My Favorite "Straight-Ahead" Jazz Albums of 2023
Part 1: My Top 10 "Straight-Ahead" Jazz Albums of 2023
I put “jazz” in parentheses; cause “jazz” can be such a loaded term. There’s often much debate about what is jazz and what isn’t jazz. I think even the term itself can bring up so many different images for different people. For me though, I don’t think of La La Land or a smokey jazz club where people are dressed in suits and dresses. I think of the raw cutting edge energy of improvisational adventurous music that is both spontaneous and intentional. But with that said, I’ll do three Top 10 lists. The first will be my Top 10 2023 Jazz albums that are more straight-ahead jazz. Perhaps easier to approach. Although I have pretty adventurous tastes; so even my straight-ahead jazz picks are exciting and eclectic. Next I’ll do a post of my Top 10 2023 albums that push the boundaries of Jazz as a genre. Then i’ll do a post of my Top 10 2023 weirdo, freak-out, free-jazz/avant-garde albums for the adventurous listener that is open to being challenged a bit ;)
Without further ado…
Side note: Click on the album title to be linked directly to the album on Spotify.
My Top 10 “straight-ahead” Jazz albums of 2023:
Yussef Dayes - Black Classical Music
Interesting choice for my first pick of “straight-ahead” jazz to be this album lol; It’s an incredibly eclectic album. The London jazz scene has been FANTASTIC the last few years. This a product of that. Great album! Read the full Triblezine review HERE
Ambrose Akinmusire - Owl Song & Beauty is Enough
Ok, I’m cheating here lol. Ambrose released two albums in 2023, and both are FANTASTIC! I don’t know which I like better. It’s actually impossible to choose. So I chose both lol. I saw Ambrose live a few years ago, and was immediately taken. Fantastic trumpet player! Maybe my favorite contemporary trumpet player. I love the muted tones he gets out of his trumpet. These two albums are stunningly beautiful and contemplative. Listen to both PLEASE. Read full review for Owl Song HERE and full review for Beauty is Enough HERE
Alto Saxophonist & Composer with a socio-political album themed on positive woman power. The first track even has the iconic Angela Davis doing a spoken word piece. Really enjoying this one. Read full Downbeat review HERE
Both lush and energetic; a tribute dedicated to his father’s memory. Blake has played drums with everyone from jazz legends like Lonnie Smith, to A Tribe Called Quest’s frontman Q-Tip. This album also features an alto saxophonist whom I love, and is probably considered one of the best contemporary alto sax players; Immanuel Wilkins. Read the full Jazzwise review HERE
Some great straight-ahead Jazz right here! Read the full Jazzwise review HERE
Walter Smith III - Return to Casual
Another fantastic straight-ahead Jazz album. Walter Smith III also plays on the Kendrick Scott Corridors record. And another from this list Ambrose Akinmusire; plays trumpet on this record. Read the full AllAbutJazz review HERE
Cécile McLorin Salvant - Mélusine
Beautiful vocal jazz album; performed mostly in French. Lovely record. Read the full AllAboutJazz review HERE
James Brandon Lewis - Eye Of I
A really fantastic release!! This definitely can reach free-jazz territory with the fierceness of when they improvise; but also can be really straight-ahead when it comes to just composition. I really didn’t see any album reviews to link here. But trust me; great album!
New Zealand spiritual jazz collective with a beautiful debut release. I really enjoyed this one! Read the full review HERE
Isaiah J. Thompson - The Power Of The Spirit
Recorded live in NYC at Lincoln Center's Dizzy’s Club. FANTASTIC!! FANTASTIC!! FANTASTIC!! You’ll feel the energy! Read the full AllAboutJazz review HERE
Enjoy these albums. And stay tuned. Up next will be my Top 10 “jazz” albums that push the boundaries of the genre, followed by my Top 10 avant-garde experimental jazz albums of 2023 (for the more adventurous listener).