Despite my protestations that I am not a critic, I was again invited by the esteemed jazz writer Francis Davis to participate in his end of year poll, hosted by NPR music. We still have a month to go before the end of the year, but the deadline for ballots was December sixth and he was asking for ballots to be returned sooner than later. The final results of the poll will be posted on the NPR Music web site around Christmas time and Tom Hull will be posting the choices of the individual voters shortly thereafter. These were my choices for 2015 new releases and historical releases:
•Your choices for this year’s 10 best New Releases:
1. Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth - Epicenter (Clean Feed Records)
2. William Parker/Raining on the Moon - Great Spirit (AUM Fidelity Records)
3. Mostly Other People Do the Killing - Mauch Chunk (Hot Cup Records)
4. Matthew Shipp Trio - The Conduct of Jazz (Thirsty Ear Records)
5. Paul Dunmall & Tony Bianco - Homage to Coltrane (Slam Records)
6. Mario Pavone - Blue Dialect (Clean Feed Records)
7. The Thing - Shake (The Thing Records)
8. John Zorn - Inferno (Tzadik Records)
9. Rudresh Mahanthappa - Bird Calls (ACT Records)
10. Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas - Soundprints: Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival (Blue Note Records)
•Your top-three Reissues or Historical albums:
1. David S. Ware - Apogee/Birth of a Being (AUM Fidelity Records)
2. Sonny Rollins Quartet with Don Cherry - Complete Live at the Village Gate 1962 (Solar Records)
3. Miles Davis at Newport 1955 - 1975 (Legacy Records)
Send comments to Tim.