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Best of Jazz – Year 2014

Discover the 20 tracks and albums selected for this best jazz 2014.

No rank nor order, just high-quality jazz, by outstanding artists. Listen to the Spotify playlist and scroll through the art covers. All comments on the current selection and tracks that you believe should have made it to this list are very welcome!

Best Jazz 2014

Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra

Best Jazz 2014 - Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra - The Reason Why Vol. 2
Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra
‎”Dokuz Seki/Esmerim”
from The Reason Why Vol. 2
(Headspin Recordings)

If you want to discover all the original tracks covered by Goran Kafjes Subtropic Arkestra in The Reason Why Vol I, II & III, you can also read this post (with full playlist)

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Takuya Kuroda

Best Jazz 2014 - Takuya Kuroda - Rising Son
Takuya Kuroda
‎”Rising Son”
from Rising Son
(Blue Note)

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Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Preservation Hall Jazz Band - That's It
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
‎”That’s It!”
from That’s It!
(Legacy)

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Angles 9

Best Jazz 2014 - Angles 9 - Injuries
Angles 9
‎”European Boogie”
from Injuries
(Clean Feed)
Website

Orlando Julius With The Heliocentrics

Best Jazz 2014 - Orlando Julius With The Heliocentrics - Jaiyede Afro
Orlando Julius With The Heliocentrics
“Buje Buje”
from Jaiyede Afro
(Strut)

Bandcamp Twitter


The Neil Cowley Trio

The Neil Cowley Trio - Touch And Flee
The Neil Cowley Trio
“Winterlude”
from Touch And Flee
(Naim Jazz)

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Kris Bowers

Kris Bowers - Heroes + Misfits
Kris Bowers
“Wake The Neighbors”
from Heroes + Misfits
(Concord Jazz)

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The Heliocentrics & Melvin Van Peebles

Best Jazz 2014 - The Heliocentrics - The Last Transmission
The Heliocentrics & Melvin Van Peebles
‎”The Cavern”
from The Last Transmission
(Now-Again Records)

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Chłopcy Kontra Basia

Chłopcy Kontra Basia - Oj Tak
Chłopcy Kontra Basia
“Jerzy”
from Oj Tak !
(Riverboat Records)
Facebook

The Souljazz Orchestra

The Souljazz Orchestra - Inner Fire
The Souljazz Orchestra ‎
“Kingdom Come”
from Inner Fire
(Strut)

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Peter Van Huffel’s Gorilla Mask

Peter Van Huffel's Gorilla Mask - Bite My Blues
Peter Van Huffel’s Gorilla Mask
‎”Chained”
from Bite My Blues
(Clean Feed)

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Peirani & Parisien Duo Art

Peirani & Parisien Duo Art - Belle Époque
Peirani & Parisien Duo Art
‎”Song Of Medina [Casbah]”
from Belle Époque
(ACT)
Website

The Touré-Raichel Collective

The Touré-Raichel Collective - The Paris Session
The Touré-Raichel Collective
‎”Hodu”
from The Paris Session
(Cumbancha)

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Nicholas Payton

Nicholas Payton - Numbers
Nicholas Payton
‎”Three”
from Numbers
(Paytone Records)

Numbers is part of our selection of the “Best Smooth Jazz Albums.”

“If someone wants you to describe what Numbers sounds like, tell them it’s like Nicholas and Butcher Brown took a time capsule back to 1973 and played a gig for the people demonstrating what’s happened in music for the past 40 years.”
–Nicholas Payton, May 2014

Nicholas Payton: Fender Rhodes, trumpet; Keith Askey: guitar; Devonne Harris: Juno, piano, organ; Andrew Randazzo: bass; Corey Fonville: drums | featuring Butcher Brown
Released July 22, 2014


Ambrose Akinmusire

Ambrose Akinmusire - The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint
Ambrose Akinmusire
‎”Marie Christie”
from The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint
(Blue Note)

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Anouar Brahem

Anouar Brahem - Souvenance
Anouar Brahem
‎”January”
from Souvenance
(ECM)

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Orchestre National De Jazz, Olivier Benoit

Orchestre National De Jazz, Olivier Benoit - Europa Paris
Orchestre National De Jazz, Olivier Benoit
“Paris I”
from Europa Paris
(ONJazz Records)
Website

Discover the entire EUROPA cycle here: Orchestre National De Jazz , Olivier BenoitEuropa


Jason Moran

Jason Moran - All Rise A Joyful Elegy For Fats Waller
Jason Moran
“Yacht Club Swing”
from All Rise: A Joyful Elegy For Fats Waller
(Blue Note)

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The Shaolin Afronauts

The Shaolin Afronauts - Follow The Path
The Shaolin Afronauts
‎”Baie de Sangareya”
from Follow The Path
(Freestyle Records)
Website

Mats Gustafsson & NU Ensemble

Mats Gustafsson & NU Ensemble - Hidros6 Knockin'
Mats Gustafsson & NU Ensemble
“Hidros 6: Part A”
from Hidros6 Knockin’
(Not Two Records)

Thanks to the perfect voice of Stine J. Moland, who knows exactly the right tone to use, the opening surprises and intrigues us, and what follows is even more intense than we expected. It’s a double slap: two fiery drums, and an impressive set of musicians with chaotic finesse.

Once we have barely recovered from the pleasant spark of lightning and thunder from the percussion, the voice resumes, this time leaving us speechless and stunned. I frankly found myself out of breath and with tears in my eyes, just listening to her perfect, irreplicable voice.

Website

Best Jazz 2014 Playlist

Albums’ List

  • Goran Kajfeš Subtropic ArkestraThe Reason Why Vol. 2
  • Takuya KurodaRising Son
  • Preservation Hall Jazz BandThat’s It!
  • Angles 9Injuries
  • Orlando Julius With The HeliocentricsJaiyede Afro
  • The Neil Cowley TrioTouch And Flee
  • Kris BowersHeroes + Misfits
  • The Heliocentrics & Melvin Van Peebles The Last Transmission
  • Chłopcy Kontra BasiaOj Tak !
  • The Souljazz OrchestraInner Fire
  • Peter Van Huffel’s Gorilla MaskBite My Blues
  • Peirani & Parisien Duo ArtBelle Époque
  • The Touré-Raichel CollectiveThe Paris Session
  • Nicholas PaytonNumbers
  • Ambrose AkinmusireThe Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint
  • Anouar BrahemSouvenance
  • Orchestre National De Jazz, Olivier BenoitEuropa Paris
  • Jason MoranAll Rise: A Joyful Elegy For Fats Waller
  • The Shaolin AfronautsFollow The Path
  • Mats Gustafsson & NU EnsembleHidros6 Knockin’

2010s

Discover all the other 2010’s best of jazz playlist: 2019201820172016201520142013201220112010

Filed under: 2010s, Yearly Selection

About the Author

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Hi, I am Paul, blogger at Best of Jazz and Jazz enthusiast since 1995.

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