Anthony Dean-Harris

The Line-Up in all its newness and splendor has returned to normal. The smooth jazz may return, but not for a long while. This week has new music (fringe, hip-hop inspired, and everything else you'd expect from me), previews to album streams, and some jammy jams. And peace was restored to the land. Enoch Smith Jr. - Wise Man Yes, I'm still playing Misfits  pretty compulsively. It's a shame I missed this during list season. Mister Barrington - Helter's Kelter Tigran Hamasyan - What the Waves Brought I still have A Fable in rotation and likely will for a while. Rusconi - Tempelhof I just got the new Rusconi album, Revolution . I'm still working my way through it, but I had to jump on getting a track in this week's show. John Scofield - Every Night is Ladies Night The computer picked this one but I really liked the beat. Besides, John Scofield has an intended appearance later in the show. J Dilla - Bye. Miguel Atwood-Fergusson - Hoc N Pucky When'...

At long last, it's the Nextbop Best Albums of 2011 episode of The Line-Up. There's not a whole lot more I could say that I haven't said already about these selections. Once again, thanks to the whole Nextbop staff for having such great taste (especially my partner-in-crime, Seb, who I somehow forgot to mention in my closing but want to make sure I try to articulate a mere fraction of the love and appreciation I have for him and all he's done for this site and bringing me on to make something I consider pretty cool) and explaining that taste in your own distinct voices that I love to pick over. Everyone involved in jazz-- musician, critic, and fan alike-- has had what I think is a rather monumental 2011. I feel a lot of great promise for 2012. Ari Hoenig - Higher to Hayastan Radiohead - Bloom Yaron Herman - Heart Shaped Box Vijay Iyer feat. Prasanna and Nitin Mitta - Duality Jonti - Hornets Nest Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - Grandfather's Gun Ambrose Akinmusir...

This Christmas Eve Eve, I still haven't been feeling Christmas-y, but I have been feeling list-y. This week's show pulls straight from my personal Best Jazz Albums of 2011 list . Next week's show pulls from Nextbop's full staff Best Jazz Albums of 2011 list. Also, considering this is essentially the radio version of a list I already wrote, please don't be alarmed that I don't have a write-up for each track this week (and likely next week when I do the full Nextbop staff version for next week's Line-Up as well). Ben Williams - Moontrane   Toro y Moi - Intro/Chi-Chi Pilc Moutin Hoenig - Nardis Vijay Iyer feat. Prasanna and Nitin Mitta - Tribal Wisdom Radiohead - Bloom Ben Allison - Some Day We'll All Be Free Somi - Changing Inspiration Jonti - Pássaros Tigran Hamasyan - What the Waves Brought Booker T. Jones - Harlem House Gretchen Parlato - Circling Teebs -  LSP feat. Austin Peralta Thundercat - Fleer Ultra

This week's Line-Up is filled with energy, even if half the songs aren't necessarily filled with a lot of instruments. These were some of the most interesting new tracks that I've heard this week... and one the computer picked. Tigran Hamasyan - What the Waves Brought I knew I would be playing the Brad Mehldau & Kevin Hays and Chick Corea & Stefano Bollani tracks this week so I figured some more solo piano would compliment things. Also, it came up in my commute. Múm - Awake on a Train Brad Mehldau & Kevin Hays - Generatrix Modern Music is a good album. It straddles the ground between a classical concert and a jazz performance so it may not really be for everyone. Still, some of the choicer tracks are definitely great picks for the radio. This is  one of those choicer tracks. I'm looking forward to playing others. Chick Corea & Stefano Bollani - Jitterbug Waltz This may possibly be the best version of "Jitterbug Waltz" that I have ever...

Combined with the gray (but still pleasant) morning in San Antonio and the passing of my good friend and publisher, Kathy Clay-Little , this week's Line-Up is a bit softer and a little more chill. I hope you don't mind this change up this week. Ambrose Akinmusire - Jaya The computer picked this here but I figured I don't play Akinmusire often enough anyway. Pazes - Untitled Chris Dingman - Jet Lag I haven't been playing Dingman as often as I'd like, either. Besides, this track came up in my commute this week and I asked myself why I never played this track on the air in the first place. JAMES Farm - Unravel The computer picked a JAMES Farm track for the show but I had to switch things up to fit with the somber mood I'm going for this week. MF DOOM - Saffron Tigran Hamasyan - A Fable Now that I re-obtained A Fable , this album is going to get some steady play for a while. Brad Mehldau - Things Behind the Sun On the bus ride to the station today, Nick...

I didn't note it on the air but this week marks my 2 year anniversary of The Line-Up. We've come a long way and I'm proud of this show, what it has spread to the masses and how it has really been a lynchpin for Nextbop. Now, in the tradition of spreading dopeness... Kyle Eastwood - Marciac For some reason, Kyle Eastwood really came correct for his latest album, Songs from the Chateau . The energy has really flared up. I dig it. Ben Allison - We've Only Just Begun It was another one of those "hey, I haven't played [blank] in a while" moments. Terri Lyne Carrington - Crayola I was sort of shocked to hear this on Carrington's The Mosaic Project  instead of Esperanza Spalding using this song for one of her own albums. It's just as good live as it is in the studio. It's a blast of fresh air. Adam Cruz - The Gadfly Milestone  is a great album, period. Rarely do I hear anything from Sunnyside Records that doesn't knock me off my feet. Sun...