And here we are with our Top 10 New Releases of 2023. Had time been allowed for deep listening, so many more recordings released this year would have entered the equation and the list would certainly be different. If we say this every year, it's because it remains true. This is not an exercise at the end, but the beginning of a long discussion.
10. Rob Mazurek – Exploding Star Orchestra – Lightning Dreamers (International Anthem) Craig Taborn's Wurlitzer and yes, Rob Mazurek's trumpet really bring the Electric Miles vibes, but a lot of Lightning Dreamers goes further than Davis and clearly does so. Damon Locks brings his words to Mazurek's banquet once again, and the band, a scaled-down version of his Orchestra, is a killer lineup of major players: along with Taborn and Locks, there's guitarist Jeff Parker, keyboardist Angelica Sanchez, drummer Gerald Cleaver, percussionist Mauricio Takara and flutist Nicole Mitchell.
9. Josephine Foster – Inner Sphere (Fire) Josephine Foster's music has always had undercurrents of the eerie and timeless, but Inner Sphere, her 14th solo album, becomes positively otherworldly as it consists of just Foster on guitar and vocals and field recordings interjected throughout, sometimes subtly, sometimes abruptly, by producer-associate Daniel Blumberg. It's an impressively experimental work that only reinforces the unique qualities of Foster's work. Anyone with fond memories of New Weird America should give it a go.
8. The clientele – I'm not there anymore (Merge) It's hard not to get a little worried when a band re-emerges after a long absence. What exactly have they been doing all this time? I hope nothing bad. And it's always dangerous when a major development in sound is revealed after that time. We hope you like our new direction! With I'm not there anymore, The Clientele's first record since the fall of 2017, the band took some musical steps, but to entirely positive effect and without disconnecting from the sound that made them such an appealing indie pop outfit for so long. What I understand bunch of cats.
7. Satoko Fujii & Otomo Yoshihide – Perpetual motion Ayler & Ikue Mori + Kaze – Crustal Movement (Circum-Disc /Libra) It proved impossible to decide which example of pianist-composer-bandleader Satoko Fujii's collaborative prowess was the best, so the decision was put the kibosh. Perpetual motion it takes the duo's artistry to rare heights in a first encounter, as Fujii tackles the keys with intense precision, going deep into the instrument at times. Otomo rocks, roars and cries like a champ. Racquet enthusiasts will find a lot to dig into, but it's a great racquet. They also explore the atmospheric.
Crustal Movement finds Fujii's band Kaze—that's Fujii on piano, Christian Pruvost on trumpet and flugelhorn, Natsuki Tamura on trumpet and Peter Orins on drums, working with Ikue Mori on electronics and if your bag is the racket , this is suitable for all day races with sacks. Valves and reeds bring the Kaze a distinct flavor and with some extensive techniques on display. Fujii can shift from energy runs to a seductive hold and sometimes abandons it entirely, waiting to strike. Orins excels at abstract clang and thump, and Mori's electronic splatters and spasms have rarely sounded better.
6. Daniel Carter, Leo Genovese, William Parker, Francisco Mela – Shine Hear, Vol. 1 (577) Of the many great 577 recordings released in 2023, I was particularly impressed and kept coming back to this one, which brings the thunder and skronk courtesy of pianist Genovese and saxophonist Carter, but is also quite lyrical at times, especially on the concise title track . Bassist Parker's vocals (specifically the gralla and shakuhachi) and drummer Mela's vocals intensify the 70s loft. Shine Hear, Vol. 1and given Carter and Parker's veteran stature in New York, this is a completely organic circumstance.
5. Bill Orcutt – Jump on him (Palilalia) The incomparable Bill Orcutt has generated much recent attention for his guitar quartet (a result of performing Music for four guitarswhich is all Orcutt), and the same goes for his more improvisational collaborations (a recent video clip of Orcutt, drummer Chris Corsano and saxophonist Zoh Amba is jaw-dropper), but 2023 also brought the first solo man's acoustic record in ten years (the last A story for everyone reached number one on TVD's Best New Releases of 2013 list). Since then, Orcutt has moved into familiar, tangibly beautiful territory, and that's great.
4. Maduvadi Friend – The Holy Mother – Madhuvanti Pal Plays the Rudra Veena (High frequencies) The plain fact is that Sublime Frequencies don't make bad records. I have yet to hear an average release from the company. They offer many excellent recordings, with The holy mary notable as it is a new release, not an archive. Madhuvanti Pal's skills on the rudra veena (a lute with an ancient history but rarely heard in recorded form) are immense. This is the first vinyl long player of a woman playing the rudra veena ever released, two large pieces spread out on four sides of wax, and it is absolutely gorgeous.
3. Lewsberg – On the foot (12XU) Lewsberg has been compared to the Velvet Underground. Indeed, I have compared them to the Velvet Underground. But Lewsberg has always transcended that influence, leaning into indie pop at its most Moleskin notebook, but with a refreshing lack of affection. “Out for Milk” reminds me more than a little of Yo La Tengo in the early days before they solidified with James as a third member, but more jandilli and definitely more euro. Ultimately, Lewsberg doesn't strive for stunning originality, but instead reinvigorates the tried and true in a highly individual and extraordinary way.
2. Matthew Shipp – Shipp's native nature (Mahakala Music) As prolific as he is amazing, Matthew Shipp is no stranger to the solo piano record. Taking a look at his discography, this appears to be the twelfth time he's entered the studio or recorded on stage by his lonesome. The last Shipp solo I've heard was worth it because, like Sublime Frequencies, Matthew Shipp doesn't make bad records. The title is indicative. While this is Shipp and nothing else, the compositions are all his, and the emotional register of his playing sounds wider than ever. Inexhaustible.
1. Kris Davis: Diatom Ribbons – Live at Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic) The pianist-composer-improviser-record impresario of Davis's Diatom Ribbons released a studio record in 2019, but none of his tracks are played on this 2CD documenting shows from May 27-28, 2022. This is also a smaller group, remaining from the studio session Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Val Jeanty on turntables and electronics and Trevor Dunn on acoustic and electric bass. Julian Lage is featured on guitar on Vanguard as the previous album welcomed Nels Cline and Marc Ribot on instrument, as well as Esperanza Spalding on vocals.
Davis took a tactic from the studio disc – “Certain Cells” features the words of Gwendolyn Brooks and ran with it for the Vanguard dates, incorporating an interview with Sun Ra on “VW”, the vocals of Olivier Messiaen and Paul Bley on 'Bird Call Blues' and the voice of Karlheinz Stockhausen on 'Parasitic Hunter'. These additions fit seamlessly into a band framework that's undeniably crisp and appealingly jazzy, even as Davis and crew refuse to bow to traditionalism. It's a record so pleasing that its enduring excellence and overall achievement takes some time to register. As soon as it hits… oh boy.
It seems like every year is a tough year now, but the above records made it better. Great music always makes things better. Let's all focus on making 2024 as positive as possible. Happy new year to everyone.
