Best Jazz Albums of 2022

One man's totally personal, idiosyncratic, highly opinionated and likely totally oddball selection of the best new and archival jazz albums of 2022. Believe me when I say, this is great, great music.

Where I’m Coming From

This list is usually in flux, because it’s the only one that each year has a hard deadline, which is submission to the annual Jazz Critics Poll (those results will be tabulated and posted at The Arts Fuse sometime between Christmas day and New Year’s day.

Sidebar: I like using this poll’s framework because it covers a lot of ground and brings in a baker’s dozen of new album as well as a sample of archival releases.

That deadline is today, so my choices arei set. In fact, I’ve gotten to and through so many jazz recordings this year that I feel, for once, absolutely firm on the results and haven’t rethought a thing for a week.