AAJ Year End: John Kelman's Best Releases of 2018

[jkelman]

Hello, folks! My Best Releases of. 2018, published today at All About Jazz. As I did last year, since my habit was, before becoming ill, to only include titles I'd reviewed, there are two lists (well, three really): 11 chosen from those I've reviewed, plus another whack of albums, broken into jazz and beyond (meaning everything else) that I'd have reviewed and included, had I been well enough.

To those whose albums I didn't get to review, I'm sorry (as always), but hopefully being included here will be some small consolation.

You can find the list here...

[per anporth]

Thanks for sharing this, John.

As ever, it's sad to hear of your continuing health struggles, & they just make it all the more generous of you to continue to share your thoughts & reflections. Best wishes to you for the New Year.

Amongst the records that you cite, I was taken aback to learn of the new John Surman album - partly because I'd somehow missed it, & partly because I realised that it was five years or more since Saltash Bells.

As you can infer from my moniker, Surman is a huge musical presence for me. I immediately ordered the cd, & am currently listening to the audio files. Do I need to say that, even on a first listen, this is a breathtakingly beautiful recording? The intimations of Latin/Brazilian melodies are a delightful complement to Surman's English folk leanings, & the percussion opens up yet new sonic spaces for this endlessly incentive musician to explore.

[starless and bible black]

Thanks John for your year end best of list. I always enjoy reading your reviews at the AJJ site (and your positive review of KC's Meltdown-Live In Mexico from a couple months ago convinced me to pick it up). Sorry to hear about your ongoing illness and hope that you can make a complete recovery soon.

[Mascodagama]

Thanks very much for your list Jonathan. I owe you a big debt for thus having hipped me to the fact that there is a new Sound & Fury album! Their previous, Pulsacion, is one of my favourite jazz records of the last ten years, but I had no idea they had another out. An instabuy for me.

There's much else here to explore too...

[jkelman]

Thanks for sharing this, John.

As ever, it's sad to hear of your continuing health struggles, & they just make it all the more generous of you to continue to share your thoughts & reflections. Best wishes to you for the New Year.

Amongst the records that you cite, I was taken aback to learn of the new John Surman album - partly because I'd somehow missed it, & partly because I realised that it was five years or more since Saltash Bells.

As you can infer from my moniker, Surman is a huge musical presence for me. I immediately ordered the cd, & am currently listening to the audio files. Do I need to say that, even on a first listen, this is a breathtakingly beautiful recording? The intimations of Latin/Brazilian melodies are a delightful complement to Surman's English folk leanings, & the percussion opens up yet new sonic spaces for this endlessly incentive musician to explore.

Thanks, as ever Per, for your kind and supportive words...and I'm very happy to have brought the Surman to your attention. I liked it so much I picked it up in high res, and all I can say is:wow. The space is even broader, the pristine clarity of the performances even more stunning. If you're into high res, I'd recommend this one. ECM CDs sound wonderful, of course, but even their extraordinary CD mastering is rendered even better when mastered in higher resolutions.
Cheers!
John

[jkelman]

Thanks John for your year end best of list. I always enjoy reading your reviews at the AJJ site (and your positive review of KC's Meltdown-Live In Mexico from a couple months ago convinced me to pick it up). Sorry to hear about your ongoing illness and hope that you can make a complete recovery soon.

Thanks, for the kind words and wishes. Alas, after living with CFS for over four years now, I fear I'm stuck with it, unless the research that's going on to get to the bottom of what causes it yields results. It's a drag, but I've been very very lucky to have had the experiences I've had, and while I live a considerably smaller life now, I'm grateful for those experiences, for my ability to continue writing, even if at a reduced pace, and for being blessed with a wonderful wife and home.

Life could be a lot worse, and I've been trying, especially as I've gotten older, to be a "half full" kinda guy, rather than the alternative

Cheers,
John

[jkelman]

Thanks very much for your list Jonathan. I owe you a big debt for thus having hipped me to the fact that there is a new Sound & Fury album! Their previous, Pulsacion, is one of my favourite jazz records of the last ten years, but I had no idea they had another out. An instabuy for me.

There's much else here to explore too...

Thanks, man..and glad to have spread the word on S&F (though imwish I could've reviewed it!).

Not that it's a big deal, but I do prefer John over Jonathan....like I said, no biggie but figured I'd mentioned it!
Cheers!
J

[Mascodagama]

Thanks, man..and glad to have spread the word on S&F (though imwish I could've reviewed it!).

Not that it's a big deal, but I do prefer John over Jonathan....like I said, no biggie but figured I'd mentioned it!
Cheers!
J

I'm sorry about that. It's been a hectic December and I'm a bit tired or wouldn't have made this mistake.

Have a great Festivus & all my best for a happy and fruitful 2019.

[FrippWire]

Thanks for sharing, John. I appreciate year end lists because they never fail to shine a light on things I've missed or just flat out forgotten about.

[jkelman]

I'm sorry about that. It's been a hectic December and I'm a bit tired or wouldn't have made this mistake.

Have a great Festivus & all my best for a happy and fruitful 2019.

No worries....it was just a bit odd...

Back at ya for all the seasonal best wishes!

[jkelman]

Thanks for sharing, John. I appreciate year end lists because they never fail to shine a light on things I've missed or just flat out forgotten about.

I'm always happy to help....get others to spend their money too!!

[starless and bible black]

Thanks, for the kind words and wishes. Alas, after living with CFS for over four years now, I fear I'm stuck with it, unless the research that's going on to get to the bottom of what causes it yields results. It's a drag, but I've been very very lucky to have had the experiences I've had, and while I live a considerably smaller life now, I'm grateful for those experiences, for my ability to continue writing, even if at a reduced pace, and for being blessed with a wonderful wife and home.

Life could be a lot worse, and I've been trying, especially as I've gotten older, to be a "half full" kinda guy, rather than the alternative

Cheers,
John

Wow! Sorry to hear about that John. Keep on hoping for the best (and keep hoping that research can lead to a cure for CFS).

[jkelman]

Wow! Sorry to hear about that John. Keep on hoping for the best (and keep hoping that research can lead to a cure for CFS).

Thanks, man, much appreciated....
Cheers!
J

[aith01]

John,

Thank you for continuing to write and contribute, both to AAJ and PE. Always enjoy reading your reviews/posts. You've helped me to discover quite a lot of music (jazz and otherwise) that I might have missed out on.

My mom has CFS, and I've seen firsthand how much that can affect one's life.

I'm glad we still have you around. Keep hanging in there.

[jkelman]

John,

Thank you for continuing to write and contribute, both to AAJ and PE. Always enjoy reading your reviews/posts. You've helped me to discover quite a lot of music (jazz and otherwise) that I might have missed out on.

My mom has CFS, and I've seen firsthand how much that can affect one's life.

I'm glad we still have you around. Keep hanging in there.

Thanks for your kind words...and I'm sorry to hear your mother is a fellow CFS sufferer. Many don't truly get what it is - and what it isn't...like, for example, you can't just rest or exercise your way out of it, since I was physically very active when I came down with it. But fellow sufferers and, more often than not, their families do get it, though I'm always disturbed to hear of others dealing with it, either personally or through a loved one.

So thanks, man. I try to remain optimistic, and hope your mom does as well. You just have to accept the limitations and work with them, as one thing's for sure: you cannot fight them.

Cheers!
J