"DownBeat" - January 2010

COVER
The Best CDs of the 2000s: A Decade of 5-star and 4-1/2-star Recordings -- DownBeat looks back at the greatest jazz and blues CDs of the past decade. In addition to listing all of the 5-star and 4 1/2-star reviews published in DownBeat pages over the last 10 years, top artists, producers, critics and other industry experts share their insights on the very best CDs of the 2000s.

FEATURES
Rise and Decline of the Compact Disc: Decade of the Download -- DB examines recent trends and landmarks in the ever-evolving world of recorded music.

ARTISTS PERPECTIVES ON THE 2000s
Many musicians share their thoughts. Among them, my dear friend and my favorite jazz trumpeter in the current jazz scene, who does the following wise statement:
"There has been a globalization of jazz. You can't look just to the USA for jazz anymore. That is another shift that wasn't that prevalent ten years ago."

SPECIAL SECTION: DownBeat U: JAZZ SCHOOL -- Put on your woodshedding shoes! DownBeat presents the hippest jazz study guide of the year, packed with clinics, tips and treasures for taking your playing skills to the next level and taking care of business like a pro. A true chops-builder, and a must-read for the aspiring jazz student at any level.

JAZZ SCHOOL Section includes:
Master Classes
Solo Transcriptions
Pro Sessions
Legal Sessions
Campus News
And much more!

PLAYERS
Leonardo Cioglia (bass)
Clay Ross (guitar/percussion)
James Carney (piano)
Aruan Ortiz (piano)

BLINDFOLD TEST -- Enrico Pieranunzi, Live at Umbria Jazz Festival

THE BEAT
Thelonious Monk Competition focuses on bass, salutes Blue Note Records.
New York jazz musicians protest for pension money.
Vinyl Freak, The Question
Caught: Ornette Coleman performs at JALC for the first time; Festival of New Trumpet Music in New York; Mark Murphy tribute at Yoshi's in Oakland.

TOOLSHED
JamHub
Roland V-Piano
Samson Q-3 digital audio-video recorder
P. Mauriat saxophone

REVIEWS
Hot Box
Jon Iragagon, The Observer (Concord)
Soulive, Up Here (Royal Family)
Charlie Mariano, The Great Concert (enja)
Jeff Hamilton Trio, Symbiosis (Carpi)

CD Reviews
Bill Laswell, Method of Defiance (Rare Noise)
Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Detroit (Mack Ave.)
Jack Cortner Big Band, Sound Check (Jazzed Media)
Manhattan Transfer, The Chick Corea Songbook (Four Quarters)
Poncho Sanchez, Psychedelic Blues (Concord Picante)
Miguel Zenon, Esta Plena (Marsalis Music)
Laurence Hobgood with Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling, When The Heart Dances (Naim)
Gebhard Ullmann, Don't Touch My Music (Not Two)
Search (Matthew Maley/RJ Avallone), Today Is Tomorrow (Search Productions)
Eric Alexander, Revival Of The Fittest (High Note)
Terrell Stafford/Dick Oatts Quintet, Bridging The Gap (Planet Arts)
Myron Walden, Momentum (Demi Records)
John Wojciechowski, Lexicon (self)
Greg Abate/Alan Barnes, Birds Of A Feather (Woodville)
Anat Cohen, Live At The Village Vanguard (Anzic)
Tyshawn Corey, Koan (482 Music)
John Mayall, Tough (Eagle Records)
John Hammond, Rough & Tough (Chesky)
Roger Rosenberg, Baritonality (Sunnyside)
Ronnie Cuber, Ronnie (SteepleChase)
George Colligan, Come Together (Sunnyside)
Egberto Gismonti, Saudacoes (ECM)
Die Enttauschung, Mahal Dorner Roder Jenessen (Intakt)
Joe Morris, Colorfield (ESP)

Jazz
Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Bien Bien (Patois)
Luis Bonilla, I Talking Now (Planet Arts/Now Jazz)
Steve Davis, Eloquence (Jazz Legacy Productions)
Samuel Blaser Quartet, Pieces of Old Sky (Clean Feed)
David Gibson, A Little Something (Positone)

Blues
Delbert McClinton, Acquired Taste (New West)
Lavay Smith & Skillet Lickers, Miss Smith To You! (Fat Note)
Clarence Fountain/Sam Butler, Stepping Up (Tyscot)
Greg Nagy, Walk That Fine Line (Big O)
Old Jawbone (Jackalope)
Mr B & Bob Seeley, Back to Back Live [DVD] (Megawave)

Beyond
Big Star, Keep An Eye On The Sky (Rhino)

Historical
Bill Evans, Turn Out The Stars (Nonesuch)

Book Review
Michelle Mercer, Joni Mitchell: Will You Take Me As I Am? (Free Press)