14th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2019

Ballots 2019 [3]

Felipe Freitas (JazzTrail)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Aki Takase Japanic, Thema Prima (BMC)
  2. Miguel Zenón, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music)
  3. Chris Potter, Circuits (Edition)
  4. Anna Webber, Clockwise (Pi)
  5. Abdullah Ibrahim, The Balance (Gearbox)
  6. Vijay Iyer & Craig Taborn, The Transitory Poems (ECM)
  7. Steve Lehman Trio & Craig Taborn, The People I Love (Pi)
  8. David Torn-Tim Berne-Ches Smith, Sun of Goldfinger (ECM)
  9. Miles Okazaki, The Sky Below (Pi)
  10. Joshua Redman Quartet, Come What May (Nonesuch)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Don Cherry, Brown Rice (1975, A&M)
  2. Miles Davis, The Complete Birth of the Cool (1948-50, Capitol)
  3. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Patrick Frisco (WHFR-FM [Dearborn, MI])

NEW RELEASES

  1. Taylor Ho Bynum 9-tette, The Ambiguity Manifesto (Firehouse 12)
  2. Vijay Iyer & Craig Taborn, The Transitory Poems (ECM)
  3. Tiger Trio [Joëlle Léandre-Myra Melford-Nicole Mitchell], Map of Liberation (RogueArt)
  4. Peter Brötzmann-Alexander Von Schlippenbach-Han Bennink, Fifty Years After . . . Live at the Lila Eule 2018 (Trost)
  5. Paul Dunmall Sun Ship Quartet, John Coltrane 50th Memorial Concert at Cafe Oto (Confront)
  6. Whit Dickey Tao Quartets, Peace Planet/Box of Light (AUM Fidelity -2CD)
  7. OGJB Quartet [Oliver Lake/Graham Haynes/Joe Fonda/Barry Altschul], Bamako (TUM)
  8. Tomeka Reid Quartet, Old New (Cuneiform)
  9. Simon Nabatov-Barry Guy-Gerry Hemingway, Luminous (NoBusiness -18)
  10. The Jamie Saft Quartet, Hidden Corners (RareNoise)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Sam Rivers Quintet, Zenith (1977, NoBusiness)
  2. Eric Dolphy, Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance -3CD -18)
  3. Dadisi Komolafe, Hassan's Walk (1983, Nimbus West)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Jon Garelick (Boston Globe, Jazziz, DownBeat)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic)
  2. Tuba Skinny, Some Kind-a-Shake (self-released)
  3. John Boutté, A "Well Tempered" Boutté (Boutteworks)
  4. Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, Waiting Game (Motema)
  5. Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller, Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller's Parlour Game (Royal Potato Family)
  6. Joe Lovano, Trio Tapestry (ECM)
  7. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (Constellation)
  8. Guillermo Klein, Los Guachos Cristal (Sunnyside)
  9. Jeremy Udden, Three in Paris (Sunnyside)
  10. Yoko Miwa Trio, Keep Talkin' (Ocean Blue Tear Music)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Smithsonian Folkways -5CD)
  2. Nat "King" Cole, Hittin' the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) (Resonance -7CD)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Richard Gehr (Bandcamp, Relix, DownBeat)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Noah Preminger Group, Zigsaw: Music of Steve Lampert (self-released)
  2. Rajna Swaminathan, Of Agency and Abstraction (Biophilia)
  3. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic)
  4. Enrico Rava & Joe Lovano, Roma (ECM)
  5. Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller, Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller's Parlour Game (Royal Potato Family)
  6. Jentsch Group No Net, Topics in American History (Blue Schist -18)
  7. Maurice Louca, Elephantine (Northern Spy)
  8. Ben Monder, Day After Day (Sunnyside)
  9. Matt Mitchell, Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi)
  10. Harriet Tubman, The Terror End of Beauty (Sunnyside -18)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Alice Coltrane Sextet, Live at the Berkeley Community Theater 1972 (BCT)
  2. Eric Dolphy, Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance -3CD -18)
  3. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Andrew Gilbert (Jazz Times, Bay Area News Group, Berkeleyside)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Eric Dolphy, Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance -3CD -18)
  2. Etta Jones, A Soulful Sunday: Live at the Left Bank (1972, Reel to Reel)
  3. Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee, The Newest Sound You Never Heard (1966-67, A-Side -2CD)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ted Gioia (The History of Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Mark Turner & Gary Foster, Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster (2003, Capri -2CD)
  2. Joshua Redman & Brooklyn Rider, Sun on Sand (Nonesuch)
  3. Joe Lovano, Trio Tapestry (ECM)
  4. Miho Hazama, Dancer in Nowhere (Sunnyside)
  5. James Carter Organ Trio, Live From Newport Jazz (Blue Note)
  6. Melissa Aldana, Visions (Motema)
  7. Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan, Epistrophy (ECM)
  8. Fred Hersch & the WDR Big Band, Begin Again (Palmetto)
  9. Laurence Hobgood, Tesseterra (Ubuntu Music)
  10. Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy 2 (Concord -2CD)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Stan Getz, Getz at the Gate: The Stan Getz Quartet Live at the Village Gate Nov 26 1961 (Verve)
  2. Johnny Griffin & Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ow! Live at the Penthouse (1962, Reel to Reel)
  3. Michel Petrucciani Trio, One Night in Karlsruhe (SWR Jazzhaus)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster should have been considered as Historical.

David A. Graham (The Atlantic)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Nate Wooley, Columbia Icefield (Northern Spy)
  2. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic)
  3. Joel Ross, KingMaker (Blue Note)
  4. Branford Marsalis Quartet, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul (Okeh)
  5. Nicholas Payton, Relaxin' With Nick (Smoke Sessions -2CD)
  6. Steve Lehman Trio & Craig Taborn, The People I Love (Pi)
  7. Greg Ward Presents Rogue Parade, Stomping Off From Greenwood (Greenleaf Music)
  8. Johnathan Blake, Trion (Giant Step Arts)
  9. Rob Mazurek, Desert Encrypts Vol. 1 (Astral Spirits)
  10. Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller, Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller's Parlour Game (Royal Potato Family)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)
  2. Paul Bley-Gary Peacock-Paul Motian, When Will the Blues Leave (1999, ECM)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Steve Greenlee (Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, JazzTimes)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic)
  2. David Torn-Tim Berne-Ches Smith, Sun of Goldfinger (ECM)
  3. Branford Marsalis Quartet, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul (Okeh)
  4. Matt Mitchell, Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi)
  5. Hiromi, Spectrum (Telarc)
  6. James Carter Organ Trio, Live From Newport Jazz (Blue Note)
  7. Wallace Roney, Blue Dawn-Blue Nights (HighNote)
  8. The Dave Wilson Quartet, One Night at Chris' (self-released)
  9. Jim Snidero, Waves of Calm (Savant)
  10. Cat in a Bag, Cat in a Bag (Clean Feed)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Paul Bley-Gary Peacock-Paul Motian, When Will the Blues Leave (1999, ECM)
  2. Allen Lowe, Jews & Roots/Radical Jewish Acculturation: An Avant Garde of Our Own: Disconnected Works 1980-2018 (Constant Sorrow/ESP-Disk)
  3. Sun Ra, Monorails & Satellites: Works for Solo Piano Vols. 1, 2, 3 (Cosmic Myth)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

George Grella (Brooklyn Rail, The Wire, Red Hook Star-Review)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Zack Brock-Matt Ulery-Jon Deitemyer, Wonderment (Woolgathering)
  2. Greg Ward Presents Rogue Parade, Stomping Off From Greenwood (Greenleaf Music)
  3. Anat Fort Trio, Colour (Sunnyside)
  4. Avram Fefer Quartet, Testament (Clean Feed)
  5. Miho Hazama, Dancer in Nowhere (Sunnyside)
  6. Chano Dominguez & Hadar Noiberg, Paramus (Sunnyside)
  7. Kassa Overall, Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz (self-released)
  8. Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble, Where Future Unfolds (International Anthem)
  9. Go: Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive, Ragmala (Meta)
  10. Fabian Almazan Trio, This Land Abounds With Life (Biophilia)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Charles Mingus, Jazz in Detroit/Strata Concert Gallery/46 Selden (BBE -18)
  2. Sun Ra, Monorails & Satellites: Works for Solo Piano Vols. 1, 2, 3 (Cosmic Myth)
  3. Eric Dolphy, Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance -3CD -18)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

James Hale (DownBeat, SoundStageXperience.com)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic)
  2. Louis Sclavis, Characters on a Wall (ECM)
  3. Julia Hülsmann Quartet, Not Far From Here (ECM)
  4. Keith Jarrett, Munich 2016 (ECM)
  5. The Bad Plus, Activate Infinity (Edition)
  6. Brad Mehldau, Finding Gabriel (Nonesuch)
  7. Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy 2 (Concord -2CD)
  8. Miguel Zenón, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music)
  9. Michael Gregory Jackson Clarity Quartet, Whenufindituwillknow (Golden)
  10. Santana, Africa Speaks (Concord)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)
  2. Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee, The Newest Sound You Never Heard (1966-67, A-Side -2CD)
  3. Jimmy Hendrix, Songs for Groovy Childlren: The Fillmore East Concerts (1969-70, Legacy -5CD)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Robert Ham (Portland Mercury, DownBeat, Pitchfork, Paste)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Dr. Mark Lomax, II, 400: An African Epic (CFG Multimedia -12CD)
  2. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Ancestral Recall (Ropeadope)
  3. Kassa Overall, Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz (self-released)
  4. Joshua Redman & Brooklyn Rider, Sun on Sand (Nonesuch)
  5. Kendrick Scott Oracle, A Wall Becomes a Bridge (Blue Note)
  6. Anna Webber, Clockwise (Pi)
  7. Angel Bat Dawid, The Oracle (International Anthem)
  8. Satoko Fujii, Solo Piano: Stone (Libra)
  9. Vijay Iyer & Craig Taborn, The Transitory Poems (ECM)
  10. Caroline Kraabel, Last1 Last2 (Emanem)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)
  2. Wes Montgomery, Back on Indiana Avenue: The Carroll DeCamp Recordings (Resonance)
  3. Bill Evans, Evans in England (1969, Resonance)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ed Hazell (Point of Departure, Jazziz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Mario Pavone Dialect Trio, Philosophy (Clean Feed)
  2. Karl Berger & Jason Kao Hwang, Conjure (True Sound)
  3. Alexander Hawkins, Iron Into Wind: Piano Solo (Intakt)
  4. Michael Formanek Very Practical Trio, Even Better (Intakt)
  5. Taylor Ho Bynum 9-tette, The Ambiguity Manifesto (Firehouse 12)
  6. Whit Dickey Tao Quartets, Peace Planet/Box of Light (AUM Fidelity -2CD)
  7. Mark Dresser Seven, Ain't Nothing but a Cyber Coup & You (Clean Feed)
  8. Ken Vandermark, Momentum 4: Consequent Duos 2015-2019 (Audiograph -5CD)
  9. Wadada Leo Smith, Rosa Parks: Pure Love: An Oratorio of Seven Songs (TUM)
  10. Tomeka Reid Quartet, Old New (Cuneiform)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Eric Dolphy, Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance -3CD -18)
  2. Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee, The Newest Sound You Never Heard (1966-67, A-Side -2CD)
  3. Keith Tippett, The Unlonely Raindancer (1981, Discus Music)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Chris Heim (KMUW-FM)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Steve Khan, Patchwork (Tone Center)
  2. Corey Christiansen, La Proxima (Origin)
  3. Chick Corea & the Spanish Heart Band, Antidote (Concord)
  4. Joe Fiedler, Open Sesame (Multiphonics Music)
  5. Monty Alexander, Wareika Hill: Rastamonk Variations (MACD)
  6. Edmar Castaneda & Gregoire Maret, Harp vs. Harp (ACT)
  7. Catherine Russell, Alone Together (Dot Time)
  8. Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan, Epistrophy (ECM)
  9. Dan McCarthy, City Abstract (Origin)
  10. Hiromi, Spectrum (Telarc)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Errol Garner, Octave Remastered Series (Mack Avenue)
  2. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)
  3. Nat "King" Cole, Hittin' the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) (Resonance -7CD)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Alex Henderson (New York City Jazz Record, Salon, AlterNet, The Raw Story, XBIZ, SHE Magazine, The New Civil Rights Movement, The National Memo, Democratic Underground)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Mary Stallings, Songs Were Made to Sing (Smoke Sessions)
  2. Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy 2 (Concord -2CD)
  3. Monty Alexander, Wareika Hill: Rastamonk Variations (MACD)
  4. The Comet Is Coming, Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (Impulse!)
  5. Poncho Sanchez, Trane's Delight (Concord Picante)
  6. Nancy Kelly, Remembering Mark Murphy (SubCat)
  7. Wynton Marsalis, Bolden: Music From the Original Soundtrack (Blue Engine)
  8. Eric Alexander, Eric Alexander With Strings (HighNote)
  9. John Patitucci, Soul of the Bass (self-released)
  10. Carmen Lundy, Modern Ancestors (Afrasia)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Nat "King" Cole, Hittin' the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) (Resonance -7CD)
  2. Miles Davis, The Complete Birth of the Cool (1948-50, Capitol)
  3. John Coltrane, Coltrane '58: The Prestige Recordings (Craft -5CD)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Andrey Henkin (New York City Jazz Record)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Evan Parker-Barry Guy-Paul Lytton, Concert in Vilnius (NoBusiness)
  2. Michael Leonhart Orchestra, Suite Extracts Vol. 1 (Sunnyside)
  3. Chris Lightcap, SuperBigmouth (Pyroclastic)
  4. Red Kite, Red Kite (RareNoise)
  5. Alex Harding & Lucian Ban, Dark Blue (Sunnyside)
  6. Vijay Iyer & Craig Taborn, The Transitory Poems (ECM)
  7. Julian Lage, Love Hurts (Mack Avenue)
  8. Stephane Wrembel, The Django Experiment IV (Arte Boreal)
  9. Krokofant, Q (Rune Grammofon)
  10. Toh-Kichi [Satoko Fujii & Taysuya Yoshida], Baikamo (Libra)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Charles Lloyd Quartet, Montreux Jazz Festival 1967 [Swiss Radio Days Volume 46] (TCB -2CD)
  2. Sam Rivers Quintet, Zenith (1977, NoBusiness)
  3. François Tusques, Alors Nosferatu Combina Un Plan Ingenieux (Cacophonic)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Geoffrey Himes (Washington Post, JazzTimes, DownBeat, Paste)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom, Glitter Wolf (The Royal Potato Family)
  2. Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan, Epistrophy (ECM)
  3. Melissa Aldana, Visions (Motema)
  4. Todd Marcus, Trio+ (Stricker Street)
  5. Lafayette Gilchrist, Dark Matter (self-released)
  6. Anat Cohen Tentet, Triple Helix (Anzic)
  7. SFJAZZ Collective, The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Original Compositions (SFJAZZ)
  8. Matt Mitchell, Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi)
  9. Branford Marsalis Quartet, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul (Okeh)
  10. Dave Douglas, Engage (Greenleaf Music)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Sam Rivers Quintet, Zenith (1977, NoBusiness)
  2. Eric Dolphy, Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance -3CD -18)
  3. Betty Carter, The Music Never Stops (Blue Engine)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Rob Hoff (WQLN Public Media and JazzErie)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ethan Iverson Quartet With Tom Harrell, Common Practice (ECM)
  2. Miguel Zenón, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music)
  3. Anat Cohen Tentet, Triple Helix (Anzic)
  4. Steve Lehman Trio & Craig Taborn, The People I Love (Pi)
  5. Fred Hersch & the WDR Big Band, Begin Again (Palmetto)
  6. Dave Douglas Quintet, Brazen Heart: Live at Jazz Standard (Greenleaf Music -18)
  7. Tomeka Reid Quartet, Old New (Cuneiform)
  8. Miles Okazaki, The Sky Below (Pi)
  9. The Jamie Saft Quartet, Hidden Corners (RareNoise)
  10. Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy 2 (Concord -2CD)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Paul Bley-Gary Peacock-Paul Motian, When Will the Blues Leave (1999, ECM)
  2. Bill Evans, Evans in England (1969, Resonance)
  3. Sam Rivers Trio, Emanation (1971, NoBusiness)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Eugene Holley, Jr. (DownBeat, Hot House, Chamber Music, Playbill)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ahmad Jamal, Ballades (Jazz Village)
  2. Nicholas Payton, Relaxin' With Nick (Smoke Sessions -2CD)
  3. Godwin Louis, Global (Blue Room Music)
  4. Herlin Riley, Perpetual Optimism (Mack Avenue)
  5. Matthew Shipp Trio, Signature (ESP-Disk)
  6. Brandee Younger, Soul Awakening (self-released)
  7. Etienne Charles, Carnival: The Sound of a People Vol. 1 (Culture Shock Music)
  8. Brian Lynch Big Band, The Omni-American Book Club: My Journey Through Literature in Music (Holistic MusicWorks)
  9. Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy 2 (Concord -2CD)
  10. ELEW, ELEW Plays Rosenwinkel: Cubism (Heartcore)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. John Coltrane, Blue World (1964, Impulse!)
  2. Nat "King" Cole, Hittin' the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) (Resonance -7CD)
  3. Miles Davis, The Complete Birth of the Cool (1948-50, Capitol)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Larry Hollis (Cadence)

NEW RELEASES

  1. James Carter Organ Trio, Live From Newport Jazz (Blue Note)
  2. Eric Alexander, Leap of Faith (Giant Step Arts)
  3. Roger Kellaway, The Many Open Minds of Roger Kellaway (IPO)
  4. Steve Davis, Correlations (Smoke Sessions)
  5. Ronnie Cuber, Straight Street (SteepleChase)
  6. Jason Palmer, Rhyme and Reason (Giant Step Arts -2CD)
  7. Joshua Redman Quartet, Come What May (Nonesuch)
  8. Johnathan Blake, Trion (Giant Step Arts)
  9. George Coleman, The Quartet (Smoke Sessions)
  10. Houston Person, I'm Just a Lucky So and So (HighNote)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

  1. Stan Getz, Getz at the Gate: The Stan Getz Quartet Live at the Village Gate Nov 26 1961 (Verve)
  2. Betty Carter, The Music Never Stops (Blue Engine)
  3. Barney Wilen, Live in Tokyo '91 (Elemental Music -2CD)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Mark Holston (Jazziz, All About Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Paul Nedzela, Introducing Paul Nedzela (Outside In Music)
  2. Nancy Kelly, Remembering Mark Murphy (SubCat)
  3. Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre, Love the Moment (Origin)
  4. Miguel Zenón, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music)
  5. John Finbury, Sorte! (Green Flash Music)
  6. Steve Khan, Patchwork (Tone Center)
  7. Bob Sheppard, The Fine Line (Challenge)
  8. Bill O'Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble, Wind Off the Hudson (Savant)
  9. Brian Lynch Big Band, The Omni-American Book Club: My Journey Through Literature in Music (Holistic MusicWorks)
  10. Mariano Loiácono, Vibrations (DBN)

REISSUES/HISTORICAL

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN