
The nine best jazz albums released in 2017, from ‘new jazz’ to more ethnic beats
Among the rich pickings are Vijay Iyer and his funky sextet, superstar bassist Linda May Han Oh, an impressive debut from drummer Kate Gentile, some soul grooves from Nate Smith and a mature solo effort by Craig Taborn
Jazz fans have been treated to a range of gems during 2017, from the “new jazz” of Matt Mitchell to the ethnic-influenced sounds from the likes of Vijay Iyer. Here are the albums all jazz fans shouldn’t have missed this year.
Rez Abbasi
Unfiltered Universe
Whirlwind

Linda May Han Oh
Walk Against Wind
Biofilia

Steve Coleman’s Natal Eclipse
Morphogenesis
Pi
Coleman is making some of the best music of his striking career lately, and this recital is fascinating: based on the motions of boxing yet recorded without a drummer. Despite this absence, the music grooves, swings, pulses and jumps at every turn. Coleman’s collaborators remain impressive: Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Matt Mitchell on piano, Jen Shyu on vocals and many more.

Craig Taborn
Daylight Ghosts
ECM
Craig Taborn seems to be everyone’s favourite collaborator these days. His duets with pianist Kris Davis are free wonders, and his collaboration with Miles Okazaki is telepathic. His own music has been wonderful before, but Daylight Ghosts is the most mature of his own recordings.

Malaysian Indian folk music revival as torch is passed to a new generation
Kate Gentile
Mannequins
Skirl
The surprise of 2017 is this debut recording from drummer Kate Gentile. Gentile has been in New York for a while, and she seems to have a particularly fertile musical relationship with pianist Matt Mitchell (including playing on his 2017 masterpiece). But her own composing and band leading make her debut shine.

Ryan Keberle and Catharsis
Find the Common, Shine a Light
Greenleaf

Bruno Mars talks about his 24K Magic World Tour and TV special ahead of his Hong Kong gigs
Nate Smith
Kinfolk, Postcards from Everywhere
Ropeadope
Smith has played the drums with Betty Carter, Dave Holland, Regina Carter, Chris Potter and many more. Kinfolk is a “jazz” record, however, that probably wouldn’t have been possible until recently – a collection that has plenty of authentic, harmonically complex improvising, but also uses soul grooves and vocals to forge a connection back to pop music.

