NOTES ON JAZZ : BEST OF JAZZ 2025

                

As the Holidays and the year end once again, it is a tradition to look back and take account of what has happened in the passing year. The year two-thousand and twenty-five was a prolific year for music. The year found  an amazing amount of new albums released from established artists as well as  some promising up and coming artists. Music, and particularly jazz, is an artform that is a very expressive. It has an open door policy, inviting new ideas and approaches that welcome creativity, diversity and intra-cultural cross-pollination. Contrary to what we are currently being fed by the political forum, music continues to validate positivity and inclusiveness. You can be any color, race, or orientation so long as you can play. Art has always thrived best with cultural diversity, open-mindedness and collaborative cooperation. With the world geographical distances being shrunk by convenient and efficient air travel, musicians can study almost anywhere. They can now imbed in a culture to absorb folk and cultural aspects of a music that they could only hear previously on imported recordings. They can play music in far away locations that were previously not  easily reachable. This makes the music more of an amalgamation of influences. This cross-pollination of musical styles from around the world only create a delicious jambalaya of music that breathes and lives continuing to delight and surprise. The beauty of this cooperative and creativity-filled process is all done with little and from a Here's a crazy idea. If making music on the international level could be used as a template for political cooperation, we would all be probably have a less contagious. less threatening and more joyous world condition. Just a thought for all of us to ponder. 

Keeping that theme of  inclusion and diversity in mind, it is no wonder that so many of my picks for the best of jazz in 2025, is itself a testimony to the variety and global nature of jazz this year. We find a Polish piano trio playing with a titan of an American saxophonist. There is a New York City born banjo master playing with a harpist from Columbia and a drummer from Mexico. A French pianist playing with an American band anchored by a noted New Orleans drummer. There is a vocalist and her pianist from Denmark, who are including Japanese influences in their work. A creative Austrian guitarist that teams up with a master American rhythm section.  There is a Russian trumpeter whose European melodicism and technical proficiency make this once sought after session sideman into a formidable bandleader in his own right. There is music from Venezuelan, Argentinian and Cuban pianists whose influence have contributed to this year's music. Not to mention a superb alto saxophonist from Puerto Rico and two exquisite guitarists, one from Pakistan and one from Italy. Let's not forget the many fine American and Canadian artists that make the music for people in this country and the world so vibrant and alive. It is like a United Nations of musicians whose work together does more for the beauty, the peaceful continuation and unity of the world then all the ambassadors that sit on the General Assembly of the real U.N. in NYC!

So without further ado, here are my picks for some of this years best of what we like to call "jazz" which all comes from its roots, which is Black Improvisational Music. This is by no means a complete list, only some of what I have had a chance to listen to and which from my point of view is worth your uninterrupted attention. I hope you will all find this list as compelling and enjoyable as I do.  

Here in no particular order is my top picks for 2025:

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Belonging-Blue Note

A reimagining of Keith Jarrett's ECM album of the same name from 1975

Sullivan Fortner: Southern Nights-Artwork

An expressive pianist makes beautiful and evocative music.

Bela Fleck, Edmar Castaneda, Antonio Sanchez-BEATrio-Flecktone

The master banjoist finds musical simpatico with an inventive harpist and a talented percussionist.

Joe Lovano and The Marcin Wasilewski Trio-Homage-ECM

The titan saxophonist finds common ground with the Polish piano trio that used to back trumpeter Tomasz Stanko.

Sinne Eeg and Jacob Cristoffersen -Shikiori-Stunt

A gorgeous voice and a sympathetic piano say it all on this one.

Wolfgang Muthspiel w Scott Colley and Brian Blade-Tokyo-ECM

This guitarist has a style all his own and it blooms with these two rhythm makers supporting his ideas brilliantly. 

John Ellis-Heroes-Blue Room Music

This dynamic saxophonist creates a set that probes and swings all the same time to great delight.

John Patitucci-Spirit Fall-Edition

This first call bassist is always exploring ways to make his instrument sing.

Alex Sipiagin-Reverberations-Chriss Cross

This top notch trumpeter has assembled some bandmates that function like a symbiotic organism.

Linda May Han Oh-Strange Heavens-Biophilia Records

Matched on this outing with two of the most creative artists of this era, Ambrose Akinmusire and Tyshawn Sorey, Oh creates a wonderful drum less album that pleases.

My pick for best Debut album:

Tyreek McDole-Open Up Your Senses- Artwork

A wonderful debut from a promising baritone that have a silky voice that recalls Johnny Hartman and should be watched.

Two pick for best Latin Jazz Albums:

Miguel Zenon Quartet-Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard-Miel Music.

The first live recording of this excellent alto saxophonist at the legendary jazz club.

Conrad Herwig with Eddie Palmieri and Luques Curtis- Reflections-Facing South-Savant Records

Uniting of  the recently late Latin pianist Eddie Palmieri, in what may be his last recording, with the trombone artist who made interpreting the Latin side of things an art form.

More of the best of jazz for 2025:

Carl Allen with Chris Potter and Christian McBride-Tippin'-Cellar Music

Hard to imagine a better trio to get the most of modern jazz with more energy and aplomb. Potter is especially unleashed in a Sonny Rollins mode and Mc Bride and Allen cook together. 

Amaury Faye and his NOLA Quartet-RUST- Hypnote

A French pianist finds inspiration in the Crescent City with a brilliant quartet including Amina Scott, Julian Lee and the drummer ace Herlin Riley. 

Rez Abassi Acoustic Quintet- Sound Remains-Whirlwind records

This quintet adds the ethereal sound of Bill Ware's vibraphone to Abassi's unique approach to the steel stringed acoustic guitar and some empathetic bass and percussion work to make this one a dreamlike experience.

Denny Zeitlin-Worth A Song In My Heart-Sunnyside records

The octogenarian pianist is still making magical music. This time he deconstructs and reassembles some of  Richard Rodgers music on his solo piano, in a way that makes it all his own. 

Jeff Parker ETA IV Ntet- The Way Out Easy-International Anthem

These four musicians create a swelling ambience that captures your attention.

Larry Goldings-I Will-Sam First Records

A keyboard artist mostly know for his cutting edge organ trio work finds Goldings showing just how good a piano player he can be with two young bandmates recorded live in LA.

Pasquale Grasso- Fervency- Sony Masterworks

Grasso is a superb Italian born guitarist that has the kind of mastery that recalls Joe Pass. He is an accomplished accompaniest and here he is recorded in a trio setting with Ari Rolland on bass and Keith Balla on drums.

The Perceptions Trio- The Wicked Trio-Sense-Music Release Club

This international trio is based in Switzerland and include Charley Rose on saxophone, Silvan Joray on guitar and Paulo Almeida on drums. The create their own contemporary atmospheric music.

Tessa Souter-Shadows and Silence- The Erik Satie Project- NonAra

British/Trinidadian chanteuse Tessa Souter uses the music of the French composer Erik Satie to create a suite of  vocal interpretations in his minimalist  style.

Michael Dease- Flow- Posi-Tone Records

Its hard to not tap your feet to this master trombonist when he brings it to the table as a leader. Here he is teamed up with Sharel Cassity on saxophone, as Geoff Keezer drives the music on his joyful piano. A Greek drummer and one of Dease's Michigan State student proteges fill out the rhythm section.

Michael Mayo- Fly- Mack Avenue

Mayo's excellent album came out in late Oct of last year, but it was so entertaining that I couldn't resist including it in this years best of list. He has a smooth, flexible voice that reminds me a bit of Al Jarreau. Need I say more?

Pheeroan akLaff, Scott Robinson, Julian Thayer -aRT-ScienSonic Records

Experimental music of the highest order that allows three accomplished musicians to create in the moment.

Guilio Gentile-Dream's Madness- Auand Records