With Gerald Clayton on piano and Rhodes, Antonio Hart on flute, and Christian McBride on bass – plus special guests Clark Terry on trumpet, Lizz Wright on vocals, and Herbie Hancock as the "voice of Duke Ellington"! (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

The female all star Mosiac Project led by drummer, percussionist and vocalist Terri Lyne Carrington – with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Esperanza Spaulding, Nona Hendrix, Sheila E, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Patrice Rushen, Geri Allen and many more! This project is a celebration of the best female instrumentalists and voices in the jazz world and beyond – spanning genres and generations. Includes instrumental and vocal tracks, with some abstract improvisation and more soul jazzy vocal numbers. Includes "Transformation", "I Got Lost In His Arms" "Michelle", "Echo", "Simply Beautiful", "Soul Talk", "Insomniac", "Mosaic Triad", "Sisters on The Rise (A Transformation)" and more. (Jazz, Neo Soul) CD

Macy's best album since The Id, the slept on second album that we must be all alone in thinking is far better than her smash hit debut – coming here with hooky, fun and anthemic pop soul framing Macy's distinctively gritty lead vocals and memorable hooks! Macy Gray has always mixed it up stylistically in a way you could call "taking risks", still with ultra catchy and commercial gloss, but we just think she's creatively restless and up for anything. Here she flirts with 70s bubblegum glam rock on "Kissed It", but for the most part the album layers pop and R&B influences from the past couple decades and we'll call it an appealing win for Ms Gray....even with the Auto-Tune, dammit. Includes "The Sellout", "The Comeback", "Lately", "Still Hurts" feat Romika, "Stalker", "Real Love" (with Bobby Brown!!!), "On & On" and more. CD

Valerie June's been bubbling under for almost a decade – recording work with other artists, doing a variety of projects, and finally getting her chance to shine in the spotlight with her previous debut – yet it may well be this well-crafted second album that finally puts the singer over the top! Valerie's completely her own woman here – not beholden to any sort of easy tags or cliches – including the "rootsy soul" or "folksy diva" tags that we heard batted around before – and instead, almost inventing her own genre for the record – which has a vibe that makes us guess that it's going to be the start of a huge legacy of fame to come for June. Her voice is timeless, the instrumentation is nicely understated, and the production is very easygoing – yet the whole thing comes across with a crispily compelling sound that could appeal to both hipsters and their more mainstream friends. That might sound like a dig, but it's not – just our way of illustrating the soon-to-be universal appeal of the singer! Titles include "The Front Door", "Astral Plane", "Long Lonely Road", "Just IN Time", "Slip Slide On By", "Two Hearts", and "Got Soul". CD

A really compelling mix of folk roots and deeper soul – served up here by one of the most unique artists we've heard in years! Valerie June is really carving out some unique territory here – singing and playing guitar at a level that feels rooted in Appalachia, but also sometimes stepping into some headier sounds that are more soul or funk-based as well – a really surprising brew that comes off surprisingly well throughout! Valerie's getting production help from Kevin Augunas and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys – both of whom play and sing on the record too – along with some guest organ work from Booker T. Titles include "Wanna Be On Your Mind", "Pushin Against A Stone", "Trials Troubles Tribulations", "Twined & Twisted", "The Hour", "Somebody To Love", and "Workin Woman Blues". CD

Esperanza Spaulding looks more striking than ever on this album cover, but not as striking as the music inside – co-produced by Spaulding with Tony Visconti – the longtime David Bowie collaborator who really brings a sharp sort of focus to the set! Although Esperanza began as a jazz bassist who also happened to sing, by the point of this album she's a fully-formed soul star in her own right – bold, powerful, and progressive – with a vision that's even more moving, almost with a future soul or cosmic crackle at points, instead of some of the warmer, gentler modes from previous recordings. The album's a stunner, and shows that Esperanza Spaulding will be surprising us plenty in years to come – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Earth To Heaven", "Rest In Pleasure", "Elevate Or Operate", "Unconditional Love", "Funk The Fear", "I Want It Now", and "Ebony & Ivy". Deluxe edition features the bonus track "Change Us", plus an extended version of "Unconditional Love", an expanded booklet, and poster too! CD

One of the hippest records we've ever heard from Esperanza Spalding – a set that almost feels as if she's stepping back into some of the more experimental, individual qualities that made her so different at the start! There's definitely some appealing, catchy songs here – but the record is one to definitely be taken as a whole – this really lovely tapestry of voice and music that shimmers and glistens throughout – tunes that work together as a single suite that really keeps the album sounding fantastic all the way through, in this blend of jazz and soul that comes not just from Esperanza's vocals and work on bass, but also from the piano of Leo Genovese, who co-wrote most of the material on the album. Wayne Shorter plays on one track, the record features guest vocals from Corey King and Ganavya, and the set features 13 tracks, all numerically titled "Formwela". CD