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Mark F. Turner's Best Releases of 2016

By Mark F. Turner
December 31, 2016
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Another year of outstanding releases which not only unveiled new artists but also fresh material from those I've admired over many years. While the roots of jazz were formed during the music diaspora from Africa to America its branches are continually grafting and evolving—artistically, culturally, and geographically as musicians and composers find creative ways to express the music. As usual, the task is arduous but here are my picks for 2016.

Logan Richardson saxophone, alto " data-original-title="" title="">Logan Richardson Shift Blue Note	Mike Baggetta guitar b.1979 " data-original-title="" title="">Mike Baggetta Spectre Fresh Sound New Talent	Myra Melford piano b.1957 " data-original-title="" title="">Myra Melford / Ben Goldberg clarinet " data-original-title="" title="">Ben Goldberg Dialogue Self Produced
Esperanza Spalding bass b.1984 " data-original-title="" title="">Esperanza Spalding Emily's D+Evolution Concord Music Group	Twin Talk " data-original-title="" title="">Twin Talk Twin Talk ears&eyes Records	Richard Sears piano " data-original-title="" title="">Richard Sears Altadena Ropeadope
Jason Palmer trumpet b.1979 " data-original-title="" title="">Jason Palmer / Cedric Hanriot piano " data-original-title="" title="">Cedric Hanriot City Of Poets Whirlwind Recordings	Nate Wooley trumpet b.1974 " data-original-title="" title="">Nate Wooley Argonautica Firehouse 12 Records	Beekman " data-original-title="" title="">Beekman Beekman Vol. 02 Ropeadope
Kris Davis piano b.1980 " data-original-title="" title="">Kris Davis Duopoly Pyroclastic Records	Tyshawn Sorey drums b.1980 " data-original-title="" title="">Tyshawn Sorey The Inner Spectrum of Variables Pi Recordings	James Brandon Lewis saxophone, tenor b.1983 " data-original-title="" title="">James Brandon Lewis Trio No Filter BNS Records

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