Listen and enjoy the best jazz 2001 selection (playlist on Spotify and hereunder, after the detailed list) with 20 amazing tracks extracted from 20 amazing jazz albums.
Best Jazz 2001
William Parker Quartet
“O’Neal’s Porch”
from O’Neal’s Porch
(AUM Fidelity)
“For its historical breadth, spiritual depth, and sheer exhilaration, this is the jazz album of the year.”
— Jazziz
William Parker: bass | Lewis Barnes: trumpet | Rob Brown: alto saxophone | Hamid Drake: drums
Released in January 2001
Free Jazz
Yesterdays New Quintet
“Julani”
from Angles Without Edges
(Stones Throw Records)
“Angles Without Edges is the first album released by hip hop producer Madlib’s Jazz project, Yesterdays New Quintet. Although a fictional quintet or virtual band, in reality, it is Madlib playing the instruments while giving credit to fictional characters.”
— Wikipedia
Yesterdays New Quintet: Ahmad Miller, Monk Hughes, Joe McDuffrey, Malik Flavors, Otis Jackson Jr
Released in December 2001
Afro-Cuban Jazz, Breaks, Future Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Akosh S. Unit
“Ék”
from Kebelen
(Universal Music Jazz France)
Live free improvisation pieces re-worked in studio, Kebelen is the 1st opus of Akosh 2nd free jazz trilogy with Lenne and Vetek.
If you want to explore Akosh S. discography or complete your collection, then here are the five essential albums you should definitely go for Five Essential Akosh Szelevényi Albums
Akosh Szelevényi: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Flute, Bombarde, Kalimba, Vocals, Trombone, Trumpet | Quentin Rollet: Alto Saxophone | Bernard Malandin: Double Bass | Philippe Foch: Drums, Percussion | Mokhtar Choumane : Ney, Kaval | Nicolas Guillemet: Soprano Saxophone | Joe Doherty: Violin, Viola, Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute | Bertrand Cantat: Vocals
Released in April 2001
Free Improvisation
Chucho Valdés
“Rumba Guajira”
from Solo – Live In New York
(Blue Note)
“Each selection sounds like an old acquaintance; however, Valdés takes the time to apply his magic”
— Jim Santella
Chucho Valdés: Piano
Released in February 2001
Contemporary Jazz, Latin Jazz
Irène Schweizer
“So Oder So”
from Chicago Piano Solo
(Intakt Records)
“Everything working together. Technically, that’s the meaning of the word «concert.» Agreement in design or plan. It was one such concert, and for times like that we count our lucky stars”
— John Corbett
Irène Schweizer: piano
Released in January 2001
Free Improvisation
Tim Berne, Craig Taborn, Tom Rainey
“Heavy Mental (For Wayne Krantz)”
from The Shell Game
(Thirsty Ear)
“The Shell Game is one of the most sonically differentiated jazz records of recent years.”
— Down Beat
Tim Berne: alto saxophone | Craig Taborn: keyboards, electronics | Tom Rainey: drums
Released in March 2001
Free Jazz
Dave Holland Quintet
“Billows Of Rhythm”
from Not For Nothin’
(ECM)
“This is postmodern poetic singing at its finest. Who said jazz is a dead art form? Let he or she who has the ears to hear, hear; the Dave Holland Quintet is carrying the banner of creative music in the jazz tradition in the 21st century.”
— Thom Jurek
Dave Holland: Double-Bass | Chris Potter: Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone | Robin Eubanks: Trombone, Cowbell | Steve Nelson: Vibraphone, Marimba | Billy Kilson: Drums
Released in September 2001
Contemporary Jazz
Billy Bang
“Saigon Phunk”
from Vietnam: The Aftermath
(Justin Time)
“Bang spent six months in basic training and another two weeks learning jungle warfare, arriving in South Vietnam just before the Tet Offensive. Starting out as an infantryman, he did one tour of combat duty, rising to the rank of sergeant before he mustered out […] Billy Bang explored his experience in Vietnam in two albums: Vietnam: The Aftermath and Vietnam: Reflections, recorded with a band which included several other veterans of that war.”
— Wikipedia
Billy Bang: violin | Ted Daniel: trumpet | Frank Lowe: tenor saxophone | Sonny Fortune: flute | John Hicks: piano | Curtis Lundy: bass | Ron Brown: percussion | Michael Carvin: drums | Butch Morris: conductor on “TET Offensive”
Released in October 2001
Free Jazz
Soulive
“Bridge To ‘Bama”
from Doin’ Something
(Blue Note)
“Bridge to ‘Bama is based on a hip-hop groove that Alan Evans concocted, but tenor saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart adds a little jazz and soul flavor. As the song progresses, Neal Evans plays a piano solo that would probably be heard in a jazz combo. Then the song takes another left turn with a fast techno beat before returning to the original groove.”
— Michael Fortuna
Eric Krasno: guitar | Alan Evans: drums | Neal Evans: Hammond B3 organ, bass keys
Released in Mars 2001
Jazz-Funk
David “Fathead” Newman
“Cousin Esau”
from Keep The Spirits Singing
(HighNote Records, Inc.)
“The Texas tenor tradition inhabits his playing like the slight Texas accent Newman never lost. Fathead performs enjoyable, intricate, intense, sophisticated music. His solos are finely crafted there are no superfluous notes.”
— Jazz Depot
David “Fathead” Newman: tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute | Steve Turre: trombone | John Hicks: piano | Steve Novosel : bass | Winard Harper: drums | Steve Kroon: percussion
Released in January 2001
Jazz
Jason Moran
“Draw The Light Out”
from Black Stars
(Blue Note)
Gary Giddins of the Village Voice exclaimed “Black Stars is possibly a Blue Note benchmark, definitely one of the year’s outstanding discs”
Jason Moran: piano | Sam Rivers: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone. flute, piano | Tarus Mateen: bass | Nasheet Waits: drums
Released in August 2001
Contemporary Jazz
Charles Lloyd
“Darkness On The Delta Suite”
from Hyperion With Higgins
(ECM)
“You go low and you get high and then you catch fire’. This second installement picks up the tempo. The jazz of ‘Hyperion’ is hotter. Lloyd’s tenor sax is fierier, John Abercrombie has much more solos space to fulfill as only he can, and Brad Mehldau’s solos are also more outgoing”
— ECM
Charles Lloyd: Tenor Saxophone, Taragato, Maracas | Brad Mehldau: Piano | John Abercrombie: Guitar | Larry Grenadier: Double Bass | Billy Higgins: Drums
Released in September 2001
Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz
Janusz Zdunek 4 Syfon
“Coda Be Be”
from Baterie
(Not Two Records)
Janusz Zdunek: trumpet | Tomasz Glazik: saxophone | Wladyslaw Refling: bass | Jacek Buhl: drums | Guest – Krzysztof Gruse: vocals
Released in 2001
Contemporary Jazz
Marilyn Crispell, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian
“Requiem”
from Amaryllis
(ECM)
“There’s a great depth of communication, a rare delicacy”
— Marilyn Crispell
Marilyn Crispell: Piano | Gary Peacock: Double-Bass | Paul Motian: Drums
Released in March 2001
Contemporary Jazz
Orlando “Cachaíto” López
“Mis Dos Pequeñas”
from Cachaito
(World Circuit)
This is Candelario Orlando López Vergara first ‘solo’ album. Better known as Cachaíto, he was a Cuban bassist and composer; gained international fame after his involvement in the Buena Vista Social Club recordings.
Orlando “Cachaíto” López: Bass | Carlos Gonzalez: Bongos | Miguel ‘Anga’ Diaz: Congas, Percussion | Manuel Galban: Electric Guitar | Alejandro Pichardo: Guiro, Claves | Bigga Morrison: Organ, Clavinet | Amadito Valdes: Timbales
Released in April 2001
Afro-Cuban jazz
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette
“Riot”
from Inside Out
(ECM)
As suggested to Peacock and DeJohnette “Where’s the form? Don’t ask. Don’t think. Don’t anticipate. Just participate. It’s all there somewhere inside. And then suddenly it forms itself… We need to be even more in tune with each other to play this way, without material; and even more attentive. Every possibility is available if you take away the tunes, but only some are valid under the circumstances. It is only our sensitivity to the flux that determines whether the music succeeds or fails.”
— Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett: Piano | Gary Peacock: Double-Bass | Jack DeJohnette: Drums
Released in September 2001
Contemporary Jazz, Free Jazz
Jing Chi, Vinnie Colaiuta, Robben Ford, Jimmy Hasli
“The Hong Kong Incident”
from Jing Chi
(Tone Center)
Robben Ford: guitar | Jimmy Haslip: bass | Vinnie Colaiuta: drums
Released in 2001
Genre: Jazz Fusion
Discover The Best Jazz Fusion Albums
WebsiteŁoskot
“Razem Na Basenie”
from Śmierdzące Kwiatuszki
(Folk)
Mikołaj Trzaska: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, harmonica, voice | Olo Walicki: bass guitar, double bass | Piotr Pawlak: guitar, voice | Tomasz Gwinciński: drums, voice
Released in 2001
Free Jazz, Fusion
Rabih Abou-Khalil
“The Lewinsky March”
from The Cactus Of Knowledge
(Enja Records)
“The masterful Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou-Kahlil-now living in Germany, where he is best known-has made it his business to combine elements of his native musical language with jazz, while weaving in rock and other ideas from American musical soil. His ongoing refinement process, not merely a continuation of past ideas, is amply evident on his ambitious new album”
— Josef Woodard
Rabih Abou-Khalil: oud, bass oud | Dave Ballou: trumpet | Eddie Allen: trumpet | Tom Varner: French horn | Dave Bargeron: euphonium | Michel Godard: tuba | Gabriele Mirabassi: clarinet | Antonio Hart: alto saxophone | Ellery Eskelin: tenor saxophone | Vincent Courtois: cello | Nabil Khaiat: frame drums | Jarrod Cagwin: drums
Released in 2001
Jazz, Folk, World, & Country
Bill Frisell With Dave Holland And Elvin Jones
“Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa”
from Bill Frisell With Dave Holland And Elvin Jones
(Nonesuch)
“An impromptu meeting of these three unique voices resulted in instant musical chemistry, as they revisited—and often transformed—Frisell’s compositions and a pair of standards”
— Nonesuch
Bill Frisell: guitars | Dave Holland: bass | Elvin Jones: drums
Released in 2001
Contemporary Jazz
Playlist Best Jazz 2001
Best Jazz 2001 – Albums List
Here is the entire list of the 20 albums we highlighted for this Best Jazz 2001 selection
- William Parker Quartet – O’Neal’s Porch
- Yesterdays New Quintet – Angles Without Edges
- Akosh S. Unit – Kebelen
- Chucho Valdés – Solo – Live In New York
- Irène Schweizer – Chicago Piano Solo
- Tim Berne, Craig Taborn, Tom Rainey – The Shell Game
- Dave Holland Quintet – Not For Nothin’
- Billy Bang – Vietnam: The Aftermath
- Soulive – Doin’ Something
- David “Fathead” Newman – Keep The Spirits Singing
- Jason Moran – Black Stars
- Charles Lloyd – Hyperion With Higgins
- Janusz Zdunek 4 Syfon – Baterie
- Marilyn Crispell, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian – Amaryllis
- Orlando “Cachaíto” López – Cachaito
- Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette – Inside Out
- Jing Chi, Vinnie Colaiuta, Robben Ford, Jimmy Hasli – Jing Chi
- Łoskot – Śmierdzące Kwiatuszki
- Rabih Abou-Khalil – The Cactus Of Knowledge
- Bill Frisell With Dave Holland And Elvin Jones – Bill Frisell With Dave Holland And Elvin Jones
2000’s
Discover all the other 2000’s jazz selections: 2000 – 2001 – 2002 – 2003 – 2004 – 2005 – 2006 – 2007 – 2008 – 2009