Best of 2021, Part One

Air Date: 1/9/2022

Here we are, once again.

Another tough year. And again, a superlative crop of jazz. Yes, it has been a very good year for jazz, and I will prove it!

As usual, one track per release is the underlying principle. Even with this rule, it is looking like there will be two, maybe three shows devoted to laying out all the tracks for you. There are that many. 

And note, the music will not be presented haphazardly. I have culled and curated and then arranged the songs in such a way (I hope) that one connects to the other. So the show will in many instances sound like a virtual concert.  

In terms of the order of tracks, it does not indicate any ranking. Each track generally will fall into one of the hour-long segments of the show's format. Besides that, there is a very rough chronological order, given the way I pull the tracks. Appearing higher on the list, or in the first show instead of the second, means nothing in terms of ranking. And having the album cover in the illustration also does not indicate any ranking.

There is no ranking. All the tracks are simply in the group of releases that I consider to be the best of the year.

You'll definitely recognize a number of artists, but I am willing to bet that the majority of artists are unknown to you. 

Also I bet if you took out the artists you may have previously heard first on this show, then there would be even more unknowns on the list. And that's just fine with me. It means I'm digging deep, and doing the right thing, to expose artists who have something worth listening to. 

So join me for the first part of this concert of the best jazz of 2021. And once we are done listening to the great jazz that came out in 2021, then we can say that we are really done with that year. Done, I tell you!

All the best,

Marty


HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

John Daversa Jazz Orchestra\All Without Words 2021\09 - A Day Is Forever - Like Any Other
Out To Dinner-Play On-10 Visions-2021
Veronica Swift-This Bitter Earth-01 This Bitter Earth-2021
Jacqui Naylor\The Long Game 2021\Love Look What You've Done
Emmet Cohen-Future Stride-10 Little Angel-2021
Lauren White\Ever Since The World Ended 2021\Remembering The Rain
Dave Shelton Trio\Drift 2021\You're Here feat vocalist Beth Kuhn
Nelson Riveros\The Latin Side of Wes Montgomery 2021\Leila
Zoe Carter Fitzgerald\Waterlines 2021\These Words
Susan Krebs With Mixed Remotions-Daybreak 2021-02 Daybreak
Behn Gillece-Still Doing Our Thing 2021-04 Blue Sojourn
John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta & Bill Cunliffe-Trio 2021-02 Laura
Greg Germann-Tales of Time 2021-06 Perspectives

HOUR TWO: New For You

Ian Charlton Big Band\A Fresh Perspective 2021\Sunday Morning
Paul Silbergleit\Hidden Standard 2021\Love Boat
Adam Glaser Trio\Excursions 2021\Lay Low
Benito Gonzalez-Sing to the World 2021-03 Father
Steven Feifke Big Band\Kinetic 2021\Closure
Kendall Carter-Introducing Kendall Carter 2021-02 Afro Blue
The New Faces-New Sounds-09 Runaway-2021
Joanie Pallatto\My Original Plan 2021\About a Song
Wayne Alpern\Frankenstein 2021\04 Send In The Clowns
Tanya Dennis-White Sails Blue Skies 2021-05 White Sails

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World

Diego Figueiredo-Antarctica-09 My Friend Menescal-2021
Diego Rivera-Indigenous-07 Sabor a Mi-2021
Tony Monaco\Strollin 2021\Happy Sergio Feat Hendrik Meurkens
Rahsaan Barber-Mosaic 2021-06 Nadje And The Snow
John DePaola\Take Two 2021\06 Samba for Poochi
Rosana Eckert\Brasuka - A Vida Com Paixao 2021\005 Deusa Do Meu Carnaval
Kenny Polson\Colors of Brazil - 2021\Luz Do Sol
Yulia Musayelyan\Oblivion 2021\Oblivion
Frank Colon-Latin Lounge-01 Emerald Coast-2021
Antonio Adolfo\Jobim Forever 2021\07 Agua de Beber
Zoe Scott\Shades of Love  2021\Once I Loved
Ray Obiedo\Latin Jazz Project Vol 2 2021\Beatnik

HOUR FOUR: Groove, Baby

Reza Khan\Imaginary Road 2021\Imaginary Road
Steve Gadd\Blue Note Live Tokyo 2021\Doesn't She Know by Now
Judith Benoit\Tell Me My Songs 2021\What You Won't Do for Love
Rick Margitza-Sacred Hearts 2021-09 Trail Of Tears
Richard Elliot - Authentic Life 2021-Authentic Life
Brian Simpson\All That Matters 2021\All That Matters
Jeff Lorber Fusion - Spacetime 2021 - Sun Princess
Chris Standring-Wonderful World 2021-02 Night & Day
Charles Langford-Powerless 2021-05 Feel The Light
Joey DeFrancesco-More Music 2021-02 Lady G
Marion Meadows-Twice As Nice 2021-10 The Thrill of Rain
Marc Antoine-Something About Her 2021-05 Velvet Night
 




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