• Billy Childs: The Winds of Change: Mack Ave Records
• Nick Finzer: Dreams, Visions, Illusions: Outside in Music
• Kenny Barron: The Source: Artwork Records
• Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Continuing: PI Records
• Rudy Royston & Flatbed Buggy: Day: Greenleaf Music
• John Scofield: Uncle John's Band: ECM
• Chris Potter: Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Edition Records
• Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke: Lean In: Edition Records
• Steve Lehman and the Orchestre National De Jazz: Ex Machina: PI Records
• Ralph Towner: At First Light: ECM
• Sullivan Fortner: Solo Game: Artwork Records
• Brad Turner: The Magnificent: Cellar Music Group
• Denny Zeitlin: Crazy Rhythm Exploring George Gershwin: Sunnyside Records
• Michael Blake: Dance with the Mystic Bliss: PM Records
• Champian Fulton: Meet Me at Birdland: Champian Records
• Brian Blade Fellowship Band: Kings Highway: Stoner Hill Records
• Chuck Owens with the WDR Big Band: Renderings: Mama Records
• Art Hirahara: Echo Canyon: Positone Records
• Ryan Keberle & Collectiv Do Brasil: Considerado: Alternate Side Records
• Pat Metheny: Dream Box: Modern records/BMG
• Sammy Figueroa: Searching for a Memory: Ashe Records
• Loren Stillman: Time and Again: Sunnyside Records
• Nicole Zuraitis: How Love Begins: Outside in Music
• Ambrose Akinmusire: Owl Song: Nonesuch Records
• Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: Dynamic Maximum Tension: Nonesuch Records
• Mark Turner Quartet: Live at the Village Vanguard Giant Steps Arts
• Claire Daly w/Geroge Garzone: Vu Vu for Francis: Self-Produced
• Jim Snidero featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel: Far, Far Away: Savant Records
• Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel: A Lovesome Thing: Motema Music
• John Ellis Quartet: Bizet: Carmen in Jazz: Blue Room Music
• Cecile McLorin Savant: Melusine: Nonesuch Music
• Langren, Wollny, Danielsson, Haffner:4 Wheel Drive II: ACT Records
• Michael Dease: Swing Low: Positone Records
• Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo: El Arte Del Bolero Vol 2: Meil Music
• J.D. Simo Trio: Songs from the House of Grease: Self-Produced
• Rachel Ekroth: Humanoid: Sam First Records
• Blue Cranes: My Only Secret: Butcher Records
• Joshua Redman with Gabrielle Cavassa: Where We Are: Blue Note Records
• Walter Smith II: Return to Casual: Blue Note Records
• Rob Luft: Dahab Days: Edition Records

Best Historical Releases:

• Pharoah Sanders (live from 1977): Pharoah: Luaba Bop Records
• John Coltrane w/Eric Dolphy: Evenings at the Village Gate: Impulse Records
• Wes Montgomery/Wynton Kelly Trio: Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings: Resonance Records
• Bill Evans Trio: Live in Copenhagen 1965: Elemental Music
• The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Live from the Northwest: Brubeck Edition

Best Debut Album: Jonathan Suazo: Ricano: Ropeadope