AllMusic 2017 Year in Review
Favorite Jazz Albums
Up and comers like Keyon Harrold, Jazzmeia Horn and Ross McHenry sat comfortably alongside stalwarts such as Chick Corea, Courtney Pine and Mike Stern in 2017, resulting in albums that both respect the jazz's origins while continuing to push its boundaries.
A gorgeous, dreamlike homage to the coastal French city that clearly holds a special place in the pianist's heart.
A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard
A challenging, sprawling live album of all-original material from the trumpeter and his quartet.
Arturo O'Farrill / Chucho Valdés
Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico
A virtuosic blend of old traditions and forward-thinking musicality makes up this ambitious celebration of two Afro-Cuban family legacies.
The Norwegian trumpeter and some longtime collaborators continue their exploration and discovery in expanding the boundaries of jazz.
The Israeli-born trumpeter's second ECM album of atmospheric, classically influenced jazz.
A highly engaging, forward-looking jazz supergroup celebrates Blue Note's 75th Anniversary.
A generous, organically realized collaboration between the genre-bending bluegrass singer/mandolin player and the lauded jazz pianist.
Brian Blade / Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band
Celebrating their 20-year anniversary and fifth album, this ensemble stand apart in seamlessly weaving American folk forms and jazz.
An engrossing live album and documentary set culled from Corea's six-week birthday stint at the Blue Note in 2016.
The saxophonist's third leader disc for ECM showcases the considerable rhythmic invention -- and muscle -- of his quartet.
Christian McBride / Christian McBride Big Band
The bassist's second full-length album featuring his dynamic big band.
On his return to live-in-the-studio, warts-and-all solo recording, the saxophonist/composer delivers a percussive, airy, emotionally resonant album.
Colin Vallon Trio / Patrice Moret / Julian Sartorius / Colin Vallon
This adventurous and accessible date by the Swiss trio should help establish an audience beyond Europe's borders and jazz's confines.
For the first time in 12 years the British jazzman returns to his tenor, backed by his rhythm section and guest soulman Omar Lye-Fook.
An engaging, experimental quartet date from the pianist with Chris Speed, Chris Lightcap, and the Bad Plus' Dave King.
The pianist's superb third High Note release features bassist Buster Williams, drummer Lenny White, and vibraphonist Steve Nelson.
An emotionally layered set of live and studio recordings featuring the singer and her trio, as well as the classical string ensemble the Catalyst Quartet.
The jazz diva travels to Memphis to cut an album of R&B, soul, blues, and gospel classics with plenty of sass and style.
Django Bates / Anouar Brahem / Jack DeJohnette / Dave Holland
With an all-star rhythm section, the Tunisian oud master delivers a nearly perfect meld of Arabic modal music and jazz improvisation.
On his debut as a leader for ECM, the pianist showcases his trio's unique, sophisticated, creative acumen without losing his sense of humor.
On this excellent follow-up to Made In Brazil, the pianist, her band, and a star-studded guest list explore the depth and dimension of samba.
The saxophonist investigates songs by Sergio Mendes, Stevie Wonder, and others on this warm Latin-tinged effort, featuring Jon Faddis.
A lovingly crafted tribute to one of Porter's biggest influences featuring lush orchestral arrangements from Vince Mendoza.
Indo-Pak Coalition / Rudresh Mahanthappa
After nine long years, this trio reunites for a most provocative, boundary-shattering date that creates a new kind of Indo-jazz fusion.
A virtuoso debut from the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Vocal Jazz Competition winner.
Nuanced acoustic post-bop session from the trumpeter with a vibrant Latin influence.
The prolific Dobro maestro and his septet revisit the past and carve out new ground as bluegrass, jazz, country-rock, and blues collide.
Flowers: Beautiful Life, Vol. 2
An ebullient, rhythmically vibrant second volume of music inspired by the saxophonist's daughter, who died at Sandy Hook.
John Abercrombie / John Abercrombie Quartet
The lineage in this band enables its members to explore an abundance of creative ideas with subtlety, empathy, and confidence.
The trumpeter's ambitious, socially conscious sophomore album mixes jazz, hip-hop, and R&B in a fertile psychedelic cauldron.
The ninth album of genre-bending, instrumental post-jazz from the exploratory quintet.
Coming off hiatus on a new label, the British quintet delivers the most focused, diverse, and sophisticated record in its catalog.
On his final Thirsty Ear date, the pianist/composer and his trio deliver an accessible but no less questing set of new tunes.
A sophisticated, kinetic, and deeply poetic quartet session from the acclaimed Puerto Rican saxophonist.
The groundbreaking guitarist fights back from a potentially career-ending accident to deliver one of his finest and most diverse albums.
A funky, bold, and deeply soulful Verve debut from the Los Angeles bassist/vocalist and West Coast Get Down member.
Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds
The flutist/composer delivers a narrative concept that explores the intersections of duality in a startlingly unique musical language.
The PHJB's second album of all-original material is an ebullient, Afro-Latin-influenced party album produced with TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek.
This folk-jazz trio delivers its sophomore recording from a studio, reinventing folk, pop, and jazz standards with depth and elegance.
Ramon Diaz / Nosotros Ensemble / David Virelles
The pianist's large-scale performance work was recorded in a New York studio, and explores transculturation and traditions in jazz and Cuban music.
The violinist pays homage to the legendary vocalist with a set of well-curated, surprisingly reworked standards.
Recorded at Chicago's Museum of Modern Art, four of the artist's trios play separately and in various combinations to deliver a monolithic and inspired document.
The debut album by the Shaolin Afronauts' bassist's new trio displays an innovative, original brand of purposefully executed Antipodean jazz.
The Galactic drummer's trio and a host of NOLA luminaries pay a heartfelt, soulful tribute to the late Allen Toussaint's music and genius.
The Charles Lloyd Quartet / Charles Lloyd / Charles Lloyd New Quartet
The great saxophonist's new quartet celebrates ten years together with this startling, inspired live offering.
Tim Berne / Tim Berne's Snakeoil
The saxophonist and composer's complex compositional ideas come to fruition with complex group interplay and communication to deliver a strong, dark, and bold creation.
The legendary Afrobeat drummer's earthy, harmonically sophisticated and endlessly funky full-length Blue Note debut.
The drummer and composer returns to work with his trio, erasing all boundary lines between vanguard music, classical, and jazz.
Vijay Iyer / Vijay Iyer Sextet
The pianist draws upon late-'60s Miles Davis and Mwandishi-era Herbie Hancock for this daring, exploratory sextet date.