GEOFFREY HIMES: BEST ALBUMS OF 2021

TWENTY BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2021:

• 1.      Charles Lloyd & the Marvels: Tone Poem (Blue Note)
• 2.      Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Soundprints: Other Worlds (Greenleaf)
• 3.      Matthew Shipp: Codebreaker (Tao Forms)
• 4.      Vijay Iyer: Uneasy (ECM)
• 5.      Amir El Saffar Rivers of Sound The Other Shore (Out Note)
• 6.      East Axis: Cool with That (ESP-Disk)
• 7.      David Sanford Big Band featuring Hugh Ragin: A Prayer for Lester Bowie (Greenleaf)
• 8.      Henry Threadgill: Zooid Poof (Pi)
• 9.      Johnathan Blake: Homeward Bound (Blue Note)
• 10.  Abdullah Ibrahim: Solotude (Gearbox)
• 11.  Allison Miller & Jane Ira Bloom: Tues Days (Outline)
• 12.  Jihye Lee Orchestra: Daring Mind (Motema)
• 13.  Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: Virtual Birdland (Zoho)
• 14.  William Parker: Painters Winter (AUM Fidelity)
• 15.  Julian Lage: Squint Blue Note
• 16.  Gonzalo Rubalcaba Ron Carter Jack DeJohette Skyline (Passion)
• 17.  James Brandon Lewis: Jesup Wagon Tao
• 18.  Lionel Loueke: Close Your Eyes (Sounderscore)
• 19.  Pat Metheny Side Eye: NYC V1.IV (Metheny Group)
• 20.  Esperanza Spalding: Songwrightsapothecarylab (Concord Jazz)

TWENTY BEST NON-JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2021:

• 1.      James McMurtry: The Horses and the Hounds (New West)
• 2.      Charley Crockett: Music City USA (Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers)
• 3.      Valerie June: The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (Fantasy)
• 4.      Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi: They're Calling Me Home (Nonesuch)
• 5.      Robert Plant / Alison Krauss: Raise the Roof  (Rounder)
• 6.      Hayes Carll: You Get It All (Dualtone)
• 7.      Mickey Guyton: Remember Her Name (Capitol Nashville)
• 8.      Olivia Rodrigo: “Driver's License” from Sour (Geffen)
• 9.      Lindsey Buckingham: Lindsey Buckingham (Reprise)
• 10.  Lil Nas X: Montero (Columbia
• 11.  Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor’s Version) (Republic)
• 12.  Billie Eilish: Happier than Ever (Inerscope)
• 13.  Julien Baker Little Oblivions (Matador)
• 14.  The Black Keys: Delta Kream (Nonesuch)
• 15.  The Hold Steady: Open Door Policy (Partisan)
• 16.  Yasmin Williams Urban Driftwood (Spinster)
• 17.  Lucy Dacus: Home Video (Matador)
• 18.  Eric Church: Heart & Soul (EMI Nashville/Big EC)
• 19.  The Dropkick Murphys: Turn Up That Dial (Born & Bred)
• 20.  Lady Blackbird: Black Acid Soul (Foundation)

THE FIVE BEST HISTORICAL JAZZ ALBUMS:

• 1.      Sam Rivers Quartet: Braids (No Business)
• 2.      Hasaan Ibn Ali: Metaphysics and Retrospect in Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings (Omnivore)
• 3.      John Coltrane: A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle (Impulse)
• 4.      Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Blue Note)
• 5.      Sheila Jordan: Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri)

THE FIVE BEST HISTORICAL NON-JAZZ ALBUMS:

• 1.      The Beach Boys: Feel Flows: The Sunflower & Surf’s Up Sessions: 1969-1971 (Universal/Capitol/Brother)
• 2.      Bob Dylan: Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16, 1980-1985 (Columbia/Legacy)
• 3.      Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concert (Columbia/Legacy)
• 4.      Various Artists: It's a Good Feeling: The Latin Soul of Fania Records, The Singles (Craft Latino)
• 5.      Buck Owens: The Capitol Albums (Omnivore)