My 10 Favorite Albums in 2025
The best albums I listened this year.
Hi Friends,
If you’ve read any of my posts over the past year you know I love music! Apple Music says I listened to over 300 albums and nearly 2,000 songs totalling over 10,000 hours of music. I listened to mostly jazz, funk and rock.
My listening also parallelled the concerts I attended throughout the year. I saw three of my favorite drummers perform. Lettuce came out with two albums! King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard played Forest Hills Stadium in August so that was a heavy Gizzard month. I also read Ted Goia’s How To Listen to Jazz so I listened to more jazz this year.
Here’s my 10 favorite albums I listened to in 2025:
Keith Jarrett Trio At The Deer Head Inn and The Old Country
After checking out What’s Louis Cole Listening To? I went down the Keith Jarrett rabbit hole and found these albums recorded live in 1992 with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian. The trio’s spirited improvisation, tactful phrasing, and energetic dynamics make this a repeat listen for me.
Lettuce With The Colorado Symphony and Cook.
My favorite band Lettuce put out TWO albums this year! Their career-defining performance with the Colorado Symphony was captured on record and DVD. Their second release Cook picks up where last year’s Unify left off. This band never ceases to deliver.
Freddie Hubbard & Lee Morgan Night of the Cookers Vol. 1 & 2
I feel like I stumbled upon something ‘secret’ with these albums even though they’re well known in the jazz world. There’s an indefinable magic in the air and we’re lucky these recordings exist from two nights when these trumpet titans went head-to-head.
Nils Frahm Tripping With Nils Frahm and Paris.
I’ve been listening to the neo-classical virtuosity of Nils Frahm for years but finally got to see him perform at Brooklyn’s Kings Theater. Frahm’s set was pretty close to live album Paris and the body-enveloping tones of his synths conjured the same excitement I get when listening to Tripping.
Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane and At Carnegie Hall.
For a short period in 1957 Monk and Coltrane recorded a few albums including a live performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall. I was listening to lots of Monk when I found these records. It doesn’t get any better than hearing two of my favorite jazz musicians play together. Monk’s tunes are earworms and I find myself whistling his quirky melodies.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Phantom Island
In advance of their summer tour King Gizzard released this album which sounds similar to 2024’s Flight b741 but with the added addition of an orchestra. When I saw them perform in August, they played the album top-to-bottom with a live orchestra who also joined the band for epic versions of classic Gizz tunes like Crumbling Castle.
The Band Last Waltz.
One of my favorite albums of all-time and a top choice every year. It hits that spot right between soul, blues and rock n roll. I love live albums and this was The Band’s ‘farewell’ concert so there’s a special energy. Plus all the special music guests make you feel like you’re witnessing one hell of a party.
Makaya McCraven Off The Record EPs
Last year I got really into McCraven’s album In The Moment so I knew I had to see him this year. I stood right next to his drums and watched the master at work. McCraven made some touching and wise statements both on and off the drums.
Led Zeppelin Live EP
It’s not everyday Led Zeppelin releases new music! While these songs aren’t exactly ‘new’, they haven’t been released on an album before. The four songs on this album were recorded in 1975 and 1979 when the band was at the peak of their musical prowess.
Wes Montgomery Boss Guitar.
This is my favorite record right now. I picked up it for Eric Walpole a while back and I’ve been hooked on it ever since we listened to it again recently. The album features both sides of Montgomery’s skillful playing, his beautiful ballads as well as scorching improvisations.
Check out my Five Bullets newsletter for more music recommendations.
You might also like this essay on the CDs that were my soundtrack to every drive:
Let me know your favorite music this year in the comments.
Happy Listening!
-Keith
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