Mightiest of 05 by way of introduction

Hello all,

Another page in the Liquidator Graphics era. It seemed the best way to introduce myself to new folks would be by posting my just-past-tardy best of 05, which up till now went out on the Acid Jazz and Soundlounge lists. It pretty well spells out all my obsessions, apart from the fact that it doesn't include any gay porn or beautiful Latin boys. Everything else in the Straight No Chaser-fueled aspects of my life is just about covered. Expect more Brazilian/Japanese/UK-fueled aesthetic and sonic loveliness to come, as well as reports of my new DJ comps, lovely gig nights out, and general suave and cosmopolitan Liquidator ethos (with perhaps an occasional caipirinha and mojito recipe thrown in.
Now onto my best of the last 12 (or so) months...

Mightiest Artist of 05 (once again):
Jazztronik
(honorable mention) RSL

Best LPs of 05:
Jazztronik, Cannibal Rock (Tokuma) (best by far)
Maria Rita, Segundo (BMG Latin)
Swing Out Sister, Live (in Tokyo) (Shanachie)
Bah Samba, 4 (BKO)
Nortec Collective, Tijuana Sessions Vol. 3 (Nacional)
RSL, Every Preston Guild (Players)
Alice Russell, My Favourite Letters (Tru Thoughts)
Joyce + Dori Caymmi, Rio Bahia (Far Out)
Saint Etienne, Tales from Turnpike House (Sanctuary)
Veba, Vs. Grand Central (Grand Central)
Five Corners Quintet, Chasin' the Jazz Gone By (Ricky Tick)
The Rebirth, This Journey In (Kajmere Sound)
Sabrina Malheiros, Equilibria (Far Out)
Jiva, Sun + Moon (Giant Step)
Tom + Joy, Antigua (Yellow Productions)
Eddy Meets Yannah, Just Like (Compost)
Salome de Bahia, Brasil (Yellow Productions)
Hajime Yoshizawa, Music from the Edge of the Universe (Geneon)
Nostalgia 77, The Garden (Tru Thoughts)
Mark de Clive-Lowe, Tides Arising (ABB)

Best Comps of 05:
Routine Jazz #7 Selected by Kei Kobayashi (Roulette)
KCRW Sounds Eclectico (Nacional)

Best Remixes of 05:
Mojo Project, Nana for Child (Da Lata Mix) (Lovemonk)
Bebel Gilberto, O Caminho (Guy Sigsworth Mix) (Six Degrees)
Jill Scott, Golden (Kenny Dope Mix) (Dopewax)
Anita O'Day, Sing Sing Sing (RSL Mix) (Verve)
Sabrina Malheiros, Maracatueira (Incognito Mix) (Far Out)

Dancefloor Killer of 05 Guaranteed to Obliterate All Comers:
Jazztronik + Flora Purim, Dentro de Mim (Tokuma)
(also lovely + incendiary) Salome de Bahia, Festa Para Um Rei Negro (Yellow)

Best Labels of 05:
Far Out
Tru Thoughts

Loveliest CD Packaging of 05:
Nortec Collective, Tijuana Sessions Vol. 3 (Nacional)

Religious Experience of 05:
Joyce @ Temple Bar

Other Best Gigs of 05 (Los Angeles):
Ely Guerra + Kinky opening for Café Tacuba @ The Gibson
Louie Vega + Blaze + Anané + Raul Midon + The EOL Band @ House of Blues
Swing Out Sister @ House of Blues
Nortec Collective @ Knitting Factory
Sharon Jones + The Dap-Kings @ Sunset Junction
Los Amigos Invisibles + Niño Astronauta @ The Conga Room
Mark de Clive-Lowe + Bembe Segue @ Pearl

London Gig to Make the Rest of Us Weep in 05:
Jazztronik live + Bembe Segue + Earl Zinger @ Jazz Café

Most Need to Come Here in 06:
Jazztronik live
RSL
Alice Russell
Mojo Project
Kyoto Jazz Massive live
Sleepwalker
Nostalgia 77 Octet
Monday Michiru (somebody needs to persuade our girl to come further west than Chicago)

Already Hotly Tipped for 06 (live):
Incognito in February (as long as they damn well play the West Coast)
Kenny Dope + Terry Hunter @ Deep
Louie Vega + Joe Claussell @ Deep

Already Hotly Tipped for 06 (discs):
Los Amigos Invisibles' Dimitri from Paris-helmed LP
new Kinky

Best Live Set/Sessions Captured Online in 05:
Mark de Clive-Lowe + Bembe Segue + Michelle Escoffery + Richard Spaven on Fab Channel
Nostalgia 77 Octet live @ Cargo on Nothing to See Here

Best (+ Most Visually Sublime) Films of 05 (far and away):
2046 (Wong Kar-Wai)
Three Dancing Slaves (Gael Morel)

Best Use of Brilliant Music on US TV in 05:
Gotan Project's "Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)" as Bruno Campos goes off on Nip/Tuck
(honorable mention) Troubleman + Nina Miranda's "Paz" (also on Nip/Tuck)

Most Unlikely + Brilliant Music Segment on US TV in 05:
La Lupe tribute piece on SíTV's Latination
(honorable mention) Bobbito feature (also on Latination)

Best Bands in Los Angeles in 05:
Niño Astronauta
Juguete
The Rebirth
Future Pigeon
Very Be Careful

Best Bands Elsewhere in the US in 05:
Jiva
Fertile Ground

Most Beautiful (+ Best Music-Tied) Ad Campaign in 05:
Brahma beer (featuring Patricia Marx + Max De Castro + Jair Oliveira + other Trama fam online)

Still The Most Beautiful Mag in the World in 05:
Straight No Chaser

Loveliest Music-Related Book in 05:
Pablo Yglesias, Cocinando: 50 Years of Latin Album Cover Art (Princeton Architectural Press)

Loveliness That Passed On in 05 (will be sorely missed):
Shirley Horn
Dom Um Romao
Lyn Collins
Martin Denny
Ibrahim Ferrer
Oscar Brown Jr.
Jimmy Smith
Francy Boland
Robert Moog
Juan Pablo Torres
Lou Rawls

And on a less somber note, 06 is off to a lovely start with:

Jazztronik, En:Code
Cecilia Stalin, Straight Up
and
the new Incognito remix comp.

Till next time... xo, B.