Jack Bowers: Top 15 Albums of 2021
By
In spite of the Covid pandemic (and sometimes because of it!), 2021 was a splendid year for big-band albums, with eleven receiving 4 1/2-star reviews and one (Out on the Coast by the David Angel Big Band) earning five stars. The dominant dozen are listed here alongside top-rated smaller-group albums by Cory Weeds, Gerry Gibbs and Graham Dechter. One of the albums, Open World, by Chad Lefkowitz-Brown's Global Jazz Orchestra, was "virtually" recorded by musicians from seventeen countries, reaffirming that big bands can overcome almost any obstacles. We look forward to more of the same in 2022
Len Pierro Jazz Orchestra
The Third Quarter
Walking Path Records
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Bernstein Reimagined
MCG Jazz
Dan Bonsanti
Cartoon Bebop
Self Produced
David Angel Big Band
Out on the Coast
Basset Hound Music
Cory Weeds
O Sole Mio!
Cellar Records
The Saskatchewan All Star Big Band
Saskatchewan Suite
Chronograph Records
Mark Masters
Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster
Capri Records
Mike LeDonne
It's All Your Fault
Savant Records
Bob Mintzer / WDR Big Band Cologne
Soundscapes
MCG Jazz
Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios
Songs from My Father
Whaling City Sound
Andy Farber Big Band
Early Blue Evening
ArtistShare
Graham Dechter
Major Influence
Capri Records
Chad Lefkowitz-Brown Global Jazz Orchestra
Open World
Self Produced
Jim Knapp Orchestra
It's Not Business, It's Personal
Origin Records
Rodger Fox Big Band
Plays New Zealand
TBone Records

The Third Quarter
Walking Path Records

Bernstein Reimagined
MCG Jazz

Cartoon Bebop
Self Produced

Out on the Coast
Basset Hound Music

O Sole Mio!
Cellar Records

Saskatchewan Suite
Chronograph Records

Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster
Capri Records

It's All Your Fault
Savant Records

Soundscapes
MCG Jazz

Songs from My Father
Whaling City Sound

Early Blue Evening
ArtistShare

Major Influence
Capri Records

Open World
Self Produced

It's Not Business, It's Personal
Origin Records

Plays New Zealand
TBone Records
Post a comment
FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ

WE NEED YOUR HELP
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.Tags
Year in Review
Jack Bowers
Len Pierro Jazz Orchestra
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Dan Bonsanti
David Angel Big Band
Cory Weeds
Saskatchewan All-Star Big Band
Mark Masters
Mike LeDonne
Bob Mintzer/WDR Big Band Cologne
Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios
Graham Dechter
Rodger Fox Big Band
Alan Ferber