Bruce Lindsay's Best Releases of 2012

Bruce Lindsay

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2008

Bruce is the author of the blog Delicious Hot Disgusting Cold, and the photoseries "It's Not How It Sounds".

Recent articles (505 total)

Published: January 2, 2013

The year of 2012 proved once again that jazz remains a wonderfully diverse and diverting art form. Here are ten of my favorite albums, in no particular order.

Christine Tobin Christine Tobin
b.1963
vocal
Sailing To Byzantium
(Trail Belle)

A joy from first note to last, this is a majestic and beautiful work.

Ian Shaw Ian Shaw
b.1962
vocal
A Ghost In Every Bar
(Splash Point Records)

Just voice and piano—and some of the finest song lyrics in the English language.

Orrin Evans Orrin Evans
b.1975
piano
Flip The Script
(Posi-Tone Records)

New ways with an old lineup—Evans' piano trio album is stylish and lovely.

GoGo Penguin GoGo Penguin

Fanfares
(Gondwana Records)

Speaking of new ways with an old lineup... GoGo Penguin takes the piano, bass and drums trio to craft one of the year's finest debuts.

Joe Alterman Joe Alterman
b.1988
piano
Give Me The Simple Life
(Miles High Records)

Piano trio number three (with a little help from the mighty Houston Person Houston Person
b.1934
sax, tenor on tenor sax). Old school, I guess. A great reminder of how marvelous old school can be.

Nils Landgren Nils Landgren

Christmas With My Friends III
(ACT Music)

A Christmas album that'll bring joy throughout the whole year.

Larry Stabbins Larry Stabbins

saxophone
Transcendental
(Noetic Records)

Maybe the finest list of UK-based musicians to grace any album in 2012. The resulting music moves like a very groovy thing.

Iñaki Sandoval Iñaki Sandoval
b.1974
piano
Miracielos
(bebyne records)

Piano trio number four. Living and working in Barcelona, Sandoval is a wonderfully reflective and considered player and this album contains many moments of real beauty.

Nicky Schrire Nicky Schrire

vocal
Freedom Flight
(Circavision Productions)