The future of the genre lies in places where it’s less insular and more artistically adventurous. The 20 best jazz albums are outstanding examples of that impulse.
Patricia Brennan has assembled a unique ensemble featuring strings and electronics, as well as a jazz quintet. She continues to astound us.
This was another year of riches in the best jazz and creative music, with barriers between the tradition and the avant-garde melting away.
Bassist and composer Stephan Crump’s ‘Slow Water’ is a reflection on the environment, using both New Music stalwarts and improvised jazz.
Jazz, born of the creative brilliance of Black American culture and now wonderfully global, is passionately alive in 2022. These are the year’s best jazz albums.
