When you play so many types of sounds on a show, it makes compiling a list like this such a challenge…I believe this is a high quality example of my own and the show’s beliefs in what the tops of 2009 look like. I apologize if I left something out, didn’t receive or just don’t agree with what you see as tops…here’s this year’s list:
* indicates a hard fought tie.
97. These are the Days- Albert Castiglia
96. The Move- Eric Biondo
95. Live in Louisville- Carrie Rodriguez
94. Vol. 2-Truckin’ Sessions- Dale Watson
93. Este Mundo- Rupa & the April Fishes
92. Throw Down Your Heart,Tales from the Acoustic Planet,3:Africa Sessions-Béla Fleck
91. Missy Anderson-Missy Anderson
90. Me not Me- Marco Benevento
89. Solid Ground- Sara Wasserman
88. Coward- Nils Cline
87. Never Going Back- Shemekia Copeland
86. Choices- Terence Blanchard
85. Live- Jake Shimabukuro
84. Quartet Live-Gary Burton,Pat Metheny,Steve Swallow & Antonio Sanchez
83. My World- Lee Fields & the Expressions
82. Pulse- Jim Weider’s Project Percolator
81. Haih Or Amortecedor- Os Mutantes
80. One Day in Brooklyn- JFJO
79. The Lost Southlake Sessions- The Radiators
78. In the Mood for Life- Wax Tailor
77. En’ A-Free-Ka- Shafiq Husayn
76. Awake- Julian Marley
75. Historicity- Vijay Iyer Trio
74. Rishte- Najma Akhtar and Gary Lucas
73. Burn it Down- the Dynamites
72. Trova- Marta Topferova
*71. Piety Street-John Scofield/Bright Mississippi-Allen Toussaint
70. Blueprints Of Jazz Vol. 1- Mike Clark
69. Spiritual Dimensions- Wadada Leo Smith
68. Us- Brother Ali
67. Tell No Lies-Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara
66. Eagle- Mamer
65. Turned Up Turned On-Michael Bellar As-Is Ensemble
64. For this I Rise- J. Russell
63. To Obscurity & Beyond- Afroskull
62. Abyss- Jacques Schwarz Bart
61. Pot of Gold Remixes I/II- Alice Russell
60. Musically Massive- David Last vs Zulu
59. The Blow Sven Theory-Sven Barth & Induce are Casual Sax & The Saxual Revolution
58. Across the Divide: A Tale of Rhythm/Ancestry-Omar Sosa
57. Light a Candle- Forro in the Dark
56. Call My Name- Daby Touré & Skip McDonald
55. Daptone Gold- Daptone Records
54. Dr. Boondigga & the Big BW-Fat Freddy’s Drop
53. Radiolarians II/III- MMW
52. Strange Cousin- Tribescastan
51. Solid Ground- the Black Seeds
50. Secret Song- DJ Spooky
49. Keep it Hid- Dan Auerbach
48. Well Hung- Various Artists
47. Playing for Change
46. Plateau- Soname
45. Magnolia Land- Davis Coen
44. Here I Am- Groundation
43. Future will Come- the Juan Mclean
42. Pigs Feet & Potted Meat-Ivan FUNKBOY Bodley
41. Making Love to the Dark Ages-Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber
40. Barracuda- Kinky
39. Small World- Tony Bunn
38. A Modest Proposal- Gutbucket
37. Metamorphosen- Branford Marsalis Quartet
36. La Revolte Des Zombies- Boukman Eksperyans
35. Trio B.C.- Girl in a Coma
34. Tangled tales-Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks
33. Future Past- Lovespirals
32. Purgatory Hill- pat mAcdonald
31. New World- JTQ
*30. Power Patriot-Garage a Trois/Melvin’s Rockplie-Out to Lunch
29. Rise Up- Dr. Lonnie Smith
28. Jazz Around the World- Putumayo
27. Songs for the Queen of Bohemia-Eldad Tarmu Chamber Jazz Ensemble
26. Diaspora Remixed- Watcha Clan
25. Fondo- Vieux Farka Toure
24. Rivermudtwilight- Les Triaboliques
*23. Hard Times EP-Bonerama/This That & The Other Thing-Skeebo Knight
22. Making a Statement- the JMC Project
21. Ancients Speak- Melvin Gibbs’ Elevated Entity
20. One Ticket One Ride- Geoff Achison
19. Espana- Putumayo
18. Eclecticism- M. Nahadr
17. Eddy Loves Frank- Ed Palermo Big Bang
16. Tales from the Earth- Mark Weinstein/Omar Sosa
*15. Rhythm Method-Cadillac Jones/Aguilas & Cobras-Brownout
14.Re: Generations- Nat King Cole
13. Prester John Sessions- Tommy T
12. After the Air Raid- Zevious
11. Plug ‘N Play- the New Mastersounds
10. The Great American Soulbook- Tower of Power
9. Exotic on the Speaker- Soulico
8. Imidiwan: Companions- Tinariwen
7. Waxed Oop- Fast ‘N Bulbous
6. Taketron- Slavic Soul Party
5. The New Gold Standard II- Fort Knox Five
4. Chaal Baby- Red Baraat
3. Dusk Til Dawn- Breakestra
2. Already Free- the Derek Trucks Band
1. Drumquestra- Larry McDonald
