The 18th Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2023

Ballots 2023 [4]

James Hale (DownBeat, SoundStageXperience.com)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Miguel Zenón & Dan Tepfer, Internal Melodies (Main Door Music)
  2. Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
  3. Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke, Lean In (Edition)
  4. Linda May Han Oh, The Glass Hours (Biophilia)
  5. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  6. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  7. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)
  8. Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry, Our Daily Bread (ECM)
  9. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)
  10. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Michel Petrucciani, The Montreux Years (1990-98, BMG/Montreux)
  2. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  3. Sonny Rollins, Go West! The Contemporary Records Albums (1957-58, Craft)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Eyal Hareuveni (Free Jazz Blog, Salt Peanuts)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Dror Feiler, Maavak (Music & Noise 1980-2023, Volume 1 & 2) (Ideal)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Chris Heim (KMUW-FM [Wichita, KS])

NEW RELEASES

  1. Buster Williams, Unalome (Smoke Sessions)
  2. John Scofield, Uncle John's Band (ECM)
  3. Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
  4. Cecilia Smith, The Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project, Vol. 1 (Innova)
  5. Joshua Redman, Where Are We (Blue Note)
  6. Joe Alterman, Big Mo & Little Joe: Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann (Joe Alberman Music)
  7. Orrin Evans, The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
  8. Noah Haidu, Standards (Sunnyside)
  9. Ted Piltzecker, Vibes on a Breath (OA2)
  10. George Freeman, The Good Life (HighNote)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  2. Les McCann, Never a Dull Moment! Live From Coast to Coast 1966-1967 (Resonance)
  3. Cal Tjader, Catch the Groove: Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Tad Hendrickson (freelance)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Jaimie Branch, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) (International Anthem)
  2. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  3. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (Nonesuch)
  4. Daniel Villarreal, Lados B (International Anthem)
  5. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  6. Darius Jones, Fluxkit Vancouver (Its Suite but Sacred) (We Jazz)
  7. Mendoza Hoff Revels, Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)
  8. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  9. Irreversible Entanglements, Protect Your Light (Impulse!)
  10. Enji, Ulaan (Squama)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Andrey Henkin (freelance: New York Times, NPR, Stereophile, Jazzwise, WeJazz, The Brooklyn Rail; Jazz Passings)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Dave Lombardo, Rites of Percussion (Ipecac)
  2. Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)
  3. Alexander Hawkins Trio, Carnival Celestial (Intakt)
  4. Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns, Weejuns (Rune Grammofon)
  5. Peter Evans Being & Becoming, Ars Memoria (More Is More)
  6. Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe, The Rite of Spring/Spectre D'Un Songe (Pyroclastic)
  7. Dave Liebman, Live at Smalls (Cellar)
  8. Satoko Fujii, Torrent: Piano Solo (Libra)
  9. Kresten Osgood-Bob Moses-Tisziji Munoz, Spiritual Drum Kingship (Gotta Let It Out)
  10. Ned Rothenberg, Crossings Four (Clean Feed)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Mike Osborne, Starting Fires: Live at the 100 Club 1970 (British Progressive Jazz)
  2. Barry Altschul-David Izenson-Perry Robinson, Stop Time: Live at Prince Street 1978 (NoBusiness)
  3. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Geoffrey Himes (JazzTimes, Paste)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Pierrick Pédron & Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Pédron Rubalcaba (Gazebo)
  2. Lafayette Gilchrist, Undaunted (Morphius)
  3. Allison Miller, Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)
  4. Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp, Tryptych I-III (SMP '22)
  5. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)
  6. Johnathan Blake, Passage (Blue Note)
  7. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (Nonesuch)
  8. Benjamin Koppel-Scott Colley-Brian Blade, Perspective (Cowbell Music)
  9. Orrin Evans, The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
  10. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Shirley Scott, Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank (1972, Reel to Real)
  3. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Rob Hoff (WQLN NPR [Erie, PA], WETF [South Bend, IN], JazzErie, JJA)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  2. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  3. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  4. Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)
  5. Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)
  6. James Brandon Lewis Trio, Eye of I (Anti-)
  7. Mike Reed, The Separatist Party (We Jazz/Astral Spirits)
  8. Yuhan Su, Liberated Gesture (Sunnyside)
  9. Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)
  10. Antti Lötjönen Quintet East, Circus/Citadel (We Jazz)

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. Chet Baker, Blue Room: The 1979 Vara Studio Sessions in Holland (Jazz Detective)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Larry Hollis (Cadence)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Wayne Escoffery, Like Minds (Smoke Sessions)
  2. Mike LeDonne-Eric Alexander-Jeremy Pelt-Vincent Herring-Kenny Washington-Peter Washington, The Heavy Hitters (Cellar)
  3. Precarious Towers, Ten Stories (Shifting Paradigm)
  4. Terell Stafford, Between Two Worlds (Le Coq)
  5. George Coleman, Live at Smalls Jazz Club (Cellar)
  6. Jim Rotondi Quintet, Over Here (Criss Cross)
  7. Louis Hayes, Exactly Right! (Savant)
  8. Ron Blake, Mistaken Identity (7ten33 Productions)
  9. Constantine Alexander, Firetet (self-released)
  10. Ed Cherry, Are We There Yet? (Cellar)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)
  3. Basie All Stars, Live at Fabrik Vol. 1: Hamburg 1981 (Jazzline)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Mark Holston (Latino, Jazziz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Hilario Durán and His Latin Jazz Big Band, Cry Me a River (Alma)
  2. Jerry Bergonzi, Extra Extra (Savant)
  3. Donald Vega, As I Travel (Imagery)
  4. Bill O'Connell, Live at Montauk (Savant)
  5. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, Vox Humana (Jazzheads)
  6. Doug Beavers, Luna (Circle 9)
  7. Reggie Quinerly, The Thousandth Scholar (Redefinition Music)
  8. Antonio Adolfo, Bossa 65: Celebrating Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal (AAM Music)
  9. Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra, Open Spaces: Folk Songs Reimagined (Cellar)
  10. Muriel Grossmann, Devotion (Third Man Music)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  2. Chet Baker, Blue Room: The 1979 Vara Studio Sessions in Holland (Jazz Detective)
  3. Cal Tjader, Catch the Groove: Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Tom Hull (tomhull.com)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Rodrigo Amado/The Bridge, Beyond the Margins (Trost)
  2. Irreversible Entanglements, Protect Your Light (Impulse!)
  3. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  4. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  5. The Rempis Percussion Quartet, Harvesters (Aerophonic)
  6. George Coleman, Live at Smalls Jazz Club (Cellar)
  7. Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Sixth Decade From Paris to Paris: Live at Sons D'Hiver (RogueArt)
  8. Jason Kao Hwang Critical Response, Book of Stories (True Sound)
  9. Emmet Cohen, Master Legacy Series Volume 5: Featuring Houston Person (Bandstand Presents)
  10. Farida Amadou-Jonas Cambien-Dave Rempis, On the Blink (Aerophonic)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Roy Hargrove, The Love Suite: In Mahogany (1993, Blue Engine)
  2. Steve Swell's Fire Into Music, For Jemeel: Fire From the Road (2003-04, RogueArt)
  3. François Carrier Ensemble, Openness (2006, Fundacja Sluchaj)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: Also see The Best Jazz Albums of 2023.

Peter Hum (The Ottawa Citizen)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ron Horton, A Prayer for Andrew (Newvelle)
  2. Johnathan Blake, Passage (Blue Note)
  3. George, Letters to George (Out of Your Head)
  4. Miho Hazama, M_unit: Beyond Orbits (Edition)
  5. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  6. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)
  7. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Undercover: Live at the Village Vanguard (Heartcore)
  8. Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, Kings Highway (Stoner Hill)
  9. Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
  10. Orchestre National de Jazz Montréal, Wayne Shines/Miles Smiles (ONJ)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Bill Evans, Tales: Live in Copenhagen (1964) (Elemental Music)
  3. Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, Live From the Archives: Bootleg June 15, 2000 (Stoner Hill '22)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Jim Hynes (Glide, Making a Scene!)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)
  2. Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Sixth Decade From Paris to Paris: Live at Sons D'Hiver (RogueArt)
  3. Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind)
  4. Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Nighttime Creatures (Pyroclastic)
  5. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  6. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  7. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  8. Orrin Evans, The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
  9. Donny McCaslin, I Want More (Edition)
  10. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Roy Hargrove, The Love Suite: In Mahogany (1993, Blue Engine)
  3. Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, A Lovesome Thing (2012, Motéma Music)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Robert Iannapollo (New York City Jazz Record, ARSC Journal, Cadence)

NEW RELEASES

  1. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  2. Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)
  3. Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Nighttime Creatures (Pyroclastic)
  4. Michael Bisio & Timothy Hill, Inside Voice/Outside Voice (Origin)
  5. Aruán Ortiz, Pastor's Paradox (Clean Feed)
  6. Mat Maneri Quartet, Ash (Sunnyside)
  7. Quinsin Nachoff, Stars and Constellations (Adyharopa)
  8. Trina Basu & Arun Ramamurthy, Nakshatra (Spinster)
  9. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  10. Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe, The Rite of Spring/Spectre D'Un Songe (Pyroclastic)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Roland Kirk, Live at Ronnie Scott's, 1963 (Gearbox '22)
  3. Dorothy Ashby, With Strings Attached (1957-65, New Land)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Willard Jenkins (The Independent Ear, DownBeat, DC Jazz Festival, Ain't But a Few of Us)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis With Shirley Scott, Cookin' With Jaws and the Queen: The Legendary Prestige Albums (1958, Craft)
  2. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  3. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Martin Johnson (Wall Street Journal, NPR, TIDAL, Bandcamp)

NEW RELEASES

  1. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  2. Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke, Lean In (Edition)
  3. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  4. Ingrid Laubrock, The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
  5. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  6. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  7. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  8. Tomas Fujiwara, Pith (Out of Your Head)
  9. Sylvie Courvoisier, Chimaera (Intakt)
  10. Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Nighttime Creatures (Pyroclastic)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Dorothy Ashby, With Strings Attached (1957-65, New Land)
  3. Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, A Lovesome Thing (2012, Motéma Music)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Sanford Josephson (Jersey Jazz Magazine)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Terell Stafford, Between Two Worlds (Le Coq)
  2. Samara Joy, Linger Awhile (Verve '22)
  3. Benny Benack III, Third Time's the Charm (La Reserve/Bandstand Presents)
  4. Sean Mason, The Southern Suite (Blue Engine)
  5. Bill Mays, Autumn Serenade (Sunnyside)
  6. Lafayette Harris, Jr., Swingin' Up in Harlem (Savant)
  7. Jocelyn Gould, Sonic Bouquet (Jocelyn Gould Music)
  8. Noah Haidu, Standards (Sunnyside)
  9. Isaiah J. Thompson, The Power of the Spirit (Blue Engine)
  10. Emmet Cohen, Master Legacy Series Volume 5: Featuring Houston Person (Bandstand Presents)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  2. Sonny Rollins, Go West! The Contemporary Records Albums (1957-58, Craft)
  3. Oscar Peterson, On a Clear Day: The Oscar Peterson Trio - Live in Zurich, 1971 (Mack Avenue '22)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ammar Kalia (The Guardian and Observer)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Les Jardins Mystiques Vol. 1 (Brainfeeder)
  2. Meshell Ndegeocello, The Omnichord Real Book (Blue Note)
  3. Speakers Corner Quartet, Further Out Than the Edge (OTIH)
  4. Matthew Halsall, An Ever Changing View (Gondwana)
  5. Bill Laurance & Michael League, Where You Wish You Were (ACT)
  6. Yussef Dayes, Black Classical Music (Brownswood/Nonesuch)
  7. Thandi Ntuli, Rainbow Revisited (International Anthem)
  8. EABS Meets Jaubi, In Search of a Better Tomorrow (Astigmatic)
  9. Balimaya Project, When the Dust Settles (New Soil)
  10. Kassa Overall, Animals (Warp)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Pharoah Sanders, Pharoah [Harvest Time] (1976, Luaka Bop)
  3. Bill Evans, Treasures: Solo, Trio & Orchestral Recordings From Denmark (1965-1969) (Elemental)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Richard B. Kamins (Step Tempest, WESU-FM [Middletown CT])

NEW RELEASES

  1. Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, The Gennett Suite (Patois)
  2. Anthony Branker & Imagine, What Place Can Be for Us? A Suite in Ten Movements (Origin)
  3. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  4. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)
  5. Felipe Salles Interconnections Ensemble, Home Is Here (Tapestry)
  6. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  7. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  8. Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke, Lean In (Edition)
  9. Magos Herrera, Aire (Sunnyside)
  10. Edward Simon, Femininas: Songs of Latin American Women (ArtistShare)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  2. Luis Russell, At the Swing Cats Ball: Newly Discovered Recordings From the Closet, Volume 1 1938-1940 (Dot Time Legends)
  3. Dorothy Ashby, With Strings Attached (1957-65, New Land)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

George Kanzler (Hot House, New York City Jazz Record)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kenny Barron, The Source (Artwork)
  2. Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Borrowed Roses (Top Side Music)
  3. Aaron Diehl & the Knights, Zodiac Suite (Mack Avenue)
  4. Martin Wind-Jim McNeely-Ed Neumeister, Counterpoint (Laika)
  5. Joe Farnsworth, In What Direction Are You Headed? (Smoke Sessions)
  6. Michael Dease, Swing Low (Posi-Tone)
  7. Marshall Gilkes, Cyclic Journey (Alternate Side '22)
  8. Gregory Lewis, Organ Monk Going Home (Sunnyside)
  9. Planet D Nonet, Blues to Be There (Eastlawn)
  10. Jerome Sabbagh, Vintage (Sunnyside)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Wynton Marsalis, Plays Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Hot Sevens (2006, Blue Engine)
  2. Steve Davis, Meets Hank Jones, Vol. 1 (2008, Smoke Sessions)
  3. Roy Hargrove, The Love Suite: In Mahogany (1993, Blue Engine)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Fred Kaplan (Slate, Tracking Angle)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (Nonesuch)
  2. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  3. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  4. Aaron Diehl & the Knights, Zodiac Suite (Mack Avenue)
  5. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  6. Ben Wolfe, Unjust (Resident Arts)
  7. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  8. Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles (Nonesuch)
  9. Ron Horton, A Prayer for Andrew (Newvelle)
  10. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Art Ensemble of Chicago, Les Stances à Sophie (1970, Play Loud!)
  2. Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)
  3. Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, A Lovesome Thing (2012, Motéma Music)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: Also see The Best Jazz Albums of 2023