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 have curated 10 standout albums from some of the most impressive releases of the year: the best jazz albums of 2008. These selections represent a mix of innovative compositions and masterful performances that defined jazz in 2008. You can listen to all the tracks directly on Spotify or via the players below.
The tracks are listed in no particular order, allowing you to explore the diverse sounds that shaped the jazz scene that year.
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In this post, we take a look at the Best Jazz Albums of 2013—each one providing a unique experience that has contributed to an important part of jazz history.
Instead of ranking them, we’re highlighting outstanding jazz created by talented artists who have enriched the genre. These albums showcase a range of styles and sounds that make jazz so special. We’d love to hear your opinions on this selection, so feel free to share your thoughts. If you know of any albums that should be included, please suggest them in the comments section below!
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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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For Mahalia, With Love is a Mahalia Jackson tribute album by saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and his Red Lily Quintet with Kirk Knuffke on cornet, William Parker on bass, Chad Taylor on drums, and Chris Hoffman on cello. For Mahalia, With Love was recorded at Skyline Studios, New Jersey, and will be released on September 8, 2023, by TAO Forms.
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What should you expect from jazz this month? Welcome to our June 2023 selection of albums that have already been or will soon be released this month. These albums grabbed our full attention, and they are worth your time. They are listed in order of release date.
What should you expect from jazz this month? Welcome to our November 2022 selection of albums that have already been released or will soon be released this month (“What to Wait For”). These albums got our full attention and are worth your time. They are listed in order of release date.
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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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2 Blues for Cecil is an album by drummer Andrew Cyrille, double-bassist William Parker, and flugelhornist Enrico Rava, in homage to the one and only Cecil Taylor. The music was recorded by Ludovic Lanen at Studios Ferber in Paris, France, on February 1 and 2, 2021, and the album was released on January 21, 2022, by TUM Records.
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