My Favorites

Not really a "Top-Ten" or "Best-Of" list; these are some of my favorite music purchases from 2007.  Some newly-released, some not.  This is what I have been digging in absolutely no particular order:

Maria Schneider - Sky Blue.  Everything is superlative.

Chris Potter 10 - Song for Anyone.  I love the writing, the orchestration is brilliant, and Chris' playing always moves me.

Donny McCaslin - Soar.  Not a new release, but I just picked it up this past year.  Great textures - his use of the voice in his arrangements especially.

Jim Gailloreto - Jazz String Quintet.  Again, not a new release but a wonderful project by a great saxophone player (and good friend...hey Jim, how's Smoke Daddy's?).

James Falzone - The Sign and the Thing Signified.  Nepotism again, James is a dear old friend.  Incredible Clarinet playing and composition.

Joe Lovano - Streams of Expression.  One word - Aulochrome!!  (Also, Kids, w/Hank Jones is killer too...)

John Hollenbeck - Joys and Desires.  I got my first big exposure to Hollenbeck last year at IAJE.  KILLIN'!!

Michael Brecker - Pilgrimage.  I'll always feel a tinge of sadness whenever I'm at IAJE from now on...

Not a definitive list, but these are some of the ones that stand out for me.  Happy New Year to all.