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Doug Collette's Best Releases Of 2020

By Doug Collette
January 12, 2021
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Given the challenging year that was 2020, "Best of..." lists may turn out to be the high points of the last twelve months. Certainly there were times in the spring when it seemed as though a drought of new music might be inescapable, but as summer turned to fall, the titles kept rolling out, with the usual clockwork regularity (almost). Here, then, is music worth remembering, released during a time mostly worth forgetting.

Kim Simmonds

guitar
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Kim Simmonds/

Savoy Brown

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Savoy Brown
Ain't Done Yet
Quarto Valley Records

Holly Bowling

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Holly Bowling
Seeking All That's Left Unsung
Self-Produced

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch
Songs From Home
Palmetto Records

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny
From This Place
Nonesuch Records

Brad Mehldau

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Mehldau
Suite: April 2020
Nonesuch

Joshua Redman

saxophone
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Joshua Redman/

Brad Mehldau

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Mehldau/

Christian McBride

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Christian McBride/

Brian Blade

drums
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brian Blade
RoundAgain
Nonesuch Records

Mike Dillon

vibraphone

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Dillon
Rosewood
Royal Potato Family

Thana Alexa

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Thana Alexa
ONA
Self-Produced

Will Bernard

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Will Bernard
Freelance Subversives
Ropeadope

Billy Martin

drums
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Martin
Guilty
Self-Produced

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