Quetzlcoatl! Catfish!: Jazzzzzzzz

While laboring through the last couple of albums that I have from 2008 before I make my year end list I found myself coming back to one genre in particular: jazz. Three artists have stood out among these last few albums - Scorch Trio (album: Brolt), Supersilent side project Elephant9 (album: Dodovoodoo), and Valerio Cosi (album: Heavy Electronic Pacific Loop). The first two represent the flourishing Scandinavian free jazz/fusion scene, while the latter hails from Italy and is a bit more droney and avant-garde. These three releases, coupled with two earlier Bar Kokhba related albums (one by Bar Kokhba itself called Lucifer, the other written by Bar Kokhba, but performed by Mr. Bungle offshoot Secret Chiefs 3 titled Xaphan: Book of Angels Volume 9) and the second Original Silence record, make clear the strong showing jazz, as a genre, has made in 2008. Then again, I generally prefer more fusion, and free jazz styled jazz, and these albums, for the most part are just that. Though not '08 releases, I have also been really digging stuff by Isotope 217 and Art Ensemble of Chicago recently, as far as jazz goes. Check out the live videos - pretty crazy stuff (I should have links to downloads up soon).

Scorch Trio: