The New York Times published its annual “Best of” lists today. This is always an interesting exercise because the critics who compile the lists do not pander to popular taste. They provide those who are interested in cutting edge films, music, theatre, and books with the opportunity to discover previously undiscovered gems.

With that in mind, I anxiously turned to Giovanni Russonello’s list of the Top 10 jazz albums released in 2019. Topping the list is Diatom Ribbons by Kris Davis, who works on the East Coast and currently teaches at Princeton and the New School. Keep going, and you will find vibraphonist Joel Ross (Number 3), pianist Crag Taborn (Number 4), Marquis Hill (Number 5), and the Art Ensemble of Chicago (Number 8). Why did I single out five of Russonello’s picks? For those who closely follow the Chicago jazz scene, all five of these artists performed in Chicago this year. In particular, Davis, Taborn, Hill, and Ross have performed as part of the University of Chicago’s UChicago Presents series at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. The Art Ensemble performed this past September at the Chicago Jazz Festival, as did Davis and Ross. Davis, Ross, Taborn, and Hill have all performed in recent years at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival.

I had the opportunity to hear Taborn and Davis perform a concert of duets on November 22 as part of the UChicago Presents series. At times it was hard to perceive that two pianists were on stage, so I am not sure these were really duets. Despite being on opposite sides of the stage at two pianos, the four hands created what seemed to be one sound.

I must confess, the concert was not entirely to my taste, but I have seen Taborn and Davis on other occasions where I have thoroughly enjoyed their work. To be clear, it was an excellent performance, but I didn’t walk away as elated as I had expected to be. Maybe I was tired—it had been a hellacious week for me. Or, as sometime happens with more adventurous music, it just doesn’t jell for me. I, however, am hardly the final word. The audience immediately stood at the end of performance, offering wild applause.

At the Art Ensemble concert in September, there were parts that I really liked, and there were parts that I did not care for. As I left the concert, I listened to the conversations in the air as I headed for the exit. Others had a similar reaction, but they liked parts that I didn’t and I liked parts that they didn’t. For me, this phenomenon goes back to the early Seventies when I was first discovering jazz. Some of what my friends and I described as “whacked” was great; some of it wasn’t. Notably, many years later, some of what I didn’t like now makes sense to me. I am now a big fan of Archie Shepp Anthony Braxton, and Underwear, among others that I resisted at first.

Symphony Center, the Harris Theatre, and other downtown Chicago performance spaces receive a lot of attention from the fans and critics alike. Unfortunately, Hyde Park is a bit out of the way, but easily accessible. If you haven’t experienced a UChicago Presents concert yet, I encourage you take a look at the offerings, which include jazz, classical, electronic, and other other worthy music genres that are all too often ignored by the masses these days. The University of Chicago is bringing in internationally acclaimed artists, as this year’s New York Times list aptly demonstrates. Plus, parking is free; admission is relatively inexpensive; and the hall has great accoustics.

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