• Entrance

• 2008 Top 10s
  • A–F   —>
    • David R. Adler
    • Nancy Barell
    • Paul Blair
    • Philip Booth
    • Christian Broecking
    • Stuart Broomer
    • Francis Davis
    • Philip DiPietro
    • Laurence Donohue-Greene
    • Ken Dryden
    • Alain Drouot
    • Steve Feeney
    • Mitchell Feldman
    • Ken Franckling
  • G–Z   —>
    • Andrew Gilbert
    • James Hale
    • Andrey Henkin
    • Geoffrey Himes
    • Lyn Horton
    • Elzy Kolb
    • Howard Mandel
    • Bill Milkowski
    • Dan Ouellette
    • Bob Protzman
    • Bob Putignano
    • Hank Shteamer
    • W. Royal Stokes

• Past Top 10s
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004
  • 2003
  • 2002
  • 2001

Philip Booth

Top 10 Jazz CDs of 2008 (in alphabetical order)

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  Brian Blade Fellowship, Season of Changes (Verve) — The drummer enlists Kurt Rosenwinkel and others for folk melodies, fusion, noisy guitar rock, bop-inflected improvisations and sprawling, near-symphonic Americana.

  
  
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  Anat Cohen, Notes from the Village (Anzic) — The superb young clarinetist and her all-star group turn in inspired readings of Coltrane, Waller, Sam Cooke and more.

  
  
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  Chick Corea & Gary Burton, The New Crystal Silence (Concord) — The pianist and vibraphonist again offer crystalline harmonies and remarkably simpatico musical conversations.

  
  
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  John Ellis, Dance Like There's No Tomorrow (Hyena) — Sticky Crescent City street rhythms and infectious melodies are on the bill, with the saxophonist joined by organist Gary Versace, drummer Jason Marsalis and - yes! - tuba man Matt Perrine.

  
  
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  Lionel Loueke, Karibu (Blue Note) — The Benin-born guitarist delivers a gorgeous blend of jazz/African musical traditions, on a set including Coltrane's "Naima"; Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock guest.

  
  
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  Pat Metheny, Day Trip (Nonesuch) — The celebrated six-stringer strips down and gets telepathic on mostly new music with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Antonio Sanchez.

  
  
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  Sonny Rollins, Road Shows: Vol. 1 (Doxy) — Tenor saxophone titan Rollins demonstrates his mettle as a scenery-chewing, intensely creative improviser, on stellar live performances across nearly three decades.

  
  
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  Esperanza Spalding, Esperanza (Heads Up) — The jazz rookie of the year shows off wondrous bass chops and beautiful, affecting vocals on infectious music drawing from mainstream jazz, Latin, funk and pop.

  
  
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  Robert Walter featuring James Singleton and Johnny Vidacovich, Cure All (Palmetto) — The organist and keys man joins Astral Project's rhythm section for soul-funk groove digging, including a chunky "Rivers of Babylon."

  
  
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  Cassandra Wilson, Loverly (Blue Note) — Jazz's most compelling female singer turns up the drama and soaks up the densely textured atmospherics on "Caravan," "St. James Infirmary" and American Songbook standards.

  
  

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