In another year of very good jazz releases, a handful of CDs  and books stand out as highlights.
The latest ECM release from saxophonist and jazz mystic Charles Lloyd, “Mirror,” offers probing, reflective and highly interactive music. A wonderful mix of originals and a few choice standards, creatively explored by Lloyd, Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland, “Mirror” continues Lloyd’s resurgence from near obscurity in the 1980s to celebrated jazz master in 2010.
Azar Lawrence is another musician who has been reestablishing his ties to jazz after several years working in more commercial ventures as a producer and performer. A member of McCoy Tyner’s 1970s groups, this powerful saxophonist offers up his latest effort, “Mystic Journey,” on Furthermore Records. The spirit of Tyner and his old boss John Coltrane flows through this energetic session due to Lawrence’s explosive playing, as well as the presence of former Coltrane drummer Rashied Ali and trumpeter Eddie Henderson, who are among the members of the dynamic sextet of this disc. A fiery version of Tyner’s “Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit” is among the numerous highlights on this superb CD, which marked the last session recorded by Ali before his untimely death in late 2009.
When the fusion movement was gaining momentum in the early ’70s, the emphasis was on electronics and blending jazz with rock and funk rhythms. Oregon, a quartet that emerged on the scene in 1970, took a different approach. Guitarist/pianist Ralph Towner, woodwinds master Paul McCandless, bassist Glen Moore and percussionist/sitar player Colin Walcott offered a unique blend of jazz, folk and world music with a touch of classical influence. After 40 years of ups and downs that included the tragic death of Walcott in a car accident in the mid ’80s, Oregon has undergone a resurgence. Their latest, “In Stride,” on Cam Jazz Records, continues the band’s organic sound and approach with emphasis on strong melodies, a variety of grooves and textures and the virtuosic playing of the three original members, along with drummer/percussionist Mark Walker.
But the CD that’s been a constant in my music players is “The Groover,” a sublime, swinging organ combo from Mike LeDonne on Savant Records. Joining LeDonne are Eric Alexander on tenor sax, Peter Bernstein on guitar and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Also known for his prowess as a jazz pianist, LeDonne has led this group in a weekly Tuesday night session at the New York jazz club Smoke for the last 10 years. The music grooves steadily from a relaxed swing version of Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You” to the contemporary “Blues for McCoy” to the hard driving shuffle of the title cut. This is a contemporary take on the classic soul/jazz organ combos of yesteryear, and it burns from start to finish.

Four exceptional jazz books were released this year, including “The Jazz Image: Seeing Music through Herman Leonard’s Photography” by K. Heather Pinson. Published by University Press of Mississippi, the book uses Leonard’s jazz photos as a base to explore how photography can convey the sound and feeling of jazz performance.
“Let Freedom Swing” is a terrific collection of writings on jazz, blues and gospel music from Chicago Tribune arts critic Howard Reich. Reich’s writings bring life to whatever topic he covers, from Louis Armstrong to Coltrane to Afro-Caribbean influences and beyond. A rich volume on music, this collection is published by Northwestern University Press.
Two books on John Coltrane were released this year. “Coltrane on Coltrane,” from Chicago Review Press, collects all Coltrane’s interviews into one volume. Editor Chris DeVito arranges the collection to offer an autobiographical view of the jazz master.
“John Coltrane & Black America’s Quest for Freedom,” edited by Northeastern University professor Leonard L. Brown, is an insightful collection of scholarly essays on Coltrane’s impact on black identity and American culture since his death in 1967.

A few positive things emerged this year on the local scene, starting with a terrific new project from the Seacoast Jazz Society. Called the “Jazz Appreciation Project,” the program involves open Q&A sessions with performers prior to the Sunday Jazz series at The Press Room in Portsmouth. The project began in January with Boston-based saxophonist Allan Chase and his group and continued last month with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. These free sessions offer people of all ages a chance to ask the musicians questions on how they create their art, how they interact with one another, and so on. Especially notable at the November session was the number of student musicians in attendance—a promising sign in itself.
Another positive addition to the scene is a new jazz session hosted by singer Wendy Nottonson at the Panaway Grille in Rye. This promising Friday night event is gaining in popularity, so let’s hope it has good run.
Lastly, guitarist Larry Simon’s ongoing Beat Night session at The Press Room (held the third Thursday of each month) and the Jazzmouth Festival (held in April) remain vital and vibrant contributors not just to the music scene, but to the greater arts community.
On the negative side, I remain generally underwhelmed by the music I hear from young jazz musicians, both nationally and locally. I’m also somewhat dismayed by the lack of UNH jazz students at local jazz events. While I understand that the lives of today’s college students are incredibly busy, there’s only so much they can learn in the classroom. Listening to the music in a live setting, meeting the musicians and sitting in are all important parts of the learning process. These are lessons young musicians take with them as they move on with their lives.
Here’s hoping for an even stronger year in jazz in 2011.