By Tom Hull

In recent years, the category has been dominated by Cécile McLorin Salvant, who won handily again this year, her seventh time, one for each of her albums.

Cecile McLorin Salvant at Newport Jazz in 2025. Photo: Paul Robicheau

Francis Davis established the Vocal category as part of the first (2006) poll. As he explained at the time, “given the indifference if not contempt, many critics feel toward singers, they needed their own category.” He included singer Theo Bleckmann and poet Robert Creeley in his top-ten that year. Nancy King won. His top 2007 pick was Abbey Lincoln, who won the category and finished 10th overall.

In recent years, the category has been dominated by Cécile McLorin Salvant, who won handily again this year, her seventh time, one for each of her albums. She doubled the vote count of newcomer Tyreek McDole, with Sara Serpa coming in third.

Voters were asked to list up to three Vocal Jazz albums in addition to any top-ten albums they regarded as Vocal Jazz. They were given no guidelines as to what qualified in this category, or how it should be evaluated. Some chose standards singers, some singer-songwriters, some favored art songs, others preferred pop or blues, some considered spoken word and some didn’t. Some picked albums led by instrumental players that had significant vocals. Many didn’t pick any albums at all (63 voters, or 23.7% of total).

There is no point system, so totals are sorted by votes. The top 15, down to a 10-way tie with 4 votes, are:

1. Cécile McLorin Salvant, Oh Snap (Nonesuch) 34
2. Tyreek McDole, Open Up Your Senses (Artworks) 17
3. Sara Serpa & Matt Mitchell, End of Something (Obliquity) 14
4. Tessa Souter, Shadows and Silence: The Erik Satie Project (Noanara Music) 10
5. Kenny Barron, Songbook (Artwork) 9
6. Theo Bleckmann, Love and Anger (Sunnyside) 8
7. Dee Dee Bridgewater + Bill Charlap, Elemental (Mack Avenue) 8
8. Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell, We Insist 2025! (Candid) 7
9. Lena Bloch & Kyoko Kitamura, Marina (Fresh Sound New Talent) 4
10. Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Dawn (Stretch) 4
11. Kurt Elling & Christian Sands, Wildflowers Vol. 3 (Big Shoulders) 4
12. Nnenna Freelon, Beneath the Skin (Origin) 4
13. Sheila Jordan With Roni Ben-Hur & Harvie S, Portrait Now (Dot Time) 4
14. Ingrid Laubrock, Purposing the Air (Pyroclastic) 4
15. Amina Claudine Myers, Solace of the Mind (Red Hook) 4

A total of 120 albums received votes: 5 got 3, 14 got 2, and 85 only got 1 vote (70.8%). The full list is here.

Two singers were listed second (Kyoko Kitamura and Christie Dashiell). Two albums by instrumentalists used multiple singers: Kenny Barron (Salvant, McDole, Jean Baylor, Ann Hampton Callaway Ekep Nkwelle, Catherine Russell, Kavita Shaw) and Ingrid Laubrock (Serpa, Bleckmann, Fay Victor, Rachel Calloway). The Myers album is mostly solo piano, but she talks/sings on one track with organ. Her album received 36 top-ten votes (5th place), but only 3 of those voters (plus 1 other) picked her album for Vocal.

Salvant received 8 top-ten votes. While she continues to dominate this category, that’s the fewest top-ten votes she’s received for any of her seven albums. Aside from Myers and Barron (5), none of the others got more than 3 top-ten votes (Bridgewater, Carrington & Dashiel, and Souter). McDole had 2 top-ten votes, and also placed 3rd in Debut with 17 votes.

Notes