To round out the year, we round up the best jazz of the year. We’ve done this every year for at least the last eightyears.

Here are our 2021 picks:

• “Dark Blue Residue” from Afrika Loveby Alchemy Sound Project
• “Homeward Bound (for Ana Grace)” from Homeward Bound by Johnathan Blake
• “Movement 6” from Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra
• “It Come ’Round ’Gin” from The Democracy! Suite by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Septet with Wynton Marsalis
• “Relentless Mind” by Jihye Lee Orchestra featuring Sean Jones and Alan Ferber from Daring Mind by Jihye Lee Orchestra
• “Leone” from Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World, Volumes 1–10 by The Music of William Parker
• “Shortie’s Portion” from Raise Up Off Me by Ralph Peterson
• “Gotham” by Andrew Renfroe featuring Marquis Hill, Braxton Cook, Taber Gable, Rick Rosato, and Curtis Nowosad from Run in the Storm by Andrew Renfroe
• “Wings” by Scott Robinson and Elan Mehler from Kimbrough by various artists
• “White Out” from Two Takes, Vol. 1: Quintet by Jared Schonig
• “The Sports Page” from This Bitter Earth by Veronica Swift
• “Up North” from Reverso: Live by Frank Woeste, Ryan Keberle, and Vincent Courtois

GUESTS:

• Jen Allen - A pianist, composer, arranger, and educator
• Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator
• Gene Seymour - A film, television, and music critic

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Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.