| 10th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2015 |
2015 Totals: New Albums
- Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bird Calls (ACT) 350 (53)
- Maria Schneider, The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare) 350 (49)
- Jack DeJohnette, Made in Chicago (ECM) 279 (40)
- Kamasi Washington, The Epic (Brainfeeder) 241 (33)
- Vijay Iyer, Break Stuff (ECM) 229.5 (36)
- Henry Threadgill, In for a Penny, In for a Pound (Pi) 216.5 (33)
- Mary Halvorson, Meltframe (Firehouse 12) 170 (28)
- Steve Coleman, Synovial Joints (Pi) 160 (26)
- Charles Lloyd, Wild Man Dance (Blue Note) 133.5 (19)
- Chris Lightcap, Epicenter (Clean Feed) 132 (19)
- Joshua Redman & Bad Plus, Joshua Redman & Bad Plus (Nonesuch) 103.5 (19)
- Cecile McLorin Salvant, For One to Love (Mack Avenue) 99.5 (16)
- Tim Berne, You've Been Watching Me (ECM) 98.5 (14)
- Myra Melford, Snowy Egret (Enja/Yellowbird) 94.5 (15)
- Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, Lines of Color (Blue Note/ArtistShare) 88 (15)
- John Scofield, Past Present (Impulse!) 84 (15)
- Arturo O'Farrill, Cuba: The Conversation Continues (Motéma) 83.5 (13)
- José James, Yesterday I Had the Blues (Blue Note) 81.5 (16)
- Chris Potter, Imaginary Cities (ECM) 72 (12)
- JD Allen, Graffiti (Savant) 71 (11)
- Mike Reed, A New Kind of Dance (482 Music) 66.5 (11)
- Matthew Shipp, The Conduct of Jazz (Thirsty Ear) 66 (16)
- Amir ElSaffar, Crisis (Pi) 63 (14)
- Liberty Ellman, Radiate (Pi) 62 (11)
- Ran Blake, Ghost Tones (A-Side) 61 (9)
- Nicole Mitchell-Tomeka Reid-Mike Reed, Artifacts (482 Music) 57.5 (13)
- Dave Douglas, Brazen Heart (Greenleaf) 56 (10)
- Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tokyo Adagio (Impulse!) 51 (8) *
- Chris Dingman, The Subliminal and the Sublime (Inner Arts Initiative) 46 (9)
- Irene Schweizer & Han Bennink, Welcome Back (Intakt) 46 (8)
- Brad Mehldau, 10 Years Solo Live (Nonesuch) 45 (8) **
- Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern (Columbia) 43 (7)
- Terell Stafford, Brotherlee Love: Celebrating Lee Morgan (Capri) 42 (5)
- Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Mauch Chunk (Hot Cup) 41 (7)
- Danilo Perez-John Patitucci-Brian Blade, Children of the Night (Mack Avenue) 41 (7)
- Dave Stryker, Messin' With Mister T (Strikezone) 41 (7)
- Barry Altschul, Tales of the Unforseen (TUM) 41 (6)
- Anat Cohen, Luminosa (Anzic) 39 (7)
- Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis, Live in Cuba (Blue Engine) 38.5 (6)
- Tom Harrell, First Impressions (HighNote) 38 (7)
- Noah Preminger, Pivot: Live at the 55 Bar (Noah Preminger) 37 (8)
- Kris Davis, Save Your Breath (Clean Feed) 37 (7)
- Julian Lage, World's Fair (Modern Lore) 36 (6)
- Christian McBride, Live at the Village Vanguard (Mack Avenue) 35.5 (6)
- Rez Abbasi, Intents and Purposes (Enja) 35 (8)
- Tomeka Reid, Quartet (Thirsty Ear) 34.5 (6)
- Jon Irabagon, Behind the Sky (Irrabagast) 33 (8)
- Jacob Garchik, Ye Olde (Yestereve) 33 (8)
- James Brandon Lewis, Days of FreeMan (OKeh) 32 (6)
- Harold Mabern, Afro Blue (Smoke Sessions) 31 (6)
- Chick Corea & Bela Fleck, Two (Concord Jazz) 31 (5)
- Ingrid Laubrock, Roulette of the Cradle (Intakt) 31 (5)
- Makaya McCraven, In the Moment (International Anthem) 30 (5)
- Gary McFarland Legacy Ensemble, Circulation: The Music of Gary McFarland (Planet Arts) 30 (4)
- Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas, Sound Prints: Live at Monterey Jazz Festival (Blue Note) 29 (5)
- Joanna Wallfisch, The Origin of Adjustable Things (Sunnyside) 28 (4)
- Orrin Evans, The Evolution of Oneself (Smoke Sessions) 27 (6)
- Kirk Knuffke, Arms & Hands (Royal Potato Family) 27 (5)
- Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Stretch Music (Ropeadope) 26 (6)
- Matthew Shipp, To Duke (RogueArt) 23.5 (6)
- Cassandra Wilson, Coming Forth by Day (Legacy) 23 (7)
- Samuel Blaser, Spring Rain (Whirlwind) 23 (4)
- Ochion Jewell, Volk (Mythology) 23 (4)
- Jeremy Pelt, Tales, Musings and Other Reveries (HighNote) 23 (4)
- Alexander von Schlippenbach, Features (Intakt) 22.5 (3)
- Andrew Drury, Content Provider (Soup and Sounds) 21.5 (4)
- Matana Roberts, Coin Coin - Chapter Three: River Run Thee (Constellation) 21.5 (3)
- Dave Douglas, High Risk (Greenleaf) 21 (5)
- Ben Goldberg, Orphic Machine (BAG) 21 (4)
- John Hollenbeck, Songs We Like a Lot (Sunnyside) 21 (4)
- Mario Pavone, Blue Dialect (Clean Feed) 21 (4)
- Milford Graves & Bill Laswell, Space/Time Redemption (TUM) 20.5 (3)
- John Fedchock, Like It Is (Mama) 20 (3)
- Heads of State, Search for Peace (Smoke Sessions) 19.5 (6)
- Mikko Innanen, Song For a New Decade (TUM) 19.5 (4)
- Satoko Fujii, Ichigo Ichie (Libra) 19 (3)
- Keith Jarrett, Creation (ECM) 19 (3)
- Joe McPhee & Paal Nilssen-Love, Candy (PnL) 19 (3)
- Stanley Cowell, Juneteenth (Vision Fugitive) 18.5 (4)
- James Falzone & the Renga Ensemble, The Room Is (Allos Documents) 18 (4)
- Kenny Wheeler, Songs for Quintet (ECM) 18 (4)
- Steve Swell, Hommage a Bartok (Silkheart) 18 (3)
- Blue Buddha, Blue Buddha (Tzadik) 18 (2)
- Michael Gibbs & NDR Big Band, Play a Bill Frisell Set List (Cuneiform) 17.5 (4)
- Kenny Werner, The Melody (Pirouet) 17 (3)
- Antonio Sanchez, Three Times Three (CAM Jazz) 17 (3)
- Paal Nilssen-Love, Erta Ale (PNL -14) 17 (2)
- Charlie Hunter, Let the Bells Ring On (Charlie Hunter Music) 17 (2)
- Ben Williams, Coming of Age (Concord) 16 (3)
- Michael Blake, Tiddy Boom (Sunnyside -14) 16 (2)
- Andy Sheppard, Surrounded by Sea (ECM) 16 (2)
- Charenee Wade, Offering: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson (Motéma) 15 (4)
- Evan Parker, Seven (Victo) 15 (2)
- Terence Blanchard, Breathless (Blue Note) 15 (2)
- Gilad Atzmon, The Whistle Blower (Fanfare) 15 (2)
- Eddie Henderson, Collective Portrait (Smoke Sessions) 14.5 (3)
- Robert Glasper, Covered (Blue Note) 14.5 (3)
- Ku-umba Frank Lacy & the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Sings (Sunnyside) 14.5 (2)
- Gebhard Ullmann, Hat and Shoes (Between the Lines) 14 (4)
- Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dee Dee's Feathers (Okeh) 14 (3)
- Wayne Horvitz, Some Places Are Forever Afternoon (Songlines) 14 (3)
- Joe Locke, Love Is a Pendulum (Motema) 14 (3)
- Charles McPherson, The Journey (Capri) 14 (3)
- Reggie Quinerly, Invictus (Redefinition) 14 (3)
- Nate Wooley, Dance to the Early Music (Clean Feed) 14 (3)
- Steve Wilson, Live in New York: The Vanguard Sessions (Random Act) 14 (3)
- Mats Gustafsson, Knockin' (Not Two) 14 (2)
- Darius Jones, Le Bebe de Brigitte (AUM Fidelity) 14 (2)
- London, Meader, Pramuk & Ross, The Royal Bopsters Project (Motema) 14 (2)
- Tony Malaby, Scorpion Eater (Clean Feed -14) 13.5 (2)
- Pulverize the Sound, Pulverize the Sound (Relative Pitch) 13.5 (2)
- Antonio Sanchez, The Meridian Suite (CAM Jazz) 13 (3)
- John Hebert, Rambling Confessions (Sunnyside) 13 (3)
- Michael Bisio, Accortet (Relative Pitch) 13 (2)
- Amina Figarova, Blue Whisper (In + Out) 13 (2)
- Jason Miles & Ingrid Jensen, Kind of New (Whaling City Sound) 13 (2)
- SFJazz Collective, Live SFJazz Center 2014 (SFJazz) 13 (2)
- Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Overtime: Music of Bob Brookmeyer (Planet Arts -14) 13 (2)
- Ray Anderson, Being the Point (Intuition) 12 (2)
- Atomic, Lucidity (Jazzland) 12 (2)
- Michael Dease, Decisions (Posi-Tone) 12 (2)
- Oded Lev-Ari, Threading (Anzic) 12 (2)
- Donny McCaslin, Fast Future (Greenleaf) 12 (2)
- Luis Muñoz, Voz (Pelin Music) 12 (2)
- Tomoko Omura, Roots (Inner Circle) 12 (2)
- Jacky Terrasson, Take This (Impulse!) 12 (2)
- Eliane Elias, Made in Brazil (Concord) 12 (2)
- John Patitucci, Brooklyn (Three Faces) 11 (5)
- Albert "Tootie" Heath, Philadelphia Beat (Sunnyside) 11 (4)
- Karrin Allyson, Many a New Day (Motema) 11 (3)
- Tomas Fujiwara, After All Is Said (482 Music) 11 (3)
- Rich Halley, Creating Structure (Pine Eagle) 11 (2)
- Kneebody & Deadelus, Kneedelus (Brainfeeder) 11 (2)
- Jon Lundbom, Jeremiah (Hot Cup) 11 (2)
- Jakob Bro, Gefion (ECM) 11 (2)
- Geof Bradfield, Our Roots (Origin) 10.5 (4)
- Branford Marsalis, In My Solitude (OKeh -14) 10 (3)
- Dave Burrell & Steve Swell, Turning Point (NoBusiness) 10 (2)
- Laszlo Gardony, Life in Real Time (Sunnyside) 10 (2)
- Ghost Train Orchestra, Hot Town (Accurate) 10 (2)
- Lionel Loueke, Gaia (Blue Note) 10 (2)
- Todd Marcus, Blues for Tahrir Marcus (Hipnotic) 10 (2)
- Jean-Michel Pilc, What Is This Thing Called? (Sunnyside) 10 (2)
- Wolff and Clark Expedition, 2 (Random Act) 10 (2)
- Yngvil Vatn Guttu, On the Crosswalk (Kachemak) 10 (1)
- Hiatus Kaiyote, Choose Your Weapon (Flying Buddha) 10 (1)
- Aaron Irwin, A Room Forever (Aaron Irwin) 10 (1)
- Martin Kuchen, Melted Snow (NoBusiness) 10 (1)
- Dave Liebman, The Puzzle (Whaling City Sound) 10 (1)
- Møster!, When You Cut Into the Present (Hubro) 10 (1)
- PLS. Trio, East River (Echo Chamber) 10 (1)
- Mette Rasmussen & Chris Corsano, All the Ghosts at Once (Relative Pitch) 10 (1)
- Marta Sanchez, Partenika (Fresh Sound New Talent) 10 (1)
- James Singleton, Shiner (Independent) 10 (1)
- Christian Vuust & Aaron Parks, Storytelling (Aero) 10 (1)
- Patrick Williams, Home Suite Home (BFM Jazz) 10 (1)
- Mette Henriette, Mette Henriette (ECM) 9.5 (3)
- Michael Bates, Northern Spy (Stereoscopic) 9 (3)
- Aaron Goldberg, The Now (Sunnyside) 9 (3)
- Rob Mazurek, Galactic Parables Vol. 1 (Cuneiform) 9 (3)
- Kurt Elling, Passion World (Concord) 9 (2)
- Greg Foat, The Dancers at the Edge of Time (Jazzman) 9 (2)
- Jimmy Greene, Beautiful Life (Mack Avenue -14) 9 (2)
- PRISM Quartet, Heritage/Evolution Volume 1 (Innova) 9 (2)
- Federico Britos, Hot Club of the Americas (3 Knocks Entertainment) 9 (1)
- Daniel Carter-William Parker-Federico Ughi, Navajo Sunrise (Rudi) 9 (1)
- Rhodri Davies & John Butcher, Routing Lynn (Ftarri) 9 (1)
- Bob Dylan, Shadows in the Night (Columbia) 9 (1)
- Peter Evans, Destination: Void (More Is More -14) 9 (1)
- Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band, Köln (Alternate Side) 9 (1)
- Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton, Live in Bern (Capri) 9 (1)
- Daniel Herskedal, Slow Eastbound Train (Edition) 9 (1)
- Rob Mazurek, Alternate Moon Cycles (International Anthem) 9 (1)
- Robert Pickett, Emanation (Solo: Volume 2) (Thirteenth Note) 9 (1)
- Rational Discourse, Live at the Mothlight (Rational Discourse) 9 (1)
- Shatner's Bassoon, The Self-Titled Album Shansa Barsnaan (Wasp Millionaire) 9 (1)
- Side A, In the Abstract (Not Two -14) 9 (1)
- Ike Sturm, Shelter of Trees (self-released) 9 (1)
- Thundercat, The Beyond/Where the Giants Roam (Brainfeeder) 9 (1)
- David Torn, Only Sky (ECM) 9 (1)
- Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo, Swing Zing! (self-released) 9 (1)
- Ingrid Laubrock, Ubatuba (Firehouse 12) 8 (3)
- Miho Hazama, Time River (Sunnyside) 8 (2)
- Abdullah Ibrahim, The Song Is My Story (Sunnyside) 8 (2)
- Luciana Souza, Speaking in Tongues (Sunnyside) 8 (2)
- Scott Amendola, Fade to Orange (Sazi) 8 (1)
- Leny Andrade and Roni Ben-Hur, Alegria de Vivire (Motema) 8 (1)
- Andrew Bishop, De Profundis (From the Depths) (Envoire) 8 (1)
- François Carrier-Michel Lambert-Rafal Mazur, Unknowable (Not Two) 8 (1)
- Joey DeFrancesco, Trip Mode (HighNote) 8 (1)
- Chuck Israels, Joyful Noise - A Tribute to Horace Silver (Independent) 8 (1)
- Jonsson & More, No Way Out (Sunny Sky) 8 (1)
- Rolf Kühn, Stereo (MPS) 8 (1)
- Romero Lubambo, Setembro (Sunnyside) 8 (1)
- Josh Nelson, Exploring Mars (Origin) 8 (1)
- Ou, Scrambled! (Spoot) 8 (1)
- Houston Person, Something Personal (HighNote) 8 (1)
- Verneri Pohjola, Bullhorn (Edition) 8 (1)
- Fabien Robbe, Da Bep Lec'h (Improvising Beings) 8 (1)
- Snarky Puppy, Sylva (Impulse!) 8 (1)
- Ben Wolfe, The Whisperer (Posi-Tone) 8 (1)
- Nate Wooley, Battle Pieces (Relative Pitch) 8 (1)
- Bill Kirchner, An Evening of Indigos (Jazzheads) 7.5 (2)
- Satoko Fujii, Yamiyo Ni Karasu (Libra) 7 (2)
- Stephen Riley & Peter Zak, Haunted Heart (Steeplechase) 7 (2)
- Harry Allen & Jan Lundgren, Quietly There (Stunt) 7 (1)
- Mose Allison, American Legend - Live in California (IBis) 7 (1)
- Myriam Alter, Crossways (Enja) 7 (1)
- Adam Berenson, Lumen (Dream Play) 7 (1)
- Peter Brötzmann, Münster Bern (Cubus) 7 (1)
- Etienne Charles, Creole Soul (MRI) 7 (1)
- Bertrand Denzler, Morph ( Confront) 7 (1)
- Joel Forrester, About Time (Ride Symbol) 7 (1)
- Kari Ikonen, Beauteous Tales (Ozella) 7 (1)
- Christian Lillinger, Grund (Pirouet) 7 (1)
- Long Sidewalks, Staffa (Breakfast4Dinner) 7 (1)
- Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp, Callas (Leo) 7 (1)
- Rob Reddy, Bechet: Our Contemporary (Reddy Music) 7 (1)
- Schneider Kacirek, Shadows Documents (Bureau B) 7 (1)
- Matthew Shipp, The Gospel According to Matthew & Michael (Relative Pitch) 7 (1)
- Rotem Sivan, A New Dance (Fresh Sound) 7 (1)
- Mary Stallings, Feelin' Good (HighNote) 7 (1)
- Lucia Von Wyl, Frost (hatOLOGY) 7 (1)
- Anna Webber, Refraction (Pirouet) 7 (1)
- Ben Wendel, The Seasons (self-released) 7 (1)
- Aaron Diehl, Space Time Continuum (Mack Avenue) 6 (3)
- Joey Calderazzo, Going Home (Sunnyside) 6 (2)
- Ernest Dawkins, Memory in the Center: Homage to Nelson Mandela (Dawk) 6 (2)
- William Parker, For Those Who Are, Still (AUM Fidelity) 6 (2)
- Joshua Abrams, Magnetoception (Eremite) 6 (1)
- Asphalt Orchestra, Surfer Rosa (Cantaloupe) 6 (1)
- Doug Beavers, Titanes del Trombón (ArtistShare) 6 (1)
- David Berkman, Old Friends and New Friends (Palmetto) 6 (1)
- Tore Brunborg, Slow Snow (ACT) 6 (1)
- Cortex, Live (Clean Feed -14) 6 (1)
- Joe Daley, Portraits: Wind, Thunder and Love (JoDa Music) 6 (1)
- Mon David, This Is All I Ask (Human Connection) 6 (1)
- Paul Dunmall & Tony Bianco, Homage to Coltrane (Slam) 6 (1)
- Harris Eisenstadt, Canada Day IV (Songlines) 6 (1)
- Lorraine Feather, Flirting With Disaster (Jazzed Media) 6 (1)
- Joe Fiedler, I'm In (Multiphonics) 6 (1)
- Nick Finzer, The Chase (Origin) 6 (1)
- Giovanni Francesca, Rame (Auand) 6 (1)
- Simon Frick, Solo (Boomslang) 6 (1)
- Tom Harrell, Trip (HighNote ) 6 (1)
- Will Herrington, Solace (Independent) 6 (1)
- Max Johnson, Something Familiar (Fresh Sound New Talent) 6 (1)
- Petros Klampanis, Minor Dispute (Inner Circle) 6 (1)
- Pete McCann, Range (Whirlwind ) 6 (1)
- Bill McHenry-Henry Grimes-Andrew Cyrille, Fish Stories (Fresh Sound New Talent) 6 (1)
- Billy Mintz, The 2 Bass Band . . . Live (13th Note) 6 (1)
- Roscoe Mitchell, Angel City (RogueArt) 6 (1)
- Fabiano do Nascimento, Dança dos Tempos (Now Again) 6 (1)
- Chris Pitsiokos, Gordion Twine (New Atlantis) 6 (1)
- Ariel Pocock, Touchstone (Justin Time) 6 (1)
- Susana Santos Silva & Kaja Draksler, This Love (Clean Feed) 6 (1)
- Steve Swell, Kanreki: Reflection and Renewal (Not Two) 6 (1)
- Aki Takase & Alexander Von Schlippenbach, So Long, Eric! Hommage to Eric Dolphy (Intakt -14) 6 (1)
- Jill Townsend, Legacy: Music of Ross Taggart (Cellar Live) 6 (1)
- Universal Indians & Joe McPhee, Skullduggery (Clean Feed) 6 (1)
- Biggi Vinkeloe/François Lemonnier, Jade (Futura Voix) 6 (1)
- Irek Wojtczak & The Fonda-Stevens Group, Folk Five (ForTune) 6 (1)
- Free Nelson Mandoomjazz, Awakening of a Capital (Rare Noise) 5.5 (1)
- Carlos Henriquez, Bronx Pyramid (Blue Engine) 5.5 (1)
- Guus Janssen, Meeting Points (Bimhuis) 5.5 (1)
- Konstrukt, Live at Tarcento (Jazz Holidays) 5.5 (1)
- Eddie Moore, Live in Kansas City (RIK) 5.5 (1)
- Bill Payne-Eva Lindal-Carol Liebowitz, Payne/Lindal/Liebowitz (Line Art) 5.5 (1)
- Nicholas Payton, Letters (Paytone) 5.5 (1)
- Ivo Perelman-Mat Maneri-Joe Morris, Counterpoint (Leo) 5.5 (1)
- Katharina Weber-Fred Frith-Fredy Studer, It Rolls (Intakt) 5.5 (1)
- John Zorn, The True Discoveries of Witches and Demons (Tzadik) 5.5 (1)
- Jon Irabagon, Inaction Is an Action (Irrabagast) 5.5 (1)
- Romain Collin, Press Enter (ACT) 5 (3)
- Mike Holober, Balancing Act (Palmetto) 5 (2)
- Tom Rainey, Hotel Grief (Intakt) 5 (2)
- Terry Adams, Talk Thelonious (Clang!) 5 (1)
- Michelle Arcila & Eivind Opsvik, A Thousand Ancestors (Loyal Label) 5 (1)
- Gregg Belisle-Chi, Tenebrae (Songlines) 5 (1)
- Dan Brubeck, Live From the Cellar (Blue Forest) 5 (1)
- Michael Cain, Sola (Native Drum) 5 (1)
- David Chesky, Primal Scream (Chesky) 5 (1)
- Lainie Cooke, The Music Is the Magic (Onyx) 5 (1)
- Laurent Coq & Walter Smith III, The LaFayette Suite (Jazzandpeople) 5 (1)
- Kevin Eubanks & Stanley Jordan, Duets (Mack Ave) 5 (1)
- Wycliffe Gordon & DiMartino-Osland Jazz Orchestra, Somebody New (CD Baby) 5 (1)
- Wolfgang Hafner, Kind of Cool (ACT) 5 (1)
- Vincent Herring, Night and Day (Smoke Sessions) 5 (1)
- Hot Jazz Jumpers, The Very Next Thing (On the Bol) 5 (1)
- Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly (Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope) 5 (1)
- Mike LeDonne, AwwlRight! (Savant) 5 (1)
- Nick Mazzarella, Ultraviolet (International Anthem) 5 (1)
- Angelika Niescier-Simone Zanchini-Stefano Senni, Now (Blue Pearls Music) 5 (1)
- Gard Nilssen, Acoustic Unity (Clean Feed) 5 (1)
- Evan Parker & Sylvie Courvoisier, Either Or And (Relative Pitch) 5 (1)
- Lisa Parrott, Round Tripper (Serious Niceness) 5 (1)
- Sam Sadigursky, Follow the Stick (BJU) 5 (1)
- Enoch Smith Jr., Misfits II (Misfitme) 5 (1)
- Sun Ra Arkestra, Babylon Live (In+Out) 5 (1)
- KAZE, Uminari (Circum-Libra) 4 (2)
- Liberation Music Collective, Silo XXI (Ad Astrum) 4 (2)
- St. Germain, St. Germain (Nonesuch) 4 (2)
- John Zorn, Inferno (Tzadik) 4 (2)
- Act, Act II (self-released) 4 (1)
- Joey Alexander, My Favorite Things (Motéma) 4 (1)
- Stefano Battaglia, In the Morning (ECM) 4 (1)
- Big Picture Holiday, Shimmer and Melt (Ropeadope) 4 (1)
- Carla Bley-Steve Swallow-Andy Sheppard, Trios (ECM) 4 (1)
- Ron Carter & WDR Big Band, My Personal Songbook (In + Out) 4 (1)
- Casa, Futuro (Clean Feed) 4 (1)
- Brian Charette-Will Bernard-Rudy Royston, Alphabet City (Posi-Tone) 4 (1)
- Hamilton de Holanda, World of Pixinguinha (Adventure Music) 4 (1)
- Scott Dubois, Winter Light (ACT) 4 (1)
- John Ellis, Charm (Paradise Light) 4 (1)
- Daniel Erdmann-Samuel Rohrer-Vincent Courtois-Frank Möbus, Ten Songs About Real Utopia (Arjunamusic) 4 (1)
- De Beren Gieren, One Mirrors Many (Clean Feed) 4 (1)
- Sax Gordon, In the Wee Small Hours (Delmark -14) 4 (1)
- Benny Green, Live in Santa Cruz (Sunnyside) 4 (1)
- Stephen Haynes, Pomegranate (New Atlantis) 4 (1)
- Russ Johnson, Meeting Point (Relay) 4 (1)
- Henry Kaiser & Ray Russell, The Celestial Squid (Cuneiform) 4 (1)
- Chris McNulty, Eternal (Palmetto) 4 (1)
- Sam Newsome, Straight Horn of Africa (self-released -14) 4 (1)
- Partikel, String Theory (Whirlwind) 4 (1)
- Plunge, In for the Out (Immersion) 4 (1)
- Potsa Lotsa Plus, Plays Love Suite by Eric Dolphy (Jazzwerkstadt) 4 (1)
- Sons of Kemet, d Lest We Forget What We Came Here to Do (Naim Jazz) 4 (1)
- Tom Tallitsch, All Together Now (Posi-Tone) 4 (1)
- The Thing, Shake (Thing) 4 (1)
- various, Supreme Sonancy, Volume 1 (Revive/Blue Note) 4 (1)
- George Freeman & Chico Freeman, All in the Family (Southport) 3 (2)
- Animation, Machine Language (RareNoise) 3 (1)
- Lotte Anker, What River Is This (ILK -14) 3 (1)
- Ballister, Worse for the Wear (Aerophonic) 3 (1)
- Terri Lyne Carrington, The Music Project: Love & Soul (Concord) 3 (1)
- Isaac Darche, Team & Variations (Challenge) 3 (1)
- Decoy with Joe McPhee, Spontaneous Combustion (Otoroku) 3 (1)
- Mathias Eick, Midwest (ECM) 3 (1)
- Marco Eneidi, Streamin' 4/Panta Rei (ForTune) 3 (1)
- Ellery Eskelin, Solo Live at Snugs (hatOLOGY) 3 (1)
- Duane Eubanks, Things of That Particular Nature (Sunnyside) 3 (1)
- Sammy Figueroa, Imaginary World (Savant) 3 (1)
- Giovanni Guidi, This Is the Day (ECM) 3 (1)
- Eric Hofbauer, Prehistoric Jazz, Vol. 1: The Rite of Spring (Creative Nation -14) 3 (1)
- Julia Hulsmann w Theo Bleckmann, A Clear Midnight - Kurt Weill and America (ECM) 3 (1)
- Brian Landrus, The Deep Below (BlueLand/Palmetto) 3 (1)
- Bob McChesney, Chez Sez (Moco) 3 (1)
- Russell Malone, Love Looks Good on You (HighNote) 3 (1)
- Pat Martino With Jim Ridl, Nexus (HighNote) 3 (1)
- Nilson Matta, East Side Rio Drive (Krian Music Group) 3 (1)
- Larry Ochs, The Fictive Five (Tzadik) 3 (1)
- Olavi Trio, Oh, La Vie! (TUM) 3 (1)
- Clarence Penn, Monk: The Lost Files (Origin -14) 3 (1)
- Jamison Ross, Jamison (Concord Jazz) 3 (1)
- Jerome Sabbagh, The Turn (Sunnyside) 3 (1)
- Akira Sakata-Giovanni Di Domenico-John Edwards-Steve Noble, Live at Cafe Oto (Clamshell) 3 (1)
- Kendrick Scott, We Are the Drum (Blue Note) 3 (1)
- Katie Theroux, Introducing Katie Thiroux (BassKat) 3 (1)
- UNCG Jazz Ensemble 1, Turns Out (self-released -13) 3 (1)
- Enrico Rava, Wild Dance (ECM) 2 (2)
- Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Lars Møller's ReWrite of Spring (Dacapo) 2 (1)
- All Included, Satan in Plain Clothes (Clean Feed) 2 (1)
- Julian Arguelles, Tetra (Whirlwind) 2 (1)
- Lama & Joachim Badenhorst, The Elephant's Journey (Clean Feed) 2 (1)
- Berger-Knutsson-Spering-Schultz, Blue Blue (Country & Eastern) 2 (1)
- Aidan Carroll, Original Vision (Truth Revolution) 2 (1)
- Ernesto Cervini, Turboprop ( Anzic) 2 (1)
- Drifter, Flow (Edition) 2 (1)
- Roberta Gambarini/Heath Bros., Connecting Spirits (Groovin' Higher) 2 (1)
- Melody Gardot, Currency of Man (The Artist's Cut) (Universal) 2 (1)
- Dick Hyman, House of Pianos (Arbors) 2 (1)
- Sebastián Jordán, Trapecista (Discos Pendente) 2 (1)
- Karin Krog & Steve Kuhn, Break of Day (Meantime) 2 (1)
- Carl Sonny Leyland, King of the Barrelhouse (Piano/Mania Music) 2 (1)
- La Lucha, Standards Not Standards (Blue Line) 2 (1)
- Michael Mussilami, Zephyr (Playscape) 2 (1)
- Simon Nabatov & Mark Dresser, Projections (Clean Feed) 2 (1)
- Richard Nelson & Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, Deep River (Heliotrope) 2 (1)
- Oddjob, Folk (Caprice) 2 (1)
- Reijseger Fraanje Sylla, Count Till Zen (Winter & Winter) 2 (1)
- George Robert, New Life (GPR) 2 (1)
- Pete Rodriguez, El Conde Negro (Destiny) 2 (1)
- Adam Rudolph, Turning Towards the Light (Cunieform) 2 (1)
- John Russell, With . . . (Emanem) 2 (1)
- Secret Keeper, Emerge (Intakt) 2 (1)
- Matthew Stevens, Woodwork (Whirlwind) 2 (1)
- UNCG Jazz Ensemble 1, Bouncing With Blue Note at 75 (self-released -14) 2 (1)
- Ken Vandermark & Nate Wooley, East by Northwest (Audiographic) 2 (1)
- Michael Wollny, Nachtfahrten (Act) 2 (1)
- AMP Trio, M(Y)ourworld (self-released) 1 (1)
- Jakob Anderskov, Habitable Exomusics Vol. I-II-III: Kinetics (The Path) / Statics (The Map) / Dymanics (The Terrain) (ILK) 1 (1)
- Frank Carlberg, Word Circus (Red Piano) 1 (1)
- Marc Cary, Rhodes Ahead, Vol. 2 (Motema) 1 (1)
- Avishai Cohen, From Darkness (Razdaz) 1 (1)
- Marcelo dos Reis & Angélica V. Salvi, Concentric Rinds (Cipsela) 1 (1)
- Jens Düppe, Anima (Double Moon) 1 (1)
- Oran Etkin, What's New (Motema) 1 (1)
- Gordon Goodwin, A Big Phat Christmas (1201 Music) 1 (1)
- Joel Harrison, Spirit House (Whirlwind) 1 (1)
- Gilad Hekselman, Homes (Jazz Village) 1 (1)
- Mark Helias, The Signal Maker (Intakt) 1 (1)
- Nick Hempton, Catch and Release (Triple-Distilled) 1 (1)
- Ahmad Jamal, Live in Marciac (Jazz Village) 1 (1)
- Jazz Ensemble Baden-Württemberg, Doors Without Words (JazznArts) 1 (1)
- Le Pot (Manuel Mengis-Hans-Peter Pfammatter-Manuel Troller-Lionel Friedli), Hera (Everest) 1 (1)
- Bryan Lynch & Emmet Cohen, Questioned Answer (Hollistic MusicWorks -14) 1 (1)
- Pat Metheny, Hommage a Eberhard Weber (ECM) 1 (1)
- Mika Samba Jazz Trio, Balanço Zona Sul (TeeGA Music) 1 (1)
- Uwe Oberg, Work (Leo) 1 (1)
- Opus 5, Tickle (Criss Cross) 1 (1)
- Ivo Perelman, Book of Sound (Leo) 1 (1)
- Myriam Phiro, Voyages (self-released) 1 (1)
- Pixel, Golden Years (Cuneiform) 1 (1)
- Jure Pukl, Life Sound Pictures (Fresh Sound New Talent -14) 1 (1)
- Eve Risser, Des Pas Sur La Neige (Clean Feed) 1 (1)
- John Schott, Actual Trio (Tzadik) 1 (1)
- Bjørn Solli, Aglow: The Lyngør Project Vol. 1 (Lyngør) 1 (1)
- Yuhan Su, A Room of One's Own (Inner Circle) 1 (1)
- Warren Vache, Remembers Benny Carter (Arbors Jazz) 1 (1)
- Chucho Valdés, Tribute to Irakere (Live in Marciac) (Jazz Village/Harmonia Mundi) 1 (1)
- Manuel Valera, Urban Landscape (Destiny) 1 (1)
- Tom Varner, Nine Surprises (Tom Varner Music) 1 (1)
- Donald Vega, With Respect to Monty (Resonance) 1 (1)
- Vox Arcana, Caro's Song (Relay) 1 (1)
Notes
Critics were asked to list 10 albums in descending order, with
10 points awarded for their #1, 9 for #2, etc. (On ballots where
choices were listed alphabetically, each received 5.5 points.) The
first bold number indicates total points; the number in parentheses is
the tally of ballots on which a CD appeared, which was used as a
tiebreaker.
The Pollmaster decided to treat the top two albums as a tie for
his
essay at NPR: they did, after all, wind up with the same number of
points. However, the traditional point tie-breaker in this poll is
the number of votes, and that is applied above. The tie-breaker
gives Bird Calls an edge over The Thompson Fields.
The tie-breaker is applied further down in the NPR list.
There was some confusion about whether several records should
be slotted as "new" or "historical" and received votes in both
categories. These were:
- Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tokyo Adagio (Impulse!)
- Brad Mehldau: 10 Years Solo Live (Nonesuch)
Both records received 2 points in the reissues/historical category,
but should have been considered as "new": Tokyo Adagio was cut
in 2005, while 10 Years Solo Live was mostly recorded later.
Accordingly, 2 points and one vote have been arbitrarily added to the
new vote total of each. (In the NPR standings, this was done for
Tokyo Adagio but not for 10 Years Solo Live.)
The only other record to receive votes both as "new" and "historical"
(one each) was Ernestine Anderson, Swings the Penthouse (HighNote),
which was recorded in 1962, and as such clearly belongs under "historical."
Well down the list, we let those votes stand. (Anderson also received
one vote for Vocal. The Pollmaster never clearly ruled on whether Vocal,
Latin Jazz, or for that matter Debut, albums had to be "new" -- so we've
let those votes stand as well.)
Within any given standing, the entries have no evident sort order.