At the risk of omitting something solely due to poor memory, here’s my list of best jazz moments and events of the past year.

CDs
See posting on Jazz Police for a detailed list of favorites. But on top:

• Craig Taborn, Avenging Angel (ECM)
• 3 Cohens,  Family (Anzic)
• Karrin Allyson, Round Midnight (Concord)
• Mary Louise Knutson, In the Bubble (Meridian)
• Bryan Nichols Quintet, Bright Places

Twin Cities CDs

• Mary Louise Knutson, In the Bubble (Meridian)
• Bryan Nichols Quintet, Bright Places

DVDs

• Performance:Pictures at an Exhibition: American Premiere at Jordan Hall (Eyran Records)
• Documentary:In Good Time, The Piano Jazz of Marian McPartland (Films by Huey)

Jazz Book

• Keystone Corner: Portrait of a Jazz Club (Kathy Sloane, Indiana U Press)

Jazz Photography

• Frank Stewart, Photography, Jazz at Lincoln Center (winter 2011)

Top Ten Jazz Gigs/Events

Randy Weston, African Rhythms Trio, Iowa City Jazz Festival (photo © Andrea Canter)

• Dan Tepfer and Paul Motian, Cornelia Street Café, New York (February)
• Bad Plus, Rite of Spring, Loring Theater, Minneapolis (May)
• Gary Burton New Quartet, Twin Cities Jazz Festival (June)
• Randy Weston African Rhythms Trio, Iowa City Jazz Festival (July)
• Karrin Allyson, Dakota Jazz Club (July)
• Sing the Truth (Angelique Kidjo, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lizz Wright), Detroit Jazz Festival (September)
• Theo Bleckmann, Macalester College, St. Paul (September)
• Bryan Nichols, solo piano, MacPhail Center for Music (October)
• John Scofield Quartet, Dakota Jazz Club (November)
• Sue Orfield with the Tuesday Night Band, Artists Quarter, St. Paul (November)

Meditations and Reflections II, MacPhail Center for Music (Photo © Andrea Canter)

Top Jazz Concert Series

• Jazz Thursdays, “Meditations and Reflections” (The Music of Charles Mingus), October 2010-March 2011, MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis (directed by Adam Linz; funded by an NEA grant)
• Jazz at Studio Z concert series, September 2011-June 2012, St. Paul (curated by Zacc Harris, funded by an MRAC grant)
• Jazz From J to Z concert series, various venues, Twin Cities (Twin Cities Jazz Society)

Top Student Performances

Dakota Combo, Charles Mingus Combo competition
(photo © Andrea Canter)

• Dakota Combo, Charles Mingus High School Festival/Jazz Combo Competition, New York (February)
• International Trumpet Guild, Student Soloist Finals, Minneapolis (May)
• Youth Stage, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, St Paul (June)
• Youth Stage, Dakota StreetFest, Minneapolis (July)
• Coriolis Effect, Twin Cities Jazz Society Young Artists Series at the Artists Quarter, St. Paul (October)
• Public New Sense, Midtown Global Jazz Festival, Minneapolis (July)
• Zosha Warpeha (violin), PipJazz Sundays at Landmark Center, St. Paul (November)
• Quentin Tschofen (piano), Courtroom Concerts, Schubert Club at Landmark Center, St Paul (December)
• Minnesota Youth Jazz Band Jam, Artists Quarter, St. Paul (December)

New Jazz Venue

• Studio Z, St Paul (Jazz at Studio Z series curated by Zacc Harris)
• The Nicollet, Minneapolis (Tuesday night jazz curated by Maryann Sullivan)

Steadfast Jazz and Only Jazz Venue

• Artists Quarter, St. Paul
• Jazz Central, Minneapolis

Minni-Apple to Big Apple Award

• Nancy Harms

Minni-Apple to Big Apple Without Moving There Award

• Maud Hixson

Maryann Sullivan broadcasts "Corner Jazz"
weekly on KBEM radio.

Twin Cities Keeping Jazz Alive Award

• KBEM Radio

Too Little, Too Late Award

• Star Tribune (Minneapolis), coverage of the final weekly performance of the Tuesday Night Band (after 15 years as the longest-running music gig in the Twin Cities).

Biggest Moment in Jazz, 2011

• Esperanza Spalding winning the 2011 Grammy Award for Best New Artist
• Renewal of the NEA Jazz Masters Program