Year in review: 25 of the best jazz albums of 2021 — Jazzwise

Gretchen Parlato – Flor 

Gretchen Parlato is back and she came to play. Her latest album Flor — which means “flower” in Portuguese — honours the Brazilian music that she loves. The album is an exploration of the many ways in which motherhood has reconnected Parlato to her own inner child. The playful rhythms immediately stand out, and they’re a perfect springboard for Parlato’s acrobatic vocals. Her lyrics are powerful and her melodies memorable. —Raina Hersh