The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization declared International Jazz Day in 2011 “to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people from all corners of the globe.” Every year, it is commemorated on April 30th, and people can celebrate in any way they want.
Chicago, United States, has been selected as the 2026 International Jazz Day Host City.
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Close-Up On The Outside, a solo album by drummer and composer Booker Stardrum, will be released on February 27, 2026, by We Jazz Records. All compositions were written by Stardrum in collaboration with the performing artists, featuring contributions from Anna Butterss, Jeremiah Chiu, Chris Williams, Lester St. Louis, Logan Hone, and Michael Coleman.
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Bop isn’t always the easiest jazz to approach. It moves fast, demands attention, and rarely slows down. But once you give it time, it becomes one of the most thrilling chapters in jazz history, a moment when musicians stopped playing for the dance floor and started playing for themselves. So here are 10 essential bebop jazz albums, plus one extra, as an invitation to listen closely and let the music pull you into its fast-moving, uncompromising world.
Jazz is more than just a style of music; it’s a story of constant change, creative freedom, and personal expression. From its early roots in African-American communities in New Orleans, jazz has grown into a wide spectrum of styles that reflect different eras, places, and approaches to improvisation and rhythm. At its core, jazz remains defined by spontaneity, swing, and the interplay between musicians, even as the sounds around those ideas have evolved dramatically over more than a century.
In this guide, “What are the genres of jazz?”, we will explore the key genres that have shaped jazz history, from the collective polyphony of early jazz to the high-speed invention of bebop, and beyond to modal, free, and post-bop styles.
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What does jazz sound like in January 2026? The opening month of the new year often arrives quietly, once the end-of-year lists have settled and the rush has passed, creating space for new records again. This January 2026 jazz selection brings together albums that value nuance, beauty, and strong artistic intent. These are releases that stayed with us, each in its own way, and felt worth sharing to start the year with focus, curiosity, and open ears.
Read MoreThe results of the 20th Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll are now out, gathering the collective voice of 168 critics. As always, Tom Hull has assembled everything with his usual precision, and the full list is available on his site.
What you will find here is simply a listening companion, as we know how useful it can be to have everything in one place when you want to explore the poll: the covers, the musicians, and an easy way to hear what each record sounds like. So this page brings together Bandcamp players when available, along with basic details to help readers move from the list to the music with as little friction as possible.
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The following selection is our definitive “Best Jazz Albums of 2025” list. It is divided into albums featuring solos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets, and larger ensembles (three albums per category), for a total of 18. We have also added two special mentions: “Artist of the Year” and “Archive of the Year.” Altogether, that makes 20 albums that, in our view, sum up just how great 2025 was for jazz.
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The following selection is our definitive “Best Jazz Albums of 2025” list. It is divided into albums featuring solos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets, and larger ensembles (three albums per category), for a total of 18. We have also added two special mentions: “Artist of the Year” and “Archive of the Year.” Altogether, that makes 20 albums that, in our view, sum up just how great 2025 was for jazz.
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We live in a time where music has never been so abundant. Every week, dozens of new albums appear, streaming services highlight fresh releases, and social media keeps reminding us (including us) of what we “should” be listening to. It is exciting, of course, but also overwhelming. With so much coming at us, it is natural to pause and wonder: Do we really need all of this? Does the world truly need one more album?
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Summer 2025 is now behind us. Our Jazz Summer 2025 roundup revisits the most exciting new jazz albums released in July, August, and September 2025. From bold big band to intimate solo, here are the eleven highlights worth remembering, and returning to.
If you would like to write a jazz album review or put together your own selection of new releases, I wouldd love to feature it. This space is meant for more than just one perspective, so if you feel like stepping up and adding yours, get in touch.
