Favorite jazz from 2017

Charles Lloyd New Quartet, Passin’ Thru.  If their last few albums were released during the golden age of jazz, they would be revered to this day.

Cecile McLorin Salvant, Dreams and Daggers.  The new Ella Fitzgerald.

Alexandre Tharaud, Hommage a’ Barbara, classical pianist goes the route of French song, wonderful acoustics to these arrangements.

Django Bates, Saluting Sgt. Pepper.  A German (!) big band redoes the whole album, with a semi-comic music hall feel, intricate horn arrangements, works surprisingly well.

Mulatu of Ethiopia, the title says it all.

Runners-up might be Steve Coleman, Nicole Mitchell, Matt Mitchell, Tyshawn Sorey, Craig Taborn, Rez Abbasi, and Vijay Iyer, but I’m not sure I’ll go back to those in the longer run.

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