The following CDs were culled from the 100+ releases that were designated as publishers picks throughout the past year. Though I thoroughly enjoyed them all, these fifteen represent the finest and most exciting releases of the bunch. They also spent the most time in my CD player!

Be sure to click the links below to read the reviews. For additional reviews, search AAJ by the CD's title.

For all the publisher's picks, go here.

In alphabetical order by title...

Ken & Harry Watters Brothers II (Summit) John Scofield Bump (Verve) Andrew Hill Dusk (Palmetto) Chris Speed Emit (Songlines) Jason Moran Facing Left (Blue Note)

Erskine, Pasqua, Carpenter Live at Rocco (Fuzzy Music) Kurt Elling Live In Chicago (Blue Note) Either Orchestra More Beautiful Than Death (Accurate) Marc Ribot 'Muy Divertido! (Atlantic) Steve Wilson Passages (Stretch)

Brian Blade Perceptual (Blue Note) Georgie Fame Poet In New York (Go Jazz) St. Germain Tourist (Blue Note) Charles Lloyd The Water Is Wide (ECM) Bill Charlap Written In The Stars (Blue Note)