2018: The Year’s Top-Rated Albums

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FOUR-STAR ALBUMS (New)

13 O’clock Blues Band, Devil’s Dance (Free Note)

Kiran Ahluwalia, 7 Billion (Six Degrees)

Cyrille Aimée, Cyrille Aimée Live (Mack Avenue)

Eric Alexander, Song Of No Regrets (HighNote)

Karrin Allyson, Some Of That Sunshine (Kasrecords)

Arild Andersen, In-House Science (ECM)

Julian Argüelles, Tonadas (Edition)

Tim Armacost, Time Being (Whirlwind)

Tiffany Austin, Unbroken (Con Alma)

Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin Awase (ECM)

Roni Ben-Hur/Harvie S, Introspection (Jazzheads)

Nate Birkey, Rome (Household Ink)

Black Art Jazz Collective, Armor Of Pride (HighNote)

Blake/Correa, Streaming (Red Piano)

Blind Boys Of Alabama, Almost Home (BBOA)

Benjamin Boone/Philip Levine, The Poetry Of Jazz (Origin)

Borderlands Trio, Asteroidea (Intakt)

Geof Bradfield, Yes, And ... Music For Nine Improvisers (Delmark)

Craig Brann, Lineage (Steeplechase)

Jakob Bro, Bay Of Rainbows (ECM)

Rosa Brunello Y Los Fermentos, Volverse (CamJazz)

John Butcher, Last Dream Of The Morning (Relative Pitch)

Tania Chen, John Cage: Electronic Music For Piano (Omnivore)

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Contraband Love (Red House)

César Cardoso, Interchange (Antenna)

Daniel Carter/William Parker/Matthew Shipp, Seraphic Light (AUM Fidelity)

Amy Cervini, No One Ever Tells You (Anzic)

Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop, Rev (Anzic)

Reginald Chapman, Prototype (Fresh Selects)

Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Free Of Form (Stretch Music/Ropeadope)

Jean Chaumont, The Beauty Of Differences (Misfitme Music)

Francesco Chiapperini Extemporary Vision Ensemble, The Big Earth (Rudi)

Scott Clark, ToNow (Clean Feed)

Nels Cline, 4 Currents, Constellations (Blue Note)

Steve Coleman And Five Elements, Live At The Village Vanguard Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets) (Pi)

Shemekia Copeland, America’s Child (Alligator)

Marc Copland, Nightfall (Innervoicejazz)

George Cotsirilos Quartet, Mostly In Blue (OA2)

Sylvie Courvoisier Trio, D’Agala (Intakt)

Cowboys and Frenchmen, Bluer Than You Think (Outside In Music)

Dedekind Cut, Tahoe (Kranky)

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September 2025
Kurt Elling
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