GEOFFREY HIMES

 

TWENTY BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2024:

 

1.                  Ambrose Akinmusire: Owl Song (Nonesuch)

2.                  Steve Coleman and Five Elements: Polytropos/Of Many Turns (Pi/M-Base)

3.                  Charles Lloyd: The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (Blue Note)

4.                  Hamilton de Holanda/Gonzalo Rubalcaba: “Saudade, Saudade” from Collab (De Holanda)

5.                  David Murray Quartet: Francesca (Intakt)

6.                  Ben Wendel: Under Story: Ben Wendel Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)

7.                  Bill Frisell/Kit Downes/Andrew Cyrille: Breaking the Shell (Red Hook)

8.                  Micah Thomas: Mountains (Artwork)

9.                  The Lux Quartet: Tomorrowland (Enja)

10.              Leo Genovese: Forward (577)

11.              Vijay Iyer: Compassion (ECM)

12.              Patricia Brennan Septet: Breaking Stretch (Pyroclastic)

13.              Marta Sanchez Trio: Perpetual Void (Intakt)

14.              Tyshawn Sorey Trio: The Susceptible Now (Pi)

15.              Lucian Ban Mat Maneri: Transylvanian Dances (ECM)

16.              Geof Bradfield: Colossal Abundance (Calligram)

17.              Melissa Aldana: Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Blue Note)

18.              Lakecia Benjamin: Phoenix Reimagined (Live) (Ropeadope)

19.              Erik Friedlander: Dirty Boxing/Floating City (Friedlander)

20.              Kenny Barron: Beyond This Place (Artwork)

 

TWENTY BEST NON-JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2024:

 

1.                  Charley Crockett: $10 Cowboy, Chapters One & Two (Son of Davy)

2.                  Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department (Republic)

3.                  Beyonce: Cowboy Carter (Columbia)

4.                  Kevin Gordon: “You Can’t Hurt Me No More” from The In Between (Gordon)

5.                  MJ Lenderman: “She’s Leaving You” from Manning Fireworks (Anti-)

6.                  Steve Dawson: “Sooner than Expected” from Ghosts (Pravda)

7.                  Billie Eilish: “Lunch” from Hit Me Hard and Soft (Dark Room/Interscope)

8.                  Willi Carlisle: “Two-Headed Lamb” from Critterland (Signature Sounds)

9.                  Willie Nelson: “Last Leaf on the Tree” from The Last Leaf (Legacy)

10.              Jeremie Albino: “I Don’t Mind Waiting” from Our Time in the Sun (Easy Eye)

11.              Japandroids: “D&T” from Fate + Alcohol (Anti-)

12.              Yasmin Williams: “Harvest” from Acadia (Nonesuch)

13.              The Decemberists: “Burial Ground” from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again (Yarb)

14.              Zach Bryan: “Sandpaper” from The Great American Bar Scene (Warner)

15.              Kali Uchis: “Pensamientos Intrusivos” from Orquideas (Geffen)

16.              T Bone Burnett: The Other Side (Verve)

17.              Charli XCX: Brat (Atlantic)

18.              Miranda Lambert: Postcards from Texas (Big Loud/Republic)

19.              Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore Texicali (Yep Roc)

20.              Cedric Burnside: Hill Country Love (Provogue)

 

FIVE BEST HISTORICAL JAZZ ALBUMS:

1. Sonny Rollins: Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings (Resonance)
2. Andrew Hill Sextet Plus 10: A Beautiful Day Revisited (2002, Palmetto)
3. Wayne Shorter: Celebration, Volume 1 (2014, Blue Note)
4. Art Tatum: Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Club Recordings (Resonance)
5. Sun Ra: Lights on a Satellite: Live at the Left Bank (1978, Resonance)

FIVE BEST HISTORICAL NON-JAZZ ALBUMS:

 

• 1.      Elvis Costello: King of America & Other Realms (Universal)
• 2.      Neil Young: Archives III (Reprise)
• 3.      Joni Mitchell: Archives—Volume Four (1976-1980) (Rhino)
• 4.      The dBs: Stands for Decibels (Propeller)
• 5.      Joe Grushecky: Houserocker: A Joe Grushecky Anthology (Omnivore)