My favorite musical discoveries of 2022

Jazzrausch Bigband is compelling evidence that, however unlikely it sounds, Duke Ellington had a baby with Kraftwerk. Techno beats and textures, performed by a big band, with quirky lyrics (I've not found Wittgenstein to be a common lyrical inspiration for musicians), and appealing solos. I've listened to several of their albums this year, picking this, older one, out for longer tracks that allow the band to stretch into their material. This video is compelling evidence that they are a lot of fun live too.

The Mediterranean is a fascinating mixing pot: Graeco-Roman classicism, catholic Europe, the Maghreb, Ottoman, and Arabian cultures united by trade over the course of centuries. Al-jiçc is a Portuguese quartet (guitar/keyboards, clarinet, bass, and drums) that that sips from that stew, with a trance sound of subtle rhythms and Arabic melodies. (If you fancy a more klezmery Mediterranean clarinet with a driving rock foundation, my near-miss pick of Yom and Wonder Rabbis might interest you.)

Afrobeat is a style of music, most associated with Fela Kuti, that combined complex and danceable rhythms with vocals calling out for political change in West Africa and beyond. Like any captivating musical style, it's traveled and influenced others around the world, landing in this case with an international band based (I assume given their name) in London. They are a hard-driving eight piece band of guitars, horns and beats behind the assertive vocals of Juanita Euka. With folks like these, Afrobeat has a bright future.

June Tabor has long been one of the treasures of English folk music. She's appreciated not just for a deep, expressive voice, but also for great taste in collaborators who dine on a varied musical diet; based on, but branching beyond the English folk tradition. Quercus is her trio with saxophonist Iain Bellamy and pianist Hue Warren. Together they create thoughtful interpretations that can even turn Auld Lang Syne into a lovely piece of music.

The accordion is a rarity in serious musical circles, usually only found in Folk and Tango. Vincent Peirani lays out proof that it has far wider abilities, capable of playing as central a role in Jazz groups as the piano. This proof comes from a wonderful catalog of albums, involving glorious collaborations with artists from the ACT stable. With Jokers he forms a trio with guitar and drums, tackling his usual mix of original music with some fascinating reinterpretations from more widely popular artists.

I'm mostly rather wary of avant-garde free jazz, as it leads to discordance, ramblings, and screeches that I find tiresome. Here, those elements don't dominate. This album was recorded by having a free jazz improvisational session, later edited and manipulated in the studio. The result is music from a dream that combines improvisational melodies with an electronica-enhanced rhythmic texture.