The 21st Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2026 Mid-Year
Past Polls Index
New Albums Rara Avis
Critics
Acquaro - CatarinoCebulski - FinneyFreeman - HoffHovan - LorraiLuen - PiccirilliPick - VargaWatson - Yokoi

Ballot 2026 Mid-Year

Prev[Acquaro - Catarino] · [Cebulski - Finney] · [Freeman - Hoff] · [Hovan - Lorrai] · [Luen - Piccirilli] · [Pick - Varga] · [Watson - Yokoi]Next

Ted Panken (DownBeat, JazzTimes, Today Is the Question, Round 2)

NEW JAZZ ALBUMS

  1. Brian Lynch, Torch Bearers (Holistic MusicWorks) →
  2. Jason Moran, Plays Duke Ellington (Yes) →
  3. Tyshawn Sorey, Members . . . Don't! (Pi) →
  4. Kenny Barron, Songbook (Artwork '25) →
  5. Helen Sung Big Band, Oracles (Sunnyside) →
  6. Virginia MacDonald, In Search Of . . . (Cellar) →
  7. Gregory Hutchinson, Kind of Now: The Pulse of Miles Davis (Warner) →
  8. Caroline Davis, Fallows (Ropeadope) →
  9. Kemuel Roig, 3Discovery (Life in Music) →
  10. Maria Pia De Vito, Buarqueana (Parco Della Musica '25) →

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. James Emery & Anthony Braxton, Articulations, Florence, 1992 (self-released) →
  2. Kenny Barron - Ray Drummond - Ben Riley, So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon (1995, Elemental Music) →
  3. Art Blakey, Kongsberg, 1976 (Elemental Music) →
  4. Yusef Lateef, Alight Upon the Lake: Live at the Jazz Showcase (1975, Resonance) →
  5. Pierre Favre Trio, Bird Food (1968, Songs) →

Note: Unconfirmed albums: Emery & Braxton, Blakey. Panken wrote: "I would like the #1 selection in both sections to be ranked, and the remainder (2-10 in New Jazz or 2-5 in Rara Avis) unranked."

 

Prev[Acquaro - Catarino] · [Cebulski - Finney] · [Freeman - Hoff] · [Hovan - Lorrai] · [Luen - Piccirilli] · [Pick - Varga] · [Watson - Yokoi]Next