Swinging Jazz from '25

Swimming upstream

“Best jazz of 2025” lists are popping up like mushrooms. In the “big media” ones, but not only those, the lion’s share of interest goes to trending artists whom one might characterize as avant-leaning, an adjective I ran across recently that seems apt. I have no beef with them, indeed I often listen to and enjoy their stuff, but what they usually have in common is an apparent lack of interest in certain historical aspects of the jazz tradition. Which is fine: no one should care about the jazz police.

Still, it makes me wonder: is swing passé, or something?

Time marches on, all things must pass, beautiful new flowers bloom. I realize that. But still, the swinging jazz tradition, while tiny in the grand scheme of things, is thriving at its core and deserves more pride of place than it’s getting. So to redress the balance a little, rather than a best-of, I’m just going to list a bunch of mostly acoustic jazz albums from 2025 that swing, and that you may not have heard about because, guess what? They get precious little attention in the media.

All these are well worth hearing and of course there is much more I haven’t even heard. So in no particular order, let’s see...

David Kikoski Trio, Weekend at Smalls (Cellar Music)

Kikoski is a mighty pianist who has long been a vital rhythm-section motor, for example during long stints in Roy Haynes’ groups, no mean credential. Here he fronts a quartet at Smalls in New York that features the great Randy Brecker on trumpet, Joe Martin on bass, and Billy Hart (no less) on drums.

Dayna Stephens, Monk’D (Contagious Music)

In addition to his own releases as leader, tenor saxophonist Stephens has been a valued band member with Kenny Barron, Al Foster, Linda May Han Oh, and many others. What I hadn’t known before this was that he also plays the bass, and very well. In this quartet he plays bass only, bringing in the wonderful and criminally undersung Stephen Riley on tenor, Ethan Iverson on piano, and Eric McPherson on drums for a virtually all-Monk romp. McPherson, whom I had best known as a delicate and coloristic drummer with Fred Hersch’s trio, proves his mettle in a punchier, more straight-ahead context. He would have sounded good with Monk!

Ronan Guilfoyle, At Swing, Two Birds (Livia Records)

Irish bassist Guilfoyle calls this band the Bemusement Arcade. The lineup is Guilfoyle on acoustic bass guitar, his son Chris Guilfoyle on guitar, British alto saxophonist Sam Norris, and drummer Darren Beckett. The guitar/alto pairing is great, the compositions by Guilfoyle père are sly and fun, and the whole thing just hops along. I reviewed it earlier this year here.

Al Foster, Live at Smoke (Smoke Sessions)

The great drummer left us this year and this is his final recording, made in January, a quartet with tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist Brad Mehldau, and bassist Joe Martin. Absorbing, imaginative, playful and brilliant explorations of compositions by the band members (one each), a couple of standards, and jazz originals by Shorter, Rollins, and Coltrane. “Pent-up House” is an anthology piece.

Eric Scott Reed, Out Late (Smoke Sessions)

A pillar of the New York jazz scene, Reed’s new one has trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, bassist PeterWashington, and drummer Joe “Time to Swing” Farnsworth. My review is here.

Danny Grissett, Travelogue (Savant)

Purchase here

The unflappable, elegant pianist, long a mainstay in the groups of Tom Harrell, Jeremy Pelt, and more, is in a trio here with Vicente Archer on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. High class.

Bill Stewart, Live at the Village Vanguard (Criss Cross Jazz)

Purchase here

Speaking of Bill Stewart, here he is with tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III and bassist Larry Grenadier. This is a bit more modern than the others in this list but Stewart always swings, as do his bandmates.

The Hookup - Twenties (Star Prod)

Purchase here

This all-French quartet approaches century-old repertoire with a loose and interactive swinging approach. Géraldine Laurent is on alto saxophone, Noé Huchard on piano, and the Moutin brothers are the rhythm section: François on bass and Louis on drums.

Paul Morvan, Dedicated (Fresh Sound New Talent)

More from France: drummer Paul Morvan, like Joe Farnsworth and like German drummer Bernd Reiter, is a fervent, accomplished practitioner of bebop drumming. Here he plays with alto saxophonist Dmitri Baevsky, flautist Christelle Raquillet, guitarist Hugo Lippi, and bassist David Wong, in various configurations.

Jackson Potter, small things (Shifting Paradigm Records)

A international hard-bop quintet led by a young NYC-based guitarist coming from a Grant Green/Kenny Burrell approach. Tenor and trumpet, with a guest appearance by Jaleel Shaw. Reviewed here.

Bill O’Connell, Touch (Jojo Records)

One of pianist Bill O’Connell’s major interests is Latin jazz, and those rhythms can occasionally be heard here along with straight-ahead swing. The trio is rounded out by bassist Santi Debriani and, again, Billy Hart on drums. The listener is in good hands.

Carl Allen, Tippin’ (Cellar Music)

Major league drummer Carl Allen with Chris Potter, again, on tenor, and Christian McBride on bass. Reviewed here.

Robin Verheyen, Liftoff (innerVoiceJazz)

A trio led by the Belgian saxophonist Robin Verheyen, reviewed here, with bassist Drew Gress and Billy Hart. Hart is everywhere. I’m not even listing the two albums he released this year with his quartet (Just, on ECM, and Multidirectional, on Smoke).

Pasquale Grasso, Solo Be-Bop! (Masterworks)

Purchase here

A fierce bebop guy, whose profile was boosted by his association with vocal phenomenon Samara Joy. I’m not really a guitar nerd, but this level of solo virtuosity is bracing.

Please leave your own swinging recommendations in the comments!