The Questions, by Kurt Elling. Familiar songs made new through imaginative arrangements and Elling’s resonant baritone. The stark renditions of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and “Skylark” will bring goosebumps.

Sonero: the Music of Ismael Rivera, by Miguel Zenón.
This gorgeous tribute to a legendary Puerto Rican musician and composer is full of beautiful melodies and inspiring improvisations. Zenón constantly takes Latin jazz in new directions.

Clean, by Paul Jones.
This scintillating set of originals blurs the lines between jazz and modern classical music, all of them highlighting Jones’s deft playing and intelligent arrangements.

In the Key of the Universe, by Joey DeFrancesco.
Blending jazz and psychedelia, this album is a throwback to great 1970s albums such as Santana’s Borboletta. Also features outstanding saxophone playing by revered master Pharoah Sanders and rising star Troy Roberts.

Wild Lines, by Jane Ira Bloom.
Inspired by the poems of Emily Dickinson, this master of the soprano sax creates lovely, sinuous lines and compelling melodies that evoke the poet’s enigmatic writing. This is part of an emerging genre: jazz and poetry, and so is

Sung with Words, by Helen Sung.
This innovative recording features poems by former laureate Dana Gioia set to music by pianist Sung. Highlights include “Meet Me at the Lighthouse,” “Pity the Beautiful” with vocalist Jean Baylor), and “Mean What You Say.” Probably the best of the recent jazz-literature combos.

Carib, by David Sanchez.
This topnotch tenor saxophone player opens new territory in Latin jazz with an album that synthesizes many strains of Latin jazz, blending Puerto Rican (especially the bomba), Cuban and even Haitian rhythms and sounds.

Abbey Road, by the Beatles.
Because we celebrated its 50th anniversary last fall, I listened to it with fresh ears over the past year. Not just because of the side two “suite,” the fabs’ swan song and masterwork more than holds up. If “Oh! Darling” doesn’t give you a thrill, you must be deaf. You don’t need a link to this one!

Raices Jazz Orchestra. You’ve never heard finer Latin jazz in a big band format as this group samples all varieties of Latin rhythms and harmonies.

Heritage/Evolution Vol. 2, by the Prism Quartet.
Beautiful and haunting saxophone quartet pieces that bridge the chasm between jazz and classical music, composition and improvisation, while featuring tenor giants Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, and Ravi Coltrane.

Eagle’s Point, by Chris Potter. The tenor saxophone virtuoso is spurred to even greater heights than usual in this superb set of compositions performed by a supergroup that includes Brad Mehldau, Brian Blade, and John Pattituci.

Far Far Away, by Jim Snidero. Pairing up with famed guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, Snidero opens new horizons in this alto saxophonist’s plahing and compositions, while he also pays homage to greats from the past such as McCoy Tyner and Pat Martino. The terrific rhythm section—Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth and Orrin Evans—adds further luster.