What is the best modern jazz album of the 21st century?
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?
1The EpicKamasi Washington's three-hour 2015 debut — spiritual jazz reborn for a new generation.
2We Like It HereSnarky Puppy's 2014 live fusion album — tight, joyful, virtuosic.
3Makaya McCraven - Universal BeingsMakaya McCraven's 2018 improvisation-to-production masterpiece spanning four cities.
4Nubya Garcia - SourceNubya Garcia's 2020 debut — the heart of London's new jazz scene.
5Vijay Iyer Trio - HistoricityVijay Iyer Trio's genre-spanning 2009 standard-bearer for 21st-century piano trio jazz.
6BADBADNOTGOOD - IVBADBADNOTGOOD's 2016 jazz-hip-hop hybrid featuring Sam Herring and Kaytranada.
7Flying Lotus - You're Dead!Flying Lotus's 2014 psychedelic jazz-electronic odyssey with Kendrick Lamar and Herbie Hancock.
8Mary Halvorson - MeltframeMary Halvorson's 2015 solo guitar album — avant-garde jazz guitar's most original voice.
9Ambrose Akinmusire - When the Heart Emerges GlisteningAmbrose Akinmusire's 2011 Blue Note debut announced a major new trumpet voice.
10Thundercat - DrunkThundercat's 2017 bass-virtuoso masterpiece — funk, jazz, and pop colliding.
11Shabaka and the Ancestors - Wisdom of EldersShabaka Hutchings's 2016 album with South African musicians — urgent, essential, spiritual.
12Esperanza Spalding - Chamber Music SocietyEsperanza Spalding's 2010 Grammy-winning bass-led masterwork blending jazz and classical.
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