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These are the 2023 "Best of Jazz" lists and commentaries compiled by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association. They are displayed in the order received, with the most recent on top. 

It's up to each member to decide what to include in his or her post -- recordings, books, live performances or whatever -- how many choices to include, and how the post will be formatted.

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  • 16 Dec 2023 5:33 PM | Bill Brownlee

    1. Sebastian Rochford and Kit Downes- A Short Diary (ECM)
    2. Jason Moran- From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
    3. Sylvie Courvoisier- Chimaera (Intakt)
    4. Kassa Overall- Animals (Warp)
    5. Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry- Our Daily Bread (ECM)
    6. Henry Threadgill Ensemble- The Other One (Pi)
    7. Cécile McLorin Salvant- Mélusine (Nonesuch)
    8. Aja Monet- When the Poems Do What They Do (Drink Sum Wtr)
    9. Matt Otto- Umbra (Origin)
    10. Irreversible Entanglements- Protect Your Light (Impulse!)

  • 16 Dec 2023 11:11 AM | John Chacona

    NEW RELEASES 

    1.   fLuXkit Vancouver (i-t-s suite but sacred), Darius Jones (Northern Spy Records)

    2.   Diatom Ribbons Live At The Village Vanguard, Kris Davis (Pyroclastic Records)

    3.   Continuing, Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Pi Recordings)

    4.   From the Dancehall to the Battlefield, Jason Moran (Yes Records)

    5.   London Brew, London Brew (Concord Jazz)

    6.  As Things Do, Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet (Intakt Records)

    7.   Bear Proof, Todd Sickafoose (Secret Hatch Records)

    8.  The Separatist Party Mike Reed (We Jazz Records and Astral Spirits)

    9.   Legacies, Arturo O'Farrill (Blue Note Records)

    10. Live At The Village Vanguard, Mark Turner (Giant Step Arts)

     

    RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

    1. Abdul Wadud, By Myself  (Gotta Groove Records)
    2. Nina Simone, You've Got To Learn (Verve)
    3. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate  (Impulse!)

    VOCAL

    • Jo Lawry, Acrobats (Whirlwind)

    DEBUT

    • Vicente Archer, Short Stories (Cellar)

    LATIN

    • Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2 (Miel Music)


  • 15 Dec 2023 12:05 PM | Mark Lomanno

    Highlights from the  “Year in review – 2023” at rhythmofstudy.com.

    Ten of the many recordings worth mentioning (in alphabetical order)

    • Kenny Barron, The Source (PIAS, released January 20th)
    • Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind, released January 27th)
    • Josh Lawrence, And That Too (Positone, released February 24th)
    • Myra Melford, Hear the Light Singing (Rogue Art, released November 17th)
    • Allison Miller, Rivers in our Veins (Royal Potato, released October 6th)
    • Hery Paz, Jardineros (577 Records, released August 25th)
    • Matana Roberts, Coin Coin chapter 5 - In the Garden (Constellation, released September 29th)
    • Rudy Royston and Flatbed Buggy. Day (Greenleaf, released May 5th)
    • Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Night Time Creatures (Pyroclastic, released October 27th)
    • Esperanza Spalding and Fred Hersch. Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto, released January 6th)

    Read the entire “Year in Review” post – with dozens more recordings - at rhythmofstudy.com.


  • 13 Dec 2023 12:34 PM | Rob Hoff

    1 Kris Davis' Diatom Ribbons, Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)

    2 Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)

    3 Steve Lehman & Orchestra National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)

    4 Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)

    5 Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)

    6 James Brandon Lewis Trio, Eye of I (Anti-)

    7 Mike Reed, The Separatist Party (We Jazz/Astral Spirits)

    8 Yuhan Su, Liberated Gesture (Sunnyside)

    9 Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)

    10 Antti Lotjonen Quintet East, Circus/Citadel (We Jazz)

  • 13 Dec 2023 10:36 AM | Filipe Freitas

    1- Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
    2- Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet, As Things Do (Intakt)
    3- Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, Kings Highway (Stoner Hill)
    4- Ingrid Laubrock, The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
    5- Bobo Stenson Trio, Sphere (ECM)
    6- Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe, The Rite of Spring/Spectre D'Un Songe (Pyroclastic)
    7- Darius Jones, Fluxkit Vancouver (We Jazz)
    8- Walter Smith III, Return to Casual (Blue Note)
    9- Dan Rosenboom, Polarity (Orenda)
    10- Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Family (We Jazz)

    My 30 best of the year here: https://jazztrail.net/best-jazz-albums-2023

  • 13 Dec 2023 10:22 AM | Rick Mitchell

    Here are thirty top albums played on my radio programs Jazz in the New Millennium (syndicated through the African American Public Radio Consortium) and The Motif (KBOO-FM, Portland, Oregon). Together, I think these albums help define a 21st Century mainstream, centered straight-ahead, bracketed by the avant-garde and funk/fusion, with a healthy infusion of Afro-Latin. What they also have in common is a strong rhythmic core. And so this year I have decided to give the drummers some by naming the drummers and percussionists on each album. 

    Joshua Redman, where are we, Blue Note: (Brian Blade, drums)

    Cecile McLoren Salvant, Melusine, Nonesuch: (Kyle Poole, Obed Calviere, drums; Weedie Bramah, percussion)

    Joe Chambers, Dance Kobina, Blue Note: (Joe Chambers, drums; Emilio Valdez, percussion)

    Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing, Pi: (Tyshawn Sorey, drums)

    Billy Childs, The Winds of Change, Mack Avenue: (Brian Blade, drums)

    Mike Clark, Kosen Rufu, Wide Hive: (Mike Clark, drums; Bill Summers, percussion)

    Sammy Figueroa, Searching for a Memory, Ashe: (Sammy Figueroa, percussion; Ludwig Afonso, drums)

    Johnathan Blake, Passage, Blue Note: (Johnathan Blake, drums) 

    Terrell Stafford, Between Two Worlds, Le Coq: (Johnathan Blake, drums; Alex Acuna, percussion)

    Walter Smith III, Return to Casual, Blue Note: (Kendrick Scott, drums)

    Kendrick Scott, Corridors, Blue Note: (Kendrick Scott, drums)

    Artemis, In Real Time, Blue Note: (Allison Miller, drums)

    Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Big Band, Cry Me a River, Alma: Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, drums; Jose Luis Torres, Magdelys Savigne, percussion)

    Isiah J. Thompson, The Power of the Spirit, Blue Engine: (TJ Reddick, Domo Branch, drums)

    Eddie Henderson, Witness to History, Smoke Sessions: (Lenny White, drums)

    Orrin Evans, The Red Door, Smoke Sessions: (Marvin "Smitty" Smith, drums)

    Dave Stryker Trio, Prime, Strike Zone: (McClenty Hunter, drums)

    SuperBlue: Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter, The Iridescent Spree, Edition: (Corey Fonville, drums)

    John Scofield, Uncle John's Band, ECM: (Bill Stewart, drums)

    Michael Feinberg, Blues Variant, Criss Cross: (Nasheet Waits, drums)

    Ben Wolfe, Unjust, Resident Arts: (Aaron Kimmel, drums)

    Cecilia Smith, The Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project. Volume One, Innova: (Ron Savage, drums)

    Joe Farnsworth, In What Directrion Are You Headed, Smoke Sessions: (Joe Farnsworth, drums)

    Louis Hayes, Exactly Right, Savant: (Louis Hayes, drums)

    Edmar Castenada World Ensemble, Viento Sur, self-released: (Marcelo Woloski, Rodrigo Villalon, percussion)

    Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Playing with Fire, Linus: (Yissy Garcia, drums; Mary Paz, percussion)

    Harold Lopqz-Nussa, Timba a la Americana, Blue Note: (Ruy Adrian Lopez-Nussa, drums; Barbaro "Machito" Crespo, percussion) 

    Noah Haidu, Standards, Sunnyside: (Lewis Nash, drums)

    Lauren Henderson, Conjuring, Brontosaurus: (Joe Dyson, drums)

    Leon Lee Dorsey, Cantaloupe Island, Jazz Avenue: (Mike Clark, drums) 


  • 12 Dec 2023 3:50 PM | Jeff Cebulski

    Top 10

    1. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)
    2. Billy Childs, The Winds of Change (Mack Avenue)
    3. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
    4. Joe Farnsworth, In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)
    5. Paul Wertico, Paul Wertico's Drums Without Boundaries (Da Vinci Classics)
    6. Christian McBride's New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue)
    7. Fareed Haque, Casseus! The Music of Frantz Casseus Re-Imagined (Wardude Music)
    8. Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry, Our Daily Bread (ECM)
    9. Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
    10. Eric Alexander, A New Beginning: Alto Saxophone With Strings (HighNote)

    RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

    1. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)
    2. Sonny Rollins, Go West! The Contemporary Records Albums (1957-58, Craft)
    3. Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)

    VOCAL

    • Libby York, Dreamland (OA2)

    DEBUT

    • Christian Dillingham, Cascades (Greenleaf Music)

    LATIN

    • Roy McGrath, Menjunje (JL)

  • 12 Dec 2023 12:04 PM | David Basse

    2023 Top Ten – no particular order - Jazz with David Basse

    Melissa Pipe Sextet and the album Of What Remains on Odd Sound (Canada)

    Don Aliquo and the album Growth a self-produced project in Nashville

    Planet D Nonet and their album Blues To be There on Eastlawn Records

    Fareed Haque and his tribute to Franz Casseus, entitled Casseus! On Wahdude Music

    Gabriel Latchin Trio’s album Viewpoint produced by Alys Jazz in the UK

    Mike Allen and his To A Star on Cellar Music Group (Canada)

    Jivco Petrov Trio entitled On The Way produced by JP3 (Bulgaria)

    Pianist Hilario Duran and Paquito D Rivera Cry Me A River for Alma Records (Canada)

    Joe Chambers and Dance Kobina on Blue Note

    Diego Rivera and Love & Peace for Posi-Tone


  • 11 Dec 2023 4:07 PM | Dan Ouellette

    2023 Best Ofs:

    1. Todd Sickafoose—Bear Proof (Secret Hatch Records)

    2. Tania Giannouli—Solo (Rattle Records)

    3. Will Bernard & Beth Custer—Sky (Dreck to Disc Records)

    4. Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente—Cometa (Sunnyside)

    5. Allison Miller—Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)

    6. Janiece Jaffe & Monika Herzig—Both Sides of Joni (Acme Records)

    7. Tyshawn Sorey Trio—Continuing (Pi Recordings)

    8. The Peggy Lee Band—A Giving Way (Songlines)

    9. Susan Alcorn—Canto (Relative Pitch Records)

    10. Wolfgang Muthspiel—Dance of the Elders (ECM)

    Honorable Mentions:

    1. Mod Cons (with Charlie Hunter)—(SideHustle Records)

    2. Lafayette Gilchrist—Undaunted (Morphius Records)

    3. Ralph Towner—At First Light (ECM)

    4. Douyé—The Golden Sèkèrè (Rhombus Records)

    5. Malika Zarra—RWA (The Essence) (D. Zel Records)





  • 11 Dec 2023 10:56 AM | Thomas Pena

    Flautas Gigantes - Orlando Maraca Valle Big Band Flute Gigantes (Egrem)


    Artemis - In Real Time (Blue Note)


    Cal Tjader - Catch the Groove - Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Ingrooves)


    Chembo Corniel - Artistas, Musicos y Poetas (Chemboro Records)


    Donald Vega - As I Travel (Imagery Records)


    Colette Michaan - Earth Rebirth (Independent)


    Humberto Ramirez - Better Days (Three Two Music)


    Jay Rodriguez Sierra - Muthaflower (Jay Rodriguez Sierra)


    Lezlie Harrison - Let Them Talk (Cellar Live)


    Carlos Henriquez - A Nuyorican Tale (Carlos Henriquez)

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