Jakob Baekgaard’s Best Releases of 2013

So much good music and so much to choose from. Every day provides the opportunity to hear something new or rediscover the magic in old tunes. The records on this list don't have much in common, except they all sound completely fresh and open and have their own take on what it means to create jazz today. Here are thoughtful nods to tradition, genre-bending experiments, soliloquies and group efforts.

In the age of streaming and digitalization, it has been a special joy to witness the care that still goes into the packaging of physical product. At best, a record isn't just a thing to listen to, but also an artwork to contemplate. This was especially evident in the releases from Moss Project and Kolonihaven Unikum, which synthesized words, music and images into complex and beautiful artworks.

No matter what, jazz continues to thrill. There's simply so much good stuff out there and this is just a tiny tip of the iceberg.

Jakob Bro
December Song
(Loveland Records)

Moss Project
What Do You See When You Close Your Eyes
(Babel Label)

Kolonihaven Unikum
Saltö
(Self Produced)

Mort Weiss
A Giant Step Out and Back
(SMS Jazz)

Girls in Airports
Kaikoura
Gateway Music

Jesper Bodilsen
Scenografie
(Carosello Records)

Simone Gubbiotti
Promise to a Friend
(Dot Time Records)

Giovanni Guidi
City of Broken Dreams
(ECM)

OWL Trio
Owl Trio
(Losen Records)

Paula Shocron
See See Rider
(RivoRecords)

August Rosenbaum
Heights
(Hiatus)

Sunna Gunnlaugs
Distilled
(Sunny Sky)

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