"I didn't aim the list to turn out this way, but four of the albums' leaders are women, and five (including three of those four) feature prominent female "sidemen." There's old and young, with the leaders' ages ranging from 38 (Sullivan Fortner) to 87 (Charles Lloyd), the rest widely spaced in between. Seven of the 10 albums were released by indie labels, four of them on labels that are also artist-owned (two on Pyroclastic, one each on Greenleaf and Yes)."
"Downbeat magazine's newly published critics' poll ranks her as the No. 1 guitarist of the year, and her sextet, Amaryllis, as the No. 1 group of the year. Right on cue, her latest sextet album, About Ghosts, is a triumph. She's been at least intriguing since she first came on the scene as a fearless 27-year-old back in 2008, splashing new colors on the jazz skies with her crystalline intonation, oddball intervals, and wavering harmonies, clearly influenced more by Hendrix and avant-garde horn players than by any bebop guitarists."
Jazz releases in the period displayed wide stylistic variety, generational breadth, and demographic diversity. Four highlighted albums were led by women, and several featured prominent female sidemen. Leaders' ages ranged from 38 to 87, demonstrating active creative work across generations. Seven of ten albums appeared on independent labels, with four on artist-owned imprints including Pyroclastic, Greenleaf, and Yes. Many recordings delivered notable sonic quality, with several available on finely mastered vinyl. Mary Halvorson received significant recognition and released About Ghosts, an album combining crystalline intonation, unusual intervals, and more structured, compelling compositions.
Read at Slate Magazine
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