Jazz and world

Bla Fleck & the Flecktones ‘Little Worlds’

This three-disc opus is a collaborative effort that not only highlights the musical proficiency and creativity of the band, but also showcases the unique style and ability of numerous guests. The long list of talents include singer Bobby McFerrin, mandolinist Sam Bush, guitarist Derek Trucks and saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

Elvis Costello ‘North’

This work contains beautiful piano-driven pieces and sorrowful lyrics of love gone lost. Costello enlists the talent of one of my favorite drummers, Peter Erskine.

Van Morrison ‘What’s Wrong With This Picture?’

This man is a god and I’ll buy anything he puts out.

Joni Mitchell ‘Travelogue’

This woman is a goddess and I’ll buy anything she puts out.

Cassandra Wilson ‘Glamoured’

With an astounding vocal tone all her own, Wilson creates wonderfully sultry and almost unrecognizable arrangements of some classics like Bob Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay” and Sting’s “Fragile.”

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette ‘Up For It’

Jarrett’s sense of harmony is peerless and his playing is gorgeous. Everything he puts out is brilliant. He could write songs that could be the soundtrack to someone’s dreams.

Dave Holland Quintet ‘Think Tank’

Amandla Soundtrack ‘A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony’

This album is the quintessential example of music’s power on the world. I recently bought solo records put out by Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela, both of whom are featured on the soundtrack and in the movie. It’s interesting to hear the same kind of joyful soul and passion in their music as I do in Dave Matthews who was born and raised in South Africa for part of his life.

Nicholas Payton ‘Sonic Trance’

The John Scofield Band ‘Up all Night’

An album all about jamming, this band most likely listened to its playbacks and then turned improvisations into songs or possibly created them during sound checks. The record is an intriguing balance of electronic effects and instrumentation. In the opener, “Philiopiety,” rhythm guitarist Avi Bortnick throws in a sample of legendary flutist Yusef Lateef. Throughout the work, drummer Adam Deitch throws in a series of drum machine effects augmenting Bortnick’s loops and samples, some of which consist of horn lines and turntable scratches.

Kenny Garrett ‘Standard of Language’

The Charlie Hunter Quintet ‘Right Now Move’

Bill Frisell ‘The Intercontinentals’

Wayne Shorter ‘Alegria’

Rock ‘n’ Roll/Soul

John Mayer ‘Heavier Things’

Mayer is all about melodies and less about changes this time around compared to his last work “Room for Squares.” Songs are literally heavier in their chords and arrangements than his previous album. He enlists top talent like drummer Matt Chamberlain and trumpeter Roy Hargrove – who funks it out on the bridge of “Clarity” – and The Roots drummer, ?uestlove.

Paul Brill ‘Sisters’

Best new discovery of the year. Brill is on point in terms of music and lyrics.

Neil Young ‘Greendale’

Wilco ‘I am Trying to Break Your Heart’

Drive-By Truckers ‘Decoration Day’

Dave Matthews ‘Some Devil’

It’s really great to hear this guy outside the context of his band and discover his own personal influences like Chris Whitley and Keith Jarrett. One of my favorite guitar lines of the year is that of Trey Anastasio’s on the song, “So Damn Lucky.”

Gemma Hayes ‘Night on my Side’

This record is divided into two separate sections where half the songs are a part of the day and the other half are a part of the night, although all of the songs were written at night. On the song “I Wanna Stay,” Hayes does a wonderful job of creating peaceful melodies and vocal lines with electric guitars that are so intense at times you feel like they are going to sear through the song at any moment. The track “Making Waves” creates a series of overdubs that accurately paint a picture of Hayes’ lyrical content.

Brendan Benson ‘Lapalco’

One of my favorite albums of the year.

Radiohead ‘Hail to the Thief’

Guster ‘Keep it Together’

The music and the lyrics are finally on the same page, and this group can write a great pop song.

Chris Whitley “Hotel Vast Horizon”

Whitley cultivates the musicality of his pieces by using only a few octaves mostly of the baritone range. Chances are, Whitley not only appreciates the contributions of old blues men like Robert Johnson, but also composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

Teitur ‘Poetry and Airplanes’

Dido ‘Love for Rent’

Tom Waits ‘Return of Jackie & Judy’

Al Green ‘I Can’t Stop’

Death Cab for Cutie ‘Transatlanticism’

Maktub (mock-tube) ‘Khronos’

Maroon 5 ‘Songs About Jane’

The Jayhawks ‘Rainy Day Music’

Jesse Malin ‘The Fine Art of Self Destruction’

North Mississippi Allstars ‘Polaris’

Reissues and Best Ofs

The Beatles ‘Let It Be … Naked’

Sheryl Crow ‘The Very Best Of’

I’m not a huge fan of her music, but there is no mistaking that she writes some wonderful pop tunes with infectious hooks. Crow is a consummate musician with an excellent soprano voice and great technical proficiency on both the guitar and piano. If you’re a fan of her hits, this 17-track record will do the job.

Counting Crows ‘Films About Ghosts’

As a way of celebrating its success and documenting its progression over the past 10 years, the band recently put out this album named after a line in the song “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby.”

The work includes such hits as “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here,” “Long December,” “Hanging Around” and “American Girls.” Counting Crows also added “Einstein on the Beach,” a song recorded in 1991 that chronicles the band’s rise to fame exceptionally well. Counting Crows recorded the tune as a demo and its tone captures the youth, restlessness and optimism most bands possess as unsigned acts while its mood underscores Counting Crows’ artistic modesty and passion for music it has maintained to this day. It was an excellent choice for a “Best of” effort.

Tori Amos ‘Tales of a Librarian’

This is a limited-edition two-disc set comprising a 20-track album including “Greatest Hits Reworked Versions” and a bonus DVD featuring live tracks recorded during sound checks of her Summer 2003 North American tour.

Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘Greatest Hits’

REM ‘In Time 1986-2003’

A two-disc album set comprising 18 classic tracks plus a 15-track bonus disc featuring rarities and b-sides.

Simon and Garfunkel ‘The Essential’

Elton John ‘Greatest Hits 1970-2002’

Bruce Springsteen ‘The Essential’

Mystic ‘Cuts for Luck Scars for Freedom’

Elvis Presley ‘2nd to None’

Michael Jackson ‘Number Ones’

Joe Cocker ‘Ultimate Collection 1968-2003’

Miles Davis ‘The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions’

Bob Dylan ‘The Complete SACD Collection’

Country/blues

Shelby Lynne ‘Identity Crisis’

This album is so great because Lynne sounds so different, vocally, on each song, yet remains trademark Lynne. For example, “I Will Stay” reminds me of the beloved Jeff Buckley, and the tone captures the feeling of the dark and the night disappearing into a new morning whereas “Lonesome” reminds me of Patsy Cline with its joyful and romantic music coupled with very sorrowful lyrics.

Gillian Welch ‘Soul Journey’

The work, produced by David Rawlings, incorporates hints of many styles like bluegrass, folk and country with spontaneous solo, duo and band sessions. Welch used many of those first takes that almost always capture the emotional depth of the lyrics, singing and instrumentation for this work.

Lucinda Williams ‘World Without Tears’

B. B. King ‘Reflections’

The Blind Boys of Alabama ‘Go Tell it on the Mountain’

Emmylou Harris ‘Stumble Into Grace’

Hip-Hop/Pop

Roy Hargrove presents the RH Factor ‘Hard Groove’

Some of this year’s baddest grooves locked in by improvisations, freestyle rhymes and vocal lines delicate to the ear are on this record. It is a homemade patchwork of soul, gospel, blues, rock, world music and freestyle poetry within the context of jazz and hip-hop.

Outkast ‘Speakerboxx/The Love Below’

Songs like “Happy Valentine’s Day,” “Bowtie” and “The way you Move” are what make hip-hop so worthwhile.

Eminem ‘8Mile’

The album’s overdubs along with his syncopation turn him into Superman. The song “Lose Yourself” is one of his best works to date.

Justin Timberlake ‘Justified’

A worthwhile guilty pleasure – the production is outstanding, particularly tracks completed by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes and Timbaland.

The Black Eyed Peas ‘Elephunk’

Electronic

UNKLE ‘Never, Never, Land’

Belle & Sebastian ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’

Madlib ‘Shades of Blue’

Basement Jaxx ‘Kish Kash’

Verve ‘Remixed2’