In doing my weekly show I have come to realize that the more Nola-centric I make my playlist, the more my listeners like it.  So I’ve split the year-end list into two parts.  First the best of the year from New Orleans musical artists, and then the best of the year from everyone else:  

Best N.O. albums, 2013

Allen Toussaint – "Songbook" – (it’s all good).
Preservation Hall Jazz Band – That’s It!
Panorama Jazz Band – Dance of the Hot Earth
Harold Battiste Presents the Next Generation Big Band
Tom McDermott – Bamboula
Dumpstaphunk – Dirty Word.


Best new but non-New Orleans albums, 2013 –

Derrick Hodge – “Live Today”
Global Noize – Sly Re-Imagined
Randy Weston – Roots of the Blues
Charnett Moffett – Spirit of Sound
Ahmad Jamal – Saturday Morning
Robert Walter's 20th Congress – “Get Thy Bearings”
Calvin Keys – “Electric Keys”

    Tune in on Friday, December 27th, 2013 from 6 to 9 a.m. to hear tracks from as many of these albums as I can find – as well as tunes and songs from some of the artists who passed away during the year.  That list includes Donald Byrd, George Duke, Mulgrew Miller, Cedar Walton, Chico Hamilton, and Yusef Lateef.