I provided a list of top 20-25 jazz recordings during my last five years at WORT89.9-FM, Madison, WI and played those on the air. Now that I am no longer on the air, I proudly display this list on JJA's site along with my first list on my new website which will soon announce my new podcast, "Strictly Jazz Sounds."
It was my delight to meet a number of these artists and interview a few. I am particularly honored to have spent time with Brian Blade during my final days in Madison, WI during the Madison Jazz Festival. Thanks to Brian Blade for his tremendous contribution in 2022 as, during my last count, he can be found on at least eight releases. Not all of them were under his name. This demonstrates his broad appeal.
- 1. Terri Lyne Carrington: New Standards Vol. 1 (Candid Records)
- 2. Tyshawn Sorey: The Off-Off Guide to Synergism (Contemporary Jazz)
- 3. Jon Irabagon: Rising Sun (Irrabagast Records)
- 4. Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Brian Blade: LongGone (Nonesuch)
- 5. John Patitucci Trio: Live in Italy (Three Faces Music)
- 6. Marquis Hill: New Gospel Revisited (Contemporary Jazz)
- 7. Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band: Liver From the Archives (Stoner Hill)
- 8. Nduduzo Makhathini: In the Spirit of Ntu ( Blue Note)
- 9. Avram Fefer Quartet: Juba Lee (Clean Feed Records)
- 10. Melissa Aldana: 12 Stars (Blue Note)
- 11. Immanuel Wilkins: The 7th Hand (Blue Note)
- 12. Roxy Coss: Disparate Parts (Outside In Music)
- 13. Samara Joy: Linger Awhile (Verve)
- 14. Joel Ross: The Parable of the Poet (Blue Note)
- 15. Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes (In & Out Records)
- 16. Geof Bradfield, Scott Burns, John Wojciechowski (AFAR)
- 17. Mary Halvorson: Amaryllis (Nonesuch)
- 18. The Jon Cowherd Trio & Jon Cowherd: Pride & Joy (Le Coq Records)
- 19. Johannes Wallmann: Precarious Towers (Shifting Paradigm Records)
- 20. Caleb Wheeler Curtis: Heatmap (Imani Records)
- 21. Timo Vollbrecht: Givers & Takers (BERTHOLD Records)
- 22. Somi: Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba (Salon Africana)
- 23. Alexander Claffy: Good Spirts (Contemporary Jazz)
- 24. Dennis Mitcheltree: Golden Rule (Dengor)
- 25. Michael Dease: Best Next Thing (Posi-Tone)
Legacy/Historical:
Charles Mingus: The Lost Album from Ronnie Scotts (Resonance)
Ornette Coleman: Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums (2-LP Box Set) (Craft Recordings)
Keith Jarrett: Budapest Concert (ECM)
Oscar Peterson: On a Clear Day (Mack Ave)
Ahmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1963-64 (Live) (Jazz Detective)
Best Beyond Jazz:
Tedeschi-Trucks Band: I Am the Moon-A Four Album Set (Fantasy)
