| 14th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2019 |
2019 Totals: New Albums
- Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic) 260 (37)
- Art Ensemble of Chicago, We Are on the Edge: A 50th Anniversary Celebration (Pi -2CD) 184.5 (31)
- Tomeka Reid Quartet, Old New (Cuneiform) 161 (26)
- Branford Marsalis Quartet, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul (Okeh) 138.5 (23)
- Steve Lehman Trio & Craig Taborn, The People I Love (Pi) 138 (23)
- Anna Webber, Clockwise (Pi) 133 (18)
- Jaimie Branch, Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise (International Anthem) 121 (20)
- Taylor Ho Bynum 9-tette, The Ambiguity Manifesto (Firehouse 12) 105 (20)
- Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (Constellation) 105 (15)
- Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy 2 (Concord -2CD) 104.5 (19)
- Miguel Zenón, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music) 93.5 (15)
- Joel Ross, KingMaker (Blue Note) 90 (15)
- Wadada Leo Smith, Rosa Parks: Pure Love: An Oratorio of Seven Songs (TUM) 79 (14)
- Johnathan Blake, Trion (Giant Step Arts) 78.5 (16)
- Joe Lovano, Trio Tapestry (ECM) 77 (12)
- Abdullah Ibrahim, The Balance (Gearbox) 76 (10)
- James Brandon Lewis, An UnRuly Manifesto (Relative Pitch) 74 (12)
- Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom, Glitter Wolf (The Royal Potato Family) 72.5 (15)
- Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, Waiting Game (Motema) 72.5 (13)
- Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan, Epistrophy (ECM) 72.5 (11)
- Crosscurrents Trio [Dave Holland/Zakir Hussain/Chris Potter], Good Hope (Edition) 68.5 (11)
- Mark Dresser Seven, Ain't Nothing but a Cyber Coup & You (Clean Feed) 67 (11)
- Anat Cohen Tentet, Triple Helix (Anzic) 64.5 (12)
- James Carter Organ Trio, Live From Newport Jazz (Blue Note) 63 (10)
- Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Ancestral Recall (Ropeadope) 63 (10)
- Fabian Almazan Trio, This Land Abounds With Life (Biophilia) 59.5 (9)
- Linda May Han Oh, Aventurine (Biophilia) 59 (10)
- Angel Bat Dawid, The Oracle (International Anthem) 59 (7)
- Matt Mitchell, Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi) 55 (11)
- Ethan Iverson Quartet With Tom Harrell, Common Practice (ECM) 51.5 (8)
- Melissa Aldana, Visions (Motema) 50.5 (11)
- Camila Meza & the Nectar Orchestra, Ambar (Sony Masterworks) 50 (7)
- Enrico Rava & Joe Lovano, Roma (ECM) 48 (6)
- Vijay Iyer & Craig Taborn, The Transitory Poems (ECM) 47.5 (10)
- Miho Hazama, Dancer in Nowhere (Sunnyside) 47 (10)
- Iro Haarla, Ulf Krokfors & Barry Altschul, Around Again (TUM) 44.5 (7)
- Michele Rosewoman's New Yor-Uba, Hallowed (Advance Dance Disques) 42.5 (6)
- Guillermo Klein, Los Guachos Cristal (Sunnyside) 41 (7)
- Etienne Charles, Carnival: The Sound of a People Vol. 1 (Culture Shock Music) 39 (5)
- Fire! Orchestra, Arrival (Rune Grammofon) 38 (4)
- David Torn-Tim Berne-Ches Smith, Sun of Goldfinger (ECM) 37 (8)
- Jazzmeia Horn, Love and Liberation (Concord) 37 (7)
- Bill Frisell, Harmony (Blue Note) 37 (6)
- Greg Ward Presents Rogue Parade, Stomping Off From Greenwood (Greenleaf Music) 35 (6)
- Miles Okazaki, The Sky Below (Pi) 33 (7)
- Brian Lynch Big Band, The Omni-American Book Club: My Journey Through Literature in Music (Holistic MusicWorks) 33 (7)
- Nicholas Payton, Relaxin' With Nick (Smoke Sessions -2CD) 33 (5)
- Noah Preminger Group, Zigsaw: Music of Steve Lampert (self-released) 32 (4)
- Ben Goldberg, Good Day for Cloud Fishing (Pyroclastic) 30.5 (5)
- Tom Harrell, Infinity (HighNote) 30 (5)
- JD Allen, Barracoon (Savant) 29.5 (8)
- Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller, Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller's Parlour Game (Royal Potato Family) 29 (6)
- Brad Mehldau, Finding Gabriel (Nonesuch) 29 (5)
- Nature Work, Nature Work (Sunnyside) 29 (4)
- Brandee Younger, Soul Awakening (self-released) 28 (6)
- The Bad Plus, Activate Infinity (Edition) 27 (4)
- Monty Alexander, Wareika Hill: Rastamonk Variations (MACD) 27 (4)
- Matthew Shipp Trio, Signature (ESP-Disk) 26 (7)
- Go: Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive, Ragmala (Meta) 26 (5)
- Chris Potter, Circuits (Edition) 26 (5)
- Jane Bunnett & Maqueque, On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme (Linus Entertainment) 25.5 (4)
- Kassa Overall, Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz (self-released) 25 (5)
- OGJB Quartet [Oliver Lake/Graham Haynes/Joe Fonda/Barry Altschul], Bamako (TUM) 25 (4)
- Jeremy Pelt, Jeremy Pelt, the Artist (HighNote) 25 (4)
- Michael Formanek Very Practical Trio, Even Better (Intakt) 24 (4)
- Frank Kimbrough, Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk (Sunnyside -6CD -18) 24 (3)
- Michael Leonhart Orchestra, Suite Extracts Vol. 1 (Sunnyside) 24 (3)
- Jason Palmer, Rhyme and Reason (Giant Step Arts -2CD) 23.5 (5)
- Ivo Perelman-Matthew Shipp-William Parker-Bobby Kapp, Ineffable Joy (ESP-Disk) 23.5 (4)
- Rich Halley, Terra Incognita (Pine Eagle) 23 (5)
- Scott Robinson, Tenormore (Arbors Jazz) 23 (5)
- Rajna Swaminathan, Of Agency and Abstraction (Biophilia) 23 (4)
- Mario Pavone Dialect Trio, Philosophy (Clean Feed) 23 (4)
- Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble, Where Future Unfolds (International Anthem) 22 (4)
- Mark Turner & Gary Foster, Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster (2003, Capri -2CD) 22 (4)
- Joshua Redman & Brooklyn Rider, Sun on Sand (Nonesuch) 22 (3)
- Aki Takase Japanic, Thema Prima (BMC) 22 (3)
- Kendrick Scott Oracle, A Wall Becomes a Bridge (Blue Note) 21 (4)
- Lafayette Gilchrist, Dark Matter (self-released) 21 (4)
- Lee Konitz Nonet, Old Songs New (Sunnyside) 21 (3)
- Quinsin Nachoff's Flux, Path of Totality (Whirlwind) 21 (3)
- The Comet Is Coming, Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (Impulse!) 20 (3)
- Nérija, Blume (Domino) 19 (4)
- Fred Hersch & the WDR Big Band, Begin Again (Palmetto) 19 (4)
- Gerald Cleaver & Violet Hour, Live at Firehouse 12 (2006, Sunnyside) 19 (3)
- Alex Harding & Lucian Ban, Dark Blue (Sunnyside) 19 (3)
- Joey DeFrancesco, In the Key of the Universe (Mack Avenue) 18 (4)
- SEED Ensemble, Driftglass (Jazz Re:freshed) 18 (4)
- Rob Mazurek, Desert Encrypts Vol. 1 (Astral Spirits) 18 (3)
- Ehud Asherie Trio, Wild Man Blues (Capri) 18 (3)
- Chris Lightcap, SuperBigmouth (Pyroclastic) 18 (3)
- Hiromi, Spectrum (Telarc) 17 (4)
- Steph Richards, Take the Neon Lights (Birdwatcher) 17 (4)
- Satoko Fujii & Ramon Lopez, Confluence (Libra) 17 (3)
- Ted Nash-Steve Cardenas-Ben Allison, Somewhere Else: West Side Story Songs (Plastic Sax) 17 (3)
- Remy Le Boeuf, Assembly of Shadows (SoundSpore) 17 (2)
- P.J. Perry Featuring Bill Mays, This Quiet Room (Cellar Live) 17 (2)
- George Garzone-Peter Erskine-Alan Pasqua-Darek Oles, 3 Nights in L.A. (Fuzzy Music -3CD) 17 (2)
- Nate Wooley, Columbia Icefield (Northern Spy) 16.5 (3)
- Gebhard Ullmann-Hans Ludemann-Oliver Potratz-Eric Schaefer, MikroPULS (Intuition) 16.5 (3)
- Rodrigo Amado & Chris Corsano, No Place to Fall (Astral Spirits) 16 (3)
- Ralph Peterson & the Messenger Legacy, Legacy Alive: Volume 6 at the Sidedoor (Onyx Productions) 16 (3)
- William Parker & In Order to Survive, Live/Shapeshifter (AUM Fidelity -2CD) 16 (2)
- DKV & Joe McPhee, The Fire Each Time (Not Two -6CD) 16 (2)
- Jerome Jennings, Solidarity (Iola) 16 (2)
- The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, DIVA + the Boys (MCG Jazz) 15.5 (3)
- Avram Fefer Quartet, Testament (Clean Feed) 15 (3)
- Yazz Ahmed, Polyhymnia (Ropeadope) 15 (2)
- Roger Kellaway, The Many Open Minds of Roger Kellaway (IPO) 15 (2)
- Ryan Keberle & Catharsis, The Hope I Hold (Greenleaf Music) 15 (2)
- Dave Rempis-Brandon Lopez-Ryan Packard, The Early Bird Gets (Aerophonic) 15 (2)
- Steve Khan, Patchwork (Tone Center) 15 (2)
- Kuzu, Hiljaisuus (Astral Spirits/Aerophonic) 15 (2)
- Petter Eldh, Petter Eldh Presents Koma Saxo (We Jazz) 14.5 (2)
- Whit Dickey Tao Quartets, Peace Planet/Box of Light (AUM Fidelity -2CD) 14 (5)
- Bria Skonberg, Nothing Never Happens (self-released) 14 (3)
- Eric Hofbauer's Five Agents, Book of Water (Creative Nation Music) 14 (3)
- Marta Sánchez Quintet, El Rayo De Luz (Fresh Sound New Talent) 14 (3)
- Nancy Kelly, Remembering Mark Murphy (SubCat) 14 (2)
- Marquis Hill, Love Tape (Black Unlimited Music Group) 14 (2)
- Ahmed, Super Majnoon (East Meets West) (Otoroku) 14 (2)
- Bob Sheppard, The Fine Line (Challenge) 13.5 (3)
- Alexander Hawkins, Iron Into Wind: Piano Solo (Intakt) 13.5 (2)
- Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre, Love the Moment (Origin) 13.5 (2)
- Dave Douglas, Engage (Greenleaf Music) 13 (4)
- Sylvie Courvoisier & Mark Feldman, Time Gone Out (Intakt) 13 (3)
- Ralph Alessi, Imaginary Friends (ECM) 13 (3)
- Eric Reed, Everybody Gets the Blues (Smoke Sessions) 13 (2)
- Paul Dunmall Sun Ship Quartet, John Coltrane 50th Memorial Concert at Cafe Oto (Confront) 13 (2)
- Peter Brötzmann-Alexander Von Schlippenbach-Han Bennink, Fifty Years After . . . Live at the Lila Eule 2018 (Trost) 13 (2)
- Larry Grenadier, The Gleaners (ECM) 13 (2)
- Jon Batiste, Chronology of a Dream: Live at the Village Vanguard (Verve) 13 (2)
- Gwilym Simcock, Near and Now (ACT) 13 (2)
- Evan Parker & Matthew Wright Trance Map+, Crepuscule in Nickelsdorf (Intakt) 12.5 (2)
- Joshua Redman Quartet, Come What May (Nonesuch) 12 (5)
- The Jamie Saft Quartet, Hidden Corners (RareNoise) 12 (4)
- Ken Peplowski & Diego Figueiredo, Amizade (Arbors) 12 (2)
- Aki Takase, Hokusai: Piano Solo (Intakt) 12 (2)
- Zack Brock-Matt Ulery-Jon Deitemyer, Wonderment (Woolgathering) 12 (2)
- Elder Ones [Amirtha Kidambi], From Untruth (Northern Spy) 12 (2)
- Avishai Cohen & Yonathan Avishai, Playing the Room (ECM) 12 (2)
- Todd Marcus, Trio+ (Stricker Street) 12 (2)
- Laurence Hobgood, Tesseterra (Ubuntu Music) 12 (2)
- Dave Douglas Quintet, Brazen Heart: Live at Jazz Standard (Greenleaf Music -18) 12 (2)
- Godwin Louis, Global (Blue Room Music) 12 (2)
- Ben Monder, Day After Day (Sunnyside) 11 (4)
- Julian Lage, Love Hurts (Mack Avenue) 11 (3)
- Human Feel [Chris Speed/Andrew D'Angelo/Kurt Rosenwinkel/Jim Black], Gold (Intakt) 11 (2)
- Ken Vandermark, Momentum 4: Consequent Duos 2015-2019 (Audiograph -5CD) 11 (2)
- Per "Texas" Johansson-Torbjörn Zetterberg-Konrad Agnas, Orakel (Moserobie) 11 (2)
- Red Kite, Red Kite (RareNoise) 11 (2)
- Ståhls Trio, Källtorp Sessions: Volume One (Moserobie) 11 (2)
- T.K. Blue, The Rhythms Continue (JaJa) 11 (2)
- Rez Abbasi, A Throw of Dice by the Silent Ensemble (Whirlwind) 10 (3)
- Veronica Swift, Confessions (Mack Avenue) 10 (2)
- ELEW, ELEW Plays Rosenwinkel: Cubism (Heartcore) 10 (2)
- Gil Evans Orchestra, Hidden Treasures: Monday Nights Vol. 1 (Deko Music) 10 (2)
- Eri Yamamoto Trio & Choral Chameleon, Goshu Ondo Suite (AUM Fidelity) 10 (2)
- Billy Lester, From Scratch (Newvelle) 10 (2)
- Tom Rainey Trio With Mary Halvorson and Ingrid Laubrock, Combobulated (Intakt) 10 (2)
- Tierney Sutton Band, ScreenPlay (BFM) 10 (1)
- Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee, The Newest Sound You Never Heard (1966-67, A-Side -2CD) 10 (1)
- Mary Stallings, Songs Were Made to Sing (Smoke Sessions) 10 (1)
- Anthony Braxton, GTM (Syntax) 2017 (New Braxton House -12CD) 10 (1)
- Paul Nedzela, Introducing Paul Nedzela (Outside In Music) 10 (1)
- Mary Halvorson & John Dieterich, A Tangle of Stars (New Amsterdam) 10 (1)
- Evan Parker-Barry Guy-Paul Lytton, Concert in Vilnius (NoBusiness) 10 (1)
- Jeff Williams, Bloom (Whirlwind) 10 (1)
- William Hooker, Symphonie of Flowers (ORG) 10 (1)
- Alan Broadbent Trio, New York Notes (Savant) 10 (1)
- Andy Emler & David Liebman, Journey Around the Truth (Signature Radio France) 10 (1)
- Euphorium_freakestra, Grande Casino (Euphorium -18) 10 (1)
- Andrés Vial-Dezron Douglas-Eric McPherson, Gang of Three (Chromatic Audio) 10 (1)
- FKJ, Live @ Salar De Uyuni for Cercle (self-released) 10 (1)
- Sofía Rei & JC Maillard, Keter [John Zorn Masada Book 3] (Tzadik) 9.5 (2)
- Marcus Shelby Orchestra, Transitions (MSO) 9.5 (2)
- Carol Sudhalter Quartet, Live at Saint Peter's Church (Alfa Projects) 9.5 (2)
- Randy Brecker & NDR Bigband, Rocks (Piloo) 9.5 (2)
- Antonio Sánchez & Migration, Lines in the Sand (CAM Jazz) 9 (3)
- Ronnie Cuber, Straight Street (SteepleChase) 9 (2)
- Amirtha Kidambi & Lea Bertucci, Phase Eclipse (Astral Spirits) 9 (2)
- Moppa Elliott, Jazz Band/Rock Band/Dance Band (Hot Cup -2CD) 9 (2)
- Mike Clark, Indigo Blue: Live at the Iridium (Ropeadope) 9 (2)
- Christian Lillinger, Open Form for Society (Plaist Music) 9 (2)
- Something Blue, Maximum Enjoyment (Posi-Tone) 9 (1)
- Quiana Lynell, A Little Love (Concord Jazz) 9 (1)
- Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez, Duologue (Mack Avenue) 9 (1)
- Louis Sclavis, Characters on a Wall (ECM) 9 (1)
- Eric Alexander, Leap of Faith (Giant Step Arts) 9 (1)
- The Last Poets, Transcending Toxic Times (Ropeadope) 9 (1)
- Resavoir, Resavoir (International Anthem) 9 (1)
- Jennifer Wharton's Bonegasm, Bonegasm (Sunnyside) 9 (1)
- All Ellington, All Ellington (De Plattenbakkerij -18) 9 (1)
- Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller, The Art of Piano Duo: Live (Sunnyside) 9 (1)
- Larry Ochs-Nels Cline-Gerald Cleaver, What Is to Be Done (Clean Feed) 9 (1)
- Heroes Are Gang Leaders, The Amiri Baraka Sessions (Flat Langston's Arkeyes) 9 (1)
- Karl Berger & Jason Kao Hwang, Conjure (True Sound) 9 (1)
- Al Foster, Inspirations & Dedications (Smoke Sessions) 9 (1)
- Steve Haines, Steve Haines and the Third Floor Orchestra (Justin Time) 9 (1)
- Rob Schwimmer, Heart of Hearing (Sunken Heights Music) 9 (1)
- Jakob Sørensen [Bagland], Cirkel (Jaeger Community) 9 (1)
- Rymden, Reflections & Odysseys (Jazzland) 9 (1)
- Tuba Skinny, Some Kind-a-Shake (self-released) 9 (1)
- Corey Christiansen, La Proxima (Origin) 9 (1)
- Michael Dease, Never More Here (Posi-Tone) 9 (1)
- Aaron Novik, The Fallow Curves of the Planospheres (Avant LaGuardia) 9 (1)
- The Comet Is Coming, The Afterlife (Impulse!) 9 (1)
- George Coleman, The Quartet (Smoke Sessions) 8 (3)
- Matt Brewer, Ganymede (Criss Cross) 8 (2)
- Angles 9, Beyond Us (Clean Feed) 8 (2)
- Matthew Shipp Trio Invites Nicole Mitchell, All Things Are (RogueArt) 8 (2)
- Dave Rempis/Joshua Abrams/Avreeayl Ra + Jim Baker, Apsis (Aerophonic) 8 (2)
- Kneebody, Chapters (Edition) 8 (2)
- Jamie Saft/Steve Swallow/Bobby Previte, You Don't Know the Life (RareNoise) 8 (2)
- Julia Hülsmann Quartet, Not Far From Here (ECM) 8 (1)
- Wayne Peet Trio, What The? (pfMENTUM) 8 (1)
- Jan Garbarek & Hilliard Ensemble, Remember Me, My Dear (ECM) 8 (1)
- Theo Croker, Star People Nation (Sony Masterworks) 8 (1)
- Dan McCarthy, Epoch (Origin) 8 (1)
- Ryan Porter, Force for Good (World Galaxy) 8 (1)
- Robert Dick-Joëlle Léandre/Miya Masaoka, Solar Wind (Not Two) 8 (1)
- Tiger Trio [Joëlle Léandre-Myra Melford-Nicole Mitchell], Map of Liberation (RogueArt) 8 (1)
- Spaza, Spaza (Mushroom Hour Half Hour) 8 (1)
- Mark Lockheart, Days on Earth (Edition) 8 (1)
- Joachim Kühn, Melodic Ornette Coleman: Piano Works XIII (ACT) 8 (1)
- Joe Restivo, Where's Joe? (Blue Barrel) 8 (1)
- Anat Fort Trio, Colour (Sunnyside) 8 (1)
- Tony Dagradi, Down Time (Astral Music) 8 (1)
- Zack Clarke Trio, Vertical Shores (Clean Feed) 8 (1)
- John Boutté, A "Well Tempered" Boutté (Boutteworks) 8 (1)
- The North, Plays the Music of Kenny Wheeler (AMM) 8 (1)
- Don Aliquo & Michael Jefry Stevens, Live at Hinton Hall: The Innocence of Spring (Artists Recording Collective) 8 (1)
- Mark Guiliana, Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music! (Motéma) 8 (1)
- Poncho Sanchez, Trane's Delight (Concord Picante) 7 (2)
- Stefan Aeby, Piano Solo (Intakt) 7 (2)
- Romain Collin, Tiny Lights (XM) 7 (2)
- Charlie Dennard, Deep Blue (Deneaux -18) 7 (1)
- Cochemea, All My Relations (Daptone) 7 (1)
- Steve Davis, Correlations (Smoke Sessions) 7 (1)
- DSC [Leon Lee Dorsey/Greg Skaff/Mike Clark], Monktime (Jazz Avenue 1) 7 (1)
- Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, The Gordian Knot (Music Content) 7 (1)
- Stephan Crump's Rosetta Trio, Outliers (Papillon) 7 (1)
- Theon Cross, Fyah (Gearbox) 7 (1)
- Skyjack, The Hunger (Enja/Yellowbird) 7 (1)
- Lioness, Pride & Joy (Posi-Tone) 7 (1)
- Jerry Bergonzi, The Seven Rays (Savant) 7 (1)
- Desertion Trio, Twilight Time (Long Song) 7 (1)
- David Liebman-Jeff Coffin-Victor Wooten-Chester Thompson-Chris Walters-James DaSilva, On the Corner Live! The Music of Miles Davis (Ear Up) 7 (1)
- The Joshua Breakstone Trio, Children of Art (Capri -18) 7 (1)
- Brad Walker Quartet, Live at Snug Harbor (self-released) 7 (1)
- Paul Combs, Unknown Dameron (Summit) 7 (1)
- Harold Danko & Kirk Knuffke, Play Date (SteepleChase) 7 (1)
- Manu Louis, Cream Parade (Igloo) 7 (1)
- Dopolarians, Garden Party (Mahakala) 7 (1)
- Joe Fiedler, Open Sesame (Multiphonics Music) 7 (1)
- Sarah Tandy, Infection in the Sentence (Jazz Re:freshed) 7 (1)
- Jason Kao Hwang Burning Bridge, Blood (True Sound -18) 6.5 (2)
- Sara Gazarek, Thirsty Ghost (MRI) 6 (2)
- Chano Dominguez & Hadar Noiberg, Paramus (Sunnyside) 6 (2)
- Evan Parker & Kinetics, Chiasm (Clean Feed) 6 (2)
- Akiko Hamilton Dechter, Equal Time (Capri) 6 (1)
- Johnny Mansfield, Elftet (Edition) 6 (1)
- Simone Zanchini & Frankfurt Radio Big Band, Play the Music of Nino Rota (In+Out) 6 (1)
- Ben Eunson, Ace (Ocean Road) 6 (1)
- Patricia Barber, Higher (ArtistShare) 6 (1)
- Joel Harrison, Still Point: Turning World (Whirlwind) 6 (1)
- Bill Laurance, Cables (Flint Music) 6 (1)
- Maluba Orchestra, Maluba Orchestra (Stunt) 6 (1)
- Michelle Lordi, Break Up With the Sound (Cabinet of Wonder) 6 (1)
- Marilyn Mazur, Marilyn Mazur's Shamania (RareNoise) 6 (1)
- Alexa Tarantino, Winds of Change (Posi-Tone) 6 (1)
- Youn Sun Nah, Immersion (Warner Music) 6 (1)
- Ellery Eskelin-Christian Weber-Michael Griener, The Pearls (Intakt) 6 (1)
- Alex LoRe & Weirdear, Karol (Challenge) 6 (1)
- John Finbury, Sorte! (Green Flash Music) 6 (1)
- Emmeluth's Amoeba, Chimaera (Ora Fonogram) 6 (1)
- Cyrille Aimée, Move On: A Sondheim Adventure (Mack Avenue) 6 (1)
- Dennis Coffey, Down by the River (Detroit Music Factory) 6 (1)
- Timespine, Urban Season (Shhpuma) 6 (1)
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band, A Tuba to Cuba (Sub Pop) 6 (1)
- Ezra Collective, You Can't Steal My Joy (Enter the Jungle) 6 (1)
- Roscoe Mitchell Orchestra, Littlefield Concert Hall Mills College March 19-20, 2018 (Wide Hive) 6 (1)
- George Cables, I'm All Smiles (HighNote) 6 (1)
- Harold Mabern, The Iron Man: Live at Smoke (Smoke Sessions -18) 5.5 (1)
- David Sanchez, Carib (Ropeadope) 5.5 (1)
- Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society, Mandatory Reality (Eremite) 5.5 (1)
- From Wolves to Whales, Strandwal (Aerophonic -2CD) 5.5 (1)
- Zlatko Kaucic Quintet, Morning Patches (Fundacja Sluchaj) 5.5 (1)
- Carl Testa, Sway Prototypes: Volume 2 (self-released) 5.5 (1)
- Rodney Whitaker, All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington (Origin) 5.5 (1)
- Mike Holober & the Gotham Jazz Orchestra, Hiding Out (Zoho) 5.5 (1)
- Amina Figarova, Road to the Sun (AmFi) 5.5 (1)
- Urs Leimgruber-Jacques Demierre-Barre Phillips-Thomas Lehn, Willisau (Jazzwerkstatt) 5.5 (1)
- Scheen Jazzorkester & Thomas Johansson, As We See It . . . (Clean Feed) 5.5 (1)
- Stellari String Orchestra, Vulcan (Emanem) 5.5 (1)
- Francesco Cusa & the Assassins Meet Duccio Bertii, Black Poker (Clean Feed -18) 5.5 (1)
- Wynton Marsalis, Bolden: Music From the Original Soundtrack (Blue Engine) 5 (2)
- Enrico Fazio Critical Mass, Wabi Sabi (Leo) 5 (2)
- Lisa Hilton, Oasis (Ruby Slippers -18) 5 (1)
- Adam Berenson & Scott Barnum, Stringent and Sempiternal (Dream Play) 5 (1)
- Lionel Loueke, The Journey (Aparté -18) 5 (1)
- Kurt Rosenwinkel Bandit 65, Searching the Continuum (Heartcore) 5 (1)
- Lucas Gillan's Many Blessings, Chit-Chatting With Herbie (Jeru Jazz) 5 (1)
- Avishai Cohen, Arvoles (Razdaz/Sunnyside) 5 (1)
- Nicki Parrott, From New York to Paris (Arbors) 5 (1)
- The Vampires, Pacifica (Earshift) 5 (1)
- Portico Quartet, Memory Streams (Gondwana) 5 (1)
- Aaron Goldberg, At the Edge of the World (Sunnyside) 5 (1)
- Meditations & Prayers, Stabat Mater (Giraffa) 5 (1)
- Peter Eldridge & Kenny Werner, Somewhere (Rosebud Music) 5 (1)
- Tobias Meinhart, Berlin People (Sunnyside) 5 (1)
- Made to Break, F4 Fake (Trost) 5 (1)
- Wayne Horvitz European Orchestra, Live at the Bimhuis (Novara Jazz) 5 (1)
- Simon Nabatov, Readings: Gileya Revisited (Leo) 5 (1)
- Jentsch Group No Net, Topics in American History (Blue Schist -18) 5 (1)
- Gabriel Zucker, Weighting (ESP Disk -18) 5 (1)
- Cooper Moore & Stephen Gauci, Studio Sessions Vol. 1 (Gaucimusic) 5 (1)
- Oliver Hafke Ahmad, Future Blues (Urban Grooves Berlin) 5 (1)
- Jimmy Halperin, High and Outside (Cadence) 5 (1)
- Per Texas Johansson, Stråk På Himlen Och Stora Hus (Moserobie) 5 (1)
- Rob Scheps, Comencio (SteepleChase) 5 (1)
- Matthias Spillmann Trio, Live at the Bird's Eye Jazz Club (Clean Feed) 5 (1)
- Travis Laplante, Human (New Amsterdam) 5 (1)
- Edmar Castaneda & Gregoire Maret, Harp vs. Harp (ACT) 5 (1)
- Arve Henriksen, Captured Under Mountainsides/Cryosphere/Towards Language/Acousmograph (Rune Grammofon -4CD) 5 (1)
- Tom McDermott, Meets Scott Joplin (Arbors) 4 (2)
- Yoko Miwa Trio, Keep Talkin' (Ocean Blue Tear Music) 4 (2)
- Jeremy Udden, Three in Paris (Sunnyside) 4 (2)
- Brandon Goldberg, Let's Play! (BSG) 4 (1)
- Wallace Roney, Blue Dawn-Blue Nights (HighNote) 4 (1)
- Paul Bley-Gary Peacock-Paul Motian, When Will the Blues Leave (1999, ECM) 4 (1)
- Metropolitan Jazz Octet Featuring Dee Alexander, It's Too Hot for Words: Celebrating Billie Holiday (Delmark) 4 (1)
- Yoram Rosilio & the Anti Rubber Brain Factory, Ensueños Burlescos, Peligrosos y Misticos de Tierras Mexicanas (LFDS) 4 (1)
- Matthew Shipp & Mat Maneri, Conference of the Mat/ts (RogueArt -18) 4 (1)
- John Yao's Triceratops, How We Do (See Tao) 4 (1)
- Steve Baczkowski/Brandon Lopez/Chris Corsano, Old Smoke (Relative Pitch) 4 (1)
- SLD Trio, El Contorno Del Espacio (Fundacja Sluchaj) 4 (1)
- Joe Armon-Jones, Turn to Clear View (Brownswood) 4 (1)
- Ulysses Owens Jr., Songs of Freedom (Resilience Music) 4 (1)
- Roxy Coss, Quintet (Outside In Music) 4 (1)
- Jones Jones [Larry Ochs-Mark Dresser-Vladimir Tarasov], A Jones in Time Saves Nine (NoBusiness -18) 4 (1)
- Ingrid Jensen & Steve Treseler, Invisible Sounds: For Kenny Wheeler (Whirlwind -18) 4 (1)
- Paul Jost, Simple Life (PJ Music) 4 (1)
- Negroni's Trio, Acústico (Sony Music Latin) 4 (1)
- Gregg Belisle-Chi, Book of Hours (Ears & Eyes) 4 (1)
- Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord, Harder on the Outside (Hot Cup) 4 (1)
- Dan Tepfer, Natural Machines (Sunnyside) 4 (1)
- Caroline Davis & Rob Clearfield's Persona, Anthems (Sunnyside) 4 (1)
- Fredrik Ljungkvist Trio, Atlantis (Moserobie) 4 (1)
- Miggy Augmented Orchestra, Colorful (ArtistShare) 4 (1)
- Svetlost, Odron Ritual Orchestra (PMG) 4 (1)
- Russ Lossing, Changes (SteepleChase) 4 (1)
- Mars Williams, Mars Williams Presents an Ayler Xmas: Volume 2 (Soul What -18) 4 (1)
- Giovanni Guidi, Avec Le Temps (ECM) 4 (1)
- Carmen Lundy, Modern Ancestors (Afrasia) 3 (2)
- Jon Irabagon, Invisible Horizon (Irabbagast -2CD) 3 (2)
- Harriet Tubman, The Terror End of Beauty (Sunnyside -18) 3 (2)
- Eric Alexander, Leap of Faith (Giant Step Arts) 3 (2)
- Dave Zinno Unisphere, Stories Told (Whaling City Sound) 3 (1)
- The Dave Wilson Quartet, One Night at Chris' (self-released) 3 (1)
- Carmen Souza, The Silver Messengers (Galileo Music Communication) 3 (1)
- Mark De Clive-Lowe, Heritage (Ropeadope) 3 (1)
- Jimmy Cobb, This I Dig of You (Smoke Sessions) 3 (1)
- Francesco Diodati Yellow Squeeds, Never the Same (Auand) 3 (1)
- Blacks' Myths, Blacks' Myths II (Atlantic Rhythms) 3 (1)
- Bill O'Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble, Wind Off the Hudson (Savant) 3 (1)
- Boneshaker, Fake Music (self-released) 3 (1)
- Jamael Dean, Black Space Tapes (Stones Throw) 3 (1)
- John Dikeman-George Hadow-Dirk Serries-Martina Verhoeven-Luis Vicente, Ideal Principle (Raw Tonk -18) 3 (1)
- Thomas Heberer, X Marks the Spot (OutNow) 3 (1)
- Paul Zauner's Blue Brass Feat. David Murray, Roots n' Wings (PAO/Blujazz) 3 (1)
- Sebastián Chames, Reminiscing the Unknown Masters (self-released) 3 (1)
- Harish Raghavan, Calls for Action (Whirlwind) 3 (1)
- Esperanza Spalding, 12 Little Spells (Concord -18) 3 (1)
- Aubrey Logan, Where the Sunshine Is Expensive (Resonance) 3 (1)
- Stephane Wrembel, The Django Experiment IV (Arte Boreal) 3 (1)
- Federico Ughi, Transoceanico (577) 3 (1)
- Joe Pesci, Still Singing (BMG) 3 (1)
- Russ Lossing, Motian Music (Sunnyside) 3 (1)
- Dave Stryker, Eight Track III (Strikezone) 3 (1)
- Emile Parisien Quartet, Double Screening (ACT) 3 (1)
- Vic Juris, Two Guitars (SteepleChase) 3 (1)
- Minua, Still Light (Traumton) 3 (1)
- Brad Linde's Dix Out, There Will Be Some Changes Made (Bleebop) 3 (1)
- Nick Sanders Trio, Playtime 2050 (Sunnyside) 3 (1)
- Colin Stranahan-Glenn Zaleski-Rick Rosato, Live at Jazz Standard (Capri) 3 (1)
- Lapis Trio, The Travelers (Shifting Paradigm) 3 (1)
- Eve Risser, Après Un Rêve (Clean Feed) 2 (2)
- Jim Snidero, Waves of Calm (Savant) 2 (1)
- Gretje Angell, In Any Key (Grevlinto) 2 (1)
- Tamara Lukasheva Quartet, Homebridge (Traumton) 2 (1)
- George Benson, Walking to New Orleans (Provogue) 2 (1)
- Michael Gregory Jackson Clarity Quartet, Whenufindituwillknow (Golden) 2 (1)
- Patrick Brennan & Abdul Moimême, Terraphonia (Creative Sources) 2 (1)
- Sarathy Korwar, More Arriving (The Leaf Label) 2 (1)
- Brian Krock, Liddle (Outside In Music) 2 (1)
- Chicago Cellar Boys, Busy 'Til Eleven (Rivermont) 2 (1)
- CP Unit, Riding Photon Time (Eleatic) 2 (1)
- Dexter Story, Bahir (Soundway) 2 (1)
- Michael Bisio-Kirk Knuffke-Fred Lonberg-Holm, Requiem for a New York Slice (Iluso) 2 (1)
- Simon Nabatov-Barry Guy-Gerry Hemingway, Luminous (NoBusiness -18) 2 (1)
- Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Be Known: Ancient/Future/Music (Spiritmuse) 2 (1)
- Hendrik Meurkens, Cobb's Pocket (In+Out) 2 (1)
- John Patitucci, Soul of the Bass (self-released) 2 (1)
- Noah Preminger, Preminger Plays Preminger (Newvelle) 2 (1)
- Moisés P. Sánchez, Unbalanced: Concerto for Ensemble (Uno Música) 2 (1)
- The Matthew Herbert Big Band, The State Between Us (Accidental) 2 (1)
- Roberto Fonseca, Yesun (Mack Avenue/Wagram Music) 2 (1)
- Rhiannon Giddens, There Is No Other (Nonesuch) 2 (1)
- Krokofant, Q (Rune Grammofon) 2 (1)
- Charlie Ballantine, Life Is Brief: The Music of Bob Dylan (Green Mind -18) 2 (1)
- Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp, Live in Nuremberg (SMP) 2 (1)
- Broken Shadows, Broken Shadows (Newvelle) 2 (1)
- The BABAorchestra, Marigold (Thirsty Owl/Slow and Steady) 2 (1)
- Nick Grinder, Farallon (self-released) 2 (1)
- Sonar With David Torn, Tranceportation (Volume 1) (RareNoise) 2 (1)
- Karrin Allyson Sextet, Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women's Suffrage (eOne) 2 (1)
- G. Calvin Weston & The Phoenix Orchestra, Dust and Ash (577) 2 (1)
- Anguish, Anguish (RareNoise -18) 2 (1)
- Seamus Blake, Guardians of the Heart Machine (Whirlwind) 2 (1)
- Kyle Press, Overtones, Drones, and Saxophones (No Rent) 2 (1)
- Dan McCarthy, City Abstract (Origin) 2 (1)
- Michael Janisch, Worlds Collide (Whirlwind) 2 (1)
- Simone Baron & Arco Belo, The Space Between Disguises (GenreFluid) 2 (1)
- The Ed Palermo Big Band, A Lousy Day in Harlem (Sky Cat) 2 (1)
- Joe McPhee & John Butcher, At the Hill of James Magee (Trost) 2 (1)
- James Suggs, You're Gonna Hear From Me (Arbors -18) 1 (1)
- Cat in a Bag, Cat in a Bag (Clean Feed) 1 (1)
- Caroline Kraabel, Last1 Last2 (Emanem) 1 (1)
- Santana, Africa Speaks (Concord) 1 (1)
- Javier Red's Imagery Converter, Ephemeral Certainties (Delmark) 1 (1)
- Club D'Elf, Night Sparkles (Live) (Face Pelt) 1 (1)
- Houston Person, I'm Just a Lucky So and So (HighNote) 1 (1)
- Maciej Obara Quartet, Three Clowns (ECM) 1 (1)
- Sun Speak, Moon Preach (Flood Music) 1 (1)
- Oslo 14 Vocal Ensemble, Ut=inn (Losen) 1 (1)
- Dayme Arocena, Sonocardiogram (Brownswood) 1 (1)
- Teodross Avery, After the Rain: A Night for Coltrane (Tompkins Square -18) 1 (1)
- Louis Cole, Live Sesh & Xtra Songs (Brainfeeder) 1 (1)
- Carl Ludwig Hübsch-Pierre-Yves Martel-Philip Zoubek, Otherwise (Insub -18) 1 (1)
- Mariano Loiácono, Vibrations (DBN) 1 (1)
- Liebman Rudolph & Drake, Chi (RareNoise) 1 (1)
- Alex Sipiagin, NoFo Skies (Blue Room) 1 (1)
- George Lewis & Roscoe Mitchell, Voyage and Homecoming (RogueArt) 1 (1)
- Tomas Fujiwara, Seven Poets Trio (RogueArt) 1 (1)
- Nina De Heney-Karin Johansson-Henrik Wartel, Quagmire (Creative Sources) 1 (1)
- Moy Eng & Wayne Wallace, The Blue Hour (Patois) 1 (1)
- Franck Amsallem, Gotham Goodbye (Jazz & People) 1 (1)
- Paolo Fresu-Richard Galliano-Jan Lundgren, Mare Nostrum III (ACT) 1 (1)
- Christian McBride, Christian McBride's New Jawn (Mack Avenue -18) 1 (1)
- Itamar Borochov, Blue Nights (Laborie Jazz) 1 (1)
- Charlie Haden & Brad Mehldau, Long Ago and Far Away (2007, Impulse -18) 1 (1)
- Luke Gillespie, Moving Mists (Patois) 1 (1)
- Phil Slater, The Dark Pattern (Earshift Music -2CD) 1 (1)
- J. Pavone String Ensemble, Brick and Mortar (Birdwatcher) 1 (1)
- Pureum Jin, The Real Blue (Cellar Live) 1 (1)
- Jonathan Zwartz, Animarum (Waterfront) 1 (1)
- Jim Snidero, Project-K (Savant -20) 1 (1)
- Erlend Apneseth Trio & Frode Haltli, Salinka, Molika (Hubro) 1 (1)
- Vanessa Rubin, The Dream Is You: Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron (Nibur) 1 (1)
- Wadada Leo Smith, Solo: Reflections and Meditations on Monk (TUM -17) 1 (1)
- Justin Kauflin, Coming Home (self-released) 1 (1)
Notes
Records are eligible here if not reissued and all the music on
them was recorded within the past 10 years (from 2009 on).
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.
New albums that erroneously received votes as Reissues/Historical:
- Jon Batiste, Anatomy of Angels: Live at the Village Vanguard (Verve) 2 (1)
- Gil Evans Orchestra, Hidden Treasures: Monday Nights Vol. 1 (|Deko Music) 3 (2)
Reissues/Historical albums that erroneously received votes as New:
- Ran Blake & Jeanne Lee, The Newest Sound You Never Heard (1966-67, A-Side -2CD) 10 (1)
- Paul Bley-Gary Peacock-Paul Motian, When Will the Blues Leave (1999, ECM) 4 (1)
- Gerald Cleaver & Violet Hour, Live at Firehouse 12 (2006, Sunnyside) 19 (3)
- Charlie Haden & Brad Mehldau, Long Ago and Far Away (2007, Impulse -18) 1 (1)
- Mark Turner & Gary Foster, Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster (2003, Capri -2CD) 22 (4)
Albums receiving votes this year that had received votes in
last year's poll:
- 10³²K, The Law of Vibration (self-released) 5 (1) + 6 (1)
- Dave Douglas Quintet, Brazen Heart: Live at Jazz Standard (|Greenleaf Music) 7 (1) + 12 (2) -- note that the 2018 vote specified Saturday (one of four 2-CD sets), whereas the 2019 votes didn't specify any date, so presumably meant the 8-CD box set.
- Charlie Haden & Brad Mehldau: Long Ago and Far Away (Impulse!) 25 (3) + 1 (1) -- album belonged in Historical section, receiving 14 (7) there in 2018.
- Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty (Sunnyside) 42 (6) + 3 (2)
- Jason Kao Hwang Burning Bridge, Blood (True Sound) 24 (3) + 6.5 (2)
- Ingrid Jensen & Steve Treseler, Invisible Sounds: For Kenny Wheeler (Whirlwind) 8 (2) + 4 (1)
- Frank Kimbrough, Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk (Sunnyside) 84 (12) + 24 (3)
- Ingrid Laubrock, Contemporary Chaos Practices (Intakt) 74 (12) + 8 (1)
- Lionel Loueke, The Journey (Aparte) 14 (2) + 5 (1)
- Harold Mabern, The Iron Man: Live at Smoke (Smoke Sessions) 14 (2) + 5 (1).
- Christian McBride, Christian McBride's New Jawn (Mack Avenue) 33.5 (7) + 1 (1)
- Esperanza Spalding: 12 Little Spells (Concord) 19 (3) + 3 (1)
- Mars Williams: Presents an Ayler Xmas: Volume 2 (Soul What) 5 (1) + 4 (1)
The rule is that we add the old votes into this year's totals only
if the album received more votes this year than last.