Jan 20 2019
Best of 2018 #5: Makaya McCraven – “Universal Beings”
I’m not sure how much more I can say about this recording. I originally included Makaya McCraven‘s Universal Beings in my Best Jazz on Bandcamp column, in which I explained how “Four concerts in four different cities [and] four casts of collaborators lead to four different perspectives on the expressionistic range of modern jazz.” Later, for the Best Bandcamp Jazz in 2018 column, I added that his “cohesive vision of the strength and diversity of today’s talent pool… is a statement, and that statement is: This is jazz today.” And then, finally, for its inclusion on The Best Albums of 2018, which included music for all genres, I summed up that “Universal Beings reveals the wealth of riches right there in front of us. You don’t need to hold onto 1959; Makaya McCraven can give you today.” McCraven captures four different takes on the modern jazz sound with four different ensembles performing in four different cities, further cementing the fact that this music is everywhere and that its potential for expression is limited only by the space on the planet and how that affects the space within artists heads and hearts and souls.
Released on International Anthem.
Music from Chicago, IL.
I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.
There’s an absorbing personality borne by the dual nature of
Feb 10 2020
Now up: January’s Best Jazz on Bandcamp recommendations
And here we go. Okay, so before entering the homestretch of the #Bird2019 Best of 2019 countdown, lets take a brief interlude and put the spotlight on some excellent recordings that made their mark in the first month of the new year. Just now, my latest Best Jazz on Bandcamp recommendations posted on The Bandcamp Daily. This monthly installment covers albums for January 2020. There’s ten primary recommendations in total, plus some bonus recommendations, to boot. The new year is off to a great start, so don’t go thinking that all of your budget is going to be obliterated by my Best of 2019 list. You’re just getting started on a whole new year of great music.
On that note, let’s begin.
Follow this LINK to read those recommendations and listen to music from each album.
Check out past recommendations by running through my contributor archives.
Have fun going through the list!
Cheers.
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By davesumner • Jazz Recommendations - 2020 releases • 0 • Tags: Antoine Berjeaut, Auand Records, Brian Shankar Adler, Chant Records, Dan Rosenboom, Discos ICM, Ears and Eyes Records, Fabian M. Mueller, Gearbox Records, I See Colors, International Anthem, Jeff Parker, John Tchicai, Kaspar von Grünigen, Luke Norris, Makaya McCraven, Marcos Basso Grupo, Mike Baggetta, Minus Zero Records, Muriel Grossmann, Oyvind Hegg-Lunde, Samuele Strufaldi, Self-Produced, The Westerlies, Tommaso Rosati