Apr 11, 2023 10:47 AM
Brad Mehldau Tells His Story
At the tail end of 2022, Brad Mehldau took advantage of a New York sojourn to play piano with old friends at Smalls…
Cécile McLorin Salvant performs at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 3.
(Photo: Adam McCullough)Singer-songwriter Cécile McLorin Salvant is among the artists who topped multiple categories in the 2019 DownBeat International Critcs Poll, winning Jazz Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. She has generated tremendous acclaim for her 2018 duo album, The Window (Mack Avenue), which she recorded with Sullivan Fortner, who is also the winner in two Critics Poll categories: Rising Star–Jazz Artist and Rising Star–Piano.
The complete results of the Critics Poll are published in the August issue of DownBeat, and a list of all the winners is below.
In the August cover story, Salvant addresses some misconceptions that observers have had regarding her repertoire. “Quite a few people see me as sort of a traditionalist or somebody who’s really looking back,” Salvant explained. “They ask why I’m so attracted to songs from the past and less about what I’m dealing with in terms of identity and what it means to be a human being and what it means to be a woman and those things I’m interested in.”
She also shared with DownBeat details about her a current project, the theatrical song cycle Ogresse, which is a collaboration with arranger/conductor Darcy James Argue and a 13-piece chamber ensemble.
Topping the Jazz Album of the Year category of the Critics Poll is saxophonist Wayne Shorter with Emanon (Blue Note), the ambitious project he recorded with his namesake quartet and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
DownBeat critics apparently were in accord with The Recording Academy, which in February presented Salvant with a Grammy in the category Best Jazz Vocal Album (for The Window) and gave Shorter a Grammy in the category Best Jazz Instrumental Album (for Emanon).
Other winners in the Critics Poll include Kurt Elling (Male Vocalist), Kenny Barron (Piano), Mary Halvorson (Guitar), Jane Ira Bloom (Soprano Saxophone), Miguel Zenón (Alto Saxophone), Miles Okazaki (Rising Star–Guitar), Allison Miller (Rising Star–Drums) and Joel Ross (Rising Star–Vibraphone).
Jazz icon Joey DeFrancesco topped the Organ category, and his collaboration with rock legend Van Morrison, You’re Driving Me Crazy (Legacy), was voted Beyond Album of the Year.
Anat Cohen topped the Clarinet category, and her namesake tentet was voted the winner of the category Rising Star–Big Band.
The Historical Album of the Year is John Coltrane’s Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album (Impulse!), which the saxophonist recorded with his quartet on March 6, 1963, in the studio of famed recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
The Blues Album of the Year is The Blues Is Alive And Well (RCA), by guitarist/vocalist Buddy Guy, who was voted the winner in the Blues Artist or Group category.
The Critics Poll also resulted in three inductions into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. Joining the elite club are pianist-vocalist-composer Nina Simone (1933–2003), and two disparate artists who were voted in via the DownBeat Veterans Committee. Innovative bassist Scott LaFaro (1936–’61) made a big impact in the jazz world during a far-too-brief career. In contrast, blues-influenced jazz vocalist Joe Williams (1918–’99) enjoyed a lengthy career that included a famous stint with the Count Basie Orchestra. All three Hall of Fame inductees are profiled in the August issue.
The complete list of winners is below. (Subscribe to DownBeat.) DB
(This article was updated July 1.)
2019 DownBeat Critics Poll
Hall of Fame: Scott LaFaro
Hall of Fame: Nina Simone
Hall of Fame: Joe Williams
Jazz Artist: Cécile McLorin Salvant
Jazz Album: Wayne Shorter, Emanon (Blue Note)
Historical Album: John Coltrane, Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album (Impulse!)
Jazz Group: Fred Hersch Trio
Big Band: Maria Schneider Orchestra
Trumpet: Ambrose Akinmusire
Trombone: Steve Turre
Soprano Saxophone: Jane Ira Bloom
Alto Saxophone: Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophone: Joe Lovano
Baritone Saxophone: Gary Smulyan
Clarinet: Anat Cohen
Flute: Nicole Mitchell
Piano: Kenny Barron
Keyboard: Robert Glasper
Organ: Joey DeFrancesco
Bass: Christian McBride
Electric Bass: Steve Swallow
Violin: Regina Carter
Drums: Brian Blade
Percussion: Hamid Drake
Vibraphone: Stefon Harris
Miscellaneous Instrument: Tomeka Reid (cello)
Female Vocalist: Cécile McLorin Salvant
Male Vocalist: Kurt Elling
Composer: Maria Schneider
Arranger: Maria Schneider
Record Label: ECM
Producer: Manfred Eicher
Blues Artist or Group: Buddy Guy
Blues Album: Buddy Guy, The Blues Is Alive And Well (RCA)
Beyond Artist or Group: Rhiannon Giddens
Beyond Album: Van Morrison & Joey DeFrancesco, You’re Driving Me Crazy (Legacy)
Rising Star Categories
Rising Star–Jazz Artist: Sullivan Fortner
Rising Star–Jazz Group: Sons of Kemet
Rising Star–Big Band: Anat Cohen Tentet
Rising Star–Trumpet: Adam O’Farrill
Rising Star–Trombone: Natalie Cressman
Rising Star–Soprano Saxophone: Tineke Postma
Rising Star–Alto Saxophone: Darius Jones
Rising Star–Tenor Saxophone: Dayna Stephens
Rising Star–Baritone Saxophone: Lauren Sevian
Rising Star–Clarinet: Shabaka Hutchings
Rising Star–Flute: Orlando “Maraca” Valle
Rising Star–Piano: Sullivan Fortner
Rising Star–Keyboard: Kit Downes
Rising Star–Organ: Kit Downes
Rising Star–Guitar: Miles Okazaki
Rising Star–Bass: Dezron Douglas
Rising Star–Electric Bass: Felix Pastorius
Rising Star–Violin: Aaron Weinstein
Rising Star–Drums: Allison Miller
Rising Star–Percussion: Warren Smith
Rising Star–Vibraphone: Joel Ross
Rising Star–Miscellaneous Instrument: Theon Cross (tuba)
Rising Star–Female Vocalist: Sara Serpa
Rising Star–Male Vocalist: Jacob Collier
Rising Star–Composer: Kamasi Washington
Rising Star–Arranger: Kamasi Washington
Rising Star–Producer: Ambrose Akinmusire
“Perhaps that’s a key to what makes me tick — a very strong curiosity, which makes me a perpetual fanboy of whatever I’m discovering,” Mehldau says.
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