The 21st Annual
Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll:
2026 Mid-Year

Ballot 2026 Mid-Year

Stewart Smith (The Wire, We Jazz, Bandcamp Daily, The Quietus)

NEW JAZZ ALBUMS

  1. DoYeon Kim, Wellspring (TAO Forms) →
  2. أحمد [Ahmed], Play Monk (Otoroku) →
  3. Tyshawn Sorey, Members . . . Don't! (Pi) →
  4. The Tomeka Reid Quartet, Dance! Skip! Hop! (Out of Your Head) →
  5. Phillip Golub, Partisan Ship (Berthold) →
  6. Pat Thomas & XT, Strata, Act (Joy Contemporary) (We Jazz) →
  7. Mariá Portugal - Emilio Gordoa - Burkhard Beins, Erosão Percussion Trio (Kassiani/Fun in the Church) →
  8. @xcrswx, Moodboard (Feedback Moves '25) →
  9. Ambrose Akinmusire & Mary Halvorson, Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings (Nonesuch) →
  10. Rodrigo Amado This Is Our Language Quartet, Wailers (European Echoes) →

RARA AVIS (REISSUES/ARCHIVAL)

  1. Hans Reichel, Dalbergia Retusa (1973-88, Black Truffle) →
  2. Art Ensemble of Chicago, People in Sorrow (1969, Play Loud!) →
  3. Julius Hemphill, Dogon A.D. (1972, New World) →
  4. Noah Howard, The Black Ark (1969, Superior Viaduct) →
  5. Charles Tyler Ensemble, Voyage From Jericho (1974, Frederiksberg) →