Regardless of one's taste in jazz, 2011 was a very good year. Some highlights:

CONCERTS

Golden Striker Trio, Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center • In recent years, the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival has presented some of the top artists in jazz, but this trio featuring bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Mulgrew Miller set a new standard. With its jazz-meets-classical ambiance, the set was one for the ages: imaginative, challenging and sublime.

Jazz Crusaders, Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center • This well-regarded combo could have relied on its pop hits to please the crowd. Instead, pianist Joe Sample and company honored the band's straight-ahead beginnings, in what was arguably the finest Jazz St. Louis presentation of the year. Sample may be best known for smooth jazz, but on this gig his roots were showing.

Matthew Shipp, 560 Music Center • One of the best pianists in jazz, Shipp led his trio through an exhilarating New Music Circle concert that was predictable only in its unpredictability. Whether stretching the boundaries of hard bop or engaging in avant-garde dissonance, this artist reminded his audience that jazz is as much about exploration as preservation.

RECORDINGS

"Action-Refraction," Ben Allison • This collection focusing on cover tunes showcased bassist Allison at his most imaginative. His version of Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free" is flat-out wonderful.

"James Farm," Joshua Redman • Saxophonist Joshua Redman took off for refreshingly new territory with this fine collaborative band featuring pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Eric Harland.

"The Lost and Found," Gretchen Parlato • Not enough listeners have found their way to Parlato and her fresh approach to jazz singing. In a better world, "Better Than" would be the song on everyone's iPod.