Paul Bley has died at 83, following a career which spanned much of jazz history itself – yet boasted a vision derivative of no one.

Picking a Best of 2015 list wasn’t easy. A few albums were outstanding, but I sometimes had a hard time finding new music that connected.

Stationed in a dimension populated by surrealistic images and characters, Anton Barbeau also sports a talent for sculpting striking sounds and structures.

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.

Uncompromising, unafraid and utterly cool, the late Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister embodied the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.

“Goodbye Elenore,” the Side 2 opener and first single, reaches an intensity not seen again on Toto’s ‘Turn Back.’

Just as cutting edge as they are old school, Ice Cream Skyscraper fill ‘Mercury in Lemonade’ with soul, jazz, country, straight-up rock and psychedelia.