Top 10 Jazz

by Shaun Brady

Sometimes greatness is achieved simply by the interaction of unparalleled voices. Such is the case with this disc, the first meeting of bassist Mario Pavone and piano curmudgeon Paul Bley in 35 years. Joined by the playful inventions of drummer Matt Wilson, the result is sheer alchemy, a brisk 42-minute statement of elegant intensity. The wheel needn't be reinvented when it can be made to roll toward such transcendent ends.

2. Donny McCaslin

McCaslin has at times suffered for following Chris Potter as saxophonist in Dave Douglas' band, never quite taking the headline-grabbing turns that his predecessor has in assembling his electric or chamber groups. But McCaslin has steadily churned out increasingly exciting music as a leader, culminating (so far) in this consistently sparking trio set.

3. Rudresh Mahanthappa, featuring Kadri Gopalnath & The Dakshina Ensemble

The result of a project debuted at the Painted Bride that found the Colorado-born saxophone player exploring his South Indian heritage, the Dakshina Ensemble pairs Mahanthappa's tart, knotty alto with that of his Carnatic counterpart, Gopalnath, and an ensemble that finds common ground between East and West without compromising either.

4. Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures

An early exponent of fusing jazz and world music, percussionist Rudolph's long-running ensemble employs swaths of color, vivid blocks of sound that wash over each other creating ethereal and, yes, dream-like pastoralia.

5. Charles Lloyd

The saxophonist's soulful searching has resulted in a series of meditative, questing albums over the past few years, but Rabo de Nube exhibits an increased urgency. That's due in large part to his latest quartet, which finds pianist Jason Moran countering Lloyd's buoyant flights with sharp edges.

6. Kurt Rosenwinkel

The Philly-born guitarist joins the long list of names who've come home from stints at NY's legendary Village Vanguard with a scintillating recording. The two-disc set contains only eight tracks, ensuring that Rosenwinkel's empathic quintet exhausts the possibilities of the atmospheric tunes.

7. Dafnis Prieto Sextet

Cuban-born Prieto's third release as a leader shouldn't necessarily be referred to as Latin jazz, though the percussionist can't help but take off from a base grounded in Afro-Cuban rhythm. He refuses to be trapped by the clichés, however, confident in following his own path toward a far more advanced hybrid.

8. Fieldwork

Separately, the trio of saxophonist Steve Lehman, pianist Vijay Iyer and drummer Tyshawn Sorey have all been leading remarkable units of late; together their individual voices sound clearly while combining into a distinctive, cerebral collective language.

9. Aaron Parks

The young piano prodigy makes his major label debut with a (Radio)heady blending of modern jazz and indie rock, constructing mini-narratives out of memorable, cinematic compositions.

10. Paul Motian Trio 2000 +Two

The venerable Motian is an unfailing marvel, standing apart from nearly everyone else behind the kit by seeming to support his bandmates from on high, by delicate filaments, rather than the supportive backbone supplied by most drummers. Here he supplements his regular trio with saxophonist Greg Osby and violist Mat Maneri.

(s_brady@citypaper.net)