Best Jazz Albums of 2022

Let's take a look at our favorite Jazz albums of 2022.

Let's make sure we're all on the same page before you start scrolling down the list of the best Jazz albums of 2022, in no particular order and most likely without reading any of the words affixed to many of them:

This is our list, not yours. We don't expect or want you to agree with every album choice. We want you to listen to a few fantastic albums you may have missed over the last year.

Enjoy the show!

Cécile McLorin Salvant — Ghost Song

Cécile McLorin Salvant, on her new album for Nonesuch Records, continues to experiment with her style beyond the straight-ahead jazz that has garnered her acclaim. Salvant is often compared to Ella Fitzgerald for her interpretation of songbook classics and French chanson. Still, she has also established herself as a capable and nuanced composer in her own right. She puts it all on Ghost Song, incorporating more modern cover songs and other folk traditions she hadn't delved into before. The album has a highly personal vibe, similar to her previous work since it was released after the deaths of her grandmother and longtime drummer Lawrence Leathers, who was slain in a terrible domestic conflict in 2019. Ghost Song is permeated with a sensation of loss, yet Salvant also discovers new and profound ways to communicate her anguish. — Brandon O’Sullivan

Standout Selections: Withering Heights / Ghost Song / Thunderclouds

High Pulp — Pursuit of Ends

High Pulp, based out of Seattle, is an instrumental collective with a sound that blurs the lines between avant-garde jazz, psychedelic post-rock, and experimental electronic music. This dynamic blend made its 2020 debut, Bad Juice, such a pleasant surprise to the ears, and it's something they build upon on 2022's similarly expansive Pursuit of Ends. Once again, the group's sound is primarily due to the drumming and bandleading of Bobby Granfelt. His longstanding bandmates Rob Homan and Antoine Martel on keyboards, Scott Rixon on guitar, Andrew Morrill on sax, and Victory Nguyen on saxophone also contribute here. In concert, they use a textured, profoundly analog groove aesthetic that recalls a broad range of musical traditions, from Sun Ra's space jazz to Aphex Twin's cutting-edge electronic dance music to Miles Davis' acid-soaked jazz fusion from the early '70s. — Reginald Marcel

Standout Selections: All Roads / Blaming Mercury / You’ve Got to Pull It Up from the Ground

Joel Ross — The Parable of the Poet

Parable of the Poet, Joel Ross's third album for Blue Note, continues to provide insight into his subtle, high-brow post-bop universe. A live performance is the best way to describe the project's raw and evocative vibe. The seven songs in Parable of the Poet technically form an album-long suite based on the idea of a church service. Ross' octet features Immanuel Wilkins (alto saxophone), Maria Grand (tenor saxophone), Marquis Hill (trumpet), Kalia Vandever (trombone), Sean Mason (piano), Rick Rosato (bass), and Craig Weinrib (drums). Ross works in a very organic and improvised fashion, giving his songs room to develop and grow as his band influences them. Ross then guides his band through a gloomy, ominous tone cloud, during which they all appear to be wailing in unison because of the world's suffering. — Philemon Hayes

Standout Selections: Prayer / Wail / Doxology (Hope)

Brandon Coleman — Interstellar Black Space

Brandon Coleman envisioned this sequel to Resistance as the musical accompaniment of a space expedition "looking for a rare, valuable metal that we need to bring back to Earth." There is little feeling of violence in Interstellar Black Space other than a passing reference to an unnamed battle, and the quantity of love songs much outweighs the number of appeals for togetherness. Even though this was also influenced by jazz fusion from before Coleman was born—specifically, Herbie Hancock's vocoder-era work and George Duke's work from the mid-to-late-‘70s—there is a much greater emphasis on classic R&B, straight-up funk, and firebolt fusion, with echoes of artists like Stevie Wonder, Philly soul, the Time, and Return to Forever. Besides the album's name and a few song names, the science fiction references are minimal. Coleman wanted Interstellar Black Space to sound more organic than his previous LP, and he accomplishes this goal most noticeably with two mostly acoustic and fully energized pieces with Keyon Harrold (trumpet), Ben Williams (upright bass), and Marcus Gilmore (drums), further reminding listeners that he doesn't need electricity to dazzle. They are not just additions or distractions but rather an inherent part of the whole, on par with the tracks that have programmed drums that hit, synthesizers that burble and flutter, and voices that are heavy on effects. — Brandon O’Sullivan

Standout Selections: Blast Off / Just Stay / Be With Me

Shabaka — Afrikan Culture

Despite being hailed as the "young forefather" of a new generation of British jazz artists, Shabaka Hutchings has only just released an album under his name, as opposed to the aliases of the groups he leads and composes for, such as Sons of Kemet. On his solo album, Afrikan Culture, Shabaka performed on every instrument and wrote every song. Shabaka has only collaborated with one other musician, producer, and mix engineer Dilip Harris, who has worked with him on several occasions and helped him achieve a multi-layered sound with his unusual acoustic instruments. Afrikan Culture's overall sound differs from his earlier efforts, yet it is still easily identifiable as a Shabaka album. There's something unique about Shabaka's choice of instruments throughout this album. The mbira and kora of Africa have company in the music box and the shakuhachi of Japan. Due to its brief length (under 30 minutes), this eight-song collection is classified as an extended play rather than an album. Still, dismissing Afrikan Culture as a digression in Shabaka's career would be a mistake. Shabaka has accomplished a great deal by creating an album that is both cohesive and unique via the use of several layers of his playing. — Harry Percy Brown

Standout Selections: Black meditation / Call it a European paradox / Rebirth

Brian Jackson — This Is Brian Jackson

Music historians will forever remember composer and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jackson for the nine albums he recorded with Gil Scott-Heron as his creative collaborator, musical director, and sound architect between 1971 and 1980. Afterward, he collaborated with artists such as Bobbi Humphrey, Kool & the Gang, Phyllis Hyman, Will Downing, Gwen Guthrie, and Roy Ayers. The album, This Is Brian Jackson is a heartfelt continuation of Gotta Play and a natural progression of Jackson's career. None of the songs here have been released before, although not everything here is brand new. Two songs were recorded with Malcolm Cecil in the early '80s, while the rest were taken from demos made in 1976. They also contributed to a lost film soundtrack. All have been reconceived, reworked, and re-recorded. Binky Brice on guitar, Moussa Fadera on drums, Juliet Swango, and Monika Heideman on vocals are only a few of his partners. In its eight tracks, the album highlights Jackson's vast talents as a musician, including his ability to compose inventively, write socially aware lyrics, and generously arrange the music. Timelessness, generosity, inspiration, and openness are at the core of his music, which reflects his multi-genre immersion in jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop in a musical collage that transcends genre. — Nehemiah Dawson, Jr.

Standout Selections: All Talk / Mami Wata / Little Orphan Boy

Nduduzo Makhathini — In the Spirit of NTU

Even while South Africa's jazz culture doesn't receive nearly as much recognition as London's, it's just as diverse, inventive, and original. Nduduzo Makhathini, pianist and composer, is a significant figure in the South African jazz scene. This album, In the Spirit of NTU, is the first on Blue Note Africa and his tenth overall. In addition to saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock, vibraphonist Dylan Tabisher, bassist Stephen de Souza, percussionist Gontse Makhene, and drummer Dane Paris, the pianist is backed by some of South Africa's finest performers. American alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and singers Anna Widauer and Omagugu Makhathini are among his special guests. Makhathini distills the abstract, sometimes arcane intellectual and spiritual ideas from his previous work into these ten pieces. An ancient idea concerning interconnectedness and collectivity, the NTU draws on Zulu and precolonial traditions and a diverse range of cosmological and philosophical curiosity. — LeMarcus Dontrell

Standout Selections: Mama / Emlilweni / Re-Amathambo

Lettuce — Unify

The Boston funk band Lettuce is well-known for its electrifying shows around the country. The band is notable for headlining summer music festivals, but their studio albums stand out among their contemporaries for their lasting impact. With 16 songs and 70 minutes of music, the band's ninth album, Unify, perfectly embodies that spirit. This primarily instrumental album is ideal for playing in the background to maintain your body and mind in constant motion. The band has been together for almost 30 years, having first met at Berklee College of Music. The best tracks on Unify, though, are the ones that send these trained space explorers hurtling through the cosmos, leading daring expeditions into exciting new realms of instrumental hip-hop and psychedelic soundscapes. It's unusual for a band to keep pushing themselves creatively far into their career. Most well-established groups take it easy and rest on their laurels (if not their credibility).

Standout Selections: Keep That Funk Alive / Gravy Train / Insta-Classic

Julius Rodriguez — Let Sound Tell All

Pianist Julius Rodriguez is a natural cross-genre phenomenon, a talented improviser and composer at home in jazz and gospel, funk, and hip-hop contexts. His 2022 debut for Verve, Let Sound Tell All, is a spectacular realization of the profound stylistic inspiration he brings to it. Rodriguez combines traditional live jazz with innovative studio production, giving the project a postmodern vibe and a pleasant sound. It begins with Rodriguez and his trio, consisting of bassist Philip Norris and drummer Joe Saylor, performing a hard-swinging blues in the McCoy Tyner tradition before an applauding audience at what may be an outdoor festival, before transitioning EDM-style into what is a recorded in-studio performance. Throughout the album, Rodriguez experiments with various mind-bending studio conceits, giving listeners a feast for the ears by reframing his exploratory jazz in new ways. Let Sound Tell All is Rodriguez's album that expertly combines raw, live jazz with polished studio production. — Philemon Hayes

Standout Selections: Gift of the Moon / Two Way Street / Elegy (For Cam)

Theo Croker — LOVE QUANTUM

At one point in the first track of LOVE QUANTUM, trumpeter Theo Croker declares, "Long live music, jazz is dead." The proclamation is delivered through "JAZZ IS DEAD," a hazy psychedelic hymn that features a cameo from saxophonist Gary Bartz, a veteran of Miles Davis' 1970s fusion ensemble whose participation serves to highlight Croker's open-minded style. Croker, the grandson of the renowned jazz trumpeter Doc Cheatham, has carved himself a successful career thanks to his command of the post-bop jazz lineage and his skillful blending of mystic groove-based jazz, funk, electronica, and hip-hop. Croker constructs dazzling, dewy soundscapes that straddle the border between spiritual funk, electronic R&B, and space jazz; LOVE QUANTUM is the next iteration in that vision. Croker's warm, sometimes muted trumpet tone has long been reminiscent of Miles Davis's playing. His attitude to LOVE QUANTUM echoes Davis's as a bandleader in that he knows when to step into the limelight and when to step back and allow his band takes center stage. Throughout LOVE QUANTUM, Croker highlights longtime collaborators like drummer Kassa Overall and Quantum by bringing on a slew of guest artists to help illuminate his interstellar vibe. These artists include James Tillman, Teedra Moses, Jill Scott, Jamila Woods, Ego Ella May, and Wyclef. With LOVE QUANTUM, Croker continues to embrace the expansive purity of his creative self while pushing his sound well beyond the limitations of jazz traditionalism. — Brandon O’Sullivan

Standout Selections: JAZZ IS DEAD / ROYAL CONVERSATION / SOMETHIN’

Moor Mother — Jazz Codes

Jazz Codes, Moor Mother's second album for Anti, is a companion to her 2021 album Black Encyclopedia of the Air, which was more approachable than her previous works but still boldly experimental. Jazz Codes was inspired by a collection of poetry about pioneers of the blues and jazz. Camae Ayewa, who often works with Olof Melander, requested that he send over some jazz loops to play as she read the poetry. The Swedish producer contributed extensively, and while Ayewa worked on the compositions, the project blossomed into its character. Jazz Codes is one of Ayewa's most ambitious efforts, with almost double the length of her previous effort and a broader diversity of guests than ever before. Her songs pay tribute to the lasting contributions of seminal figures in the canon of Black revolutionary music while looking forward. — Brandon O’Sullivan

Standout Selections: GOLDEN LADY / ODE TO MARY / ARMS SAVE / BARELY WOKE

Ronnie Foster — Reboot

Before focusing on a successful, multi-decade session and production career, organist Ronnie Foster released several funky soul jazz recordings for Blue Note in the '70s. Foster's first solo album in almost 30 years was released in 2022 on the legendary label. Foster's original albums, especially 1973's The Two-Headed Freap, influenced the work of crate-digging hip-hop and acid jazz artists. One such group was A Tribe Called Quest, who sampled Foster's ethereal jam Mystic Brew for their hit Electric Relaxation from their classic 1993 album Midnight Marauders. Foster channels a lot of that feeling back into the tracks on Reboot, which are catchy and groove-based updates on his '70s funk and R&B sound. His trio partners, guitarist Michael O'Neill and his son, drummer Chris Foster, contribute to the band's genuine sound. Lenny Castro on conga, Luis Conte on percussion, and Jim Branly on drums contribute significantly. O'Neill is a clever pick as Foster's primary musical compliment; his playing evokes performers like John Scofield and Pat Martino with its combination of bluesy riffage and a wiry, fusion-esque sense of harmony. Foster has returned to his roots with Reboot, an album of smooth, layered electro-jazz full of addictive, bobbing vibes. — Reginald Marcel

Standout Selections: Reboot / J’s Dream / Isn’t She Lovely

DOMi & JD BECK — NOT TiGHT

Everyone following the modern jazz scene in the last few years has seen videos of Domi Degalle and JD Beck performing. Whether it was Degalle on keyboards and bass and Beck on drums backing Thundercat and Ariana Grande for a cover of Them Changes or the two of them covering Madvillainy songs, their incredibly impressive chops and ear on the pulse of hip-hop and electronic sounds that people love most shone through. APESHIT, Paak's own Blue Note label, is an effort to capture the band's adventurous, technically challenging playing styles in a studio-ready album format. Degalle and Beck have what it takes to go even farther when working together. It's usually enjoyable to listen to, simple to relate to, and full of unexpected twists and turns that keep you interested even when the story becomes mushy. While it may need a little more edge to take off, there's no doubting what an exciting beginning this is for the duo, establishing their unique style and providing undeniable evidence that their music will never grow stale. The heart of NOT TiGHT is two friends doing what they love together: producing music. That love shines through on every track, no matter how exciting or mundane the situation may be. — Harry Percy Brown

Standout Selections: DUKE / TAKE A CHANCE / PiLOT

Kokoroko — Could We Be More

Brownswood published We Out Here, an essential survey of 21st-century London jazz, in 2018. Its unexpected smash was the album's closer, Abusey Junction, by the octet Kokoroko. The song fused modern jazz with R&B, West African highlife, and Afrobeat. In 2019, they released a self-titled EP that went on to amass over 68 million streams on streaming platforms. After four years in the making, they finally released their first album, Could We Be More. The octet has Sheila Maurice-Grey (trumpet), Cassie Kinoshi (saxophone), Richie Seivright (trombone), Yohan Kebede (keyboard), Tobi Adenaike-Johnson (guitar), Duane Atherley (bass), and Ayo Salawu (drums). Jazz, juju, soul, and funk are just some genres combined with Yoruban, Caribbean, and Latin sounds over these 15 songs. As a result, Kokoroko's Could We Be More is an approachable, eclectic collection that reflects the band's members' upbringing. It is a unique blend of these worldwide roots and traditions and trendy urban sounds that manages to be both modern and enduring. This album is one of those rare gems that comes around once in a lifetime and is well worth the wait. — Reginald Marcel

Standout Selections: Tojo / We Give Thanks / Something’s Going On

Samara Joy — Linger Awhile

Samara Joy's smooth voice glides effortlessly over the smooth rhythms of whatever song she performs, evoking the greats of yesteryear while developing her unique sound. It's no surprise that at the tender age of 20, she won this 2019's prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Her debut on Verve, the beautiful Linger Awhile, should promote her to a larger audience than just jazz enthusiasts. You'll hear familiar songs with newer compositions that take jazz improvisation in a different direction by including vocals. Samara Joy is surrounded by a fantastic band that provides for guitarist Pasquale Grasso, drummer Kenny Washington, bassist David Wong, and pianist Ben Paterson. The gap between the notes is one of my favorite aspects of the record, with the music's elegant jazz swing. Sometimes today's songs are written with listeners' attention spans in mind, what with reduced solos and instrumental breaks. However, chords linger in the air here like a delicate mist.

To sum up, Joy is an album that features reworked and maybe new classics sung by a powerful and gifted performer. It's vital to get the word out that Joy is a major player in the jazz world. Samara Joy is just 22; therefore, she has a long, prosperous future ahead of her. Her admirers can anticipate nothing less than more excellence from her. — Philemon Hayes

Standout Selections: Can’t Get Out of This Mood / Guess Who I Saw Today / I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You)

Makaya McCraven — In These Times

One of jazz's most impressive qualities as a musical discipline is its capacity to incorporate and evolve with various other musical sounds, methods, and genres. Makaya McCraven's In These Times is a great new installment in this development; he plays drums, percussion, and mixes. To fulfill his inner muse, he samples, splices, and sequences live performances from a carefully selected ensemble, fusing organic and synthetic elements into cohesive works. Since McCraven dropped In the Moment in 2015, he's been working on In These Times. In 2018, Universal Beings and its successors were released; in 2020, Gil Scott-Heron reworked We're New Again; in 2021, Deciphering the Message used a mixing console and a band to delve into Blue Note's back catalog. McCraven spent much time at home in post-production, piecing together recordings from more than a dozen musicians recorded in as many different studios and as many live performances. Due to the album's lengthy development, In These Times has various sounds, textures, and genres. This latest album is a maze of jazz that rewards repeated listens with new and unexpected discoveries. — Brandon O’Sullivan

Standout Selections: In These Times / The Fours / So Ubuji / The Title

The Comet Is Coming — Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam

The Comet Is Coming is Shabaka Hutchings' major endeavor, given the disintegration of Sons of Kemet and the far-too-infrequent recordings by Shabaka and the Ancestors. Dan Leavers, a synthesist and electronicist, and Maxwell Hallett, a drummer, have been working together on this futurist electro-jazz group while in school at the Guildhall of Music and Drama. Their sound is a dark, apocalyptic take on the future of humankind, delivering criticism of culture and technology via the medium of music. As soon as they could leave their quarantine in early 2021, the band and their longtime sound engineer Kristian Craig Robinson headed straight for Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios to record their next album. They spent four days of recording time to capture their collective improvised performances.

Incomplete paperwork was left behind when they departed. Careful sampling and months of reworking by Leavers and Hallett followed. This product was put together after Hutchings carefully read it, and suggestions were included. Of these 11 tunes, nine are under four minutes long. Since many house albums depended on jazz harmony and scale books, it's not surprising that they mainly juxtapose raw power, a mid-aughts EDM sensibility. Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam isn't going to win over jazz purists. It will appeal to those who like the hybrid jazz scene in England and attract many new listeners worldwide who are drawn in by its apocalyptic intensity, inventive rhythms, and wild abundance. — Jamila Wamuiru

Standout Selections: LUCID DREAMER / FREQUENCY OF FEELING EXPANSION / ANGEL OF DARKNESS

Adam Blackstone — Legacy

Adam Blackstone is the musical genius behind the live performances of many of today's most prominent musicians. He is also a bass player, musician, Emmy-nominated music director, and Grammy-winning composer. To name just a few of the honors he's received for his efforts, he was nominated for two Primetime Emmys for his work as musical director for the 2018 and 2020 Super Bowl halftime shows, respectively, both of which included Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, and Shakira. There are guest appearances by Jazmine Sullivan, Leslie Odom Jr., Jill Scott, Mary Mary, and Kirk Franklin on Adam's debut album. We knew we were in for a treat when the first single, a rendition of ‘Round Midnight, included Jazmine Sullivan, and the album's subsequent tracks did not disappoint. Simone Boseman added poignant vocals to the Chadwick Boseman memorial single (I'll Be Seeing You). The album has many other standout tracks, including Brother J with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the album's title track featuring Da T.R.U.T.H. and Jill Scott. Do yourself a favor and listen to this album right now. — Murffey Zavier

Standout Selections: Biggest, Greatest Thing / ‘Round Midnight / I’ll Be Seeing You (Tribute to Chadwick Boseman)

Ezra Collective — Where I’m Meant to Be

You Can't Steal My Joy, Ezra Collective's boisterous debut long-player with elements of Afrobeat, jazz, hip-hop, and grime, was released in 2019 and has received widespread critical and commercial success. On Where I'm Meant to Be, they continue to use the same musical chemistry, introducing enormous quantities of jazz-funk layered within swinging Afrobeat, salsa, grime, and soul. A noisy conversation starts things off. First, there's the throbbing of the saxophone, and then the percussion section kicks in with incredible energy. Sampa the Great's contribution gives this design unparalleled vivacity. Tracks like Togetherness and Victory Dance by Ezra Collective display an expert level of call-and-response, attesting to the band's years of playing together. Each element of Where I'm Meant to Be was carefully chosen. Expert contributions from Kojey Radical, Emeli Sandé, and Nao make the songs even more exciting. The instruments seemed to be having an emotional conversation. Ezra Collective shows jazz's thrill, which makes the music more approachable. Where I'm Meant to Be is the natural progression for Ezra Collective after the success of their first album, and it does not disappoint in any of those regards. — Harry Percy Brown

Standout Selections: Life Goes On / No Confusion / Life In Outer Space

Ibrahim Maalouf — Capacity to Love

Capacity to Love, Ibrahim Maalouf's most recent album, strikes a nice mix between political and personal themes. The album spans various musical genres and styles, featuring everyone from JP Cooper and Gregory Porter to rapper Erick the Architect and actress Sharon Stone. Trumpeter Maalouf was born in Lebanon, reared in France, and is a devotee of hip-hop and R&B. Maalouf's music is guided in a new and particular direction on this record thanks to the careful production that keeps all the different parts in place. French producer NuTone and American musician Henry Was's lean, muscular drum programming delivers a tremendous punch; the arrangements are well-thought-out, and the vocals are catchy. Many tracks involve speed and mood shifts, and each tune has bursts of Maalouf trumpet exploring the emotional depths of Arabic scales. High-octane rhythms and swirly interludes combine with mariachi accents to calm the spirit. The exciting ethnic blend is consistent with the overall uplifting nature of this album. — Harry Percy Brown

Standout Selections: Quiet Culture / Todo Colores / Capacity to Love