| January 8 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Adderley, Nat | The Scavenger | ★★★ |
| Adderley, Nat | Calling Out Loud | ★★★★ |
| Bartel, Jon | The Jon Bartel Thing | ★★½ |
| Berry, Chuck | Concerto in B Goode | ★★½ |
| Burrell, Dave | High | ★★ |
| Donaldson, Lou | Hot Dog | ★½ |
| Gothic Jazz Band | Gothic Jazz Band | ★★★ |
| Lawrence, Arnie | Look Toward a Dream | no rating |
| Pearson, Duke | Now Hear This | ★★★ |
| Scott, Tom | Hair to Jazz | ★½ |
| Smith, Keith | Keith Smith | ★★★½ |
| January 22 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Ayers, Roy | Daddy Bug | ★★½ |
| Beatles, The | Abbey Road | ★★★★ |
| Davis, Wild Bill | Doin’ His Thing | ★★½ |
| Kirk, Roland | Volunteered Slavery | ★★★★★ |
| Land, Harold | The Fox | ★★★★★ |
| Marcus, Steve | The Lord’s Prayer | ★½ |
| Red Beans and Rice | featuring Ray Draper | ★★★½ |
| Sazbo, Gabor | 1969 | ★★★½ |
| Spontaneous Combustion | Come and Stick Your Head In | ★★ |
| February 5 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Collins/Shepley Galaxy | Time, Space and the Blues | ★★★½ |
| Felder, Wilton | Bullitt | ★★ |
| Grateful Dead, The | Live/Dead | ★★½ |
| Jacquet, Illinois | The Soul Explosion | ★★★½ |
| Jefferson Airplane | Volunteers | ★★★★ |
| King Crimson | In the Hall of the Crimson King | ★★★★★ |
| Moody, James | The Blues and Other Colors | ★★★★★ |
| Steig, Jeremy | This is Jeremy Steig | ★★★ |
| Tony Williams Lifetime, The | Emergency! | ★★★★ |
| February 19 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Brecker, Randy | Score | ★★★★ |
| Byrd, Donald | Fancy Free | ★★½ |
| Chaix, Henri | Here Comes the Band | ★★★★ |
| Gordon, Dexter | The Tower of Power! | ★★★★★ |
| Jazz Crusaders, The | Lighthouse ’69 | ★½ |
| Johnson, J.J. & Kai Winding | Betwixt and Between | ★★★½ |
| Mardin, Arif | Glass Onion | ★★★½ |
| McCann, Les & Eddie Harris | Swiss Movement | ★★ |
| Ortega, Anthony | Permutations | ★★★½ |
| Smith, Jimmy | The Boss | ★★★★½ |
| March 5 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Benson, George | Tell It Like It Is | ★ |
| Boll Weevil Jass Band | A Hot Band is Good to Find | ★★★½ |
| Gale, Eddie | Black Rhythm Happening | ★★★½ |
| Jolly, Pete | Give a Damn | ★★½ |
| Jones, Quincy | Walking in Space | ★★★★½ |
| Morello, Joe | Another Step Forward | ★★★ |
| Person, Houston | Soul Dance | ★★★ |
| Sullivan, Maxine & Bob Wilber | Close as Pages in a Book | ★★★★ |
| Upchurch, Phil | Upchurch | no rating |
| Venuti, Joe | Once More with Feeling | side 1: ★★½ side 2: ★★★★ |
| March 19 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Alexander, Monty | This is Monty Alexander | ★ |
| Ammons, Gene | The Boss is Back! | ★★★★ |
| Chicago Blue Stars | Coming Home | ★★★★ |
| Corea, Chick | “Is” | ★★½ |
| Higgins, Monk | Extra Soul Perception | ★ |
| Jackson, Willis | Gator’s Groove | ★★½ |
| Musselwhite, Charlie | Tennessee Woman | ★★ |
| Siegel, Gene | The Gene Siegel Orchestra | ★★★★½ |
| Wilson, Gerald | Eternal Equinox | ★★★★ |
| Zappa, Frank | Hot Rats | ★★★★ |
| April 2 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Crawford, Hank | Mr Blues Plays Lady Soul | no stars |
| Evans, Gil | Gil Evans | ★★★★ |
| Fat Mattress | Fat Mattress | ★★★½ |
| Herman, Woody | Heavy Exposure | ★★★★ |
| Led Zeppelin | II | ★★★½ |
| Love | Out Here | ★½ |
| McDuff, Brother Jack | Down Home Style | ★ |
| McGriff, Jimmy | A Thing to Come By | ★★ |
| Woods, Phil | Round Trip | ★★★½ |
| Zeet Band, The | Moogie Woogie | One Raspberry |
| Various Artists | Swing Hi-Swing Lo | ★★★★ |
| April 16 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Blake, Ran | The Blue Potato and Other Outrages | ★★★★★ |
| Ferguson, Maynard | 1969 | ★★★★ |
| Haden, Charlie | Liberation Music Orchestra | ★★★★ |
| Hawes, Hampton | The Seance | ★★★★ |
| Konitz, Lee | Sax Duets | No rating |
| McIntyre, Maurice | Humility in the Light of Creator | ★★★★★ |
| Miller, Glenn & Buddy DeFranco | Do You Wanna Dance | ★★★★ |
| Richards, Emil | Spirit of 1976 | ★★★ |
| Wein, George | George Wein’s Newport All Stars | ★★★★ |
| April 30 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Art Ensemble of Chicago | People in Sorrow | ★★★★★ |
| Fisher, Eddie | The Third Cup | ★★★½ |
| Forever More | Yours Forever More | ★★★★★ |
| Jordan, Clifford | Soul Fountain | ★½ |
| Magic Sam | Black Magic | ★★★ |
| McPartland, Marian | Interplay | ★★★★ |
| Mitchell, Blue | Bantu Village | ★★★★ for playing ★ for album |
| Murray, Sunny | In Paris: Big Chief | no rating |
| Nance, Ray | Body and Soul | ★★★½ |
| Robinson, Freddy | The Coming Atlantis | no rating |
| Strazzeri, Frank | That’s Him and This is New | ★★★★ |
| Wright, Leo | Soul Talk | ★★ |
| May 14 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Carter, Susan | Wonderful Deeds and Adventures | ★★★½ |
| Gonzales, Babs | The Ghettosburg Address | ★★★½ |
| Mann, Herbie | Stone Flute | ★★★★ |
| Moody, James | Workshop, Vol. 1 | ★★★★ |
| Otis, Shuggie | Here Comes Shuggie Otis | ★★★ |
| Scott, Tom | Paint Your Wagon | ★★★★★ |
| Scott, Tony | Tony Scott | ★★★½ |
| Shank, Bud & Bob Alcivar Singers | Let It Be | ★★★★ |
| Sharrock, Sonny | Black Woman | ★★★½ |
| Tapscott, Horace | The Giant is Awakened | ★★½ |
| May 28 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Adams, Pepper | Encounter | ★★★★½ |
| Brown, Elaine | Seize the Time – Black Panther Party | no rating |
| Brubeck, Dave | Brubeck in Amsterdam | ★★★★½ |
| Brubeck, Dave & Gerry Mulligan | Blues Roots | ★★★★★ |
| GTO’s (Girls Together Outrageously) | Permanent Damage | no stars |
| Laidlaw, Frank & Paul Riccucci | Jazz from The Stockbridge Inn | ★★½ |
| Mobley, Hank | The Flip | ★★★ |
| Pink Floyd | Ummagumma | no rating |
| Thomas, Leon | Spirits Known and Unknown | ★★★★★ |
| Woods, Phil | Early Quintets | ★★★½ |
| June 11 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Benson, George | The Other Side of Abbey Road | ★★★½ |
| Christian, Charlie | Solo Flight with Benny Goodman | ★★★★★ |
| Davis, Miles | Bitches Brew | ★★★★★ |
| Hancock, Herbie | The Prisoner | ★★★★★ |
| Hubbard, Freddie | The Black Angel | ★★★★ |
| Klemmer, John | All the Children Cried | ★★★★ |
| Mayall, John | The Turning Point | ★½ |
| Montgomery, Wes | Eulogy | ★★★★ |
| Montgomery, Wes | Greatest Hits | ★★★★ |
| June 25 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Baker, Ginger | Ginger Baker’s Air Force | ★★ |
| Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young | Deja Vu | ★★★ |
| Delaney and Bonnie and Friends | On Tour | ★★★★½ |
| Ellington, Duke | 70th Birthday Concert | ★★★★★ |
| Hawkins, Coleman | Night Hawk | ★★★★ |
| Mothers of Invention | Burnt Weeny Sandwich | ★★★★★ |
| Peterson, Oscar & Herb Ellis | Hello Herbie | ★★★★★ |
| Pike, Dave | The Doors of Perception | ★★★½ |
| Russell, Pee Wee | Memorial Album | ★★★★½ |
| Vitous, Miroslav | Infinite Search | ★★★★½ |
| Various Artists | The Alto Summit | ★★★★★ |
| July 9 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Brute Force | Brute Force | ★★ |
| Dorsey, Tommy | The Incomparable Tommy Dorsey | no rating |
| Family | A Song for Me | ★★★★ |
| Gordon, Dexter | More Power | ★★★★ |
| Jackson, Milt & Ray Brown | That’s the Way It Is | ★★★½ |
| McCann, Les | Comment | ★★★ |
| Nelson, Oliver | Black, Brown and Beautiful | ★★★★ |
| Rich, Buddy | Super Rich | ★★★★ |
| Santamaria, Mongo | All Strung Out | ★½ |
| Santamaria, Mongo | Feelin’ Alright | ★★½ |
| Shaw, Artie | Swing with Artie Shaw | ★★★★ |
| July 23 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Booker T & the MGs | McLemore Avenue | ★★★ |
| Chicago | Chicago | ★★★½ |
| Hyman, Dick | Concerto Electro | no rating |
| Kloss, Eric | To Hear is to See | ★★★★ |
| Murtaugh, John | Blues Current | ★★★★ |
| Thorton, Clifford | Freedom and Unity | ★★★★ |
| Tjader, Cal | Plugs In | ★★★★ |
| August 6 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Hates, Isaac | The Isaac Hayes Movement | ★★★★★ |
| Boeckman, Charlie | 3 AM Jazz Clarinet | ★★½ |
| Dunbar, Aynsley | Retaliation Retaliation | ★★★★ |
| Hancock, Herbie | Fat Albert Rotunda | ★★ |
| Hodges, Johnny | Three Shades of Blue | ★★★★ |
| Insect Trust | Hoboken Saturday Night | ★★★ |
| Mangione, Gap | Diana in the Autumn | ★★★★ |
| Mike Westbrook Concert Band | Marching Song | ★★★½ |
| Wheeler, Clarence & The Enforcers | Doin’ What We Wanna | ★★★½ |
| August 20 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Byard, Jaki | Solo Piano | ★★★★★ |
| Donaldson, Lou | Everything I Play is Funky | none |
| Patton, John | Accent on The Blues | ★★½ |
| Konitz, Lee | Peacemeal | ★★★★★ |
| Manne, Shelly | Outside | ★★★★★ |
| Newborn, Phineas, Jr. | Please Send Me Someone to Love | ★★★★★ |
| Shorter, Wayne | Super Nova | ★★★★★ |
| Tyner, McCoy | Expansions | ★★★★ |
| Various Artists | Woodstock | one cosmic huzzah |
| September 3 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Count Basie | Basie on The Beatles | ★★★★½ |
| Byas, Don & Ben Webster | Don Byas Meets Ben Webster | ★★★★ |
| Clarke, Kenny & Francy Boland | Let’s Face the Music | ★★★★½ |
| De Paris, Wilbur | Over and Over Again | ★★★★ |
| Evans, Bill | Alone | ★★★★★ |
| Hope, Elmo | Trio | ★★★★★ |
| Kessel, Barney | Hair is Beautiful | ★★½ |
| Kessel, Barney | Feeling Free | ★★★★ |
| Sheldon, Jack | The Warm World of Jack Sheldon | ★★★ |
| September 17 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Bartz, Gary NTU | Troop Home! | ★★★★★ |
| Clarke, Kenny & Francy Boland | Volcano | ★★★★ |
| Hill, Andrew | Life Every Voice | ★★★ |
| Jones, Elvin | Poly-Currents | ★★★★ |
| Mabern, Harold | Workin’ and Wailin’ | ★★½ |
| Ponty, Jean-Luc | King Kong | ★★★★★ |
| Severinsen, Doc | Doc Severinsen’s Closet | ★★★★ |
| October 1 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Barbieri, Gato | The Third World | ★★★½ |
| Beaver & Krause | In a Wild Sanctuary | ★★★★ |
| Calloway, Cab | Cab Calloway Classics | ★★★★★ |
| Cosby, Bill | Badfoot Brown and the Bunions Bradford Funeral and Marching Band | ★½ |
| Marsh, Warne | Ne Plus Ultra | ★★★★½ |
| McLaughlin, John | Devotion | ★★★ |
| Rich, Buddy | Keep the Customer Satisfied | ★★★★ |
| Smith, Stuff | Memorial Album | ★★★★½ |
| Steig, Jeremy | Legwork | ★★★ |
| Walton, Cedar | Soul Cycle | ★★★ |
| Wilson, Teddy | In Europe 1968 | ★★★½ |
| October 15 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Ayler, Albert | Music is the Healing Force in the Universe | ★½ |
| Bartha, Andy | At the Oceania Lounge | ★★★ |
| Bartha, Andy | At the Moonraker Restaurant | ★★★½ |
| Bonzo Dog Band | Keynsham | ★★★★ |
| Cox, Kenny & The Contemporary Jazz Quintet | Multidirection | ★★★ |
| Hawkins, Coleman | Think Deep | ★★★★½ |
| McPherson, Charles | McPherson’s Mood | no rating |
| Simmons, Sonny | Rumasuma | ★★ |
| Stitt, Sonny | Stardust | ★★★ |
| October 29 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Smith, Bessie | The World’s Greatest Blues Singer | ★★★★★ |
| Brown, Clifford | The Clifford Brown Quartet in Paris | ★★★★★ |
| Coleman, Ornette | Friends and Neighbors | ★★★½ |
| Coltrane, John | Selflessness | ★★★½ |
| Farlow, Tal | The Return of Tal Farlow | ★★★★ |
| Grand Funk Railroad | Closer to Home | zilch |
| King, B.B. | Completely Well | ★★★ |
| Lawrence, Arnie and the Children of All Ages | Inside and Hourglass | no rating |
| Teagarden, Jack | In Concert | ★★★★½ |
| Various Artists | The Naked Carmen | one electric castanet |
| Woods, Phil | Phil Woods and His European Rhythm Machines at the Montreaux Jazz Festival | ★★★★★ |
| November 12 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Berger, Karl | Tune In | ★★½ |
| Duke, George | Save the Country | ★★★½ |
| Pearson, Duke | How Insensitive | ★★★½ |
| Ewell, Don | Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon | ★★★★★ |
| Franklin, Aretha | Spirit in the Dark | ★★★★★ |
| Gordon, Dexter | A Day in Copenhagen | ★★★½ |
| Lewis, George | Memorial Album | ★★★★ |
| Lloyd, Charles | Moon Man | ★ |
| Mohawk, Essra | Primordial Lovers | ★★★★★ |
| Murphy, Mark | Midnight Mood | ★★★★ |
| Smith, Jimmy | Groove Drops | ★★ |
| Winters, Smiley | Smiley, Etc. | ★★ |
| November 26 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Ellis, Don | At Fillmore | ★★★★ |
| Freeman, Bud | The Compleat Bud Freeman | ★★★★ |
| Frishberg, Dave | Oklahoma Toad | ★★★★ |
| Harris, Barry | Magnificent | ★★★★★ |
| Jones, Quincy | Gula Matari | ★★★ |
| Mason, Dave | Alone Together | ★★★★★ |
| Pearson, Duke | Dedication | ★★★★ |
| Ted Shafer’s Jelly Roll Jazz Band | Old Jazz, Vol. 1 | ★★½ |
| Ted Shafer’s Jelly Roll Jazz Band | Old Jazz, Vol. 2 | ★★★ |
| Ted Shafer’s Jelly Roll Jazz Band | Old Jazz, Vol. 3 | ★★★★ |
| Winter, Edgar | Entrance | ★★★★ |
| December 10 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Bryant, Ray | MCMLXX | ★★★ |
| Mance, Junior | With a Lotta Help From My Friends | ★★★½ |
| Dash, Julian | A Portrait of Julian Dash | ★★★★½ |
| Hawes, Hampton | In Europe 1967 | ★★★★ |
| Jamal, Ahmad | The Awakening | ★★★★ |
| Lewis, Ramsey | Them Changes | ★★½ |
| Jazz Crusaders, The | The Best of the Jazz Crusaders | no stars |
| Jazz Crusaders, The | Give Peace a Chance | ★★★ |
| Mann, Herbie | Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty | ★★★ |
| Mothers of Invention, The | Weasels Ripped My Flesh | ★★★★★ |
| Tate, Grady | After the Long Ride Home | ★★★ |
| Original Tuxedo “Jass” Band | The Original Tuxedo “Jass” Band | ★★★ |
| December 24 | ||
| Artist | Album | Rating |
| Coltrane, John | Transition | ★★★★½ |
| Armstrong, Louis | Louis Armstrong and His Friends | ★★★★ |
| Armstrong, Louis | The Definitive Album | ★★★★ |
| Baker, Chet | Blood, Chet and Tears | ★ |
| Cactus | Cactus | one gila monster |
| Desmond, Paul | Bridge Over Troubled Water | ★★★★★ |
| Ellington, Duke | With the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | ★★★ |
| Hawes, Hampton | High in the Sky | ★★★★★ |
| Smith, Lonnie | Drives | ★★★★½ |
| Williams, Tony | The Tony Williams Lifetime | ★★★★½ |