Henning Bolte, Jazzism (Netherlands):
BEATRIZ NUNES - Canto Primeiro (Sintoma Records)
A selection of the hot new music surfacing across the continent this month by the top European jazz magazines and websites.
Patrik Sandberg, OrkesterJournalen (Sweden):
WAYNE SHORTER - Emanon (Blue Note)
Cim Meyer, Jazz Special (Denmark):
VIVIAN BUCZEK - Ella Lives (Prophone)
This release from the Swedish singer with Polish ancestors has a consistently high level without breaking new ground. Often an inspiration can turn into copy-paste but Buczek and her crew pull it off with a handful of very well-known standards. This is as good a celebration as any of Fitzgerald’s 100 years’ birthday – had she still lived.
Lars Mossefinn, Dag og tid (Norway):
TRYGVE SEIM - Helsinki Songs (ECM)
Luca Vitali, Giornale della Musica (Italy):
JOHN ZORN - The Book Beriah (Tzadik)
Madli-Liis Parts, Muusika (Estonia):
ESTONIAN VOICES - Taat läks hulluks (Sheikid Records)
Paweł Brodowski, Jazz Forum (Poland):
MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO - Live (ECM)
This is the first ever live album of the internationally best known Polish jazz group, which next year will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. It is their fifth recording for the ECM label, following „Trio” (2005), „January” (2008), „Faithful” (2011) and „Spark of Life” (2014). Marcin Wasilewski - p, Sławomir Kurkiewicz- b and Michał Miśkiewicz - dr also recorded three albums for ECM as part of the Tomasz Stańko Quartet: “Soul of Things”, “Suspended Night” and “Lontano”. The newest release presents the Trio at peak form in a concert which took place at the Middlheim Jazz Festival in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016. The set included Wasilewski’s original compositions such as “Night Train to You” and „Austin”, as well as covers of Sting’s “Message in a Bottle” and Herbie Hancock’s “Actual Proof” – in dynamic, exhilarating executions.
Mike Flynn, Jazzwise (UK):
SKÚLI SVERRISSON AND BILL FRISELL - Strata (Newvelle Records)
Anna Filipieva, Jazz.Ru (Russia):
KLE2GO - To Do Or Not To Do (ArtBeat Music)
An unlikely Moscow-based combo of one Kle, a.k.a. world music woodwinds/reeds player Sergey Klevensky, and two Go's – jazz rock fusion bassist Anton Gorbunov and jazz vibes player Vladimir Goloukhov – comes up with a style/genre mix which sounds playful, fresh, and still very eclectic. This is where eclecticism is so severe it even becomes a joining force.
Jan Granlie, salt-peanuts.eu (pan-scandinavian):
SCHLIPPENBACH/TAKASE - Live at Café Amores (Nobusiness)
Christine Stephan, JAZZTHETIK (Germany):
JOHN COLTRANE - Both Directions At Once – The Lost Album (Impulse! Records)
