2016 summarized in 20 amazing jazz tracks and albums. No rank, no order, you can enjoy the playlist as it is or shuffle it.
Find links to the artists’ websites just under the art covers and discover more of their works, past and to come.
Best Jazz 2016
GoGo Penguin
Man Made Object
(Blue Note)
Man Made Object is GoGo Penguin’s 3rd album and their 1st one on Blue Note. From Manchester, the trio is lead-free and prefers composing and existing as a unit.
Chris Illingworth: piano; Nick Blacka: double bass; Rob Turner: drums
Released date: 2016.02.05
Julie Kjær 3
Dobbeltgænger
(Clean Feed)
Read our full review Julie Kjær 3 - Dobbeltgænger
Julie Kjær: alto saxophone; John Edwards: double bass; Steve Noble: drums.
Release date: 2016.02.26
Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom
Otis Was A Polar Bear
(The Royal Potato Family)
Tough experiences can also lead to new ways of being and play together. This band clearly celebrate friends resilience.
Allison Miller: drums; Ben Goldberg: clarinets; Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Myra Melford: piano; Jenny Scheinman: violin; Todd Sickafoose: bass.
Release date: 2016.04.08
Shabaka And The Ancestors
Wisdom Of Elders
(Brownswood Recordings)
Yes this is the Shabaka Hutchings from Sons of Kemet and from The Comet is Coming, this time looking at our ancestors, releasing a new wonder.
Shabaka Hutchings: tenor sax; Mtunzi Myubu: alto sax; Mandla Mlangeni: trumpet; Siyabanga Mthembu: vocals; Nduduzo Makhathini: Rhodes, piano; Ariel Zamonsky: bass; Gontse Makhene: percussion; Tumi Mogorosi: drums.
Release date: 2016.09.16
Yussef Kamaal
Black Focus
(Brownswood Recordings)
One name for a duo from London. Yussef Dayes on drums and Kamaal Williams on the fender rhodes signed on Brownswood by Gilles Peterson – super hype but honestly deserved.
Yussef Dayes: drums; Kamaal Williams: fender rhodes; Mansur Brown: guitar; Kareem Dayes & Tom Driessler: bass; Yelfris Valdes: trumpet; Gordon Wedderburn: vocals; Shabaka Hutchings: Tenor Saxophone
Black Focus is part of the Best Jazz-Funk Albums
Release date: 2016.11.04
Jonathan Greenstein
“Mechanics”
from Vol. I
()
An introspection through externalization. We loved it and now tremble with excitement to discover the 2 next EPs. Read the full review Jonathan Greenstein – Vol. I
Jonathan Greenstein: saxophone; Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Victor Gould: piano; Or Bareket: bass; Mark Whitfield Jr.: drums.
Release date: 2016.01.29
Tonbruket
“Mano Sinistra”
from Forevergreens
(ACT)
“A new beginning for Tonbruket: Some of the tracks are extremely soft and gentle, romantic, acoustic, jazz-inspired, while others use prog rock as a springboard from which to make the short leap into heavy metal. The pieces the band plays can differ hugely from each other in shape, intensity and stylistic origin. The result of this is that the listener’s attention tends to be drawn away from the specific and from the moment-to-moment, and towards the totality of what is happening.” -ACT
Dan Berglund: bass; Martin Hederos: keybords, violon; Johan Lindström: guitar; Andreas Werliin: drums
Release date: 2016.03.18
Orchestre National De Jazz, Olivier Benoit
”Esuberanza 1″
from Europa Rome
(ONJ Records)
Arnan Raz
“Mykonos”
from Second To The Left
(Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Records)
Aziza
“Aziza Dance”
from Aziza
(Dare2 Records)
Mary Halvorson, Noël Akchoté
“Flowers (For Mary)”
from Mary Halvorson & Noël Akchoté
(Noël Akchoté Downloads)
Esbjörn Svensson Trio e.s.t
“Dodge The Dodo”
from E.S.T. Symphony
(ACT)
The Comet Is Coming
“Final Eclipse (Full Version)”
from Death To The Planet
(Leaf)
Vijay Iyer, Wadada Leo Smith
“A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke (For Nasreen Mohamedi)”
from A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke
(ECM)
Brandee Younger
”Soul Vibrations”
from Wax & Wane
(Disk Union)
Lisa Ullén Quartet
”Sisters, Brothers, Here’s Another”
from Borderlands
(Disorder)
BadBadNotGood
“Confessions Pt. II”
from IV
(Innovative Leisure Records)
Black Bombaim & Peter Brötzmann
”Part II”
from Black Bombaim & Peter Brötzmann
(Lovers & Lollypops)
Mast
“The Rendezvous”
from Love and War
(Alpha Pup Records)
Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane, Matthew Garrison
“Alabama”
from In Movement
(ECM)
Best Jazz 2016 Playlist
Best Jazz 2016 Albums’ List
- GoGo Penguin – Man Made Object
- Julie Kjær 3 – Dobbeltgænger
- Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom – Otis Was A Polar Bear
- Shabaka And The Ancestors – Wisdom Of Elders
- Yussef Kamaal – Black Focus
- Jonathan Greenstein, Gilad Hekselman, Or Bareket, Mark Whtfield Jr. – Vol. I
- Tonbruket – Forevergreens
- Orchestre National De Jazz, Olivier Benoit – Europa Rome
- Arnan Raz – Second To The Left
- Aziza – Aziza
- Mary Halvorson, Noël Akchoté – Mary Halvorson & Noël Akchoté
- Esbjörn Svensson Trio e.s.t. – E.S.T. Symphony
- The Comet Is Coming – Death To The Planet
- Vijay Iyer, Wadada Leo Smith – A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke
- Brandee Younger – Wax & Wane
- Lisa Ullén Quartet – Borderlands
- BadBadNotGood – IV
- Black Bombaim & Peter Brötzmann – Black Bombaim & Peter Brötzmann
- Mast – Love and War
- Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane, Matthew Garrison – In Movement
What About the 2010s
Discover all the other 2010’s best jazz playlist: 2019 – 2018 – 2017 – 2016 – 2015 – 2014 – 2013 – 2012 – 2011 – 2010
