is the In Memoriam list dedicated to those the jazz world said its final farewell to, including Michael Cuscuna, Lou Donaldson, Benny Golson, Roy Haynes, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Bill Holman, Zakir Hussain, Quincy Jones, Dan Morgenstern, Alex Riel, Herb Robertson and Martial Solal, to name a few (the complete list is on pg. 46). Our sincere condolences go out to the families, friends, listeners and fans of these individuals without whom jazz would be, to say the least, a lot less vibrant. We also say goodbye—but definitely not farewell— to longtime TNYCJR contributor, Suzanne Lorge, VOXNews columnist for 15 years, who returns the baton to Tessa Souter, the originator of the column’s name (in 2004) who wrote VOXNews for its initial three years. It all comes full circle, and as TNYCJR welcomes Tessa back, we would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to Suzanne for her ever-dependable, month-in and month-out, dedicated support of and insight to the jazz vocal community.
The ball may drop on Dec. 31, but we at TNYCJR will keep the ball rolling through the New Year, continuing the tradition of being your go-to source for essential information of what’s happening in jazz in and around NYC. A happy new year to you and yours and here’s to another twelve months of jazziness. Onwards and outwards and see you out at the shows….
On the Cover: CECIL MCBEE—Marching On
(by Jeff Cebulski; photos by Richard Corman for the Jazz Foundation of America, and Robert Sutherland-Cohen)
A musician who serves as a thread running through late 20th century modern jazz is bassist Cecil McBee, whose rise into national jazz consciousness in the mid-to-late ’60s and his longevity since seems extraordinary in retrospect. A list of artists he played with from 1964-66 demonstrates the bassist’s precipitous rise as a desired accompanist and collaborator: from Denny Zeitlin to Jackie McLean, Charles Tolliver, Grachan Moncur III, Wayne Shorter, Andrew Hill and the famed Charles Lloyd Quartet. McBee is at Le Poisson Rouge Jan. 13 (part of Winter Jazzfest’s “Strata-East Rising”) and at Smoke Jan. 29 - Feb.2 (with The Cookers).
Interview: ALEX HARDING—Bari Blues
(by Ariella Stok; photo courtesy of artist)
Detroit native Alex Harding’s distinctive and soulful playing on baritone saxophone, which he wields as comfortably as an extension of the rhythm section or as a lead voice, has made him an in-demand staple of bands that include the Sun Ra Arkestra, Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Ahmed Abdullah’s NAM, the Julius Hemphill Sextet as well as the groups led by late baritone mentor Hamiet Bluiett. Harding is at Sistas’ Place Jan. 25 (with his quartet), and at Barbès Jan. 23 (in duo with Lucian Ban).
Artist Feature: NICOLE GLOVER—Burning Tenor of the Times
(by Jim Motavalli; photo by Anna Yatskevich)
NYC-based Nicole Glover is the tenor saxophonist in the cutting-edge, all-star band Artemis, works regularly with first-call bassist Christian McBride in his Ursa Major, teaches at Manhattan School of Music and has accrued an impressive discography in a short span of time, including her most recent, Plays (Savant). Glover is at Jazz at Lincoln Center Jan. 11 (part of Unity Jazz Festival), The Stone at The New School Jan. 2 (with Marta Sánchez) and Smalls Jan. 26-27 (with George Colligan).
Encore: DONALD DEAN—The Dean’s Amazing Groove
(by Anders Griffen; photo courtesy of artist)
Born in musically historic Kansas City, MO, in 1937, Donald Dean has worked with A-list performers from Ornette Coleman to Aretha Franklin. Well-known particularly among musicians, most listeners probably know him best for his part in Swiss Movement (Atlantic, 1969), the chart-topping album by pianist Les McCann and saxophonist Eddie Harris. Dean comes to and plays NYC (for the first time in 50 years!) with Tomas Janzon at National Jazz Museum in Harlem Jan. 16 and Minton’s Playhouse Jan. 17-18.
Lest We Forget: ALBERT “TOOTIE” HEATH—So Much Swing, So Many Good Times
(by Jim Motavalli; photo by Alan Nahigian)
As with the Joneses (Thad, Elvin, Hank) there were three musical Heath brothers—bassist Percy, saxophonist Jimmy and drummer Albert (widely and affectionately known as “Tootie”), the latter who passed away from leukemia in Santa Fe, NM, last April. Tootie, the youngest Heath (he would have turned 90 this May) was also the last to pass away (Percy died in 2005 at age 91;
Jimmy died in 2020 at age 93). “Tootie Fest” featuring Emmet Cohen Trio is at Dizzy’s Club Jan. 11 (part of Unity Jazz Festival).
Special Feature: BEST OF 2024
Drum roll please...TNYCJR’s Best of 2024 centerspread covers: New Releases, Musicians, Up-and-Comers, Record Labels, Reissues, Unearthed Gems, Solo and Live Recordings, Tributes, Boxed Sets, Vocals, Debuts, Latin, Large Ensembles, Album Art, Books, Venues, Concerts plus Honorable Mentions!
Album Reviews: In Print, On Screen, Boxed Set, Drop The Needle Reviews, Globe Unity…
Alexander Hawkins/Sophia Jernberg - Musho |
(Intakt) |
Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi - Altera Vita |
(BBE Music) |
Ambrose Akinmusire - honey from a winter stone |
(Nonesuch) |
Arun Ramamurthy Trio - New Moon |
(Greenleaf Music) |
Ben Solomon - Echolocation |
(Giant Step Arts) |
Ben Wendel - Understory (Live at the Village Vanguard) |
(Edition) |
Benny Golson - Tenor Legacy |
(Arkadia) |
Bobby Hutcherson - Classic Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970 |
(Mosaic) |
Brandon Seabrook - Object of Unknown Function |
(Pyroclastic) |
Brenda Earle Stokes - Motherhood |
(s/r) |
Charles Tolliver Music, Inc. - Live at the Captain's Cabin |
(Reel to Real) |
Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra - Harbour |
(Nettwerk/Justin Time) |
Christopher Trapani - Noise Uprising |
(New World) |
Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet - 3 Sides of the Coin |
(Dafnison Music) |
Dave Stryker (with Stryker Strings) - Goes to the Movies |
(Strikezone) |
Derek Bailey/Sabu Toyozumi - Breath Awareness |
(NoBusiness Chap Chap) |
Dmitry Baevsky - Roller Coaster |
(Fresh Sound) |
Eugenie Jones - Eugenie |
(Open Mic) |
Eyal Maoz/Eugene Chadbourne - The Coincidence Masters |
(Infrequent Seams) |
George Cables - I Hear Echoes |
(HighNote) |
Hendrik Meurkens - The JazzMeurkengers |
(Cellar Music) |
Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few - The World is On Fire |
(Division 81) |
Ivo Perelman/Chad Fowler/Reggie Workman/Andrew Cyrille - Embracing the Unknown |
(Mahakala Music) |
Janel Leppin/Ensemble Volcanic Ash - To March Is To Love |
(Cuneiform) |
Jason Kao Hwang - Soliloquies |
(True Sound) |
JD Allen - The Dark, The Light, The Grey and the Colorful |
(Savant) |
Jeff Parker/ETA IVtet - The Way Out of Easy |
(International Anthem) |
Jim Rotondi - Finesse |
(Cellar Music) |
Jonathan Moritz/Mike Pride - Summertime |
(Neither/Nor) |
Kris Davis Trio - Run the Gauntlet |
(Pyroclastic) |
Kurt Elling - Wildflowers, Vol. 1 & 2 |
(Edition) |
Lisa Ullén - Heirloom |
(Fönstret) |
Louis Stewart - Out On His Own |
(Livia) |
Maria Schneider Orchestra - Decades |
(ArtistShare) |
Music for Black Pigeons by Jørgen Leth & Andreas Koefoed |
(Ánorâk Film) |
Nacka Forum - Peaceful Piano |
(Moserobie) |
Nick Dunston - Colla Voce |
(Out Of Your Head) |
Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band - Walk A Mile in My Shoe |
(Imani) |
Paul Dunmall, Paul Rogers, Tony Levin - The Good Feelings |
(577 Records) |
Peggy Lee - From The Vaults (Vol. 3) |
(Capitol) |
Pete Rodriguez - I'm Pete Rodriguez, Volume 1 |
(Sunnyside) |
Roy Eldridge/Charlie Shavers - Swing Trumpets |
(Circle) |
Sara Serpa - Encounters & Collisions |
(Biophilia) |
Sun Ra - At the Showcase: Live in Chicago |
(Elemental Music) |
Sun Ra Arkestra - Lights On A Satellite: Live at The Left Bank |
(Resonance) |
The Many Worlds of David Amram by Dean Birkenkamp |
(Routledge) |
Thumbscrew - Wingbeats |
(Cuneiform) |
Tim Berne, Tom Rainey, Gregg Belisle-Chi - Yikes! / Yikes Too |
(OOYH/Screwgun) |
Tim Berne/Michael Formanek - Parlour Games |
(Relative Pitch) |
Vanisha Gould - She's Not Shiny, She's Not Smooth |
(Cellar Music) |
Wendy Eisenberg - Viewfinder |
(American Dreams) |
Look for other sections like Festival Report, NY@Night, Label Spotlight, VOXNews, In Memoriam, Recommended New Releases and our invaluable Event Calendar.
Thanks so much for reading The New York City Jazz Record, the city's only homegrown gazette devoted to the music.