The concensus Something Else! Top 10 for 2014 features Lucinda Williams, D’Angelo, David Crosby, Brian Blade, Seth Walker, Matthew Shipp and others.

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2014’s avant-garde and experimental jazz, including Roscoe Mitchell, Jimmy Giuffre, Wadada Leo Smith and others.

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2014’s modern and mainstream jazz albums, including Keith Jarrett, Brian Blade, Fred Hersch and others.

Not content to draw inspiration only from his influences, Shipp finds the insight for his music from himself, an earlier version of himself as interpreted by today’s version.

The consummation of many years of study, practice, talent and a wide-open mind.

With or without the fourth player, the Core Trio exemplify what free jazz sounds like when the minds behind it are set free.

Unpredictability and real passion characterizes ‘The Darkseid Recital’ as a whole, just as it did for Jones’ and Shipp’s amazing ‘Cosmic Lieder’, but those things are magnified from doing it from the stage. That’s the perfect way to follow up on that earlier, acclaimed duet.

The future of jazz looks blindingly bright.

Jeff Cosgrove once again stands out in the company of greats.