People seem to love lists, especially at the end of the year (https://larryappelbaum.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/thoughts-on-top-10s/). Here is mine, in alphabetical order, based on recordings that kept my interest beyond work assignments or preparing radio programs.
Fifty Jazz Favorites from 2012
Tim Berne-Snakeoil (ECM)
George Cables-My Muse (High Note)
Anat Cohen-Claroscuro (Anzic)
Ravi Coltrane-Spirit Fiction (Blue Note)
The Cookers-Believe (Motema)
Chick Corea/Eddie Gomez/Paul Motian-Further Explorations (Concord)
Chick Corea & Gary Burton-Hot House (Concord)
Miles Davis-So What (Nederlands Jazz Archief)
Chano Dominguez-Flamenco Sketches (Blue Note)
Denise Donatelli-Soul Shadows (Savant)
Dave Douglas-Be Still (Greenleaf)
Kurt Elling-1610 Broadway (Concord)
Sidsel Endresen & Stian Westerhus-Didymoi Dreams (Rune Grammofon)
Joe Fielder’s Big Sackbut (Yellow Sound)
Fly-Year of the Snake (ECM)
Mike Formanek-Small Places (ECM)
Kenny Garrett-Seeds From The Underground (Mack Avenue)
Robert Glasper-Black Radio (Blue Note)
Billy Hart-All Our Reasons (ECM)
Fred Hersch-Alive Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
Vijay Iyer-Accelerando (ACT)
Ahmad Jamal-Blue Moon (Jazz Village)
Keith Jarrett-Sleeper (ECM)
Jazz Soul Seven-Impressions of Curtis Mayfield (BFM)
Konitz/Frisell/Peacock/Baron-Enfant Terribles (Half Note)
Joe Lovano-Cross Culture (Blue Note)
Branford Marsalis-Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes (Marsalis Music)
John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension-Now Hear This (Abstract Logix)
Brad Mehldau-Ode (Nonesuch)
Pat Metheney-Unity Band (Nonesuch)
Marcus Miller-Rennaissance (Concord)
Mizuho w/Tiger Okoshi-Dear Duke (House of Jazz)
Wes Montgomery-Echoes of Indiana Avenue (Resonance)
Lewis Nash-The Highest Mountain (Cellar Live)
Parodoxical Frog-Union (Clean Feed)
Gregory Porter-Be Good (Motema)
Sam Rivers-Reunion (Pi)
Alfredo Rodriguez-Sounds of Space (Mack Avenue)
Kurt Rosenwinkel-Star of Jupiter (Womusic)
Christian Scott-Christian aTunde Adjuah (Concord)
Sara Serpa & Ran Blake-Aurora (Clean Feed)
Wadada Leo Smith/Louis Moholo-Moholo-Ancestors (TUM)
Wadada Leo Smith-Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
Luciana Souza-The Book of Chet (Sunnyside)
Luciana Souza-Brazilian Duos III (Sunnyside)
Esperanza Spalding-Radio Music Society (Heads Up)
Henry Threadgill-Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, SPP (Pi)
Ryan Truesdell-Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
David Virelles-Continuum (Pi)
Victor Wooten-Sword & Stone (Vix)
Let's Cool One 