Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
DownBeat’s 73rd Annual Critics Poll: One for the Record Books
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
Davis founded Pyroclastic Records in 2016.
(Photo: Caroline Mardok)Pianist and composer Kris Davis will present the Pyroclastic Records Festival Jan. 13–14 during the New York Winter JazzFest. Performances will take place at The Jazz Gallery, 1158 Broadway, fifth floor, in New York City.
On Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m., bassist Chris Lightcap’s Superette Deluxe with guitarists Steve Cardenas and Luca Benedetti, keyboardist Brian Marsella and drummer Dan Rieser will perform. Later that evening, at 9:30 p.m., the festival will present the Mary Halvorson (guitar)/Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Duo Searching for the Disappeared Hour. Pianist Craig Taborn will play a Friday-night solo set starting at 11 p.m.
Bassist Eric Revis’ quintet Slipknots Through a Looking Glass with pianist Kris Davis, drummer Chad and saxophonists Darius Jones and Bill McHenry will kick off the Saturday night portion of the fest with a 7:30 p.m. performance. Patricia Brennan More Touch (Brennan, vibraphone, marimba; Kim Cass, bass; Mauricio Herrera, percussion; Marcus Gilmore, drums) will take the stage at 9:30 p.m.
Davis founded Pyroclastic Records in 2016 to support artists in the dissemination of their work by empowering emerging and established artists to challenge conventional genre-labeling within their fields. The label supports diversity and expanding the audience for noncommercial art. This year, Pyroclastic plans to release albums by Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Mark Dresser, Sylvie Courvoisier and Cory Smythe, Brandon Seabrook and Angelica Sanchez, among others.
For more information, visit jazzgallery.org or pyroclasticrecords.com. DB
James Brandon Lewis earned honors for Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Three of his recordings placed in the Albums of the Year category.
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