Every year people ask me for my picks of the best jazz CDs. While not fond of "Top Ten" lists, here is a compilation of some of the best out of more than a thousand CDs which came my way last year.

Favorite Jazz | Reissues | Northwest | Earlier Picks

artist - album title - label

Tito Puente - Mambo Birdland - RMM
Pat Metheny -Trio 99 -> 00 - Warner Bros
Louis Hayes Qnt - Quintessential Lou -TCB
Dave Holland - Prime Directive - ECM
Roy Haynes Trio - Featuring Danilo Perez & John Patitucci - Verve
Eric Alexander -The First Milestone - Milestone
Joe Lovano - 52nd Street Themes - Blue Note
Brian Blade Fellowship - Perceptual - Blue Note
Paquito D’Rivera - Live at The Blue Note - Half Note
Martial Solal/ Johnny Griffin - In & Out - Dreyfus Jazz
Steve Turre - In The Spur Of The Moment - Telarc
Kevin Mahogany / WDR - Pussy Cat Dues - Enja
Bud Shank Sextet - Silver Storm - Raw
Branford Marsalis - Contemporary Jazz - Columbia
Martin Taylor - In Concert (at MCG) - Milestone
George Coleman - Danger High Voltage - Two and Four
Maria Schneider Orch - Allégresse- enja
Regina Carter - Motor City Moments - Verve
Grand Slam - Live at the Regattabar - Telarc
Eliane Elias/ Bob Brookmeyer - Impulsive! - Stunt
Georgie Fame - Poet In Mew York - Go Jazz
Keith Jarrett - Whisper Not / Live in Paris 1999 - ECM (2 CD)
Carla Bley - 4 X 4 - Watt




John Coltrane - The Very Best of John Coltrane - Rhino / Atlantic
Johnny Hartman - Songs From The Heart - Behlehem/ Avenue Jazz
Duke Ellington - The Essential Collection 1927-62 - Columbia/ Legacy - 3 CD
Lee Konitz - The Real Lee Konitz - 32 Jazz
Miles Davis/John Coltrane - Complete Columbia Recordings - Columbia
Cal Tjader - Black Hawk Nights - Fantasy
Louis Armstrong - Complete Hot Five & Seven Rec. - Columbia/ Legacy- 4 CDS
Kai Winding & J.J.Johnson - ‘Nuf Said - Bethlehem / Avenue Jazz
Charlie Ventura/ Bill Harris- Live at the Three Deuces (1947)- High Note
Various Artists - The Sound Of Jazz (TV show) - Columbia/ Legacy
Chris Connor - Sings Lullabys of Birdland - Bethlehem / Avenue Jazz
John Coltrane & Don Cherry -The Avant-Garde - Rhino/ Atlantic Jazz Gallery
Johnny Hodges -Complete Verve Johnny Hodges - Mosaic 6 CDs
Zoot Sims - Down Home- Bethlehem/ Avenue Jazz
Various Artists - Ken Burns Jazz - Columbia/ Legacy 5 CDs
Various Artists - The Best of Ken Burns Jazz - Columbia/ Legacy 1 CD
Charlie Parker - Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings - Savoy 8 CDS
Joe Venuti, Tony Romano - Never Before... Never Again - Just A Memory
Max Roach - Complete Mercury Roach + Four - Mosaic 7 CDs

For Northwest jazz fans in particular, here are some of the exceptional releases from artists living in this part of the country.

Marriott Jazz Quintet - The High Country - Red Ras Pus
Various artists - The Piano - Seattle Jazz Sampler - Origin Records
Darrell Grant - Smokin’ Java - Lair Hill Records
Jessica Williams - Blue Fire - Jazz Focus
Rebecca Kilgore - Moments Like This - Moonburn
Don Lanphere - Like A Bird - Origin
Nancy King/ Steve Christofferson - Dream Lands - Stellar!
Bebop & Destruction - Bebop & Destruction - Trio
Paul West - Lucky So & So - Origin
Living Daylights - Electric Rosary - Liquid City
Dave Peck Trio - 3 and 1 - Let’s Play Stella
Steve Korn - Pride and Joy - Origin
Steve Griggs - Live! - HipCity
Jay Thomas/Becca Duran - Song for Rita - McVouty
Karin Plato - Blue Again - self
Hans Teuber - Lucky - Origin
Marius Nordal - Ways Of The Hand - Origin
Janis Mann - So Many Stars: Tribute to Sarah - Pancake

Earlier picks:   1999   1998   1997


Final note—buy any CD off this list and I guarantee you're getting some great music! Every one of these releases has received or is now getting frequent airplay on Jazz After Hours and/or Jazz Northwest.
—Jim



Amazon.com is an easy way to order the music you're looking for. That CD could be in your mailbox in a couple of days by clicking here.


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