The 20th Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2025 Mid-Year

Ballot 2025 Mid-Year

Bill Milkowski (DownBeat, Jazziz, JazzTimes, Guitar Player, Absolute Sound, Substack)

NEW JAZZ ALBUMS

  1. Chris Cheek, Keepers of the Eastern Door (Analog Tone Factory) →
  2. John Hart, Love Is (SteepleChase '24) →
  3. Joshua Redman, Words Fall Short (Blue Note) →
  4. Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quintet, Sound Remains (Whirlwind) →
  5. Carl Allen, Tippin' (Cellar) →
  6. Fred Hersch, The Surrounding Green (ECM) →
  7. Theon Cross, Affirmations: Live at the Blue Note New York (New Soil) →
  8. Nels Cline, Consentrik Quartet (Blue Note) →
  9. Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Chris Potter - Eric Harland - Larry Grenadier, First Meeting: Live at Dizzy's Club (5Passion) →
  10. Gilad Hekselman, Downhill From Here (La Reserve) →

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Kenny Burrell With Art Blakey, On View at the Five Spot Café: The Complete Masters (1959, Blue Note) →
  2. McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs' (1966, Blue Note '24) →
  3. Kenny Dorham, Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live From the Blue Morocco (1957, Resonance) →
  4. Charles Tolliver - Stanley Cowell - Cecil McBee - Jimmy Hopps, Music Inc. (1970, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) →
  5. Keith Jarrett - Gary Peacock - Paul Motian, The Old Country: More From the Deer Head Inn (1992, ECM '24) →