The 21st Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2026 Mid-Year
Past Polls Index
New Albums Rara Avis
Critics
Acquaro - CatarinoCebulski - FinneyFreeman - HoffHovan - LorraiLuen - PiccirilliPick - VargaWatson - Yokoi

2026 Mid-Year Totals: Rara Avis (Reissues/Archival)

This category is for new albums of older music, released in 2026 (or 2025 but discovered in 2026), consisting of reissues with any previously released music, or albums of previously unreleased music more than 10 years ago (before January 1, 2017). For new albums of newer music, see New Albums.

Critics were asked to list up to 5 albums in descending order, or they could submit an unranked list (preferably alphabetized by artist). Albums in unranked lists are accorded 1 point each. Albums in ranked lists are accorded points according to rank: 1: 2.0; 2: 1.6; 3: 1.4; 4: 1.2, 5: 1.0.

The listings are sorted by votes (in parentheses at the end of the line), with points (the preceding number) used as a tiebreaker. The arrow at the end of the line will route you to a page listing all of the critics who voted for the album. Some entries may have footnotes, which follow the list. There is also a Notes section at the bottom of the page.

  1. Cecil Taylor Unit, Fragments: The Complete 1969 Salle Pleyel Concerts (Elemental Music) 47.8 (34) →
  2. Joe Henderson, Consonance: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1978, Resonance) 34.6 (24) →
  3. Roy Hargrove, Bern (2000, Time Traveler) 21 (15) →
  4. Kenny Barron - Ray Drummond - Ben Riley, So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon (1995, Elemental Music) 22.4 (14) →
  5. Julius Hemphill, Dogon A.D. (1972, New World) 18.8 (12) →
  6. Marty Ehrlich & Julius Hemphill, Circle the Heart (1982, Relative Pitch) 16.6 (12) →
  7. Charles Tyler Ensemble, Voyage From Jericho (1974, Frederiksberg) 16.6 (12) →
  8. Yusef Lateef, Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1975, Resonance) 14.8 (12) →
  9. Marion Brown, Live in Europe 1968 & 1972 (NoBusiness) 15.4 (11) →
  10. Art Pepper, Everything Happens to Me: 1959 Live at the Cellar (Omnivore) 14.2 (10) →
  11. Mal Waldron, Stardust & Starlight: At the Jazz Showcase (1979, Resonance) 11.4 (9) →
  12. Cecil Taylor New Unit, Words & Music: The Last Bandstand (2016, Fundacja Słuchaj) 11.2 (7) →
  13. Woody Shaw, Love Dance (1976, Muse/Time Traveler) 9.6 (7) →
  14. Ahmad Jamal, At the Jazz Showcase: Live in Chicago (1976, Resonance) 8.8 (7) →
  15. Duke Ellington, Copenhagen 1964 (Storyville) 8.6 (7) →
  16. Bill Evans, At the BBC (1965, Elemental Music) 7.8 (7) →
  17. Carla Bley, Joyful Noise (Live in Hamburg 1984) (Moosicus) 9.8 (6) →
  18. Miroslav Vitous, Mountain Call (2003-10, ECM) 8 (6)  *[Includes 1 (1) from New Jazz] →
  19. Miles Davis, Miles '56: The Prestige Recordings (Craft) 8.6 (5) →
  20. Pierre Favre Trio, Bird Food (1968, Songs) 7 (5) →
  21. Mick Goodrick & Fred Hersch, Feebles, Fables and Ferns (1988, ECM) 7 (5) →
  22. Art Ensemble of Chicago, People in Sorrow (1969, Play Loud!) 6.6 (5) →
  23. Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Vibrations in the Village: Live at the Village Gate (1963, Resonance '25) 5.8 (5) →
  24. The Oscar Peterson Trio, At Baker's Keyboard Lounge: The Complete Recordings (1960, Verve) 5.8 (4) →
  25. Buster Williams, Pinnacle (1975, Muse/Time Traveler) 5.4 (4) →
  26. Michel Petrucciani, Kuumbwa (1987, Elemental Music) 5.2 (4) →
  27. Louis Armstrong, Reference: Hot Five & Hot Seven at 100 (1925-28, AlAy/Thingamajig) 4.6 (4) →
  28. Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Alone in San Francisco (1959, Craft) 4.6 (4) →
  29. Charles Tolliver All Stars, Right Now . . . and Then (1968, Strata-East) 4.4 (4) →
  30. The Bottle Tapes (1996-2005, Corbett vs. Dempsey '25) 4.6 (3) →
  31. Classic V-Disc Big Band Jazz Sessions (1943-48, Mosaic) 4.6 (3) →
  32. Sun Ra, East Two + 7 (1972-73, Cosmic Myth) 4.6 (3) →
  33. Thelonious Monk, Live in Paris, 1967: Volume One (Rhythm-a-Ning) 4.4 (3) →
  34. Oscar Peterson, The Classic Oscar Peterson Trio Sessions With Ray Brown & Ed Thigpen (1959-65, Mosaic) 4.4 (3) →
  35. Albert Ayler Quintet, Reference: Copenhagen, Bordeaux 1966 & Newport 1967 Live First Release (AlAy/Thingamajig '25) 4.2 (3) →
  36. Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Seek & Listen: Live at the Penthouse (1967, Resonance '25) 4.2 (3) →
  37. Jimmy Scott, Falling in Love Is Wonderful (1963, Tangerine) 4 (3) →
  38. Sunny Murray & Sabu Toyozumi, Sun's Blessings (1999, NoBusiness) 3.8 (3) →
  39. Evan Parker - Paul Rogers - Louis Moholo, Tebugo (1992, Jazz in Britain '25) 3.8 (3) →
  40. The Visitors [Earl & Carl Grubbs], Motherland (1975, Craft) 3.6 (3) →
  41. Daunik Lazro - Joëlle Léandre - Paul Lovens, For Baritone Sax, Double Bass & Drumset (2013, Relative Pitch) 3.2 (3)  *[Includes 1 (1) from New Jazz] →
  42. Roland Brival, Créole Gypsy (1980, Soundway) 4 (2) →
  43. Randy Weston, The Music of Randy Weston (1985-88, Groovin' High/In + Out) 4 (2) →
  44. Johannes Bauer - Michael Griener - Olaf Rupp, Aufsturz (2007, Scatter Archive) 3.6 (2) →
  45. Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy, African Skies (1993, Listening Position '25) 3.4 (2) →
  46. Oscar Peterson, Around the World (1969-81, Mack Avenue/Two Lions '25) 3.4 (2) →
  47. Grupo Um, Nineteen Seventy Seven (1977, Far Out) 3.2 (2) →
  48. J Jazz Volume 5: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1970-1988 (BBE) 3.2 (2) →
  49. Joe Chambers, Double Exposure (1977, Muse/Time Traveler) 3 (2) →
  50. Kenny Dorham, The Complete 'Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia (1956, Blue Note) 3 (2) →
  51. Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra, Vol. 1: Concert À Prades-Le-Lez (1974, Souffle Continu) 3 (2) →
  52. Alan Silva Celestrial Communication Ensemble, 2000-06-24 Amherst (Eremite) 3 (2) →
  53. Joe Henderson Quartets, Tetragon (1967-68, Craft) 2.8 (2) →
  54. Michael Gregory Jackson, Clarity [50th Anniversary Edition] (1976, Moved-By-Sound) 2.8 (2) →
  55. Schlippenbach Trio, Elf Bagatellen (1990, Cien Fuegos) 2.8 (2) →
  56. Kenny Wheeler Sextet, What Was (1995, False Walls) 2.6 (2) →
  57. Marion Brown, Awofofora (1976, Aguirre) 2.2 (2) →
  58. Noah Howard, The Black Ark (1969, Superior Viaduct) 2.2 (2) →
  59. Red Norvo, The Secret Session (1942, Dot Time) 2.2 (2) →
  60. Satoko Fujii's Bunker Ulmenwall Orchestra (2014, Libra) 2 (2)  *[Includes 1 (1) from New Jazz] →
  61. Paul McCandless, Live at Kimball's East 1992 (Moosicus) 2 (2) →
  62. Ralph Towner & Gary Peacock, Oracle (1993, ECM) 2 (2) →
  63. Lou Bennett & Rupert Clemendore, Live at the Golden Circle 1963 - Day 1 (Country & Eastern) 2 (1) →
  64. Art Blakey & the New Jazz Messengers, Buttercorn Lady (1966, Elemental Music) 2 (1) →
  65. Donald Byrd, The Cat Walk (1961, Blue Note) 2 (1) →
  66. Daniel Carter - Sabir Mateen - William Parker - Lou Grassi, Keeping It in Context (1996, NoBusiness) 2 (1) →
  67. Jacques Coursil, Black Suite (1971, BYG/Charly) 2 (1) →
  68. Stanley Cowell, Musa: Ancestral Streams (1974, Strata-East '25) 2 (1) →
  69. Either/Orchestra, Nalbandian L'Ethiopien [Éthiopiques 32] (2011, Buda Musique '25) 2 (1) →
  70. James Emery & Anthony Braxton, Articulations, Florence, 1992 (self-released) 2 (1) →
  71. Herb Geller Quartet, Barcelona Session (1990, Fresh Sound '25) 2 (1) →
  72. Muriel Grossmann, Quartet (2008, Modernistas) 2 (1) →
  73. Peggy Lee, Too Marvelous for Words (1955, Peggy Lee Associates) 2 (1) →
  74. Phonographic Yearbook 1924: Open Up Your Golden Gate (Archeophone) 2 (1) →
  75. Tom Raworth & Peter Brötzmann, No Hard Feelings: For Steve Lacy (2005, Corbett vs. Dempsey) 2 (1) →
  76. Hans Reichel, Dalbergia Retusa (1973-88, Black Truffle) 2 (1) →
  77. Shudan Sokai, Live at Alone (1977, Aguirre) 2 (1) →
  78. Louis Stewart, Joyce Notes (1982, Livia) 2 (1) →
  79. Cecil Taylor Orchestra Humane, At Iridium 2004 (Burning Ambulance) 2 (1) →
  80. Allen Toussaint, Songbook [Deluxe Edition] (2009, Craft) 2 (1) →
  81. Mal Waldron & Sam Rivers, Live in Mestre Venezia 1984 (Caligola '25) 2 (1) →
  82. Miles Davis, The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965 (Columbia/Legacy) 1.6 (1) →
  83. Joseph Jarman - Famoudou Don Moye - Johnny Dyani, Black Paladins (1979, Dead Currencies) 1.6 (1) →
  84. Frank Kimbrough, The Call (2010, Sunnyside '25) 1.6 (1) →
  85. Steve Lacy Three, Live Lugano 1984 First Visit (Ezz-Thetics '25) 1.6 (1) →
  86. Byard Lancaster & Keno Speller, Exactement (1974, Souffle Continu) 1.6 (1) →
  87. Lee Mason, Music by Lee Mason (1971, Wewantsounds) 1.6 (1) →
  88. Poing, Giants of Jazz (2001, Royal) 1.6 (1) →
  89. John Taylor With Stan Sulzmann, Quintessence (1987, Jazz in Britain) 1.6 (1) →
  90. Traditional Jazz From New Orleans (1960s-80s, Mardi Gras) 1.6 (1) →
  91. McCoy Tyner, The Seeker: Live at Umbria Jazz Festival (1993, Red) 1.6 (1) →
  92. Lester Young, Lester Leaps In: Live at Birdland 1951-1952 (Liberation Hall '25) 1.6 (1) →
  93. Art Blakey, Kongsberg, 1976 (Elemental Music) 1.4 (1) →
  94. Anthony Braxton, Six Monk's Compositions (1987) (Black Saint) 1.4 (1) →
  95. Cheer Accident, CheerAx Basement, Chicago 4/2/22 // Reggie's Chicago 9/26/23 (Cuneiform) 1.4 (1) →
  96. Nels Cline & Elliott Sharp, Open the Door (1999-2007, Zoar) 1.4 (1) →
  97. Miles Davis, Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud (1957, Decca France) 1.4 (1) →
  98. Vince Guaraldi and Bola Sete, From All Sides (1965, Craft) 1.4 (1) →
  99. I Compani, Basta! The Last Concerts 2025 (I Compani) 1.4 (1) →
  100. The Lawrence Marable Quartet, Tenorman (1956, Jazz West/Blue Note) 1.4 (1) →
  101. Charlie Mariano & Sal Nistico, Barcelona Meeting (1989, Fresh Sound) 1.4 (1) →
  102. Sun Ra, Hidden Fire (1988, Strut '25) 1.4 (1) →
  103. Charles Tolliver - Stanley Cowell - Cecil McBee - Jimmy Hopps, Music Inc. (1970, Strata-East '25) 1.4 (1) →
  104. Keith Tippett, Mujician: Music to Accompany the Authorised Biography by Martin Phillips (1976-84, Jazz in Britain) 1.2 (1) →
  105. Bill Connors, Of Mist and Melting (1977, ECM) 1.2 (1) →
  106. Red Garland Quintet, Soul Junction (1957, Craft) 1.2 (1) →
  107. Yusef Lateef, Lost in Sound (1962, Good Time/Charlie Parker) 1.2 (1) →
  108. The Charlie Rouse Band, Cinnamon Flower: The Expanded Edition (1977, Resonance '25) 1.2 (1) →
  109. Sun Ra, Do the Impossible [Original Soundtrack to the Documentary] (1957-82, Modern Harmonic) 1.2 (1) →
  110. Keith Tippett - Claudio Gabbiani - Roberto Musci, Music for Labyrinths (2000, Dark Companion) 1.2 (1) →
  111. Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy, Play Monk, Ellington & Strayhorn: Live at Yoshi's 1994 (Elemental Music) 1.2 (1) →
  112. Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Orchestra, Out to Lunch (2005, Aguirre) 1.2 (1) →
  113. Derek Bailey - Evan Parker - Han Bennink, Topographie Parisienne (1981, Fou '25) 1 (1) →
  114. Derek Bailey & Tony Bevan, River Monsters (1999, Scatter Archive '25) 1 (1) →
  115. Chet Baker, Five From '65: The Quintet Summer Sessions (New Land '25) 1 (1) →
  116. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Jazz Messengers '70 (Good Time) 1 (1) →
  117. Dollar Brand - Don Cherry - Carlos Ward, The Third World-Underground (1972, Wewantsounds) 1 (1) →
  118. John Coltrane, A Love Supreme [60th Anniversary Edition] (1964, Impulse! '25) 1 (1) →
  119. John Coltrane, Ascension (Edition I & II) (1965, Impulse!) 1 (1) →
  120. Chick Corea, Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 (1971, ECM '25) 1 (1) →
  121. Miles Davis, Reference: Miles Davis' 3rd Quintet Bitches Brew Live 1969 in Europe (AlAy/Thingamajig) 1 (1) →
  122. Zeno De Rossi Trio + 1, Human Prints (2013-17, self-released) 1 (1) →
  123. Ellery Eskelin, Setting the Standard (1988, Prime Source) 1 (1) →
  124. Bill Evans, Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings (1959-61, Craft '25) 1 (1) →
  125. Pierre Favre & Andrea Centazzo, Endless Dialogues 1977 & 2024: The Complete Sessions (Ictus) 1 (1) →
  126. Ella Fitzgerald, Live at the Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen 6th February 1966 (Gearbox) 1 (1) →
  127. Mick Goodrick, In Pas(s)ing (1978, ECM) 1 (1) →
  128. Freddie King, Feeling Alright: The Complete 1975 Nancy Pulsations Concert (Elemental Music) 1 (1) →
  129. James Brandon Lewis & Lutosławski Quartet, These Are Soulful Days (2021, TAO Forms) 1 (1)  *[Also in New Jazz] →
  130. Charles Lloyd, Sangam & Friends (2009, Blue Note) 1 (1) →
  131. Bennie Maupin, The Jewel in the Lotus (1974, ECM '25) 1 (1) →
  132. Medeski Martin & Wood, Tonic (1999, Blue Note) 1 (1) →
  133. Charles Mingus, Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts (1977, Resonance '25) 1 (1) →
  134. Barre Phillips & György Kurtág Jr., Togetherness (2014, BMC) 1 (1) →
  135. Tomasz Stanko, Balladyna (1976, ECM) 1 (1) →
  136. Keith Tippett, At the BBC 1969-70 (Rhythm and Blues) 1 (1) →
  137. McCoy Tyner, Extensions (1970, Blue Note) 1 (1) →

Total albums receiving votes: 137. Of these, 25 were initially released in 2025 (18.25%), and 112 in 2026.

74 albums (54.0%) received only 1 vote. Other low vote totals: 2 votes (14, 10.2%); 3 votes (12, 8.7%).

98 critics (77.2%) voted in this category; 29 (22.8%) did not vote. Of those who voted, 65 (66.3%) voted for the maximum 5 albums; 9 (9.1% voted for 4 albums; 9 (9.1%) voted for 3 albums (the pre-2024 maximum); 8 (8.1%) voted for 2 albums; and 7 (7.1%) voted for only 1 album.

17 critics submitted unranked lists (17.3% of voters; 13.3% overall; note that any ballot with only 1 album was scored as ranked).

Notes:

Albums which also received votes in Rara Avis. The "proper" category was determined by which one received the most votes, with ties decided by the reissue/recording date rule (anything recorded before Jan. 1, 2017, or anything reissued, belongs in Rara Avis). One extra vote was awarded to the proper category for each vote in the improper one: