Erik's Random 10

I've long thought of the 1980s and early 1990s as a weak point in the creative jazz movement. The greatness of the 60s through mid 70s had long since passed. People were making some interesting music but to me it pales both to the earlier material and to the really great stuff that has come out in the last 15 years. One good band through this relatively weak period was The Jazz Passengers. Not the most experimental of groups, this relatively large band was made up at different times of people such as Marc Ribot on guitar, Roy Nathanson on sax, and Curtis Fowlkes on trombone. This tune comes off Plain Old Joe. They put together a nice sound that both pushes the envelope and remains within the recognized traditions of jazz. It's a band I haven't thought about in some time, but now I'm going to go back and listen to their albums that I have.

1. Jazz Passengers, Blues for Helen
2. Waylon Jennings, Honky Tonk Woman
3. Ali Akbar Khan & Asha Bhosle, Sadra
4. Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, My Long Skinny Lanky Sarah Jane
5. Stevie Wonder, Big Brother
6. Curtis Mayfield, Superfly
7. Bruce Hornsby, Passing Through
8. La Negra Graciana, La Guacamaya
9. Iron & Wine, Muddy Hymnal
10. Material, Out of the Dreamtime