7th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2012

Ballots 2012 [2]

Nate Chinen (New York Times, JazzTimes)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Tim Berne, Snakeoil (ECM)
  2. Vijay Iyer, Accelerando (ACT)
  3. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Star of Jupiter (Wommusic)
  4. David Virelles, Continuum (Pi)
  5. Yosvany Terry, Today's Opinion (Criss Cross)
  6. Ravi Coltrane, Spirit Fiction (Blue Note)
  7. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
  8. Linda Oh, Initial Here (Greenleaf)
  9. Fly, Year of the Snake (ECM)
  10. Dave Douglas, Be Still (Greenleaf)

REISSUES

  1. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  2. Coleman Hawkins, Classic Sessions 1922-1947 (Mosaic)
  3. Clare Fischer, Extension (International Phonograph)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Troy Collins (All About Jazz, Point of Departure)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Jason Robinson, Tiresian Symmetry (Cuneiform)
  2. The Thirteenth Assembly, Station Direct (Important)
  3. Living by Lanterns, New Myth/Old Science (Cuneiform)
  4. Grass Roots (AUM Fidelity)
  5. Fred Lonberg-Holm, Gather (Delmark)
  6. Dave Liebman & Lewis Porter, Surreality (Enja)
  7. Michael Formanek, Small Places (ECM)
  8. Matthew Shipp, Elastic Aspects (Thirsty Ear)
  9. Angela Sanchez, Wires & Moss (Clean Feed)
  10. Ravi Coltrane, Spirit Fiction (Blue Note)

REISSUES

  1. Heiner Stadler, Brains on Fire (Labor)
  2. Hal Russell, NRG Ensemble (Nessa)
  3. Clare Fischer, Extension (International Phonograph)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Thomas Conrad (JazzTimes, Stereophile)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
  2. Keith Jarrett-Jan Garbarek-Palle Danielsson-Jon Christensen, Sleeper (ECM)
  3. Bill Evans, Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate (Resonance)
  4. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  5. Animation, Transparent Heart (RareNoise)
  6. Bobo Stenson, Indicum (ECM)
  7. Dave Douglas, Be Still (Greenleaf)
  8. Vijay Iyer, Accelerando (ACT)
  9. Arild Andersen, Celebration (ECM)
  10. Amina Figarova, Twelve (In+Out)

REISSUES

  1. Clare Fischer, Extension (International Phonograph)
  2. Thelonious Monk, The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection (Columbia/Legacy)
  3. Charles Mingus, The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection (Columbia/RCA/Legacy)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

J.D. Considine (The Globe and Mail, Downbeat)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Keith Jarrett-Jan Garbarek-Palle Danielsson-Jon Christensen, Sleeper (ECM)
  2. Lee Konitz-Bill Frisell-Gary Peacock-Joey Baron, Enfants Terribles (Half Note)
  3. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
  4. Vijay Iyer, Accelerando (ACT)
  5. Dave Douglas, Be Still (Greenleaf)
  6. Chick Corea & Gary Burton, Hot House (Concord)
  7. Tim Berne, Snakeoil (ECM)
  8. Gianluigi Trovesi & Gianni Coscia, Frere Jacques--Round About Offenbach (ECM)
  9. Robert Glasper, Black Radio (Blue Note)
  10. Kenny Wheeler, The Long Waiting (CAM Jazz)

REISSUES

  1. João Gilberto, Chega de Saudade/O Amor O Sorriso e a Flor/João Gilberto (Frémeaux & Associés)
  2. Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Complete Original Mahavishnu Orchestra Columbia Albums Collection (Columbia/Legacy)
  3. Clifford Brown, The EmArcy Master Takes, Vol. 2: The Singers Sessions (Hip-O Select)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Michael Coyle (Slim & Him, WRCU, Cadence)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Rich Halley, Back From Beyond (Pine Eagle)
  2. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
  3. Trio X, Live on Tour 2010 (CIMPol)
  4. Talking Cows, Almost Human (Morvin)
  5. Virginia Mayhew, Mary Lou Williams--The Next 100 Years (Renma)
  6. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  7. Gato Libre, Forever (Libra)
  8. Gary Smulyan, Smul's Paradise (Capri)
  9. Jazz Punks, Smashups (Foam @ the Mouth)
  10. Gregory Porter, Be Good (Motéma)

REISSUES

  1. Paul Winter, Count Me In 1962-1963 (Living Music)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Francis Davis (Rhapsody, Capital New York, Pollmaster)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
  2. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
  3. Jacob Garchik, The Heavens (Yestereve)
  4. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  5. Vijay Iyer, Accelerando (ACT)
  6. The Whammies, Play the Music of Steve Lacy (Driff)
  7. Lee Konitz-Bill Frisell-Gary Peacock-Joey Baron, Enfants Terribles (Half Note)
  8. Josh Berman, There Now (Delmark)
  9. Matthew Shipp, Elastic Aspects (Thirsty Ear)
  10. John Abercrombie, Within a Song (ECM)

REISSUES

  1. Coleman Hawkins, Classic Sessions 1922-1947 (Mosaic)
  2. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  3. Louis Armstrong, Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances (Verve)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Steve Dollar (Wall Street Journal, Stomp and Stammer)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

REISSUES

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Laurence Donohue-Greene (The New York City Jazz Record)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  2. Dr. John, Locked Down (Nonesuch)
  3. Billy Hart, All Our Reasons (ECM)
  4. Tim Berne, Snakeoil (ECM)
  5. Hafez Modirzadeh, Post-Chromodal Out (Pi)
  6. Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Honest Jon's)
  7. Dave King, I've Been Ringing You (Sunnyside)
  8. Bill Laswell, Means of Deliverance: Solo (Innerrhythmic)
  9. Sam Newsome, The Art of the Soprano, Vol.1 (self-released)
  10. Jesper Zeuthen, PLUS (Barefoot)

REISSUES

  1. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  2. ICP Orchestra, 45 Years (ICP)
  3. Albert Mangelsdorff, Now Jazz Ramwong (Jazzhus Disk/CBS)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Alain Drouot (Downbeat, WNUR-FM)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Weasel Walter-Mary Halvorson-Peter Evans, Mechanical Malfunction (Thirsty Ear)
  2. Connie Crothers & David Arner, Spontaneous Suites for Two Pianos (RogueArt)
  3. Eivind Opsvik, Overseas IV (Loyal Label)
  4. Benoît Delbecq, Crescendo in Duke (Nato)
  5. Ballister, Mechanisms (Clean Feed)
  6. Angles 8, By Way of Deception (Clean Feed)
  7. David S. Ware, Live at Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2011 (AUM Fidelity)
  8. Peter Brötzmann, Solo + Trio Roma (Victo)
  9. AYCH, As the Crow Flies (Relative Pitch)
  10. The Clarinet Trio, 4 (Leo)

REISSUES

  1. Hal Russell, NRG Ensemble (Nessa)
  2. Marzette Watts & Company (ESP-Disk)
  3. Elliott Sharp, The Age of Carbon (Intakt)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ken Dryden (The New York City Jazz Record, Hot House)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Tom Harrell, Number Five (HighNote)
  2. Denny Zeitlin, Wherever You Are: Midnight Moods For Solo Piano (Sunnyside)
  3. Bill Evans, Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate (Resonance)
  4. Bill Evans, Momentum (Limetree)
  5. Clayton Brothers & Friends, The Gathering (ArtistShare)
  6. Wayne Escoffery, The Only Son of One (Sunnyside)
  7. Mike Wofford & Holly Hofmann, Turn Signal (Capri)
  8. Lee Konitz-Bill Frisell-Gary Peacock-Joey Baron, Enfants Terribles (Half Note)
  9. Accidental Tourists, The L.A. Sessions (Challenge)
  10. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)

REISSUES

  1. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  2. Duke Ellington, The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection 1951-1958 (Columbia/Legacy)
  3. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin, Tough Tenors Again 'N' Again (Promising)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Steve Feeney (Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
  2. Russ Lossing, Drum Music (Sunnyside)
  3. Ted Nash, The Creep (Plastic Sax)
  4. Billy Hart, All Our Reasons (ECM)
  5. Luciana Souza, Book of Chet (Sunnyside)
  6. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  7. Tom Rainey, Camino Cielo Echo (Intakt)
  8. Ravi Coltrane, Spirit Fiction (Blue Note)
  9. Lee Konitz-Bill Frisell-Gary Peacock-Joey Baron, Enfants Terribles (Half Note)
  10. Branford Marsalis, Four MFs Playin' Tunes (Marsalis Music)

REISSUES

  1. David Murray, Octets: The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note (CAM Jazz)
  2. Louis Armstrong, Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances (Verve)
  3. Wayne Shorter, The Complete Columbia Albums Collection (Columbia/Legacy)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Sean Fitzell (The New York City Jazz Record, Linked Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Tim Berne, Snakeoil (ECM)
  2. Jenny Scheinman, Mischief & Mayhem (Jenny Scheinman Music)
  3. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  4. Eivind Opsvik, Overseas IV (Loyal Label)
  5. Tomas Fujiwara, The Air Is Different (482)
  6. King Tears Bat Trip (Table & Chairs)
  7. Matt Wilson, An Attitude for Gratitude (Palmetto)
  8. Jim Black, Somatic (Winter & Winter)
  9. Ben Holmes, Anvil of the Lord (Skirl)
  10. Andy Clausen, The Wishbone Suite (Table & Chairs)

REISSUES

  1. Dave Douglas, Magic Triangle/Leap of Faith (Arabesque/Greenleaf)
  2. Heiner Stadler, Brains on Fire (Labor)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ken Franckling (JazzTimes, Hot House)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans (ArtistShare)
  2. Gregory Porter, Be Good (Motéma)
  3. Paolo Fresu & Omar Sosa, Alma (Otá)
  4. Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)
  5. Jeff Hamilton, Red Sparkle (Capri)
  6. Kurt Elling, 1619 Broadway (Concord)
  7. Pat Metheny, Unity Band (Nonesuch)
  8. Edmar Castaneda, Double Portion (Arpa y Vo)
  9. Stacey Kent, Dreamer in Concert (Blue Note)
  10. Lisa Hilton, American Impressions (Ruby Slippers Productions)

REISSUES

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

David Fricke (Rolling Stone)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Keith Jarrett-Jan Garbarek-Palle Danielsson-Jon Christensen, Sleeper (ECM)
  2. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
  3. William Parker, Essence of Ellington (AUM Fidelity)
  4. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  5. Mary Halvorson, Bending Bridges (Firehouse 12)
  6. Bad Plus, Made Possible (Entertainment One)
  7. Spectrum Road, Spectrum Road (Palmetto)
  8. Blue Notes, Before the Wind Changes (Ogun)
  9. Brad Mehldau, Where Do You Start (Nonesuch)
  10. Jon Irabagon, Unhinged (Irabbagast)

REISSUES

  1. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  2. Jan Garbarek, Dansere (ECM)
  3. Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 50th Anniversary Collection (Columbia/Legacy)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Richard Gehr (Village Voice, eMusic)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Nik Bärtsch, Live (ECM)
  2. Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Honest Jon's)
  3. Bryan & the Haggards, Still Alive and Kickin' Down the Walls (Hot Cup)
  4. Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)
  5. Spectrum Road, Spectrum Road (Palmetto)
  6. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
  7. Vijay Iyer, Accelerando (ACT)
  8. Rafiq Bhatia, Yes It Will (Rest Assured)
  9. Tim Berne, Snakeoil (ECM)
  10. Ravi Coltrane, Spirit Fiction (Blue Note)

REISSUES

  1. Terje Rypdal, Odyssey: In Studio & In Concert (ECM)
  2. Pharoah Sanders, In the Beginning 1963-64 (ESP-Disk)
  3. Frank Zappa, The Grand Wazoo (Zappa)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Albert Gilbert (San Jose Mercury-News, San Francisco Chronicle)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Fred Hersch, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
  2. Jenny Scheinman, Mischief & Mayhem (Jenny Scheinman Music)
  3. Matt Wilson, An Attitude for Gratitude (Palmetto)
  4. The Cookers, Believe (Motéma)
  5. Omer Avital, Suite of the East (Anzic)
  6. Trio M, The Guest House (Enja)
  7. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
  8. Miguel Zenón & Laurent Coq, Rayuela (Sunnyside)
  9. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  10. Billy Hart, All Our Reasons (ECM)

REISSUES

  1. Coleman Hawkins, Classic Sessions 1922-1947 (Mosaic)
  2. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  3. Woody Shaw, Woody Plays Woody (HighNote)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ted Gioia (The Jazz Standards, The History of Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Jan Garbarek-Egberto Gismonti-Charlie Haden, Magico: Carta de Amor (ECM)
  2. Nico Gori & Fred Hersch, Da Vinci (Bee Jazz)
  3. Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)
  4. Keith Jarrett-Jan Garbarek-Palle Danielsson-Jon Christensen, Sleeper (ECM)
  5. Jazz Punks, Smashups (Foam @ the Mouth)
  6. Bad Plus, Made Possible (Entertainment One)
  7. Kenny Werner, Me, Myself and I (Justin Time)
  8. Chick Corea, The Continents (Deutsche Grammophon)
  9. Nik Bärtsch, Live (ECM)
  10. Romain Collin, The Calling (Palmetto)

REISSUES

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Steve Greenlee (Boston Globe, JazzTimes)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kat Edmonson, Way Down Low (Spinnerette)
  2. Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)
  3. Branford Marsalis, Four MFs Playin' Tunes (Marsalis Music)
  4. Steve Lehman, Dialect Fluorescent (Pi)
  5. Spectrum Road, Spectrum Road (Palmetto)
  6. Tom Wetmore, The Desired Effect (Crosstown)
  7. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Star of Jupiter (Wommusic)
  8. Brad Mehldau, Ode (Nonesuch)
  9. Billy Hart, All Our Reasons (ECM)
  10. Josh Ginsburg, Zembla Variations (BJU)

REISSUES

  1. Dave Brubeck, The Columbia Studio Albums Collection 1955-1966 (Columbia/Legacy)
  2. Woody Shaw, Woody Plays Woody (HighNote)
  3. Marzette Watts & Company (ESP-Disk)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

George Grella (The Big City Blog, The Brooklyn Rail)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Sam Rivers-Dave Holland-Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York (Pi)
  2. Elliott Sharp, Aggregat (Clean Feed)
  3. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform)
  4. Living by Lanterns, New Myth/Old Science (Cuneiform)
  5. Henry Threadgill, Tomorrow and Sunny/The Revelry, Spp (Pi)
  6. Steve Lehman, Dialect Fluorescent (Pi)
  7. Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (JazzVillage)
  8. Jacob Garchik, The Heavens (Yestereve)
  9. Jerome Sabbagh, Plugged In (Bee Jazz)
  10. Virginia Mayhew, Mary Lou Williams--The Next 100 Years (Renma)

REISSUES

  1. Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65 (Mosaic)
  2. Steve Lacy, Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint/Soul Note; Solos, Duos and Trios (Soul Note)
  3. Weather Report, The Complete Columbia Albums, 1971-1975 (Columbia/Legacy)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Laurel Gross (The New York City Jazz Record, JazzTimes)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Brad Mehldau, Ode (Nonesuch)
  2. Enrico Pieranunzi, Permutation (CAM Jazz)
  3. Fred Hersch, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
  4. Vijay Iyer, Accelerando (ACT)
  5. Guillermo Klein, Carrera (Sunnyside)
  6. Lee Konitz-Bill Frisell-Gary Peacock-Joey Baron, Enfants Terribles (Half Note)
  7. Charlie Haden & Hank Jones, Come Sunday (Decca)
  8. Branford Marsalis, Four MFs Playin' Tunes (Marsalis Music)
  9. Fly, Year of the Snake (ECM)
  10. Johnathan Blake, The Eleventh Hour (Sunnyside)

REISSUES

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN