The man with the soulful beats wins again - but I do get the feeling that he's better with Little Brother than he is on his own. Still, another great album. A million times better than this year's offerings from, say Kanye West or 50 Cent, definitely.

Tenor sax player Brecker's Swan Song. He got in some of his friends - Metheny, Hancock, Mehldau, Patitucci & DeJohnette - and left life's stage with a bang. Iconic.

Remarkably good album from the man who didn't win "American Idol" but did pick up a couple of American Music Awards recently. More power to him.

Prodigious talent on the piano serves up excellent jazz but keeps his ear to the hip-hop beats on the streets. Incredible.

Thanks to DJ Jazzy Jeff for being one of the people this year who restored my faith in hip-hop. Pure hip-hop beats, soulful and jazzy grooves and informative and inspirational lyrics. I personally couldn't ask for more.

Ledisi has had to water her sound down a tad for mainstream acceptance - and I do hope it pays off for her - but this album still has enough of the soul singer to satisfy.

Didn't work for me the same way "Songs About Jane" did but there's no doubt these are talented guys. The album is a grower - I don't play it that often, I have to confess, but each time I do play it I hear something new and like the album even more. Definitely worth checking out.

Guitarist Metheny and pianist Mehldau return for the second part of their inventive collaboration. I thought it was absolutely stunning.

This album from Yellojacket frontman tenor sax player Bob Mintzer is one of those that does exactly what it says on the tin. Beautifully crafted songs played with heart. He's another of my favourite tenor players.

Okay, I cheated slightly with this one but I ordered it on the 19th of December last year and it didn't arrive until after Christmas - too late to include it in the 2006 list. "Hip Hop Is Dead" has its moments but I suppose most people know that by now. I was impressed and Nas hasn't impressed me in a long, long while.

Patterson has upped his game and gone places that took many by surprise. It's still soul though and it's still great soul. One of my more exciting buys of the year.

Puddle of Mudd are beginning to find their own voice after two albums of sounding like they wished they were Nirvana (not that I was complaining). It's not a brilliant album, just a very good one.

One of the most consistent yet underrated soul singers I've ever heard. Brilliant album, this.

Our Jill put this compilation of earlier collaborations out earlier in the year to whet our appetites for the new CD "The Real Thing", which eventually arrived in the summer. This is the much better album in my view and that's all I'm going to say.

Another man with the nuts to go his own way and do his own thing when it would've been much easier - and probably more profitable - to go with the crowd. His music shows great imagination and creativity. Respect due.