16th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2021
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New Albums Rara Avis Debuts Latin Vocals
Critics
Ackermann - Broomer Brownlee - Drouot Dryden - Grunenberg Gutterman - Kamins Kanzler - Miriello Mitchell - Sachs Saunders - Taylor Tesser - Young

2021 Totals: Debuts

  1. Patricia Brennan, Maquishti (Valley of Search) 21
  2. Samara Joy, Samara Joy (Whirlwind) 11
  3. Sara Schoenbeck, Sara Schoenbeck (Pyroclastic) 9
  4. Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O, Umdali (Mushroom Hour Half Hour) 4
  5. Weedie Braimah, The Hands of Time (Stretch Music/Ropeadope) 3
  6. Rodrigo Faina and Change Ensemble, Different Roots (Red Piano) 3
  7. Kazemde George, I Insist (Greenleaf Music) 3
  8. David Leon, Aire De Agua (Out of Your Head) 3
  9. Anaïs Reno, Lovesome Thing: Anaïs Reno Sings Ellington & Strayhorn (Harbinger) 3
  10. Emma-Jean Thackray, Yellow (Movementt/Warp) 3
  11. Xhosa Cole, Know Them, Know Us (Stoney Lane) 2
  12. Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few, Cosmic Transitions (Division 81) 2
  13. Charlotte Keefe, Right Here Right Now (Discus) 2
  14. Lady Blackbird, Black Acid Soul (BMG) 2
  15. Abe Mamet, The Abe Mamet Trio (LMB) 2
  16. Michael Mayo, Bones (Artistry Music) 2
  17. Nortonk, Nortonk (Biophilia) 2
  18. Chris Pattishall, Zodiac (self-released) 2
  19. Ben Tiberio, Rare Peace (Outside In Music) 2
  20. Jalen Baker, This Is Me, This Is Us (Outside In Music) 1
  21. Keshav Batish, Binaries in Cycle (Woven Strands) 1
  22. Mariel Bildsten, Backbone (Outside In Music -20) 1
  23. Matt Booth & Palindromes, Mythomania (Ears & Eyes) 1
  24. Chelsea Carmichael, The River Doesn't Like Strangers (Native Rebel) 1
  25. Daniel Casimir, Boxed In (Jazz Re:freshed) 1
  26. Carroll V. Dashiell, Jr., Lineage (CD Baby) 1
  27. Rachel Eckroth, The Garden (Rainy Days) 1
  28. Steven Feifke Big Band, Kinetic (Outside In Music) 1
  29. Flukten, Velkommen Hap (Odin) 1
  30. Linda Fredriksson, Juniper (We Jazz) 1
  31. Hitra, Transparence (AMP Music) 1
  32. Horizons Quartet, Horizons Quartet (PM) 1
  33. Jacqueline Kerrod, 17 Days in December (Orenda) 1
  34. Lex Korten, Forward (self-released) 1
  35. Yong Lee, Touch (Fluxus) 1
  36. Lauren Lee, The Queen of Cups (Ears & Eyes) 1
  37. Alex Louloudis, Words (Off) 1
  38. Gabriel Ahkmad Marin, Ruminate: Improvisations for Fretless Guitar and Dutar (Worlds Within Worlds) 1
  39. Vincent Meissner Trio, Bewegtes Feld (ACT) 1
  40. Enrico Morello, Cyclic Signs (Auand) 1
  41. Aaron Myers, The Pride Album (self-released) 1
  42. Sana Nagano, Smashing Humans (577) 1
  43. Jason Nazary, Spring Collection (We Jazz) 1
  44. No Stress, Prelude No. 1 (YK) 1
  45. Trineice Robinson, All or Nothing (4RM Music Productions) 1
  46. Jared Schonig, Two Takes Vol. 1 Quintet / Two Takes Vol. 2 Big Band (Anzic) 1
  47. Jacob Shulman, Connectedness (Endectomorph Music) 1
  48. Nala Sinephro, Space 1.8 (Warp) 1
  49. Strictly Missionary, Heisse Scheisse (Astral Spirits) 1
  50. Billy Test Trio, Coming Down Roses (self-released) 1
  51. 2B3 [Mike Abbott-Jeff Jenkins-Mike Marlier], Jimi (self-released) 1
  52. Yuma Uesaka-Cat Toren-Colin Hinton, Ocelot (577) 1
  53. Raf Vertessen Quartet, LOI (El Negocito -20) 1
  54. WRD [Robert Walter-Eddie Roberts-Adam Deitch], The Hit (Color Red) 1

Critics were asked to name one album apiece, with no point system.

Albums that received votes this year were released in 2020 and received votes in that year's poll: