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…
Ambrose Akinmusire and Kris Davis perform in New York at Vision Festival, which ran May 23-28. Akinmusire’s Origami Harvest earned one of the few 5-star reviews in DownBeat during 2018.
(Photo: Eva Kapanadaze)
Stacey Kent issued I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions on OKeh.
(Photo: Diane Sagnier)JD Allen, Love Stone (Savant)
Big Heart Machine, Big Heart Machine (Outside In Music)
Quatuor Bozzini, Just So Another (Timbre)
Anouar Brahem, Blue Maqams (ECM)
John Butcher, The Catastrophe Of Minimalism (Balance Point Acoustics)
Emmet Cohen, Master Legacy Series, Volume 2 (Cellar Live)
Cortex, Avant-Garde Party Music (Clean Feed)
Roxy Coss, The Future Is Female (Posi-Tone)
Eddie Daniels, Heart Of Brazil: A Tribute To Egberto Gismonti (Resonance)
Josephine Davies’ Satori, In The Corners Of Clouds (Whirlwind)
Scott DuBois, Autumn Wind (ACT)
Kait Dunton, trioKAIT 2 (Real & Imagined)
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, The Luckiest Man (Stony Plain)
Sinne Eeg, Dreams (ArtistShare)
Román Filiú, Quarteria (Sunnyside)
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Echo In The Valley (Rounder)
Bill Frisell, Music IS (OKeh/Sony Masterworks)
Elliot Galvin, The Influencing Machine (Edition)
Fernando García, Guasábara Puerto Rico (Zoho)
Hilary Gardner/Ehud Asherie, The Late Set (Anzic)
Dayramir Gonzalez, The Grand Concourse (Machat)
Theo Hill, Interstellar Adventures (Posi-Tone)
Robert Hurst, Black Current Jam (Dot Time)
Jon Irabagon Quartet, Dr. Quixotic’s Traveling Exotics (Irabbagast)
Sherman Irby & Momentum, Cerulean Canvas (Black Warrior)
Lauren Kinhan, A Sleepin’ Bee (Dotted I)
Kreisberg/Veras, Kreisberg Meets Veras (New For Now)
Michael Leonhart Orch., The Painted Lady Suite (Sunnyside)
Christian Lillinger’s Grund, COR (Plaist)
Pete McCann, Pay For It On The Other Side (McCannic Music)
Gary Meek, Originals (Self Release)
Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret, The Other Side of Air (Firehouse 12)
Adi Meyerson, Where We Stand (A:M)
Miller/Staaf, Science Fair (Sunnyside)
Negroni’s Trio, New Era (Sony Music Latin)
Marius Neset, Circle Of Chimes (ACT)
Judy Niemack, New York Stories (Sunnyside)
Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity Trio, Live In Europe (Clean Feed)
Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra feat. Julia Oschewsky, Kopfkino (Mons)
Jure Pukl, Doubtless (Whirlwind)
Tom Rainey Obbligato, Float Upstream (Intakt)
Rempis/Daisy Duo, Dodecahedron (Aerophonic)
Rudd/Victor/Harris/Filiano, Embrace (RareNoise)
Jamie Saft, Solo A Genova (RareNoise)
Antonio Sanchez (featuring WDR Big Band), Channels Of Energy (CamJazz)
Scordatura Ensemble, Harmonium (New World)
Jen Shyu, Song Of Silver Geese (Pi)
Marc Sinan/Oguz Büyükberber, White (ECM)
Dr. Lonnie Smith, All In My Mind (Blue Note)
Subtle Degrees, A Dance That Empties (New Amsterdam)
Fay Victor’s SoundNoiseFUNK, Wet Robots (ESP-Disk’)
Elio Villafranca, Cinque (ArtistShare)
Kamasi Washington, Heaven And Earth (Young Turks)
Robbie Basho, Live In Forli, Italy 1982 (Obsolete/ESP-Disk’)
Alan Braufman, Valley Of Search (Valley of Search)
Sonny Clark Trio, The 1960 Time Sessions (Tompkins Square)
Fushitsusha, Live Black (Editions)
Beaver Harris/Don Pullen 360-Degree Experience, A Well Kept Secret (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
Isaac Hayes, The Spirit Of Memphis 1962–1976 (Craft)
Helen Humes, The Helen Humes Collection, 1927–’62 (Acrobat)
Khan Jamal’s Creative Arts Ensemble, Drum Dance To TheMotherland (Eremite)
Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette, After The Fall (ECM)
Fela Kuti, Yellow Fever (Knitting Factory)
Fela Kuti, JJD (Johnny Just Drop!) Live! At Kalakuta Republik (Knitting Factory)
Sun Ra, Discipline 27-II (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
Herman Schoonderwalt, The Winner (Nederlands Jazz Archief)
Lester Bowie, Numbers 1 & 2 (Nessa)
Various Artists, Voices Of Mississippi (Dust To Digital)
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.
Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
Galper was often regarded as an underrated master of his craft.
Jul 22, 2025 10:58 AM
Hal Galper, a pianist, composer and arranger who enjoyed a substantial performing career but made perhaps a deeper…
Chuck Mangione on the cover of the May 8, 1975, edition of DownBeat.
Jul 29, 2025 1:00 PM
Chuck Mangione, one of the most popular trumpeters in jazz history, passed away on July 24 at home in Rochester, New…
“Hamiet was one of the most underrated musicians ever,” says Whitaker of baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett.
Jul 8, 2025 7:30 AM
At 56, Rodney Whitaker, professor of jazz bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University, is equally…
Jul 17, 2025 11:35 AM
The DownBeat Critics Poll provides a wonderful snapshot of the jazz scene today, with much to explore and many great…
