Best Jazz Recordings, post 1990

5. John Scofield Quartet, Meant to Be. This quartet, featuring Joe Lovano on saxophone (and Scofield on guitar, of course), was psychic in their abilities to read each other. This recording is one of the best introductions to jazz that I can think of for someone who's trying to get into it. Great compositions, great playing, immensely enjoyable from beginning to end. And, in addition to Hand Jive, it's one of the best examples of Scofield doing his thing before his whole jam-band schtick took over.

4. Kenny Wheeler, Angel Song. With an all-star line-up to reckon with, including Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Lee Konitz on sax, Bill Frisell on guitar, and Dave Holland on bass, the music on this record is truly angelic. No drums, and much of it is somewhat "ethereal," which is not normally my thing, but this music grooves in a very, very deep place.

3. Courtney Pine, Modern Day Jazz Stories. From a man thought to be the voice of English jazz came the first in a series of "future jazz" recordings (jazz combined with electronica, hip-hop, etc.), followed by the equally compelling Underground and Devotion. Mr. Pine is an astounding player, one might say a bit like Coltrane on steroids, a player with an eye clearly toward what is to come, another on making music way groovy here and now.

2. Kenny Garrett, Pursuance: the music of John Coltrane. Featuring Pat Metheny on guitar (who always sounds best in pure-jazz settings) and the awesome rhythm section of Brian Blade on drums and Rodney Whitaker on bass, this recording is so fine it's guaranteed to turn your head around. To say that this music does justice to Coltrane's legacy, with Garrett on alto no less, would be a massive understatement. All the players seem to be channeling spirits from another world to make music so moving. A recording which is every bit as good is guitarist John McLaughlin's After the Rain, also a tribute to Coltrane, and featuring Joey DeFranceco on organ and the late, great Elvin Jones on drums.

1. Bugge Wesseltoft, Film Ing There have been a few excellent, successful jazz/electronica/hip-hop attempts, namely Branford Marsalis' Buckshot LeFonque (the first one), Tim Hagans' Animation-Imagination, and the above-mentioned Courtney Pine records--this "new conception of jazz" that keyboard player Bugge ("Boogie") has been working on is by far the most enjoyable, and danceable, future-jazz work that I've come across yet. One should not hesitate to put down some money to get their hands on this stuff; you'll only be sorry if you wait and find out later what you've been missing. Mind you, it's hard to find and not cheap (BW is from Norway), but it's worth every bit of energy expended seeking it out and every penny spent on it.