From the productions of the last three months of 2025 and with quite a bit of effort, admittedly, just 13 tracks were selected to complete the picture of the year gone by. From British jazz-hop and French M-base to large American ensembles and the exceptional voice of the rising Kate Kortum, today’s jazz, in its finest moments here, proves capable of rising to the occasion! Happy listening!
All about the albums and the musicians that contribute to the playlist
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Carlos Dafé & Adrian Younge – Carlos Dafé JID025 (Jazz is Dead)
Samba, Soul, MPB, Funk
Track: Verdadeiro Sentimento
Info: Gemini
Jazzanova – In Between (Remixes) [Sonar Kollektiv]
Deep House, Broken Beat, Jazz-Funk, Future Soul, Afro-tinged electronica, Berlin
Track: L.O.V.E. and You & I (DJ Slowz Remix)
Info: Bandcamp, Gemini
Vetle Skåli – Impossible Creations (Øra Fonogram)
Modern Jazz, Norway
Track: Impossible Creations
Info: Bandcamp, Gemini
Vetle Skåli (g, comp), Brede Sørum (as), Amund Stenøien (vbr), Bendik Lundsvoll (b), Steinar Mossige (dr)
One O’Clock Lab Band – Lab 2025 (North Texas Jazz)
Contemporary Jazz, Big Band, Texas
Track: Yatra-Tá
Info: DarkSideRecords, Gemini
Alfa Mist – Roulette (Sekito)
UK Jazz, Jazz-hop, Neo-soul, London
Tracks: Reincarnation (feat. Homeboy Sandman), 9 Months
Info:Bandcamp, Gemini
Natsuko Sugao – Impermanencia De Los Asuntos (Underpool)
Modern Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Big band, Barcelona
Track: Invasión Invisible
Info: Bandcamp
Natsuko Sugao (tr, comp)
Gregory Groover Jr. – Old Knew (Criss Cross)
Contemporary Jazz, Postbop, Spiritual Jazz, New York
Track: Retrogade
Info: Criss Cross, Gemini
Gregory Groover Jr. (ts), Joel Ross (vbr), Paul Cornish (p), Harish Raghavan (b), Kendrick Scott (dr)
Julien Dubois – Le JarDin – Le Soi et l’Autre (Déluge)
M-base, Avant-Garde Jazz Bordeaux / Paris
Track: La Machine d’Anticythère
Info: Gemini
Julien Dubois (as)
Naoya Ogura – Colors of a Journey (Bandstand Presents)
Contemporary Jazz, Modern Fusion, Big Band
Track: Moose the Mooche
Info: Gemini
Naoya Ogura (tr, comp/arr)
Edwin Corne – Spruce and Maple (Self-Released)
Contemporary Jazz, Guitar Jazz, Folk-Jazz
Track: Stardust
Info: EdwinCorne, Gemini
Edwin Corne (g), Luke Sellick (b), Charles Goold (dr), feat. Kate Kortum (voc)
Kate Kortum – Wild Woman Tells All (Bandstand Presents)
Vocal Jazz, Straight-Ahead Jazz, New York
Track: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Info: Gemini
Kate Kortum (voc)
Sorry, this album released on Jan. 9, 2026 …
Rebecca Trescher – Changing Perspectives (enja records)
Modern jazz, Large Ensemble Jazz, Chamber jazz, Nuremberg
Track: Farn
Info: Bandcamp, Gemini
Rebecca Trescher (cl, comp), Philipp Brämswig (g, fx), Theresia Philipp (as), Joachim Lenhardt (ts), Andreas Feith (p, comp), Phil Donkin (b), Tobias Backhaus (dr)
MORE NEW RELEASES
(from well-known musicians, labels, and others that got attention)
VOCALISTS
- Sarah Elizabeth Charles – Dawn (Ropeadope)
Ft. Linda May Han Oh, Savannah Harris, .. - Jacob Collier – The Light For Days (Decca)
- Michael Bublé – It’s Time (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [Reprise]
- Deborah Shulman – We Had A Moment (Summit)
- Angelina Jordan – Secret Of The Soul
- Boz Scaggs – Detour (Concord)
- KEIKO LEE – KEIKO LEE sings Super Standards 3 (Sony)
- Marion Rampal – Song for Abbey (Tribute to Abbey Lindoln)
Ft. Bill Frisell, Archie Shepp, .. - Camille Bertault – Voz e Vocês (Sunnyside)
TRUMPETERS
- Jason Palmer, Kevin Harris – Shorter Songs (SteepleChase)
- Laura Jurd – Rites & Revelations (New Soil)
- David Sneider – Introducing (Cellar Live)
- Humberto Ramirez – Catalino: Canciones De Tite Curet Alonso
- Theo Croker & Sullivan Fortner – PLAY (ACT)
- Peter Evans, Being & Becoming – Ars ludicra
Ft. Joel Ross, Nick Jozwiak, Michael Shekwoaga Ode - Peter Evans & Mike Pride – A Window, Basically (Relative Pitch)
- The Dam Jawn, Jeremy Pelt – Triphasic (Dox)
- Nicolas Gardel – Mano Figa
SAXOPHONISTS, CLARINETISTS, FLUTISTS
- Gilad Atzmon, Daniel Bulatkin, Taras Volos & Dušan Černák – Praying for More Songs to Come
- Charles Lloyd – Figure In Blue (Blue Note)
- Danny Janklow – Balance//Eternal Realm
- Louis Sclavis – India
- John O’Gallagher – ANCESTRAL (Whirlwind)
Ft. Ben Monder, Andrew Cyrille, Billy Hart - Roxy Coss – We’ll Be Together Again
- Sadao Watanabe – HOPE FOR TOMORROW
- Steve Dyer – Multipolar (Ropeadope)
- Rich Perry – Dream (SteepleChase)
Ft. Gary Versace, Jay Anderson, John Riley - Ivo Perelman & Nate Wooley – Polarity 4
- Dave McMurray – I LOVE LIFE even when I’m hurting (Blue Note)
- Tineke Postma – Voya
- Jane Ira Bloom & Brian Shankar Adler – once like a spark (Adhyâropa)
- Jure Pukl, John Escreet, Joe Sanders, Christian Lillinger – Analog AI
- Sam Dillon, Andrew Gould – Trade Off
- Martin Diaz – El Goce
- Markus Holkko Quartet – Live in Kallio (Jazzagression)
- Rick Keller – Heroes
- Alison Shearer – In The Garden
- Noah Preminger – Dark Days (Criss Cross)
TROBONISTS, TUBISTS
- Kalia Vandever – Another View (Northern Spy)
Ft. Mary Halvorson, .. - Marleen Dahms – ALLOY Running And Belonging (XJAZZ!)
GUITARISTS, Mandolinists , Oudists
- Ian Coury, Isaac Eicher – Vivendo e Aprendendo (Adhyâropa)
- Joel Harrison – The Wheel (Deluxe Edition)
Ft. David Binney, Ralph Alessi, Dan Weiss,.. - For Living Lovers – Natural Name (Sunnyside)
Ft. Brandon Ross, Stomu Takeishi - Dhafer Youssef – Shiraz (ACT)
- Mark Lettieri & WDR Big Band – Mark Lettieri Group Meets WDR Big Band at Studio 4
- Anthony Wilson Nonet – House of the Singing Blossoms
Ft. CJ Camerieri, Alan Ferber, Nicole McCabe, Bob Reynolds, Henry Solomon, Gerald Clayton, Anna Butterss, Mark Ferber
PIANISTS, KEYBOARDISTS
- Hiromi – Electrifying Piano (UMG)
Ft. Anthony Jackson, Simon Phillips - André Manoukian – La Sultane
- Andile Yenana – Way Out Is In
- Bob James & Dave Koz – Just Us
- Aaron Parks – By All Means (Blue Note)
Ft. Ben Solomon, Ben Street, Billy Hart - Kenny Barron – Songbook
Ft. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kurt Elling, Catherine Russell, .. - Omar Sosa – SENDAS
- Iiro Rantala, Kaisa Mäensivu, Morten Lund – Trinity (ACT)
- Russ Lossing – Proximity Alert (with Mark Helias & Eric McPherson)
- Sam Yahel – Quiet Flow (La Reserve)
Ft. Larry Grenadier, Brian Blade - Enrico Pieranunzi, Hein Van de Geyn, André Ceccarelli – A Sunday in Paris (Live at the Sunside)
- Luca Colussi – Sometime Ago
- Mark Pringle – New Customers (Boomslang)
- Noé Sécula, Jorge Rossy – A Sphere Between Other Obsessions (Fresh Sound New Talent)
- Sylvie Courvoisier & Wadada Leo Smith – Angel Falls (Intakt)
- Usein Bekirov – FREE WAY DELUXE
Ft. Bill Evans, Frank Gambale, Hadrien Feraud or Michael League, Dennis Chambers
BASSISTS
- Dayna Stephens – Monk’D
Ft. Stephen Riley, Ethan Iverson, Eric McPhearson - Omer Avital – New York Now & Then
- Petter Eldh – Projekt Drums Vol. 2 (Edition)
Ft. James Maddren, Savannah Harris, and Richard Spaven - Thomas Morgan – Around You Is A Forest (Loveland)
Ft. Dan Weiss, Craig Taborn, Gerald Cleaver, Henry Threadgill, Ambrose Akinmusire, Immanuel Wilkins, Gary Snyder, Bill Frisell - Henri Texier – Healing Songs (Label Bleu)
- Jakob Dreyer – Roots And Things (Fresh Sound New Talent)
Ft. , Tivon Pennicott, Sasha Berliner, Kenneth Salters - Aretha Tillotson – Kinda Out West
- Kelsey Mines & Vinny Golia – Collusion and Collaboration (Relative Pitch)
- Anne Mette Iversen – Marbles
DRUMMERS, PERCUSSIONISTS
- Mike Clark – Itai Doshin (Blue Hive)
Ft. Eddie Henderson, Craig Handy, Patrice Rushen, Henry “The Skipper” Franklin - Juan Chiavassa – Fourth Generation (Whirlwind)
Ft. Leo Genovese, George Garzone, John Patitucci, Mike Stern, Pedrito Martinez - Chad Taylor Quintet – Smoke Shifter
- Billy Hart – Multidirectional (Smoke Sessions)
Ft. Mark Turner, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street - Al Foster – Live at Smoke (Smoke Sessions)
Ft. Chris Potter, Brad Mehldau, Joe Martin - Makaya McCraven – Universal Beings (IA11 Edition) [International Anthem]
- Makaya McCraven – The People’s Mixtape (International Anthem)
- Raphaël Pannier Quartet – Live in Saint Louis, Senegal
Ft. Yosvany Terry, Thomas Enhco, Francois Moutin, .. - Brandon Sanders – Lasting Impression (Savant)
Ft. Jazzmeia Horn, Eric Scott Reed, Stacy Dillard, Warren Wolf, Eric Wheeler, .. - Ra Kalam Bob Moses, Franklin Kiermyer – Radiant Sky Drumming
VIBRAFONISTS
- Patricia Brennan – Of the Near and Far (Pyroclastic)
Ft. Sylvie Courvoisier, John Hollenbeck, . - Jānis Fedotovs – Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (Jazz Family)
- Joe Locke, Phil Markowitz – Smoke and Mirrors
- Mark Sherman – Mark Sherman Bop Contest
Ft. Donald Vega, Ron Carter, Carl Allen, Joe Magnarelli - Eldad Tarmu – Silver on Aluminum
- Lenni Torgue – Jeux de mains (Jazz family)
- Bill Ware and the Club Bird All Stars – Martian Sunset (Sunnyside)
Ft. Rez Abbasi, ..
ACCORDEONISTS, HARMONICISTS, ..
- João Barradas – Aperture
Ft. David Binney, ..
HARPISTS
- Zeena Parkins & Cecilia Lopez – Redshifts (Relative Pitch)
- Harper Trio – Dialogue of Thoughts
Ft. Maria-Christina Harper, Josephine Davies, Evan Jenkins
VIOLISTS, VIOLONISTS, CELLISTS
- Vincent Courtois, Daniel Erdmann, Robin Fincker – Lines For Lions
- Goeyvaerts String Trio, Robin Verheyen & Robyn Schulkowsky – Jakob’s Mirror (Challenge)
GROUPS
- Jakob Bro, Wadada Leo Smith & Marcus Gilmore – Murasaki
- La Marmite Infernale – Or Mathilde (Arfi)
- Henrique Mota, Iury batista & Igor Willcox – Connections
(Ft. Tony Lacatos, David Binney, Seamus Blake, Bob Mintzer, .. - John Zorn, Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith – Nocturnes (Tzadik)
- KINORA 6tet – Eggshell – End of Time (XJAZZ!)
- María Valencia, Matt Moran, Brandon Lopez – Tarabita Espiral (Relative Pitch)
- Bam & Craig Handy – First Encounter
- Laurent Coulondre, Arnaud Dolmen, Grégory Privat – The Getdown
- Alchemical Theatre – Alchemical Theatre (Tzadik)
Ft. Jim Staley, Ikue Mori, John Zorn - Saha Gnawa – Saha Gnawa
Ft. Maâlem Hassan Ben Jaafar, Daniel Freedman, Jason Lindner, Gilad Hekselman, Nels Cline, Donny McCaslin, .. - SML – How You Been
Ft. Anna Butterss, .. - Satoko Fujii GEN – Altitude 1100 Meters
- Out Of/Into – Motion II (Blue Note)
Gerald Clayton, Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott & Matt Brewer - The Easy Rollers – …And Another Thing
- The Mocking Stars – lausse the cat
- Ruby Rushton – Legacy!
Tenderlonious, Aidan Shepherd, Nick Walters, Tim Carnegie - Ulysse Loup – 0°W
BIG BANDS, ORCHESTRAS, ENSEMBLES
- Bohuslän Big Band – Shades of Gil Evans (Prophone)
- Rin Seo – City Suite (Cellar Live)
Ft. Ingrid Jensen, Steve Wilson, .. - New Cool Collective – On Tour (Live) [Dox]
- Lana Janjanin, Miljenko Prohaska & Prohaska Big Band – Prohaska 100 – Live @ Lisinski Hall
- Italian Instabile Orchestra – Plays Ellington (Live)
- Snarky Puppy, Metropole Orkest & Jules Buckley – Somni (GroundUP)
- WDR Big Band – Big Band Bass
- Kahil El’Zabar, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – Let the Spirit Out (Live at “mu”)
- Maria Baptist – The Bright and the Dark (Vol. 1, 2)
- Florian Ross & WDR Big Band – Plans & Drawers
- Big Band RTV Slovenija – 80
- SFJAZZ Collective – COLLECTIVE IMAGERY
Chris Potter, David Sanchez, Mike Rodriguez, Warren Wolf, Edward Simon, Matt Brewer, Kendrick Scott - David Caffey Jazz Orchestra – At the Edge of Spring
BEATS, DJs & PRODUCERS, GROOVES & MOODS, SOUNDTRACKS ..
- Yazmin Lacey – Teal Dreams
- Antibalas – Hourglass
- Makaya McCraven – PopUp Shop (XL)
- Makaya McCraven – Hidden Out! (XL)
- Makaya McCraven – Techno Logic (XL)
- The Necks – Disquiet (Northern Spy)
- JG Thirlwell – Music of The Venture Bros Volume Three
- Sunborn, Clap! Clap! – Earth Is Begging
- Radjha Ally – Niinee
- Omasta – Jazz Report from the Hood
- The Cavemen. – Cavy In The City (RCA)
- Zal Sissokho, Laurent Perrault-Jolicoeur – Racines
- Madala Kunene, Sibusile Xaba – kwaNTU (New Soil)
- MANHATTANZ – No Turn on Red
- New Cool Collective – On Tour (Dox)
- Adam Meckler – Sampled (Ropeadope)
- Maison Jaxx, Soulstance and Lo Greco Bros – Afro Mambo
- GODTET & The Sydney Symphony Orchestra – + The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (Live)
- Armand Hammer, The Alchemist, Billy Woods, E L U C I D – Mercy
- Yazz Ahmed – A Paradise In The Hold (Remixed)
- Susana Baca – Live at WOMAD 2023 (Real World)
- Adrian Sherwood, African Head Charge, Speakers Corner Quartet – Barbican Heights
- INCOGNITO – Music. Magic. Ironic.
- Move 78 – In The Age Of Data
- Summer Pearl – THE INTERLUDE
- Summers Sons – Dare To Wonder
- Matt Wilde – Find a Way
- Sunborn, Clap! Clap! – Earth Is Begging
- keiyaA – hooke’s law (XL)
Feat. GREEK ARTISTS
- David Lynch – Traveling Light
- Mob – II
(Marios Valinakis, Alexandros Delis, Panagiotis Kostopoulos) - Yiannis Mitsios Quintet – Passage
- Yako Trio – Woven
Ft. Harris Lambrakis, James Wylie - Yiorgos Pantazopoulos – Some Things I’ve Never Told You (Puzzlemusik)
- Potamos – POTAMOS
(Harris Lambrakis, Gilad Atzmon, Vironas Ntolas, Xrisostomos Boukalis, Nikos Sidirokastritis) - James Wylie – TO OUR LAND
Ft. Thodoris Kotsifas, Vangelis Vrachnos, Giorgos Klountzos-Chrysidis - Stavros Lantsias – Waving Hands
- Sokratis Sinopoulos, Yann Keerim – Topos (ECM)
- BALKAN SURPRISE – Balkan Surprise
(Mihail Yossifov, Antonis Andreou, Vasil Spassov, Alexandros Drakos Ktistakis, Atanas Popov) - George Kontomichalis – First Flight | Jazz Thing Next Generation Vol. 110 (Double Moon)
- Kostas Patsiotis – Childhood Heroes
- Dimitris Kalantzis – Master’s Voice: Jazz Tribute To Vassilis Tsitsanis