Podcast 870: A Few of My Favorite Things 2021

As I do every year, this Podcast is "A Few of My Favorite Things" from 2021. It is not intended on being a Top Ten list - I do that for the Jazz Journalist Association, where I posted a list of 14 - but rather a grouping of recordings that got repeat play in my house, making me take notice among the many recordings I receive.  While 2021 got off to a very rocky start here in the USA, there was much to be optimistic about in jazz recordings that came across my desk during the past twelve months. Further, music and  musicians seem to have returned to our stages and clubs, and regardless of mutating viruses, perhaps to stay. This year, I had the pleasure of hearing and rehearing the following stellar albums: New Things From Old Friends: Andrew Cyrille Quartet - The News Charles Lloyd & the Marvels - Tone Poem Kenny Garrett - Sounds of the Ancestors Todd Cochran TC3 - Then & Again, Here & Now Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Soundprints - Other Worlds   Players Rising and Coming Into Their Own: Johnathan Blake - Homeward Bound Veronica Swift - The Bitter Earth Brandee Younger - Somewhere Different Sons of Kemet - Black to the Future James Brandon Lews/Red Lily Quintet - Jesup Wagon   Collaborations and One-Offs: Troy Roberts & Tim Jago - Best Buddies Archie Shepp & Jason Moran - Let My People Go Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra - Promises Jane Ira Bloom and Allison Miller - Tues Days Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge with Gary Bartz - JID006 (Jazz is Dead)   Archival or Reissues: John Coltrane - A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller - In Harmony Roy Brooks - Understanding Bill Evans - Behind the Dikes: The 1969 Netherlands Recordings Lee Morgan - The Complete Live at the Lighthouse   Tributes or Reimagination of Older Material: Harold Mabern - Mabern Plays Coltrane Terence Blanchard featuring E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet - Absence Nigel Price Organ Trio - Wes Reimagined Chris Pattishall - Zodiac Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio - Songs From My Father   Musical selections appearing in the Podcast include: Charles Lloyd & the Marvels - "Anthem" Johnathan Blake - "Abiyoyo" Allison Miller & Jane Ira Bloom - "Tues Day" Lee Morgan - "Speedball" Terence Blanchard featuring E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet - "The Elders"