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Best of 2006 list
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City Pages, Best of 2006 list >>
SWINGING AND SWOONING OVER OF 2OO6'S BEST JAZZ ALBUMS
-by Britt Robson
Here are 10 great jazz discs from 2006. On certain days, they might even be my top 10 of this abundant year. Check with citypages.com for the latest capricious ordering of these and 40 others worthy of your attention.
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BAND LEADERS^
Dave Holland Quintet,
Critical Mass, (Dare2)
Dave Douglas,
Meaning and Mystery, (Green Leaf)
Bassist Holland has nurtured the best small ensemble in jazz by encouraging all four of his cohorts to compose, while setting a high standard with his own distinctively sinuous tunes, and the wide-ranging harmonic and textural possibilities of a piano-less lineup that includes a trombonist and vibraphonist. Critical Mass fully integrates newest member Nate Smith on drums, and, like the band's half-dozen previous discs, lets its unique instrumentation, generous spotlight-sharing, acute familiarity, and enormous core talent do the rest. It's been delightful to see Dave Douglas shed some of his Artist pomposity and rejigger his own quintet along similar lines on Meaning and Mystery. Electric pianist Uri Caine delivers the warm, diaphanous tones Holland vibist Steve Nelson executes, and the group utilizes the fulcrum of a pliable, intelligent rhythm section and forceful horns to remind us that, done right, mainstream jazz remains a spontaneous, suspenseful joyride.
12/20/06
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