What is the best modern jazz album of the 21st century?

By YPB Team

Jazz didn't die — it evolved. From Kamasi Washington's epic fusion to Robert Glasper's R&B crossover and Thundercat's electric grooves, 21st-century jazz is richer and more diverse than ever. Which modern album gets your vote?

  1. The Epic — ranked #11
    The Epic
    Kamasi Washington's three-hour 2015 debut — spiritual jazz reborn for a new generation.
  2. We Like It Here — ranked #22
    We Like It Here
    Snarky Puppy's 2014 live fusion album — tight, joyful, virtuosic.
  3. Makaya McCraven - Universal Beings — ranked #33
    Makaya McCraven - Universal Beings
    Makaya McCraven's 2018 improvisation-to-production masterpiece spanning four cities.
  4. Nubya Garcia - Source — ranked #44
    Nubya Garcia - Source
    Nubya Garcia's 2020 debut — the heart of London's new jazz scene.
  5. Vijay Iyer Trio - Historicity — ranked #55
    Vijay Iyer Trio - Historicity
    Vijay Iyer Trio's genre-spanning 2009 standard-bearer for 21st-century piano trio jazz.
  6. BADBADNOTGOOD - IV — ranked #66
    BADBADNOTGOOD - IV
    BADBADNOTGOOD's 2016 jazz-hip-hop hybrid featuring Sam Herring and Kaytranada.
  7. Flying Lotus - You're Dead! — ranked #77
    Flying Lotus - You're Dead!
    Flying Lotus's 2014 psychedelic jazz-electronic odyssey with Kendrick Lamar and Herbie Hancock.
  8. Mary Halvorson - Meltframe — ranked #88
    Mary Halvorson - Meltframe
    Mary Halvorson's 2015 solo guitar album — avant-garde jazz guitar's most original voice.
  9. Ambrose Akinmusire - When the Heart Emerges Glistening — ranked #99
    Ambrose Akinmusire - When the Heart Emerges Glistening
    Ambrose Akinmusire's 2011 Blue Note debut announced a major new trumpet voice.
  10. Thundercat - Drunk — ranked #1010
    Thundercat - Drunk
    Thundercat's 2017 bass-virtuoso masterpiece — funk, jazz, and pop colliding.
  11. Shabaka and the Ancestors - Wisdom of Elders — ranked #1111
    Shabaka and the Ancestors - Wisdom of Elders
    Shabaka Hutchings's 2016 album with South African musicians — urgent, essential, spiritual.
  12. Esperanza Spalding - Chamber Music Society — ranked #1212
    Esperanza Spalding - Chamber Music Society
    Esperanza Spalding's 2010 Grammy-winning bass-led masterwork blending jazz and classical.

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