2007 had several deserving candidates for artist of the year.
Former Chicagoan, Myra Melford released three wonderful albums - "Spark" (with Marty Ehlich), "The Big Picture" (with Trio M), and "Heart Mountain" (with Tanya Kalmanovitch) while also contributing her expressive keyboards to Nicole Mitchell's live Alice Coltrane Tribute. Showing exceptional creativity in her improvisational endeavors, Melford is sure to be a force on the scene for years to come.
Legendary pianist McCoy Tyner experienced a rebirth in 2007 that saw him playing and recording at a very high level, while his contemporary, bassist Ron Carter released an excellent album ( "Dear Miles") in tribute to Miles Davis. Meanwhile, tenor saxophone giant, Michael Brecker released an incredible album ("Pilgrimage", while in the final stages of the illness that would kill him this year.
But finally, tenor saxophonist Chris Potter released two of our favorite albums of the year. "Song For Anyone" featured the artist in an inspired setting with strings, while "Follow the Red Line" showcased the horn player's talents in an incendiary live set. For taking on the mantle of the late Brecker and trailblazing his way into the future of Jazz, we salute Chris Potter as 2007's Jazz Artist of the Year.
Runners up:
Myra Melford
Michael Brecker
McCoy Tyner
Ron Carter
Check out our complete coverage of the 2007 Chicago Jazz Fest
Return to Jazzchicago's top Jazz of 2007