2023 in jazz explained

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 2023.

Events

February

• February 5  - At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, winners include Wayne Shorter, Samara Joy, and Arturo O'Farrill. Snarky Puppy wins best contemporary instrumental album for their 2022 album Empire Central, Samara Joy wins best Vocal Jazz album for her 2022 album Linger Awhile. Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton & Matthew Stevens win Best Jazz Instrumental Album for their album New Standards Volume 1.^{[1] [2] [3]}

April

• April 14  - First day of Coachella 2023, a two weekend event, occurs. Jazz musicians in attendance are The Comet is Coming and Domi and JD Beck^[4]
• April 15  - After 8 years, British band GoGo Penguin's contract with Blue Note Records ends, and the band switches to XXIM Records, a record label more typically associated with neoclassical music and progressive electronic music.^[5]

May

• May 17  - The Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards are presented. Charles Lloyd wins Lifetime Achievement in Jazz award. Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington wins Musician of The Year. Singer Samara Joy wins Up & Coming Musician of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Ashley Kahn wins Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism award.^{[6] [7]}
• May 31  - The tapes for a long lost, unreleased John Coltrane live album with Eric Dolphy are found at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.^[8]

June

• June 7  - The San Francisco Jazz Festival takes place in the United States. Jacob Collier and Samara Joy are in attendance.^[9]
• June 13  - The Grammys announce a new award category: Best Alternative Jazz Album^[10]
• June 21  - The 37th Annual Syracuse Jazz Fest takes place in the United States. Herbie Hancock and Gladys Knight are in attendance^[11]
• June 30  - The 36th annual Saskatchewan Jazz Festival kicked off in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.^[12]

July

• July 7  - The 56th Pori Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place in Finland.^[13]
• July 28  - The Blue Note Jazz Festival opens in Napa, California, hosted by Dave Chappelle and headlined by Mary Blige, Chance The Rapper and Nas. Robert Glasper is the artist in residence. Notable attendees include George Clinton, Anderson .Paak, Domi and JD Beck^[14]

August

• August 4  - The Newport Jazz Festival opens in the United States. Notable attendees include Kamasi Washington, Domi and JD Beck, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Herbie Hancock, Samara Joy, Lakecia Benjamin and Thundercat^[15]
• August 25 - A 3 episode Amazon Prime biographical documentary miniseries about the life of Wayne Shorter through several decades releases, titled Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity^{[16] [17]}

September

• September 22  - The 65th Monterey Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place in the United States, with Lakecia Benjamin as the artist in residence. Notable attendees include Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy, Samara Joy, and Thundercat^[18]

October

• October 13  - Stockholm Jazz Festival took place in Sweden.^[19]

December

• December 5 - NPR Music ranks Meshell Ndegeocello's The Omnichord Real Book and Yussef Dayes's Black Classical Music among the 50 best albums of 2023.^[20]
• December 7 - The New York Times ranks Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah's Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning as the best jazz album of 2023, followed by Jaimie Branch's Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) in #2^[21]
• December 13 - Stereogum ranks Matana Roberts' Coin Coin Chapter 5: In The Garden as the best jazz album of 2023, followed by Jaimie Branch's Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) in #2^[22]
• December 19 - NPR Music ranks Meshell Ndegeocello's The Omnichord Real Book as the best jazz album of 2023^[23]
• December 26 - The Guardian ranks Tyshawn Sorey's Continuing as the best jazz album of 2023^[24]
• December 31 - Ed Cherry's Are We There Yet? ends off the year with the most radio airplay as documented by JazzWeek

Albums

Month	Day	Album	Artist	Label	Notes	Ref.
January	6	Alive at the Village Vanguard	Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding	Palmetto Records	Live album	[25]
	27	Portrait Of A Dog	Jonah Yano	Innovative Leisure		[26]
		Letters to George	George	Out of Your Head		[27]
		Where You Wish You Were	Bill Laurance and Michael League	ACT		[28]
		Phoenix	Lakecia Benjamin	Whirlwind Recordings		[29]
February	3	Dance Kobina	Joe Chambers	Blue Note Records		[30]
		Carmen Rhapsody	Aki Takase	BMC		[31]
	17	Transmissions From Total Refreshment Centre	Total Refreshment Centre	Blue Note Records		[32] [33]
		Guilty Pleasures	Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, Nate Smith	Edition Records	EP	[34]
		Zurich Concert	Joëlle Léandre	Intakt Records	Live album
		By The Way	Theo Croker, Ego Ella May, D'LEAU	Sony Masterworks	EP	[35]
	24	Travel	The Necks	Northern Spy Records		[36]
		Prime	Christian McBride's New Jawn	Mack Avenue		[37]
March	3	London Brew	London Brew	Concord Jazz		[38]
		Therapy	Brendan Eder Ensemble	No label		[39] [40]
	10	Moving On Skiffle	Van Morrison	Virgin Music		[41]
		Jasmine on a Night in July	Scree	Ruination		[42]
	17	The Layers	Julian Lage	Blue Note Records	EP	[43]
	24	Requiem For Jazz	Angel Bat Dawid	International Anthem Recording Company		[44]
		Mélusine	Cécile McLorin Salvant	Nonesuch Records		[45]
	31	Lightning Dreamers	Rob Mazurek and the Exploding Star Orchestra	International Anthem Recording Company		[46]
		Fire Illuminations	Wadada Leo Smith	Kabell Records		[47]
April	7	return to casual	Walter Smith III	Blue Note Records		[48]
		KAL (Real World)	Sarathy Korwar	The Leaf Label		[49]
	14	Echoes	The Fire! Orchestra	Rune Grammofon
		Variables	Alfa Mist	Anti- Records		[50]
		Everything Is Going To Be Okay	GoGo Penguin	XXIM Records		[51]
		Enigmatic Society	Dinner Party	Sounds of Crenshaw, Empire Records		[52]
		Brand New Life	Brandee Younger	Impulse! Records		[53]
	21	All One	Ben Wendel	Edition Records		[54]
		Loyal Returns	David Cook	Sunnyside Records
		Stage & Screen	John Pizzarelli	Palmetto Records
	28	Always on my Mind	Rebekka Bakken	Sony Music		[55]
		Pieces of Treasure	Rickie Lee Jones	BMG		[56]
		Savoy	Taj Mahal	Stony Plain Records		[57]
May	7	In Real Time	ARTEMIS	Blue Note Records		[58]
	12	Routes	Samuel Blaser	Enja Records/Yellowbird Records		[59]
		In Search Of A Better Tomorrow	Eabs Meets Jaubi	Astigmatic Records		[60]
	16	Oedipe Redux	Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri	Sunnyside Records		[61]
	19	Lean In	Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke	Edition Records
	26	Animals	Kassa Overall	Warp Records		[62] [63]
		The New Standard (Reissue)	Herbie Hancock
		Dance of the Mystic Bliss	Michael Blake and Chroma Nova	P&M		[64]
		The Sport Of Love	Asma Maroof, Patrick Belaga, Tapiwa Svosve	PAN Records		[65] [66]
June	2	Beloved! Paradise	Jazz?!	McKinley Dixon	City Slang	Jazz-rap	[67]
	9	When the Poems Do What They Do	Aja Monet	Drink Sum Wtr		[68] [69]
		Rituals + Routines	Marquis Hill	Edition Records		[70]
	16	The Omnichord Real Book	Meshell Ndegeocello	Blue Note Records		[71] [72]
		Dream Box	Pat Metheny	Modern Recordings		[73]
		Dolphin	Greg Foat / Gigi Masin	Strut Records		[74]
		A Time to Remember	Elina Duni	ECM Records		[75]
		I Want More	Donny McCaslin	Edition Records		[76]
	23	Sun Arcs	Blue Lake	Tonal Union		[77]
	30	Blowout	John Carroll Kirby	Stones Throw Records		[78]
July	14	Connection	Ceramic Dog, Marc Ribot	Knockwurst Records		[79]
	28	Joni Mitchell At Newport	Joni Mitchell	Rhino Records		[80]
August	25	Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die	Jaimie Branch	International Anthem Recording Company		[81] [82] [83]
September	1	Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard	Kris Davis	Pyroclastic Records		[84]
	7	Talàn	Raphael Rogiński	Instant Classic		[85]
	8	Come with Fierce Grace	Alabaster DePlume	International Anthem Recording Company		[86] [87]
		Black Classical Music	Yussef Dayes	Brownswood Recordings / Nonesuch Records		[88]
		For Mahalia With Love	James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet	Tao Forms		[89]
	15	Ex Machina

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Winners & Nominees List. Grammys. April 12, 2023.
2. Web site: Samara Joy won Best New Artist at the Grammys. Here's how she got there.. CBS News. Yahoo! News. Miller. Michelle. February 7, 2023. February 15, 2023.
3. Meet Tobias Jesso Jr., The First-Ever GRAMMY Winner For Songwriter Of The Year: Meet Tobias Jesso Jr., The First-Ever GRAMMY Winner For Songwriter Of The Year, accessdate: May 23, 2023
4. Web site: Coachella 2023 wknd 1: Björk, surprise guests The Weeknd, Tyler the Creator, Billie Eilish, much more. BrooklynVegan. April 17, 2023. April 27, 2023. April 24, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230424140850/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/coachella-2023-wknd-1-bjork-surprise-guests-the-weeknd-tyler-the-creator-billie-eilish-much-more/. live.
5. GoGo Penguin Interview: New Album 'Everything Is Going To Be OK' & More: GoGo Penguin Interview: New Album 'Everything Is Going To Be OK' & More, accessdate: May 20, 2023
6. JJA Jazz Awards: 2023 JJA Jazz Awards winners announced! - JJA Jazz Awards, accessdate: May 30, 2023
7. JJA Jazz Awards: 2023 Winners in Jazz Journalism - JJA Jazz Awards, accessdate: May 30, 2023
8. The Guardian: John Coltrane recordings lost in New York Public Library will finally be heard | John Coltrane | The Guardian, accessdate: June 1, 2023
9. SFJAZZ Announces Lineups for San Francisco Jazz Fest, Summer Sessions: SFJAZZ Announces Lineups for San Francisco Jazz Fest, Summer Sessions, accessdate: June 5, 2023
10. Pitchfork: Recording Academy Adds New Awards for 2024 Grammys: Best Alternative Jazz Album, Best Pop Dance Recording, and Best African Music Performance | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 16, 2023
11. WSTM: 37th annual 'Syracuse Jazz Fest' to feature legends Herbie Hancock and Gladys Knight | WSTM, accessdate: June 5, 2023
12. Web site: Your Guide to Saskatoon's 2023 SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. Dupuis. Tara. June 16, 2023. Tourism Saskatoon. August 29, 2023.
13. Web site: 56th Pori Jazz Festival coming up in July 2023. 8 September 2022. Porijazz. 7 June 2023.
14. VIBE.com: Mary J. Blige And Nas To Headline 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival In Napa – VIBE.com, accessdate: May 26, 2023
15. https://www.newportri.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/03/22/2023-newport-jazz-festival-lineup-herbie-hancock-diana-krall-more/70034856007/ Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall, Jon Batiste highlight 2023 Newport Jazz Festival lineup
16. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/aug/28/wayne-shorter-saxophone-zero-gravity-amazon ‘How a man grew to greatness’: the incredible story of saxophonist Wayne Shorter
17. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/what-kind-of-artist-was-wayne-shorter What Kind of Artist Was Wayne Shorter?
18. https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/Monterey-Jazz-Festival-Announces-Lakecia-Benjamin-as-2023-Artist-in-Residence-20230118 Monterey Jazz Festival Announces Lakecia Benjamin as 2023 Artist-in-Residence
19. Web site: Program 2023. Stockholm Jazz Festival. 12 April 2023.
20. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/05/1211225533/best-albums-2023 The 50 Best Albums of 2023 : NPR
21. The New York Times: Best Jazz Albums of 2023 - The New York Times, accessdate: January 18, 2024
22. Web site: Freeman . Phil . The 10 Best Jazz Albums Of 2023 . . 19 January 2024.
23. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/19/1220282187/the-10-best-jazz-albums-of-2023 The 10 Best Jazz Albums of 2023
24. The Guardian: The 10 best jazz albums of 2023 | Music | The Guardian, accessdate: January 18, 2024
25. Web site: Fred Hersch & esperanza spalding Release Album & Tour Dates . . 2 February 2023 . en . 6 January 2023.
26. Web site: portrait of a dog - innovative leisure. March 15, 2023.
27. Pitchfork: George: Letters to George Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 9, 2023
28. Web site: 10 Albums You Need to Know: January 2023. Matt Micucci. Jazziz. 4 January 2023 . 11 March 2023.
29. Web site: Lakecia Benjamin - Whirlwind.bandcamp Phoenix. March 26, 2023.
30. Blue Note Records: JOE CHAMBERS "DANCE KOBINA" - Blue Note Records, accessdate: May 23, 2023
31. Web site: February 2023. BestofJazz. 11 March 2023.
32. Pitchfork: Total Refreshment Centre: Transmissions From Total Refreshment Centre Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 9, 2023
33. The Guardian: Various: Transmissions from Total Refreshment Centre review – London jazz now | Jazz | The Guardian, accessdate: June 9, 2023
34. WRTI: Hear Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter and Nate Smith get their boogie down, off the 'Guilty Pleasures' EP | WRTI, accessdate: May 26, 2023
35. Sony Masterworks: THEO CROKER – BY THE WAY 5-TRACK EP "BY THE WAY" OUT NOW - Sony Masterworks, accessdate: May 20, 2023
36. Northern Spy Records: Travel – Northern Spy Records, accessdate: May 23, 2023
37. Christian McBride's New Jawn: Prime album review @ All About Jazz: Christian McBride's New Jawn: Prime album review @ All About Jazz, accessdate: May 26, 2023
38. Web site: Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Skinner, and More Announce Miles Davis Tribute Album London Brew . . 19 January 2023 . May 7, 2023.
39. Brendan Eder Ensemble : Therapy : Aquarium Drunkard: Brendan Eder Ensemble : Therapy : Aquarium Drunkard, accessdate: June 9, 2023
40. The Guardian: The best albums of 2023 so far | Music | The Guardian, accessdate: June 9, 2023
41. Web site: Van Morrison – Moving On Skiffle. Uncut. Watts. Peter. 17 March 2023. 1 April 2023.
42. Pitchfork: Scree: Jasmine on a Night in July Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: May 26, 2023
43. Blue Note Records: Julian Lage - The Layers – Blue Note Records, accessdate: May 23, 2023
44. Web site: Angel Bat Dawid: Requiem for Jazz Review - Pitchfork . . 27 March 2023 . 7 May 2023.
45. Web site: Singer/Composer Cécile McLorin Salvant's New Album, 'Mélusine, Due March 24 on Nonesuch Records . 26 January 2023 . Nonesuch Records . May 7, 2023.
46. AllMusic: Rob Mazurek, Exploding Star Orchestra, Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Electro Acoustic Ensemble - Lightning Dreamers Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, accessdate: May 24, 2023
47. Wadada Leo Smith: Fire Illuminations album review @ All About Jazz: Wadada Leo Smith: Fire Illuminations album review @ All About Jazz, accessdate: May 28, 2023
48. JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of April and May 2023 Page 2 JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of April and May 2023, accessdate: June 24, 2023
49. Web site: Sarathy Korwar - KAL (Real World) Album Reviews, Songs, and More - AllMusic . . 8 April 2023 . en.
50. Web site: Alfa Mist ANTI- . . 7 May 2023 . en.
51. XXIM: GoGo Penguin’s new album Everything Is Going to Be OK out now - XXIM, accessdate: May 7, 2023
52. Pitchfork: Dinner Party: Enigmatic Society Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 9, 2023
53. Pitchfork: Brandee Younger: Brand New Life Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: May 26, 2023
54. JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of April and May 2023: JazzMatters: The Best New Jazz of April and May 2023, accessdate: June 24, 2023
55. Web site: Das wilde Leben: Rebekka Bakken im Interview zu „Always on my Mind“. Kulturnews]. 10 May 2023. de. 18 February 2024.
56. Web site: Rickie Lee Jones - Official Website Pieces of Treasure . The Official Website of Rickie Lee Jones . 16 April 2023 . 20 January 2023.
57. Stony Plain Records: [httpsstonyplainrecords.com/tajmahal/ TajMahal - Stony Plain Records], accessdate: May 25, 2023
58. Blue Note Records: ARTEMIS "IN REAL TIME" - Blue Note Records, accessdate: May 23, 2023
59. The Guardian: Samuel Blaser: Routes review – thrilling homage to a trombone icon | Jazz | The Guardian, accessdate: June 24, 2023
60. Astigmatic Records: Astigmatic Records, accessdate: May 24, 2023
61. Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri Adapt 'Oedipe' for Modern Jazz: Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri Adapt 'Oedipe' for Modern Jazz, accessdate: June 24, 2023
62. Kassa Overall Dazzles on Forward-Thinking 'Animals': Kassa Overall Dazzles on Forward-Thinking 'Animals', accessdate: July 16, 2023
63. Pitchfork: Kassa Overall: Animals Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: July 16, 2023
64. The Guardian: Michael Blake/Chroma Nova: Dance of the Mystic Bliss review – joyously audacious jazz | Jazz | The Guardian, accessdate: June 24, 2023
65. PAN: Asma Maroof, Patrick Belaga, Tapiwa Svosve – The Stranger (PAN 134S) | PAN, accessdate: May 26, 2023
66. Pitchfork: 9 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Lil Durk, Water From Your Eyes, Arlo Parks, and More | Pitchfork, accessdate: May 26, 2023
67. Web site: McKinley Dixon: Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? review – literary, urgent rap. 2 June 2023. Shaad D'Souza. The Guardian. 7 June 2023.
68. Pitchfork: Aja Monet: When the Poems Do What They Do Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 18, 2023
69. Review: Aja Monet's 'when the poems do what they do' fuses art and advocacy : NPR: Review: Aja Monet's 'when the poems do what they do' fuses art and advocacy : NPR, accessdate: June 18, 2023
70. The Guardian: Marquis Hill: Rituals + Routines review – cosmic jazz the mindful way | Jazz | The Guardian, accessdate: June 24, 2023
71. The Guardian: Meshell Ndegeocello: The Omnichord Real Book review – infectious futurist jazz | Jazz | The Guardian, accessdate: June 18, 2023
72. Review: Meshell Ndegeocello opens her 'Omnichord Real Book' for exploration : NPR: Review: Meshell Ndegeocello opens her 'Omnichord Real Book' for exploration : NPR, accessdate: June 18, 2023
73. Pitchfork: Pat Metheny: Dream Box Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: July 16, 2023
74. Pitchfork: Greg Foat / Gigi Masin: Dolphin Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 18, 2023
75. The Guardian: Elina Duni: A Time to Remember review – a unique voice in jazz | Music | The Guardian, accessdate: July 16, 2023
76. Edition Records: Donny McCaslin | I Want More - Edition Records, accessdate: May 30, 2023
77. Pitchfork: 7 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Young Thug, Arthur Russell, Big Freedia, and More | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 24, 2023
78. Pitchfork: John Carroll Kirby: Blowout Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: July 16, 2023
79. Pitchfork: Ceramic Dog / Marc Ribot: Connection Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: July 16, 2023
80. Mojo: Joni Mitchell At Newport Reviewed: Last year’s revelatory Joni Jam, preserved for the ages | Mojo, accessdate: August 2, 2023
81. The New York Times: Jaimie Branch Adds to a Brilliant Legacy With Fly or Die’s Final LP - The New York Times, accessdate: August 25, 2023
82. The Guardian: Jaimie Branch: Fly Or Die Fly Or Die Fly Or Die ((world war)) review – last post from a psychedelic warrior | Jazz | The Guardian, accessdate: August 25, 2023
83. Jaimie Branch’s final album with Fly or Die shows all she still had to give.: Jaimie Branch’s final album with Fly or Die shows all she still had to give., accessdate: August 25, 2023
84. Web site: Layman . Will . THE 17 BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2023 . popmatters . . 15 February 2024.
85. Pitchfork: Raphael Rogiński: Talàn Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: December 21, 2023
86. Pitchfork: Alabaster DePlume: Come With Fierce Grace Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: September 15, 2023
87. The Guardian: Alabaster DePlume: Come With Fierce Grace review – sublime, minimalist improvisation | Experimental music | The Guardian, accessdate: September 15, 2023
88. PopMatters: YUSSEF DAYES’ DEBUT IS AN ENORMOUS STATEMENT OF HIS TALENT, accessdate: January 17. 2024
89. AllAboutJazz: James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia With Love, accessdate: January 17. 2024