S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2015’s avant-garde and experimental music, including Sonny Sharrock, Thurston Moore, Scott Amendola and others.

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2015’s modern and mainstream jazz albums, including John Scofield, Matthew Shipp, Antonio Sanchez and others.

‘Three Times Three’ is the Antonio Sanchez showcase album that leaves no doubts as to his vast abilities as leader, composer and — not least — elite drummer.

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2015’s non-jazz albums, including Erykah Badu, Shememkia Copeland, the Blind Boys of Alabama’s Sam Butler and others.

Erykah Badu’s new mixtape ‘But You Caint Use My Phone’ may or may not be a placeholder until a ‘real’ album is ready, her relentless thirst to push the edge makes it no small deal regardless.

Brian Landrus took a step back into tradition for ‘The Deep Below’ with Lonnie Plaxico and Billy Hart — albeit on his own terms — and made a reconnect with the roots that had always anchored his playing.

Pixel had from the get-go developed their own, appealing engaging personality they’ve could have churned out forever. ‘Golden Years’ retains that spirit while reaching out a little beyond it.

Visceral, vivid and uncompromising, ‘Out of the Blue’ picks up where Raoul Björkenheim and eCsTaSy’s first album left off.

Robin Eubanks’s ‘More Than What Meets The Ear’ might be just what big band jazz needs to get revitalized for the 21st century.

Jacob Garchik’s ‘Ye Olde’ might be about the hardest rockin’ thinking man’s fusion record in recent memory.