Pet sounds 2004 (continued)

JAZZ

1) The Bad Plus, Give (Columbia)

As the mildly infamous trio drastically deconstructs its pop standards (Pixies, Sabbath, Nirvana), they create a fetching blend of uncertainty. How much ballyhoo can a bossa nova take? How roughshod can you ride over a rumba? Their bombast is built around nuance, however. When splashmeister drummer David King unloads his thud arsenal on "Cheney Piñata" (take that, you fucking warmonger!), you truly wonder where the piece might end up. Eradicating foregone conclusions deserves all the credit in the world.

2) Luis Perdomo, Focus Point (RKM)

An influx of Caribbean cultures has revitalized New York’s jazz scene, and from saxophonist Miguel Zenon to drummer Dafnis Prieto, the Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms have become profound enzymes, actively upgrading well-worn slants on swing. Pianist Perdomo has made the clique’s most impressive disc so far. It’s a thoughtful investigation of inside/outside maneuvers that pulses forward at every moment.

3) The Magali Souriau Trio, Petit Promenade (Fresh Sounds)

A few years ago the French pianist proved herself to be a unique voice as a composer/ arranger for large ensemble (go get her Birdland Sessions before it’s out of print). But for this scaled-down affair, her chamber side emerges. Exclamation is absent from these pieces, but radiance isn’t. Whether she’s sauntering through "Speak Low" or tipping the hat to her heroes in "Ahmad Ravel," grace tops the agenda. After a few go-rounds, the old-fashioned beauty becomes addictive.

4) Medeski Martin + Wood, End of the World Party (Blue Note)

After a decade of designing ways for rhythmic acuity to coincide with textural bric-a-brac, MM+W have become expert at turning the party out. Bridging strident samples and synth squiggles with a groove aesthetic that’s just as hooked on surf and reggae tunes as it is Booker T & the MGs is an enterprising MO. These days their tracks are both experimental and sophisticated.

5) The Maria Schneider Orchestra, Concert in the Garden (Artist Share)

On her most profound statement so far, the subtle dynamic shifts that continually recalibrate the composer-arranger’s tunes are sketched to provide pastoral pleasures. A dreamy guitar episode bubbles up, a piano-accordion interlude replaces it. As the shifts take place, Schneider’s world spills open to reveal itself.

6) Jenny Scheinman, Shalagaster (Tzadik)

New York’s most evocative violinist accounts for her religion, its ferociously rich history, and our ability to see how cosmopolitan some parts of the world have become. As her interests are peppered into the mix (gypsy, cowboy, tango, klez), this buoyant disc does a balancing act between deeply serious and deeply enchanting. The two don’t always go together, but Scheinman has a way of seeing that each side of the story is told.

7) Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts (Palmetto)

Concocting a unique sound with his organ-trumpet foursome, the wily drummer again shows us how easily accessible music can possess an edge. Some of the melodies are simple, but they’re used as springboards for inventive statements from each participant. Kudos to Larry Goldings for coming up with such a variety of keyboard tones — such ingenuity makes the ensemble seem larger than it is.

8) Alice Coltrane, Translinear Light (Impulse!)

John’s wife and Ravi’s mom can be long-winded — of course, that was the lingo of her artistic heyday, the mid-’60s. In an unexpected return from her LA ashram, this program of modal rumination has more poise and focus than any of her classic discs.

9) The Bill Charlip Trio, Somewhere (Blue Note)

Charlap tried all sorts of things this year — perhaps most daring was his series of piano duos with an array of New York pals. But the record he chose to make, a well-designed update of Leonard Bernstein’s tunes, turned out to be his most eloquent gambit. Trusting the fluid nature of his rather incredible rhythm section, he concocted precise little arrangements that accented aspects of the maestro’s original melodies.

10) Ben Allison & Medicine Wheel, Buzz (Palmetto)

The NYC bassist’s graceful sextet music is like an elaborate Lego structure. It’s made from singular, almost modular, elements, yet when you step back a bit, coherence is all you see. Buzz has a lush side to it; a gentle side, too. Say hello to a master of logical labyrinths.