The baker’s dozen in this Best of 2017 list reveals that fusion jazz has expanded and diversified way past its ‘Bitches Brew’-era beginnings.

Preston Frazier’s Best Jazz of 2017 list touches on Lara Bello, Nick Finzer and Chris Greene, as well as other favorites from Joe Jackson sideman Vinnie Zummo and Lucas Pino.

With eCsTaSy now six years running, Raoul Björkenheim decided to fully harness the trust built up with eCsTaSy over that time and ‘Doors Of Perception’ is the triumphant result.

Mumpbeak’s ‘Tooth,’ now out via Rare Noise Records, not only continues ideas Roy Powell first put forth on the self-titled debut, but also makes it plain that there’s plenty of room to expand on those ideas.

Teeming with guitars, Wadada Leo Smith’s ‘Najwa’ is one of those particularly bright moments in a catalog full of them.

At a young seventy-six years old, Jerry Granelli still pushes forward even when his muse beckons him back, as it does for the Bill Frisell/Robben Ford reunion ‘Dance Hall.’

Vinnie Sperrazza and his audacious crew once again stretch jazz across multiple red lines and force people to rethink what defines that idiom.

‘Protocol 4’ is another example of how Simon Phillips never rests on his laurels.

Always putting spirituality above improvisation, Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band connects to listeners in a way uncommon for jazz musicians, and ‘Body And Shadow’ continues a remarkable consistency of mission and quality spanning two decades.

For ‘Masonic Lawn,’ Hammond uses Resonator guitars to hold an extemporaneous musical dialogue with Bafus.