In 2021, jazz went back in time to see the future

Every few years, a new jazz artist (or at least new to us) comes along to shake our perception of what the music can entail. In 2015, it was , the Los Angeles saxophonist and collaborator whose West African robes and blustery sound were akin to stalwarts like and . A year later, another saxophonist, the London-based, broke through with three very distinct bands, each with its own unique musical texture. In 2018, with the release of his community-minded LP , drummer/producer earned critical acclaim for a blend of jazz that surveyed scenes in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and London.