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Jack Kenny's Best Jazz Albums Of 2025

By Jack Kenny
November 30, 2025
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A year is an arbitrary time. The list is chronological by how they came to me. The albums that still stand out are Bone Bells (Pyroclastic Records) by Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson and the sheer professional expertise of Jed Levy Faces and Places (Self Produced). Both albums, in their different ways, exude creativity and joy.

The vintage albums from Gerry Mulligan, Paul Bley and Art Pepper are unalloyed pleasure. The special releases from Zev Feldman are an example of how jazz should be presented.

Xhosa Cole
On A Modern Genius (Vol.1)
Stoney Lane Records

Noah Preminger
Ballads
Chill Tone Records

Sylvie Courvoisier
Bone Bells
Pyroclastic Records

Mathias Eick
Lullaby
ECM Records

Paul Bley
Open, to Love
ECM Records

Art Pepper
Geneva 1980
Omnivore Recordings

Freddie Hubbard
On Fire—Live From The Blue Morocco
Resonance Records

Kenny Dorham
Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live from the Blue Morocco
Resonance Records

Jed Levy
Faces and Places
Self Produced

Ryan Truesdell
Shades Of Sound
Outside in Music

Art Pepper
An Afternoon in Norway: The Kongsberg Concert
Elemental Music

Gerry Mulligan
Nocturne
Red Records

Keith Jarrett
New Vienna
ECM Records

Dave Bass
Trio Nuevo Vol 2
Dave Bass Music

Julian Shore
Sub Rosa
Chill Tone

Cecil Taylor
Flashing Spirits
Burning Ambulance Music

Fred Hersch
The Surrounding Green
ECM Records

Joe Santa Maria
Oblique Rhyme
Orenda Records

Jon Irabagon
Someone to Someone
Irabbagast Records

Nels Cline
Trio Of Bloom
Pyroclastic Records

Aruán Ortiz
Créole Renaissance
Intakt Records

Sylvie Courvoisier
Angel Falls
Intakt Records

Pharoah Sanders
Love Is Here The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings
Transendence Sounds

McCoy Tyner
New York Reunion
Chesky Records

Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Seek & Listen: Live At The Penthouse
Resonance Records

Charles Lloyd
Figure In Blue
Blue Note Records

Art Blakey
Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers Strasbourg 82
Gearbox Records

Tags

Year in Review Jack Kenny Stoney Lane Records On A Modern Genius (Vol.1) Xhosa Cole Chill Tone Records Ballads Noah Preminger Pyroclastic Records Bone Bells Sylvie Courvoisier ECM Records Lullaby Mathias Eick Open, To Love Paul Bley Omnivore Recordings Geneva 1980 Art Pepper Resonance Records On Fire: Live from the Blue Morocco Freddie Hubbard Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live from the Blue Morocco Kenny Dorham Self Produced Faces and Places Jed Levy Outside In Music Shades Of Sound Ryan Truesdell Elemental Music An Afternoon in Norway: The Kongsberg Concert Red Records Nocturne Gerry Mulligan New Vienna Keith Jarrett DAVE BASS MUSIC Trio Nuevo Vol 2 dave bass Chill Tone Sub Rosa Julian Shore Burning Ambulance Music Flashing Spirits Cecil Taylor The Surrounding Green Fred Hersch Orenda Records Oblique Rhyme Joe Santa Maria Irabbagast Records Someone to Someone Jon Irabagon Trio of Bloom Nels Cline Intakt Records Créole Renaissance Aruan Ortiz Angel Falls Transendence Sounds Love Is Here The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings Pharoah Sanders Chesky Records New York Reunion McCoy Tyner Seek & Listen: Live At The Penthouse Rahsaan Roland Kirk Blue Note Records Figure In Blue charles lloyd Gearbox Records Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers Strasbourg 82 Art Blakey

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