Redwood Jazz Alliance's Top Jazz Sides | North Coast Journal

Redwood Jazz Alliance’s Top Jazz Sides

(Dec. 24, 2009) Spirit Moves — Dave Douglas (Greenleaf Music)

A sublime homage to the all-embracing, pop-inspired spirit of Lester Bowie. This is brass band jazz that inherits and ennobles several different traditions at once.

GALLERY >

Infernal Machines —Darcy James Argue (New Amsterdam)

With his “steampunk” big band Secret Society, Darcy James Argue seamlessly blends post-rock guitar, electronica-inspired textures and post-minimalist rhythms with the modern big band tradition that stretches from Thad Jones to Maria Schneider. (He has a great blog, too.)

Historicity — Vijay Iyer (ACT)

Pianist Iyer is the man of the moment in the jazz blogosphere. He’s at the top of his game as a player, composer and arranger (and explicator of his own work), and this trio record is his breakout disc. One of many high points: a totally rocking cover of M.I.A.’s “Galang.” That’s all the reason you need to check it out.

Think Free —Ben Allison (Palmetto)

Allison continues his experiments with a sound that incorporates the rock, pop and film music of his formative years — but with a new band, featuring holdover Steve Cardenas on guitar, Shane Endsley replacing Ron Horton on trumpet, Rudy Royston in the drummer’s chair, and Humboldt homegirl Jenny Scheinman on violin.

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