There was an absurd amount of great jazz available this year. My rough list was much longer than this result, but I feel confident that, well...Ok, I don't feel confident about anything. Still, if you check out any of these albums, you won't be disappointed.

11) Theo Bleckmann & Ben Monder - At Night

There are some traditional jazz guitar/vocal duos out there (Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass) , and then there's Bleckmann & Monder. You've never heard anything like this before. Trust me.

(Reviewed May 24th)

10) Andy Milne & Gregoire Maret - Scenarios

A piano and harmonica duo that can deliver romance as well as 'out' structures.

(Reviewed June 26th)

9) Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau - Metheny Mehldau Quartet

Somehow, I never got around to reviewing this album. While it won't knock you over the head with jazz chops, the music does show that Metheny and Mehldau could be long lost brothers.

8) Jerry Granelli & V16 - The Sonic Temple

Collective improvisation of the highest order.

(Reviewed May 11th)

7) Jackie Terrasson - Mirror

Terrasson's channels Thelonius, makes some funny noises, and does true jazz justice with some terrific jazzified covers of pop tunes.

(Reviewed October 30th)

6) Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette - My Foolish Heart (Live at Montreux)

It's a wonderful thing, The Trio. Even when they revisit some pretty well-worn material, everything seems completely fresh and new.

(Reviewed October 17th)

5) Bruce Hornsby - Camp Meeting

Ever since hearing the title track from "Harbor Lights," it became apparent to me that Hornsby had the chops for jazz. Camp Meeting, which features Hornsby alongside Jack Dejohnette and Christian McBride, was the proof.

(Friday Morning Listen for August 10th)

4) Robin Eubanks & EB3 - Live, Vol. 1

I listened to this album a lot during a vacation last summer. It provided an interesting 'modern' contrast to my low tech surroundings.

(Friday Morning Listen for June 1st)

3) Bennie Maupin - The Jewel in the Lotus

This particular Maupin record was a reissue, the original being long out of print. When I first listened, it seemed impossible that this music had been ignored for so long. In any event, the remedy to that situation is now available and it's truly amazing.

(Reviewed November 11th)

2) Groundtruther - Altitude

Come on in and check out the secret of the "Warsaw Radio Mast." Or, at the very least, discover the "big ears" of Bobby Previte, Charlie Hunter, and John Medeski.

(Reviewed September 25th)

1) David Torn - Prezens

Speaking of "big ears," this recording provides a crazy-great example of the concept. Torn is an amazing guitarist but his ideas go way beyond mere guitar trickery. Torn deserves to be mentioned more often when names such as Bill Frisell, Nels Cline, and Marc Ribot fall out of the conversation.

(Reviewed April 20th)