Music Year 2016

This is my year-end list for records released in 2016, frozen as of Jan. 28, 2017. The actual Music Year 2016 will continue to be updated to Dec. 31, 2017, after which updating becomes impractical.

For records in hand, * identifies an advance copy, ** something borrowed, downloaded or streamed. Some albums released in previous years are included here, noted by a "-NN" (e.g., -14 for 2014) -- these are mostly imports or self-releases, often hard to figure out official dates, but they were unknown (to me, at least) before the current year.

New Records

  1. Aly Keďta/Jan Galega Brönnimann/Lucas Niggli: Kalo-Yele (Intakt) *
  2. Mekons: Existentialism (Bloodshot) **
  3. Houston Person & Ron Carter: Chemistry (HighNote)

  4. Pet Shop Boys: Super (X2) [**]
  5. Brandy Clark: Big Day in a Small Town (Warner Brothers) **
  6. Henry Threadgill Ensemble Double Up: Old Locks and Irregular Verbs (Pi)
  7. Murray, Allen & Carrington Power Trio: Perfection (Motéma) **
  8. George Coleman: A Master Speaks (Smoke Sessions) **
  9. Roswell Rudd/Jamie Saft/Trevor Dunn/Balasz Pandi: Strength & Power (Rare Noise) *
  10. JD Allen: Americana (Savant)
  11. Gary Lucas' Fleischerei: Music From Max Fleischer Cartoons (Cuneiform) **
  12. Drive-By Truckers: American Band (ATO) **
  13. Aesop Rock: The Impossible Kid (Rhymesayers) **
  14. Swet Shop Boys: Cashmere (Customs) **
  15. Parquet Courts: Human Performance (Rough Trade) **
  16. Miranda Lambert: The Weight of These Wings (RCA Nashville, 2CD) **
  17. Dave Rempis/Joshua Abrams/Avreeayl Ra + Jim Baker: Periheleon (Aerophonic, 2CD)
  18. Rodrigo Amado Motion Trio: Desire & Freedom (Not Two)
  19. Roswell Rudd & Heather Masse: August Love Song (Red House)
  20. Anderson .Paak: Malibu (OBE/Steel Wool/ArtClub/Empire) [**]
  21. Damana (Dag Magnus Narvesen Octet): Cornua Copiae (Clean Feed)
  22. Live the Spirit Residency: Presents the Young Masters 1: Coming of Age (self-released)
  23. Wussy: Forever Sounds (Shake It) **
  24. Omri Ziegele Noisy Minority: Wrong Is Right (Intakt) *
  25. Nik Bärtsch's Mobile: Continuum (ECM) **
  26. Rich Halley 5: The Outlier (Pine Eagle)
  27. Sonny Rollins: Holding the Stage: Road Shows Vol. 4 (1979-2012, Okeh)
  28. Gwen Stefani: This Is What the Truth Feels Like (Interscope) **
  29. B.J. the Chicago Kid: In My Mind (Motown) **
  30. The Julie Ruin: Hit Reset (Hardly Art) **
  31. Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition (Warp) **
  32. Kaytranada: 99.9% (XL) **
  33. Steve Lehman: Sélébéyone (Pi)
  34. Jane Ira Bloom: Early Americans (Outline)
  35. Lori McKenna: The Bird & the Rifle (CN/Thirty Tigers) **
  36. Stirrup: Cut (Clean Feed)
  37. Britney Spears: Glory (RCA) **
  38. Ka: Honor Killed the Samurai (Iron Works) **
  39. Julie Kjaer 3: Dobbeltgaenger (Clean Feed)
  40. The Coathangers: Nosebleed Weekend (Suicide Squeeze) **
  41. Omar Sosa/Joo Kraus/Gustavo Ovalle: JOG (Otá -15) **
  42. Eric Revis Trio: Crowded Solitudes (Clean Feed)
  43. The Del McCoury Band: Del and Woody (McCoury Music) [**]
  44. CupcakKe: Cum Cake (self-released) **
  45. Nots: Cosmetic (Goner) **
  46. Elza Soares: A Mulher Do Fim Do Mundo (Mais Um Discos) **
  47. Young Thug: I'm Up)(300 Entertainment/Atlantic) **
  48. Van Morrison: Keep Me Singing (Caroline) **
  49. Elizabeth Cook: Exodus of Venus (Agent Love) **
  50. Ivo Perelman: Soul (Leo)
  51. Hanna Paulsberg Concept: Eastern Smiles (Odin) **
  52. Festen (Clean Feed)
  53. Greg Ward & 10 Tongues: Touch My Beloved's Thought (Greenleaf Music)
  54. Scott Hamilton/Harry Allen: Live! (GAC) **
  55. Jack DeJohnette: In Movement (ECM) **
  56. Barbara Dane with Tammy Hall: Throw It Away . . . (Dreadnaught Music)
  57. Dori Freeman (Free Dirt) **
  58. Cortex: Live in New York (Clean Feed)
  59. Samo Salamon Bassless Trio: Unity (Samo)
  60. Robbie Fulks: Upland Stories (Bloodshot) **
  61. The Evenfall Quartet: Evenfall (Blue Duchess)
  62. Alexander Hawkins/Evan Parker: Leaps in Leicester (Clean Feed)
  63. Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit: Ana (PNL) **
  64. Jessy Lanza: Oh No (Hyperdub) **
  65. Rihanna: Anti (Roc Nation) **
  66. Konono No. 1/Batida: Konono No. 1 Meets Batida (Crammed Discs) **
  67. A Tribe Called Quest: We Got It From Here . . . Thank You 4 Your Service (Epic) [**]
  68. Terell Stafford: Forgive and Forget (Herb Harris Music)
  69. Blood Orange: Freetown Sound (Domino) **
  70. MIA: AIM (Interscope) **
  71. Jacam Manricks: Chamber Jazz (self-released)
  72. Slavic Soul Party: Plays Duke Ellington's Far East Suite (Ropeadope)
  73. T.I.: Us or Else: Letter to the System (Grand Hustle/Roc Nation) **
  74. Beyoncé: Lemonade (Parkwood/Columbia)
  75. Leonard Cohen: You Want It Darker (Columbia) **
  76. Gambari Band: Kokuma (Membran Media) **
  77. The Paranoid Style: Rolling Disclosure (Bar/None) **
  78. Franklin Kiermyer: Closer to the Sun (Mobility Music)
  79. Alicia Keys: Here (RCA) **
  80. The Handsome Family: Unseen (Loose Music) **
  81. Ab-Soul: Do What Thou Wilt (Top Dawg) **
  82. Peter Kuhn Trio: The Other Shore (NoBusiness)
  83. Tegan and Sara: Love You to Death (Vapor) **
  84. Fredrik Nordström: Gentle Fire/Restless Dreams (Moserobie, 2CD)
  85. BJ Barham: Rockingham (self-released) **
  86. Bobby Kapp/Matthew Shipp: Cactus (Northern Spy) **
  87. Dave Holland/Chris Potter/Lionel Loueke/Eric Harland: Aziza (Dare2) *
  88. Bonnie Raitt: Dig In Deep (Redwing) **
  89. Rent Romus' Life's Blood Ensemble: Rising Colossus (Edgetone)
  90. Oles Brothers & Antoni Gralak: Primitivo (ForTune) **
  91. Brahja Waldman: Wisdomatic (Fast Speaking Music)
  92. Stephan Crump: Stephan Crump's Rhombal (Papillon)
  93. Allen Lowe: In the Diaspora of the Diaspora: Hell With an Ocean View (Constant Sorrow)
  94. Ivo Perelman/William Parker/Gerald Cleaver: The Art of the Improv Trio Volume 4 (Leo)
  95. Eve Risser White Desert Orchestra: Les Deux Versants Se Regardent (Clean Feed)
  96. Honey Ear Trio: Swivel (Little (i) Music)
  97. Albert Cirera/Hernâni Faustino/Gabriel Ferrandini/Agustí Fernández: Before the Silence (NoBusiness)
  98. Peter Kuhn/Dave Sewelson/Gerald Cleaver/Larry Roland: Our Earth/Our World (pfMentum) **
  99. Sonic Liberation 8: Bombogenic (High Two)
  100. Black Bombaim & Peter Brötzmann (Clean Feed)
  101. Eric Prydz: Opus (Astralwerks, 2CD) **
  102. Made to Break: Dispatch to the Sea (Audiographic) **
  103. Atmosphere: Fishing Blues (Rhymesayers Entertainment) **
  104. Steve Swell Quintet: Soul Travelers (RogueArt) *
  105. Judy Carmichael and Harry Allen: Can You Love Once More (GAC) **
  106. Fred Hersch: Sunday Night at the Vanguard (Palmetto)
  107. Nu Guinea: The Tony Allen Experiments [Afrobeat Makers Vol 3] (Comet)
  108. John Prine: For Better or Worse (Oh Boy) **
  109. Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris: Blue (Leo)
  110. David Greenberger, Keith Spring, and Dinty Child: Take Me Where I Don't Know I Am (Pel Pel)
  111. Revolutionary Snake Ensemble: I Want That Sound! (Innova)
  112. Generations Quartet: Flow (Not Two) **
  113. Made to Break: N N N (Audiographic) **
  114. Taylor Ho Bynum: Enter the Plustet (Firehouse 12) **
  115. Venetian Snares: Traditional Synthesizer Music (Timesig) **
  116. Tom Zé: Cançőes Eróticas de Ninar (Circus) **
  117. Tacocat: Lost Time (Hardly Art) **
  118. Leon Vynehall: Rojus (Designed to Dance) (Running Back) **
  119. Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris/Gerald Cleaver: The Art of the Improv Trio Volume 6 (Leo)
  120. Catherine Russell: Harlem on My Mind (Jazz Village) **
  121. Youssou N'Dour: #Senegaal Rekk (self-released, EP) **
  122. Chance the Rapper: Coloring Book (self-released) **
  123. Kelsey Waldon: I've Got a Way (Monkey's Eyebrow) **
  124. Charlie Haden/Liberation Music Orchestra: Time/Life (Song for the Whales and Other Beings) (Impulse) **
  125. Adam Pieronczyk: Monte Albán (Regent)
  126. Sabir Mateen/Conny Bauer/Mark Tokar/Klaus Kugel: Collective Four (ForTune) **
  127. 75 Dollar Bill: Wood/Metal/Plastic/Pattern/Rhythm/Rock (Thin Wrist) **
  128. Becky Warren: War Surplus (self-released) **
  129. Tanya Tagaq: Retribution (Six Shooter) **
  130. Peter Brötzmann/Steve Swell/Paal Nilssen-Love: Live in Copenhagen (Not Two)
  131. 21 Savage/Metro Boomin: Savage Mode (self-released) **
  132. Margo Price: Midwest Farmer's Daughter (Third Man) **
  133. Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: Play All the Notes (Hot Cup, EP) *
  134. Young Thug: No My Name Is Jeffery (300 Entertainment/Atlantic) **
  135. Wire: Nocturnal Koreans (Pink Flag, EP) **
  136. Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: Make the Changes (Hot Cup, EP) *
  137. Alberto Pinton Noi Siamo: Resiliency (Moserobie)

Pending:

Records in hand, but which haven't yet been graded.

Also Noted:

Records in hand, graded B+ or below, in alphabetical order within grade slots:

  • Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids: We Be All Africans (Strut) **
  • Antonio Adolfo: Tropical Infinito (AAM)
  • Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman: Lice Two: Still Buggin' (Stones Throw, EP) **
  • Africaine 808: Basar (Golf Channel) **
  • Melissa Aldana: Back Home (Wommusic) *
  • Ralph Alessi: Quiver (ECM) **
  • Thomas Anderson: Heaven (Out There) **
  • Ehud Asherie: Shuffle Along (Blue Heron)
  • Karlis Auzins/Lucas Leidinger/Tomo Jacobson/Thomas Sauerborn: Mount Meander (Clean Feed)
  • Bobby Avey: Inhuman Wilderness (Inner Voice Jazz)
  • BassDrumBone: The Long Road (Auricle, 2CD)
  • Shirantha Beddage: Momentum (Factor)
  • Beekman: Vol. 02 (Ropeadope)
  • Luke Bell (Bill Hill) **
  • Mili Bermejo/Dan Greenspan: Arte Del Dúo (Ediciones Pentagrama)
  • Eraldo Bernocchi/Prakash Sontakke: Invisible Strings (RareNoise) *
  • Sarah Bernstein Quartet: Still/Free (Leo) **
  • Big Ups: Before a Million Universes (Exploding/Tough Love)
  • Nat Birchall: Creation (Sound Soul & Spirit) **
  • Jim Black Trio: The Constant (Intakt) *
  • Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow: Andando el Tiempo (ECM) **
  • Bombino: Azel (Partisan) **
  • Thomas Borgmann Trio: One for Cisco (NoBusiness) *
  • David Bowie: Blackstar (Columbia) **
  • David Bromberg Band: The Blues, the Whole Blues and Nothing but the Blues (Red House) **
  • Brooklyn Blowhards (Little (i) Music)
  • Apollo Brown & Skyzoo: The Easy Truth (Mello Music) **
  • Jaimeo Brown Transcendence: Work Songs (Motema) **
  • George Cables: The George Cables Songbook (HighNote)
  • The Uri Caine Trio: Calibrated Thickness (816 Music) **
  • Jonas Cambien Trio: A Zoology of the Future (Clean Feed)
  • Joăo Camőes/Jean-Marc Foussat: Ŕ La Face du Ciel (Shhpuma) **
  • Car Seat Headrest: Teens of Denial (Matador) **
  • The Ian Carey Quintet + 1: Interview Music (Kabocha)
  • Hayes Carll: Lovers and Leavers (Highway 87) **
  • François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Rafal Mazur: The Joy of Being (NoBusiness)
  • Cavern of Anti-Matter: Void Beats/Invocation Trex (Duophonic) **
  • Chaise Lounge: Gin Fizz Fandango (Modern Songbook)
  • Rhys Chatham: Pythagorean Dream (Foom)
  • Richie Cole: Plays Ballads & Love Songs (Mark Perna Music)
  • Shirley Collins: Lodestar (Domino) **
  • Frankie Cosmos: Next Thing (Bayonnet) **
  • Sylvie Courvoisier/Mark Feldman/Ikue Mori/Evan Parker: Miller's Tale (Intakt) *
  • Elysia Crampton: Demon City (Break World, EP) **
  • Andrew Cyrille Quartet: The Declaration of Musical Independence (ECM) **
  • Lucy Dacus: No Burden (Egghunt) **
  • Tim Daisy/Marc Riordan: Joyride (Relay) **
  • Kris Davis: Duopoly (Pyroclastic)
  • Deap Vally: Femejism (Nevado) **
  • The Dynamic Les DeMerle Band: Comin' Home Baby (Origin)
  • Whit Dickey/Kirk Knuffke: Fierce Silence (Clean Feed)
  • Dogbrain: Blue Dog (Dogbrain Music, EP) **
  • Dave Douglas/Frank Woeste: Dada People (Greenleaf Music) **
  • Open Mike Eagle + Paul White: Hella Personal Film Festival (Mello Music Group) **
  • Florian Egli Weird Beard: Everything Moves (Intakt) **
  • Mats Eilertsen: Rubicon (ECM) **
  • Harris Eisenstadt: Old Growth Forest (Clean Feed)
  • ELEW: And to the Republic (Sunnyside) **
  • Marty Elkins: Walkin' by the River (Nagel Heyer)
  • Empirical: Connection (Cuneiform) **
  • Fanfare Ciocarlia: Onwards to Mars! (Asphalt Tango) **
  • Kali Z. Fasteau: Intuit (Flying Note)
  • Piere Favre: DrumSights NOW (Intakt) *
  • Michael Formanek/Ensemble Kolossus: The Distance (ECM) **
  • Anat Fort Trio/Gianluigi Trovesi: Birdwatching (ECM) **
  • Fresh Cut Orchestra: Mind Behind Closed Eyes (Ropeadope)
  • Erik Friedlander: Rings (Skipstone)
  • Friends & Neighbors: What's Wrong? (Clean Feed)
  • Fred Frith Trio: Another Day in Fucking Paradise (Intakt) *
  • Satoko Fujii/Joe Fonda: Duet (Long Song)
  • Domo Genesis: Genesis (Odd Future) **
  • Clay Giberson: Pastures (Origin)
  • GOAT: Requiem (Sub Pop) **
  • Jean-Brice Godet Quartet: Mujô (Fou)
  • Bob Gluck/Billy Hart/Eddie Henderson/Christopher Dean Sullivan: Infinite Spirit: Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band (FMR)
  • GoGo Penguin: Man Made Object (Blue Note) **
  • André Gonçalves: Currents & Riptides (Shhpuma) **
  • The Goon Sax: Up to Anything (Chapter Music) **
  • Danny Green Trio: Altered Narratives (OA2)
  • Gunwale: Polynya (Aerophonic)
  • Barry Guy: The Blue Shroud (Intakt) *
  • Barry Guy/Marilyn Crispell/Paul Lytton: Deep Memory (Intakt) *
  • Elektro Hafiz (Guerssen) **
  • Jason Hainsworth: Third Ward Stories (Origin)
  • Mary Halvorson Octet: Away With You (Firehouse 12)
  • Ross Hammond and Sameer Gupta: Upward (Prescott) *
  • Hanami: The Only Way to Float Free (Ears & Eyes) *
  • Lafayette Harris Jr.: Hangin' With the Big Boys (Airmen)
  • Billy Hart & the WDR Big Band: The Broader Picture (Enja/Yellowbird) *
  • Craig Hartley: Books on Tape Vol. II: Standard Edition (self-released)
  • Hearts & Minds (Astral Spirits)
  • The Heliocentrics: From the Deep (Now-Again) **
  • Heroes Are Gang Leaders: Highest Engines Near/Near Higher Engineers (Flat Langston's Arkeyes)
  • Hieroglyphic Being: The Disco's of Imhotep (Technicolour) **
  • Marquis Hill: The Way We Play (Concord Jazz) **
  • Florian Hoefner: Luminosity (Origin)
  • Eric Hofbauer Quintet: Prehistoric Jazz - Volume 3: Three Places in New England (Creative Nation Music)
  • Anna Högberg: Attack (Omlott) **
  • Homeboy Sandman: Kindness for Weakness (Stones Throw) **
  • Joseph Howell: Time Made to Swing (Summit)
  • Charlie Hunter: Everybody Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth (Ground Up/Decca) **
  • I Am Three: Mingus Mingus Mingus (Leo) **
  • Christoph Irniger Pilgrim: Big Wheel Live (Intakt) *
  • Carly Rae Jepsen: E-MO-TION: Side B (School Boy/Interscope, EP) **
  • Stacey Kent: Tenderly (Okeh) **
  • The Klezmatics: Apikorsim/Heretics (World Village) **
  • Krakauer's Ancestral Groove: Checkpoint (Table Pounding)
  • Elektra Kurtis & Ensemble Elektra: Bridges From the East (Elektra Sound Works/Milo)
  • Kendrick Lamar: Untitled Unmastered (Top Dawg Entertainment) **
  • Mathias Landaeus: From the Piano (Moserobie)
  • Leland Sundries: Music for Outcasts (L'Echiquier) **
  • Jinx Lennon: Past Pupil Stay Home (Septic Tiger) **
  • Marilyn Lerner/Ken Filiano/Lou Grassi: Live at Edgefest (NoBusiness) *
  • Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands: The Hazel & Alice Sessions (Spruce and Maple) **
  • Linda Gail Lewis: Heartache Highway (Ball and Chain) **
  • Allen Lowe: In the Diaspora of the Diaspora: A Day in Brooklyn: At Ibeam (Constant Sorrow, 2CD)
  • Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: Bring Their 'A' Game (Hot Cup, EP) *
  • Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord: Make the Magic Happen (Hot Cup, EP) *
  • Steven Lugerner: Jacknife: The Music of Jackie McLean (Primary)
  • Tony Malaby Paloma Recio: Incantations (Clean Feed)
  • Mamutrio [Lieven Cambré/Piet Verbist/Jesse Dockx]: Primal Existence (Origin)
  • Vic Mensa: There's Alot Going On (Roc Nation) **
  • Joel Miller With Sienna Dahlen: Dream Cassette (Origin)
  • Modular String Trio: Ants, Bees and Butterflies (Clean Feed)
  • Kevin Morby: Singing Saw (Dead Oceans) **
  • Mostly Other People Do the Killing: (Live) (ForTune) **
  • Mr. Lif: Don't Look Down (Mello Music) **
  • Simon Nabatov/Mark Dresser/Dominik Mahnig: Equal Poise (Leo) **
  • Nacka Forum: We Are the World (Moserobie)
  • Naftule's Dream: Blood (self-released)
  • Angelika Niescier/Florian Weber: NYC Five (Intakt) *
  • Steve Noble & Kristoffer Berre Alberts: Condest Second Yesterday (Clean Feed)
  • The Phil Norman Tentet: Then & Now: Classic Sounds & Variations of 12 Jazz Legends (MAMA)
  • Eva Novoa: Butterflies and Zebras by Ditmas Quartet (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • NxWorries: Yes Lawd! (Stones Throw) **
  • Uwe Oberg & Silke Eberhard: Turns (Leo) **<>/li>
  • Angel Olsen: My Woman (Jagjaguwar) **
  • Aruán Ortiz Trio: Hidden Voices (Intakt) *
  • Phil Palombi: Detroit Lean (Xcappa)
  • Ken Peplowski: Enrapture (Capri)
  • Ivo Perelman: Breaking Point (Leo)
  • Ivo Perelman/Karl Berger/Gerald Cleaver: The Art of the Improv Trio Volume 1 (Leo)
  • Ivo Perelman/Mat Maneri/Whit Dickey: The Art of the Improv Trio Volume 2 (Leo)
  • Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris/Gerald Cleaver: The Art of the Improv Trio Volume 5 (Leo)
  • Dominique Pifarély Quartet: Tracé Provisoire (ECM) **
  • Leslie Pintchik: True North (Pintch Hard)
  • Valery Ponomarev Jazz Big Band: Our Father Who Art Blakey (Zoho Music) **
  • Richard Poole/Marilyn Crispell/Gary Peacock: In Motion (Intakt) *
  • Protean Reality: Protean Reality (Clean Feed)
  • Punkt 3: Ordnung Herrscht (Clean Feed)
  • Joey Purp: iiiDrops (self-released) **
  • Pussy Riot: XXX (Nice Life, EP) **
  • John Raymond: John Raymond & Real Feels (Shifting Paradigm)
  • RED Trio/John Butcher: Summer Skyshift (Clean Feed)
  • Renku: Live in Greenwich Village (Clean Feed)
  • Richmond Fontaine: You Can't Go Back if There's Nothing to Go Back To (Fluff & Gravy) **
  • Little Johnny Rivero: Music in Me (Truth Revolution)
  • Jason Roebke Octet: Cinema Spiral (NoBusiness)
  • Roji: The Hundred Headed Woman (Shhpuma/Clean Feed)
  • The Rolling Stones: Blue & Lonesome (Polydor) **
  • Rent Romus/Teddy Rankin-Parker/Daniel Pearce: LiR (Edgetone)
  • Rřnnings Jazzmaskin: Jazzmaskin (Losen) **
  • Rudy Royston Trio: RisEofOrion (Greenleaf Music)
  • Walter Salas-Humara: Explodes and Disappears (Sonic Pyramid) **
  • Savages: Adore Life (Matador) **
  • Schlippenbach Trio: Warsaw Concert (Intakt) *
  • Schoolboy Q: Blank Face LP (Interscope/Top Dawg) **
  • Noura Mint Seymali: Arbina (Glitterbeat) **
  • Elliott Sharp Aggregat: Dialectrical (Clean Feed)
  • Amanda Shires: My Piece of Land (BMG) **
  • Susana Santos Silva/Lotte Anker/Sten Sandell/Torbjörn Zetterberg/Jon Fält: Life and Other Transient Storms (Clean Feed)
  • Sturgill Simpson: A Sailor's Guide to the Earth (Atlantic) **
  • Skepta: Konnichiwa (Boy Better Know) **
  • Sleaford Mods: TCR (Rough Trade, EP) **
  • Wadada Leo Smith: America's National Parks (Cuneiform, 2CD)
  • Todd Snider: Eastside Bulldog (Aimless) **
  • Mike Sopko/Simon Lott: The Golden Measure (self-released)
  • Tyshawn Sorey: The Inner Spectrum of Variables (Pi, 2CD)
  • Markus Stockhausen/Florian Weber: Alba (ECM) **
  • Dave Stryker: Eight Track II (Strikezone)
  • The Stryker/Slagle Band Expanded: Routes (Strikezone)
  • Steve Swell/Gebhard Ullmann/Fred Lonberg-Holm/Michael Zerang: The Chicago Plan (Clean Feed)
  • Yves Theiler Trio: Dance in a Triangle (Musiques Suisses)
  • Thumbscrew: Convallaria (Cuneiform) **
  • A Tribe Called Red: We Are the Halluci Nation (Radicalized) **
  • Harvey Valdes: Point Counter Point (self-released)
  • Alexander von Schlippenbach: Jazz Now! (Live at Theater Gütersloh) (Intuition) **
  • Waco Brothers: Going Down in History (Bloodshot) **
  • Mat Walerian/Matthew Shipp/Hamid Drake: Jungle: Live at Okuden (ESP-Disk, 2CD) **
  • Anna Webber's Simple Trio: Binary (Skirl)
  • Kanye West: The Life of Pablo (Def Jam/GOOD Music) **
  • Wolter Wierbos/Jasper Stadhouders/Tim Daisy: Sounds in a Garden (Relay) **
  • Jeff Williams: Outlier (Whirlwind)
  • Saul Williams: Martyr Loser King (Fader) **
  • Matt Wilson's Big Happy Family: Beginning of a Memory (Palmetto)
  • La Yegros: Magnetismo (Soundway) **

  • Greg Abate & Phil Woods with the Tim Ray Trio: Kindred Spirits: Live at Chan's (Whaling City Sound, 2CD) **
  • Rez Abbasi & Junction: Behind the Vibration (Cuneiform) **
  • Ben Adkins: Salmagundi (Ben Adkins Music)
  • Stefan Aeby Trio: To the Light (Intakt) *
  • Sophie Agnel/Daunik Lazro: Marguerite D'Or Pâle (Fou)
  • Kris Allen: Beloved (Truth Revolution)
  • Amendola vs. Blades: Greatest Hits (Sazi)
  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: Real Enemies (New Amsterdam) **
  • Jay Azzolina/Dino Govoni/Adam Nussbaum/Dave Zinno: Chance Meeting (Whaling City Sound)
  • Katy B: Honey (Virgin EMI) **
  • Carol Bach-y-Rita: Minha Casa/My House (Arugula)
  • Kenny Barron Trio: Book of Intuition (Impulse) **
  • Bauer Baldych Duchnowski Konrad: Trans-Fuzja (ForTune) **
  • Bent Shapes: Wolves of Want (Slumberland) **
  • Seamus Blake/Chris Cheek: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (Criss Cross) **
  • Bobby Bradford/Hafez Modirzadeh: Live at the Open Gate (NoBusiness) *
  • Aziza Brahim: Abbar El Hamada (Glitterbeat) **
  • Anthony Branker & Imagine: Beauty Within (Origin) **
  • Anthony Braxton: 3 Compositions (EEMHM) 2011 (Firehouse 12, 3CD) **
  • Black Art Jazz Collective: Presented by the Side Door Jazz Club (Sunnyside) **
  • Brazzamerica (self-released)
  • Joshua Breakstone/The Cello Quartet: 88 (Capri)
  • Rich Brown: Abeng (self-released)
  • Burning Ghosts (Orenda) **
  • John Butcher & Stĺle Liavik Solberg: So Beautiful, It Starts to Rain (Clean Feed)
  • Oguz Buyukberber and Simon Nabatov: Wobbly Strata (TryTone)
  • Oguz Buyukberber/Tobias Klein: Reverse Camouflage (TryTone)
  • Neko Case/KD Lang/Laura Veirs: Case/Lang/Veirs (Anti-) **
  • Cavanaugh: Time and Materials (Mello Music) **
  • Etienne Charles: San Jose Suite (Culture Shock) *
  • John Chin: Fifth (Jinsy) *
  • Corey Christensen: Factory Girl (Origin)
  • Claudia Quintet: Super Petite (Cuneiform)
  • Avishai Cohen: Into the Silence (ECM) **
  • J Cole: 4 Your Eyez Only (Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope) **
  • Common: Black America Again (Def Jam) **
  • Mary Foster Conklin: Photographs (MockTurtle Music)
  • The Core Trio: Live Featuring Matthew Shipp (Evil Rabbit)
  • Roxy Coss: Restless Idealism (Origin)
  • Dan Cray: Outside In (Origin)
  • Matt Criscuolo: The Dialogue (Jazzeria)
  • Alexis Cuadrado: Poetica (Sunnyside) **
  • Daniele D'Agaro/Giovanni Maier/Zlatko Kaucic: Disorder at the Border Plays Ornette (Not Two) **
  • Tim Daisy's Celebration Sextet: The Halfway There Suite (Relay) **
  • Joseph Daley/Warren Smith/Scott Robinson: The Tuba Trio Chronicles (JoDa Locust Street Music)
  • Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble: Havana Blue (3Sixteen)
  • De La Soul: And the Anonymous Nobody (AOI) **
  • Dinosaur: Together, as One (Edition) **
  • The Diva Jazz Orchestra: Special Kay! (self-released)
  • The DKV Thing Trio: Collider (Not Two) **
  • Mark Dresser Seven: Sedimental You (Clean Feed)
  • Dressy Bessy: Kingsized (Yep Roc) **
  • Lajos Dudas Quartet: Brückenschlag (Jazz Sick)
  • Earprint (Endectomorph Music)
  • Moppa Elliott: Still Up in the Air (Hot Cup)
  • Ari Erev: Flow (self-released)
  • Orrin Evans: #Knowingishalfthebattle (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Fail Better!: Owt (NoBusiness)
  • The Fat Babies: Solid Gassuh (Delmark)
  • Brian Fielding: An Appropriate Response: Volume One (Broken Symmetries Music)
  • Jonathan Finlayson & Sicilian Defense: Moving Still (Pi)
  • Fire!: She Sleeps/She Sleeps (Rune Grammofon) **
  • Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band: ˇIntenso! (Clavo)
  • Cheryl Fisher: Quietly There (OA2)
  • Five in Orbit: Tribulus Terrestris (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Flatbush Zombies: 3001: A Laced Odyssey (Glorious Dead) **
  • Nick Fraser: Starer (self-released)
  • Mike Freeman ZonaVibe: Blue Tjade (VOF)
  • Paolo Fresu/Richard Gallliano/Jan Lundgren: Mare Nostrum II (ACT) **
  • Fred Frith/Darren Johnston: Everybody Is Somebody Is Nobody (Clean Feed)
  • Fruit Bats: Absolute Loser (Easy Sound) **
  • Future: EVOL (Epic) **
  • Slava Ganelin/Lenny Sendersky: Hotel Cinema (Leo) **
  • Gaudi: EP (RareNoise, EP) *
  • Robert Glasper: Everything's Beautiful (Legacy) **
  • Margaret Glaspy: Emotions and Math (ATO) **
  • Macy Gray: Stripped (Chesky) **
  • Ricardo Grilli: 1954 (Tone Rogue)
  • Brian Groder Trio: R Train on the D Line (Latham) **
  • Tord Gustavsen: What Was Said (ECM) **
  • Gutbucket: Dance (Gut)
  • Wayne Hancock: Slingin' Rhythm (Bloodshot) **
  • Hard Working Americans: Rest in Chaos (Melvin) **
  • Nancy Harms: Ellington at Night (Gazelle) **
  • Stu Harrison: Volume I (One Nightstand)
  • Julian Hartwell: The Julian Hartwell Project (self-released -15)
  • PJ Harvey: The Hope Six Demolition Project (Vagrant) **
  • Steve Hauschildt: Strands (Kranky) **
  • Mayer Hawthorne: Man About Town (Vagrant) **
  • Freddie Hendrix: Jersey Cat (Sunnyside) **
  • Louis Heriveaux: Triadic Episode (Hot Shoe)
  • Heroes Are Gang Leaders: Flukum (Flat Langston's Arkeyes)
  • Heron Oblivion (Sub Pop) **
  • Dre Hocevar: Collective Effervescence (Clean Feed)
  • Horse Lords: Interventions (Northern Spy) **
  • Ich Bin Nintendo: Lykke (Shhpuma) **
  • I.P.A.: I Just Did Say Something (Cuneiform) **
  • Ital Tek: Hollowed (Planet Mu) **
  • Ethan Iverson: The Purity of the Turf (Criss Cross) **
  • Vijay Iyer/Wadada Leo Smith: A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke (ECM) *
  • Nicolas Jaar: Sirens (Other People) **
  • Jerome Jennings: The Beast (Iola)
  • Cody Jinks: I'm Not the Devil (Cody Jinks Music) **
  • Mike Jones Trio: Roaring (Capri)
  • Kamaiyah: A Good Night in the Ghetto (self-released) **
  • Ryan Keberle & Catharsis: Azui Infinito (Greenleaf Music)
  • Tyler Keith & the Apostles: Do It for Johnny (self-released) **
  • Kel Assouf: Tikounen (Igloo) **
  • Frank Kimbrough: Solstice (Pirouet)
  • Michael Kiwanuka: Love & Hate (Polydor) **
  • Kornél Kovács: The Bells (Studio Barnhus) **
  • Martin Küchen/Mark Tokar/Arkadijus Gotesmanas: Live at Vilnius Jazz Festival (NoBusiness)
  • Joachim Kühn New Trio: Beauty & Truth (ACT) **
  • Rolf Kühn: Spotlights (Edel/MPS) **
  • La Sera: Music for Listening to Music To (Polyvinyl) **
  • Sinikka Langeland: The Magical Forest (ECM) **
  • Matt Lavelle's 12 Houses: Solidarity (Unseen Rain)
  • Jerry Leake: Crafty Hands (Rhombus Publishing)
  • Joëlle Léandre/Théo Ceccaldi: Elastic (Cipsela)
  • Mike LeDonne & the Groover Quartet: That Feelin' (Savant)
  • Jinx Lennon: Magic Bullets of Madness to Uplift Grief Magnets (Septic Tiger) **
  • John Lindberg BC3: Born in an Urban Ruin (Clean Feed)
  • John Lindberg Raptor Trio: Western Edges (Clean Feed)
  • Charles Lloyd & the Marvels: I Long to See You (Blue Note) **
  • Lok 03+1: Signals (Trost) **
  • Jasmine Lovell-Smith's Towering Poppies: Yellow Red Blue (Paint Box)
  • LUME: Xabregas 10 (Clean Feed)
  • The Tony Lustig Quintet: Taking Flight (Bimperl)
  • Loretta Lynn: Full Circle (Legacy) **
  • Magnet Animals: Butterfly Killer (Rare Noise) *
  • Made to Break: Before the Code: Live (Audiographic) **
  • Roberto Magris: Need to Bring Out Love (JMood) *
  • J Mancera: Mancera #5 (self-released)
  • Delfeayo Marsalis presents the Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Make America Great Again! (Troubadour Jass)
  • Tina Marx: Shades of Love (self-released)
  • Shawn Maxwell: Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow (OA2)
  • Adam Meckler Quintet: Wonder (Shifting Paradigm)
  • Brad Mehldau Trio: Blues and Ballads (Nonesuch) **
  • Francisco Mela: Fe (self-released) **
  • Merzbow/Keiji Haino/Balasz Pandi: An Untroublesome Defencelessness (RareNoise) *
  • Michete: Cool Tricks 2 (self-released, EP) **
  • Sei Miguel: (Five) Stories Untold (Clean Feed)
  • Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom: Otis Was a Polar Bear (Royal Potato Family) **
  • Nick Millevoi: Desertion (Shhpuma)
  • Minim Experiment: Dark Matter (ForTune) **
  • Modern Baseball: Holy Ghost (Run for Cover) **
  • Modus Factor: The Picasso Zone (Browntasaurus)
  • Moodymann: DJ-Kicks (!K7) **
  • Moonbow: When the Sleeping Fish Turn Red and the Skies Start to Sing in C Major I Will Follow You to the End (ILK)
  • Tony Moreno: Short Stories (Mayimba Jazz, 2CD)
  • Moskus: Ulv Ulv (Hubro) **
  • Motif: My Head is Listening (Clean Feed)
  • Wolfgang Muthspiel: Rising Grace (ECM) **
  • Simon Nabatov Trio: Picking Order (Leo) **
  • Quinsin Nachoff: Flux (Mythology)
  • Aaron Neville: Apache (Tell It) **
  • New Zion w. Cyro: Sunshine Seas (Rare Noise) *
  • Bryan Nichols: Looking North (Shifting Paradigm)
  • Pascal Niggenkemper Le 7čme Continent: Talking Trash (Clean Feed)
  • Noname: Telefone (self-released) **
  • The Nu Band: The Final Concert (NoBusiness) *
  • Lina Nyberg: Aerials (Hoob Jazz, 2CD) **
  • Ray Obiedo: Latin Jazz Project Vol. 1 (Rhythmus)
  • Frank Ocean: Blonde (Boys Don't Cry) **
  • Nils Řkland: Kjřlvatn (ECM) **
  • Adam O'Farrill: Stranger Days (Sunnyside) **
  • Jason Palmer/Cedric Hanriot: City of Poets (Whirlwind)
  • Matt Parker Trio: Present Time (BYNK)
  • William Parker: Stan's Hat Flapping in the Wind (Centering/AUM Fidelity) **
  • Aaron Parks/Thomas Fonnesbaek/Karsten Bagge: Groovements (Stunt) **
  • Bruno Parrinha/Luis Lopes/Ricardo Jacinto: Garden (Clean Feed)
  • Ivo Perelman/Karl Berger: The Hitchhiker (Leo)
  • Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/Gerald Cleaver: The Art of the Improv Trio Volume 3 (Leo)
  • Ralph Peterson/Zaccai Curtis/Luques Curtis: Triangular III (Truth Revolution/Onyx Music) **
  • Phronesis: Parallax (Edition) **
  • Isaiah Rashad: The Sun's Tirade (Top Dawg Entertainment) **
  • Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau: Nearness (Nonesuch) **
  • ResAUnance: Migration (FMR)
  • Dawn Richard: Redemption (Our Dawn) **
  • Marc Ribot/The Young Philadelphians: Live in Tokyo (Yellowbird)
  • Rocco John Quartet: Embrace the Change (Unseen Rain)
  • Alfredo Rodriguez: Tocororo (Mack Avenue/Qwest)
  • Ned Rothenberg/Mark Feldman/Sylvie Courvoisier: In Cahoots (Clean Feed)
  • Huerco S: For Those of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have) (Proibito) **
  • Jerome Sabbagh/Simon Jermyn/Allison Miller: Lean (Music Wizards)
  • Samo Salamon/Stefano Battaglia: Winds (Sazas/Klopotec)
  • Daniel Schmitz/Johannes Schmitz/Jörg Fischer: Botanic Mob (Sporeprint)
  • Adam Schneit Band: Light Shines In (Fresh Sound New Talent) *
  • Travis Scott: Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (Epic) **
  • J. Peter Schwalm: The Beauty of Disaster (Rare Noise) *
  • Richard Sears Sextet: Altadena (Ropeadope) **
  • Matthew Shipp/Michael Bisio: Live in Seattle (Arena Music Promption) **
  • Shura: Nothing's Real (Polydor) **
  • Edward Simon: Latin American Songbook (Sunnyside) **
  • Nana Simopoulos: Skins (Na)
  • Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Ears (Western Vinyl) **
  • Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani: Sunergy (RVNG Intl.) **
  • Jim Snidero: MD66 (Savant) *
  • Solange: A Seat at the Table (Saint/Columbia) **
  • Regina Spektor: Remember Us to Life (Sire) **
  • Vinnie Sperrazza/Jacob Sacks/Masa Kamaguchi: Play Tadd Dameron (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Tomasz Sroczynski Trio: Primal (ForTune) **
  • Mavis Staples: Livin' on a High Note (Anti-) **
  • Vince Staples: Prima Donna (Def Jam, EP) **
  • John Stowell/Michael Zilber Quartet: Basement Blues (Origin)
  • Zhenya Strigalev: Never Group (Whirlwind)
  • Al Strong: Love Strong Volume 1 (Al Strong Music)
  • Sundae + Mr. Goessl: Makes My Heart Sway (self-released)
  • Lew Tabackin Trio: Soundscapes (self-released)
  • Vladimir Tarasov/Eugenius Kanevicius/Ludas Mockunas: Intuitus (NoBusiness) *
  • Kate Tempest: Let Them Eat Chaos (Lex) **
  • Todd Terje/The Olsens: The Big Cover-Up (Olsen) **
  • T.I.: Us or Else (Grand Hustle/Roc Nation, EP) **
  • Jonah Tolchin: Thousand Mile Night (Yep Roc) **
  • Allen Toussaint: American Tunes (Nonesuch) **
  • Trio Da Paz: 30 (Zoho Music) **
  • Trio Red Space: Fields of Flat (Relay) **
  • Steve Turre: Colors for the Masters (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Tweet: Charlene (eOne) **
  • Twenty One 4tet: Live at Zaal 100 (Clean Feed)
  • Underworld: Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future (Astralwerks) **
  • Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott: Return of the East West Trumpet Summit (Origin)
  • Glauco Venier: Miniatures: Music for Piano and Percussion (ECM) **
  • Miroslav Vitous: Music of Weather Report (ECM) **
  • Warehouse: Super Low (Bayonet) **
  • Ernie Watts Quartet: Wheel of Time (Flying Dolphin)
  • White Lung: Paradise (Domino) **
  • Florian Wittenburg: Eagle Prayer (NurNichtNur)
  • Nate Wooley: Argonautica (Firehouse 12) **
  • Pawel Wszolek Quintet: Faith (ForTune) **
  • Eri Yamamoto Trio: Life (AUM Fidelity) **
  • Basak Yavuz: A Little Red Bug (Things&)
  • C. Spencer Yeh & Ken Vandermark: Schlager (Audiographic) **
  • Yellowjackets: Cohearence (Mack Avenue) **
  • Yoni & Geti: Testarossa (Joyful Noise) **
  • Neil Young: Peace Trail (Reprise) **
  • Young Thug: Slime Season 3 (300 Entertainment/Atlantic, EP) **
  • Zomba Prison Project: I Will Not Stop Singing (Six Degrees) **
  • Christopher Zuar Orchestra: Musings (Sunnyside)

  • The 1975: I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It (Dirty Hit/Interscope) **
  • Andy Adamson Quartet: A Cry for Peace (Andros)
  • Adult Books: Runing From the Blows (Lolipop) **
  • Harry Allen's All Star New York Saxophone Band: The Candy Men (Arbors) **
  • Anohni: Hopelessness (Secretly Canadian) **
  • Cyrille Aimée: Let's Get Lost (Mack Avenue) **
  • Alchemy Sound Project: Further Explorations (ARC)
  • Joey Alexander: Countdown (Motema) **
  • Livio Almeida: Action and Reaction (self-released)
  • Amanar: Tumastin (Sahel Sounds) **
  • Dave Anderson: Blue Innuendo (Label 1)
  • Brian Andres and the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel: This Could Be That (Bacalao)
  • Paolo Angeli/Robert Burke/Mirko Guerrini/Jordan Murray/Stephen Magnusson/Stefano Tamborrino: Sardinian Liturgy (Jazzhead) **
  • Aphex Twin: Cheetah (Warp, EP) **
  • Arca: Entrańas (self-released, EP) **
  • Amber Arcades: Fading Lines (Heavenly) **
  • Allison Au Quartet: Forest Grove (self-released)
  • Ricardo Bacelar: Concerto Para Moviola: Ao Vivo (Bacelar)
  • The Bad Plus: It's Hard (Okeh) **
  • Jon Balke: Warp (ECM) **
  • Lucian Ban Elevation: Songs From Afar (Sunnyside) **
  • Nicholas Bearde: Invitation (Right Groove)
  • Martin Bejerano: Trio Miami (Figgland)
  • The Bill Belasco Trio: Three Musicians (Summit)
  • Aaron Bennett/Darren Johnston/Lisa Mezzacappa/Tim Rosaly: Shipwreck 4 (NoBusiness)
  • Peter Bernstein: Let Loose (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Michael Blake: Fulfillment (Songlines) **
  • Mykki Blanco: Mykki (!K7) **
  • The Michael Blum Quartet: Chasin' Oscar: A Tribute to Oscar Peterson (self-released)
  • Boi Akih: Liquid Songs (TryTone)
  • Bon Iver: 22, a Million (Jagjaguwar) **
  • Christiane Bopp/Jean-Luc Petit: L'Écorce et la Salive (Fou)
  • Bibi Bourelly: Free the Real (Pt. 1) (Circa 13/Def Jam, EP) **
  • Charles Bradley: Changes (Daptone) **
  • Brookzill!: Throwback to the Future (Tommy Boy) **
  • Brothers Osborne: Pawn Shop (EMI Nashville) **
  • Peter Brötzmann & ICI Ensemble: Beautiful Lies (Neos Jazz) **
  • Andy Brown Quartet: Direct Call (Delmark)
  • Burial: Young Death/Nightmarket (Hyperdub, EP) **
  • Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra: Basically Baker Vol. 2: The Big Band Music of David Baker (Patois, 2CD)
  • The Cactus Blossoms: You're Dreaming (Red House) **
  • Toronzo Cannon: The Chicago Way (Alligator) **
  • Lou Caputo Not So Big Band: Uh Oh! (JazzCat 47)
  • Carate Urio Orchestra: Ljubljana (Clean Feed)
  • Ron Carter Quartet & Vitoria Maldonado: Brasil L.I.K.E. (Summit)
  • Frank Catalano/Jimmy Chamberlin: Bye Bye Blackbird (Ropeadope)
  • Bill Charlap Trio: Notes From New York (Impulse) **
  • Charli XCX: Vroom Vroom (Vroom Vroom, EP) **
  • Chat Noir: Nine Thoughts for One Word (Rare Noise) *
  • Childish Gambino: Awaken, My Love! (Glassnote) **
  • Chimurenga Renaissance: Girlz With Gunz (Glitterbeat, EP) **
  • The Roger Chong Quartet: Funkalicious (self-released)
  • Rob Clearfield: Islands (Ears & Eyes)
  • Clipping: Splendor & Misery (Sub Pop) **
  • The Cookers: The Call of the Wild & Peaceful Heart (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Patrick Cornelius: While We're Still Young (Whirlwind)
  • Theo Croker: Escape Velocity (Okeh) **
  • Alan Cumming: Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs: Live at the Cafe Carlyle (Yellow Sound) **
  • Jeremy Cunningham Quartet: Re: Dawn (From Far) (Ears & Eyes)
  • Dälek: Asphalt for Eden (Profound Lore) **
  • Daria: Strawberry Fields Forever: Songs by the Beatles (OA2)
  • Dear Eloise: Uncontrollable, Ice Age Stories (Maybe Mars) **
  • Debo Band: Ere Gobez (FPE) **
  • Eli Degibri: Cliff Hangin' (Blujazz)
  • Gonzalo Del Val Trio: Koiné (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • The Delegation: Evergreen (Canceled World) (ESP-Disk, 2CD)
  • John Dikeman/Luis Vicente/Hugo Antunes/Gabriel Ferrandini: Salăo Brazil (NoBusiness)
  • Dim Lighting: Your Miniature Motion (Off) *
  • DJ Shadow: The Mountain Will Fall (Mass Appeal) **
  • The Dominican Jazz Project (Summit)
  • Dave Douglas: Dark Territory (Greenleaf Music) **
  • Drake: Views (Cash Money) **
  • Dreezy: No Hard Feelings (Interscope) **
  • Paquito D'Rivera/Armando Manzanero: Paquito & Manzanero (Paquito/Sunnyside) **
  • Echoes of Swing: Dancing (ACT) **
  • Darren English: Imagine Nation (Hot Shoe)
  • Brian Eno: The Ship (Warp) **
  • The Fall: Wise Ol' Man (Cherry Red, EP) **
  • Family Atlantica: Cosmic Unity (Soundway) **
  • Free Nelson Mandoomjazz: The Organ Grinder (RareNoise) **
  • Paolo Fresu & Omar Sosa: Eros (Otá) **
  • Matthew Fries: Parallel States (Xcappa)
  • David Friesen Circle 3 Trio: Triple Exposure (Origin)
  • Jonny Fritz: Sweet Creep (ATO) **
  • Fumaça Preta: Impuros Fanáticos (Soundway) **
  • Gaika: Security (Mixpak) **
  • Gallant: Ology (Mind of a Genius/Warner Bros.) **
  • Kenny Garrett: Do Your Dance! (Mack Avenue) **
  • Kevin Gates: Islah (Atlantic) **
  • Trevor Giancola Trio: Fundamental (self-released)
  • Vince Gill: Down to My Last Bad Habit (MCA Nashville) **
  • Robert Glasper Experiment: ArtScience (Blue Note) **
  • Glitterbust (Burger) **
  • Will Goble: Consider the Blues (OA2)
  • Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman (Republic) **
  • Jari Haapalainen Trio: Fusion Machine (Moserobie)
  • Cory Healey's Beautiful Sunshine Band: Beautiful Sunshine (Shifting Paradigm)
  • Luke Hendon: Silk & Steel (self-released)
  • Terrie Hessels & Ken Vandermark: Splinters (Audiograph) **
  • Hiromi: Spark (Telarc) **
  • Dre Hocevar: Transcendental Within the Sphere of Indivisible Remainder (Clean Feed)
  • The Hot Sardines: French Fries + Champagne (Decca) **
  • The James Hughes/Jimmy Smith Quintet: Ever Up & Onward (self-released)
  • Jason Kao Hwang: Voice (Innova)
  • Kate Jackson: British Road Movies (Hoo Ha) **
  • Keefe Jackson/Jason Adasiewicz: Rows and Rows (Delmark)
  • Erik Jekabson: A Brand New Take (OA2)
  • Christine Jensen and Maggi Olin: Transatlantic Conversations: 11 Piece Band Live (Linedown)
  • Mimi Jones: Feet in the Mud (Hot Tone Music)
  • Joonsam: A Door (Origin)
  • The Matthew Kaminski Quartet: Live at Churchill Grounds (Chicken Coup)
  • Manu Katché: Unstatic (Anteprima) **
  • Grace Kelly: Trying to Figure It Out (Pazz Productions) **
  • Walter Kemp 3oh!: Dark Continent (Blujazz)
  • The Corey Kendrick Trio: Rootless (self-released)
  • The Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra: Storming Through the South (Summit)
  • Irene Kepl: SololoS (Fou)
  • Sari Kessler: Do Right (Ruby Street Music)
  • Masabumi Kikuchi: Black Orpheus (ECM) **
  • King: We Are King (King Creative) *
  • King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Nonagon Infinity (ATO) **
  • Konx-Om-Pax: Caramel (Planet Mu) **
  • Lefteris Kordis: Mediterrana (Goddess of Light) (Inner Circle Music)
  • Steffen Kuehn: Leap of Faith (Stefrecords)
  • Julian Lage: Arclight (Mack Avenue)
  • Lĺpsley: Long Way Home (XL) **
  • Zach Larmer Elektrik Band: Inner Circle (self-released)
  • Ingrid Laubrock: Serpentines (Intakt) *
  • Nate Lepine Quartet: Vortices (Eyes & Ears)
  • Tove Lo: Lady Wood (Island) **
  • Joey Locascio: Meets the Legend (Blujazz)
  • Kirk MacDonald: Symmetry (Addo)
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: This Unruly Mess I've Made (Macklemore) **
  • Mannequin Pussy: Romantic (Tiny Engines, EP) **
  • René Marie: Sound of Red (Motéma Music) **
  • Melanie Marod: I'll Go Mad (ITI)
  • The Pedrito Martinez Group: Habana Dreams (Motéma) **
  • Jřrgen Mathisen/Christian Meaas Svendsen/Andreas Wildhagen: Momentum (Clean Feed)
  • Matt Mayhall: Tropes (Skirl)
  • Donny McCaslin: Beyond Now (Motema) **
  • Tom McCormick: South Beat (Manatee)
  • Joe McPhee: Flowers (Cipsela)
  • Hendrik Meurkens: Harmonicus Rex (Height Advantage)
  • Mexrrissey: No Manchester (Cooking Vinyl) **
  • Michelson Morley: Strange Courage (Babel) **
  • Rale Micic: Night Music (Whaling City Sound)
  • Buddy Miller & Friends: Cayamo: Sessions at Sea (New West) **
  • Russ Miller and the Jazz Orchestra: You and the Night and the Music (Doctheory)
  • Parker Millsap: The Very Last Day (Okrahoma) **
  • Bob Mintzer: All L.A. Band (Fuzzy Music)
  • Mitski: Puberty 2 (Dead Oceans) **
  • Moker: Ladder (El Negocito) **
  • Hedvig Mollestad Trio: Black Stabat Mater (Rune Grammofon) **
  • Hedvig Mollestad Trio: EVIL in Oslo (Rune Grammofon) **
  • Nils Petter Molvaer: Buoyancy (Okeh) **
  • Jane Monheit: The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald (Emerald City)
  • Bob Mould: Patch the Sky (Merge) **
  • Jack Mouse & Scott Robinson with Janice Borla: Three Story Sandbox (Tall Grass)
  • Moutin Factory Quintet: Deep (Blujazz)
  • Myriad 3: Moons (ALMA)
  • Naima: Bye (Cuneiform) **
  • Naked Truth: Avian Thug (Rare Noise) *
  • Naked Wolf: Ahum (Clean Feed)
  • Nao: For All We Know (Little Tokyo) **
  • Roy Nathanson: Nearness and You (Clean Feed)
  • Anthony E. Nelson Jr.: Swift to Hear, Slow to Speak (Music Stand)
  • Willie Nelson: For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price (Legacy) **
  • Scott Neumann/Tom Christensen: Spin Cycle (Sound Footing)
  • Nice as Fuck (Loves Way, EP) **
  • Noertker's Moxie & the Melancholics: Curious Worlds: The Art & Imagination of David Beck (Edgetone)
  • Northern Winds and Voices: Inside/Outside (Sisällä/Ulkona) (Edgetone)
  • The Oatmeal Jazz Combo: Instant Oats (LGY)
  • Dick Oatts/Mats Holmquist/New York Jazz Orchestra: A Tribute to Herbie +1 (Summit)
  • Oddisee: The Odd Tape (Mello Music Group) **
  • Arturo O'Farrill Sextet: Boss Level (Zoho) **
  • Francisco Pais Lotus Project: Verde (Product of Imagination)
  • Phil Parisot: Lingo (OA2)
  • Felix Peikli & Joe Doubleday: It's Showtime! (self-released)
  • Luis Perdomo: Montage (Hot Tone Music)
  • Sergio Pereira: Swingando (self-released)
  • Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: Corpo (Leo)
  • Laura Perlman: Precious Moments (Miles High)
  • Enrico Pieranunzi with Simona Severini: My Songbook (Via Veneto) **
  • Roberta Piket: One for Marian: Celebrating Marian McPartland (Thirteenth Note)
  • Pinegrove: Cardinal (Run for Cover) **
  • Pink Martini: Je Dis Oui (Heinz) **
  • Iggy Pop: Post Pop Depression (Loma Vista) **
  • Noah Preminger: Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground (self-released)
  • Preoccupations (Jagjaguwar) **
  • Bobby Previte & the Visitors: Gone (ForTune) **
  • Mark Pritchard: Under the Sun (Warp) **
  • Rae Sremmurd: SremmLife 2 (Eardrum/Interscope) **
  • Jemal Ramirez: Pomponio (First Orbit Sounds Music)
  • Dave Rempis/Elisabeth Harnik/Michael Zerang: Wistfully (Aerophonic) **
  • Dave Rempis/Joe Morris/Tomeka Reid/Jim Baker: Nettles (Aeroponic) **
  • Restroy: Saturn Return (Milk Factory)
  • Rhythm Future Quartet: Travels (Magic Fiddle Music)
  • Logan Richardson: Shift (Blue Note) **
  • Herlin Riley: New Direction (Mack Avenue) **
  • Randy Rogers Band: Nothing Shines Like Neon (Tommy Jackson) **
  • Jeff Rosenstock: Worry (Side One Dummy) **
  • Jim Rotondi: Dark Blue (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Xenia Rubinos: Black Terry Cat (Anti) **
  • Carol Saboya: Carolina (AAM)
  • L.A. Salami: Dancing With Bad Grammar (PIAS America) **
  • Ken Schaphorst Big Band: How to Say Goodbye (JCA)
  • John Scofield: Country for Old Men (Impulse!) **
  • Mikael Seifu: Zelalem (RVNG Intl, EP) **
  • Aubrie Sellers: New City Blues (Warner Nashville) **
  • Shabaka and the Ancestors: Wisdom of Elders (Brownswood) **
  • Sheer Mag: III 7" (Wilsuns RC/Static Shock, EP) **
  • Deborah Shulman: My Heart's in the Wind (Summit)
  • Sia: This Is Acting (Inertia/Monkey Puzzle/RCA) **
  • Sidestepper: Supernatural Love (Real World) **
  • Naomi Moon Siegel: Shoebox View (self-released) **
  • Silva/Rasmussen/Solberg: Free Electric Band (ForTune) **
  • Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger (Concord) **
  • Sirius Quartet: Paths Become Lines (Autentico)
  • Ches Smith: The Bell (ECM) **
  • Ferenc Snétberger: In Concert (ECM) **
  • Soul Basement feat. Jay Nemor: What We Leave Behind (ITI)
  • Sound Underground: Quiet Spaces (Tiny Music)
  • Ron Stabinsky: Free for One (Hot Cup)
  • Starlite Motel: Awosting Falls (Clean Feed)
  • Peggy Stern: Z Octet (Estrella Productions)
  • Michael Jefry Stevens: Brass Tactics (Konnex) **
  • Bill Stewart: Space Squid (Pirouet) **
  • Eric St-Laurent: Planet (Katzenmusik)
  • Susso: Keira (Soundway) **
  • Tell Tale: Film in Music (Drip Audio)
  • Thao & the Get Down Stay Down: A Man Alive (Ribbon Music) **
  • Touché Amoré: Stage Four (Epitaph) **
  • Twin Talk (Ears & Eyes)
  • William Tyler: Modern Country (Merge) **
  • Ukandanz: Awo (Buda Musique) **
  • Peter Van Huffel/Alex Maksymiw: Kronix (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Andrew Van Tassel: It's Where You Are (Tone Rogue)
  • Carlos Vega: Bird's Ticket (Origin)
  • Adia Victoria: Beyond the Bloodhounds (Canvasback/Atlantic) **
  • Cuong Vu/Pat Metheny: Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny (Nonesuch) **
  • Wax Tailor: By Any Beats Necessary (Le Plan) **
  • The Doug Webb Quartet: Sets the Standard (VSOP) **
  • The Weeknd: Starboy (XO/Republic) **
  • White Denim: Stiff (Downtown) **
  • Scott Whitfield: New Jazz Standards (Volume 2) (Summit)
  • Wilco: Schmilco (DBPM/Anti) **
  • Andre Williams: I Wanna Go Back to Detroit City (Bloodshot) **
  • Anthony Wilson: Frogtown (Goat Hill) **
  • Jamila Woods: HEAVN (Closed Sessions) **
  • Nate Wooley: Seven Storey Mountain V (Pleasure of the Text) **
  • Rik Wright's Fundamental Forces: Subtle Energy (Hipsync)
  • YG: Still Brazy (Def Jam) **
  • Neil Young + Promise of the Real: Earth (Reprise, 2CD) **
  • Brandee Younger: Wax & Wane (Revive, EP) **
  • Yussef Kamaal: Black Focus (Brownswood) **
  • Zarabande: El Toro (AFlo)
  • Denny Zeitlin: Early Wayne: Explorations of Classic Wayne Shorter Compositions (Sunnyside) **

  • The 3.5.7 Ensemble: Amongst the Smokestacks and Steeples (Milk Factory Productions, 2CD)
  • The 14 Jazz Orchestra: Nothing Hard Is Ever Easy (self-released)
  • Raul Agraz: Between Brothers (OA2)
  • Aguankó: Latin Jazz Christmas in Havana (Aguankó)
  • The Avalanches: Wildflower (Astralwerks) **
  • Steve Barta: Symphonic Arrangement: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio (Steve Barta Music)
  • William Bell: This Is Where I Live (Stax) **
  • Bibio: A Mineral Love (Warp) **
  • Karl Blau: Introducing Karl Blau (Raven Marching Band) **
  • Mike Bogle Trio: Live at Stoney's (MBP/Groove)
  • Bibi Bourelly: Free the Real (Pt. 2) (Circa 13/Def Jam, EP) **
  • Jakob Bro: Streams (ECM) **
  • Brian Bromberg: Full Circle (Artistry) **
  • Peter Brotzmann/Heather Leigh: Ears Are Filled With Wonder (Not Two) **
  • Jane Bunnett & Maqueque: Oddara (Linus Entertainment) **
  • Lou Caimano/Eric Olsen: Dyad Plays Jazz Arias (self-released)
  • Will Calhoun: Celebrating Elvin Jones (Motéma) **
  • Marialuisa Capurso/Jean-Marc Foussat: En Respirant (Fou)
  • Chris Cheek: Saturday Songs (Sunnyside) **
  • Cobalt: Slow Forever (Profound Lore, 2CD) **
  • Tom Collier: Impulsive Illuminations (Origin)
  • Shawn Colvin/Steve Earle: Colvin & Earle (Fantasy) **
  • Taylor Cook: The Cook Book (self-released)
  • Ian William Craig: Centres (130701) **
  • Cymbals Eat Guitars: Pretty Years (Sinderlyn) **
  • Tim Daisy: Relucent: Music for Marimba, Radios and Turntables (Relay) **
  • Tim Davies Big Band: The Expensive Train Set (Origin)
  • Suzanne Dean: Come to Paradise (Ship's Bell Music)
  • Pierre Dřrge's New Jungle Orchestra: Ubi Zaa (SteepleChase) **
  • Andrew Downing: Otterville (self-released)
  • DD Dumbo: Utopia Defeated (4AD) **
  • Earth Tongues: Ohio (Neither/Nor, 2CD)
  • El Guincho: Hiperasia (Nacional) **
  • Alan Ferber: Roots & Transitions (Sunyside) **
  • Field Music: Commontime (Memphis Industries) **
  • David Fiuczynski: Flam! Blam! Pan-Asian MicroJam (Rare Noise) *
  • Flume: Skin (Future Classic) **
  • Bill Frisell: When You Wish Upon a Star (Okeh) *
  • The Funky Organics (Chicken Coup/Summit)
  • Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra: Back Home (Summit)
  • Sara Gazarek/Josh Nelson: Dream in the Blue (Steel Bird)
  • Tim Hecker: Love Streams (4AD/Paper Bag) **
  • Hinds: Leave Me Alone (Mom + Pop) **
  • Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet: Acknowledgement (Bounce-Step)
  • Darrell Katz and OddSong: Jailhouse Doc With Holes in Her Socks (JCA)
  • Ron King: Triumph (self-released)
  • Lady Gaga: Joanne (Streamline/Interscope) **
  • Lambchop: FLOTUS (Merge) **
  • Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam: I Had a Dream That You Were Mine (Glassnote) **
  • Lil Yachty: Lil Boat (Quality Control) **
  • Little Simz: Stillness in Wonderland (Age 101) **
  • Lydia Loveless: Real (Bloodshot) **
  • Mack Avenue Superband: Live From the 2015 Detroit Jazz Festival (Mack Avenue) **
  • Lasse Marhaug & Ken Vandermark: Close Up (For Abbas Kiarostami) (Audiographic) **
  • Tom Marko: Inner Light (Summit)
  • Bruno Mars: 24K Magic (Atlantic) **
  • Terrace Martin: Velvet Portraits (Ropeadope) **
  • Gabriela Martina: No White Shoes (self-released)
  • Maxwell: blackSUMMERS'night (Columbia) **
  • Jenny Maybee/Nick Phillips: Haiku (self-released)
  • Myra Melford + Ben Goldberg: Dialogue (BAG) **
  • Anna Meredith: Varmints (Moshi Moshi) **
  • Daniel Meron: Sky Begins (Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit)
  • Gabriel Mervine: People (Synergy Music)
  • Pat Metheny: The Unity Sessions (Nonesuch, 2CD) **
  • Camila Meza: Traces (Sunnyside) **
  • Cameron Mizell: Negative Spaces (Destiny)
  • Moor Mother: Fetish Bones (Don Giovanni) **
  • Maren Morris: Hero (Columbia Nashville) **
  • Donny Most: Swinging Down the Chimney Tonight (Summit, EP)
  • John Moulder: Earthborn Tales of Soul and Spirit (Origin)
  • The Mowgli's: Where'd Your Weekend Go? (Photo Finish/Island) **
  • Mudcrutch: 2 (Reprise) **
  • Mark Murphy: Slip Away (Mini Movie)
  • Ted Nash Big Band: Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom (Motema, 2CD) **
  • Willie Nelson: Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin (Legacy) **
  • Nine Live: Sonus Inenarribilis: Nine Live Plays the Music of John Clark (Mulatta)
  • Sebastian Noelle: Shelter (Fresh Sound New Talent) *
  • Sean Noonan: Memorable Sticks (ForTune) **
  • Roberto Occhipinti: Stabilimento (Modica Music)
  • Opaluna (Ridgeway)
  • Jeff Parker: The New Breed (International Anthem) **
  • Parker Abbott Trio: Elevation (self-released)
  • Kat Parra: Songbook of the Americas (Jazzma)
  • Christian Perez: Anima Mundi (CPM)
  • Pram Trio: Saga Thirteen (self-released)
  • Radiohead: A Moon Shaped Pool (XL) **
  • Ratatet: Arctic (Ridgeway)
  • Dave Rempis/Darren Johnston/Larry Ochs: Neutral Nation (Aerophonic) **
  • Renee Rosnes: Written in the Rocks (Smoke Sessions) **
  • Jim Self and the Tricky Lix Latin Jazz Band: ˇYo! (Basset Hound)
  • Serengeti & Sicker Man: Doctor My Own Patience (Graveface) **
  • Julian Shore: Which Way Now (Tone Rogue)
  • Sleigh Bells: Jessica Rabbit (Torn Clean) **
  • Dr. Lonnie Smith: Evolution (Blue Note) **
  • Mark Solborg & Herb Robertson: Tuesday Prayers (ILK) **
  • Esperanza Spalding: Emily's D+Evolution (Concord) **
  • Kandace Springs: Soul Eyes (Blue Note) **
  • Richard Sussman: The Evolution Suite (Zoho)
  • Gregory Tardy: Chasing After the Wind (SteepleChase) **
  • Aaron Lee Tasjan: Silver Tears (New West) **
  • Bruce Torff: Down the Line (Summit)
  • The U.S. Army Blues: Swamp Romp: Voodoo Boogaloo (self-released)
  • Marcos Varela: San Ygnacio (Origin)
  • Wet: Don't You (Columbia) **
  • Dan Weiss: Sixteen: Drummers Suite (Pi)
  • Nate Wooley/Hugo Antunes/Jorge Queijo/Mario Costa/Chris Corsano: Purple Patio (NoBusiness) *
  • Dhafer Youssef: Diwan of Beauty and Odd (Okeh) **

  • Babyfather: BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow (Hyperdub) **
  • BadBadNotGood: IV (Innovative Leisure) **
  • John Beasley: Presents MONK'estra Vol. 1 (Mack Avenue) **
  • James Blake: The Colour in Anything (Polydor) **
  • Seamus Blake: Superconductor (5Passion) **
  • Cristina Braga & Brandenburger Symphoniker: Whisper (Enja)
  • Rex Cadwallader/Mike Aseta/Arti Dixson/Tiffany Jackson: A Balm in Gilead (Stanza USA)
  • Jean-Luc Cappozzo/Didier Lasserre: Ceremony's a Name for the Rich Horn (NoBusiness) *
  • Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Skeleton Tree (Bad Seed) **
  • Nels Cline: Lovers (Blue Note, 2CD) **
  • Jeff Denson Quartet: Concentric Circles (Ridgeway)
  • Rebecca DuMaine and the Dave Miller Trio With Friends: Happy Madness (Summit)
  • EOLA: Dang (Leaving, EP) **
  • James Freeman: Echoes of Nature III (Edgetone)
  • GFOTY: Call Him a Doctor (PC Music, EP) **
  • Alex Goodman: Border Crossing (OA2)
  • Jeff Guthery: Black Paintings (self-released) **
  • Cory Henry: The Revival (Ground Up) **
  • Le Boeuf Brothers + Jack Quartet: Imaginist (Panoramic/New Focus)
  • Alison Lewis: Seven (self-released)
  • Lil Yachty: Summer Songs 2 (Quality Control) **
  • Thierry Maillard Trio: Ethnic Sounds (Blujazz)
  • Grégoire Maret: Wanted (Sunnyside) **
  • Branford Marsalis Quartet: Upward Spiral (Okeh) **
  • Andrew McAnsh: Illustrations (self-released)
  • Dave Miller: Old Door Phantoms (Ears & Eyes)
  • The Monkees: Good Times! (Rhino) **
  • New Standard Jazz Orchestra: Waltz About Nothing (OA2)
  • Nonch Harpin': Native Sons (self-released)
  • Os Clavelitos: Arriving (self-released)
  • Nicholas Payton: Textures (Paytone) **
  • Gregory Porter: Take Me to the Alley (Blue Note) **
  • Prince Rama: X-Treme Now (Carpark) **
  • Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra: Portraits and Places (Origin)
  • Daniel Romano: Mosey (New West) **
  • Jimetta Rose: The Light Bearer (Temporary Whatever) **
  • SBTRKT: Save Yourself (self-released, EP) **
  • Hillary Scott & the Scott Family: Love Remains (Capitol Nashville) **
  • Tommy Smith: Modern Jacobite (Spartacus)
  • Snaggle: The Long Slog (Browntasaurus)
  • Snarky Puppy: Family Dinner Volume Two (Decca) **
  • Michael Spiro/Wayne Wallace/La Orquesta Sinfonietta: Canto América (Patois)
  • Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life: Nihil Novi (Blue Note) **
  • Weyes Blood: Front Row Seat to Earth (Mexican Summer) **
  • Whitney: Light Upon the Lake (Secretly Canadian) **
  • Steve Wiest and Phröntrange: The High Road (Blujazz)

  • The Dirty Snacks Ensemble: Tidy Universe (Gotta Groove) **
  • Fond of Tigers: Uninhabit (Offsesson/Drip Audio)
  • Jenny Hval: Blood Bitch (Sacred Bones) **
  • Pup: The Dream Is Over (Side One Dummy) **
  • Bobby Previte: Mass (RareNoise) *
  • Snarky Puppy: Culcha Vulcha (Decca) **
  • Suede: Night Thoughts (Suede) **

  • Renato Braz: Saudade (Living Music)
  • Gene Ess: Absurdist Theater (SIMP)
  • Rob Mazurek & Emmett Kelly: Alien Flower Sutra (International Anthem) **
  • Enoch Smith Jr.: The Quest: Live at APC (Misfitme Music)
  • The U.S. Army Blues: Live at Blues Alley (self-released)

  • Jeff Collins: The Keys to Christmas (Crossroads)
  • Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis: The Abyssinian Mass (Blue Engine, 2CD)
  • Tom Lellis: The Flow (Beamtime) **

  • WorldService Project: For King and Country (Rare Noise) *

Reissues/Compilations/Vault Music:

In previous years I tried to separate reissues from compilations, including newly released vault items in the latter. This made sense when I was reviewing a lot of Recycled Goods material, but led to other problems with year-end lists, so as of 2013 anything containing any previously released material is collected here, and anything that is wholly previously unreleased is treated as new, above.

  1. Lyrics Born: Now Look What You've Done, Lyrics Born! Greatest Hits! (1997-2015, Mobile Home) [**]
  2. Merle Haggard: The Best of the Capitol Years (1966-76, Capitol) **

  3. Coleman Hawkins: Intimate: Duo, Trio, Quartet & Quintet Recordings 1934-38 (Acrobat) **
  4. Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra: All My Yesterdays (1966, Resonance, 2CD)
  5. Hailu Mergia: Wede Harer Guzo (1978, Awesome Tapes From Africa) **
  6. Senegambia Rebel (Voodoo Rebel) **
  7. The Beatles: Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1964-65, Universal/Apple) **
  8. Putumayo Presents: African Rumba (1962-2015, Putumayo World Music)
  9. Peter Kuhn: No Coming, No Going: The Music of Peter Kuhn, 1978-1979 (NoBusiness, 2CD)
  10. Urgent Jumping: East African Musiki Wa Dansi Classics (Sterns Africa, 2CD) **
  11. William Hooker: Light: The Early Years 1975-1989 (NoBusiness, 4CD)
  12. The Cucumbers: The Fake Doom Years (1983-1986) (Lifeforce) **
  13. Can't You Hear Me? 70's African Nuggets & Garage Rock From Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (1970s, Now-Again) **
  14. Shirley Horn: Live at the 4 Queens (1988, Resonance)
  15. Vieux Kanté: The Young Man's Harp (Sterns) **
  16. Van Morrison: It's Too Late to Stop Now: Volumes II, III, IV & DVD (1973, Legacy, 3CD) **
  17. God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson (Alligator) **
  18. Dave Burrell and Bob Stewart: The Crave (1994, NoBusiness) *
  19. <>Pat Thomas: Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1967-1981 (Strut, 2CD) **
  20. Don Cherry/John Tchicai/Irčne Schweizer/Léon Francioli/Pierre Favre: Musical Monsters (1980, Intakt) *
  21. The Great American Music Ensemble: It's All in the Game (Jazzed Media)
  22. The Rough Guide to South African Jazz [Second Edition] (World Music Network) **
  23. Fanfare Ciocarlia: 20 (1996-2016, Asphalt Tango) **
  24. Blind Alfred Reed: Appalachian Visionary (1927-29, Dust-to-Digital) **

Pending:

Also Noted:

  • American Honey (UME) **
  • Cheryl Bentyne: Lost Love Songs (2003-11, Summit)
  • Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta (1970s, Numero Group, 3CD) **
  • Joe Bushkin: Live at the Embers 1952 (Dot Time) **
  • The Jim Cullum Jazz Band/William Warfield: George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess Live (1992, Riverwalk Jazz, 2CD)
  • DJ Katapila: Trotro (2009, Awesome Tapes From Africa) **
  • Awalom Gebremariam: Desdes (2007, Awesome Tapes From Africa) **
  • Steve Lehman Camouflage Trio: Interface (2003, Clean Feed) **
  • Joe Lovano Quartet: Classic! Live at Newport (2005, Blue Note) **
  • Allen Lowe: Louis Armstrong: An Avant Garde Portrait (1992, Constant Sorrow) **
  • Evan Parker/Daunik Lazro/Joe McPhee: Seven Pieces: Live at Willisau 1995 (Clean Feed)
  • Punk 45: Chaos in the City of Angels and Devils: Hollywood From X to Zero & Hardcore on the Beaches: Punk in Los Angeles 1977-81 (1977-81, Soul Jazz) **
  • Pylon: Live (1983, Chunklet) **
  • Howard Riley: Constant Change 1976-2016 (NoBusiness, 5CD)
  • The Rough Guide to Bottleneck Blues [Second Edition] (1926-40, World Music Network) **
  • Soul Sok Sega: Sega Sounds From Mauritius 1973-1979 (Strut) **
  • Bruce Springsteen: Chapter and Verse (1966-2012, Columbia) **
  • Tanbou Toujou Lou: Merenge Kompa Kreyou Vodou Jazz & Electric Folklore From Haiti (1960-1981) (Ostinato) **
  • David S. Ware & Matthew Shipp Duo: Live in Sant'Anna Arresi, 2004 (2004, AUM Fidelity) **
  • Jürgen Wuchner/Rudi Mahall/Jörg Fischer: In Memoriam: Buschi Niebergall (1997, Sporeprint)
  • Larry Young: In Paris: The ORTF Recordings (1964-65, Resonance, 2CD)

  • Angry Angles (2005, Goner) **
  • Borah Bergman/Peter Brötzmann/Frode Gjerstad: Left (1996, Not Two) **
  • Allen Lowe: Julius Hemphill Plays the Music of Allen Lowe (1989-91, self-released) **
  • Chris McGregor & the Castle Lager Big Band: Jazz/The African Sound (1963, Jazzman) **
  • Joe McPhee & Raymond Boni: Live From the Magic City (Birmingham, Alabama) (1985, Trost) **
  • Professor Longhair: Live in Chicago (1976, Orleans, EP) **
  • Putumayo Presents: Blues Party (1968-2013, Putumayo World Music) *
  • Southern Family (Elektra/Low Country Sound) **
  • Space Echo: The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed! (1977-85, Analog Africa) **
  • Cecil Taylor: Live in the Black Forest (1978, MPS) **
  • Arthur Williams: Forgiveness Suite (1979, NoBusiness) *

  • Born to Be Blue: Music From the Motion Picture (Rhino) **
  • Brother Ah and the Sounds of Awareness: Key to Nowhere (1983, Manufactured) **
  • Close to the Noise Floor: Formative UK Electronica 1975-1984 (Cherry Red, 4CD) **
  • Miles Davis Quintet: Freedom Jazz Dance [The Bootleg Series Vol. 5] (1966-68, Columbia/Legacy, 3CD) **
  • Peter Erskine Trio/John Taylor/Palle Danielsson: As It Was (1992-97, ECM, 4CD) **
  • Ella Fitzgerald: Jazz at the Philharmonic: The Ella Fitzgerald Set (1949-54, Verve) **
  • Erroll Garner: Ready Take One (1967-71, Legacy) **
  • Dizzy Gillespie & Friends: Concert of the Century: A Tribute to Charlie Parker (1980, Justin Time) **
  • Gqom Oh! The Sound of Durban Vol 1 (Goom Oh!) **
  • Daunik Lazro/Joëlle Léandre/George Lewis: Enfances 8 Janv. 1984 (Fou)
  • Miles Ahead [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (Columbia/Legacy) **
  • Elvis Presley: Way Down in the Jungle Room (1976, RCA/Legacy, 2CD) **
  • Remixed With Love by Joey Negro: Vol. Two (Z, 2CD) **
  • Sunburst: Ave Africa: The Complete Recordings 1973-1976 (Strut, 2CD) **

  • Harry Beckett: Still Happy (1974, My Only Desire, EP) **
  • Bob Dylan: The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert! (Columbia/Legacy, 2CD) **
  • Joëlle Léandre: No Comment (1994-95, Fou)

  • Boogie Breakdown: South African Synth-Disco 1980-1984 (Cultures of Soul) **
  • Brother Ahh/Sounds of Awareness: Move Ever Onward (1975, Manufactured) **

DVDs

I don't review DVDs. I don't watch DVDs. I don't record them in my database -- well, almost never, anyhow. Part of this is that I don't have the time, the eyes, or at the moment even the equipment. I never request DVDs. Still, some publicists insist on sending them anyway. Here's a list. They're all pending, and will probably remain that way until hell freezes over.

  • Rova: Channeling Coltrane: Electric Ascension / Cleaning the Mirror (RogueArt, 2DVD)

Songs

I always come up empty for song lists at year-end poll time. So I thought I'd start here.