This Mid-Year Best of 2015 list also includes Emerson Lake and Palmer, Gov’t Mule, Jeff Beck, Lead Belly, the Knack and the Staple Singers.

2012 Thelonius Monk Competition winner Jamison Ross won the contest with his drums, but his debut ‘Jamison’ will win more likely over listeners with his amazing voice.

Here is a review of ‘Bop,’ led by Jeff Lorber and Chuck Loeb, featuring a who’s who of contemporary jazz artists playing the bebop jazz that inspired them.

There were technical things that made Ornette Coleman’s work great. But stressing that gives away the one thing that really mattered: Its freedom.

Here is a review of a uniquely experimental set of electro-acoustic improvisations between Denny Zeitlin and George March, ‘Riding The Moment.’

Renato D’Aiello’s ‘Satori’ surprised me in all the best ways good music can, and I warmed more to it with each play – and there have been many.

Ivo Perelman ha s meeting of the minds with drummer Whit Dickey in exploring what is possible on a tenor saxophone thanks to the innovations of his forebears.

Here’s a review of the last song from Nick Hempton’s ‘Catch and Release’ series. “Change For A Dollar” features his base quartet plus tenorman Jerry Weldon.

When Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays’ ‘As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls’ arrived in May 1981, it sounded like nothing else in my record collection.

The tenor ace Tallitsch delivers another mainstream jazz outing with a stellar supporting cast that’s dynamic, majestic and yes, a boatload of fun.