The Afrobeat-inspired Latin jazz sound of drummer Henry Cole's stellar new record, Roots Before Branches, will certainly make my list of 2012's best albums. This tune, "Comienzo," mixes the rhythmic complexities of Afro-Cuban jazz with the space-funk sound of Herbie Hancock or Robert Glasper. Cole's solid drumming and excellent horn arrangements make for a head-bobbing, finger-tapping experience.