Looking back on 2009, much of the focus naturally falls on younger musicians. Maybe they're just fresh in our minds because A Blog Supreme spent so much time addressing ways to get twentysomethings into modern jazz via the Jazz Now series. But folks like Vijay Iyer seemed ubiquitous, and with good reason: He made a standards record that didn't try to claim new jazz standards. Historicity's choices — songs and interpretations alike — spoke the same language to him, and we picked up on the translations.
But for all the younger jazz players — including Iyer, Darcy James Argue and Tyshawn Sorey — key records also evoked bygone jazz eras and catalogs with such creativity that they might signal a new wave of New Orleans and Brazilian jazz.
Take Five reached out to our regular contributors and ringers for their favorite jazz albums of 2009; they're presented below in no particular order.
Click here for more entries in our Best Music of 2009 series.
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