By Ron Wynn

Throughout the ’90s, questions of image and direction have been endlessly debated in jazz, blues, and gospel circles, with some observers viewing the decade as a creatively bereft period. This stems largely from the absence of any larger-than-life figure who could serve as this era’s version of a Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Rev. Thomas Dorsey, or Mahalia Jackson.

But those looking for the messiah have missed a more positive, and ultimately more important, development in 1998: the revival of sounds and styles that have long been forgotten or overlooked. No fair-minded jazz fan could fail to be heartened by the offerings of such artists as James Carter, Olu Dara, Marcus Printup, David Murray, Steve Coleman, Andy Bey, and Shirley Horn—all of whom revived mainstream forms either by turning them inside-out or by using them as a foundation for their personal musical explorations.

There was equal cause for celebration in the blues and gospel world, although purists in both camps continue carping over whether certain musicians are “truly committed” to maintaining “the tradition” (whatever that means). Granted, Jonny Lang still sells more records than Robert Lockwood Jr., but Shemekia Copeland, Michael Hill, Keb’ Mo’, Corey Harris, Deborah Coleman, Kenny Neal, and the Kinsey Report all remain committed to interpreting the blues for ’90s audiences.

Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ, the Winans Family, and others have enjoyed wider recognition and exposure than most gospel acts previously thought possible. Franklin is as much a celebrity as any hip-hopper or urban balladeer, but it remains a mystery why he should be subject to criticisms as harsh as those doled out to gangsta rappers. His lyrics are as old-school as those of Sallie Martin or Rev. James Cleveland, and his testimonies of faith could air on The 700 Club.

Some members of the jazz, blues, and gospel communities need to learn the difference between purism and integrity: Purists simply demand adherence to standards that, in most instances, they weren’t even responsible for creating. This kind of ignorance prevented, for instance, Miles Davis’ electric music getting its just due until this year.

On the flipside, the quick tendency to label any development as a hot “trend” can be just as misinformed and misleading. This year there was an early rush to chronicle Afro-Cuban music as jazz’s newest thing, when it has been a vital part of the mix since the ’30s. Swing mania may have staying power, but thus far I’ll still take Cab Calloway over Brian Seltzer—not that it’s a bad thing to have both.

The main task for jazz, blues, and gospel artists is to keep a balance between honoring past traditions and forging new directions. Swing, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, Delta blues, Chicago blues, shuffle, swamp blues, jubilee gospel, and golden age gospel are extraordinary parts of the American musical landscape and should never be forgotten. That said, 21st-century artists must reference these styles without neglecting those newer sounds that have helped to expand the boundaries of popular music: free music, fusion, funk, disco, reggae, hip-hop, and, yes, rock.

Taking stock of the local music scene, it’s clear that Nashville will never be New York or New Orleans; still, there’s far more happening here than observers realize. The city has a solid network of clubs and venues—witness exciting concerts this year from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Michael Brecker, and numerous others. We’re also blessed with top artists like bassist Victor Wooten, tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, pianist Beegie Adair, and label owner/banjoist Allison Brown, all of whom are committed to keeping great music alive, regardless of its profit potential.

If you’ve lived elsewhere, you’ll be grateful for a radio station like WMOT-FM that plays genuine jazz and blues. But even the “smooth jazz” monolith 101.1 FM deserves credit for importing the excellent Ramsey Lewis jazz program. WAMB-1160AM also merits recognition for its menu of pre-rock vocalists and vintage swing and big band sounds, while newcomer WSOG-1240AM now provides a 24-hour venue for classic and contemporary gospel. On weekends, WQQK-92FM’s fine Saturday-morning “Down Home Blues” show spotlights another oft-forgotten style, featuring modern blues acts like Benny Lattimore, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Denise LaSalle, and Little Milton.

The year’s most exciting music, from Olu Dara to Robert Lockwood Jr. to Shirley Horn to the trio of Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, and Tracy Nelson, kept one eye on the past and the other on the future. But then, that’s always been the hallmark of the greatest American music, whatever the style.

The following represent my favorite selections in jazz, blues, and gospel; others might compose a different list, which is why I choose to avoid the term “best.”

The year's notable releases

1. Olu Dara, From Natchez to New York (Atlantic) Bristling cornet, energized blues vocals, and updated lyrics made this album a revelation. Dara’s ensemble juxtaposed ’20s blues with ’90s jazz, sneaked in ringers like rapper Nas, and made it all work with aplomb.

2. Steve Coleman, Genesis & The Opening of the Way (RCA) Who knows what “M-Base” music is? Even Coleman has a hard time defining it, but he made that issue a moot point with this definitive two-disc statement that mixed and matched everything from hard bop to reggae.

3. Wynton Marsalis, The Midnight Blues (Columbia) Forget the continuing critical nonsense about arrogance or cultural stagnation. The trumpet playing on this standards-with-strings masterpiece obliterates forever questions about Marsalis’ skills.

4. Marcia Ball/Tracy Nelson/Irma Thomas, Sing It! (Rounder) These women did just that, raising the roof both alone and in tandem on a set of steamy blues, confessional laments, and sassy statements.

5. Robert Lockwood Jr., Got to Find Me a Woman (Verve) He’s tired of answering questions about his stepfather, Robert Johnson. Besides, with this album, Lockwood shows he might have taught his stepdad a thing or two, had the legendary bluesman survived the ’30s.

6. Kirk Franklin, The Nu Nation Project (Gospo Centric) Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey was initially accused of putting too much blues in his gospel. The closed minds who indict Franklin for mixing secular and spiritual material are simply maintaining a long, ignorant tradition.

7. The Fairfield Four, Wreckin’ the House (Dead Reckoning) This group ranks among the greatest golden age quartets in history. No ensemble—not the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, not the Dixie Hummingbirds, not even the sainted Soul Stirrers—ever rocked the holy house more majestically.

8. David S. Ware, Go See the World (Columbia) When Branford Marsalis signed Ware to Columbia, skeptics anticipated a commercial/smooth-jazz project. Instead, Ware is as uncompromising as ever, and this is the closest any avant-garde performer will ever get to the mainstream.

9. Herbie Hancock, Gershwin’s World (Verve) While several of the year’s Gershwin centennial tribute dates were awkward or maudlin, Hancock turned in an excellent collection. He not only picked some of the esteemed composer’s greatest songs, he also recruited first-rate musical assistance from Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell, among others.

10. David Murray, Creole (Justin Time) Murray doesn’t label his music “multicultural” or “Afrocentric” or any other buzz word. He just spans the globe, investigates various sounds, and merges them into a distinctive, highly personal framework. This year, he traveled to Guadeloupe.

11. Andy Bey, Shades of Bey (Evidence) Astonishing range, piercing articulation, and striking tone notwithstanding, Andy Bey’s greatest asset is understatement. Many others with his vocal gifts would bowl you over with technique; he does it with finesse.

12. Nicholas Payton/Wynton Marsalis/Roy Hargrove, “The Three Trumpeteers” (Verve) This cut from the excellent Payton’s Place disc pays homage to cutting contests and jam sessions; but there’s no loser here, just three hard-blowing victors.

13. Sonny Rollins, “Global Warming” (Milestone) The title cut from Rollins’ first new disc in several years helped remind listeners that his elastic, immense tenor sounds even better immersed in calypso rhythms.

14. Johnny Adams/Aaron Neville, “Going Home” (Rounder) Even as he neared the end, Johnny Adams’ soaring falsetto once more rose to the occasion, this time buttressed by Aaron Neville’s equally beautiful trills and flourishes. It was the perfect conclusion both to his final release, A Man of My Word, and to his memorable career.

15. Shirley Horn, “My Funny Valentine” (Verve) When a transcendent pianist/vocalist like Horn tackles a standard—even one that’s been done ad nauseam—she makes it worth your time. This was the centerpiece of her first-rate I Remember Miles album.

Reissues

1. Miles Davis, Complete Bitches Brew Sessions and Complete Recordings of The Miles Davis Quartet ’65-’68 (Legacy) Davis always refused to accept other people’s notions about what he should or shouldn’t play. Sadly, despite the evidence, the close-minded refuse to acknowledge just how connected these two periods were.

2. Dinah Washington, Swingin’ Miss “D” (Verve) Though she was “Queen of the Blues,” Dinah Washington could breeze through jazz, R&B, and pop, and she began her career playing and singing gospel with the Sallie Martin Singers. On this occasion, she took a turn fronting an orchestra, proving incredibly soulful and demonstrative on standards and torch tunes.

3. Thelonious Monk, Monk Alone: The Complete Solo Studio Recordings (Legacy) His compositional brilliance and personal idiosyncrasies sometimes blinded fans and musicians alike to his keyboard abilities, but this set peels back the covers and displays an emphatic melodic intepreter, rollicking rhythm master, and formidable harmonic experimenter.

4. Dave Brubeck Quartet, Featuring Jimmy Rushing (Legacy) Rushing, among the finest blues/jazz shouters in history, wouldn’t seem a suitable partner for Brubeck’s usually immaculate voicings and softer keyboard shadings. Guess again.

5. Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Aces Back to Back (32 Jazz) He could be caustic or humorous, outrageous or conventional, but Rahsaan Roland Kirk was most of all a magnificent soloist and inventive spirit. The albums featured on this multi-disc outing weren’t his greatest, but Kirk’s tumultuous playing and buoyant personality made them special.

6. Taj Mahal, In Progress and in Motion (Legacy) Long before acoustic revivals or discussions about “keeping the blues alive” came into vogue, Taj Mahal was investigating vintage forms and doing his best to alert the public to the value of musicians from Robert Johnson to Gabby Pahauni.

7. Albert Ayler, Live in Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings (Impulse) While Coltrane came to free music from the blues and hard bop, Ayler leapt into jazz’s outer realms from the sanctified church. Accompanied by brother David’s equally fervid trumpet blasts, Ayler and company journeyed beyond the cosmos fueled by a sonic explosion.

8. Various Artists, Golden Age Gospel Quartets, Vols. 1 & 2 (Specialty) When you hear how passionate, spirited, and intense these groups sound, it’s easy to understand why so many golden age devotees dismiss contemporary gospel. Even if I don’t share their sentiments, I agree that we’ll probably never hear music like this again.

9. John McLaughlin/Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Inner Mounting Flame (Legacy) This was jazz-rock at its pinnacle: flashy, daring solos fortified by radiant rhythms and energetic accompaniment. No quartet ever fulfilled fusion’s early promise more completely, and no one since has eclipsed what this ensemble created.

10. Pharaoh Sanders, Summen, Bukmun, Umyun (Impulse) Sanders was at his slashing best on the title cut, a lengthy excursion through African rhythms and free-form solos. The trills, overtones, yodeling, and screams still sound daring, which says a lot about the state of many current jazz recordings.

On the literary front, the jazz book of the year was Gary Giddins’ long-awaited Visions of Jazz (Oxford), an exhaustive examination of this century’s finest jazz musicians, composers, and arrangers. Giddins profiled 79 personalities, from early New Orleans players to outside experimenters, and did it without prejudice or stylistic bias. The two-disc companion, Visions of Jazz (Blue Note), is the first general sampler since Martin Williams’ Smithsonian boxed set that offers a truly complete look at jazz’s myriad styles.

A close second was Gene Lees’ Singers and the Song II (Oxford), a wonderful follow-up to his previously acclaimed look at vocalists, the art of lyric writing, and related topics.

Also noteworthy were the following: Dr. Bobby Jones, Touched By God (Pocket); Tony Bennett, The Good Life (Pocket); Bruce Crowther & Mike Pinfolo, Singing Jazz (Miller Freeman); Lewis Porter, John Coltrane (University of Michigan); Kevin Whitehead, New Dutch Swing (Billboard); Kirk Franklin, Church Boy (Word); Tom Piazza, Blues Up and Down (Oxford); Eric Nisensson, Blue, The Murder of Jazz (Oxford); and Angela Davis’ Blues Legacies and Black Feminism (Pantheon), the most controversial book to come down the blues pike in many years.

On the literary front, the jazz book of the year was Gary Giddins’ long-awaited Visions of Jazz (Oxford), an exhaustive examination of this century’s finest jazz musicians, composers, and arrangers. Giddins profiled 79 personalities, from early New Orleans players to outside experimenters, and did it without prejudice or stylistic bias. The two-disc companion, Visions of Jazz (Blue Note), is the first general sampler since Martin Williams’ Smithsonian boxed set that offers a truly complete look at jazz’s myriad styles.

A close second was Gene Lees’ Singers and the Song II (Oxford), a wonderful follow-up to his previously acclaimed look at vocalists, the art of lyric writing, and related topics.

Also noteworthy were the following: Dr. Bobby Jones, Touched By God (Pocket); Tony Bennett, The Good Life (Pocket); Bruce Crowther & Mike Pinfolo, Singing Jazz (Miller Freeman); Lewis Porter, John Coltrane (University of Michigan); Kevin Whitehead, New Dutch Swing (Billboard); Kirk Franklin, Church Boy (Word); Tom Piazza, Blues Up and Down (Oxford); Eric Nisensson, Blue, The Murder of Jazz (Oxford); and Angela Davis’ Blues Legacies and Black Feminism (Pantheon), the most controversial book to come down the blues pike in many years.