Apr 8, 2025 1:23 PM
Blue Note Jazz Festival New York Posts 2025 Lineup
Blue Note Entertainment Group has unveiled the lineup for the 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York, featuring…
Jon Batiste, the critics’ choice for Jazz Artist and Beyond Artist of the Year as well as Beyond Album of the Year.
(Photo: Stu Brinin)The 70th Annual DownBeat International Critics Poll has made history with pianist Jon Batiste being the first artist to ever be named Jazz Artist and Beyond Artist of the Year. We Are, Batiste’s award-winning album, was also named Beyond Album of the Year.
“I moved to New York as a teenager to play jazz, like the late, great Christopher ‘Biggie Smalls’ Wallace said: ‘It was all a dream, I used to read DownBeat magazine,’” Batiste said on social media. “So now, to be named as both Jazz Artist and Beyond Artist of the Year by DownBeat is one of the most incredible honors I’ve ever received. The recognition and continued success of the We Are album has been astounding. It’s good to know that our goal of breaking down barriers and expanding the art form is resonating.”
The poll, published in DownBeat’s August 2022 issue, featured plenty of other pleasant surprises, too, with the late Geri Allen being inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. James Brandon Lewis’ Red Lily Quintet delivered Jessup Wagon (Tao Forms), the critics’ choice for Album of the Year. And John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle was named Historical Jazz Album of the Year.
The complete list of winners can be found below. The complete collectors issue of the poll can be purchased HERE. DB
2022 DownBeat Critics Poll Winners
Jazz Artist of the Year: Jon Batiste
Hall of Fame: Geri Allen
Jazz Album: James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, Jessup Wagon (Tao Forms)
Historical Jazz Album: John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle (Impulse!)
Jazz Group: Charles Lloyd & the Marvels
Large Jazz Ensemble: Maria Schneider Orchestra
Trumpet: Ambrose Akinmusire
Trombone: Michael Dease
Soprano Saxophone: Jane Ira Bloom
Alto Saxophone: Kenny Garrett
Tenor Saxophone: Charles Lloyd
Baritone Saxophone: Gary Smulyan
Clarinet: Anat Cohen
Flute: Nicole Mitchell
Piano: Kris Davis
Keyboard: Herbie Hancock
Organ: Joey DeFrancesco
Guitar: Mary Halvorson
Bass: Ron Carter
Electric Bass: Steve Swallow
Violin: Regina Carter
Drums: Brian Blade
Percussion: Hamid Drake
Vibraphone: Joel Ross
Miscellaneous Instrument: Tomeka Reid (cello)
Female Vocalist: Cécile McLoren Salvant
Male Vocalist: Kurt Elling
Composer: Maria Schneider
Arranger: Maria Schneider
Record Label: Blue Note
Producer: Zev Feldman
Blues Artist or Group: Shemekia Copeland
Blues Album: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, 662 (Alligator)
Beyond Artist or Group: Jon Batiste
Beyond Album: Jon Batiste, We Are (Verve)
Rising Star Winners
Rising Star–Jazz Artist: Melissa Aldana
Rising Star–Jazz Group: James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet
Rising Star–Large Ensemble: Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band
Rising Star–Trumpet: Theo Croker
Rising Star–Trombone: Alan Ferber
Rising Star–Soprano Saxophone: Roxy Coss
Rising Star–Alto Saxophone: Immanuel Wilkins
Rising Star–Tenor Saxophone: Noah Preminger
Rising Star–Baritone Saxophone: Mikko Innanen
Rising Star–Clarinet: Rebecca Trescher
Rising Star–Flute: Logan Richardson
Rising Star–Piano: Emmet Cohen
Rising Star–Keyboards: James Francies
Rising Star–Organ: Delvon Lamar
Rising Star–Guitar: Gilad Hekselman
Rising Star–Bass: Reuben Rogers
Rising Star–Electric Bass: Lisa Dowling
Rising Star–Violin: Macie Stewart
Rising Star–Drums: Jonathan Blake
Rising Star–Percussion: Kate Gentile
Rising Star–Vibraphone: Patricia Brennan
Rising Star–Miscellaneous Instrument: Hank Roberts (cello)
Rising Star–Female Vocalist: Camila Meza
Rising Star–Male Vocalist: Ben Williams
Rising Star–Composer: JD Allen
Rising Star–Arranger: Miho Hazama
Rising Star–Producer: Willie Jones III
The Blue Note Jazz Festival New York kicks off May 27 with a James Moody 100th Birthday Celebration at Sony Hall.
Apr 8, 2025 1:23 PM
Blue Note Entertainment Group has unveiled the lineup for the 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York, featuring…
“I’m certainly influenced by Geri Allen,” said Iverson, during a live Blindfold Test at the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival.
Apr 15, 2025 11:44 AM
Between last Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Ethan Iverson performed as part of the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival in…
“At the end of the day, once you’ve run out of differences, we’re left with similarities,” Collier says. “Cultural differences are mitigated through 12 notes.”
Apr 15, 2025 11:55 AM
DownBeat has a long association with the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, the premiere…
“It kind of slows down, but it’s still kind of productive in a way, because you have something that you can be inspired by,” Andy Bey said on a 2019 episode of NPR Jazz Night in America, when he was 80. “The music is always inspiring.”
Apr 29, 2025 11:53 AM
Singer Andy Bey, who illuminated the jazz scene for five decades with a four-octave range that encompassed a bellowing…
Davis was a two-time Grammy winner for liner notes.
Apr 22, 2025 11:50 AM
Francis Davis, an august jazz and cultural critic who won both awards and esteem in print, film and radio, died April…
