SFJAZZ STAFF’S TOP ALBUMS FOR 2015

December 15, 2015 | by Ross Eustis

It's never an easy task to refine your "best of" list at the year's end. Fortunately, we work in an environment full of music-heads. So for 2015, we asked SFJAZZ Staff to send in their favorite records of the year – from artists who've performed at the Center, to international groups we admire from afar, to Bay Area artists we feel a personal connection to, and even a few non-jazz releases that hooked us immediately.

So without further ado, here are SFJAZZ's Staff Picks! (You can tap the albums, or titles to listen.)

JAZZ RELEASES

Kamasi Washington, The Epic

 

 

 

Makaya McCraven, In The Moment

 

 

Charles Lloyd, Wild Man Dance

 

The Bad Plus Joshua Redman, The Bad Plus Joshua Redman

 

Dave Douglas, HIGH RISK

 

Cecile Mclorin Salvant, For One To Love

 

Christian Scott, Stretch Music

 

The Dining Rooms, Do Hipsters Love Sun (Ra)?

 

Vijay Iyer Trio, Break Stuff

 

Chris Potter Underground Orchestra, Imaginary Cities

 

Jack DeJohnette, Made In Chicago

 

José James, Yesterday I Had the Blues

 

Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective, Breathless

 

Mary Halvorson, Meltframe

 

Mars Is a Very Bad Place for Love, The Breathing Effect

 

Nels Cline & Julian Lage, Room

 

Perez, Patitucci and Blade, Children of the Light

 

Antonio Sanchez Migration, Meridian Suite

 

 

Bay Area Releases

Tiffany Austin, Nothing But Soul

 

Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Intercambio

 

Kim Nalley, Blues People

 

John Schott / Actual Trio, Tzadik

 

Zakir Hussain, Distant Kin

 

 

Non-Jazz Releases

Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

 

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment, Surf

 

Jonny Greenwood, Shye Ben Tzur and The Rajasthan Express, Junun

 

DJ Spooky and Kronos Quartet, Rebirth of a Nation

 

BadBadNotGood, Velvet b/w Boogie No. 69

 

 

SFJAZZ STAFF