The Best Jazz Albums of 2017

Initial draft collected on Nov. 16, 2017. The file will be updated as additional worthy records are found (although updating may lag behind the official 2017 list). Last year's list was never frozen (OK, let's say it was frozen on Nov. 16, 2017). There also exists a parallel list of The Best Non-Jazz of 2017.

Note: numbering of lists (aside from A/A-) is only temporary, to make it easier for me to tally up stats.

For A-list only: [*] indicates that I reviewed this on the basis of an advance, often a CDR copy (a good thing, I might add, for vinyl-only releases). [**] identifies a record that I've only heard via download or through a streaming service like Rhapsody/Napster.

For all lists, I've included 2016 (and in rare cases earlier) records that I discovered after last year's freeze date, but I've only included such records if they were so little known that they received less than five points in the 2016 metacritic file. These are marked, e.g., -16, after the label.

New Music

1. William Parker Quartets: Meditation/Resurrection (AUM Fidelity 2CD)
The bassist has run two quartet configurations over many years: his freewheeling two-horn Quartet with Rob Brown (alto sax) and Lewis Barnes (trumpet), the latter replaced here by Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson, and the group In Order to Survive with Brown and pianist Cooper-Moore -- both groups with Hamid Drake on drums. One full disc of each here, and while the new trumpet player doesn't match the old one, Cooper-Moore is as breathtaking as ever. **

2. Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo: Peace (Libra)
Japanese pianist, has at least four iterations of her big band named for cities she works in -- hitherto, the New York band, with its surfeit of individual stars, has been most impressive, but the ensemble work here is peerless, and the score is chock full of brilliant ideas.

3. Gonçalo Almeida/Rodrigo Amado/Marco Franco: The Attic (NoBusiness)
Tenor sax trio from Portugal, avant, all joint improv but bassist got his name listed first -- alphabetical, I presume, but he opens with an arco solo and makes himself heard throughout. Amado, of course, is terrific. He's had quite a run since 2010's Searching for Adam.

4. Aki Takase/David Murray: Cherry Shakura (Intakt)
Piano/sax duets, Murray also playing bass clarinet. The pair recorded a previous album in 1991, Blue Monk, long a personal favorite, and they add another Monk piece here, along with seven originals (Takase 4, Murray 3) which makes this a bit harder to fall for, but the pianist is superb, and Murray is as awesome as ever.

5. Rich Halley/Carson Halley: The Wild (Pine Eagle)
Tenor saxophonist from Oregon, got my attention with his 2004 album Mountains and Plains and hasn't let up since. Duets with his drummer son bring his fierce creativity to the fore. A bit of otherworldly wood flute too.

6. Rocco John: Peace and Love (Unseen Rain)
Alto saxophonist (also soprano and piano) Rocco John Iacovone, leading a group he calls the Improvisational Composers Ensemble in a tribute to Will Connell (1938-2014), a saxophonist with a slim discography (most notably the 1981/83 Commitment recordings with William Parker) who "lived his music." Group is an octet with Ras Moshe Burnett (bells, tenor sax, flute), violin, bass clarinet, guitar, double bass, drums, and percussion. Group hits hard, but is equally interesting when they spread out, chill out, or aim for the heavens.

7. Buffalo Jazz Octet: Live at Pausa Art House (Cadence Jazz)
Cover suggests title is PausaLive, but spine says otherwise. Local Buffalo musicians, only a couple familiar to me -- chiefly pianist Michael McNeill -- but they form a remarkable large free jazz ensemble, with standout solos on sax, trumpet, and drums, and brisk and energetic group improv that never breaks down.

8. François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Alexey Lapin: Freedom Is Space for the Spirit (FMR)
Alto sax/Chinese oboe, drums, piano, recorded in St. Petersburg, a year after the same trio recorded two volumes of The Russian Concerts. Sketchy, finds its own beauty in chaos, and here and there erupts into something wonderful.

9. Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Loafer's Hollow (Hot Cup)
Since Peter Evans left bassist Moppa Elliott's "bebop terrorist" quintet, their mischief has gravitated toward pre-bop (one hesitates to call it trad) jazz. And they've been picking up extra members: Ron Stabinsky at piano, Dave Taylor on bass trombone, Brandon Seabrook on banjo and electronics, and most notably Steven Bernstein on trumpet (with or without slide).

10. Barry Altschul's 3Dom Factor: Live in Krakow (Not Two)
American drummer, a free jazz legend since his early 1970s records with Dave Holland, later with Anthony Braxton's 1980s quartet, dropped from sight in the 1990s until 2010 when he appeared on saxophonist Jon Irabagon's Foxy, the first of a bunch of collaborations under one name or another (third as 3Dom Factor, with Joe Fonda on bass). Mostly notable for Irabagon's no holds barred sax, although the bass-and-drums duets are super too.

11. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/William Parker/Bobby Kapp: Heptagon (Leo)
Tenor sax backed by piano-bass-drums: Shipp has been a nearly constant companion of late, with the pair releasing seven volumes of The Art of Perelman-Shipp back in March. The best one then was a quartet with Shipp's everyday trio (Michael Bisio and Whit Dickey), but Shipp's played even more with Parker and brought Kapp back from obscurity for a superb duo in 2016 (Cactus; Kapp first made his mark with the other great avant-garde saxophonist from South America, the late Gato Barbieri). Superb all around. **

12. Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society: Simultonality (Eremite)
Chicago bassist, appeared in avant-garde circles around 2002 but at this time highly patterned, repetetively rhythmic music, close in spirit to minimalism but subtly more complex. Abrams himself is also credited with guimbri, small harp, and bells, and is joined by Lisa Alvarado (harmonium, Leslie, percussion), Ben Boye (chromatic electric autoharp, piano, Wurlitzer), Emmett Kelly (electric guitar), and two percussionists (Michael Avery and Frank Rosaly) -- plus a real nice closing track tenor sax spot (Ari Brown). **

13. Miguel Zenón: Típico (Miel Music)
Alto saxophonist, from Puerto Rico, teaches at New England Conservatory, quickly established himself as one of his generation's top players. Tenth album since 2002, many referring back to his Latin roots, as title and cover do here -- but none of the instruments on the cover exist in the album. Rather, he plays within the jazz tradition, building on his long-running quartet -- Luis Perdomo (piano), Hans Glawisching (bass), and Henry Cole (drums) -- and that frees him up for some of his most dynamic playing in years.

14. Free Radicals: Outside the Comfort Zone (Free Rads)
Houston group, "a horn-driven instrumental dance band with a commitment to peace and justice" -- I recognized the group name from chemistry, but sure, politics works too. Took no more than five seconds for me to realize they were right up my alley. Turns out they've been around for a couple decades, recording The Rising Tide Sinks All in 1998 and five albums since. Nine-piece group, three saxes, three brass (including sousaphone), guitar, bass, drums, but 15 more "guests" joined in these sessions, including two elder vibraphonists whose credits include Benny Goodman and Sun Ra (author of their one cover). For a first approximation, imagine a cross between anarchist collectives like Club D'Elf and the Tribe and a New Orleans brass band. Not without its messy moments, but surely a SFFR.

15. David S. Ware Trio: Live in New York 2010 (AUM Fidelity)
Another posthumous tape for the late tenor sax giant, this one a year after his kidney transplant and about two years before he died. So it's worth noting that he's in remarkable form here, with a couple of solo stretches (some on stritch), but especially when William Parker (bass) and Warren Smith (drums) help out. **

16. Matthew Shipp Trio: Piano Song (Thirsty Ear)
Piano trio with Michael Bisio (bass) and Newman Taylor Baker (drums), follows a remarkably prolific run where we've heard Shipp in many diverse contexts, and comes with (not his first) vow to give up recording. Still very much on top of his game here.

17. Trio 3: Visiting Texture (Intakt)
Andrew Cyrille (drums), Reggie Workman (bass), Oliver Lake (alto saxophone). Thirteenth album together since 1997, recently adding various guests but this is back to basics, nothing fancy but remarkable craft within the free jazz trade.

18. Ellery Eskelin/Christian Weber/Michael Griener: Sensations of Tone (Intakt)
Tenor sax trio, recorded in Brooklyn but not Eskelin's usual New York Trio -- bassist Weber is Swiss, drummer Griener German. Also not the usual fare as they mix four old songs -- "Shreveport Stomp," "China Boy," "Moten Swing," and "Ain't Misbehavin'" -- in with four joint originals. The stomps and swings are done with sly understatement, distance and affection -- I especially love the latter, instantly recognizable yet brand new.

19. FCT = Francesco Cusa Trio Meets Carlo Atti: From Sun Ra to Donald Trump (Clean Feed)
Recorded Nov. 23, a few weeks after the apocalyptic American election. Cusa is a drummer from Italy, discography back to 1997, someone I don't know but most likely should. Trio adds Gabriele Evangelista on bass and Simone Graziano on piano, while Atti plays sax. Titles mostly show interest in economics from Smith to Keynes, but for good measure they toss in a "wrestling bout, refereed by Roland Barthes." Still, no words, just well structured tunes with the sax sharpening the edges. **

20. Harriet Tubman: Araminta (Sunnyside)
Band consisting of Brandon Ross (guitar), Melvin Gibbs (bass guitar), and J.T. Lewis (drums), released two albums 1998-2000, a third in 2011, and now this fourth, where they are joined by trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. Named for the famous abolitionist, born into slavery in 1822 as Araminta Ross, and lately picked to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Smith is especially striking here, expanding and building upon the band's dense industrial-funk fusion. **

21. Gorilla Mask: Iron Lung (Clean Feed)
Avant-jazz sax trio, the leader alto saxophonist Peter Van Huffel (Canadian, Belgian roots, based in Berlin), with Roland Fidezius (electric bass, effects) and Rudi Fischerlehner (drums). The bass gives this a certain rockish foundation, which the saxophonist regularly blows up.

22. Velkro: Too Lazy to Panic (Clean Feed)
Recorded in Portugal but mixed in Norway, don't know anything about the trio -- Bostjan Simon (sax, electronics), Stephan Meidell (guitar, bass, percussion, electronics), and Luis Candelas (drums, percussion) -- other than that their 2014 debut blew me away. They describe this one as "a step forward and a dive inward," which is to say the deep sound of their dense fusion takes much longer to sink in.

23. Roots Magic: Last Kind Words (Clean Feed)
Italian group, second album: Alberto Popolla (clarinet, bass clarinet), Errico De Fabritiis (alto/baritone sax), Gianfranco Tedeschi (double bass), Fabrizio Spera (drums), plus guests on organ/piano (4 tracks), cello (2), and dub effects (1). Plumbs a deep blues base drawing on Charlie Patton and similarly influenced jazz musicians like Julius Hemphill and Marion Brown, tuned up to a fine fury. **

24. Jimmy Greene: Flowers: Beautiful Life Volume 2 (Mack Avenue)
Tenor saxophonist, based in Sandy Hook, CT, where his 6-year-old daughter was among those murdered in the infamous school shooting there. He bounced back with his 2014 album Beautiful Life and won a Grammy, but I prefer this edgier album, full of probing, searching saxophone. Two piano trios split the backing (Renee Rosnes/John Patitucci/Jeff "Tain" Watts vs. Kevin Hays/Ben Williams/Otis Brown III), and two songs get guest vocals. **

25. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 5: Rhea (Leo)
Quartet with Shipp's usual trio mates Michael Bisio and Whit Dickey. As with the other sessions, the pieces are simply numbered, and it's "Part 6" that puts this over the top with its exhilarating tornado of sound -- everything you could hope for in free jazz.

26. Satoko Fujii: Invisible Hand (Cortez Sound, 2CD)
One of the most prolific jazz pianists of the past two decades, lately it seems her piano has receded into her explosive big bands and odder avant-folk projects (where, among other things, she's distinguished herself on accordion). But this solo set -- two discs but only 87:33 -- is less a return to basics than a maturing reflection on her craft: where she used to get our attention with pyrotechnics, here she favors richly detailed melodies, and that works as well.

27. Jason Stein Quartet: Lucille! (Delmark)
From Chicago, plays bass clarinet, quartet adds Keefe Jackson (tenor sax, contrabass clarinet), Joshua Abrams (bass), and Tom Rainey (drums) -- terrific group, with Jackson complementing the leader's airy sound. Three originals, covers from Bird and Monk, two from Lennie Tristano and another from Warne Marsh, plus one called "Roused About" that I assume honors Charlie.

28. Vector Families: For Those About to Jazz/Rock We Salute You (Sunnyside)
Minneapolis group, drummer Dave King the best known (Bad Plus, Happy People), with Anthony Cox (bass), Dean Granros (guitar), and Brandon Wozniak (sax). The rock allusions are far from obvious, even when King explains their sound as "Ornette Coleman's Prime Time meets Bad Brains with a bit of Pere Ubu" -- for one thing, time is completely free, even when covering Ellington's "Satin Doll" (the piano sounds are something Granros whipped up using "a Guitar Band video game controller"). They also cover Ornette. **

29. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 3: Pandora (Leo)
Quartet here, with William Parker on bass and Whit Dickey on drums, a piano trio that backed David S. Ware back in the early 1990s. This isn't as exciting: Perelman would rather work his way around the edges than channel the Holy Ghost, so the group doesn't push him. Still fascinating to follow.

30. Large Unit: Fluku (PNL)
Drummer Paal Nilssen-Love's 13-piece band: three reeds, three brass (including tuba), guitar, electronics, doubling up at bass (both electric and double) and drums, plus a credit for "live sound." The long title cut builds on a long rhythmic vamp with all sorts of exciting chaos. Still, they hold your interest when they slow it down for disassembly, probably because you anticipate that it will come together in wonder again . . . as it does. **

31. The Microscopic Septet: Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down to Me: The Micros Play the Blues (Cuneiform)
Group led by Philip Johnston (soprano sax) and Joel Forrester (piano), dates back to 1981 with a break in the 1990s, the addition of tenor saxophonist Michael Hashim the key move to the reunion. Closes with a Joe Liggins song (Dave Sewelson sings), the other dozen tracks split even among the leaders (although Forrester quotes more than the title from "Silent Night" -- nearly a deal breaker for me, until it isn't). Blues, maybe, but the key thing here is swing, which they do not for nostalgia but because it feels right. *

32. Angles 9: Disappeared Behind the Sun (Clean Feed)
A powerhouse nonet, with three brass (notably Magnus Broo), two saxes (including leader Martin Küchen on alto/tenor), piano-bass-drums plus Mattias Ståhl on vibes. Four pieces start with hard rhythmic figures and branch out chaotically, although the foundation keeps them in some kind of order. The fifth starts slow and tries to sneak up on you.

33. Chicago/London Underground: A Night Walking Through Mirrors (Cuneiform)
Since 1998 Rob Mazurek (cornet/electronics) and Chad Taylor (drums) have led various Chicago Underground duos, trios, and quartets, with Mazurek later taking his Underground concept to Sao Paulo. Here the Chicago duo visits London, meeting up with Alexander Hawkins (piano) and John Edwards (bass) -- both are very active, bringing a lot of heat and dynamism to the cooler orientation of the Chicagoans. *

34. Charles Gayle Trio: Solar System (ForTune)
Free jazz saxophonist, in his 40s before he got a chance to record in 1992, his ability to channel raw power perhaps unmatched, although for a while he seemed in danger of wearing out his welcome. Pushing 80, he's playing typically vigorous alto live in Warsaw with local bassist (Kaswery Wojcinski) and drummer (Max Andrzejewski). He also plays quite a bit of piano, here as impressive as his sax. **

35. Quinsin Nachoff/Mark Helias/Dan Weiss: Quinsin Nachoff's Ethereal Trio (Whirlwind)
Tenor saxophonist, several albums since 2006, this sax-bass-drums trio by far his best. Original pieces, mostly mid-tempo, nothing fancy or frantic, but it holds together superbly.

36. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 1: Titan (Leo)
The first of a trove of seven separately issued discs pairing the Brazilian avant saxophonist with the American pianist -- frequent collaborators since 1996's Bendito of Santa Cruz -- with various rhythm sections. Seems like the ideal might be to listen to all of them then start to make whatever marginal distinctions I can find, but for practical purposes all I can do is take them one-by-one and hope I don't get too lost. This one is a trio with William Parker, who in Perelman's 2016 The Art of the Improv Trio lifted Volume 4. He gets this series off to a strong start, too.

37. Yoko Miwa Trio: Pathways (Ocean Blue Tear Music)
Pianist, born in Kobe, Japan, studied at Berklee, has six albums. This a trio with Will Slater on bass and Scott Goulding on drums. Four originals, covers of Marc Johnson (2), Joni Mitchell, and "Dear Prudence." Runs 72 minutes but is delightful all the way through.

38. Trio Heinz Herbert: The Willisau Concert (Intakt)
Swiss group, no one named Heinz or Herbert -- two brothers, Dominic and Ramon Landolt, on guitar and keyboards, both cranked up with "effects," and drummer Mario Hänni. Quieter stretches resemble piano trio, but more often their electronics move them into new and surprising sonic terrains -- though nothing I would call fusion. I wound up spending a lot of time on this, torn between the suspicion that what they're doing is marginal and the certainty that it's unique.

39. Jack DeJohnette/Larry Grenadier/John Meddeski/John Scofield: Hudson (Motéma)
Cover only offers last names, although all are pretty recognizable. Hype credits this to "jazz supergroup Hudson." Names appear alphabetical, the opposite of the way I would list the credits by instrument, with guitarist Scofield up front. Indeed he is, and probably playing better than he has in two decades, but I'm tempted to chalk that up to the drummer, especially remarkable on the 10:56 title piece. Also note that nearly half of the pieces are late-1960s rock hits -- two Dylans, Hendrix, Robertson, Mitchell -- and while they're the things you notice, they're not the ones that stick with you. **

40. Ernest McCarty Jr. & Jimmie Smith: A Reunion Tribute to Erroll Garner (Blujazz)
Bassist and drummer in pianist Garner's 1970-77 quartet -- the fourth player was congalero José Mangual, replaced here by Noel Quintana. The songbook includes Garner's "Misty" and "Gemini" but mostly features standards, opening with "Caravan." The record is pure delight, but you have to dig deep into the book to discover the all-important pianist: Geri Allen. Her recent death makes this even more poignant.

41. Made to Break: Trebuchet (Trost)
Ken Vandermark quartet, eighth album since 2013 although half of the personnel has changed, employing Jasper Stadhouders (electric bass) and Christof Kurzmann (electronics) at least since 2015. Three pieces, Vandermark typically awesome, the sound mix around him full of nice surprises.

42. Nicole Mitchell and Haki Madhubuti: Liberation Narratives (Black Earth Music)
Flute player, still calls her band Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble, but that name gives way on cover and spine for spoken word artist Madhubuti, whose poetry spans the gamut of black American experience. Deep, and the band keeps it percolating, with Pharez Whitted on trumpet, a violin-violin-cello-bass string section, drums plus percussion.

43. Evan Parker & RGG: Live @ Alchemia (Fundacja Sluchaj)
British free jazz titan, just playing tenor sax this time out, in an improv Krakow set with a Polish trio: Lukasz Ojdana (piano), Maciej Garbowski (bass), Krzysztof Gradziuk (drums). Still, doesn't feel like a pickup band deal. The piano leads and comping are always interesting, and the drummer pays close attention, accenting everywhere. Parker, too, is always on point.

44. Josephine Davies: Satori (Whirlwind) British saxophonist, photos show tenor but I'm also hearing soprano, leads a trio with Dave Whitford (bass) and Paul Clarvis (drums), live at Iklectik in London. I may be a sucker for sax trios, but only if they're as consistently on point at this one is. **

45. Chicago Edge Ensemble: Decaying Orbit (self-released)
Guitarist Dan Phillips composed all the pieces here, but the edge comes from Mars Williams on saxophones and Jeb Bishop on trombone. They can crack up, loose, or any which way.

46. Wadada Leo Smith: Najwa (TUM)
Group effort, Henry Kaiser making me think of Yo! Miles!, but he's only one of four guitarists, and Smith is looking to take their electric post-funk into places Miles Davis never imagined: all Smith originals, all but the title "love song" namechecking legends: Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Billie Holiday. With Bill Laswell on electric bass (and mixing), Pheroan akLaff on drums, and Adam Rudolph on percussion.

47. DEK Trio: Construct 1: Stone (Audiographic)
Group named for first initials: Didi Kern (drums), Elisabeth Harnik (piano), Ken Vandermark (reeds). Two cuts, 43:48, recorded live at the Stone in NYC. Vandermark works his way through his instrument rack, especially masterful on tenor and baritone, and piercing on what I assume to be his clarinet. The Austrians support him with a range of overlapping and suitably discordant rhythms. **

48. Kirk Knuffke: Cherryco (SteepleChase)
Cornet player, from Colorado, Discogs credits him with 19 albums since 2009. This is a trio with Jay Anderson (bass) and Adam Nussbaum (drums) playing songs by Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry -- the focus is on the latter, both because he played various trumpets and because he was an essential part of Coleman's pathbreaking quartet, so in a sense what we're hearing here is Coleman without the saxophone. **

49. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/Joe Hertenstein: Scalene (Leo)
Tenor sax with piano and drums. Not sure if the drummer, a German in New York with Jörg his given first anme, has ever played in this company before, but he keeps up as the leaders knock out some of their fastest and most furious runs.

50. Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet: Diablo en Brooklyn (Saponegro)
Trumpet player from Peru, sextet includes Laura Andrea Leguia (tenor/soprano sax), Yuri Juarez (guitar), Freddy Lobatón (cajon), Hugo Alcazar (drums), and normally a bassist (John Benitez or Mario Cuba, but I don't see either in the credits, just a couple guest spots for keyboardist Russell Ferrante and one for guitarist Jocho Velásquez). Comes out hard on the beat, then sashays through several parts of "The Brooklyn Suite," with various interludes including a marvelous snatch of "Summertime."

51. The Rempis Percussion Quartet: Cochonnerie (Aerophonic)
So-named for two drummers, Tim Daisy and Frank Rosaly, joined by Ingebrigt Håker Flaten on bass and leader Dave Rempis on alto/tenor/baritone sax, who started stealing scenes in the Vandermark 5. Sixth group album, all impressive, this one all the more together.

52. Samo Salamon Sextet: The Colours Suite (Clean Feed)
Guitarist from Slovenia, has consistently produced interesting records. Wrote eight pieces named for colors, and brought this sextet for Jazz Festival Ljubljana, with "two of my favorite drummers" (Roberto Dani and Christian Lillinger), Pascal Niggenkemper (bass), Achille Succi (bass clarinet), and Julian Arguelles (tenor and soprano sax). The horns contrast well, the sharper sax piercing the airier bass clarinet, most impressively when they crank it up.

53. David Weiss & Point of Departure: Wake Up Call (Ropeadope)
Trumpet player, a postbop figure the New Jazz Composers Octet but a hard bopper with the Cookers, fourth album with Point of Departure although the band has no constants other than the leader, and the tenor sax (Myron Walden or JD Allen) and one of the guitar slots (Travis Reuter or Nir Felder) are split here -- Ben Eunson evidently plays throughout, and his blistering solo on the opener sets the pace, which remains torrid throughout. In fact, front cover is illustrated with guitar and trumpet, so that seems to be the concept.

54. Noah Kaplan Quartet: Cluster Swerve (Hatology)
Saxophonist (tenor and soprano), has a couple previous records. MVP here is guitarist Joe Morris, invariably the one you wind up focusing on. With Giacomo Merega (electric bass) and Jason Nazary (drums & electronics).

55. François Carrier/Michel Lambert/Rafal Mazur: Oneness (FMR)
Leader plays alto sax and Chinese oboe, accompanied by drums and acoustic bass guitar. Parts are a bit harsher than I'd like, but I love Carrier's deep, searching runs, and this is another good setting for them.

56. Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-Pak Coalition: Agrima (self-released)
The alto saxophonist represents India (he was actually born in Italy, but his parents had previously become US citizens, so his Indian heritage is something he's picked up over the years). Guitarist Rez Abbasi was born in Pakistan, but has been an American nearly as long. The third member is drummer Dan Weiss, from Tenafly, NJ, who also plays tabla, offering the most authentic Indo-Pak spicing, although the aromas whiff in and out, and Mahanthappa's sax is as fluid as ever. *

57. Dan Phillips Quartet: Converging Tributaries (Lizard Breath)
Guitarist, his current Chicago trio -- Krzysztof Pabian on bass and Tim Daisy on drums (he also has a group based in Bangkok) -- plus Jeb Bishop on trombone. Whereas his trio albums feature his frenzied riffing, the trombone takes center stage, adding weight and drive, and letting the guitar fill in around the edges. Not that Phillips doesn't get moments to shine, but they tend to be quieter, contrasting his sweet tone against the deeper growl. [**]

58. Katie Thiroux: Off Beat (Capri)
Bassist-singer, second album, more emphasis on the vocals this time (including some scat). One original, standards ranging from Ellington to Loesser to Leiber & Stoller ("Some Cats Know"), backed by piano and drums with Ken Peplowski (tenor sax/clarinet) on half the cuts, Roger Neumann (tenor/soprano sax) on two of those. Just bass and voice on "Willow Weep for Me" -- one of the finest versions ever.

59. Amok Amor [Christian Lillinger/Petter Eloh/Wanja Slavin/Peter Evans]: We Know Not What We Do (Intakt)
In my unpacking, I missed the title (going with the group name), and misspelled bassist Eldh's name. Same quartet has a 2015 album named Amok Amor, so this is one of those groups. All four members contribute songs (3-2-1-3, although it was 3-4.5-2.5-0 last time; I filed under drummer Lillinger, but Discogs lists Eldh first on the previous album). Slavin plays sax, Evans trumpet -- strongest showing I've heard by him since he left MOPDTK.

60. Matthew Shipp Quartet: Not Bound (ForTune)
Avant pianist, third album this year, making it hard to take seriously his periodic retirements. Quartet adds Daniel Carter (flute, trumpet, tenor/soprano sax) to his usual Trio with Michael Bisio and Whit Dickey. Reminds me how effective Shipp can be working behind and around a saxophonist -- e.g., his decade-plus with David S. Ware -- but also a good outing for Carter. **

61. Irreversible Entanglements (International Anthem/Don Giovanni)
"Liberation-oriented free jazz collective: Camae Ayewa (poet, also dba Moor Mother), Keir Neuringer (alto sax), Aquiles Navarro (trumpet), Luke Stewart (bass), Tcheser Holmes (drums). Group started playing at Musicians Against Police Brutality protests, and have just gotten angrier -- with good reason. **

62. Craig Taborn: Daylight Ghosts (ECM)
Pianist, from Minneapolis, was a big part of James Carter's 1990s Quartet. This is another quartet, although Chris Speed (tenor sax, clarinet) is here more for color and shading, never threatening to run away with so much as a song. Also with Chris Lightcap on bass and Dave King on drums, both (like the leader) dabbling in electronics. **

63. Tomas Fujiwara: Triple Double (Firehouse 12)
Looks more like a double trio, with Ralph Alessi and Tyler Ho Bynum on trumpet/cornet, Mary Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook on guitar, Gerald Cleaver and Fujiwara on drums. I haven't quite figured out the parts where the leader talks about music direction, but I'm quite taken by how they all bounce off one another.

64. Roswell Rudd/Fay Victor/Lafayette Harris/Ken Filiano: Embrace (RareNoise)
Trombone-piano-bass trio plus singer, one of the most distinctive ones working today if not always one of the easiest to listen to. In some ways this recalls Rudd's mid-1970s work with Sheila Jordan -- less swing, the pianist a bit more ornate. Victor is especially striking on songs that don't tempt her to scat or vocalise, like "Can't We Be Friends" and "House of the Rising Sun," but she's pretty impressive traipsing over Mingus and Monk. The trombone isn't exactly lovely, but so full of soul it can't be the work of anyone else. *

65. Omri Ziegele: Where's Africa: Going South (Intakt)
Credit could be parsed several ways, including mention of Yves Theiler (keyboards, reed organ, melodica, vocals) and Dario Sisera (percussion, drums). Where's Africa is the name of a 2005 album -- a duo with pianist Irène Schweizer -- and was also used in the credit of a 2010 trio (with Schweizer and Makaya Ntshoko). Ziegele is Swiss, plays alto sax, Uzbek flute, and is credited with vocals. Not sure who sings (weirdly) and who raps (impressively), affectations which annoyed me at first as they interfered with the wonderful Township Jive-inflected groove.

66. Sebastien Ammann: Color Wheel (Skirl)
Pianist, born in Switzerland, based in New York since 2008, second album, both quartets, this one distinguished by alto saxophonist Michaël Attias, whose runs keep slipping out of the grooves.

67. Silke Eberhard Trio: The Being Inn (Intakt)
Plays alto sax and bass clarinet (here), based in Berlin, has done tributes to Dolphy, Coleman, and Mingus; credited with writing everything here, although I hear echoes of Ornette. Trio with Jan Roder (bass) and Kay Lubke (drums).

68. Tyshawn Sorey: Verisimilitude (Pi)
Drummer, sometime pianist -- he played a big chunk of his 2007 2CD album That/Not -- I've even seen him lately on trombone, but here just drums. I mention this because this strikes me as very much a piano album (Corey Smythe), the percussion and bass (Chris Tordini) often all but vanishing. Sometimes the piano, too. I'd prefer something more in-your-face, and there's some of that here too.

69. Eric Revis: Sing Me Some Cry (Clean Feed)
Bassist, played for Betty Carter and Branford Marsalis but has tended to be more avant on his own albums. Quartet here with Ken Vandermark (tenor sax/clarinet), Kris Davis (piano), and Chad Taylor (drums) -- an explosive combination, most often moderated by the bassist but extraordinary when he cranks them up. **

70. Tommy Smith: Embodying the Light: A Dedication to John Coltrane (Spartacus)
Scots tenor saxophonist, born on the same day Coltrane died -- which might explain some things if you believe in reincarnation like the Dalai Lama -- assembled a batch of Coltrane songs for their 50th. Done in classic Quartet style with Peter Johnstone (piano), Calum Gourlary (bass), and Sebastian de Krom (drums) holding their own. Still, it's the saxophonist's extraordinary chops that make the album undeniable. **

71. Scott Hamilton: The Shadow of Your Smile (Blau)
Same group [Dena DeRose on piano, Ignasi Gonzalez on bass, Jo Krause on drums], same lack of recording info but DeRose gets second-tier type and sings a verse to finish "How Deep Is the Ocean" -- an unexpected pleasure on top of many more. [**]

72. Raoul Björkenheim Ecstasy: Doors of Perception (Cuneiform)
Finnish guitarist (born in Los Angeles but grew up in Finland and has bounced back and forth), plays well-amped electric but not fusion or any other obvious style. Group, often styled with uppercase C-T-S, is a quartet, with saxophonist Pauli Lyytinen adding seamless harmonic depth (especially with the bass sax), Jori Huhtala (bass), and Markku Ounaskari (drums). By the way, right on for the cover post: "Donald, eres un pendejo."

73. Chris Speed Trio: Platinum on Tap (Intakt)
Tenor saxophonist, has a fairly short list of albums under his own name since 1997, but has a pretty long list of side credits. This format, with Chris Tordini on bass and Dave King on drums, pushes him out front, and he doesn't bother with the clarinet, so you get a consistent sound which grows in authority and panache.

74. Nate Wooley: Knknighgh (Minimal Poetry for Aram Saroyan) (Clean Feed)
Avant trumpet player, records a lot, here with a pianoless quartet: Chris Pitsiokos (alto sax), Brandon Lopez (bass), Dre Hocevar (drums). I've forgotten whatever I once knew of Saroyan's poetry, and none is actually used here -- at least in verbal form, but I gather it was fragmented and abstract, something like the jazz here. **

75. Tom Rainey Obbligato: Float Upstream (Intakt)
Drummer, leads a conventionally shaped all-star quintet: Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Ingrid Laubrock (sax), Kris Davis (piano), and Drew Gress (bass). Six standards, one joint credit. Aptly titled: seems to be all about flow, gently even-tempered even working against gravity, remarkable when it succeeds.

76. Die Enttäuschung: Lavaman (Intakt)
Translates as Disappointment, a German group, based in Berlin, first recorded in 1995, with Axel Dörner on trumpet, Rudi Mahall on bass clarinet, and a shifting cast at bass and drums -- currently Jan Roder and Michael Griener, plus new this time out Christof Thewes on trombone. All original material, although their roots as a Monk tribute band -- tapped by Alexander von Schlippenbach for Monk's Casino -- show through in their irrepressible bounce and quirk.

77. Ivo Perelman/Nate Wooley/Brandon Lopez/Gerald Cleaver: Octagon (Leo)
A rare "pianoless quartet" album, the two horns (tenor sax and trumpet) freewheeling against bass and drums, which help steady the rhythm and fill out harmonically -- chemistry that works admirably.

78. François Carrier/Michel Lambert: Out of Silence (FMR)
Canadians, alto sax-drums duets, long-time collaborators, working live in London, they must have a dozen of more/less equivalent albums by now, especially if you count the ones with a guest pianist. Still, they all sound great to me, the only way this is not exceptional.

79. Borderlands Trio [Stephan Crump/Kris Davis/Eric McPherson]: Asteroidea (Intakt)
Bass-piano-drums trio, the bassist getting a solo intro to kick things off, elsewhere the pianist playing soft rhythmic figures behind the bass. Fascinating there, even more so when Davis jumps out front, bringing the drums into play.

80. DKV Trio: Latitude 41.88 (Not Two)
Trio dates back to 1999: Hamid Drake (drums), Kent Kessler (bass), and Ken Vandermark (unspecified reeds). Eighth album together -- counting as one the 7-CD Past Present (2008-11) -- usually a bit rough and hyper but working in some especially eloquent stretches this time. **

81. Colin Stetson: All This I Do for Glory (52Hz)
Saxophonist, plays alto and tenor but specializes in the heavy stuff -- bass sax and contrabass clarinet. Born in Ann Arbor, based in Montreal. Only thing that links him to jazz is his instrument -- otherwise he's basically a post-rock experimentalist (only jazz name I see on his "performed and recorded with dozens of artists" list is Anthony Braxton, but maybe that's the only one comparably famous to Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, or closer to his home Godspeed! You Black Emperor). This is industrial/minimalist fusion, recycling rhythms with the extra resonance of wind instruments and some vocal shadowing. Seems fairly simple, but remains unique. **

82. Steve Coleman's Natal Eclipse: Morphogenesis (Pi)
Alto saxophonist, thirty-some albums since 1985, has broken new ground several times and this is probably another -- I've played it many times, never really making up my mind as it keeps shifting in unexpected directions. Large group with a chamber jazz air -- only has percussion on 5/9 tracks, never significant, although there are many sources of rhythm -- three reeds, trumpet, violin, piano, bass, with Jen Shyu's voice shadowing.

83. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 2: Tarvos (Leo)
Third member here is veteran drummer Bobby Kapp, who belatedly came to my attention as Shipp's partner on their 2016 duo album, Cactus. The drummer kicks up the energy level here, and the saxophonist responds accordingly.

84. Randy Weston/African Rhythms: The African Nubian Suite (African Rhythms, 2CD)
Pianist, born in Brooklyn 86 years before this was recorded but his parents came from Jamaica and he soon developed a deep fascination with Africa and the spread of its culture all around the world. Influenced by Duke Ellington, he's gone on to write extended suites, but this is a live concert with various discrete guest spots -- including pipa and balafon as well as trombone and Texas tenor -- framed by Wayne Chandler's opening narration and Jayne Cortez's closing poetry slam. Still, what elevates this from variety show is the pianist's patter, not just introducing musicians but illuminating his life's work and worldview.

Also added the following 2016 albums after freezing the 2016 year-end file:

1. John Escreet: The Unknown: Live in Concert (Sunnyside)
Pianist, seventh album since 2008, started on mainstream labels but this quartet represents an avant move: John Hébert (bass), Tyshawn Sorey (drums, vibes), and most importantly (and unmistakably) Evan Parker (tenor sax), with the pianist distinguishing himself with his oblique cross rhythms. Two parts, from two consecutive days in the Netherlands, totalling 74:47. **

2. Ellery Eskelin: Trio Willisau Live (Hatology)
Tenor saxophonist, with Gary Versace (organ) and Gerry Hemingway (drums). Some remarkable sax and cliché-free organ. **

Honorable Mention

Additional jazz rated B+(***), listed alphabetically.

  1. Espen Aalberg/Jonas Kullhammar/Torbjörn Zetterberg/Susana Santos Silva: Basement Sessions Vol. 4 (The Bali Tapes) (Clean Feed) **
  2. Akmee: Neptun (Nakama) **
  3. Anemone [Peter Evans/John Butcher/Frederic Blondy/Clayton Thomas/Paul Lovens]: A Wing Dissolved in Light (NoBusiness)
  4. Sam Bardfeld: The Great Enthusiasms (BJU) **
  5. Tim Berne's Snakeoil: Incidentals (ECM) **
  6. Carlos Bica & Azul: More Than This (Clean Feed)
  7. Jane Ira Bloom: Wild Lines: Improvising Emily Dickinson (Outline, 2CD)
  8. Sam Braysher With Michael Kanan: Golden Earrings (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  9. Burning Ghosts: Reclamation (Tzadik) *
  10. Burnt Sugar/The Arkestra Chamber: All You Zombies Dig the Luminosity (Avant Groidd) **
  11. Alex Cline's Flower Garland Orchestra: Oceans of Vows (self-released, 2CD) *
  12. Club D'Elf: Live at Club Helsinki (Face Pelt, 2CD)
  13. Anat Cohen Tentet: Happy Song (Anzic) **
  14. Richie Cole: Latin Lover (RCP)
  15. Cortex: Avant-Garde Party Music (Clean Feed) **
  16. CP Unit: Before the Heat Death (Clean Feed)
  17. Ernest Dawkins New Horizons Ensemble: Transient Takes (Malcom)
  18. Jon De Lucia Group: As the River Sings (Fresh Sound New Talent) *
  19. DEK Trio: Construct 2: Artfacts (Audiographic) **
  20. DEK Trio: Construct 3: Ovadlo 29 (Audiographic) **
  21. Marc Devine Trio: Inspiration (ITI)
  22. Whit Dickey/Mat Maneri/Matthew Shipp: Vessel in Orbit (AUM Fidelity) **
  23. Scott DuBois: Autumn Wind (ACT) **
  24. EABS: Repetitions (Letters to Krzysztof Komeda) (Astigmatic) **
  25. Christoph Erb/Jim Baker/Frank Rosaly: . . . Don't Buy Him a Parrot . . . (Hatology) **
  26. ExpEAR & Drew Gress: Vesper (Kopasetic)
  27. Adam Fairhall: Friendly Ghosts (Efpi) **
  28. Joe Fiedler: Like, Strange (Multiphonics Music) **
  29. Joana Gama/Luís Fernandes/Richardo Jacinto: Harmonies (Shhpuma)
  30. Kate Gentile: Mannequins (Skirl)
  31. Terry Gibbs: 92 Years Young: Jammin' at the Gibbs House (Whaling City Sound)
  32. Jean-Brice Godet: Lignes De Crêtes (Clean Feed)
  33. Gordon Grdina Quartet: Inroads (Songlines)
  34. Scott Hamilton/Paolo Birro/Aldo Zunino/Alfred Kramer: Ballads for Audiophiles (Fonè Jazz) **
  35. Scott Hamilton: Meets the Piano Players (Organic) **
  36. Ross Hammond + Jon Bafus: Masonic Lawn (Prescott) **
  37. Louis Hayes: Serenade for Horace (Blue Note) **
  38. Hegge: Vi Är Ledsna Men Du Får Inte Längre Vara Barn (Particular) **
  39. The Heliocentrics: A World of Masks (Soundway) **
  40. Fred Hersch: Open Book (Palmetto)
  41. Eric Hofbauer: Ghost Frets (Creative Nation Music)
  42. Eric Hofbauer: Prehistoric Jazz Volume 4: Reminiscing in Tempo (Creative Nation Music)
  43. Joseph Huber: The Suffering Stage (self-released) **
  44. Jason Kao Hwang: Sing House (Euonymous)
  45. Vijay Iyer Sextet: Far From Over (ECM) **
  46. Dylan Jack Quartet: Diagrams (Creative Nation Music)
  47. Lee Konitz: Frescalalto (Impulse) **
  48. Diana Krall: Turn Up the Quiet (Verve) **
  49. Michel Lambert: Alom Mola (Jazz From Rant)
  50. Matt Lavelle/Lewis Porter/Hilliard Greene/Tom Cabrera: Matt Lavelle Quartet (Unseen Rain) **
  51. Allegra Levy: Cities Between Us (SteepleChase)
  52. Liebman/Murley Quartet: Live at U of T (U of T Jazz)
  53. Charles Lloyd New Quartet: Passin' Thru (Blue Note) **
  54. Doug MacDonald: A Salute to Jazz Composers: Jazz Marathon 2 (BluJazz, 2CD)
  55. Roberto Magris Sextet: Live in Miami @ the WDNA Jazz Gallery (JMood)
  56. Brian McCarthy Nonet: The Better Angels of Our Nature (Truth Revolution)
  57. Makaya McCraven: Highly Rare (International Anthem) **
  58. Joe McPhee/Pascal Niggenkemper/Ståle Liavik Solberg: Imaginary Numbers (Clean Feed) **
  59. Joe McPhee/Damon Smith/Alvin Fielder: Six Situations (Not Two) **
  60. Bob Merrill: Tell Me Your Troubles: Songs by Joe Bushkin (Accurate)
  61. Ron Miles: I Am a Man (Yellowbird) **
  62. Roscoe Mitchell: Bells for the South Side (ECM, 2CD) **
  63. Charnett Moffett: Music From Our Soul (Motéma) **
  64. Marcus Monteiro: Another Part of Me (Whaling City Sound)
  65. Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Paint (Hot Cup)
  66. Kyle Motl Trio: Panjandrums (Metatrope)
  67. The MUH Trio [Roberto Magris/Frantisek Uhlir/Jaromir Helesic]: Prague After Dark (JMood)
  68. Doug Munro and La Pompe Attack: The Harry Warren Songbook (GotMusic)
  69. Simon Nabatov/Max Johnson/Michael Sarin: Free Reservoir (Leo) **
  70. The Necks: Unfold (Ideologic Organ) **
  71. Gard Nilssen's Complete Unity: Live in Europe (Clean Feed, 3CD) **
  72. Paal Nilssen-Love/Frode Gjerstad: Nearby Faraway (PNL) **
  73. Linda May Han Oh: Walk Against Wind (Biophilia)
  74. Eivind Opsvik: Overseas V (Loyal Label)
  75. Eddie Palmieri: Sabiduria/Wisdom (Ropeadope) **
  76. Elan Pauer: Yamaha/Speed (Creative Sources)
  77. Mario Pavone: Vertical (Clean Feed) **
  78. Gary Peacock Trio: Tangents (ECM) **
  79. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 4: Hyperion (Leo)
  80. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 6: Saturn (Leo)
  81. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: The Art of Perelman-Shipp, Volume 7: Dione (Leo)
  82. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/Jeff Cosgrove: Live in Baltimore (Leo)
  83. Matt Piet & Tim Daisy: Stroke One; Strike Two (self-released) **
  84. Matt Piet/Raoul van der Welde/Frank Rosaly: Out of Step: Live in Amsterdam (self-released) **
  85. Lucas Pino: The Answer Is No (Outside In Music) **
  86. Lewis Porter/Phil Scarff Group: Three Minutes to Four (Whaling City Sound) [**]
  87. Noah Preminger: Meditations on Freedom (self-released)
  88. Jure Pukl/Matija Dedic: Hybrid (Whirlwind) **
  89. Mike Reed: Flesh & Bone (482 Music)
  90. Dave Rempis: Lattice (Aerophonic)
  91. Dave Rempis/Matt Piet/Tim Daisy: Hit the Ground Running (Aerophonic) **
  92. Jason Rigby: Detroit-Cleveland Trio: One (Fresh Sound New Talent)
  93. Stephen Riley/Peter Zak: Deuce (SteepleChase) **
  94. Riverside [Dave Douglas/Chet Doxas/Steve Swallow/Jim Doxas]: The New National Anthem (Greenleaf Music)
  95. Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures: Glare of the Tiger (Meta/M.O.D. Technologies)
  96. Samo Salamon/Szilárd Mezei/Achille Succi: Planets of Kei: Free Sessions Vol. 1 (Not Two)
  97. Jenny Scheinman: Here on Earth (Royal Potato Family) **
  98. Irène Schweizer/Joey Baron: Live! (Intakt)
  99. Oliver Schwerdt: Prestige/No Smoking (Euphorium, 2CD)
  100. Matthew Shipp: Invisible Touch at Taktlos Zürich (Hatology) **
  101. Jared Sims: Change of Address (Ropeadope)
  102. Steve Slagle: Alto Manhattan (Panorama)
  103. Martial Solal & Dave Liebman: Masters in Bordeaux (Sunnyside) **
  104. Lyn Stanley: The Moonlight Sessions: Volume Two (A.T. Music)
  105. John Stein/Dave Zinno: Wood and Strings (Whaling City Sound)
  106. Steve Swell: Music for Six Musicians: Hommage À Olivier Messiaen (Silkheart)
  107. Talinka (Moonjune)
  108. Klaus Treuheit/Lou Grassi: Port of Call (NoBusiness) *
  109. Trichotomy: Known-Unknown (Challenge)
  110. Throttle Elevator Music: Retrospective (Wide Hive) **
  111. James Blood Ulmer With the Thing: Baby Talk: Live at the Molde International Jazz Festival 2015 (Trost) **
  112. Ken Vandermark/Klaus Kugel/Mark Tokar: Escalator (Not Two) **
  113. Cuong Vu 4-Tet: Ballet (Rare Noise) *
  114. Jürg Wickihalder/Barry Guy/Lucas Niggli: Beyond (Intakt)
  115. Carl Winther & Jerry Bergonzi: Inner Journey (SteepleChase LookOut) **
  116. Lizz Wright: Grace (Concord) **
  117. Hideo Yamaki/Bill Laswell/Bjorn Björkenheim/Mike Sopko/Dominic James: Inaugural Sound Clash for the 2 Americas (2017, MOD Technologies) **

Also added the following 2016 albums after freezing the 2016 year-end file:

  1. DEK Trio: Burning Below Zero (Trost) **
  2. Andrew Durkin: Breath of Fire (PJCE) **
  3. Daniel Freedman: Imagine That (Anzic) **
  4. Brian Lynch: Madera Latino (Hollistic MusicWorks) **
  5. Tisziji Muñoz: Tathagata Guitar: Whisperings of Peace (Anami Music) **
  6. Bria Skonberg: Bria (Okeh/Masterworks) **

Reissues/Historic Music

The standard for historic music is a record where everything was recorded 10+ years ago, regardless of whether it's ever been in print before. Some past lists may have treated previously unreleased music as new (regardless of actual age), but I've never been able to manage that distinction consistently. This category also includes compilations of previously released music, including straight reissues, although my selection is very erratic.

1. Lucky Thompson: Complete Parisian Small Group Sessions 1956-1959 (Fresh Sound, 4CD)
One of the great post-WWII tenor saxophonists, born in South Carolina, grew up in Detroit, joined Erskine Hawkins' big band straight out of high school, certainly understood bebop -- he played on Charlie Parker's legendary septet -- but retained a swing feel. He moved to Paris in 1956 and cut these luscious small group sides with various locals (notably pianist Martial Solal) and American expats like Kenny Clarke and Emmett Berry. **

2. Art Pepper: Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Volume 3: Lee Konitz (1982, Omnivore)
Released in Japan in 1982, probably recorded a year or two earlier. Whereas Stitt and Pepper tended to melt together, the two altos here remain distinct (more so, of course, when Pepper switches to clarinet) -- Konitz adding a wry edge to Pepper's fluidity. With Michael Lang (piano), Bob Magnuson (bass), and John Dentz (drums). **

3. Ella Fitzgerald: Ella at Zardi's (1956, Verve)
Previously unreleased, two sets, twenty-one songs, at Zardi's in Los Angeles, very shortly after she left Decca for Verve. She's backed by Don Abney (piano), Vernon Alley (bass), and Frank Capp (drums) -- no big names there, but as she gets on a roll, all she needs. [**]

4. Art Pepper: Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Volume 5: Jack Sheldon (1980, Omnivore)
Trumpet player, takes a vocal on one of the bonus cuts, came up in big bands including Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton and appears on a couple of Pepper's best records. This is another. **

5. Art Pepper: Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Volume 1: Sonny Stitt (1980, Omnivore, 2CD)
The series collects a series of albums Pepper did for the Japanese label Atlas, where he picked a duet partner whose name appeared on the cover -- Pepper had an exclusive deal with Galaxy at the time. This combines two 1980 albums plus three unreleased cuts, with Stitt on tenor, Lou Levy or Russ Freeman on piano, Carl Burnett on drums, mostly racing through vintage bebop material. **

6. Paul Rutherford/Sabu Toyozumi: The Conscience (1999, NoBusiness)
Trombone and drums duo. Rutherford (1940-2007) was one of the most important avant-trombonists in Europe, a pioneer in the rare art of solo trombone. This is as fine a showcase for him as I've heard, but it's the drummer -- previously unknown to me -- who put this archive tape over the top.

7. Art Pepper: Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Volume 6: Shelly Manne (1981, Omnivore)
Originally released in Japan (only) as Hollywood Jam: Shelly Manne and His West Coast Friends, the drummer joined by Pepper (alto sax), Bob Cooper (tenor sax), Bill Watrous (trombone), Pete Jolly (piano), and Monty Budwig (bass). Seems like Pepper could do no wrong in his last year. Trombone is a nice touch. **

8. Trevor Watts Amalgam: Closer to You (1976, Hi4Head)
Alto/soprano saxophonist, a major figure in the British avant-garde from 1969 on although he didn't get into the habit of releasing records under his own name until after 2000. Amalgam was his first group, a sax trio, and their first record, Prayer for Peace (1969) is a landmark. This is a later edition of the group, with Colin McKenzie (bass guitar) and Liam Genockey (drums), the first four cuts released by Ogun in 1979. Reissue adds five more tracks (24:04) to the original four tracks (40:30). Fast bits are immediately compelling; slower parts take longer to sort out. **

9. The Three Sounds: Groovin' Hard: Live at the Penthouse 1964-1968 (Resonance)
Gene Harris' piano trio, with Andrew Simpkins (bass) and Bill Dowdy (drums), originally formed as a quartet in 1956 but soon lost their saxophonist, and went on to record more than two dozen albums up to 1971. Cherry-picked from several sessions (including a couple substitute drummers), making sure that everything lives up to the title.

10.

Art Pepper: The Art Pepper Quartet (1956 [2017], Omnivore): Recorded a couple months before his legendary Meets the Rhythm Section (with Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones from Miles Davis' first great hard bop quintet), this rhythm section epitomized West Coast cool: Russ Freeman (piano), Ben Tucker (bass), and Gary Frommer (drums). Filling the CD out with alternate takes (including a false start) brings this to an odd end, but the original record is superb -- as was pretty much everything Pepper did during this brief period between jail terms. **

11. Azar Lawrence: Bridge Into the New Age (1974, Prestige)
Tenor saxophonist, cut three albums 1974-76 then nothing until 2007. This is his first, five pieces, as many lineups, just piano (Jo Bonner) and percussion for the shortest track, much more for the others -- Woody Shaw and Jean Carn on two, the vocals not too intrusive; Arthur Blythe and Mtume on the other two, with Julian Priester (trombone) and Hadley Caliman (flute) on one of those. Still, all unfied by the leader's fierce saxophone, seeking to merge avant and black power into something cosmic: a sign of times that didn't last. **

Honorable Mention

Additional jazz rated B+(***), listed alphabetically.

  1. Louis Armstrong: The Nightclubs (1950-58, Dot Time) **
  2. Albert Ayler: Stockholm, Berlin 1966 (Hatology) **
  3. The Bill Evans Trio: On a Monday Evening (1976, Fantasy) **
  4. Joel Futterman and Ike Levin: Live in Chicago (2007, Charles Lester Music) **
  5. Vinny Golia Wind Quartet: Live at the Century City Playhouse: Los Angeles, 1979 (Dark Tree)
  6. Dick Hyman: Solo at the Sacramento Jazz Festivals 1983-1988 (1983-88, Arbors) **
  7. Dave Liebman/Joe Lovano: Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane (2007, Resonance)
  8. Thelonious Monk: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 (Sam, 2CD) **
  9. Oscar Pettiford Nonet/Big Band/Sextet: New York City 1955-1958 (Uptown, 2CD) **
  10. Woody Shaw/Louis Hayes: The Tour: Volume One (1976 [2016], High Note) **
  11. Ton-Klami [Midori Takada/Kang Tae Hwan/Masahiko Satoh]: Prophecy of Nue (1995, NoBusiness)

Also added the following 2016 albums after freezing the 2016 year-end file:

Notes

Additional new jazz records rated B+(**) or below (listed alphabetically by artist).

  1. Greg Abate/Tim Ray Trio: Road to Forever (Whaling City Sound) [B+(*)]
  2. Rez Abbasi: Unfiltered Universe (Whirlwind) [B+(**)]
  3. John Abercrombie Quartet: Up and Coming (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  4. Antonio Adolfo: Hybrido: From Rio to Wayne Shorter (AAM) [B]
  5. Yazz Ahmed: La Saboteuse (Naim) ** [B+(**)]
  6. Laura Ainsworth: New Vintage (Eclectus) [B+(**)]
  7. Ambrose Akinmusire: A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note, 2CD) ** [B+(*)]
  8. Carol Albert: Fly Away Butterfly (Cahara) [B+(**)]
  9. Eric Alexander: Song of No Regrets (High Note) ** [B+(**)]
  10. Joey Alexander: Joey. Monk. Live! (Motéma) ** [B]
  11. Alfjors: Demons 1 (Shhpuma, EP) ** [B+(**)]
  12. Wali Ali: To Be (Mendicant) [B+(**)]
  13. Tony Allen: A Tribute to Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers (Blue Note, EP) ** [B+(**)]
  14. Tony Allen: The Source (Blue Note) ** [B+(*)]
  15. Fabian Almazan: Alcanza (Biophilia) ** [B-]
  16. AMP Trio: Three (self-released) [B]
  17. Jason Anick & Jason Yeager: United (Inner Circle Music) [B+(**)]
  18. Bill Anschell: Rumbler (Origin) [B+(**)]
  19. Atomic: Six Easy Pieces (Odin) ** [B+(**)]
  20. Sheryl Bailey & Harvie S: Plucky Strum: Departure (Whaling City Sound) [B+(*)]
  21. Ballister: Slag (Aerophonic) ** [B+(*)]
  22. Ballrogg [Klaus Ellerhusen Holm/Roger Arntzen/Ivar Grydeland]: Abaft the Beam (Clean Feed) [B+(**)]
  23. Heather Bambrick: You'll Never Know (self-released) [B+(**)]
  24. Denys Baptiste: The Late Trane (Edition) ** [B+(**)]
  25. Rahsaan Barber: The Music in the Night (Jazz Music City) [B+(**)]
  26. João Barradas: Directions (Inner Circle Music) ** [B+(**)]
  27. Django Bates: Saluting Sgt. Pepper (Edition) ** [B]
  28. Django Bates' Beloved: The Study of Touch (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  29. Stefano Battaglia: Pelagos (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  30. John Beasley: MONK'estra Vol. 2 (Mack Avenue) ** [B]
  31. Gerald Beckett: Oblivion (Summit) [B+(*)]
  32. Dave Bennett: Blood Moon (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(**)]
  33. Richard X Bennett: Experiments With Truth (Ropeadope) [B+(**)]
  34. Richard X Bennett: What Is Now (Ropeadope) [B+(**)]
  35. Sheryl Bentyne: Rearrangements of Shadows: The Music of Stephen Sondheim (ArtistShare) [B-] [B-]
  36. Ernaldo Bernocchi: Rosebud (RareNoise) * [B+(*)]
  37. Peter Bernstein: Signs LIVE! (Smoke Sessions, 2CD) ** [B+(**)]
  38. Ignacio Berroa Trio: Straight Ahead From Havana (Codes Drum Music) [B+(**)]
  39. David Bertrand: Palmyra & Other Places (Blujazz) [B+(*)]
  40. Gianni Bianchini: Type I (self-released) [B+(**)]
  41. Big Bold Back Bone: In Search of the Emerging Species (Shhpuma) ** [B]
  42. Steve Bilodeau: The Sun Through the Rain (self-released) [B+(*)]
  43. David Binney: The Time Verses (Criss Cross) ** [B+(**)]
  44. Raoul Björkenheim Triad: Beyond (Eclipse) ** [B+(**)]
  45. Jim Black/Óskar Gudjónsson/Elias Stemeseder/Chris Tordini: Mala Mute (Intakt) [B+(*)]
  46. Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band: Body and Shadow (Blue Note) ** [B-]
  47. Theo Bleckmann: Elegy (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  48. Lena Bloch & Feathery: Heart Knows (Fresh Sound New Talent) [B+(*)]
  49. Blue Note All Stars: Our Point of View (Blue Note, 2CD) ** [B+(**)]
  50. Blue Notes Tribute Orkestra: Live at the Bird\'s Eye (self-released) ** [B+(*)]
  51. Jean-François Bonnel and His Swinging Jazz Cats: With Thanks to Benny Carter (Arbors) ** [B+(**)]
  52. Joe Bourne: Upbeat and Sweet (Summit) [C]
  53. Bobby Bradford/Hafez Modirzadeh: Live at the Magic Triangle (NoBusiness) * [B+(**)]
  54. Anouar Brahem: Blue Margins (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  55. Jaimie Branch: Fly or Die (International Anthem) ** [B+(**)]
  56. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Memphis . . . Yes, I'm Ready (Okeh) ** [B+(*)]
  57. Alan Broadbent With the London Metropolitan Orchestra: Developing Story (Eden River) ** [B+(*)]
  58. Peter Brotzmann/Heather Leigh: Sex Tape (Trost) ** [B-]
  59. Peter Brotzmann/Steve Swell/Paal Nilssen-Love: Live in Tel Aviv (Not Two) ** [B+(**)]
  60. Bill Brovold & Jamie Saft: Serenity Knolls (Rare Noise) * [B+(*)]
  61. Kyle Bruckmann's Degradient: Dear Everyone (Not Two, 2CD) ** [B+(**)]
  62. Bryan and the Aardvarks: Sounds From the Deep Field (Biophilia) [B-]
  63. Chris Byars: The Music of Frank Strozier (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
  64. Jonas Cambien/Adrian Myhr: Simiskina (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  65. Peter Campbell: Loving You: Celebrating Shirley Horn (self-released) [B+(**)]
  66. Gerald Cannon: Combinations (Woodneck) [B+(**)]
  67. Carn Davidson 9: Murphy (self-released) [B]
  68. Regina Carter: Ella: Accentuate the Positive (Okeh) ** [B+(*)]
  69. The CCM Jazz Orchestra as James Bond: Nobody Does It Better (Summit) [B+(**)]
  70. Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop: Rev (Anzic) [B+(**)]
  71. Chamber 4: City of Light (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  72. Brian Charette Circuit Bent Organ Trio: Kürrent (Dim Mak) ** [B+(*)]
  73. Bill Charlap Trio: Uptown Downtown (Impulse!) ** [B+(**)]
  74. Billy Childs: Rebirth (Mack Avenue) ** [B-]
  75. Corey Christiansen: Dusk (Origin) [B+(*)]
  76. Zack Clarke: Random Acts of Order (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  77. Gerald Clayton: Tributary Tales (Motéma) ** [B]
  78. Anat Cohen: Rosa Dos Ventos (Anzic) ** [B]
  79. Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves: Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos (Anzic) ** [B+(**)]
  80. Avishai Cohen: Cross My Palm With Silver (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  81. Collectif Spatule: Le Vanneau Huppé (Aloya) ** [B+(**)]
  82. Collective Order: Vol. 2 (self-released) [B+(*)]
  83. Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra: Invitation (OA2) [B+(**)]
  84. Michelle Coltrane: Awakening (Blujazz) [B+(**)]
  85. Eva Cortés: Crossing Borders (Origin) [B+(*)]
  86. Gustavo Cortiñas Snapshot: Esse (OA2) [B+(*)]
  87. Larry Coryell's 11th House: Seven Secrets (Savoy Jazz) ** [B+(*)]
  88. Cowboys and Frenchmen: Bluer Than You Think (Outside In Music) [B+(*)]
  89. Stanley Cowell: No Illusions (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
  90. Sandy Cressman: Entre Amigos (Cressman Music) [B+(*)]
  91. Stephan Crump/Ingrid Laubrock/Cory Smythe: Planktonic Finales (Intakt) [B+(*)]
  92. Bill Cunliffe: BACHanalia (Metre) [B-]
  93. Ori Dagan: Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (Scat Cat) [B]
  94. Tim Daisy: Red Nation "1" (Relay) [B+(**)]
  95. Tim Daisy/Michael Thieke/Ken Vandermark: Triptych (Relay) ** [B+(**)]
  96. Dálava: The Book of Transfigurations (Songlines) ** [B+(*)]
  97. David's Angels: Traces (Kopasetic) [B+(*)]
  98. Roger Davidson Trio With Hendrik Meurkens: Oração Para Amanhã/Prayer for Tomorrow (Soundbrush) [B+(**)]
  99. Rick Davies: Thugtet (Emlyn) [B+(**)]
  100. Joey DeFrancesco and the People: Project Freedom (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(*)]
  101. Tom Dempsey/Tim Ferguson Quartet: Waltz New (OA2) [B+(**)]
  102. Dial & Oatts/Rich DeRosa/WDR Big Band: Rediscovered Ellington: New Takes on Duke's Rare and Unheard Music (Zoho) ** [B+(*)]
  103. The Brian Dickinson Quintet: The Rhythm Method (Addo) [B+(*)]
  104. Dog Leg Dilemma: Not This Time (self-released) [B+(*)]
  105. Jeff Dingler: In Transit (self-released) [B+(**)]
  106. Angelo Divino: Love A to Z (self-released) [B-]
  107. Akua Dixon: Akua's Dance (Akua's Music) [B+(**)]
  108. Chano Dominguez: Over the Rainbow (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
  109. Miles Donahue: The Bug (Whaling City Sound) [B+(*)]
  110. Matthieu Donarier/Santiago Quintans: Sun Dome (Clean Feed) ** [B-]
  111. Dave Douglas With the Westerlies and Anwar Marshall: Little Giant Still Life (Greenleaf Music) [B+(**)]
  112. Mike Downes: Root Structure (Addo) [B+(*)]
  113. Chet Doxas: Rich in Symbols (Ropeadope) [B+(*)]
  114. Dr. Mint: Voices in the Void (Orenda) [B+(*)]
  115. Kaja Draksler Octet: Gledalec (Clean Feed, 2CD) ** [B]
  116. Mark Dresser: Modicana (NoBusiness) * [B+(**)]
  117. Laura Dubin Trio: Live at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (self-released, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  118. Duchess: Laughing at Life (Anzic) ** [B+(*)]
  119. Duo Baars Henneman & Dave Burrell: Trandans (Wig) [B]
  120. Dominique Eade & Ran Blake: Town and Country (Sunnyside) [B+(*)]
  121. Sinne Eeg: Dreams (ArtistShare) [B+(**)]
  122. Harris Eisenstadt: Recent Developments (Songlines) ** [B+(**)]
  123. Harris Eisenstadt Canada Day Quartet: On Parade in Parede (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  124. Harris Eisenstadt/Mivos Quartet: Whatever Will Happen That Will Also Be (NoBusiness) * [B+(*)]
  125. Eliane Elias: Dance of Time (Concord) ** [B+(*)]
  126. Ishmael Ensemble: Songs for Knotty (Banoffee Pies, EP) ** [B]
  127. Noga Erez: Off the Radar (City Slang) ** [B]
  128. Kevin Eubanks: East West Time Line (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(*)]
  129. Bill Evans/Scottish National Jazz Orchestra: Beauty & the Beast (Spartacus -16) [B+(**)]
  130. David Feldman: Horizonte (self-released) ** [B+(*)]
  131. Lorenzo Feliciati: Elevator Man (RareNoise) * [B+(**)]
  132. Alan Ferber Big Band: Jigsaw (Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
  133. Bob Ferrel: Bob Ferrel's Jazztopian Dream (Bob Ferrel Music) [B+(*)]
  134. Nick Finzer: Hear & Now (Outside In Music) [B+(*)]
  135. The Four Bags: Waltz (NCM East) [B+(*)]
  136. Craig Fraedrich With Trilogy and Friends: All Through the Night (Summit) [B+(*)]
  137. Nick Fraser: Is Life Long? (Clean Feed) [B+(**)]
  138. David Friesen: Structures (Origin, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  139. Bill Frisell/Thomas Morgan: Small Town (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  140. Art Fristoe Trio: Double Down (Merry Lane, 2CD) [B]
  141. Fred Frith/Hans Koch: You Are Here (Intakt) [B+(**)]
  142. Satoko Fujii Quartet: Live at Jazz Room Cortez (Cortez Sound) [B]
  143. Satoko Fujii/Natsuki Tamura: Kisaragi (Libra) [B+(*)]
  144. Champian Fulton & Scott Hamilton: The Things We Did Last Summer (Blau) ** [B+(*)]
  145. Jim Gailloreto's Jazz String Quintet: The Pythiad (Origin Classical) [B-]
  146. Brent Gallaher: Moving Forward (V&B) [B]
  147. Hal Galper and the Youngbloods: Live at the Cota Jazz Festival (Origin) [B+(**)]
  148. Nubya Garcia: Nubya\'s 5ive (Jazz Re:freshed) ** [B+(**)]
  149. Hillary Gardner/Ehud Asherie: The Late Set (Anzic) ** [B+(*)]
  150. Laszlo Gardony: Serious Play (Solo Piano) (Sunnyside) [B+(*)]
  151. Gato Libre: Neko (Libra) [B+(**)]
  152. Camilla George Quartet: Isang (Ubuntu Music) ** [B+(*)]
  153. Philipp Gerschlauer/David Fiuczynski: Mikrojazz: Neue Expressionistische Musik (Rare Noise) * [B+(*)]
  154. Julian Gerstin Sextet: The One Who Makes You Happy (self-released) [B+(*)]
  155. Ghost Train Orchestra: Book of Rhapsodies Vol II (Accurate) [B+(*)]
  156. Paul Giallorenzo Trio: Flow (Delmark) [B+(**)]
  157. Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People: Weather or Not (Whaling City Sound, 2CD) ** [B]
  158. Yedo Gibson/Hernâni Faustino/Vasco Trilla: Chain (NoBusiness) [B+(**)]
  159. David Gilmore: Transitions (Criss Cross) ** [B+(*)]
  160. The Brett Gold New York Jazz Orchestra: Dreaming Big (Goldfox) [B+(*)]
  161. Ben Goldberg School: Vol 1: The Humanities (BAG) ** [B+(**)]
  162. Vitor Gonçalves Quartet (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
  163. Alex Goodman: Second Act (Lyte) [B]
  164. Pasquale Grasso/Renaud Penant/Ari Roland: In the Mood for a Classic (ITI Music) [B+(**)]
  165. Frank Gratkowski/Simon Nabatov: Mirthful Myths (Leo) ** [B+(**)]
  166. Cameron Graves: Planetary Prince (Mack Avenue) ** [B-]
  167. Gordon Grdina/François Houle/Kenton Loewen: Live at the China Cloud (Big in Japan) ** [B+(*)]
  168. The Great Harry Hillman: Tilt (Cuneiform) * [B+(**)]
  169. Josh Green & the Cyborg Orchestra: Telepathy & Bop (self-released) [B+(*)]
  170. Chris Greene Quartet: Boundary Issues (Single Malt) [B]
  171. Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet: Jersey (Motéma) ** [B+(*)]
  172. Mats Gustafsson & Craig Taborn: Ljubljana (Clean Feed) ** [B]
  173. Jari Haapalainen Trio: Fusion Madness (Moserobie) [B+(**)]
  174. Jari Haapalainen Trio: Fusion Nation (Moserobie) [B+(**)]
  175. Noah Haidu: Infinite Distances (Cellar Live) [B+(**)]
  176. Charlie Halloran: Ce Biguine! (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  177. Larry Ham/Woody Witt: Presence (Blujazz) [B+(*)]
  178. Keyon Harrold: The Mugician (Legacy) ** [B+(*)]
  179. Bill Hart: Touch of Blue (Blue Canoe) [B-]
  180. Taylor Haskins & Green Empire: The Point (Recombination) [B+(*)]
  181. João Hasselberg & Pedro Branco: From Order to Chaos (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  182. Hans Hassler: Wie Die Zeit Hinter Mir Her (Intakt) [B+(*)]
  183. Alexander Hawkins: Unit[e] (self-released, 2CD) ** [B+(**)]
  184. Alexander Hawkins-Elaine Mitchener Quartet: Uproot (Intakt) [B+(**)]
  185. Heads of State: Four in One (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(**)]
  186. Hear in Now [Mazz Swift/Tomeka Reid/Silvia Bolognesi]: Not Living in Fear (International Anthem) ** [B+(**)]
  187. Rebecca Hennessy's Fog Brass Band: Two Calls (self-released) [B+(*)]
  188. Arve Henriksen: Towards Language (Rune Grammofon) ** [B]
  189. Oscar Hernández & Alma Libre: The Art of Latin Jazz (Origin) [B+(**)]
  190. Vincent Herring: Hard Times (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(*)]
  191. Cynthia Hilts: Lyric Fury (Blond Coyote) [B+(*)]
  192. Dre Hocevar: Surface of Inscription (Clean Feed) ** [B-]
  193. Florian Hoefner: Coldwater Stories (Origin) [B+(**)]
  194. Mats Holmquist: Big Band Minimalism (Summit) [C+]
  195. Honest John: International Breakthrough (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  196. Tristan Honsinger/Antonio Borghini/Tobias Delius/Axel Dörner: Hook, Line and Sinker (De Platenbakakkerij, DVD) [B+(*)]
  197. Adam Hopkins: Party Pack Ice (pfMENTUM, EP) [B+(*)]
  198. Jazzmeia Horn: A Social Call (Prestige) ** [B+(**)]
  199. Humcrush: Enter Humcrush (Shhpuma) ** [B+(**)]
  200. Hvalfugl: By (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  201. Susie Ibarra: Perception (Decibel Music) ** [B]
  202. Innocent When You Dream: Dirt in the Ground (self-released) [B+(*)]
  203. Jon Irabagon/John Hegre/Nils Are Drønen: Axis (Rune Grammofon) ** [B+(*)]
  204. Sherman Irby & Momentum: Cerulean Canvas (Black Warrior) ** [B+(*)]
  205. Jill Jack and the American SongBook Band: Pure Imagination (UpHill Productions -16) [B+(*)]
  206. Benedikt Jahnel Trio: The Invariant (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  207. Ahmad Jamal: Marseille (Jazz Village) ** [B+(**)]
  208. José James: Love in a Time of Madness (Blue Note) ** [B+(*)]
  209. Danny Janklow: Elevation (Outside In Music) [B]
  210. B.J. Jansen: Common Ground (Ronin Jazz) [B+(**)]
  211. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra: The Music of John Lewis (Blue Engine) [B+(*)]
  212. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis: Handful of Keys (Blue Engine) ** [B+(**)]
  213. The Jazz Passengers: Still Life With Trouble (Thirsty Ear) ** [B+(**)]
  214. Jentsch Group Quartet: Fractured Pop (Fleur de Son) [B+(*)]
  215. Dusan Jevtovic: No Answer (Moonjune) [B+(*)]
  216. Howard Johnson and Gravity: Testimony (Tuscarora) [B+(**)]
  217. Max Johnson: In the West (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  218. Billy Jones: 3's a Crowd (Acoustical Concepts) [B]
  219. Paul Jones: Clean (Outside In Music) [B]
  220. Sean Jones: Live From Jazz at the Bistro (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(*)]
  221. Jü: Summa (Rare Noise) * [B]
  222. Keith Karns Big Band: An Eye on the Future (Summit) [C+]
  223. Brian Kastan: Roll the Dice on Life (Kastan, 2CD) [C+]
  224. Ryan Keberle & Catharsis: Find the Common, Shine a Light (Greenleaf Music) [B+(**)]
  225. Stacey Kent: I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions (Okeh) ** [B+(**)]
  226. Kokotab: Flying Heart (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  227. Lauren Kinhan: A Sleepin' Bee (Dotted i) [B]
  228. Kneebody: Anti-Hero (Motéma) ** [B]
  229. Oliver Lake Featuring Flux Quartet: Right Up On (Passin' Thru) [B]
  230. LAMA + Joachim Badenhorst: Metamorphosis (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  231. Andrew Lamb/Warren Smith/Arkadijus Gotesmanas: The Sea of Modicum (NoBusiness) * [B+(*)]
  232. Brian Landrus Orchestra: Generations (BlueLand) [B+(**)]
  233. Nikki Lane: Highway Queen (New West) ** [B+(**)]
  234. Steve Langone Trio: Breathe (Whaling City Sound) [B+(**)]
  235. Matt Lavelle's 12 Houses: End Times (Unseen Rain) ** [B+(**)]
  236. Lean Left: I Forgot to Breathe (Trost) ** [B+(**)]
  237. Led Bib: Umbrella Weather (RareNoise) * [B+(*)]
  238. LeeAnn Ledgerwood: Renewal (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
  239. Jihye Lee Orchestra: April (self-released) [B-]
  240. LEF: Hypersomniac (RareNoise) * [B-]
  241. Chad Lefkowitz-Brown: Onward (self-released)
  242. Joao Lencastre's Communion 3: Movements in Freedom (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  243. The Billy Lester Trio: Italy 2016 (Ultra Sound) [B+(*)]
  244. Daniel Levin Quartet: Live at Firehouse 12 (Clean Feed) [B+(**)]
  245. Gregory Lewis: Organ Monk: The Breathe Suite (self-released) [B+(*)]
  246. Jesse Lewis/Ike Sturm: Endless Field (Biophilia) [B]
  247. Mark Lewis: New York Session (Audio Daddio) [B+(**)]
  248. The Liberation Music Collective: Rebel Portraiture (Ad Astrum) [B+(*)]
  249. Live Human: Scratch Bop (Cosmic) [B+(**)]
  250. Llop: J.Imp (El Negocito) [B+(*)]
  251. Mike Longo Trio: Only Time Will Tell (CAP) [B+(**)]
  252. David Lopato: Gendhing for a Spirit Rising (Global Coolant, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  253. Rob Luft: Riser (Edition) ** [B]
  254. Carmen Lundy: Code Noir (Afrasia Productions) ** [B]
  255. Harold Mabern: To Love and Be Loved (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(*)]
  256. Kirk MacDonald Jazz Orchestra: Common Ground (Addo) [B]
  257. Nick Maclean Quartet: Rites of Ascension (Browntasaurus) [B+(*)]
  258. Alex Maguire/Nikolas Skordas Duo: Ships and Shepherds (Slam, 2CD) [B]
  259. Ed Maina: In the Company of Brothers (self-released) [B]
  260. Tony Malaby/Mat Maneri/Daniel Levin: New Artifacts (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  261. Mat Maneri/Evan Parker/Lucian Ban: Sounding Tears (Clean Feed) * [B+(*)]
  262. Yves Marcotte: Always Know Monk (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  263. Marker: Wired for Sound (Audiographic) ** [B]
  264. Ben Markley Big Band: Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton (OA2) [B+(*)]
  265. Markley & Balmer: Standards & Covers (Soona Songs) [B+(*)]
  266. Delfeayo Marsalis: Kalamazoo (Troubadour Jass) [B+(**)]
  267. Luís José Martins: Tentos -- Invenções E Encantamentos (Shhpuma) ** [B+(*)]
  268. Mas Que Nada: Sea Journey (Blujazz) [B]
  269. Mark Masters Ensemble: Blue Skylight (Capri) [B+(**)]
  270. Rob Mazurek: Chants and Borders (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  271. Rob Mazurek: Rome (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  272. Chelsea McBride's Socialist Night School: The Twilight Fall (Browntasaurus) [B+(*)]
  273. Christian McBride Big Band: Bringin' It (Mack Avenue) ** [B-]
  274. Robert McCarther: Stranger in Town (Psalms 149 Music) [C+]
  275. Zara McFarlane: Arise (Brownswood) ** [B+(*)]
  276. Roy McGrath: Remembranzas (JL Music) [B]
  277. John McLean/Clark Sommers Band: Parts Unknown (Origin) [B-]
  278. Gary Meek: Originals (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  279. MEM3: Circles (self-released) [B+(**)]
  280. Meridian Trio: Triangulum (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  281. Emi Meyer: Monochrome (Origin) [B+(*)]
  282. Lisa Mezzacappa: Avant Noir (Clean Feed) [B+(**)]
  283. Lisa Mezzacappa: Glorious Ravage (New World) [B+(*)]
  284. Alma Micic: That Old Feeling (Whaling City Sound) [B+(**)]
  285. Jason Miles: Kind of New 2: Blue Is Paris (Lightyear) * [B+(*)]
  286. Molly Miller Trio: The Shabby Road Recordings (self-released) [B]
  287. The Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra: Welcome to Swingsville! (BluJazz) [B+(*)]
  288. Mind Games [Angelika Niescier/Denman Maroney/James Ilgenfritz/Andrew Drury]: Ephemera Obscura (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  289. Billy Mintz: Ugly Beautiful (Thirteenth Note, 2CD) [B+(**)]
  290. MIR 8: Perihelion (Shhpuma) ** [B+(*)]
  291. Matt Mitchell: A Pouting Grimace (Pi) [B+(**)]
  292. Nicole Mitchell: Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds (FPE) [B+(**)]
  293. Roscoe Mitchell: Discussions (2016 [2017], Wide Hive) ** [B+(**)]
  294. Jason Moran and the Bandwagon: Thanksgiving at the Vanguard (Yes) ** [B+(*)]
  295. Paul Moran: Smokin' B3 Vol. 2: Still Smokin' (Prudential) [B-]
  296. Liudas Mockunas: Hydro (NoBusiness) * [B+(**)]
  297. Mike Moreno: 3 for 3 (Criss Cross) * [B+(*)]
  298. Michael Morreale: Love and Influence (Blujazz, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  299. Joe Morris/Ben Hall/Andria Nicodemou: Raven (Glacial Erratic) ** [B+(*)]
  300. Donny Most: Mostly Swinging (Summit) [B+(**)]
  301. Kjetil Møster/Hans Magnus Ryan/Ståle Storløkken/Thomas Strønen: Reflections in Cosmo (RareNoise) * [B+(**)]
  302. Kjetil Møster/Jeff Parker/Joshua Abrams/John Herndon: Ran Do (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  303. Kyle Motl: Transmogrification (Metatrope) [B+(**)]
  304. Mumpbeak: Tooth (Rare Noise) * [B]
  305. Musique Noire: Reflections: We Breathe (self-released) [B+(*)]
  306. Brad Myers & Michael Sharfe: Sanguinaria (Hopefulsongs) (Colloquy) [B+(*)]
  307. Negative Press Project: Eternal Life: Jeff Buckley Songs and Sounds (Ridgeway, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  308. Vadim Neselovskyi Trio: Get Up and Go (Blujazz) [B+(**)]
  309. Ed Neumeister & His NeuHat Ensemble: Wake Up Call (MeisteroMusic) [B+(*)]
  310. The New Vision Sax Ensemble: Musical Journey Through Time (Zak Publishing) [B+(*)]
  311. New York Electric Piano: State of the Art (Fervor) [B+(*)]
  312. Larry Newcomb Quartet With Bucky Pizzarelli: Living Tribute (Essential Messenger) [B+(*)]
  313. Sam Newsome: Sopranoville: Works for Prepared and Non-Prepared Soprano (Some New Music) ** [B+(*)]
  314. Sam Newsome and Jean-Michel Pilc: Magic Circle (Some New Music) ** [B+(**)]
  315. Noertker's Moxie: Druidh Penumbrae (Edgetone -16) [B+(*)]
  316. Dick Oatts: Use Your Imagination (SteepleChase) ** [B+(**)]
  317. Maciej Obara Quartet: Unloved (ECM) ** [B]
  318. Ian O'Beirne's Slowbern Big Band: Dreams of Daedelus (self-released) [B]
  319. Bill O'Connell: Monk's Cha Cha: Live at the Carnegie-Farian Room (Savant) [B]
  320. Arturo O'Farrill & Chucho Valdes: Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico (Motema) ** [B+(**)]
  321. Miles Okazaki: Trickster (Pi) [B+(**)]
  322. One O'Clock Lab Band: Lab 2017 (UNT) [B]
  323. Johnny O'Neal: In the Moment (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(*)]
  324. Aruán Ortiz: Cub(an)ism: Piano Solo (Intakt) [B+(**)]
  325. Matt Otto With Ensemble Ibérica: Ibérica (Origin) [B+(**)]
  326. Oui' 3: Occupy Your Mind (ITI) [B]
  327. Keith Oxman: East of the Village (Capri) [B+(**)]
  328. The Ed Palermo Big Band: The Great Un-American Songbook: Volumes I & II (Cuneiform, 2CD) * [B+(*)]
  329. Pan-Scan Ensemble: Air and Light and Time and Space (Hispid/PNL) ** [B+(**)]
  330. Diana Panton: Solstice/Equinox (self-released) [B+(*)]
  331. Emile Parisien/Vincent Peirani/Andreas Schaerer/Michael Wollny: Out of Land (ACT) ** [B]
  332. Phil Parisot: Creekside (OA2) [B+(**)]
  333. Chris Parker: Moving Forward Now (self-released) [B-]
  334. Evan Parker/Mikolaj Trzaska/John Edwards/Mark Sanders: City Fall: Live at Café Oto (Fundacja Sluchaj) ** [B+(**)]
  335. Teri Parker: In the Past (self-released) [B+(**)]
  336. William Parker & Stefano Scodanibbio Duo: Bass Duo (Centering) ** [B+(**)]
  337. Aaron Parks/Ben Street/Billy Hart: Find the Way (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  338. Nicki Parrott: Dear Blossom: A Tribute to Blossom Dearie (Arbors) ** [B+(*)]
  339. Nicki Parrott: Unforgettable: The Nat King Cole Songbook (Venus) ** [B+(**)]
  340. Sarah Partridge: Bright Lights & Promises: Redefining Janis Ian (Origin) [B]
  341. Jonah Parzen-Johnson: I Try to Remember Where I Come From (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  342. Chris Pasin and Friends: Baby It's Cold Outside (Planet Arts) [B]
  343. Michael Pedicin: As It Should Be: Ballads 2 (Groundblue) [B+(*)]
  344. Penguin Cafe: The Imperfect Sea (Erased Tapes) ** [B+(**)]
  345. Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: Live in Brussels (Leo, 2CD) ** [B+(**)]
  346. Frank Perowsky Jazz Orchestra: Gowanus (Jazzkey) [B+(*)]
  347. Matt Piet: The Bitter Angles of Our Nurture (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  348. Matt Piet/Paul Giallorenzo: Wood, Wire, and Steel (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  349. John Pizzarelli: Sinatra & Jobim @ 50 (Concord) ** [B-]
  350. Platform: Flux Reflux (Clean Feed) ** [B]
  351. Stuart Popejoy: Pleonid (Leo) ** [B+(**)]
  352. Gregory Porter: Nat "King" Cole & Me (Blue Note) ** [C+]
  353. Portico Quartet: Art in the Age of Automation (Gondwana) ** [B+(**)]
  354. Debbie Poryes Trio: Loving Hank (OA2) [B+(**)]
  355. Franciszek Pospieszalski Sextet: 1st Level (ForTune) ** [B]
  356. Chris Potter: The Dreamer Is the Dream (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  357. Dave Potter: You Already Know (Summit) [B+(**)]
  358. Simona Premazzi: Outspoken (self-released) [B+(*)]
  359. Preservation Hall Jazz Band: So It Is (Legacy) ** [B+(**)]
  360. Wojciech Pulcyn: Tribute to Charlie Haden (ForTune) ** [B+(**)]
  361. Michael Rabinowitz: Uncharted Waters (Cats Paw) [B+(*)]
  362. Errol Rackipov Group: Distant Dreams (OA2) [B+(*)]
  363. Ada Rave Trio: The Sea, the Storm and the Full Moon (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  364. Mason Razavi: Quartet Plus, Volume 2 (OA2) [B]
  365. Red Planet/Bill Carrothers: Red Planet With Bill Carrothers (Shifting Paradigm) ** [B+(**)]
  366. The Reunion Project: Veranda (Tapestry) [B+(**)]
  367. Jamie Reynolds: Grey Mirror (Fresh Sound New Talent) [B+(**)]
  368. Karriem Riggins: Headnod Suite (Stones Throw) ** [B+(**)]
  369. Eve Risser/Benjamin Duboc/Edward Perraud: En Corps: Generation (Dark Tree) [B+(**)]
  370. Eve Risser/Kaja Draksler: To Pianos (Clean Feed) ** [B]
  371. Tom Rizzo: Day and Night (Origin) [B]
  372. Carol Robbins: Taylor Street (Jazzcats) [B+(*)]
  373. Troy Roberts: Tales & Tones (Inner Circle) ** [B+(**)]
  374. Jeremy Rose: Within & Without (Earshift Music) [B+(*)]
  375. Ned Rothenberg/Hamid Drake: Full Circle: Live in Lodz (Fundacja Sluchaj) ** [B+(*)]
  376. Scott Routenberg Trio: Every End Is a Beginning (Summit) [B+(*)]
  377. ROVA Saxophone Quartet/Kyle Bruckmann/Henry Kaiser: Steve Lacy's Saxophone Special Revisited (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  378. Vitor Rua and the Metaphysical Angels: Do Androids Dream of Electrid Guitars? (Clean Feed, 2CD) ** [B+(*)]
  379. Adam Rudolph: Morphic Resonances (M.O.D. Technologies) [B+(*)]
  380. Rune Your Day (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  381. Jamie Saft/Steve Swallow/Bobby Previte With Iggy Pop: Loneliness Road (Rare Noise) * [B+(**)]
  382. Cécile McLorin Salvant: Dreams and Daggers (Mack Avenue, 2CD) ** [B+(*)]
  383. San Francisco String Trio: May I Introduce to You (Ridgeway) [B+(*)]
  384. The Angelica Sanchez Trio: Float the Edge (Clean Feed) ** [B+(**)]
  385. Marta Sánchez Quintet: Danza Imposible (Fresh Sound New Talent) [B+(**)]
  386. Christian Sands: Reach (Mack Avenue) ** [B+(**)]
  387. Scenes: Destinations (Origin) [B+(*)]
  388. Schnellertollermeier: Rights (Cuneiform) ** [B+(*)]
  389. Louis Sclavis: Asian Fields Variations (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  390. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah: Ruler Rebel (Stretch Music/Ropeadope) ** [B+(**)]
  391. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah: Diaspora (Stretch Music/Ropeadope) ** [B+(**)]
  392. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah: The Emancipation Procrastination (Stretch Music/Ropeadope) ** [B+(**)]
  393. Jimmy Scott: I Go Back Home (Eden River) [B+(**)]
  394. Brandon Seabrook: Die Trommel Fatale (New Atlantis) ** [B+(**)]
  395. Luke Sellick: Alchemist (Cellar Live) [B+(**)]
  396. The Selva (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  397. Elliott Sharp With Mary Halvorson and Marc Ribot: Err Guitar (Intakt) [B+(**)]
  398. Idit Shner: 9 Short Stories (OA2) [B+(**)]
  399. Paula Shocron/German Lamonega/Pablo Diaz: Tensegridad (Hatology) ** [B+(**)]
  400. Shotgun Jazz Band: Steppin' on the Gas (self-released) ** [B+(**)]
  401. Jen Shyu: Song of Silver Geese (Pi) [B+(*)]
  402. Sirius: Acoustic Main Suite Plus the Inner One (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  403. Rotem Sivan: Antidote (Alma) ** [B+(**)]
  404. Bria Skonberg: With a Twist (Okeh) ** [B+(*)]
  405. Sky Music: A Tribute to Terje Rypdal (Rune Grammofon) [B+(*)]
  406. Slow Is Possible: Moonwatchers (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  407. Smino: Blkswn (Zero Fatigue/Downtown) ** [B+(**)]
  408. Nate Smith: Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere (Ropeadope) ** [B]
  409. Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra: Effervescence (Spartacus) [B+(**)]
  410. Wadada Leo Smith: Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk (TUM) [B+(**)]
  411. Wadada Leo Smith/Natsuki Tamura/Satoko Fujii/Ikue Mori: Aspiration (Libra) [B+(**)]
  412. Dave Soldier: The Eighth Hour of Amduat (Mulatta) [B+(*)]
  413. Günter Baby Sommer: Le Piccole Cose: Live at Theater Gütersloh (Intuition) [B+(*)]
  414. Peter Sommer: Happy-Go-Lucky Locals (self-released) [B+(**)]
  415. Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Transparent Water (World Village) ** [B+(*)]
  416. Vinnie Sperrazza Apocryphal: Hide Ye Idols (Loyal Label) ** [B+(**)]
  417. David Stackenäs: Bricks (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  418. Tomasz Stanko New York Quartet: December Avenue (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  419. Dayna Stephens: Gratituge (Contagious Music) ** [B+(**)]
  420. Mike Stern: Trip (Heads Up) ** [B+(*)]
  421. Matthew Stevens: Preverbal (Ropeadope) ** [B]
  422. Becca Stevens: Regina (GroundUp) ** [B-]
  423. John Stowell/Ulf Bandgren Quartet: Night Visitor (Origin) [B+(*)]
  424. Dave Stryker: Strykin' Ahead (Strikezone) [B+(*)]
  425. Hiromi Suda: Nagi (BluJazz) [B+(*)]
  426. Sult/Lasse Marhaug: Harpoon (Conrad Sound/Pica Disk) * [B+(*)]
  427. Rain Sultanov: Inspired by Nature (Ozella) ** [B+(**)]
  428. Summit Quartet: Live in Sant' Arresi (Audiographic) ** [B+(**)]
  429. Takaaki: New Kid in Town (Albany) [B+(**)]
  430. Jeannie Tanner: Words & Music (Tanner Time, 2CD) [B+(**)]
  431. Dylan Taylor: One in Mind (Blujazz) [B+(*)]
  432. Joris Teepe & Don Braden: Conversations (Creative Perspective Music) [B+(**)]
  433. Yosvany Terry/Baptiste Trotignon: Ancestral Memories (Okeh) ** [B+(*)]
  434. Emma-Jean Thackray\'s Walrus: Walrus EP (Deptford Beach, EP) ** [B+(*)]
  435. Chris Thile/Brad Mehldau: Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau (Nonesuch) ** [B-]
  436. Charles Thomas: The Colors of a Dream (Sea Tea) [B+(*)]
  437. Nestor Torres: Jazz Flute Traditions (Alfi) [B+(*)]
  438. Ralph Towner: My Foolish Heart (ECM) ** [B+(**)]
  439. Gabriele Tranchina: Of Sailing Ships and the Stars in Your Eyes (Rainchant Eclectic) [B+(**)]
  440. Trespass Trio: The Spirit of Pitesti (Clean Feed) ** [B+(*)]
  441. Trio S: Somewhere Glimmer (Zitherine) [B+(*)]
  442. Triocity [Charles Pillow/Jeff Campbell/Rich Thompson]: I Believe in You (Origin) [B+(**)]
  443. Trombone Shorty: Parking Lot Symphony (Blue Note) ** [B-]
  444. Trouble Kaze: June (Circum-Disc) [B+(*)]
  445. Tune Recreation Committee: Voices of Our Vision (self-released) ** [B+(*)]
  446. Baron Tymas: Montréal (Tymasmusic) [B+(*)]
  447. Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Five (OA2) [B]
  448. Jeremy Udden/John McNeil/Akyer Kobrinsky/Anthony Pinciotti: Hush Point III (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
  449. Unhinged Sextet: Don't Blink (OA2) [B]
  450. The United States Air Force Band Airmen of Note: Veterans of Jazz (self-released) [D+]
  451. University of Toronto 12Tet: Trillium Falls (UofT Jazz) [B]
  452. University of Toronto Jazz Orcherstra: Sweet Ruby Suite (UofT Jazz) [B+(*)]
  453. Urbanity: Urban Soul (Alfi) [B]
  454. The Vampires: The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke (Earshift Music) [B+(*)]
  455. Ken Vandermark: Momentum 2 & 3 (Audiographic) ** [B+(*)]
  456. Raphael Vanoli: Bibrax (Shhpuma) ** [B+(*)]
  457. John Vanore: Stolen Moments: Celebrating Oliver Nelson (Acoustical Concepts) [B+(**)]
  458. Carlos Vega: Bird's Up (Origin) [B+(*)]
  459. David Virelles: Gnosis (ECM) ** [B+(*)]
  460. Torben Waldorff: Holiday on Fire (ArtistShare) [B+(**)]
  461. Mat Walerian/Matthew Shipp/William Parker: Toxic: This Is Beautiful Because We Are Beautiful People (ESP-Disk) ** [B+(**)]
  462. Kamasi Washington: Harmony of Difference (Young Turks) ** [B+(*)]
  463. Bobby Watson: Made in America (Smoke Sessions) ** [B+(**)]
  464. Trevor Watts/Veryan Weston/Alison Blunt/Hannah Marshall: Dialogues With Strings: Live at Café Oto in London (Fundacja Sluchaj) ** [B+(*)]
  465. Daniel Weltlinger: Samoreau: A Tribute to the Fans of Django Reinhardt (Rectify) [B+(**)]
  466. Shea Welsh: Arrival (Blujazz) [B-]
  467. Galen Weston: The Space Between (Blujazz) [B]
  468. Ronny Whyte: Shades of Whyte (Audiophile) [B]
  469. Ken Wiley: Jazz Horn Redux (Krug Park Music) [B+(*)]
  470. Matt Wilson's Honey and Salt (Palmetto) [B+(*)]
  471. Mark Wingfield/Markus Reuter/Asaf Sirkis: Lighthouse (Moonjune) [B]
  472. Alex Wintz: Life Cycle (Culture Shock Music) [B+(**)]
  473. David Wise: Till They Lay Me Down (self-released) [B+(**)]
  474. Deanna Witkowski: Makes the Heart to Sing: Jazz Hymns (Tilapia) [B]
  475. Florian Wittenberg: Don't Push the Piano Around (NurNichtNur) [B+(**)]
  476. Eric Wyatt: Look to the Sky (Whaling City Sound) [B+(**)]
  477. Tal Yahalom/Almog Sharvit/Ben Silashi: Kadawa (self-released) [B+(**)]
  478. Jim Yanda Trio: Home Road (Corner Store Jazz, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  479. Dave Young/Terry Promane Octet: Vol. 2 (Modica Music) [B+(*)]
  480. Reggie Young: Forever Young (Whaling City Sound) [B+(*)]
  481. Glenn Zaleski: Fellowship (Sunnyside) ** [B+(*)]
  482. Mark Zaleski Band: Days, Months, Years (self-released) [B+(**)]
  483. Bobby Zankel & the Wonderful Sound 6: Celebrating William Parker @ 65 (Not Two) ** [B+(**)]
  484. Pablo Ziegler Trio: Jazz Tango (Zoho) ** [B+(*)]
  485. Michael Zilber: Originals for the Originals (Origin) [B+(**)]
  486. Waclaw Zimpel/Jakub Ziolek: Zimpel/Ziolek (Instant Classic) ** [B+(**)]
  487. Dave Zinno Unisphere: River of January (Whaling City Sound) [B+(*)]

Additional reissued/archival jazz records rated B+(**) or below (listed alphabetically by artist).

  1. Airstream Artistry: Jim Riggs' Best of the TWO (1991-2008, UNT, 3CD) [B+(*)]
  2. Albert Ayler Quartet: Copenhagen Live 1964 (Hatology) ** [B+(**)]
  3. Joseph Bowie/Oliver Lake: Live at 'A SPACE' 1976 (Delmark/Sackville) [B+(**)]
  4. Alice Coltrane: The Ecstatic Music of Turiyasangitananda [World Spirituality Classics 1] (1982-95, Luaka Bop) ** [B+(**)]
  5. George Freeman: 90 Going on Amazing (2005, Blujazz) [B+(*)]
  6. Gary Husband: A Meeting of Spirits (2005, Edition) ** [B+(*)]
  7. Abdullah Ibrahim: Ancient Africa (1973, Delmark/Sackville) [B+(**)]
  8. Legacy: Neil Slater at North Texas (1982-2015, UNT, 4CD) [B]
  9. Kirk Lightsey/Harold Danko, Shorter by Two: The Music of Wayne Shorter Played on Two Pianos (1983, Sunnyside) ** [B+(**)]
  10. Arthur Lipner: Two Hands One Heart: Best of Arthur Lipner (1990-2014, Malletworks Media, 2CD) [B+(**)]
  11. Paul McCandless: Morning Sun: Adventures With Oboe (1970-2010, Living Music) [C+]
  12. The Lloyd McNeill Quartet: Asha (1969, Soul Jazz) ** [B+(*)]
  13. The Lloyd McNeill Quartet: Washington Suite (1970, Soul Jazz) ** [B]
  14. Roscoe Mitchell: Duets With Anthony Braxton (1976, Sackville/Delmark) [B+(**)]
  15. Nice! Jay Saunders' Best of the TWO (2009-14, UNT, 2CD) [B+(*)]
  16. Itaru Oki/Nobuyoshi Ino/Choi Sun Bae: Kami Fusen (NoBusiness) * [B+(**)]
  17. Perseverance: The Music of Rick DeRosa at North Texas (2011-15, UNT) [B-]
  18. Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra: My Brother the Wind Vol. 1 (1969, Cosmic Myth) ** [B+(**)]
  19. Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Thunder of the Gods (1966-71, Modern Harmonic) ** [B-]
  20. Sun Ra: Discipline 27-II (1972, Strut/Art Yard) ** [B]
  21. Chris Rogers: Voyage Home (2001, Art of Life) [B]
  22. Buddy Terry: Awareness (1971, Wewantsounds) ** [B+(**)]
  23. Lucky Thompson: In Paris 1956: The All Star Orchestra Sessions (Fresh Sound) ** [B+(*)]
  24. Jim Yanda Trio: Regional Cookin' (1987, Corner Store Jazz) [B+(*)]

New jazz records I haven't heard estimated to have a 2% (or better) chance of making the A-list if/when I finally hear them:

  1. Tim Daisy/Michael Thieke/Ken Vandermark: Tryptych (Relay)
  2. Mary Halvorson: Paimon: The Book of Angels Volume 32 (Tzadik)
  3. Matt Lavelle: Quartet (Unseen Rain)
  4. Mario Pavone/Dialect Trio: Chrome (Playscape)

Reissued jazz records I haven't heard estimated to have a 2% (or better) chance of making the A-list if/when I finally hear them: