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Georgia Anne Muldrow: Olesi – Fragments of an Earth (Stones Throw Records)

22 year-old Georgia Anne clearly travels the spaceways, and this solo disc is deeply impressive for one so young. An almost conceptual album that heads stylistically towards hip-hop and nu-soul, but takes its substance straight from afrocentric free jazz of the 1960s and 1970s. Muldrow played, sang and produced almost everything on the record. It is a shame that R’n’B format stations will be too timid to playlist this. (Hat-tip to captain matt of durutti airlines for this find.)

Herbert Howells: Requiem (Naxos)

OK, not a 2006 release, but a top ten for this year would not be complete without acknowledging a (re)discovery of the English choral tradition: something of which in Oxford there is an embarassment of riches. Howell’s Requiem was written in the mid 1930s, and contains some stunning close harmonic writing for choir and organ. This recording was made in 1999 by The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge under Christopher Robinson, on a disc that also features Howell’s moving memorial to John F. Kennedy, Take Him, Earth for Cherishing.

Branford Marsalis: Braggtown (Marsalis Music)

I had to peel my ears off the wall after this one. As noted only a few weeks ago on these pages, “Rarely have I heard a modern jazz group play classic material like this with such passion and conviction.” Braggtown is more proof that there are still a few musicians out there who can rattle off some visceral acoustic jazz like like it ain’t no thang, and still burn the listeners up.