In this post, we take a closer look at the Best Jazz Albums of 2009—another year filled with remarkable releases. From bold innovations to standout performances, these albums capture the diversity and creative spirit of jazz. We’re thrilled to present this selection and invite you to explore the music that made 2009 a standout year for jazz:

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Best Jazz Albums of 2009

The trio’s chemistry is electric, moving effortlessly between complex originals and bold reimaginings of works by Andrew Hill, Leonard Bernstein, M.I.A., and Julius Hemphill. Each piece is reframed through Iyer’s distinctive lens—intellectually sharp yet deeply expressive.

Historicity is cerebral and soulful, structured yet fluidly improvisational. More than just a standout album, it’s another defining statement of Iyer’s voice as both composer and improviser.

Vijay Iyer: piano; Stephan Crump: bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums
Released October 13, 2009

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Shakti marks a subtle but significant shift in the saxophonist’s music—gentler in tone, more spacious in form, yet still deeply spiritual and emotionally charged. Facing illness but undeterred, Ware assembled a fresh quartet with Joe Morris on guitar (a first in his discography), William Parker on bass, and Warren Smith on drums.

The absence of piano changes everything: Morris’s guitar brings lightness and air, giving Ware’s tenor more room to breathe and letting the music unfold with a calm intensity. Ware sounds warmer, more lyrical, yet just as focused and impassioned.

David S. Ware: tenor saxophone, kalimba; Joe Morris: guitar, percussion; William Parker: bass; Warren Smith: drums, percussion
Released January 27, 2009

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Drawing on influences like Frank Zappa, King Crimson, and Tim Berne, Ducret blends avant-rock energy, jazz complexity, and orchestral structure into a sound that constantly shifts and surprises. The music is dense, protean, and masterfully composed—twisting, breaking, reforming with every turn. Mesmerizing.

Marc Ducret: electric guitars; Bruno Chevillon: double bass, electric bass guitar; Eric Echampard: drums; Antonin Rayon: piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet; Paul Brousseau: keyboards, sampler; Tom Gareil: vibraphone, marimba: Matthieu Metzger: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Hugues Mayot: baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone; Yann Lecollaire: clarinet, flute; Jean Lucas: trombone; Pascal Gachet: trumpet, flugelhorn, bass trumpet
Released February 9, 2009

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“It is NOT natural to sit at a piano, bring no material, clear your mind completely of musical ideas, and play something that is of lasting value and brand new,” writes Keith Jarrett in the liner notes.

No, it isn’t. But he does it like no one else—and once again, on Testament: Paris/London, he plays with the effortless brilliance that only he can summon.

Keith Jarrett: piano
Released October 2, 2009

Discover next: Keith Jarrett – Piano Solos (1998-2017)

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At the heart of this album is Threadgill’s unique interval-based system of composition, offering each musician a distinct set of choices within a flexible framework. The result is a sound that’s constantly evolving—fluid yet precise, abstract yet deeply rhythmic.

It’s an adventurous listen—take your time with it, and you’ll be richly rewarded.

Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flute; Liberty Ellman: acoustic guitar; Stomu Takeishi: bass guitar; José Davila: trombone, tuba; Elliot Humberto Kavee: drums
Released October 27, 2009

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Fusing modern jazz, classical minimalism, post-rock, and electronic textures, Infernal Machines is a bold and cinematic reimagining of the big band tradition—ambitious in scope, razor-sharp in execution, and thoroughly contemporary in its vision. With his 18-piece Secret Society ensemble, Darcy James Argue doesn’t just revive the large ensemble format—he reinvents it for the 21st century.

Erica von Kleist, Sam Sadigursky, Rob Wilkerson, Mark Small, Josh Sinton: winds; Seneca Black, Laurie Frink, Tom Goehring, Nadje Noordhuis, Ingrid Jensen: trumpet, flugelhorn; Mike Fahie, James Hirschfeld, Ryan Keberle: trombone; Jennifer Wharton: bass trombone; Sebastian Noelle: acoustic, electric guitar; Mike Holober: piano, Rhodes electric piano; Matt Clohesy: contrabass, bass guitar; Jon Wikan: drums, percussion
Released May 12, 2009

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The Bright Mississippi is a graceful and unexpected gem, with Toussaint reinterpreting classic New Orleans jazz repertoire with elegance, restraint, and deep feeling.

Rather than leaning on nostalgia, he brings a fresh, contemplative tone to these compositions. This release is less about fireworks and more about space, tone, and reverence—a deeply felt homage to the music of his hometown, delivered with understated brilliance. A quiet triumph.

“Everything is live, of course. This isn’t the kind of assembly line music where somebody put the wheels on here and somebody put the top on there. Everything got done at the same time, so everybody fed on each other, their personality and tonality.”
–Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint: piano, vocal; Don Byron: clarinet; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Marc Ribot: acoustic guitar; David Piltch: upright bass; Jay Bellerose: drums, percussion; Brad Mehldau: piano; Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone
Released April 21, 2009

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Man’ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) is a deeply personal and powerful debut—an emotional outpouring rooted in soul, memory, and spiritual expression. Drawing from his upbringing in the American South, Jones channels the intensity of lived experience—hardship, love, church, and self-discovery—into a bold, expressive statement.

It’s a ritual, a tribute, and a raw affirmation of identity, placing Darius Jones firmly among the most vital voices of his generation.

Darius Jones: alto sax; Cooper-Moore: piano, diddley bow; Rakalam Bob Moses: drums
Released October 12, 2009

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Floating Islands, recorded live at Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2008, is a masterclass in collective improvisation—subtle, spacious, and deeply attuned. The trio operates with an almost telepathic sensitivity, letting the music emerge organically in shifting layers and textures.

Lotte Anker: soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax; Gerald Cleaver: drums; Craig Taborn: piano
Released November 29, 2018

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Travail, Transformation, and Flow by the Steve Lehman Octet is another landmark in modern jazz, reimagining spectral harmony—a method drawn from contemporary classical music—into the heart of jazz improvisation. Using microtonal harmonies derived from natural overtones, Lehman creates a vivid, futuristic sound world that bridges avant-garde composition, cutting-edge jazz, and even experimental hip-hop.

Steve Lehman: alto saxophone; Mark Shim: tenor saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Tim Albright: trombone; Chris Dingman: vibraphone; Jose Davila: tuba; Drew Gress: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums
Released June 9, 2009

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Best Jazz 2009 Albums’ List

• Vijay Iyer – Historicity (ACT)
• David S. Ware – Shakti (AUM Fidelity)
• Marc Ducret – Le Sens de la marche (Illusions)
• Keith Jarrett – Testament: Paris/London (ECM)
• Henry Threadgill – This Brings Us To, Volume 1 (Pi)
• Darcy James Argue – Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam)
• Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)
• Darius Jones Trio – Man’ish Boy (AUM Fidelity)
• Lotte Anker, Craig Taborn, Gerald Cleaver – Floating Islands (ILK)
• Steve Lehman – Travail Transformation & Flow (Pi)

You want more? Listen to a selection of 40 tracks from 40 different albums all from 2009 on this Spotify playlist.

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2000’s

Discover all the other 2000’s jazz selections: 2000 – 2001 – 2002 – 2003 – 2004 – 2005 – 2006 – 2007 – 2008 – 2009

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We hope this selection inspires you to rediscover these standout albums or explore new favorites. Jazz is constantly evolving, and these releases capture the energy and creativity that defined 2009. As always, we’d love to hear from you—feel free to share your thoughts and let us know if there are any albums you think should be included in our Best Jazz Albums of 2009 list in the comments below!