This is tough, many years I buy stuff that's 'new' only to discover it's two or three years old by the time I find it!

I have a soft spot for Ahmad Jamal, so his new one, "Magic," is automatically on my list.

Dave Holland Sextet's "Pass It On." (It's actually a little large on the ensemble side, but I like it, anyway.)

I'm still deciding if "Saxophone Summit" makes the grade.

James Carter, "Present Tense."

Cheers!

I am now going to go out and buy the Ellis Marsalis disc you mention!

Quote:
Time for 2008 lists, here's my top five:

Charles Lloyd

Here's my five:

"Vignettes"-Marilyn Crispell--solo and wonderful
"Miles From India"-(various)--sometimes lame but enough good stuff for a single disc (unfortunately it's a double)
"Rambling Boy"-Charlie Haden--it's a jazz album damnit! If it was a country album it would have been called "Ramblin' Boy"
Mary Halvorson Trio-"dragon's head"--best guitar album of the year
"ordination of the globetrotting conscripts"--talibam!--the noise/jazz album of my dreams (who are these guys?)

I'm assuming the Braxton box on Mosaic is the reissue of the year. In this economy, and the fact that I own everything in the box on original vinyl (not necessarily a good thing--I'm talking to you Arista Records) I didn't buy it, but I do love 70s-era Braxton.