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Mark Sullivan's Favorite Jazz Albums of 2024

By Mark Sullivan
December 25, 2024
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This was an exceptional year for jazz albums of all sorts, as well as jazz-adjacent experimental music. The supply of previously unreleased live recordings seemed nearly inexhaustible! People discovered tapes right and left, presenting exceptional performances in good to excellent recording quality. My lists could easily have been much longer. Lists are unranked.

Lakecia Benjamin

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Lakecia Benjamin
Phoenix Reimagined (Live)
Ropeadope

Jakob Bro

guitar
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jakob Bro
Taking Turns
ECM Records

Dave Douglas

trumpet
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Douglas
Gifts
Greenleaf Music

Odyssey

Nubya Garcia

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Nubya Garcia
Concord Jazz

Andrew Hill

piano
1931 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Hill
A Beautiful Day, Revisited
Palmetto Records

Charles Lloyd

saxophone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Lloyd
The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
Blue Note Records

Etudes / Quietudes

Wolfgang Muthspiel

guitar
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Wolfgang Muthspiel
Clap Your Hands

e.s.t. 30

Magnus Öström & Dan Berglund

" data-original-title="" title="">Magnus ?str?m & Dan Berglund
ACT Music

Brad Shepik

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Shepik
Human Activity: Dream of the Possible
Shifting Paradigm Records

Immanuel Wilkins

saxophone, alto
b.1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Immanuel Wilkins
Blues Blood
Blue Note Records

Sky Full Of Hope

Fractal Sextet

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Fractal Sextet
RareNoiseRecords

Historical Recordings

Cannonball Adderley

saxophone
1928 - 1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Cannonball Adderley
Poppin In Paris: Live At L'Olympia 1972
Elemental Music

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis
Miles In France 1963 & 1964: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8
Legacy Recordings

Keith Jarrett

piano
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Jarrett
The Old Country: More from the Deer Head Inn
ECM Records

Emily Remler

guitar
1957 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Emily Remler
Cookin' at the Queens: Live in Las Vegas 1984 & 1988
Resonance Records

Art Tatum

piano
1909 - 1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Tatum
Jewels In The Treasure Box
Resonance Records

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner
Forces Of Nature: Live At Slugs'
Blue Note Records

Soft Machine

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Soft Machine
H?vikodden 1971
Cuneiform Records

The Next Step Band (Live at Smalls, 1996)

Kurt Rosenwinkel

guitar
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Kurt Rosenwinkel
Heartcore Records

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