Erstwhile, hands down, no competition.

Ayler Records, fo sho.

Erst, second (um, third actually) year in a row. By a wider margin than Tejada won the MVP.

Thirsty Ear for putting out at least 3 great records

ECM. Stanko, Holland, Jarrett.

Ayler
ECM
psi
Atavistic
discipline global mobile

Erstwhile ain't in the running (not jazz)

blue note, for the barberplayer and new ideas in filesharing

Erstwhile is the only label I'm a completist for, so it wins implicitly. Kudos to Thirsty Ear, Screwgun, hatOLOGY, Cryptogramophone.

aristide, I'm unfamiliar with Blue Note's new ideas in filesharing. Care to elaborate? A site visit yielded nothing obvious.

Don -- It's label of the year, not jazz label of the year, but whatever. It's improvised music.

Steve -- Erstwhile put out at least three greats: "Caravaggio," "+" and "Wrapped Islands." "Tears" was nothing to sneeze at, either. And there are still two 2002 releases coming out this week that I haven't heard yet.

Other labels I continue to admire: Hat, Matchless, Delmark, Okka, Palmetto, Eremite, Atavistic, AUM Fidelity, Thirsty Ear, and ECM (though I wish very much that the latter two would drop out of the RIAA).

In terms of new releases in a more, ahem, straight-ahead vein, I do believe Joe Fields' various labels -- High Note, Savant, etc. -- deserve consideration. here's a smattering of what they have put on the market this year (so far).

| David Fathead Newman, DAVEY BLUE
| Mary Lou Williams, LIVE AT THE KEYSTONE CORNER
| John Hicks, MUSIC IN THE KEY OF CLARK
| Woody Shaw, LIVE (VOLUME 3)
| Arthur Blythe, FOCUS
| Don Sickler, REFLECTIONS

I would also say that Emanem had another strong year.

"Don -- It's label of the year, not jazz label of the year, but whatever. It's improvised music."

Some of us squares still like to think of this place as Jazz Corner ;-}

Pabst Blue Ribbon?

Fuck that.

Carling Black?

Somebody just type "Del Monte?" and move on...








Oh.

It's not a good sign if jazz fans choose a non-jazz label as label of the year. (FWIW, erstwhile would be my pick, too.)

The aforementioned non-jazz label would be my pick, too. I'll add these jazz labels ust to keep ole Donny happy:

Between the Lines
AUM Fidelity
FMP
Atavistic
Emanem

And, fuck it,

Rossbin
Def Jux
Metamkine

ECM - Abercrombie, Stanko
Tzadik - Filmworks XI,XII & XIII

I wasn't meaning to start up a jazz-notjazz discussion, actually. It's just that Erstwhile is my choice of label, by far. That's all.

I love lots of music on the other labels I gave props to, also, and others besides, like Soul Jazz Records, for instance, an awesome label in my view, but focused on reissues and great compilations.

Anyways, most of the labels that got my nod are jazz labels, no dispute.

It's been a very good ECM year. I haven't heard the Abercormbie or Lloyd, but I forgot to mention the latest Anouar Brahem, which is exquisite.

I've got to go with Between the Lines or Thirsty Ear.

Pete -- I heard some of Brahem's current ECM on the radio, and have to pick it up. It really sounded great.

The new Brahem. Le Pas du Chat Noir, is so different from the also wonderful predecessor Astrakhan Cafe. The new one has a very mellow French Impressionist meets French Cafe feel (Oud, Piano & Accordian), while the last one is a trio with a Middle Eastern percussionist and a Turkish gypsy clarinetist. He was just touring recently with the Astrakhan Cafe group, and they were delightful.

Pete -- It was the new one I heard parts of on the radio (Le Pas du Chat Noir). The best thing I'd heard on the radio in a long time. I definitely have to get that one.

vkargatis,
just open bluenote's website, type in *barberplayer* after the slash and you will see.

Thanks for the rec, Pete. I enjoyed "Astrakhan Cafe" a lot, so the new one is on the list.

CIMP. Hands down. By far the best sound in creative improvised music. Erstwhile bites.

Thanks, Mr. Bob, I also forgot to include CIMP. Clearly in the top 5 this year. Clean, natural sound.

CIMP also just released a new cd by Khan Jamal, featuring Jameel Moondoc. OH YEAH, MAMA!!! Get it to me, quick!

I was trying to be funny, actually. Many here think that CIMP's sound sucks. I think its ok. And Erstwhile really doesn't bite.

BTW, only my mother calls me "Mr. Bob". My friends call me Sally.

Sally, I figured you intended humour.

But I'm dead serious.

Lots of important labels listed so far for sure.

I'd add Victo (especially for Hard Rubber Orchestra's "Rub Harder"), Spool (for The Peggy Lee Band's "Sounds from the Big House), Nine Winds and (Blakey-esque drum roll) my number one pick, Boxholder, for a slew of great material, in particular "Emancipation Suite" by Kidd Jordan, Alan Silva and William Parker.

For reissues, Atavistic's Unheard Series (yeah, yeah, some of 'em aren't technically reissues...) and bvHAAST take the flag.

For more (throat clearing - pregnant pause) "mainstream" material, Blue Note.

I agree with Gary's post #1. I enjoyed all of the Erst releases this year and Caravaggio was my favorite cd of all.

Has anybody heard the Dave Burrell/Tyrone Brown duo on CIMP? It gets 3.5 from Penguin. I just ordered "Jelly Roll Joys", a 1991 solo date on Gazell. Burrell needs to record more often!!!

Bill -- You're right. Boxholder, too. That's a label that deserves more public props than it gets. Lew keeps putting out the good CDs, man. Good for him. Another labor of love.

Gary,

If I had to pick just one "CD of the Year" it would definitely be "Emancipation Suite."

Emancipation Suite is on my SHORT list now.

"CIMP also just released a new cd by Khan Jamal, featuring Jameel Moondoc. OH YEAH,
MAMA!!! Get it to me, quick!"

Dono, Moondoc fan. Delmark recorded a group under Chad Taylor's name playing Moondoc compostitions. Heard them live, nice! Chad Taylor, drums, Moondoc, alto, Swell, bone, Tom Abbs, bass. It's gotta come out with their next releases.

Thanks Uli, it shall not escape my radar.

Owl (France) for reissuing Giuffre's "Fly Away Little Bird", although my order has already been delayed once...

Dentyne

I would give the edge to Ayler records.

labels are cool but they use artists like toilet paper :(

My favorite label these days is "cask strength."