I listened to so much incredible music over the past year, so it was very difficult to select a small number of records to highlight as my picks for best of 2013. To make the task even more arduous, I limited it to just 15. I found that each of these records made me listen and think about music in a new way.

(in no particular order)

• Matana Roberts’ Coin Coin – Chapter 2: Mississippi Moonchile (Constellation)
• Taylor Ho Bynum – Navigation (Firehouse 12)
• Nate Wooley Sextet – (Sit in) the Throne of Friendship (Clean Feed)
• Book of Three – Continuum (2012) (Relative Pitch)
• Nate Wooley – Seven Storey Mountain III and IV (Pleasure of the Text)
• Mike Pride’s From Bacteria to Boys – Birthing Days (AUM Fidelity)
• Jonathan Moritz Trio – Secret Tempo (Hot Cup)
• Little Women – Lung (AUM Fidelity)
• Mary Halvorson Septet – Illusionary Sea (Firehouse 12)
• Harris Eisenstadt – Golden State (Songlines)
• Kris Davis – Capricorn Climber (Clean Feed)
• Ingrid Laubrock – Strong Place (Intakt)
• Peter Evans – Zebulon (More Is More)
• Kris Davis – Massive Threads (Thirsty Ear)
• Shayna Dulberger – Ache & Flutter (Empty Room)