16th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: 2021
Home Essays
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: Rara Avis (Reissues/Archival)

  1. John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle (1965, Impulse!) 184 (77)
  2. Lee Morgan, The Complete Live at the Lighthouse (1970, Blue Note) 74 (39)
  3. Julius Hemphill, The Boyé Multi-National Crusade for Harmony (1977-2007, New World) 74 (31)
  4. Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller, In Harmony (2006-07, Resonance) 64 (34)
  5. Hasaan Ibn Ali, Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album (1965, Omnivore) 61 (27)
  6. Roy Brooks, Understanding (1970, Reel-to-Real) 55 (30)
  7. Louis Armstrong, The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia & RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-66 (Mosaic) 28 (11)
  8. Charles Mingus, Mingus at Carnegie Hall [Deluxe Edition] (1974, Atlantic) 28 (11)
  9. Sheila Jordan, Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 (Capri) 27 (15)
  10. Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings (Blue Note) 27 (14)
  11. Alice Coltrane, Kirtan: Turiya Sings (1982, Impulse!) 18 (8)
  12. Sun Ra, Lanquidity [Definitive Edition] (1978, Strut) 16 (8)
  13. Joe Henderson, The Complete Joe Henderson Blue Note Studio Sessions (1963-66, Mosaic) 10 (4)
  14. Bill Evans, Behind the Dikes: The 1969 Netherlands Recordings (Resonance) 9 (6)
  15. Hasaan Ibn Ali, Retrospect in Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings (1962-65, Omnivore) 9 (5)
  16. Bill Evans, Everybody Still Digs Bill Evans: A Career Retrospective (1956-1980) (Concord) 9 (4)
  17. Michael Gregory Jackson, Frequency Equilibrium Koan (1977, self-released -20) 8 (4)
  18. Bola Sete, Samba in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Tompkins Square) 7 (5)
  19. Joel Futterman, Creation Series (2008, NoBusiness) 6 (3)
  20. Journeys in Modern Jazz: Britain (1965-1972) (Decca) 6 (2)
  21. Hal Galper Quintet, Live at the Berlin Philharmonic 1977 (Origin) 5 (3)
  22. Jeanne Lee, Conspiracy (1975, Moved-by-Sound) 5 (3)
  23. Harvie S Trio, Going for It (1985, Savant) 5 (3)
  24. Nina Simone, The Montreux Years (1968-90, BMG) 5 (3)
  25. Total Music Association, Walpurgisnacht (1971, NoBusiness) 5 (3)
  26. Billy Bang, Lucky Man (2008, BBE) 5 (2)
  27. Don Cherry, The Summer House Sessions (1968, Blank Forms Editions) 5 (2)
  28. Joe Harriott Quintet, Free Form & Abstract Revisited (1960-62, Ezz-Thetics) 5 (2)
  29. Sonny Rollins, Rollins in Holland (1967, Resonance -20) 4 (3)
  30. Don Cherry's New Researches, Organic Music Theatre: Festival De Jazz De Chateauvallon 1972 (Blank Forms Editions) 4 (2)
  31. Miles Davis, Merci, Miles! Live at Vienne (1991, Warner/Rhino) 4 (2)
  32. Sam Rivers Quartet, Braids [Sam Rivers Archive Project, Volume 4] (1979, NoBusiness -20) 4 (2)
  33. Horace Silver Quintet, 6 Pieces of Silver (1956, Blue Note) 4 (2)
  34. Mujician, 10 10 10 (2010, Cuneiform) 3 (3)
  35. Eberhard Weber, Once Upon a Time: Live in Avignon (1994, ECM) 3 (2)
  36. Bill Evans Trio, On a Friday Evening (1975, Craft) 3 (2)
  37. Oscar Peterson, A Time for Love: Live in Helsinki, 1987 (Mack Avenue) 3 (2)
  38. Jim Snidero, Strings (2001, Savant) 3 (2)
  39. Duck Baker, Confabulations (1994-2017, ESP-Disk) 3 (1)
  40. Sonny Clark, My Conception (1959, Blue Note Tone Poet) 3 (1)
  41. It's a Good, Good Feeling: The Latin Soul of Fania Records: The Singles (1965-75, Craft) 3 (1)
  42. Bheki Mseleku, Beyond the Stars (2003, Tapestry Works) 3 (1)
  43. New Life, Visions of the Third Eye (1979, Early Future) 3 (1)
  44. Marcos Resende & Index, Marcos Resende & Index (1976, Far Out) 3 (1)
  45. Cecil Taylor Quintet, Lifting the Bandstand (1998, Fundacja Sluchaj) 3 (1)
  46. Cecil Taylor, Music From Two Continents: Live at Jazz Jamboree '84 (Fundacja Sluchaj) 3 (1)
  47. Cecil Taylor, Corona (1996, Corbett vs. Dempsey) 3 (1)
  48. Cecil Taylor Ensemble, Göttingen (1990, Fundacja Sluchaj) 3 (1)
  49. McCoy Tyner, Expansions (1968, Blue Note) 3 (1)
  50. Neil Ardley, Kaleidoscope of Rainbows Live '75 (Jazz in Britain) 2 (2)
  51. Roberto Miranda's Home Music Ensemble, Live at Bing Theatre: Los Angeles, 1985 (Dark Tree) 2 (2)
  52. The Beach Boys, Feel Flows: The Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971 (Capitol) 2 (1)
  53. Bloodcount, 5 (1997, Screwgun) 2 (1)
  54. Nathan Davis With Georges Arvanitas Trio, Live in Paris: The ORTF Recordings 1966/67 (Sam) 2 (1)
  55. Bill Evans, Live at Ronnie Scott's (1968, Resonance -20) 2 (1)
  56. Ron Everett, Glitter of the City (1977, Jazzman) 2 (1)
  57. Erroll Garner, Liberation in Swing: The Octave Records Story & Complete Symphony Hall Concert (1959-73, Mack Avenue) 2 (1)
  58. Erroll Garner, Symphony Hall Concert (1964, Mack Avenue) 2 (1)
  59. Arv Garrison, The Unknown Arv Garrison: Wizard of the Six String (1945-48, Fresh Sound) 2 (1)
  60. Khan Jamal, Infinity (1982, Jazz Room) 2 (1)
  61. Keith Jarrett, Facing You (1971, ECM) 2 (1)
  62. Keith Jarrett, Sun Bear Concerts (1976, ECM) 2 (1)
  63. Juju, Live at 131 Prince Street (1973, Strut) 2 (1)
  64. Abbey Lincoln, It's Magic (1958, Riverside) 2 (1)
  65. Thelonious Monk, Palo Alto: The Custodian's Mix (1968, Impulse!) 2 (1)
  66. Charlie Parker, Bird in LA (1945-52, Verve) 2 (1)
  67. Christian Reim Sextet, Mona Lisa (1973, Jazzaggression) 2 (1)
  68. SPP, L'Albero Delle Meduse (2009, The Museum of Viral Memory) 2 (1)
  69. Horace Tapscott & Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Live at Century City Playhouse 9/9/79 (Nimbus West -20) 2 (1)
  70. Steve Tintweiss and the Purple Why, Markstown (1968, Inky Dot Media) 2 (1)
  71. Roseanna Vitro, Listen Here (1982, Skyline) 2 (1)
  72. Butch Warren & Freddie Redd, Baltimore Jazz Loft (2013, Bleebop) 2 (1)
  73. Ken Wheeler and the John Dankworth Orchestra, Windmill Tilter: The Story of Don Quixote (1969, Decca) 2 (1)
  74. Dennis González & Yusef Komunyakaa, Herido: Live at St James Cathedral, Chicago (1999, 8th Harmonic Breakdown) 1 (1)
  75. Curtis Amy & Dupree Bolton, Katanga! (1963, Blue Note) 1 (1)
  76. Paul Bley, Touching & Blood Revisited (1965, Ezz-thetics) 1 (1)
  77. Bloodcount, Attention Spam (1997, Screwgun) 1 (1)
  78. Anthony Braxton, Freedom Years (1969-76, Freedom) 1 (1)
  79. Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time OutTakes (1959, Brubeck Editions -20) 1 (1)
  80. Ray Charles, True Genius (1960-2004, Tangerine) 1 (1)
  81. Connie Crothers & Tom Hamilton, Two Improvisations: Live in Concert (2015, Data Day Music) 1 (1)
  82. Elton Dean Quartet, They All Be on This Old Road (1976, Ogun) 1 (1)
  83. Wayne Horvitz, Live Forever Vol. 1: The President: New York in the 80s (Other Room Music) 1 (1)
  84. Hideto Kanai & King's Roar, Ode to Birds (1975, Three Blind Mice/Craftman) 1 (1)
  85. Wolfgang Lackerschmid & Chet Baker, Quintet Sessions 1979 (Dot Time -20) 1 (1)
  86. Harold Land, Westward Bound! (1962-65, Reel-to-Real) 1 (1)
  87. Hailu Mergia & the Walias Band, Tezeta (1975, Awesome Tapes From Africa) 1 (1)
  88. The New Jazz Orchestra, Le Déjeuner Sur L'Herbe (1969, Decca) 1 (1)
  89. Charlie Parker, The Charlie Parker Collection 1941-54 (Acrobat) 1 (1)
  90. Bud Powell, 1962 Copenhagen (SteepleChase) 1 (1)
  91. Tom Prehn, Centrifuga & Sohlverv (1964, Corbett vs. Dempsey) 1 (1)
  92. Marc Ribot, Plays Solo Guitar Works of Frantz Casseus (1989-93, Knockwurst) 1 (1)
  93. Splinters, Inclusivity (1972, Jazz in Britain) 1 (1)
  94. Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979 (Sbdan) 1 (1)
  95. Sarah Vaughan, Live at the Berlin Philharmonie 1969 (The Lost Recordings) 1 (1)
  96. Frank Zappa, Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show (Zappa) 1 (1)

Notes

Critics were asked to list three reissues in descending order, with three points awarded for #1, 2 for #2, and 1 for #3. (On ballots where choices were listed alphabetically, each received 2 points.) The first bold number indicates total points; the number in parentheses tallies ballots on which a CD appeared, which was used as a tiebreaker.

Rara Avis (Reissues/Archival) albums that erroneously received votes as New Releases:

New Releases albums that erroneously received votes as Rara Avis (Reissues/Archival):

Albums receiving Rara Avis (Reissues/Historical) votes this year that had received votes in last year's poll (2020 vote + 2021 vote). Rule is that we add the old votes to this year's only if the album received votes on more ballots this year than last. None did.