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While my faves listed here focus on instrumental music once again a number of albums made the list either due to the organic feel of the recording or the genre the artist is associated with. Yet despite the presence of a few commercially viable artists it was the independents that once again that totally enthralled my ears.

Although I had my eyes focused on Jim Gabriel’s highly impressive debut and Ryan Stewart’s continued successful streak, it was the very last minute entry of Kelly Andrew’s highly dramatic and colorful Epoch Dawn that took very top honors. His creation screams epic music, somewhat in the tradition of ES Posthumus and Thomas Bergersen, and was such a late entry that I have not even had the time to review it yet.

Nevertheless if you made this list your music moved me and as always I want to thank the artists that were willing to risk a critique and also spend part of their promotional budget by investing in a review. Thank you for that honor.

In addition to the albums listed below, the 2014 Honorable Mentions includes the missed 2013 releases of
- Steven Vitali’s Language Of The Soul
- The Luminous World Orchestra’s Moments From The Life Stories of Stranger Part One
1
Cover image of the album Epoch Dawn by Kelly Andrew
Kelly Andrew
January 27, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
Michael's Albums of the Year
2
Cover image of the album Sojourn by Jim Gabriel
Jim Gabriel
June 29, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Debut Albums
3
Cover image of the album One Journey by Ryan Stewart
Ryan Stewart
January 10, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
4
Cover image of the album Living My Dream by Jonathan Butler
Jonathan Butler
June 22, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Guitar music
5
Cover image of the album By a Wire by Jennifer DeFrayne
Jennifer DeFrayne
October 20, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Debut AlbumsZMR Winner
6
Cover image of the album Saving Tiny Hearts by Paul Cardall
Paul Cardall
December 30, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
7
Cover image of the album Coming Home by Peter Jennison
Peter Jennison
March 28, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
8
Cover image of the album My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke by Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
November 23, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Jazz
9
Cover image of the album Journey by Kelly Andrew
Kelly Andrew
July 6, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
10
Cover image of the album Still by Stephen Peppos
Stephen Peppos
October 10, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
11
Cover image of the album Grace: A Sacred Cello Collection by Steven Sharp Nelson
Steven Sharp Nelson
September 28, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Hymn ArrangementsOther Solo Instruments
12
Cover image of the album Blaze by David Wilcox
David Wilcox
June 14, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Guitar music
13
Cover image of the album Spirits by Erik Scott
Erik Scott
February 22, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
Other Solo Instruments
14
Cover image of the album Lullaby & Goodnight by Ryan Tilby
Ryan Tilby and Steve Lemmon
August 30, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
Guitar music
15
Cover image of the album Transcend by Philip Wesley
Philip Wesley
March 28, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
16
Cover image of the album Mind Heart Fingers by Trevor Gordon Hall
Trevor Gordon Hall
February 1, 2015
Review by Michael Debbage
Guitar music
17
Cover image of the album Trail of Dreams by 2002
2002
October 7, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
ZMR Winner
18
Cover image of the album Another Long Night Out by Brian Culbertson
Brian Culbertson
April 6, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
19
Cover image of the album Can You Hear Me by Patrick Bradley
Patrick Bradley
October 20, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage
20
Cover image of the album Tapestries of Time by Ann Sweeten
Ann Sweeten
April 27, 2014
Review by Michael Debbage