Music: Kitty Empire’s 10 best albums of 2024
Americana’s classiest duo weather the storm, Kendrick Lamar has the last word, UK jazz soars – and Charli xcx unleashes the power of Brat
Sun Ra Arkestra: Lights on a Satellite review – fitting tribute to a century of jazz
As saxophonist and band leader Marshall Allen turns 100, his evergreen outfit effortlessly draw on their rich history, as classics meet the cosmic
Laurie Anderson: Ark: United States V review – a long and winding bid to make sense of America
Contemplating a world of catastrophe and collapse, the veteran artist’s new three-hour show, though much too long and diffuse, has moments of poignancy – and joy
Lars Danielsson/ Verneri Pohjola/ John Parricelli: Trio review – wine chateau sessions mingle mature sensibilities
Bassist Danielsson, guitarist Parricelli and trumpeter Pohjola combine folksy melodies, Latin grooves and free-roaming improv on this lustrous album
Michael Mayo: Fly review – a bravura fusion of original work and jazz standards
The US singer-composer’s self-produced follow-up to Bones shifts from soul to a lighter, happier jazz sound
Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Paul Motian: The Old Country review – a delightful return to a cherished jazz venue
Full of blistering bebop and entrancing swing, this 1992 recording showcases the pianist’s love of the Deer Head Inn, the clapboard 1840s hotel where he cut his teeth
Ashley Henry: Who We Are review – upbeat innovation from a pianist with talent to burn
The London-born musician laces his jazz with a heady blend of soul and hip-hop on this fierce but joyous second album
Anna Butterss: Mighty Vertebrate review – jazz meets post-rock on shape-shifting delight
With guests including Tortoise’s Jeff Parker, the LA bassist’s second solo album is cerebral, groovy and beyond categorisation
Ezra Collective: Dance, No One’s Watching review – new moves with an emotive edge
The Mercury-winning quintet bring high energy to Afrobeat, Latin and soulful grooves – yet it is in the quieter moments that a fresh musicality emerges
Alice Zawadzki/Fred Thomas/Misha Mullov-Abbado: Za Górami review – beautiful music and absorbing stories
Seven years after a supposed one-off gig, the jazz-immersed trio release their debut album full of uniquely conveyed songs drawing from European, Latin and Sephardic Jewish sources
Lady Gaga: Harlequin review – Joker companion album does jazz standards with a gaudy grin
The pop superstar sounds fully in her element in these immaculately covered classics, but the whiff of big band week on The X Factor is hard to shift
Paradise Cinema: Returning, Dream review – walking a fine balance between chaos and euphoria
Portico Quartet saxophonist Jack Wyllie teams up with three percussionists for a thunderous, west African-influenced second album
Daniel Inzani: Selected Worlds review – unhinged, exhilarating adventures in genre-hopping
In his first major solo release, the pianist and composer explores the very different sides to his musical personality across three contrasting but connected LPs
Wendy Eisenberg: Viewfinder review – insightful jazz voyage into life after laser eye surgery
Instrumental interludes and unexpected shifts in pace mix with Americana and jazz, while the singer-songwriter’s distinctive guitar sound drives a song cycle like no other
Etienne Charles: Creole Orchestra review – jazz trumpeter’s big band dream come true
The Trinidad-born musician and his 22-piece ensemble excel in all styles, from Benny Goodman and Eartha Kitt to Charles’s own Carib-flavoured compositions