The 18th Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2023

Ballots 2023 [8]

Jeff Tamarkin (Relix, TIDAL, Mojo)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kenny Barron, The Source (Artwork)
  2. Joshua Redman, Where Are We (Blue Note)
  3. André 3000, New Blue Sun (Epic)
  4. Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind)
  5. John Scofield, Uncle John's Band (ECM)
  6. Shakti, This Moment (Abstract Logix)
  7. Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
  8. Brad Mehldau, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles (Nonesuch)
  9. Irreversible Entanglements, Protect Your Light (Impulse!)
  10. Allison Miller, Rivers in Our Veins (Royal Potato Family)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Charles Mingus, Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings (1973-79, Rhino)
  2. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  3. Charlie Watts, Anthology (1978-2001, BMG)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Derek Taylor (Dusted)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kirk Knuffke & Joe McPhee Quartet + 1, Keep the Dream Up (Fundacja Sluchaj)
  2. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  3. Natural Information Society, Since Time Is Gravity (Aguirre/Eremite)
  4. Jason Adasiewicz, Roscoe Village: The Music of Roscoe Mitchell (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  5. Andrew Cyrille, Music Delivery/Percussion (Intakt)
  6. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  7. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  8. Mark Dresser, Times of Change (Pyroclastic)
  9. Steve Swell-Joe McPhee-Chris Corsano, Sometimes the Air Is (Mahakala Music)
  10. Rodrigo Amado/The Bridge, Beyond the Margins (Trost)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. The Jazz Doctors, Intensive Care: Prescriptions Filled [The Billy Bang Quartet Sessions 1983/1984] (Cadillac)
  2. Abdul Wadud, By Myself: Solo Cello (1977, Gotta Groove)
  3. Don Byas, Classic Don Byas Sessions 1944-1946 (Mosaic)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Neil Tesser (Jazziz, KSDS-FM)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ivo Perelman-Nate Wooley-Matt Moran-Mat Maneri-Fred Lonberg-Holm-Joe Morris, Seven Skies Orchestra (Fundacja Sluchaj)
  2. Sylvie Courvoisier, Chimaera (Intakt)
  3. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  4. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  5. Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind)
  6. John Scofield, Uncle John's Band (ECM)
  7. Satoko Fujii, Torrent: Piano Solo (Libra)
  8. Greg Ward's Rogue Parade, Dion's Quest (Sugah Hoof)
  9. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)
  10. Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Nighttime Creatures (Pyroclastic)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Don Byas, Classic Don Byas Sessions 1944-1946 (Mosaic)
  2. Fred Anderson Quartet, The Milwaukee Tapes, Vol. 2 (1980, Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  3. Cannonball Adderley Quintet, In Concert: Falkoner Centret, Copenhagen, Denmark, April 13, 1961 (SteepleChase)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Michael Toland (The Big Takeover, The Austin Chronicle)

NEW RELEASES

  1. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  2. Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)
  3. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  4. John Scofield, Uncle John's Band (ECM)
  5. Kate Gentile, Find Letter X (Pi)
  6. Eric Friedlander, She Sees (Skipstone)
  7. Artemis, In Real Time (Blue Note)
  8. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  9. Kendrick Scott, Corridors (Blue Note)
  10. Greg Ward's Rogue Parade, Dion's Quest (Sugah Hoof)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Matthew Shipp Trio, Circular Temple (1990, ESP-Disk)
  2. Kenny Cox & the Contemporary Jazz Quintet, Multidirection (1969, Third Man/Blue Note)
  3. D.B. Shrier, D.B. Shrier Emerges (1967, Omnivore)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Michael Ullman (Arts Fuse, Fanfare)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  2. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  3. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  4. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  5. Matthew Shipp, The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala Music)
  6. Linda May Han Oh, The Glass Hours (Biophilia)
  7. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  8. Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe, The Rite of Spring/Spectre D'Un Songe (Pyroclastic)
  9. Laszlo Gardony, Close Connection (Sunnyside '22)
  10. Kevin Hays-Ben Street-Billy Hart, Bridges (Smoke Sessions)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Sonny Clark, The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions (1957-61, Mosaic)
  2. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  3. Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings (Resonance)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ludwig vanTrikt (Cadence)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Ken Vandermark & Hamid Drake, Eternal River (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  2. Billy Mohler, Ultraviolet (Contagious Music)
  3. Chien Chien Lu, Built in System: Live in New York (Giant Step Arts)
  4. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)
  5. Yuhan Su, Liberated Gesture (Sunnyside)
  6. Kaisa's Machine, Taking Shape (Greenleaf Music)
  7. Rich Halley Quartet, Fire Within (Pine Eagle)
  8. Ayanda Sikade, Umakhulu (Afrosynth '22)
  9. Tomas Fujiwara, Pith (Out of Your Head)
  10. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Sun Ra and His Arkestra, Jazz in Silhouette (Expanded Edition) (1958, Cosmic Myth)
  2. The Jazz Doctors, Intensive Care: Prescriptions Filled [The Billy Bang Quartet Sessions 1983/1984] (Cadillac)
  3. Byard Lancaster, It's Not Up to Us (1968, Superior Viaduct)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

George Varga (San Diego Union-Tribune and Tribune News Service)

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. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  4. Kenny Barron, The Source (Artwork)
  5. Angelika Niescier-Tomeka Reid-Savannah Harris, Beyond Dragons (Intakt)
  6. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  7. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  8. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  9. Mark Dresser, Times of Change (Pyroclastic)
  10. Christian McBride's New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Keith Jarrett, Solo-Concerts: Bremen/Lausanne (1973, ECM)
  3. Charles Mingus, Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings (1973-79, Rhino)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Seth Colter Walls (New York Times)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  2. Aaron Diehl & the Knights, Zodiac Suite (Mack Avenue)
  3. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, The Jungle: Wynton Marsalis: Symphony No. 4 (Blue Engine)
  4. Meshell Ndegeocello, The Omnichord Real Book (Blue Note)
  5. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  6. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  7. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  8. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  9. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  10. James Brandon Lewis Trio, Eye of I (Anti-)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. James P. Johnson, De Organizer/The Dreamy Kid (Excerpts) (2006, Naxos)
  2. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  3. Bernie Worrell-Cindy Blackman Santana-John King, Spherical (1994, Infrequent Seams)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ken Waxman (Jazz Word)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

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

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Bob Weinberg (Jazziz)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Christian McBride's New Jawn, Prime (Mack Avenue)
  2. Ambrose Akinmusire, Beauty Is Enough (Origami Harvest)
  3. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  4. Chien Chien Lu, Built in System: Live in New York (Giant Step Arts)
  5. Rudy Royston Flatbed Buggy, Day (Greenleaf Music)
  6. Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet, Hear the Light Singing (RogueArt)
  7. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  8. Ethan Philion Quartet, Gnosis (Sunnyside)
  9. Claire Daly With George Garzone, VuVu for Frances (Daly Bread)
  10. Freddie Bryant, Upper West Side Love Story: A Song Cycle (Tiger Turn)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Phineas Newborn Jr., A World of Piano! (1961, Craft)
  2. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis With Shirley Scott, Cookin' With Jaws and the Queen: The Legendary Prestige Albums (1958, Craft)
  3. Booker Ervin, That's It! (1961, Candid '22)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Jason Weiss (The Wire, Le Ventre et l'Oreille)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Michael Bates, Metamorphoses: Variations on Lutosławski (Anaklasis)
  2. Patrick Brennan Sonic Openings, Tilting Curvaceous (Clean Feed)
  3. Michael Blake, Dance of the Mystic Bliss (P&M)
  4. Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)
  5. Tony Hymas & Catherine Delaunay, No Borders (Nato)
  6. Ghost Train Orchestra and Kronos Quartet, Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog (Cantaloupe)
  7. Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Nighttime Creatures (Pyroclastic)
  8. Brandon Seabrook's Epic Proportions, Brutalovechamp (Pyroclastic)
  9. Antonio Borghini, Banquet of Consequences (We Insist!)
  10. Simon Mary & Krystal Mundi, Modal Morning (Label Ouest)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, 60 Years (1961-2019, The Village)
  2. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)
  3. Axolotl, Abrasive (1981, Souffle Continu)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ken Weiss (Cadence, Jazz Inside)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Anna Webber, Shimmer Wince (Intakt)
  2. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  3. Satoko Fujii, Torrent: Piano Solo (Libra)
  4. Michael Formanek Elusion Quartet, As Things Do (Intakt)
  5. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  6. Ingrid Laubrock, The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
  7. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  8. Leap Day Trio, Live at the Cafe Bohemia (Giant Step Arts)
  9. Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)
  10. Harold Danko, Trillium (SteepleChase)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Les McCann, Never a Dull Moment! Live From Coast to Coast 1966-1967 (Resonance)
  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

Michael J. West (DownBeat, Washington City Paper, Washington Post)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Sullivan Fortner, Solo Game (Artwork)
  2. David Murray-Questlove-Ray Angry, Plumb (J.M.I./Outside In Music)
  3. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  4. Butcher Brown, Solar Music (Concord Jazz)
  5. Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding, Alive at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
  6. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  7. Miho Hazama, M_unit: Beyond Orbits (Edition)
  8. Kris Davis, Diatom Ribbons Live at the Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic)
  9. Todd Sickafoose, Bear Proof (Secret Hatch)
  10. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Dorothy Ashby, With Strings Attached (1957-65, New Land)
  2. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  3. Roy Hargrove, The Love Suite: In Mahogany (1993, Blue Engine)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Richard Williams (The Blue Moment)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  2. Sylvie Courvoisier, Chimaera (Intakt)
  3. Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
  4. Fire! Orchestra, Echoes (Rune Grammofon)
  5. Vilhelm Bromander, In This Forever Unfolding Moment (Thanatos)
  6. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz, Ex Machina (Pi)
  7. PJEV-Kit Downes-Hayden Chisholm, Medna Roso (Red Hook)
  8. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  9. Sebastian Rochford & Kit Downes, A Short Diary (ECM)
  10. Irreversible Entanglements, Protect Your Light (Impulse!)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)
  2. Mike Osborne, Starting Fires: Live at the 100 Club 1970 (British Progressive Jazz)
  3. Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Note: Debut vote for Jonathan Coe & Artchipel Orchestra, Suspended Moment (British Progressive Jazz) disqualified.

Jerome Wilson (All About Jazz, The Outer View (Radio Fairfax))

NEW RELEASES

  1. Jaimie Branch, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) (International Anthem)
  2. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  3. Leap Day Trio, Live at the Cafe Bohemia (Giant Step Arts)
  4. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  5. Ingrid Laubrock, The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
  6. Jeff Lederer With Mary LaRose, Schoenberg on the Beach (Little (i) Music)
  7. Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra, Open Spaces: Folk Songs Reimagined (Cellar)
  8. Dan Rosenboom, Polarity (Orenda)
  9. Roxana Amed & Frank Carlberg, Los Trabajos Y Las Noches (Sony Music Latin)
  10. Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Shirley Scott, Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank (1972, Reel to Real)
  2. Dave Brubeck, Live From the Northwest, 1959 (Brubeck Editions)
  3. Ahmad Jamal, Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective/Elemental)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Josef Woodard (DownBeat, Jazziz, Los Angeles Times, Santa Barbara Independent, All About Jazz, JoeWoodard.com)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Mark Turner Quartet, Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)
  2. John Scofield, Uncle John's Band (ECM)
  3. Henry Threadgill Ensemble, The Other One (Pi)
  4. Ambrose Akinmusire, Owl Song (Nonesuch)
  5. Matana Roberts, Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation)
  6. Peter Brötzmann-Majid Bekkas-Hamid Drake, Catching Ghosts (ACT)
  7. Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest, Olympians (Modern)
  8. Arooj Aftab-Vijay Iyer-Shahzad Ismaily, Love in Exile (Verve)
  9. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  10. Bobo Stenson Trio, Sphere (ECM)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Charles Mingus, Changes: The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings (1973-79, Rhino)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Ron Wynn (The Nashville Scene, The Tennessee Tribune, The Bluegrass Solution)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Joshua Redman, Where Are We (Blue Note)
  2. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Mélusine (Nonesuch)
  3. Lakecia Benjamin, Phoenix (Whirlwind)
  4. Tyshawn Sorey Trio, Continuing (Pi)
  5. Jason Moran, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes)
  6. Chris Potter, Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard (Edition)
  7. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  8. Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree (Edition)
  9. Matthew Shipp, The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala Music)
  10. Nicky Schrire, Nowhere Girl (Anzic)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Miles Davis Quintet, In Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sound)
  2. Oscar Peterson, Con Alma: The Oscar Peterson Trio - Live in Lugano, 1964 (Mack Avenue)
  3. Art Ensemble of Chicago, Les Stances à Sophie (1970, Play Loud!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Scott Yanow (DownBeat, Jazziz, New York City Jazz Record, Los Angeles Jazz Scene, Syncopated Times, The Jazz Rag)

NEW RELEASES

  1. Quartet San Francisco-Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band-Take Six, Raymond Scott Reimagined (Violinjazz)
  2. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms)
  3. The Chick Corea Elektrik Band, The Future Is Now (Candid)
  4. Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Playing With Fire (True North)
  5. Gunhild Carling, Good Evening Cats (Jazz Art '22)
  6. Kent Engelhardt & Stephen Enos, Madd for Tadd: "Central Avenue Swing" & "Our Delight" (Tighten Up)
  7. Kris Berg, Perspective (Summit)
  8. Noah Haidu, Standards (Sunnyside)
  9. Jon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars, Live at the Ear Inn (Arbors)
  10. Sam Taylor, Let Go (Cellar '22)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Jazz at the Philharmonic, The Complete Jam Sessions 1950-1957 (Mosaic)
  2. Dave Brubeck, Live From the Northwest, 1959 (Brubeck Editions)
  3. John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate (1961, Impulse!)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN

Kazue Yokoi (JazzTokyo)

NEW RELEASES (listed alphabetically; 5.5 points each)

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

VOCAL

DEBUT

LATIN