The 18th Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2023

Ballots 2023 [2]

Esteban Arizpe Castaņeda (El Intruso)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  2. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  3. Illegal Crowns, Unclosing (Out of Your Heads)
  4. Wadada Leo Smith & Orange Wave Electric, Fire Illuminations (Kabell)
  5. Javier Red's Imagery Converter, Life & Umbrella (Desafio Candente)
  6. Rodrigo Amado/The Bridge, Beyond the Margins (Trost)
  7. Fire! Orchestra, Echoes (Rune Grammofon)
  8. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  9. Satoko Fujii, Torrent: Piano Solo (Libra)
  10. Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Sonny Clark, The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions (1957-61, Mosaic)
  2. Derek Bailey & Paul Motian, Duo in Concert (1990, Frozen Reeds)
  3. Nina Simone, You've Got to Learn (1966, Verve)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Jeff Cebulski (Chicago Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)
  2. Billy Childs, The Winds of Change (Mack Avenue)
  3. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  4. Joe Farnsworth, In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)
  5. Paul Wertico, Paul Wertico's Drums Without Boundaries (Da Vinci Classics)
  6. Christian McBride's New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue)
  7. Fareed Haque, Casseus! The Music of Frantz Casseus Re-Imagined (Wardude Music)
  8. Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry, Our Daily Bread (ECM)
  9. Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
  10. Eric Alexander, A New Beginning: Alto Saxophone With Strings (HighNote)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)
  2. Sonny Rollins, Go West! The Contemporary Records Albums (1957-58, Craft)
  3. Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

John Chacona (All About Jazz, Postgenre Media, Let's Call This)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Darius Jones, Fluxkit Vancouver (Its Suite but Sacred) (We Jazz)
  2. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  3. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  4. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  5. London Brew, London Brew (Concord)
  6. Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet, As Things Do (Intakt)
  7. Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)
  8. Mike Reed, The Separatist Party (We Jazz/Astral Spirits)
  9. Arturo O'Farrill, Legacies (Blue Note)
  10. Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Abdul Wadud, By Myself: Solo Cello (1977, Gotta Groove)
  2. Nina Simone, You've Got to Learn (1966, Verve)
  3. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Gary Chapin (Free Jazz Collective)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Tim Berne-Hank Roberts-Aurora Nealand, Oceans And (Intakt)
  2. Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Sixth Decade From Paris to Paris: Live at Sons D'Hiver (RogueArt)
  3. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  4. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  5. Irreversible Entanglements, Protect Your Light (Impulse!)
  6. Matthew Shipp, The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala Music)
  7. Marc Ribot/Ceramic Dog, Connection (Knockwurst)
  8. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  9. Fire! Orchestra, Echoes (Rune Grammofon)
  10. Marc Ducret, Palm Sweat: Marc Ducret Plays the Music of Tim Berne (Screwgun/Out of Your Head)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Sam Rivers, Archive Series (1971-2002, NoBusiness)
  3. Milford Graves With Arthur Doyle & Hugh Glover, Children of the Forest (1976, Black Editions Archive)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Nate Chinen (WRTI, NPR Music, The Gig)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Meshell Ndegeocello, The Omnichord Real Book (Blue Note)
  2. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  3. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  4. Darius Jones, Fluxkit Vancouver (Its Suite but Sacred) (We Jazz)
  5. Allison Miller, Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)
  6. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  7. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  8. John Zorn, Homenaje a Remedios Varo (Tzadik)
  9. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  10. Mendoza Hoff Revels, Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)
  3. Roy Hargrove, The Love Suite: In Mahogany (1993, Blue Engine)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: Also see The 10 best jazz albums of 2023.

Brad Cohan (TIDAL, Bandcamp Daily)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Brandon Seabrook's Epic Proportions, Brutalovechamp (Pyroclastic)
  2. William Hooker, Flesh and Bones (Org Music)
  3. James Brandon Lewis Trio, Eye of I (Anti-)
  4. Mendoza Hoff Revels, Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)
  5. Janel Leppin, The Brink (Shiny Boy Press)
  6. Anthony Pirog, The Nepenthe Series Vol. 1 (Otherly Love)
  7. Thollem-Terry Riley-Nels Cline, The Light Is Real (Other Minds)
  8. Drazek Fuscaldo, June 22 (Feeding Tube/Astral Spirits)
  9. Jessica Pavone, Clamor (Out of Your Head)
  10. Andrew Smiley & Kate Gentile, Flagrances (Obliquity)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Matthew Shipp Trio, Circular Temple (1990, ESP-Disk)
  2. Bernie Worrell-Cindy Blackman Santana-John King, Spherical (1994, Infrequent Seams)
  3. Evan Parker, NYC 1978 (Relative Pitch)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Troy Collins (Point of Departure)

NEW RELEASES

  1. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  2. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  3. Jaimie Branch, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) (International Anthem)
  4. Allison Miller, Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)
  5. Tomas Fujiwara, Pith (Out of Your Head)
  6. Eric Friedlander, She Sees (Skipstone)
  7. Greg Ward's Rogue Parade, Dion's Quest (Sugah Hoof)
  8. Jason Kao Hwang Critical Response, Book of Stories (True Sound)
  9. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  10. Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet, As Things Do (Intakt)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. The Jazz Doctors, Intensive Care: Prescriptions Filled [The Billy Bang Quartet Sessions 1983/1984] (Cadillac)
  2. Don Ellis, How Time Passes (1960, Candid)
  3. Charles Mingus, Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings (1973-79, Rhino)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Thomas Conrad (Stereophile, New York City Jazz Record)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ambrose Akinmusire, Owl Song (Nonesuch)
  2. Tyshawn Sorey Trio + 1 [With Greg Osby], The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism (Pi '22)
  3. Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)
  4. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  5. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  6. Joshua Redman, Where Are We (Blue Note)
  7. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  8. Nitai Hershkovits, Call on the Old Wise (ECM)
  9. John Scofield, Uncle John's Band (ECM)
  10. Johnathan Blake, Passage (Blue Note)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Joe Henderson, The Complete "An Evening With Joe Henderson" (1987, Red)
  3. Charles Mingus, Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings (1973-79, Rhino)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

J.D. Considine (DownBeat)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  2. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  3. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  4. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  5. JD Allen, This (Savant)
  6. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  7. Miho Hazama, M_unit: Beyond Orbits (Edition)
  8. Arooj Aftab-Vijay Iyer-Shahzad Ismaily, Love in Exile (Verve)
  9. Quinsin Nachoff, Stars and Constellations (Adyharopa)
  10. Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles (Nonesuch)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  2. Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, A Lovesome Thing (2012, Motéma Music)
  3. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

John Corbett (Jazz Podium, Corbett vs. Dempsey)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Fire! Orchestra, Echoes (Rune Grammofon)
  2. Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra, Lightning Dreamers (International Anthem)
  3. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  4. Mats Gustafsson & Ensemble E, EE Opus One (Trost)
  5. Roscoe Mitchell Orchestra and Space Trio, At the Fault Zone Festival (Wide Hive)
  6. Angelika Niescier-Tomeka Reid-Savannah Harris, Beyond Dragons (Intakt)
  7. Daunik Lazro-Benjamin Duboc-Mathieu Bec, Standards Combustion (Dark Tree)
  8. Steve Swell-Joe McPhee-Chris Corsano, Sometimes the Air Is (Mahakala Music)
  9. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  10. Per Texas Johansson, Orkester Omnitonal (Moserobie)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Milford Graves With Arthur Doyle & Hugh Glover, Children of the Forest (1976, Black Editions Archive)
  2. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  3. Peter Brötzmann & Sabu Toyozumi, Triangle: Live at Ohm, 1987 (NoBusiness)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Mark Corroto (All About Jazz)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL) (listed alphabetically; 2 points each)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Michael Coyle (WRCU [Colgate University])

NEW RELEASES

  1. Tyler Mitchell Octet, Sun Ra's Journey (Cellar)
  2. Matt Mitchell, Oblong Aplomb (Out of Your Head)
  3. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  4. Aksel Røed's Other Aspects, Do You Dream in Colours? (Is It Jazz?)
  5. Emile Parisien, Louise (ACT '22)
  6. Claire Daly With George Garzone, VuVu for Frances (Daly Bread)
  7. Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Spirit Gatherer: Tribute to Don Cherry (Spiritmuse)
  8. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  9. Noah Haidu, Standards (Sunnyside)
  10. Simona Premazzi, Wave in Gravity: Solo Piano (PRE)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Cal Tjader, Catch the Groove: Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  3. Toshiko Akiyoshi, Toshiko's Blues: Quartet & Trios 1953-1958 (Fresh Sound)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

David Cristol (Jazz Magazine [Fr], Citizen Jazz [Fr], Jazz.pt [Portugal], Free Jazz Collective)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Jean-Jacques Avenel-Siegfried Kessler-Daunik Lazro, Ecstatic Jazz: Crypte Des Franciscains Béziers 12 Février 1982 (Fou)
  2. Brew [Miya Masaoka-Reggie Workman-Gerry Hemingway], Heat/Between Reflections (1998/2019, Clean Feed)
  3. McCoy Tyner, The Montreux Years (1981-2009, BMG)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Raul da Gama (Global Jazz Media, That Canadian Magazine, Latin Jazz Network, JazzdaGama, The WholeNote, Hot House Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Gerry Hemingway, Afterlife (Auricle '22)
  2. Denny Zeitlin, Crazy Rhythm: Exploring George Gershwin (Sunnyside)
  3. Ray Anderson, Marching On (Double Moon '22)
  4. Rachel Eckroth, One (Blackbird Sessions)
  5. Yelena Eckemoff, Lonely Man and His Fish (L&H Production)
  6. Deon, Soft Steel (Trytone)
  7. Benjamin Koppel, White Buses: Passage to Freedom (Cowbell Music)
  8. Donald Vega, As I Travel (Imagery)
  9. Jeb Patton, Preludes (Cellar Music)
  10. Ray Gallon Trio, Grand Company (Cellar)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)
  2. Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie-Bud Powell-Charles Mingus-Max Roach, Hot House: The Complete Jazz at Massey Hall Recordings (1953, Craft)
  3. Bill Evans, Tales: Live in Copenhagen (1964) (Elemental Music)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Francis Davis (Poll founder)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  2. Ambrose Akinmusire, Owl Song (Nonesuch)
  3. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  4. Illegal Crowns, Unclosing (Out of Your Heads)
  5. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  6. Ron Horton, A Prayer for Andrew (Newvelle)
  7. Jo Lawry, Acrobats (Whirlwind)
  8. Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)
  9. Quinsin Nachoff, Stars and Constellations (Adyharopa)
  10. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Jazz at the Philharmonic, The Complete Jam Sessions 1950-1957 (Mosaic)
  2. Archie Shepp, Derailleur: The 1964 Demo (Triple Point)
  3. Hasaan Ibn Ali, Reaching for the Stars: Trios/Duos/Solos (1962-65, Omnivore)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Anthony Dean-Harris (KRTU [San Antonio], DownBeat)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Daniel Villarreal, Lados B (International Anthem)
  2. Brandee Younger, Brand New Life (Impulse)
  3. Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke, Lean In (Edition)
  4. Web Web x Mar Herre, Web Max II (Compost)
  5. Simon Moullier, Isla (self-released)
  6. Johnathan Blake, Passage (Blue Note)
  7. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  8. Kassa Overall, Animals (Warp)
  9. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  10. Joe Farnsworth, In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Steve Dollar (freelance)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Matthew Shipp, The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala Music)
  2. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  3. Jaimie Branch, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) (International Anthem)
  4. Darius Jones, Fluxkit Vancouver (Its Suite but Sacred) (We Jazz)
  5. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  6. Mendoza Hoff Revels, Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)
  7. Kate Gentile, Find Letter X (Pi)
  8. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  9. Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Sixth Decade From Paris to Paris: Live at Sons D'Hiver (RogueArt)
  10. Joe McPhee & Tomeka Reid, Let Our Rejoicing Rise (Corbett vs. Dempsey '22)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Matthew Shipp Trio, Circular Temple (1990, ESP-Disk)
  2. Derek Bailey & Paul Motian, Duo in Concert (1990, Frozen Reeds)
  3. Abdul Wadud, By Myself: Solo Cello (1977, Gotta Groove)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Laurence Donohue-Greene (The New York City Jazz Record)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Brew [Miya Masaoka-Reggie Workman-Gerry Hemingway], Heat/Between Reflections (1998/2019, Clean Feed)
  2. Kenny Barron, The Source (Artwork)
  3. John Zorn, New Masada Quartet Vol. 2 (Tzadik)
  4. Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry, Our Daily Bread (ECM)
  5. Jon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars, Live at the Ear Inn (Arbors)
  6. Satoko Fujii & Otomo Yoshihide, Perpetual Motion (Ayler)
  7. Adrian Younge, Jazz Is Dead 18: Tony Allen (Jazz Is Dead)
  8. Val Jeanty-Candice Hoyes-Mimi Jones, Nite Bjuti (Whirlwind)
  9. John Butcher, The Art of Noticing (Matchless)
  10. Arooj Aftab-Vijay Iyer-Shahzad Ismaily, Love in Exile (Verve)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie-Bud Powell-Charles Mingus-Max Roach, Hot House: The Complete Jazz at Massey Hall Recordings (1953, Craft)
  2. Pharoah Sanders, Pharoah [Harvest Time] (1976, Luaka Bop)
  3. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: New Releases 1 Brew, Heat/Between Reflections contains both old (1998) and new (2019) recordings, so belongs under Rara Avis.

Troy Dostert (All About Jazz, Free Jazz Collective)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Sylvie Courvoisier, Chimaera (Intakt)
  2. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  3. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  4. Jo Lawry, Acrobats (Whirlwind)
  5. Rodrigo Amado/The Bridge, Beyond the Margins (Trost)
  6. Irreversible Entanglements, Protect Your Light (Impulse!)
  7. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  8. Mendoza Hoff Revels, Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)
  9. Trickster, Live in Brooklyn (Cygnus)
  10. Ingrid Laubrock, The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, A Lovesome Thing (2012, Motéma Music)
  3. The Jazz Doctors, Intensive Care: Prescriptions Filled [The Billy Bang Quartet Sessions 1983/1984] (Cadillac)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: Also see Troy Dostert's Best Releases of 2023.

Alain Drouot (Downbeat, Citizen Jazz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. James Brandon Lewis Trio, Eye of I (Anti-)
  2. Lina Allemano Four, Pipe Dream (Lumo)
  3. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  4. Fred Frith & Susana Santos Silva, Laying Demons to Rest (RogueArt)
  5. Angelika Niescier-Tomeka Reid-Savannah Harris, Beyond Dragons (Intakt)
  6. Mário Costa-Cuong Vu-Benoît Delbecq-Bruno Chevillon, Chromosome (Clean Feed)
  7. Séverine Morfin, Mad Maple (Garden)
  8. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  9. Ethan Philion Quartet, Gnosis (Sunnyside)
  10. Blue Cranes, My Only Secret (Jealous Butcher/Beacon Sound)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Joy, Joy (1976, Cadillac)
  2. Derek Bailey & Paul Motian, Duo in Concert (1990, Frozen Reeds)
  3. Wayne Shorter, Schizophrenia (1967, Blue Note Tone Poet)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN