The 42nd Annual Jazz Station Awards / The Best Jazz of 2020

42ª Edição do Prêmio Jazz Station! Os melhores do jazz em 2020!

The complete results of the 42nd Jazz Station Awards!

Os resultados da 42ª edição do Prêmio Jazz Station!

These are the complete results of the 42nd Annual Jazz Station Awards conducted by jazz journalist, record producer, jazz historian & jazz educator Arnaldo DeSouteiro. Mr. DeSouteiro is a voting member of NARAS-Grammy, as well as of the Jazz Journalists Association and the Los Angeles Jazz Society. He has produced over 830 sessions, according to the All Music Guide website. For more details and a small bio, please check
https://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2020/09/arnaldo-desouteiro-2020-bio.html

Ron Carter, Marc Copland, Steve Gadd, John McLaughlin, Raul de Souza, Carla Bley and Steve Swallow are among the top artists of the year.

Only albums recorded or released in 2020 were eligible.
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O Prêmio Jazz Station - criado em 1979 por Arnaldo DeSouteiro, jornalista, historiador e produtor brasileiro - chega ao 42º ano, contemplando os artistas que mais se dedicaram no panorama jazzístico internacional em todo o mundo. Membro votante do Grammy, da Jazz Journalists Association e da Los Angeles Jazz Society, entre outras instituições, DeSouteiro já produziu mais de 830 sessões de gravação, segundo contabilizado pelo site All Music Guide.

Além de dono da gravadora JSR e da empresa Jazz Station Marketing & Consulting, Arnaldo DeSouteiro traz no curriculo trabalhos para selos como Verve, Milestone, Sony e CTI, além de roteiros para shows e especiais de TV de João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Chuck Mangione, Bjork, Eumir Deodato, Diana Krall, João Donato, Doris Monteiro e Wanda Sá, sendo também convidado frequentemente para atuar como parecerista e realizar curadoria em empresas privadas, instituições governamentais e festivais de jazz nos EUA, Brasil, Europa e Ásia, além de professor convidado em universidades.

Ron Carter, Marc Copland, Steve Gadd, John McLaughlin, Raul de Souza, Carla Bley e Steve Swallow estão entre os artistas que brilharam em 2020.

Atendendo aos pedidos dos leitores, que desde 1979 acompanham essa votação, incluímos – após os nomes de todos os colocados em cada categoria – os títulos dos trabalhos pelo quais os artistas foram avaliados. 

Para variar, foram necessárias várias semanas para a preparação de todas estas listas, reouvindo os discos, checando fichas técnicas e, às vezes, reavaliando opiniões. Tudo isso com o objetivo de fornecer o mais fiel possível retrato do cenário jazzístico em 2020, a partir de bases reais de análise.

O que significa, por exemplo, que artistas que não lançaram novos trabalhos este ano, seja como líderes ou sidemen, tornaram-se, por mais geniais que sejam, automaticamente inelegíveis.

Vários discos premiados em 2020, com atraso, pelas revistas especializadas, não aparecem na nossa lista por uma simples razão: constaram da relação de 2019.

Aí estão os resultados completos:

Acoustic Piano: 1. Marc Copland (“And I Love Her” – Illusions Mirage); 2. Chick Corea (“Trilogy 2” and “Plays” - Stretch); 3. Gonzalo Rubalcaba (“Viento Y Tiempo – Live At Blue Note Tokyo” w/ Aymée Nuviola –Top Stop Music/Sony Music Latin); 4. Christian Tumalan (“Mayan Suite” w/ Brian Andres Trio Latino – Bacalao); 5. Danilo Perez (“Secrets Are The Best Stories” w/ Kurt Elling – Edition); 6. Fred Hersch (“Songs From Home” – Palmetto); 7. Gerald Clayton (“Happening: Live at Village Vanguard” – Blue Note); 8. Carla Bley (“Life Goes On” – ECM); 9. Dick Hyman (“Counterpoint” w/Ken Peplowski – Arbors); 10. Hal Galper (“The Zone – Live At The Yardbird Suite” – Origin); 11. Martial Solal (“Masters In Paris” w/ Dave Liebman – Sunnyside); 12. Fima Chupakhin (“Water” – self release); 13. Sam Hirsh (“Quite Frankly – Introducing Sam Hirsh” – Umadas Music); 14. Mike Bond (“The Honorable Ones” – Bounce Castle)

Electric Piano: 1. Shedrick Mitchell (“My Left Hand Man - A Tribute To Mulgrew Miller” w/ Richie Goods & The Goods Project – self release); 2. Adam Shulman (“Fire In My Head – The Anxiety Suite” w/ The Ian Carey Quintet + 1 – Slow & Steady); 3. Daniel Grajew (“Watershed” w/ John Stein – Whaling City Sound); 4. Lawrence Fields (“Axiom” w/ Christian Scott – Ropeadope); 5. Paul Shaffer (“Smile” w/ Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra” – Planet Arts)

Organ: 1. Rhoda Scott (“Movin’ Blues” – Sunset); 2. Brian Charette (“Four” w/ Ronnie Cuber – SteepleChase); 3. Joey DeFrancesco (“For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver” w/ Christian McBride Big Band – Mack Avenue); 4. Shedrick Mitchell (“The Path” w/ Chien Chien Lu – self release); 5. Sam Yahel (“Incontre” w/ Massimo Biocalti - Sounderscore); 6. Paul Shaffer (“Smile” w/ Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra” – Planet Arts)

Keyboards: 1. Jeff Lorber (“Eleven” w/ Mike Stern – Concord); 2. Aaron Parks (“Waiting Game” w/ Terry Lyne Carrington + Social Science – Motema); 3. Ståle Storløkken (“Conspiracy” w/ Terje Rypdal – ECM); 4. Robert Glasper (“Fuck Yo Feelings” – Loma Vista)

Acoustic Bass: 1. Ron Carter (“Foursight – Stockholm Vol. 1” – IN+Out); 2. Richie Goods (“My Left Hand Man – A Tribute To Mulgrew Miller” – self release); 3. Drew Gress (“And I Love Her” w/ Marc Copland – Illusions Mirage); 4. Christian McBride (“RoundAgain” w/ Joshua Redman – Nonesuch and “For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver” w/ Christian McBride Big Band – Mack Avenue); 5. Frank Herzberg (“Watershes” w/ John Stein – Whaling City Sound); 6. Aaron Germain (“Mayan Suite” w/ Brian Andres Trio Latino – Bacalao); 7. Ulf Radelius (“Soft Winds Trio” w/ Ake Nordin – AdOpen); 8. John Patitucci (“Sadao 2019 Live At Blue Note Tokyo” w/ Sadao Watanabe – JVC); 9. Dave Holland (“Without Deception” w/ Kenny Barron & Jonathan Butler – Dare 2); 10. Jeff Johnson (“The Zone” w/ Hal Galper Trio)

Electric Bass: 1. Steve Swallow (“Life Goes On” w/ Carla Bley & Andy Sheppard – ECM and "Swallow Tales" w/ John Scofield & Bill Stewart - ECM); 2. Mark Egan (“Electric Blue” w/ Danny Gottlieb – Wavetone); 3. Aaron Germain (“Mayan Suite” w/ Brian Andres Trio Latino – Bacalao); 4. Richie Goods (“My Left Hand Man” – self release); 5. Endre Hareide Hallre (“Conspiracy” w/ Terje Rypdal – ECM)

Drums: 1. Steve Gadd (“Sadao 2019 Live At Blue Note Tokyo” w/ Sadao Watanabe – JVC); 2. Zé Eduardo Nazario (“Watershed” w/ John Stein – Whaling City Sound); 3. Ralph Peterson (“Onward & Upward” – Onyx Music); 4. Brian Andres (“Mayan Suite” – Bacalao); 5. Lil John Roberts (“My Left Hand Man” w/ Richie Goods & The Goods Project” – self release); 6. Danny Gottlieb (“Electric Blue” w/ Mark Egan – Wavetone); 7. Joey Baron (“And I Love Her” w/ Marc Copland – Illusions Mirage); 8. Bill Stewart (“Swallow Tales” w/ Steve Swallow & John Scofield – ECM); 9. Mauricio Zottarelli (“Night Kisses – A Tribute To Ivan Lins” w/ Eddie Daniels – Resonance); 10. Antonio Sanchez (“From This Place” w/ Pat Metheny – Nonesuch); 11. Jack DeJohnette (“Home With You, At Last” w/ Adam Niewood – SteepleChase); 12. Adam Nussbaum (“Four” w/ Ronnie Cuber – SteepleChase); 13. Jon Christensen (“Nocturnal Animals” – Yelena Eckemoff – L&H); 14. Terri Lyne Carrington (“Waiting Game” – Motema); 15. Brian Blade (“RoundAgain” w/ Joshua Redman – Nonesuch)

Percussion: 1. Airto Moreira (“Curitiba 58” w/ Raul de Souza – Gramofone); 2. Munyungo Jackson (“Bridge To Infinity” w/ Karina Corradini – self release); 3. Luis Conte (“From This Place” w/ Pat Metheny – Nonesuch); 4. Poncho Sanchez (“Trane’s Delight” – Concord Picante); 5. Brian Kilgore (“The Planets: Reimagined” w/ Jeremy Levy Jazz Orchestra); 6. Lenny Castro (“Solid” w/ Boney James – Concord)

Vibes/Marimba: 1. André Juarez (“Azul” – Pôr do Som); 2. Chien Chien Lu (“The Path” – self release); 3. Joe Locke (“The Latin Jazz Project” w/ Spanish Harlem Orchestra); 4. Warren Wolf (“Reincarnation” – Mack Avenue); 5. David Friedman (“Flight” – Malletmuse); 6. Gary Burton (“Flying High... At the Heart of It 1” w/ Sandro Norton – Jazz Cinema); 7. Mike Mainieri (“Trunks” w/ Bendik Hofseth – C+C); 8. Steve Nelson (“Dearly Beloved” w/ Naama Gheber – Cellar Music); 9. Monte Croft (“Love Letter” w/ Jimmy Heath – Verve)

Miscellaneous:  

Harmonica - Hendrik Meurkens (“Manhattan Samba” – self release) 

Harp - Riza Printup (“Gentle Rain” w/ Marcus Printup – SteepleChase)

Violin - Regina Carter (“Swing States: Harmony In The Battleground” - Tiger Turn/eOne)

Guitar: 1. John McLaughlin (“Is That So?” – Abstract Logix); 2. Pat Metheny (“From This Place” – Nonesuch); 3. Al DiMeola (“Across The Universe” – Ear Music); 4. John Stein (“Watershed” – Whaling City Sound); 5. BG Sahlin (“Soft Winds Trio” w/ Ake Nordin – AdOpen); 6. John Scofield (“Swallow Tales” w/ Steve Swallow & Bill Stewart - ECM); 7. Mark Whitfield  (“For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver” w/ Christian McBride Big Band – Mack Avenue); 8. Mike Stern (“Eleven” w/ Jeff Lorber – Concord); 9. Terje Rypdal (“Conspiracy” – ECM); 10. Anders Chico Lindvall (“Elevate” w/ Anders Bergcrantz – Whaling City Sound); 11. Peter Bernstein (“What Comes Next” – Smoke Session); 12.  Pete McCann (“The Monk Project” w/ Dan Willis And Velvet Gentlemen – Belle Avenue)

Flute: 1. Elena Pinderhughes (“Axiom” w/ Christian Scott  aTunde Adjuah– Ropeadope); 2. Hubert Laws (“Monk’estra Plays John Beasley” – Mack Evenue); 3. Teco Cardoso (“Watershed” w/ John Stein – Whaling City Sound); 4. Andrea Brachfeld (“Brazilian Whispers” - Origin); 5. Katchie Cartwright (“Rainy Afternoon” – Harriton Carved Wax); 6. Magnus Lindgren (“Chet Baker Land” w/ Sigurd & Brundin – PB7); 7. Nicole Mitchell (“EarthSeed” – FPE); 8. Rebecca Kleinman (“The Reverie Suite” w/ Euphoria Station – Reverie Suite)

Clarinet: 1. Eddie Daniels (“Night Kisses – A Tribute To Ivan Lins” (Resonance); 2. Ken Peplowski (“Counterpoint” w/ Dick Hyman - Arbors); 3. Anat Cohen (“Triple Helix” – Anzic); 4. Magnus Lindgren (“Chet Baker Land” w/ Sigurd & Brundin – PB7)

Trumpet: 1. Anders Bergrcrantz (“Elevate” – Vanguard Music Boulevard); 2. Shunzo Ohno (“Runner” - Pulsebeats); 3. Marcus Printup (“Gentle Rain” – SteepleChase); 4. Claudio Roditi (“Light Blue” w/ Julien Hucq – Early Bird); 5. Ian Carey (“Fire In My Head – The Anxiety Suite” – Slow & Steady); 6. Marvin Stamm (“Live at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar” – self releae); 7. Franco Ambrosetti (“Long Waves” – Unit); 8. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah (“Axiom” – Ropeadope); 9. Brian Lynch (“Onward & Upward” w/ Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy – Onyx Music); 10. John Eckert (“Smile” w/ Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra); 11. Nicholas Payton (“Relaxin’ with Nick” – Smoke Sessions); 12. Tom Harrell (“Common Practice” w/ Ethan Iverson Quartet – ECM); 13. Eddie Henderson (“Shuffle And Deal” – Smoke Sessions); 14. Jeremy Pelt (“The Path” w/ Chien Chien Lu – self release); 15. Josh Evans (“Water” w/ Fima Chupakhin – self release)

Flugelhorn: 1. Franco Ambrosetti (“Long Waves” – Unit); 2. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah (“Axiom” – Ropeadope); 3. Scott Wendholt (“Into The Shadows” w/ John Fedchock Sextet – Summit)  4. John Daversa (“Swing States: Harmony In The Battleground” w/ Regina Carter Freedom Band - Tiger Turn/eOne); 5. Quentin Collins (“A Day In The Life” – Chasing The Dragon)

Trombone: 1. Raul de Souza (“Curitiba 58” – Gramofone); 2. Nils Wogram (“Bright Lights” – Nwog); 3. Delfeayo Marsalis (“Jazz Party” – Troubador Jazz); 4. Papo Vázquez (“Chapter 10: Breaking Cover” - Picaro); 5. Mariel Bildsten (“Backbone” – Outside In); 6. John Fedchock (“Into The Shadows” – Summit)

Soprano Sax: 1. Dave Liebman (“The Rise Up” w/ Mehmet Ali Sanlikol & Whatsnext? – Dunya); 2. Jimmy Heath (“Love Letter” – Verve); 3. Jan Garbarek (“Remember Me, My Dear” – ECM); 4. Teco Cardoso (“Watershed” w/ John Stein – Whaling City Sound); 5. Andy Sheppard (“Life Goes On” w/ Carla Bley & Steve Swallow – ECM); 6. Lou Marini (“Smile” w/ Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra – Planet Arts); 7. Joshua Redman (“RoundAgain” – Nonesuch); 8. Steve Wilson (“The Honorable Ones” w/ Mike Bond – Bounce Castle); 9. Kazuhiko Kondo (“Viento Y Tiempo – Live At Blue Note Tokyo” w/ Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola – Top Stop Music/Sony Music Latin); 10. Benjamin Boone (“Joy” w/ The Ghana Jazz Collective – Origin); 11. Dan Willis (“The Monk Project” – Belle Avenue)

Alto Sax: 1. Julien Hucq (“Light Blue” – Early Bird); 2. Lee Koniz (“Old Songs New” – Sunnyside); 3. Benjamin Boone (“Joy” w/ The Ghana Jazz Collective – Origin); 4. T.K. Blue (“Deep Blue Love” w/ Sarah Thorpe); 5. Kasey Knudsen (“Fire In My Head – The Anxiety Suite” w/ The Ian Carey Quintet + 1 – Slow & Steady); 6. Teco Cardoso (“Watershed” w/ John Stein – Whaling City Sound); 7. Donald Harrison (“Shuffle And Deal” w/ Eddie Henderson – Smoke Session); 8. Miguel Zenón (“Sonero – The Music of Ismael Rivera” – Miel Music); 9. Bobby Watson (“Keepin’ It Real” – Smoke Sessions); 10. Jim Snidero (“Project-K” – Savant); 11. Sadao Watanabe (“Sadao 2019 Live At Blue note Tokyo” – JVC); 12. Michael Sachs (“Unraveled” w/ Aubrey Johnson – Outside In Music); 13. Yainer Horta (“Viento Y Tiempo – Live At Blue Note Tokyo” w/ Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola – Top Stop Music/Sony Music Latin)

Tenor Sax: 1. Ake Nordin (“Soft Winds Trio” – AdOpen); 2. Jimmy Heath (“Love Letter” – Verve); 3. Eric Alexander (“With Strings” – HighNote); 4. Dave Liebman (“Masters In Paris” w/ Martial Solal – Sunnyside); 5. Andy Sheppard (“Life Goes On” w/ Carla Bley & Steve Swallow – ECM); 6. Bernard Ayisa (“Joy” w/ Benjamin Boone and The Ghana Jazz Collective – Joy); 7. Joshua Redman (“RoundAgain” – Nonesuch); 8. Ralph Moore (“Quite Frankly” w/ Sam Hirsh – Umadas Music); 9. Charles Lloyd (“8: Kindred Spirits Live From The Lobero Theater” – Blue Note); 10. Sergey Avanesov (“Water” w/ Fima Chupakhin – self-release); 11. Dan Willis (“The Monk Project” – Belle Avenue)

Baritone Sax: 1. Ronnie Cuber (“Four” – SteepleChase); 2. Gary Smulyan (“Our Contrafacts” – SteepleChase); 3. Alex Harding (“Dark Blue” w/ Lucian Ban – Sunnyside); 4. Dan Willis (“The Monk Project” – Belle Avenue)

Male Singer: 1. Kurt Elling (“Secrets Are The Best Stories” - Edition); 2. JD Walter (“Dressed In A Song” - JWAL); 3. Gregory Porter (“All Rise” – Blue Note); 4. John Minnock (“Herring Cove” – Dot Time); 5. Jan Sigurd (“Chet Baker Land” w/ Sigurd & Brundin – PB7); 6. José James (“No Beginning No End 2” – Rainbow Blonde); 7. Vuyo Sotashe (“Water” w/ Fima Chupakhin – self release)

Female Singer: 1. Iris Bergcrantz (“Young Dreams” – Vanguard Music Boulevard); 2. Diana Krall (“This Dream Of You” – Verve); 3. Lauren Henderson (“The Songbook Session” – Brontosaurus); 4. Karina Corradini (“Bridge To Infinity – Tribute to Zane Musa” – self release); 5. Sarah Thorpe (“Deep Blue Love” – Dot Time); 6. Robin McKelle (“Alterations” – Doxie/Membran); 7. Aubrey Johnson (“Unraveled” – Outside In Music); 8. Thana Alexa (“ONA” – self-release); 9. Carmen Lundy (“Modern Ancestors” - Afrasia); 10. Naama Gheber (“Dearly Beloved” – Cellar Music); 11. Anna-Lena Brundin (“Chet Baker Land” w/ Sigurd & Brundin – PB7); 12. Cécile McLorin Salvant (“Love Letter” w/ Jimmy Heath – Verve); 13. Laura Benanti (“Laura Benanti” – Sony)

Vocal Group: Akervinda ("Förgänglighet" - Vanguard Music Boulevard)

Instrumental Group: 1. Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy (“Onward & Upward” – Onyx Music); 2. Richie Goods & The Goods Project (“My Left Hand Man – A Tribute To Mulgrew Miller”); 3. Brian Andres Trio Latino (“Mayan Suite” – Bacalao); 4. The Ian Carey Quintet + 1 (“Fire In My Head – The Anxiety Suite” – Slow & Steady); 5. Ghana Jazz Collective (“Joy” w/ Benjamin Boone – Origin); 6. Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science (“Waiting Game” – Motema)

Big Band/Jazz Orchestra: 1. Spanish Harlem Orchestra (“The Latin Jazz Project” – ArtistShare); 2. Pacific Mambo Orchestra (“The III Side” - Pacfic Mambo); 3. Christian McBride Big Band (“For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver” – Mack Avenue); 4. Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra (“Smile”); 5. Monk’estra (“Plays John Beasley” – Mack Avenue); 6. Jeremy Levy Jazz Orchestra (“The Planets – Reimagined” – OA2); 7. Maria Schneider Orchestra (“Data Lords” - ArtistShare); 8. The DIVA Jazz Orchestra (“DIVA + The Boys” – MCG Jazz); 9. Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band (“The Intangible Between” – Smoke Sessions)

Composer: 1. Shunzo Ohno (“Runner” – Pulsebeats); 2. Carla Bley (“Life Goes On” – ECM); 3. Steve Swallow (“Swallow Tales” – ECM); 4. Fima Chupakhin (“Water” – self-release); 5. Ian Carey (“Fire In My Head – The Anxiety Suite” - Slow & Steady); 6. Mehmet Ali Sanlikol (“The Rise Up: Stories of Strike, Struggle and Inspiration” – Dunya); 7. Chien Chien Lu (“The Path” – self release); 8. Tony Corman/Laura Klein (“Summer Dusk: Studio Sessions” w/ Fiveplay Jazz Quintet); 9. Anders Bergcrantz (“Elevate” – Vanguard Music Boulevard); 10. Yelena Eckemoff (“Nocturnal Animals” – L&H)

Arranger: 1. Anna-Lena Laurin (“Fountain of Youth” – track from “Elevate” w/ Anders Bergcrantz); 2. Bill Warfield (“Smile” – Planet Arts); 3. John Beasley (“Monk’estra Plays John Beasley” – Mack Avenue); 4. Jeremy Levy (“The Planets: Reimagined” – OA2); 5. Dave Rivello (“Eric Alexander With Strings” – HighNote); 6. Tony Corman (“Summer Dusk: Studio Sessions” w/ Fiveplay Jazz Quintet – Auraline); 7. Alan Broadbent/Gil Goldstein (“From This Place” w/ Pat Metheny – Nonesuch)

Engineer: 1. Kostadin Kamcev/Doug Beavers/David Darlington (“The Latin Jazz Project” w/ Spanish Harlem Orchestra – ArtistShare); 2. Paulo Aredes Oliveira/Vitor Gomes/Frank Herzberg/Steve Rizzo/John Nailloux ("Watershed" w/ John Stein - Whaling City Sound); 3. Gabriel Shepard/Greg Landau (“Mayan Suite” w/ Brian Andres Trio Latino – Bacalao); 4. Alex Conroy (“The Path” w/ Chien Chien Lu – self-release);  5. Scott Petito/Paul Wickliffe (“Home With You, At Last” w/ Adam Niewood – SteepleChase)

Cover Artwork: 1. Mary Ann Rossoni ("Watershed" w/ John Stein - Whaling City Sound); 2. Jhonatan González Sandoval (“The Latin Jazz Project” w/ Spanish Harlem Orchestra – ArtistShare); 3. Miriam Castillo/Justin Brettman (“ONA” w/ Thana Alexa – self release); 4. Javier Cabanillas (“Mayan Suite” w/ Brian Andres Trio Latino – Bacalao); 5. Nicole Wang (“The Path” w/ Chien Chien Lu); 6. Andrex Almeida (“Azul” w/ André Juarez – Pôr do Som); 7. Ella Ponizovsky Bergelson ("Young Dreams" w/ Iris Bergcrantz - Vanguard Music Coulevard); 8. Wiz Kudowor/John Bishop (“Joy” w/ Benjamin Boone with The Ghana Jazz Collective – Origin); 9. Cem Eskinazi (“The Rise Up” w/ Mehmet Ali Sanlikol & Whatsnext? – Dunya)

New Talent: Chien Chien Lu – vibraphone/marimba/composer (“The Path” – self release); Fima Chupakhin – piano/composer/arranger (“Water” – self-release)

Top Instrumental Jazz Albums

John Stein: “Watershed” (Whaling City Sound)

Marc Copland: “And I Love Her” (Illusions Mirage)

Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy: “Onward & Upward” (Onyx Music)

Richie Goods & The Goods Project: “My Left Hand Man – A Tribute To Mulgrew Miller” ( self release)

Anders Bergcrantz: "Elevate" (Vanguard Music Boulevard)

Shunzo Ohno: “Runner” (Pulsebeats)

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: “The Latin Jazz Project” (ArtistShare)

Pacific Mambo Orchestra: “The III Side” (Pacific Mambo)

Chien Chien Lu: “The Path” (self-release)

Ake Nordin: “Soft Winds Trio” (AdOpen)

Riza Printup & Marcus Printup: “Gentle Rain” (SteepleChase)

André Juarez: "Azul" (Pôr do Som)

Carla Bley, Steve Swallow & Andy Sheppard: “Life Goes On” (ECM)

John Scofield, Steve Swallow & Bill Stewart: “Swallow Tales” (ECM)

Chick Corea: “Plays” (Stretch)

Jimmy Heath: “Love Letter” (Verve)

Fima Chupakhin: “Water” (self-release)

The Ian Carey Quintet + 1: “Fire In My Head – The Anxiety Suite” (Slow & Steady)

Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra: “Smile” (Planet Arts)

Julien Hucq: “Light Blue” (Early Bird)

Mehmet Ali Sanlikol & Whatsnext? Featuring Dave Liebman: “The Rise Up: Stories of Strike, Struggle and Inspiration” (Dünya)

Fiveplay Jazz Quintet: “Summer Dusk: Studio Sessions” (Auraline)

César Orozco & Kamarata Jazz: “Rooted Forward” (selfrelease)

Yelena Eckemoff: “Nocturnal Animals” (L&H)

Top Vocal Jazz Albums

Iris Bergcrantz: “Young Dreams” (Vanguard Music Boulevard)

Lauren Henderson: “The Songbook Session” (Brontosaurus)

Karina Corradini: “Bridge To Infinity – Tribute To Zane Musa” (self-release)

Sigurd & Brundin: “Chet Baker Land” (PB7)

Sarah Thorpe: “Deep Blue Love” (Dot Time)

Aubrey Johnson: “Unraveled” (Outside In Music)

Aymée Nuviola & Gonzalo Rubalcaba: “Viento Y Tiempo – Live At Blue Note Tokyo” (Top Stop Music/Sony Music)

Kurt Elling: “Secrets Are The Best Stories” (Edition)

Robin McKeele: “Alterations” (Doxie/Membran)

Naama Gheber: “Dearly Beloved” (Cellar Music)

Thana Alexa: “ONA” (self-release)

JD Walter: “Dressed In A Song” (JWAL)

Top Historical Albums/Special Projects/Reissues 

The Brecker Brothers: “Live And Unreleased” (Piloo)

Paul Desmond: "The Complete 1975 Toronto Recordings" (Mosaic) 

Bill Evans: "Live At Ronnie Scott’s” (Resonance)

Charles Mingus: “Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975” (Sunnyside)

Sonny Rollins: “Rollins In Holland” (Resonance)

Buddy Rich: “Just In Time” (Gearbox)

Dave Brubeck: "Time OutTakes - Previously Unreleased Takes From The Original 1959 Sessions" (Brubeck Editions)

Nexus: “In Montreal” (AdOpen)

Norma Winstone & John Taylor: “In Concert” (Sunnyside)

Mal Waldron: “Free At Last” (ECM)

Ella Fitzgerald: “The Complete Piano Duets” (Verve)

Fred Hersch Trio: “10 Years/6 Discs” (Palmetto)

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: "Just Coolin’" (Blue Note)

Lennie Tristano: "The Duo Sessions" (Dot Time)

Nina Simone: "Fodder On My Wings" (Verve)

Thelonious Monk: "Palo Alto" (Verve)

Horace Tapscott Quintet: "The Giant Is Awakened" (Real Gone)

In Memoriam to

Aecio Flavio, Marcelo Salazar, Mario Castro-Neves, Claudio Roditi, Jimmy Heath, Mike Longo, Rubens Barsotti, Marcos Resende, Claudia Telles, Julian Lee, Johnny Mandel, Wallace Rooney, Jimmy Cobb, McCoy Tyner, Lee Konitz, Lyle Mays, Richie Cole, Gary Peacock, Annie Ross, Joe Porcaro, Steve Grossman, Claude Bolling, Bucky Pizzarelli, Janet Grice, Mark Colby, Bonnie Pointer, Rafael Cruz, Andy Gozales, Ennio Morricone, Julian Bream, Bill Withers, Freddy Cole, Manu Dibango, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Charli Persip, Eugene Wright, Cleveland Eaton, Stanley Cowell, Henry Grimes, Candido Camero, Ellis Marsalis, Ryo Kawasaki, Ray Mantilla, Jymie Merritt, Viola Smith, Ed Xiques, Frank Kimbrough, Jeff Clayton, Gerson King Combo, Armando Manzanero, Pamela Hutchinson, Betty Wright, Toni Smith, Eric Weissberg, Joe Segal, Hal Willner, Bruce Swedin, Don Heckman, Stanley Crouch, Alan Merrill, Ronald Bell (aka Khalis Bayyan), Ian Finkel, Lucky Peterson, Bohannon, D.J. Rogers, Phyllis McGuire, Krzysztof Penderecki.