Så går det raskt mot jul, og her er hva europas jazzmediaredaksjoner hører på mens folket ute i den store verden stresser gjennom gatene på jakt etter alt annet enn god musikk på plate. Men for dere som ønsker dere, eller ønsker å gi bort musikalske godbiter, så får dere noen gode ideer her:

Jan Granlie, salt-peanuts.eu:
ERIC DOLPHY: «Musical Prophet – The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions» (Resonance)

Christine Stephan, JAZZTHETIK:
SUNNA GUNLAUGS «Ancestry» (Galileo)

Viktor Bensusan, jazzdergisi.com:
JEFF GOLDBLUM AND THE MILDRED SNITZER ORCHESTRA «The Capitol Studio Sessions» (Decca)

Henning Bolte, Written in Music:
AVIVA ENDEAN «cinder : ember : ashes» (Sofa Music)

Cim Meyer, Jazz Special:
STEFAN PASBORG «Solo» (limited edition vinyl 10 inch lp)

Lars Mossefinn, Dag og tid:
BUILDING INSTRUMENT «Mangelen min» (Hubro)

Axel Stinshoff, Jazz thing:
MAKAYA MCCRAVEN «Universal Beings» (International Anthem)

Luca Vitali, Giornale della Musica:
PAOLO ANGELI «22:22 free Radiohead» (ReR Megacorp)

Madli-Liis Parts , Muusika:
SHAI MAESTRO «The Dream Thief» (ECM)

Paweł Brodowski, Jazz Forum:
AGA ZARYAN «What Christmas Means to Me» (Centrala)

Mike Flynn, Jazzwise:
CHRIS POTTER «Circuits» (Edition)

Anna Filipieva, Jazz.Ru:
OLEG GRYMOV QUINTET «Masala Life» (Fancy Music)

Why did I choose –

Henning Bolte:
Astonishing solo-album of Melbourne musician Aviva Endean for clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, whistle, timpani, voice and effects.
Operating on the edge of instrumental sound and breathing, Endean’s rich and mesmerizing music is a transcending affair all through of beautiful musical engravings morphing into and in open space. The music has a rare quality of concrete abstractness full of shimmering, dazzling tonalities, sub-melodic traces and vocal qualities. Endean’s music provides unusual as natural sounds. It speaks directly to listeners’ imagination and feelings, can even evoke trance effects.

Cim Meyer:
As he says: ”No overdubs, no backtracks. Only the sound of sticks, skin and metal objects. 100% improvised in the moment.”

Paweł Brodowski:
A collection of jazzed-up Christmas songs from the top Polish jazz singer Aga Zaryan, who is joined on three of the eleven pieces by the husky voice of special guest Freddy Cole. Tasteful arrangements by pianist Michał Tokaj for Aga’s European Jazz Sextet and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (except Bob Dorough’s “Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern” arranged by Gil Evans).

Anna Filipieva:
Never too late to start one’s career as a leader, even if you are 42, an esteemed soloist in Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra (arguably the Earth oldest existing big band,) and an in-demand instrumentalist on alto
and soprano saxes, clarinet, bass clarinet, and flute. It turns out Oleg Grymov is all that, plus has at least one album’s worth of delightful, tricky, and adventurous originals, brilliantly performed by his Moscow-based quintet.