All posts filed under “Yearly Selection

Best Jazz 2017 Header

Best Jazz Albums of 2017

Here is the finest jazz offerings of 2017, a year that gifted us with a kaleidoscope of sonic adventures, with each album being a testament to the genre’s ability to inspire, challenge and transcend musical boundaries. The albums featured in this Best Jazz Albums of 2017 list–which is in no order–represent styles, moods, and narratives that collectively embody the essence of jazz in its myriad forms.

So here are the 10 jazz albums that made 2017 an unforgettable chapter in the ever-evolving saga of this enchanting genre:

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Best of Jazz 2023

Best Jazz Albums of 2023

The following selection is our definitive “Best Jazz Albums of 2023” list. The selection is divided into albums featuring solos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, and larger ensembles, with three selections per category, for a total of 21 albums. We also added one category for “Artist of the Year”, and one for “Archive of the Year”, thereby adding two albums to the final selection, for a grand total of 23 albums that sum up how great 2023 was for jazz.

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Jazz 2020 Header

Best Jazz Albums of 2020

The best jazz 2020 in 20 essential albums.

3 solos, 3 duets, 3 quartets, 3 quintets, 3 larger ensembles, 1 artist of the year, and 1 archive of the year.

No rank, no order, just 20 albums and a playlist summing it up at the end of this post to enjoy outstanding music.

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1990

Best Jazz Albums of 1990

Discover the Best of Jazz selection for 1990 with our ten best jazz albums released that year. Once again, the albums are listed in no particular order: all are amazing in their own ways. At the end of the article, you will also find a playlist with a track to represent each of those ten albums, plus ten extra, for nearly 150 minutes of breathtaking music.

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1991

Best Jazz Albums of 1991

Discover the Best of Jazz selection for 1991 with our ten best jazz albums released that year. Once again, the albums are listed in no particular order: all are amazing in their own ways. At the end of the article, you will also find a playlist with a track to represent each of those ten albums, plus ten extra, for nearly 150 minutes of breath-taking music.

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1992

Best Jazz Albums of 1992

Discover the Best of Jazz selection for 1992 with our ten best jazz albums released that year. Once again, the albums are listed in no particular order: all are amazing in their own ways. At the end of the article, you will also find a playlist with a track to represent each of those ten albums, plus ten extra, for more than 200 minutes of breath-taking music.

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1993

Best Jazz Albums of 1993

Discover the Best of Jazz selection for 1993 with our 10 best jazz albums released that year. Once again, the albums are listed in no particular order; all are amazing in their own ways.

At the end of the article, you will also find a playlist with a track to represent each of those 10 albums, plus 10 extra tracks for nearly 140 minutes of breathtaking music.

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1994

Best Jazz Albums of 1994

Discover the Best of Jazz selection for 1994 with our 10 best jazz albums released that year. Once again, the albums are listed in no particular order; all are amazing in their own ways. At the end of the article, you will also find a playlist with a track from each of those 10 albums, plus 10 extras, equaling nearly three hours of breathtaking music.

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2022

Best Jazz Albums of 2022

The following selection is our definitive “Best Jazz Albums of 2022” list. As you are about to discover, 2022 was another great year for jazz!

First, all the jazz clubs and venues suddenly reopened, and it was possible to see and listen to the music we love and the artists we worship live again! It is hard to believe that less than one year ago, the music scene was non-existent. This is such a relief! Now that we deeply understand the fragility of this ecosystem, it feels important—and even better—to go out and enjoy what is definitely not a given.

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1959

1959 – The Best Year In Jazz History

1959 was without a doubt the best year in jazz history. Even if we were to add “so far” to the end of that statement, it still wouldn’t make sense, as the revolution to come will be grounded in the roots of 1959 anyway—or it will get a new name, other than “jazz.”

John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, Blue Mitchell, and Lee Morgan were just amazing. These names alone should give you an idea of how important the records of 1959 were when you think that they are not even the leading musicians of the following releases. These albums were made for eternity, and their creators even more so.

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