2025 Mid-Year Totals: Rara Avis (Reissues/Archival)

Critics were asked to list up to 5 albums of reissued and/or historical music, either in descending order from 1 to 5 or unranked and alphabetized by artist. Higher-ranked albums receive extra points, which are used for breaking ties. Points for ranked lists are as follows: 1: 2.0; 2: 1.6; 3: 1.4; 4: 1.2, 5: 1.0. Each album on an unranked list is given 1.0 points.

The totals are sorted first by the number of votes, then by points, which are used to break ties between albums that received the same number of votes. The two bold numbers at the end of each line are first points then (in parentheses) votes. In 2025, we changed the sort rule. In previous years it was points first, then votes as a tiebreaker. But, for now at least, we have kept the same format: points, then in parentheses votes. The change was made to not penalize voters who prefer to submit unranked lists. But a high ratio of points to votes still suggests that critics who know the record regard it highly.

Some entries may have footnotes, which follow the list. There is also a Notes section at the bottom of the page.

Albums are eligible here if any of the music was recorded more than ten years ago (before Jan. 1, 2015), or if any more recent music was previously released and is reissued. (See Album Notes for details on special cases. Reality doesn't always fit neatly into our category schemes.) New jazz albums -- recorded in or since 2015 -- are evaluated in the New Jazz Albums category.

Final totals, sorted by votes (in parentheses) and points (the number before the votes). The arrow at the end of the line is a link to a list of all of the voters who voted for that album.

1. Charles Mingus, Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts (1977, Resonance) 42.4 (28) →
2. Freddie Hubbard, On Fire: Live From the Blue Morocco (1967, Resonance) 33.2 (25) →
3. Kenny Dorham, Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live From the Blue Morocco (1957, Resonance) 24 (18) →
4. Irène Schweizer - Rüdiger Carl - Johnny Dyani - Han Bennink, Irène's Hot Four (1981, Intakt) 17.8 (11) →
5. Music Inc. [Charles Tolliver - Stanley Cowell - Cecil McBee - Jimmy Hopps], Live at Slugs' Volume I & II (1970, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 14 (10) →
6. Anthony Braxton, Quartet (England) 1985 (Burning Ambulance) 13 (8) →
7. Jimmy Lyons, Live From Studio Rivbea: 1974 & 1976 (NoBusiness) 11 (8) →
8. Sun Ra, Nuits De La Fondation Maeght (1970, Strut) 10.8 (8) →
9. Ella Fitzgerald, The Moment of Truth: Ella at the Coliseum (1967, Verve) 9.8 (7) →
10. Stanley Cowell, Musa: Ancestral Streams (1974, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 9 (6) →
Ryan Truesdell, Gil Evans Project Live at Jazz Standard, Vol. 2 (2014, Outside In Music) 8.8 (6) → :: Includes 1 (1) from New Jazz Albums (recorded 2014)
12. Kenny Burrell With Art Blakey, On View at the Five Spot Café: The Complete Masters (1959, Blue Note) 8.6 (6) →
13. John Surman, Flashpoints and Undercurrents (1969, Cuneiform) 6.4 (6) →
14. Keith Jarrett, New Vienna (2016, ECM) 8.6 (5) →
15. McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs' (1966, Blue Note '24) 8 (5) →
16. James Moody, 80 Years Young: Live at the Blue Note March 26, 2005 (Origin) 7.6 (5) →
17. Tim Berne's Snakeoil, Snakeoil OK (2013, Screwgun) 7.4 (5) →
18. Dave Burrell & Sam Woodyard, The Lost Session: Paris 1979 (NoBusiness) 7.4 (5) →
19. Frank Kimbrough, The Call (2010, Sunnyside) 6.6 (5) →
20. William Hooker, A Time Within: Live at the New York Jazz Museum, January 14, 1977 (Valley of Search) 6 (5) →
Bill Evans, Further Ahead: Live in Finland 1964-1969 (Elemental Music) 5.8 (5) →
22. Ray Russell Quartet, The Complete Spontaneous Event: Live 1967-1969 (Jazz in Britain) 6 (4) →
23. Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley, Flashing Spirits (1988, Burning Ambulance) 5.6 (4) →
24. Pharaoh Sanders, Izipho Zam (My Gifts) (1973, Strata East/Mack Avenue) 5.4 (4) →
25. Joe Pass, Virtuoso (1973, Craft) 5.2 (4) →
26. Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Himself (1957, Craft) 4.8 (4) →
27. Chick Corea, Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 (1971, ECM) 4.6 (4) →
28. Michael Gregory Jackson, Frequency Equilibrium Koan (1977, Moved-by-Sound) 5.4 (3) →
29. Sun Ra, Uncharted Passages: New York Piano Soliloquies 1977-79 (Modern Marmonic) 4.8 (3) →
30. Thelonious Monk, With Sonny Rollins 1953 to 1957 Revisited (Ezz-Thetics) 4.4 (3) →
Wes Montgomery, The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960, Craft) 4.4 (3) →
31. Art Pepper, An Afternoon in Norway: The Kongsberg Concert (1980, Elemental Music) 4.4 (3) →
33. Sun Ra, Stray Voltage (1970s-80s, Modern Harmonic) 3.8 (3) →
34. Ellery Eskelin, Trio New York About (or On) First Visit (2011-13, Ezz-Thetics) 3.6 (3) →
35. Bennie Maupin, The Jewel in the Lotus (1974, ECM) 3.4 (3) →
36. Charles Mingus, Mingus at Monterey (1964, Candid) 3.4 (3) →
37. Michel Petrucciani Trio, Jazz Club Montmartre (1988, Storyville '24) 3.4 (3) →
38. Misha Mengelberg & Sabu Toyozumi, The Analects of Confucius (2000, NoBusiness) 3.2 (3) →
39. Keith Jarrett - Gary Peacock - Paul Motian, The Old Country: More From the Deer Head Inn (1992, ECM '24) 3 (3) →
40. Classic V-Disc Small Group Jazz Sessions (1943-49, Mosaic) 4 (2) →
Clifford Jordan, Glass Bead Games (1973, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 4 (2) →
41. Frank Zappa, Cheaper Than Cheep (1974, Zappa/UMe) 4 (2) →
43. Larry Stabbins - Keith Tippett - Louis Moholo-Moholo, Live in Foggia (1985, Ogun) 3.6 (2) →
44. Rashied Ali & Leroy Jenkins, Swift Are the Winds of Life [Expanded Edition] (1975, Survival) 3.4 (2) →
45. Paul Bley Trio, Floater & Syndrome: The Upright Piano Sessions Revisited (1962-63, Ezz-Thetics) 3 (2) →
46. Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions (1953-57, Mosaic '24) 3 (2) →
47. Mary Halvorson Quartet, John Zorn's Bagatelles: Vol. 1 (2019, Tzadik) 3 (2) →
48. Freddie Hubbard, Here to Stay (1962, Blue Note) 3 (2) →
49. Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra, Vol. 4: Jo Maka (1977, Souffle Continu) 3 (2) →
50. Kristen Noguès & John Surman, Diriaou (1998, Souffle Continu) 3 (2) →
Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia, Live at Leverkusen 1994 (Repertoire) 3 (2) →
52. Jaki Byard, Blues for Smoke (1960, Candid) 2.6 (2) →
53. Classic Vanguard Jazz Piano Sessions (1953-58, Mosaic) 2.6 (2) →
54. Manu Dibango, Dibango 82 (1982, We Want Sounds) 2.6 (2) →
55. Marian McPartland, At the Peninsula Library 1972 (Liberation Hall) 2.6 (2) →
56. A New Awakening: Adventures in British Jazz 1966-1971 (Strawberry) 2.6 (2) →
57. Emily Remler, Cookin' at the Queens: Live in Las Vegas 1984 & 1988 (Resonance '24) 2.6 (2) →
58. Sun Ra, On Jupiter (1979, Saturn/Strut) 2.6 (2) →
59. Charles Tolliver - Stanley Cowell - Cecil McBee - Jimmy Hopps, Music Inc. (1970, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 2.6 (2) →
60. George Colligan, Live at the Jazz Standard (2014, Whirlwind) 2.4 (2) →
Andrew Hill, Grass Roots (1968, Blue Note) 2.4 (2) →
61. Horace Tapscott's Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Live at Widney High December 26th, 1971 (The Village) 2.4 (2) →
63. Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris (1963, Blue Note) 2.2 (2) →
64. Noah Howard Quartet, Schizophrenic Blues: Live in Berlin (1977, Cien Fuegos) 2.2 (2) →
65. Steve Lacy Three, Live Lugano 1984 First Visit (Ezz-Thetics) 2.2 (2) →
66. Charlie Rouse, Two Is One (1974, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 2.2 (2) →
67. Blackbyds, City Life (1975, Craft/Jazz Dispensary) 2 (1) →
68. Peter Brötzmann - Jason Adasiewicz - Steve Noble - John Edwards, The Quartet: Cafe Oto, London, February, 10 & 11, 2023 (Otoroku) 2 (1) →
69. Marco Eneidi Quartet, Wheat Fields of Kleyehof (2004, Balance Point Acoustics) 2 (1) →
70. Bill Evans, In Norway: The Kongsberg Concert (1970, Elemental Music '24) 2 (1) →
Vince Guaraldi Trio, Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown (1964, Craft) 2 (1) →
71. Clifford Jordan Big Band, Play What You Feel (1990, Mapleshade/P-Vine) 2 (1) →
72. Red Norvo, World Broadcast Recordings (1944-45, Circle/Jazzology) 2 (1) →
73. Evan Parker, The Heraclitean Two-Step, Etc. (1994-2024, False Walls '24) 2 (1) →
74. The Piano Choir, Handscapes (1972, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 2 (1) →
75. Spiritual Jazz 18: Behind the Iron Curtain: Esoteric, Modal, and Progressive Jazz From Central and Eastern Europe (1962-1988) (Jazzman) 2 (1) →
76. Louis Stewart, I Thought About You (1977, Livia) 2 (1) →
77. Strata-East: The Legacy Begins (1968-75, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 2 (1) →
79. Peter Brötzmann Trio, Hurricane (2015, Old Heaven Books) 1.6 (1) →
80. Miles Davis Quintet, Miles in France 1963 & 1964 [The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8] (Columbia/Legacy '24) 1.6 (1) →
Fred Frith & Shelley Burgon, The Life and Behavior (2002-05, Relative Pitch) 1.6 (1) →
81. Dexter Gordon, Landslide (1961-62, Blue Note) 1.6 (1) →
82. Nancy Harrow, Wild Women Don't Have the Blues (1960, Candid) 1.6 (1) →
83. Joe Henderson, Multiple (1973, Craft) 1.6 (1) →
84. Joe Henderson, Our Thing to In 'n Out Revisited (1963-64, Ezz-Thetics) 1.6 (1) →
85. Bobby Hutcherson, Classic Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970 (Mosaic '24) 1.6 (1) →
86. Gerry Mulligan, Nocturne (1992, Red) 1.6 (1) →
87. Art Pepper, Geneva 1980 (Omnivore) 1.6 (1) →
88. Pharoah Sanders, The Complete Pharoah Sanders Theresa Recordings (1980-87, Mosaic) 1.6 (1) →
89. Soft Machine, Floating World Live [Remastered] (1975, MoonJune) 1.6 (1) →
Jack Wilkins, Opal (1983, CTI/King Japan) 1.6 (1) →
92. Geri Allen Trio, The Printmakers (1984, Minor Music '24) 1.4 (1) →
93. Jean-Jacques Avenel & Daunik Lazro, Duo: Bibliothèque De Massy 13 Novembre 1980 (Fou '24) 1.4 (1) →
94. David Binney, Grains of Light (2009-13, Mythology) 1.4 (1) →
95. Chick Corea - Christian McBride - Brian Blade, Trilogy 3 (Candid) 1.4 (1) →
96. Vince Guaraldi, It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! (Lee Mendelson Film Productions) 1.4 (1) →
97. The Jazz Crusaders, Freedom Sound (1961, Blue Note) 1.4 (1) →
98. Enrico Rava, Il Giro Del Giorno in Mondi 80 (1972, Eargong) 1.4 (1) →
99. Max Roach, We Insist: Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite (1960, Vinyl Me Please) 1.4 (1) →
100. Soft Machine, Drop [Remastered] (1971, MoonJune) 1.4 (1) →
To Live and Shave in L.A., The Wigmaker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg (1995-2000, Palilia) 1.4 (1) →
101. Kenny Wheeler, The Kenny Wheeler Big Band & Friends, Vol. 2 (1973-74, British Progressive Jazz) 1.4 (1) →
103. Albert Ayler Trio, Prophecy Live First Visit (1964, Ezz-Thetics) 1.2 (1) →
104. Charles Brackeen, Rhythm X (1968, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 1.2 (1) →
105. Anthony Braxton, B-X0 N0-47A (1969, BYG) 1.2 (1) →
106. Kenny Garrett, Sounds From the Ancestors (2021, Mack Avenue) 1.2 (1) →
107. Billy Harper, Capra Black (1973, Strata-East/Mack Avenue) 1.2 (1) →
108. Charles Kynard, Woga (1972, We Want Sounds) 1.2 (1) →
109. Soft Works, Abracadabra (2002, MoonJune) 1.2 (1) →
110. Tony Allen & La Bogotá Orquesta Afrobeat, La BOA Meets Tony Allen (2011, Comet) 1 (1) →
Bobby Bradford - Frode Gjerstad - William Roper - Alex Cline, Frice (Fundacja Słuchaj '24) 1 (1) →
111. Celia Cruz & Willie Colón, Celia Y Willie (1981, Craft) 1 (1) →
112. Walter Davis Jr, A Being Such as You (1979, Red) 1 (1) →
113. Green Cosmos, Abendmusiken (1981-82, Frederiksberg) 1 (1) →
114. Roy Haynes, Hip Ensemble (1971, We Want Sounds) 1 (1) →
115. John Hicks, Steadfast (1975, Strata-East/Mack Avneue) 1 (1) →
116. John Lee Hooker, The Charcot Sessions (1969, Good Time '24) 1 (1) →
117. Noah Howard Group, Berlin Concert (1975, Cien Fuegos) 1 (1) →
118. Roland Kirk Quartet, Domino (1963, MIG) 1 (1) →
119. Steve Lacy - Roswell Rudd - Kent Carter - Beaver Harris, Trickles (1976, Black Saint) 1 (1) →
Daunik Lazro - Tristan Honsinger - Jean-Jacques Avenel, True & Whole Rhythms Au Danois 9 Mai 1982 (Fou) 1 (1) →
120. Edison Machado & Boa Nova (1978, Far Out) 1 (1) →
121. Hank Mobley, Roll Call (1960, Blue Note) 1 (1) →
122. Wes Montgomery With the Wynton Kelly Trio, Smokin' in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966, Resonance) 1 (1) →
123. Gerry Mulligan & Thelonious Monk, Mulligan Meets Monk (1957, Craft) 1 (1) →
124. David "Fathead" Newman - Ellis Marsalis - Cornell Dupree, Return to the Wide Open Spaces (1990, Amazing/Steady Boy) 1 (1) →
125. Jeff Parker, The New Breed (2016, International Anthem) 1 (1) →
126. Manfred Schoof Ochestra, European Echoes (1969, FMP) 1 (1) →
127. Toshiyuki Sekine Trio, Strode Rode (1978, Craftman) 1 (1) →
128. Archie Shepp and the Full Moon Ensemble, The Complete Live at Antibes (1970, BYG/Actuel) 1 (1) →
Wayne Shorter, Introducing Wayne Shorter (1960, Craft) 1 (1) →
129. Tomasz Stanko Quartet, September Night (2004, ECM '24) 1 (1) →
130. Masayuki Takayanagi, Holy Holy (1985, Jinya Disc) 1 (1) →
131. Masayuki Takayanagi, Stardust (1979, Jinya Disc) 1 (1) →

Total albums receiving votes: 134 (up from 109 in 2024 Mid-Year). 14 were released in 2024.

Of the 113 critics voting, 25 (22.1%) did not vote for any Rara Avis albums. Of the 88 Rara Avis ballots (77.7%), 70 were ranked (79.5%), and 18 were unranked (20.4%). 53 voters (60.2%) selected the maximum 5 albums. Two ballots only listed 1 album; 10 had 2 albums; 12 had 3; 10 had 4.

Footnotes:

Notes

Albums that received votes here but belong in New Jazz Albums:

1. Keith Jarrett, New Vienna (2016, ECM) 8.6 (5) (recorded 2016)
2. Peter Brötzmann Trio, Hurricane (2015, Old Heaven Books) 1.6 (1) (recorded 2015)
3. Bobby Bradford - Frode Gjerstad - William Roper - Alex Cline, Frice (2022, Fundacja Słuchaj '24) 1 (1) (recorded 2022)
4. Chick Corea - Christian McBride - Brian Blade, Trilogy 3 (Candid) 1 (1) (recorded 2020).

Albums that received votes in New Jazz Albums but belong here:

1. Ryan Truesdell, Gil Evans Project Live at Jazz Standard, Vol. 2 (2014, Outside In Music) 1.1 (1) -- added 1 (1) here.

Voters are allowed to vote for any released from the previous year (2024, noted in the totals and ballots as '24). This is primarily intended to allow some consideration of late-breaking albums, but "late-breaking" and "new to me" are subjective terms, so we place no restrictions on the choice of previous year albums. In the year-end poll, we have a rule that allows, under limited circumstances, for votes in both years to be combined, but we do not use that rule in the mid-year poll. 14 albums released in 2024 received Rara Avis votes here.

It may be interesting to list the albums that received votes both in 2024 and in this mid-year 2025 poll. These are sorted by total votes, then by points.

1. McCoy Tyner & Joe Henderson, Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs' (1966, Blue Note '24) 91.6 (62) + 8 (5) = 99.6 (67)
2. Miles Davis Quintet, Miles in France 1963 & 1964 [The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8] (Columbia/Legacy '24) 41.2 (28) + 1.6 (1) = 42.8 (29)
3. Keith Jarrett - Gary Peacock - Paul Motian, The Old Country: More From the Deer Head Inn (1992, ECM '24) 31 (22) + 3 (3) = 34 (25)
4. Emily Remler, Cookin' at the Queens: Live in Las Vegas 1984 & 1988 (Resonance '24) 29.2 (23) + 2.6 (2) = 31.8 (25)
5. Bobby Hutcherson, Classic Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970 (Mosaic '24) 13.6 (9) + 1.6 (1) = 15.2 (10)
6. Tomasz Stanko Quartet, September Night (2004, ECM '24) 12.4 (9) + 1 (1) = 13.4 (10)
7. Bill Evans, In Norway: The Kongsberg Concert (1970, Elemental Music '24) 8.6 (7) + 2 (1) = 10.6 (8)
8. Michel Petrucciani Trio, Jazz Club Montmartre (1988, Storyville '24) 1 (1) + 3.4 (3) = 4.4 (4)

That left 6 albums released in 2024 but overlooked then. These are:

1. Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions (1953-57, Mosaic '24) 3 (2)
2. Evan Parker, The Heraclitean Two-Step, Etc. (1994-2024, False Walls '24) 2 (1)
3. Geri Allen Trio, The Printmakers (1984, Minor Music '24) 1.4 (1)
4. Jean-Jacques Avenel & Daunik Lazro, Duo: Bibliothèque De Massy 13 Novembre 1980 (Fou '24) 1.4 (1)
5. Bobby Bradford - Frode Gjerstad - William Roper - Alex Cline, Frice (Fundacja Słuchaj '24) 1 (1)
6. John Lee Hooker, The Charcot Sessions (1969, Good Time '24) 1 (1)