Here are my 25 favorite jazz tracks to be featured on the year-end-best episode of my radio program The Motif, KBOO-FM in Portland, Oregon. The top ten albums correspond to my poll ballot, though not in this order.
"On the Way to Be Free," Chicago Soul Jazz Collective (On the Way to Be Free, Chicago Soul Jazz Collective Meets Dee Alexander, jMarq)
"Respected Destroyer," Terri Lyne Carrington (The New Standard Vol. 1, Candid)
"Navegando (Las Estrellas Nos Guian)," Miguel Zenon (Musica de las Americas, Miel Music)
"Blood Count," Charles Lloyd Trios (Chapel, Blue Note)
"Newport Aperitif/Diminuendo & Crescendo in Blue," Steven Bernstein and the Hot 8 (A Manifesto of Henryisms, Community Music Vol. 3, Royal Potato Family)
"Finger Buster," Emmet Cohen (Uptown in Orbit, Mack Avenue)
"Monroe," Bill Frisell (Four, Blue Note)
"Autumn Leaves," Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Mesmerism, Yeros 7 Music)
"Moon Song," Cecile McLoren Salvant (Ghost Song, Nonesuch)
"Marshall's Groove," Sun Ra Arkestra (Living Sky, Omni Sound)
"Invitation," Ahmad Jamal (Emerald City Nights Live at the Penthouse 1965-1966, Jazz Detective)
"Pent-up House," Al Foster (Reflections, Smoke Sessions)
"Sittin' at the Bar," Eugenie Jones (Players, Open Mic Records)
"Wade in the Water," Javon Jackson (The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni, Solid Jackson Records)
"In These Times," Makaya McCraven (In These Times, International Anthem Recording)
"Prayer," Joel Ross (The Parable of the Poet, Blue Note)
"Witness," Immanuel Wilkins (The 7th Hand, Blue Note)
"David's Tumbao," Duran/Virelles (Front Street Duets, Alma)
"Cairo Street Ride," Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra (In the Valley, Stricker Street)
"Homesick," Doug Wamble (Blues In the Present Tense, Halcyonic)
"Unonkanyamba," Ndudozo Makhathini (In the Spirit of Ntu, Blue Note)
"You've Got It Bad Girl," Donald Byrd (Cookin' With Blue Note at Montreux, Blue Note)
"Tributary," Julian Lage (View with a Room, Blue Note)
"Sweet Pumpkin," Samara Joy (Linger Awhile, Verve)
"This World Is a Mean World," JD Allen (Americana Vol. 2, Savant)
Favorite Non-Jazz Album
I Am the Moon, Tedeschi Trucks Band (Fantasy, Four Discs, available separately or in a boxed set)
