Top 10 Albums of 2024 – Greg Schultz

Like most of you I listened to alot of new music this year and had the opportunity to share it with the folks on KGNU. Here is a short summary for my top three selections and hopefully a few of the albums I chose will resonate with you and you just might play one or two down the road. Enjoy!

Bronx, NY native Samara Joy and her latest release, ‘Portrait’ head my Top 10 Albums for 2024. Samara’s eloquent voice and phrasing are unsurpassed in today’s Jazz world and harken back to the vocals of a young Sarah Vaughn. Yes, high praise but also well deserved. Co-produced with Grammy winning trumpet player/producer Brian Lynch and recorded at the famed Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, one does not need to love Jazz to listen and appreciate the greatness of Samara Joy.

Just 25 years old, gifted Spainard writer, trombonist and vocalist Rita Payes is a product of the famed Barcelona Sant Andreu Jazz Band, a revolving collection of young and talented musicians formed in 2006. Rita’s latest album, ‘De camino al camino’, was released in July and is a stunning and beautiful collection of self-penned tunes with Bossa Nova, Jazz, Bolero and Classical overtones blending Rita’s genuine and unique style of musical arrangements into one dam fine record. Give it a spin.

The Wonder Women of Country (Kelly Willis, Melissa Carper and Brennen Leigh) released their self-titled album back in March and it is a stellar collection of original tunes with the lone exception being a cover of John Prine’s I Have Met My Love Today, sung perfectly by Melissa Carper. These ladies stand strong on their own work and merit as individual artists but here’s hoping the newly formed trio will continue to tour and make more records together. I just love this record and these ladies.