Music Year 2026

Way too early clone, fix this later.

Of course, it's too early for a year-end list. But as the proto-fascist organization of my youth insisted, one should always be prepared. For records in hand, * identifies an advance copy, ** something borrowed or streamed. Some albums released in previous years are included here, noted by a "-NN" (e.g., -25 for 2025) -- these are mostly imports or self-releases, often hard to figure out official dates, but they were either December 2025 releases or unknown (to me, at least) before the current year.

This is a subset of the 2026 Music Tracking file, which includes many additional unheard albums.

I keep adding to the 2025 until the end of calendar 2026, especially where the record was known to exist in 2025 and I'm just getting around to it.

New Records

A
A-
  1. The Cucumbers: As You Heard Me (Life Force)
  2. Asher Brinson: Midnight Hurricane (AsherBrin)
  3. Meg Okura/Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble: Isaiah (Adhyâropa)
  4. Courtney Barnett: Creature of Habit (Mom + Pop/Fiction) **
  5. Rodrigo Amado/This Is Our Language Quartet: Wailers (European Echoes) **
  6. Mara Calder: We Stay Ugly 'Til the Pretty Decays (Black Metal Archives Label) **
  7. The Tomeka Reid Quartet: Dance! Skip! Hop! (Out of Your Head)
  8. DJ Eprom: We Are the Biobots (JuNouMi) **
  9. Irreversible Entanglements: Future Present Past (Impulse!) **
  10. Adam O'Farrill: Elephant (Out of Your Head)
  11. Mark Lomax II & the Urban Art Ensemble: The Unity Suite (CFG Multimedia) **
  12. Stu Bangas & Wordsworth: Chemistry (1332) **
  13. Robyn: Sexistential (Konichiwa/Young) **
  14. Ren: Vincent's Tale (Freckled Angels/Rebel Creator Services) **
  15. Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon: As of Now (Lex) **
  16. Gogol Bordello: We Mean It, Man! (Casa Gogol) **
  17. RJD2 & Supastition: According To (RJ's Electrical Connections) **
  18. Avalon Emerson & the Charm: Written Into Changes (Dead Oceans) **
  19. Zach Bryan: With Heaven on Top (Belting Bronco/Warner) **
  20. Marta Sanchez: For the Space You Left (Out of Your Head)
  21. Buck 65: Do Not Bend (Vertices) **
  22. Anna Kolchina: Reach for Tomorrow (OA2)
  23. The Paranoid Style: Known Associates (Bar/None) **
  24. Kronos Quartet: Glorious Mahalia (Smithsonian Folkways) **
  25. Sky Smeed: Live at the Rock House (self-released) **
  26. Joshua Idehen: I Know You're Hurting, Everyone Is Hurting, Everyone Is Trying, You Have Got to Try (Heavenly) **
  27. Thomas Anderson: Letters From the Hermit Kingdom (Out There) **

Pending:

Records in hand, but which haven't yet been graded (sorted by artist, or release date if future). Those marked ** are downloads in hand.

  • Abate Berihun & the Addis Ken Project: Addis Ken (Origin) [04-17]
  • Ryan Blotnick: The Woods (Fishkill) [04-17]
  • Barry Greene: Giants (Origin) [04-17]
  • Jared Hall: Hometown (Origin) [04-17]
  • Paulo Almeida: Love in Motion (Dox) [04-24]
  • Bobby Broom: Notes of Thanks (Steele) [05-01]
  • Phil Haynes/Ben Monder/Peyton Pleninger: Terra (Corner Store Jazz) [05-01]
  • Jason Kruk: Beyond the Veil (SunGoose) [05-01]
  • Yvonne Rogers: The Button Jar (Pyroclastic) [05-08]
  • What You May Call It: Da Qi (MechaBenzaiten) [05-08]
  • Paul Kahn: Willingness (Carl Cat) [06-19]
  • Marie-Paule Franke: Through the Cracks, the Light Is Born (MariPosa) [06-26]

Also Noted:

Records in hand, graded B+ or below, in alphabetical order within grade slots:

B+(***)
  • Michael Aadal: Aggressive Hymns, Energetic Ballads (Losen)
  • Juhani Aaltonen + Raoul Björkenheim: Nostalgia (Eclipse Music) **
  • David Adewumi: The Flame Beneath the Silence (Giant Step Arts)
  • Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman: Miami Lice: Season Four (Rhymesayers Entertainment) **
  • Naseem Alatrash: Bright Colors on a Dark Canvas (Levantine Music)
  • Aymeric Avice/Luke Stewart/Chad Taylor: Deep in the Earth High in the Sky (RogueArt) *
  • Anthony Branker & Other Ways of Knowing: Manifestations of a Diasporic Groove & Spirit (Origin)
  • Chalk: Crystalpunk (Alter Music) **
  • Charli XCX: Wuthering Heights (Atlantic) **
  • Caleb Wheeler Curtis: Ritual (Chill Tone)
  • Daphni: Butterfly (Jiaolong) **
  • Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet: The Solastalgia Suite (Pyroclastic)
  • The Delines: The Set Up (Decor/El Cortez/Jealous Butcher) **
  • Dry Cleaning: Secret Love (4AD) **
  • Matt Dwonszyk: Live at the Sidedoor (self-released)
  • Fcukers: Ö (Ninja Tune) **
  • Hemlocke Springs: The Apple Tree Under the Sea (AWAL) **
  • Imarhan: Essam (City Slang) **
  • The Interplay Jazz Orchestra: Bite Your Tongue (Bigtime)
  • Jon Irabagon: Focus Out (Irrabagast)
  • Jon Irabagon and Dan Oestreicher: Saturday's Child (Irrabagast)
  • Grace Ives: Girlfriend (True Panther/Capitol) **
  • Jamile/Vinicius Gomes: Boundless Species (La Reserve)
  • Steve Kovalcheck: Buckshot Blues (OA2)
  • Lazy Californians: Back to San Francisco (Angel Island)
  • Shawn Lovato: Biotic (Endectomorph Music)
  • Chris Madsen/Dana Hall/Clark Sommers: Threefold (Calligram)
  • Mandy, Indiana: Urgh (Sacred Bones) **
  • Megan Moroney: Cloud 9 (Columbia Nashville) **
  • Quinsin Nachoff: Patterns From Nature (Whirlwind)
  • Angelika Niescier: Chicago Tapes (Intakt) **
  • Luke Norris: Moment From the Past (self-released)
  • Kate Olson: So It Goes (OA2)
  • PVA: No More Like This (It's All for Fun) **
  • Raye: This Music May Contain Hope (Human Re Sources) **
  • Reverso: Between Two Silences (Alternate Side)
  • Ben Rosenblum: The Longest Way Round (One Trick Dog)
  • Ted Rosenthal Trio: The Good Old Days (TMR Music)
  • Jill Scott: To Whom It May Concern (Human Re Sources/Blues Babe) **
  • Walter Smith III: Twio Vol. 2 (Blue Note) **
  • Harriet Tubman & Georgia Muldrow: Electrical Field of Love (Pi)
  • Jack Wood: For Every Man There's a Woman (Jazz Hang)
  • Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad: Jazz Is Dead 26: Antonio Carlos & Jocafi (Jazz Is Dead) **
  • Zel: Still Right Here (self-released) **
B+(**)
  • Joshua Abrams: Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation (Drag City) **
  • Joshua Achiron: Climbing (Calligram)
  • Melissa Aldana: Filin (Blue Note) **
  • Eddie Allen's Push: Rhythm People (Origin)
  • Elles Bailey: Can't Take My Story Away (Cooking Vinyl) **
  • Eric Bibb: One Mississippi (Repute) **
  • Chicago Soul Jazz Collective: No Wind & No Rain (Calligram)
  • Carl Clements and the Real Jazz Trio: Retrospective (Greydisc)
  • Cyger & Butterworth: Plaid Pants (Outrageous8)
  • Daggerboard: The Skipper and Mike Clark (Wide Hive)
  • Michael Dease With the MSU Jazz Trombones: Spartan Strong (Origin)
  • Dave Douglas: Four Freedoms (Greenleaf Music) **
  • Hilary Duff: Luck . . . or Something (Atlantic) **
  • John Ellis & Double Wide: Fireball (Sunnyside) **
  • Elucid & Sebb Bash: I Guess U Had to Be There (Backwoodz Studioz) **
  • The Femcels: I Have to Get Hotter (Getting Hotter) **
  • Bill Frisell: In My Dreams (Blue Note) **
  • Sophie Gault: Unhinged (Torrez Music Group) **
  • Al Green: To Love Somebody (Fat Possum, EP) **
  • Andy Haas: In Praise of Insomnia (Resonant Music)
  • Simon Hanes: Gargantua (Pyroclastic)
  • Christopher Hoffman: Rex (Out of Your Head)
  • Tomas Janzon: Jazz Diary (Changes Music)
  • The Paul Keller Orchestra: Thank You Notes: The Music of Gregg Hill (Cold Plunge)
  • Kinact: Kinshasa in Action (Nyege Nyege Tapes) **
  • Tom Lippincott: Ode to the Possible (self-released)
  • Gil Livni: All In (OA2)
  • Lisanne Lyons: May I Come In (OA2)
  • Luke Marantz/Simon Jermyn: Echoes (Chill Tone)
  • Roc Marciano: 656 (self-released) **
  • Buck Meek: The Mirror (4AD) **
  • Model/Actriz: Swan Songs (True Panther/Dirty Hit, EP) **
  • Gurf Morlix: Cobwebs & Stardust (Rootball) **
  • Bill Orcutt: Music in Continuous Motion (Palilalia) **
  • Pony: Clearly Cursed (Take This to Heart) **
  • Puma Blue: Croak Dream (PIAS) **
  • Ratboys: Singin' to an Empty Chair (New West) **
  • Ron Rieder: Compositions in Blue and Other Hues (Meson)
  • Jim Robitaille Trio: Sonic (Whaling City Sound)
  • Joel Ross: Gospel Music (Blue Note) **
  • Harvie S: Bright Dawn (Origin)
  • Sault: Chapter 1 (Forever Living Originals) **
  • Fie Schouten/Vincent Courtois/Sofia Borges/Pierre Baux: Open Space (Relative Pitch)
  • Aktu el Shabazz: As Seen on TV (766303 DK) **
  • Sideshow: Tigray Funk (10k) **
  • Paul Silbergleit Trio: The Stillness of July (Calligram)
  • Slayyyter: Wor$t Girl in America (Columbia) **
  • Sleaford Mods: The Demise of Planet X (Rough Trade) **
  • Yuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall: Invocation (self-released, EP)
  • Alister Spence: Always Ever (Alister Spence Music)
  • Squirrel Nut Zippers: Squirrel Nut Zippers Starring in "Fat City" (The Ballad of Lil' Tony) (Music Maker) **
  • Dave Stryker: Blue Fire: The Van Gelder Session (Strikezone)
  • Kevin Sun: Lofi at Lowlands 三 (Endectomorph Music) **
  • Mattias Svensson: Embrace (Origin)
  • Tinariwen: Hoggar (Wedge) **
  • Underscores: U (self-released) **
  • Ben Wendel: BaRcoDe (Edition) **
  • Immanuel Wilkins Quartet: Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 1 (Blue Note) **
  • Winged Wheel: Desert So Green (12XU) **
  • Xaviersobased: Xavier (1C/Surf Gang/Atlantic) **
  • Zu: Ferrum Sidereum (House of Mythology) **
B+(*)
  • Ali & Charif Megarbane: Tirakat (Habibi Funk) **
  • Tyrone Allen II: Upward (Dreams and Fears)
  • Courtney Marie Andrews: Valentine (Loose Future) **
  • Atlantic Road Trip: Watch as the Echo Falls (Calligram)
  • Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: Tragic Magic (In Finé) **
  • Bonnie "Prince" Billy: We Are Together Again (No Quarter/Domino) **
  • By Storm: My Ghosts Go Ghost (Dead Air/By(e) Storm) **
  • Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard: Sweet, Sweet Spirit (Blue Note) **
  • Owen Chen: Eternal Wind: The Ghibli Collection (OA2)
  • Paul Citro: Keep Moving (Home) (Calligram)
  • Stew Cutler & Friends: Under Cover (Mostly) (self-released) **
  • Art Edmaiston & Chad Fowler: Memphis Mandala (Mahakala Music) **
  • Fakemink: The Boy Who Cried Terrified (EtnaVeraVela, EP) **
  • Flying Lotus: Big Mama (Brainfeeder, EP) **
  • Peter Furlan: The Peter Furlan Project Live at Maureen's Jazz Cellar (Beany Bops)
  • Girl Scout: Brink (Human Garbage) **
  • Heavenly: Highway to Heavenly (Skep Wax) **
  • Steven Husted and Friends: Two Nights - "Live!" (self-released)
  • Javon Jackson: Jackson Plays Dylan (Solid Jackson/Palmetto)
  • Robert Jospé Quartet: The Night Sky (self-released)
  • Joyce Manor: I Used to Go to This Bar (Epitaph, EP) **
  • DoYeon Kim: Wellspring (TAO Forms)
  • Ladytron: Paradises (Nettwerk) **
  • Julian Lage: Scenes From Above (Blue Note) **
  • Brian Landrus: Just When You Think You Know (BlueLand/Palmetto)
  • Scott Lee: Greetings From Florida: Postcards From Paradise (Sunnyside)
  • Bruno Mars: The Romantic (Atlantic) **
  • Kristen Mather de Andrade: Sim Fin (Ansonica)
  • Pat Metheny: Side-Eye III+ (Ubiquity Music) **
  • Mitski: Nothing's About to Happen to Me (Dead Oceans) **
  • Van Morrison: Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge (Townsend Music/Orangefield) **
  • Fabiano do Nascimento & Vittor Santos E Orquestra: Vila (Far Out) **
  • Negative Press Project: Friction Quartet (Envelopmental Music)
  • Poppy: Empty Hands (Sumerian) **
  • Benjie Porecki: Faster Than We Know (Funklove Productions)
  • Brandon Seabrook: Hellbent Daydream (Pyroclastic)
  • Noé Sécula/Jorge Rossy: A Sphere Between Other Obsessions (Fresh Sound New Talent) **
  • Shabaka: Of the Earth (Shabaka) **
  • Aaron Shaw: And So It Is (Leaving) **
  • Slut Intent: Slutworld (self-released, EP) **
  • Snail Mail: Ricochet (Matador) **
  • Karen Stachel, Norbert Stachel & LehCats: Live @ the Breakroom With Giovanni Hidalgo (Purple Room Productions, 2CD)
  • Craig Taborn: Dream Archives (ECM) **
  • Vance Thompson: Lost and Found (Moondo)
  • Thundercat: Distracted (Brainfeeder) **
  • Mark Turner: Patternmaster (ECM) **
  • Gregory Uhlmann: Extra Stars (International Anthem) **
B
  • Tigran Hamasyan: Manifeste (Naïve) **
  • Erica von Kleist: Picc Pocket (self-released)
  • The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis: Deface the Currency (Impulse!) **
  • Nubiyan Twist: Chasing Shadows (Strut) **
  • Beto Paciello: The Stoic Suite (Moons Arts) [04-17]
  • Chenxi Pan: This Very Moment (Origin)
  • Dave Schumacher & Cubeye: Agua Con Gas (Cubeye Music)
  • Tyshawn Sorey: Monochromatic Life (Afterlife) (Dacamera) **
  • Carolyn Trowbridge: Found Memories (self-released)
B-
  • Flea: Honora (Nonesuch) **
  • Michael Moody: The Ecstasy of Love (self-released)
  • They Might Be Giants: Eyeball (Idlewild, EP) **
C+
C

Limited sampling: Records I played parts of, but not enough to grade: -- means no interest, - not bad but not a prospect, + some chance, ++ likely prospect.

++
+
-

Reissues/Compilations/Vault Music:

In previous years I tried to separate reissues from compilations, including newly released vault items in the latter. This made sense when I was reviewing a lot of Recycled Goods material, but led to other problems with year-end lists, so anything containing any previously released material is collected here, and anything that is wholly previously unreleased is treated as new, above.

A
A-
  1. The Lawrence Marable Quartet: Tenorman (1956, Jazz: West/Blue Note) **
  2. Ranil Y Su Conjunto Tropical: Galaxia Tropical (Analog Africa) **
  3. Tyrone Washington: Natural Essence (1967, Blue Note Tone Poet) **
  4. Cecil Taylor New Unit: Words & Music: The Last Bandstand (2016, Fundacja Słuchaj) **
  5. Mal Waldron: Stardust & Starlight: At the Jazz Showcase (1979, Resonance)

Pending

Records in hand, sorted by artist, or release date if future. Those marked ** are downloads in hand.

  • Joe Henderson: Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1978, Resonance, 2CD) [04-18]
  • Ahmad Jamal: At the Jazz Showcaswe: Live in Chicago (1976, Resonance) [04-18]
  • Yusef Lateef: Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1975, Resonance, 3CD) [04-18]
  • Michel Petrucciani: Kuumbwa (1987, Elemental Music, 2CD) [04-18]
  • Cecil Taylor Unit: Fragments: The Complete 1969 Salle Pleyel Concerts (Elemental Music, 2CD) [04-18]

Also Noted:

B+(***)
  • Eddie Condon: Surprise! Eddie Condon at Town Hall, c. April 1944 (1944, Jazz Lives) **
  • Bill Evans: At the BBC (1965, Elemental Music)
  • Bennie Green: Back on the Scene (1958, Blue Note) **
  • Hank Mobley: Hank (1957, Blue Note) **
B+(**)
  • Marty Ehrlich/Julius Hemphill: Circle the Heart (1982, Relative Pitch) **
  • Grupo Um: Nineteen Seventy Seven (1977, Far Out) **
  • Freddie King: Feeling Alright: The Complete 1975 Nancy Pulsations Concert (Elemental Music, 2CD)
  • Doug MacDonald Trio: Live in Beverly Hills (2012, DMAC Music)
  • Lee Morgan: City Lights (1957, Blue Note) **
  • Paul Ricci: The Path (1996-2021, Origin)
  • Twisted Teens: Blame the Clown (2025, Jazz Life) **
B+(*)
  • John Vanore & Abstract Truth: Easter Island Suite (1989-2024, Acoustical Concepts)
  • Miroslav Vitous: Mountain Call (2003-10, ECM) **
B
B-