The past year was one iconic bad a year on almost all fronts, but not in music. If you dig deeper than the muddy surface that’s filled with mediocrity and commercialism, there are true gems waiting to be discovered. 2016 was the year of jazz. We can even say, it witnessed a jazz renaissance. There were so many upcoming new talents, returning veterans, legends unearthing old lost records and live performances. In fact, there is so much good jazz to 2016 that it cannot be summed up in one list. I picked my personal favorite releases for this list, so I might have missed a few notable records. If you have any suggestions to be added, we’d appreciate if you share them with us in the comments section.

John Raymond & Real Feels – Real Feels


Michael Formanek’s Ensemble Kolossus – The Distance


Donny McCaslin – Beyond Now

 

Dr. Lonnie Smith – Evolution

Shabaka And The Ancestors – Wisdom of Elders

 

Tyshawn Sorey – The Inner Spectrum of Variables

Check it on Bandcamp.

 

 

Dinosaur  – Together, As One

 

Esbjörn Svensson Trio – E.S.T. SYMPHONY


Brad Mehldau Trio – Ballads and Blues


Logan Richardson – Shift

 

SNARKY PUPPY: CULCHA VULCHA

 

Miles Davis & Robert Glasper –  Everything’s Beautiful


Phronesis – Parallax

Dhafer Youssef – Diwan of Beauty and Odd


Tim Garland One