TOP TEN DISCS OF 2003

DEAR READERS,

All lists are arbitrary, and are supposed to be fun and arbitrary. Like reviews, they should be taken as one person’s feelings as the moment. Non-reviewer music biz folk were asked to not include their own clients. We did make one exception, because he his list had been in print elsewhere first.

As recorded music is an aberration, a wonderful aberration, so is its appearance, disappearance and reappearance. These are the Best Of lists for 2003 not necessarily because of release in 2003, but because this is when we discovered them. Largely, reviewers rely on review copies for our pains, and so if there’s any bias, it’s due to being able to hear only a smidgen of what’s out there. It’s hard to keep up. We discover discs, as you do, new in shops, on sale tables, a friend feeling so strongly the friend buys copies for other friends (hurray for such friends!), samples on the ‘net, and discs sold at concerts.

I love records, but despite my addiction to the needle (I will always think in turntable terms), I crave doing it for real. Go visit our musicians live, friends. Write them letters telling them you love what they do. Ask them to visit your town and offer them your couch. The musicians we cover usually get paid as much as poets do; a crust of bread and such, so here’s to Stone Soup Mix 2003. I already found at least a dozen I must immediately buy. Good luck, all of you.

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CRAIG NIXON

Managing Editor, JumpArtsJournal

1. Jimmy Lyons - The Box Set (Ayler)

2. Dave Holland Quintet - Extended Play, Live at Birdland (ECM)

3. Andrew Hill - Passing Ships (Blue Note)

4. Ken Filiano - Subvenire (9 Winds)

5. Joe Giardullo 4tet - Now Is (Drimala)

6. Miles Davis - Live at The Cellar Door (Columbia)

7. John Taylor Trio - Rosslyn (ECM)

8. Lizz Wright - Salt (Verve)

9. Steve Haines Quintet - Beginner's Mind (Artists House)

10. Marty Ehrlich - The Long View (Enja)

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EFRéN Del VALLE

Music Journalist based in Barcelona; professional translator.

In no particular order, except for the first one.

- Eyvind Kang. Virginal Coordinates (I Dischi Di Angelica)

- Adachi Tomomi Royal Chorus. Yo (Tzadik)

- Eugene Chadbourne/René Lussier. L'Oasis (Victo)

- Chien Yin-Chen. Purr. (Tzadik)

- Satoko Fujii/Tatsuya Yoshida. Toh-Kichi (Victo)

- Pram. Dark Islands.

- Marc Ribot. Scelsi Morning (Tzadik)

- Paul Shapiro. Midnight Minyan. (Tzadik)

- Julius Hemphill. One Atmosphere. (Tzadik)

- John Zorn. Filmworks XIV: Hiding and Seeking. (Tzadik)

- John Zorn. Chimeras." (Tzadik)

- Active Ingredients. "Titration." (Delmark)

- "Japanese New Music Festival European Tour 2003.” Various Artists. (Magaibutsu Limited)

- Erik Friedlander. Maldoror. (Brassland)

2003 (re)discoveries:

- Burt Bacharach. After the Fox. (Ryko)

- Les Baxter. Tamboo/Skins. (Collectables Records)

- The Beach Boys. Smile. (Sea of Tunes)

- Anthony Braxton. For Alto. (Delmark)

- Anthony Braxton. 3 Compositions of New Jazz. (Delmark)

- Alice Coltrane. Journey in Satchidananda. (Impulse!)

- Alice Coltrane. Ptah The El Daoud. (Impulse!)

- John Coltrane. Live in Japan. (Impulse!)

- Martin Denny. "he Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny. (Capitol)

- Martin Denny. Exotica/Exotica 2. (Scamp)

- Luc Ferrari. Cellule 75. (Tzadik)

- Bruce Haack. The Electric Lucifer. Book 2.

- Dick Hyman. Moon Gas. (MGM)

- Hugo Montenegro. Come Spy With Me. (RCA Spain)

- Lou Reed. The Blue Mask. (BMG)

- Steve Reich. Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards. (Deutsche Grammophon)

- Steve Reich. Music for 18 Musicians. (BMG)

- Raymond Scott. Manhattan Research Inc." (Basta)

- Raymond Scott. "Soothing Sounds for Baby Vols. I-III. (Basta)

- Morton Subotnik. "Silver Apples of the Moon/The Wild Bull. (Wergo)

- In His Own Sweet Way: A Tribute to Dave Brubeck. Various Artists. (Avant)

- Bill Laswell. "Invisible Design. (Tzadik)

- John Zorn. New Traditions In East Asian Bar Bands. (Tzadik)

- John Zorn. Painkiller: The Complete Studio Recordings: 1991-1994. (Tzadik)

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KEN FIELD

In alphabetical order, these are the top ten discs that I've played in 2003 on The New Edge http://newedge.home.att.net on WMBR, Cambridge. http://kenfield.org

1. Bikneva. Bikneva. Big John. bigjohn.net

2. Anouar Brahem. Le Pas du Chat Noir. ECM. ecmrecords.com

3. Michael Byron. Awakening at the Inn of the Birds. Cold Blue. coldbluemusic.com

4. Philip Glass. Saxophone. Orange Mountain. orangemountain.com

5. Jean-Michel Jarre. Sessions 2000. Dreyfus. dreyfusrecords.com

6. Jewels & Binoculars. The Music of Bob Dylan. Ramboy. ramboyrecordings.com

7. Gaby Kerpel. Carnabailito. Nonesuch. nonesuch.com

8. Sera una Noche. Segunda. MA Recordings. marecordings.com

9. Tiptons. Short Cuts. Spoot. amydenio.com

10. Various-Cold Blue Complete 10-inch Series. coldbluemusic.com [I bought most of these when they came out on vinyl; it’s good to see them available again. -Ed.]

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JIM EIGO

Promoter, JazzPromoServices; lifetime club, label, and musician supporter

1. Lenny Breau. The Hallmark Sessions. Art of Life AL1007-2.

When Chet Atkins first heard Lenny Breau in a Nashville rehearsal studio in the 1960s he immediately signed him to RCA. Lenny was an amazing musician. A guitarist with flawless technique and deep harmonic knowledge. Many considered him the Bill Evans of the guitar. "The Hallmark Sessions" is a welcome addition to Lenny's meager discography. And you won't believe the rhythm section of Rick Danko and Levon Helm. Could be the all-time best ever Blindfold Test stumper.

2. Art Ensemble of Chicago. The Meeting. Pi 107; Tribute To Lester. ECM 1808.

"The Meeting" features the quartet and "Tribute To Lester" features the trio

of Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Moghostut and Famoudou Moye. 30 YEARS OF

GREAT BLACK MUSIC! Need I say more? We all miss the good doctor Lester and wish he were still here [and now Malachi too- Ed.], but the AEC carries on. We're all looking forward to the AEC coming to NY for the first time in way too many years, March 30-April 4 at the Iridium.

3. Steve Lacy Trio, The Holy la. Sunnyside 1120.

I was driving my car returning from a night of club hoping in the city when "The Wane" came on the radio. I was struck by Steve's unparalled virtuosity. There was something very deep and mysterious in his playing something that cannot be expressed in words like a blues from another planet.

4. John McNeil, This Way Out. OmniTone 15204.

I first heard trumpeter John McNeil way back in the 1970s. I had a little record store on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. John lived upstairs and in the summer he would play out on his fire escape. I never forgot that. Before Dave Douglas there was John McNeil.

5. Joe Locke, 4 Walls of Freedom. Sirocco Music 1021.

The title comes from the famous autobiography by Trappist Monk Thomas Merton, "The Seven Story Mountain." He was a hipster jazzbo back in the 1930s before he entered the monastic life. The music is searching and swinging and also reminds us to make the most of every minute of every day. This was Bob Berg's last recording before he was tragically killed in an auto accident last December.

6. The Stryker/Slagle Band. Khaeon World Music.

Finally, a US release by the longtime musical partners guitarist Dave Stryker

and alto saxophonist Steve Slagle. These guys have been slugging it out in the

jazz trenches for a long time. Their music has all the important ingredients

for first class jazz making-a deep understanding of the blues, the ability to

swing and the courage to take chances. These guys are world-class improvisers.

7. Monk's Music. Harmony of Odd Numbers. CMB Records 102840.

Monk's Music "Harmony of Odd Numbers" features three musicians from the Bay Area, drummer Chuck Bernstein, pianist Sy Perkoff and bassist Frank Passantino. The CD also features 12 Monk compositions played with originality and wit that Monk himself would appreciate.

8. Nicholas Payton. Sonic Trance. WB-48447.

I first heard Nicholas Payton in the Jazz Tent at Fest in New Orleans, his hometown. Nicholas has traveled a long way since then and for his major label debut he's brewed up a spicy musical gumbo of funk and electric Miles.

9. Shirley Horn. May The Music Never End. Verve 60282.

Shirley Horn takes her time with a melody. She's not in a rush; she uses

silence and the spaces between the notes like Miles Davis. Ahmad Jamal, another

master of silence, guests on two tracks, as does Roy Hargrove. A notable

highlight of the live music season was Shirley's Valentines week appearance at the

Iridium in NYC done right after this recording. When she sang "Yesterday" you

could hear a pin drop in the room.

10. Cooper-Moore. Triptych Myth. Hopscotch 14.

Like Harry Partch and Conlon Nancarrow Copper-Moore is a true outsider. In

fact he's an outsider's outsider. A long time denizen of the Lower East Side of NYC he makes his own instruments, such as the deedly-bo, and does his own thing. On "Triptych Myth" he uses the piano accompanied by Tom Abbs on bass and

Chad Taylor on drums to weave his magic spells.

BEST REISSUES OF 2003

1. Grachan Moncur III. Mosaic Select.

You can always count on the Stamford, CT based Mosaic Records to give you the

definitive collection of an artist's work. Grachan Moncur III's Mosaic Select is no exception. The set includes every note Grachan Moncur recorded for Blue Note including his debut with Jackie McLean on "Destination Out" that also introduced vibist Bobby Hutcherson and drummer Tony Williams. Adam Shatz wrote a wonderful profile recently of Grachan for the New York Times and you can hear Grachan reunited with Jackie McLean and Bobby Hutcherson this coming spring performing these now classic compositions this coming spring at the Iridium in NYC.

2. Jimmy Lyons. The Box Set. Ayler Records aylCD-036-040.

After Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy one of the most important alto saxophonists to emerge from the 1960s was Jimmy Lyons. Jimmy Lyons firmly established his credentials as a member of the Cecil Taylor groups of the late 60s and early 70s. The sessions documented in "The Box Set" (7 CDs) come from live recordings done at Sam Rivers Studio Rivbea one of the most important venues presenting jazz during the heyday of the 70s Loft Jazz era.

3. Jaco Pastorius. Portrait of Jaco: The Early Years 1968-1978. Holiday Park Records.

This must be the year for Jaco Pastorius what with the Rhino set and the Heads Up "Jaco Big Band Tribute," but "Portrait of Jaco the early years 1968-1978" has to be one of the most meticulously assembled CD packages ever. This set includes a 76-page book with many unpublished photos and 38 of the rarest tracks featuring Jaco's earliest know recording playing the drums. This is an Internet only set and can be found here: www.HolidayParkRecords.com

4. Allen Eager. In The Land of OO-Bla-Dee 1947-1953. Uptown Records UPCD 27.49

The 14 tracks on "In The Land of OO-Bla-Dee" were recorded at various locations in Boston at the legendary Hi Hat club, CBS TV in New York City and at the famous fashion photographer Milton H. Greene's studio on Lexington Ave. in New York City. These rare sides also feature never-before-heard recordings from Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Serge Chaloff. Uptown Records has taken great care to preserve these rare recordings. Handsomely packaged in a slipcase the set is accompanied by a 64-page booklet with detailed session notes, biographies of all the musicians and many rare photos from the Greene archive.

BEST LIVE SHOWS OF 2003

1. Jazz Journalists Association Awards at BB King's

After the annual International Association of Jazz Educators confab, the JJA Awards is shaping up as the best jazz hang of the year. This is the seventh time the JJA has presented acknowledgements and recognitions to musicians, writers, and photographers. In addition to all the awards and schmoozing, highlights included an impromptu drum solo from MacArthur genius Stanley Crouch, Tony Scott presenting the Clarinet of the Year award to Marty Ehrlich, and eloquent comments from veteran journalist Nat Hentoff.

2. Ornette Coleman at Carnegie Hall

What more could you ask for? Straight from the JJA Awards. we piled into a cab and spilled into Carnegie Hall for the Ornette Coleman Quartet (Denardo Coleman, drums; Greg Cohen and Tony Falanga, double basses). Ornette, dressed to the nines in one of his signature hand-made suits, was in excellent form delivering a blistering 90-minute set of improvisatory brilliance. After the standing ovation Ornette & Co. played a brief encore. We floated out of Carnegie feeling like we witnessed jazz history in the making.

3. Tisziji Munoz at The Village Underground

With Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Rashied Ali, Don Pate and Paul Schaffer. At the urging of "Late Show with David Letterman" music director Paul Schaffer, the underground guitar legend Tisziji Munoz, (early mentor to Paul) lifted the bandstand at the Village Underground to exalted heights. Where Santana's solos end, that's where Tisziji's begin. I can only imagine what it must have sounded like to hear Coltrane at the Village Vanguard back in the day. This is as close as I'll ever get.

LOST & FOUND DEPT.

1. Henry Grimes at the Vision Festival

and his first NYC club appearance in 30 years at the Iridium in July. The big jazz story of 2003 has to be the rediscovery of legendary bassist Henry Grimes who was living in a SRO in LA since his disappearance from the scene nearly 30 years ago. Question was could he still play. You could hear a pin drop when Henry took his first extended solo during the Jeannie Lee Memorial Concert at the Vision Fest last June. J ust amazing. The man still had it, like he never stopped playing. That appearance led to his first NYC club appearance at the Iridium in July with Roy Campbell, Jr., trumpet, Rob Brown, alto saxophone; Andrew Bemkey, piano, and Michael Thompson, drums. Welcome back Henry!

2. Legends of the Clarinet with Tony Scott and Buddy DeFranco

at the Iridium during the JVC Fest with special guests Don Byron, Kenny Davern, Marty Ehrlich, Ronny Odrich, Perry Robinson. Bringing the two legends of the bebop clarinet together turned out to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime events. All the jazz pundits warned me in advance that Tony couldn't play. Well, they were wrong. Tony, with his flowing mane of white hair, long beard and no teeth, lived up to his reputation scatting, playing piano and yes, jamming on that clarinet. This cat must have the most muscular gums on the planet. Mr. "Music For Zen Mediation" was a great contrast to the impeccably dressed, professorial Buddy DeFranco. The Iridium stage is only blocks from 52nd Street where the legends jammed into the wee hours of the night and the legendary Birdland club (now Flashdancers) was, became a reminder of what those days must have been like with all the clarinets wailing simultaneously on "Oleo."

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JOHN KRUTH

John Kruth is a multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producer and author of “Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk” (Welcome Rain Books, 2000).

Hey you guys - here's my faves - not in any order for '03 - jdk

Sex Mob - Dime Grind Palace - Rope a dope

James Blood Ulmer – No Escape from the Blues - Hyena

Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom -Hyena

Emmy Lou Harris – Stumble Into Grace -Nonesuch

Robert Wyatt – Solar Flares Burn for You - Cuneiform

Robert Wyatt – Cuckooland - Hannibal

Richard Thompson – The Old Kit Bag - Cooking Vinyl/Spin Art

Jonathan Segel – Edgy Not Antsy - Magnetic

Townes Van Zandt – In the Beginning - Compadre

Danny Barnes – Dirt on the Angel - Terminus

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greg kelley

trumpeter, parts-of-trumpeter, boundary extender

* robert ashley: the wolfman [alga marghen CD]

* skeeter davis: the pop hits collection [taragon CD]

* pietro grossi: musicautomatica [die schachtel LP]

* kites [unskilled labor cassettes]

* lionel marchetti: dans la montagne [chloe 3"CD ]

* max neuhaus: fontana mix - feed [alga marghen CD]

* phenomenological boys: the rainbow record [dave's cock CD]

* sigtryggur berg sigmarsson: a little lost [bottrop-boy CD]

* mika vainio: in the kingdom of the blind, one eyed is king [touch CD]

* ami toshida: tiger thrush [improvised music from japan CD]

honorable mentions...

search party: montgomery chapel, forcefield: lord of the rings modulator, wolf eyes/black dice: chimes in black water, vol. 3, basil kirchin: quantum, kenneth higney: attic demonstrations, the new creation: troubled, omit: rejector

best live show...

whitehouse @ volksbuehne,berlin, march

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TOMAS HASSAN

A&R, Pax Recordings

Top 10 2003 CDs

1. Marcos Fernandes. Hybrid Vigor. Accretions CDALP-027. www.accretions.com

2. Ernesto Rodrigues, Guilherme Rodrigues, Gabriel Paiuk, Jose

Oliveira. Ficta. Creative Sources Recordings. CD005.

www.geocities.com/creativesources_rec/

3. Jeff Kaiser Ockodektet. 13 Themes for a Triskaidekaphobic.

Pfmentum PFMCD013. www.pfmentum.com

4. Hans Fjellestad. 33. Accretions CDALP-032. www.accretions.com

5. Matt Davignon. Music at 1/2 Speed. Edgetone Records. EDT 4024.

www.edgetonerecords.com

6. Various Artists. Praeface. Praemedia. praecd001. www.praemedia.com

7. Psi. Black American Flag. Evolving Ear. EE08. info@evolvingear.com.

8. Blevin Blectum. Talon Slalom. Deluxe Records. DLX012CD. www.deluxerecs.com

9. "The Long Awaited Etcetera..." with Katt Hernandez and friends at

High Zero 2001. Recorded 007. www.recorded.com

10. Steffen Basho-Junghans. Rivers and Bridges. Strange Attractors

Audio House. SAAH010. www.strange-attractors.com

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TAYLOR HO BYNUM

trumpet and reeds, composer, cool guy

Here's my favorites of '03:

Anthony Braxton & Wadada Leo Smith - Organic Resonance

Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson w/Craig Smith & Emmanuel Music - Bach Cantatas

Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Willie Nelson - Crazy (the demo sessions)

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AL MARGOLIS.

Pogus proprietor; label manager for Mutable, XI, and Deep Listening; the man behind If, Bwana

There was lotsa good listening this year, just not all of it current. Of course my listening is so screwed up - WAY behind - probably will be 2006 before I get to the best of 2003 [Al- we’re all of us, readers included, in that boat- Ed.] but I think these might be close, and you really screwed me up as a lot of the good stuff I heard was in in relation to all the places I work, if you are going to hold me to ethics - can't mention any of "the clients." The most important release this year I think (ok - my bias - I started this project when I was at New World, but important nonetheless) is all the music- great? - probably not - but it finally gives a chance for this to be heard and perhaps some reputations to be upgraded or made or... just cool to hear.

“Music from the ONCE Festival.” Various composers and artists. New World Records 80567-2 (5 cd set). www.newworldrecords.org

MATCHING MOLE. March. Cuneiform Rune 172. www.cuneiformrecords.com

My suckerdom for the Canterbury sound - very cool stuff (and the Softs’ Third has always been a desert island disc for me). A friend played her copy of it - but a very wonderful cd - and she is a mighty fine composer, from some of the other things I have heard.

OLGA NEUWIRTH - Clinamen/Nodus, Construction in Space. Kairos CD 0012302KAI. www.kairos-music.com [Damn! I missed the all-Neuwirth concert at Miller Theater.- Ed.]

COSMOS - Tears. Erstwhile Records 024. www.erstwhilerecords.com

Excellent Erstwhile release - dug the sine waves and vocals - simple, effective, and - nasty. Dug that sucker.

... and a couple of things on the Ants label out of Italy

DAVID FIRST. Dave's Waves. Ants. ant09cdr. www.silenzio-distribuzione.it/ants

PIETRO GROSSI. Battimenti. Ants AG03. www.silenzio-distribuzione.it/ants

... and I have been enjoying most of these discount compilation boxes, these and from Sanctuary Records - not necessarily Top Tens - but the series is excellent, a good catch-up. They take you through a whole bunch of reggae styles .

d

Trojan Reggae boxes: Nyahbinghi; Skinhead Reggae; Mod Reggae; UK Hits

The Fall reissues: Perverted by Language; Slates/A Part of America Therein, 1981; Totally Wired; Grostesque

... ok, that wraps it up for me.

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VINCE HARRIGAN.

Ambient apasionado; proprietor of Manifold Records label and distribution. Look for his upcoming book on the subject.

How about a top ten for every genre and sub-genre? And did it have to come out in 2003? 'Cause on the day I write this my two favorite records are a 1967 Samba record by Frank Sintra and Antonio Carlos Jobim and this Hank Williams Sr. greatest hits disc. Also, What does it say about the music industry when half of the best things from 2003 came out on CDR from micro-labels? I think we all know the answer to that tired old chestnut. OK, forget all that, I'll play it straight:

Aarktika. 'No Solace In Sleep'

Jon De Rosa, a musician, devloped hearing problems so severe that he had to isolate himself for a while. Deaf in one ear, he took the opportunity to approach sound in a different way, paying attention to the subtle power of less complex sounds. At the end of this self-enforced tonal therapy, he sailed out this masterpiece of what I imagine Thomas Koner would do if he used a guitar. Truly affecting snapshots of De Rosa's brand of infinity. On Silber Records, USA.

Neil Halstead. 'Sleeping On Roads'

The lead guy from Mojave 3 demonstrates what makes that band so good. Delicate, surreal and bright acoustic collages with the most heart-rending yet subtle lyrics. For the Red House Painters, Innocence Mission set. 4AD Records.

Sleep Research Facility. 'Nostromo'

Yes, even the dark-ambient nerd community has the occasional record that creates a tectonic shift in how we work and listen. This one certainly did it. The gimmick hooks you in: ambience generated solely from the first few minutes of the 1979 film Alien, that ominous drone of the spaceship Nostromo drifitng through deep space toward some as yet unguessed horror. But the delicate power and raw terro inhabiting seemingly minimal expanses of sound suck you in and make you throw this monster on every few days. On Cold Spring Records, UK.

DAJUIN YAO. 'Cinnabar Red Drizzle'

There's a whole world of sound happening out there in China and the Pacific Rim. These guys have been pretty much isolated from the rest of the experimental world so the artists on the Post-Concrete label have some truly fresh takes and techniques on everything they do. Based in Japan and Taiwan, Post-Concrete is a pioneer in bringing forth work from artists in this region. I simply chose one from this brilliant label. They're all excellent.

Beneath The Lake. 'Inside Passage'

Truly "environmental" ambient, using landscape, found-sounds, location mixed in with ambient. Sound new-agey or Concrete? Nope, its dark-ambient, and done superbly.

Various Artists. 'Describing Paranoia'

A CDR no less...witness the madness of car-crashes, car-crash dreams and drifting guitar drones. From the teeny-tiny Parasomnic Label, USA. Let's hope they do more like this

Lull. 'Collected'

Wait, I swear I'm not plugging my label! I really, really dig this. I listened to it maybe 100 times in demo form prior to pressing it and when we finally put it out on cd, and all the promotional blurbs were written and the big release was over, i listened to it 100 times more for just sheer pleasure. On some damn ambient label in the US I think.

Devolver. 'Sky Of Holes'

No one I know listens to this band, but thank God Transsiberian Records in Canada will still put them out. Five or six releases later and I still listen to every one of them regularly. No one else does this sort of surreal, acoustic, pop-ambient. I will be talking about Devolver until the end of time or until everyone on the planet has listened to either this or 'Affecting Automobile Backbone Cunning'.

Language Removal Services. 'The 100 Headless Diva'

A piece on NPR one day made me write these guys and they sent me a promo copy of their masterful piece of opera-experimental. They take recorded speech, talking, and remove the words, leaving in the indrawn breaths, clicking lips, sighs and gulps, wrapping it all up in a steamy cloak of sophisticated drones and instrumental sut-up. Truly unusual and affecting.

Mandible Chatter 'Of Foreign Lands And People'

OK, ok, i haven't actually heard this yet. But I know it would be in this list, i'd lie and put it in this list in any case because mandible Chatter should be famous, scoring films, working with Eno or David Byrne, something like that. I'm a fanatic for these guys if you must know. And you should be too. Relapse/Release got wise and put out the sixth full-length from this never equaled California duo. Unlike many instrumental ambient bands, these guys can actually play instruments! And many instruments too; piano, guitar, strings, etc. It's good to know I won't have to face 2004 without a new work by these guys.

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DONALD MILLER

Top X Hit List of 2003 (in alphabetical, not brain damage, order)

1. Art Ensemble of Chicago. Reese and The Smooth Ones. Fuel 2000 -

302 061 247 2; CD reissue of Actuel 8

2. Albert Ayler. The Copenhagen Tapes. ayler records aylCD-033.

www.ayler.com

3. Peter Brötzmann Group(s). Fuck de Boere (Dedicated to Johnny Dyani).

Atavistic ALP211CD. www. atavistic.com

4. Brötzmann/ Van Hove/ Bennink. Balls. Atavistic UMS/ALP233CD; CD reissue

of FMP 0020. www.atavistic.com

5. Evan Parker. lines burnt in light. psi records 01.01.

www.emanemdisc.com/psi.html

6. Jack Rose. Opium Musick. Eclipse Records- LP only, no catalog # per se.

www.eclipse-records.com

7. Iannis Xenakis. Electronic Music. INA/GRM Electronic Music Foundation,

Ltd. EMF CD 003

8. Iannis Xenakis. Persepolis + Remixes Edition 1. Asphodel LTD 2005.

www. asphodel .com

9. Iannis Xenakis. Musique Electro-Acoustique. Fractal Records 015.

www.fractal-records.com

10. “Wooden Guitar.” Various Artists (being Jack Rose, Steffen Basho-Junghans, Tetuzi Akiyama & Sir Richard Bishop). Locust 33. www.locustmusic.com

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STEVE KOENIG

Editor, JumpArtsJournal
Alphabetically listed, I can’t refrain at ten, and so many 2003 releases still unheard....

JAZZ AND IMPROV 2003

00. Aaron Alexander Sextet. Blues for Sparky. AA001. aaronalexander.com

01. Ganesh Anandan, Malcolm Goldstein and Rainer Wiens. Speaking In Tongues. Ambiances Magnetiques AM 118 CD, actuellecd.com

02. John Butcher & John Edwards. Optic. Emanem 40989, emanemdisc.com

03. Daniele D’Agaro, Ernst Glerum & Han Bennink. Strandjutters. hatOLOGY 590, cadencebuilding.com; hathut.com

04. Ivar Grydeland/ Tonny Kluften/ Paul Lovens. These Six. Sofa 512, sofamusic.no

05. Markus Eichenberger’s Domino Concept for Orchestra. Emanem 484.

06. Chris Forsyth and Ernesto Diaz-Infante. (as is stated...before known).

Evolving Ear EE07/Pax PR90263, evolvingear.com, paxrecordings.com

07. Gaël Mevel. Danses Parallèles. Leo LR CD 376. leorecords.com

08. Livio Minafra: La Dolcezza del Grido: Piano Solo. Leo LR CD 384. leorecords.com

09. François Raulin Trio. Trois Plans Sur La Comète. hatOLOGY 582. cadencebuilding.com; hathut.com

10. Jim Ryan’s Forward Energy. The Concept. Cadence Jazz Records CJR 1162, cadencebuilding.com

11. Elliott Sharp. The Velocity of Hue. Emanem 4098. emanemdisc.com

FILM WITH IMPROV DVDs:

1. Fred Frith. Step Across The Border. Winter & Winter Film Edition 915 001-7.

2. Fred Ho. The Black Panther Suite. Innova/Big Red Media 585.

3. Thelonious Monk. Monk In Oslo, April 5, 1966. (Bonus DVD included in Monk In Paris: Live At The Olympia. Thelonious Records/Hyena TMF 9316, hyenarecords.com

REISSUE OR HISTORICAL 2003

1. Willem Breuker. The Pirate: Previousl Unreleased Recordings 1969-1994. BVHAAST CD 0301.

2. Jeff Buckley. The Grace EPs. Columbia Legacy 501178-2 (5 CDs).

3. Jimmy Guiffre/ Paul Bley/ Steve Swallow. Emphasis, Stuttgart 1961/ Flight, Bremen 1961. HatOLOGY 3-595 (two discs).

4. Steve Lacy/Roswell Rudd Quartet. School Days. hatOLOGY 578. (1963)

5. Jimmy Lyons. The Box Set. Ayler Records aylCD-036-040.

6. Myra Melford Extended Ensemble. Even The Sounds Shines. hatOLOGY 597. (1994)

7. Thelonious Monk. Monk In Paris/Oslo. Thelonious Records/Hyena TMF 9316, hyenarecords.com, (CD + DVD).

8. Michel Portal, et al. Arrivederci/Le Chouartse. hatOLOGY . hathut.com

9. Evan Parker with various partners. The entire psi reissue series. emanem.com

10. Mal Waldron and Steve Lacy. Live at Dreher, Paris 1981: Round Midnight/The Peak. HatOLOGY 4-956, 4 CDs, hathut.com

TOP 10 JAZZ OR IMPROV LABELS 2003

1. Ayler

2. Boxholder

3. Cadence Jazz Records (CJR)

4. Delmark

5. Drimala

6. Emanem

7. Leo

8. Red Toucan/ Cactus

9. Rent Control

10. Sofa

BEST INDIVIDUAL PACKAGING 2003

1. Emerge. Relativity/ Profundity. Dromme 7” DR-64.

2. Folk Tales #3 (Dan Warburton; Kevin Shea; Adam Sonderberg). Crouton Records No. 15. 3x 3” CDs in three-fold sleeve with booklet.

BEST CORPORATE DESIGN 2003.

But first one gripe: Death to the digipak! Those of us with no space find these clunkers worse than even the DVD doubleboxes, plus, when they crack...

1. between the lines. Beautiful corporate artwork, which changes every other year, but one constant is a thick gatefold packaging, which is superthin on your shelf yet artistic and clearly readable spines. Similar slot and gatefold to HatHUT, but the thickness of the board prevents the bending so common to the otherwise praiseworthy hat.

2. Emanem. The back tray is an exemplor of purity, clarity, simplicity of design and recording data. Each recording session within an individual disc is charted cleanly, stating location, artist, whether newly released or reissue or expanded from original LP. Recently releases feature color photos on the inside tray card.

3. Drone. Vinyl only; seven-inchers with thick slabs of colored vinyl. Uniform labels with no text, and the wordless drone logo like a -- in the center, the colors adapted to the colors of the mottled or solid colored vinyl. Each artist creates their own design, yet all are variations of the 7” disc inside a non-damaging plastic sleeve, inside a paper sleeve with data or artist notes, inside an artist-designed paper overlay, often with special textured papers, surrounded by another thick put opaque plastic sleeve. Other than rica-paper sleeves, I can;t imagine a disc feeling more protected unless you feel that plastic will leach, no matter what. I haven’t seen this happen yet in my decade-old Drones and I, who often have had to peel old DG and Philips LPs from their plastic-lined sleeve, feel secure with these.

4. Crouton. Each release is different and stroking: there is no unformity yet you often instinctively know it’s a Crouton. Most use paper sleeves. Some have a center rivet holding the package, the Folktale series a tiny threefold cover enclosing thee three-inch CDs plus a booklet, many individually silkscreened. The music contained is either brilliant or interesting, never tedious.

5. Thirsty Ear Blue Series. Clear cobalt trays, and absolutely striking cover art for each in the improv or improv-with-some-electronics series.

6. Atavistic Unheard Music Series. The reissues in this series feature CD labels replicating the original A-side LP labels; the B-side labels are reproduced on the inner traycards.

TOP 10 JAZZ OR IMPROV REISSUE AND HISTORICAL LABELS 2003

1. Atavistic Unheard Music Series

2. Collectables

3. Blue Notes RVG Series

4. Deutsche Grammophon 20/21 series (not jazz, but often with improv) .

5. HatHUT

6. Leo Golden Years

7. Mosaic

8. Mutable

9. psi/Emanem

10. Sony Jazz Legacy

11. Verve Limited

TOP ELECTRONIC with or without Improv DISCS 2003

1. Lionel Marchetti. Dans la Montagne (Ki Ken Taï). chloé 004, cchloechloe.cc

2. Michael Schumacher. Room Pieces. XI

3. Amplify 02 [Festival]. 7 CDs+ DVD. Erstwhile.

4. CCMIX Paris. Xenakis- UPIC - Continuum. Mode 98/99. mode.com

5. Alejandro Escuer, flute. Aqua: Musica para flauta y electronica. Quindecim QP091. quindecim.com.mx

TOP 10 ELECTRONIC with or without Improv MUSIC LABELS 2003

1. Ambients Magnetiques/DAME

2. Drone

3. Erstwhile

4. Fringe

5. Ground Culture/Aus Cultare

6. Mode

7. Pogus

8. Potlatch

9. Rossbin

10. Soleilmoon/Hypnos

11. Thirsty Ear

12. XI

COMPOSED AND DECOMPOSED 2003

Frederica von Stade sings Dominic Argento. (Casa Guidi; Capriccio for Clarinet and Orchestra (Rossini In Paris); In Praise of Music: Seven Songs for Orchestra.) Reference Recordings RR-100CD, referencerecordings.com

Beethoven: Sonata 32; Schubert: Moments Musicaux. Gabriel Chodos, piano. Fleur de Lys FDS 57953, amazon.com

Kitty Brazelton. Chamber Music For The Inner Ear. CRI Emergency CD 889. newworldrecordings

Morton Feldman. String Quartet No. 2. FLUX Quartet. Mode 112 (DVD-A or 5 CDs). mode.com

George Flynn. Pieces of Night: Three American Nocturnes. Southport S-SSD 0095. chicagosound.com

G. F. Handel. Alcina. ArtHaus DVD 100 339. naxos.com

Brahms. Sonata 3; shorter works. Yvgeny Kissin, piano. RCA Red Seal 82876 52737 2

Mahler: arr. Schoenberg/Stein. Symphony 4; Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen. Smithsonian Chamber Players, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Kenneth Slowik, cond.; Christine Brandes, sopr., Susan Platts, mezzo. Dorian DOR 90315, allegro-music.com; dorian.com

TrioMats. Nilsson: Piano Trio; Sandstrom: Fantasia II; Jeverud: Chamber music, Chapter 2; Hansson: Tribute. Daphne 1015, ArkivMusic.com

Nancy Van de Vate. All Quiet on The Western Front, VMM 5566, cdemusic.org

Elliott Carter and Isang Yun. Chamber Works. Heinz Holliger, oboe, English horn;Thomas Zehetmair, violin;Thomas Demenga, cello; Ruth Killius, viola. ECM 1848/1859, ecm.com