For a beautiful treatment of Matsuo Bashō's celebrated haiku “A frog jumps in”, the dreamlike stream-of-consciousness of “I am a volcano”, the delightful, multilayered vocal harmonies in “Take this stone” and more, Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Oh Snap is my Album of the Year. A remarkable collection even by Salvant’s exalted standards, the sudden textural dropout and devastating climax of “What does blue mean to you?”, inspired by Toni Morrison’s Beloved, was a coup de théâtre.
Christian McBride and his Grammy-winning big band’s powerhouse collection, Without Further Ado, Vol 1, offered wonderfully detailed charts performed by some of the music’s greatest voices, including Samara Joy and Dianne Reeves. Standouts from Georgia Mancio and Alan Broadbent’s A Story Left Untold included the exquisite ballad “The Love I Left Behind (L’Amore Che Lasciai)” – Mancio’s first time writing a lyric in her second language, Italian – the Rachmaninov-like beauty of Broadbent’s pianism in “Heart Of Hearts”, plus the stunning orchestral title track.
London-based vocalist Tereza Catarov's outstanding debut album Koren intertwined Romanian and Bulgarian heritage with contemporary jazz in a singularly powerful way. Winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2023, the much-anticipated debut album from NYC-based vocalist Tyreek McDole, Open Up Your Senses, was a tour de force and a must-have recording for all lovers of vocal jazz.
From the existential wonder of the ecstatic, synth-drenched chorus of “Violent Universe” to the sense of oceanic acceptance provided by the closing “Forgiveness”, Fini Bearman’s Last Night of the World presented an unforgettable, meticulously crafted collection of songs. Emma Smith’s Bitter Orange delivered risk-taking, humour, a deep pocket, arresting interpretations and a huge emotional payload – her deeply personal approach to “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” made you hear the song entirely anew.
Pianist, vocalist and composer Olivia Trummer’s Like Water was a joy: eclectic, illuminating and uplifting in equal measure. Tummer’s version of Joe Barbieri’s “Tu, io e domani” was one of the most profoundly touching song interpretations I’ve heard this year. With their latest album Heartstrings, Snowpoet created a gentle yet potent sanctuary of sound. The mesmerising “Our World” deftly layered beats, call-and-response synth lines and Lauren Kinsella's crystalline voice, all building to a lush, reverb-soaked coda. The mighty Ledisi delivered a heartfelt homage to one of the 20th century's most influential singers with the utterly beguiling For Dinah – from a gorgeous version of “This Bitter Earth” to a joyous duet with Gregory Porter on “You've Got What It Takes”.
Three More Essential Albums of 2025
Christian McBride Big Band - Without Further Ado, Vol 1
Georgia Mancio/Alan Broadbent - A Story Left Untold
Tereza Catarov - Koren
Musical Experiences of the Year
When Connemara siblings Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta joined forces with Tyrone pianist-composer Ryan Molloy at the Irish Cultural Centre (ICC), Hammersmith, the alchemical reaction produced something utterly mesmerising and life-affirming. Also at ICC, it was an enormous pleasure to hear Christine Tobin performing her unqualified masterpiece, Sailing To Byzantium, settings from across the entire spectrum of WB Yeats’ oeuvre. Franz Welser-Möst and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra gave a transcendent performance of Bruckner’s towering Symphony No. 9 at The Proms, while a packed Roundhouse was treated to electrifying musicianship, stylistic mash-ups and gorgeous melodies courtesy of Louis Cole and orchestra performing music from Cole’s latest Brainfeeder album, nothing.
Track of the Year
Tyreek McDole “The Sun Song (Precious Energy)”
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