Best Jazz Albums Of 2009 Recap

Best Jazz Albums Of 2009

Over the last week we have discussed the albums that we have been listening to for the past year. Below is a recap of our listing of the Best Jazz Albums Of 2009. It was a great year, filled with a lot of creativity, some artists returning to what they do best and others continuing to push the ideas of what we've known as jazz. If you have a chance to listen to any of these albums please let us know what you think. How did it affect you? Have a great new year and here's to some awesome music for 2010!

Best Albums Of 2009
The Vandermark 5
Dave Douglas
Julian Lage
The New Mastersounds
Eric Alexander
Jon Hassell & David S. Ware
Portico Quartet
Joshua Redman & Bugge Wesseltoft
Acoustic Ladyland

In addition I really wanted to mention my favourite and most important reissue of 2009 that I hope everyone gets a chance to find and hear at some point during 2010--Manfred Schoof Resonance (ECM Records).

Manfred Schoof (trumpet; b. 1936)
Resonance (ECM Records)


Manfred Schoof's free form style was first developed by the European jazz ensemble Global Unity Orchestra. While Schoof's own material isn't for everyone, it is important to know. A real mixture of classical aesthetics and roaming jazz rhythms, Manfred Schoof would be one of the early forerunners of the European Free Jazz movement that was influenced by Miles Davis and John Coltrane material of the late '60s. The bulk of Manfred Schoof's material was recorded in the '70s and is now extremely hard to find. Almost a holy grail amongst free jazz enthusiasts, Schoof's material is highly sought after.

There are a few albums still available online but a recent collection of three of his most important albums from '70s are now available under the titled Resonance (ECM Records). Resonance features sessions that were only released in Japan but they are a nice treasure trove into the vibe of European during a time that was really dominated by American artists exploring fusion. There is allot here to enjoy even if you are aren't a fan of free jazz. Those familiar with Enrico Rava, Woody Shaw and Tomasz Stanko will find Manfred Schoof recordings intriguing. Manfred has done a lot of sessions since, but Resonance is definitely a great opportunity for anyone looking for something new and adventurous.