Tom Hull
Tyshawn Sorey tops the Frances Davis Jazz Poll at mid-year, spurring a reflection on signal vs. noise in a crowded jazz landscape.
Fitting the past into the present: the year (so far) in rara avis (reissues/archival)
Onwards for an invaluable poll from a community of critics that gives us a map to an expansive world of jazz to explore — with hints at terra incognita.
This was one of the closest New Jazz Albums contests ever.
Since 2014, the category has been dominated by previously unreleased music, mostly live shots.
While the intent of this category was to prod critics into exploring Latin Jazz, it has been dominated by a small number of artists.
It takes a peculiar combination of talent and luck to win this category. By luck, I mean getting your one-and-only shot at a debut album enough promotion to be recognized.
By far, the hardest part of this job is rounding up voters.
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.
The Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll at Mid-Year: Warming Up a Riff — How It Happened, and Why It Matters
Few things more clearly attest to the endurance of the human spirit and the drive for creativity than the uninterrupted and unstoppable torrent of brilliant new jazz albums we’ve already seen this year.
Read More about The Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll at Mid-Year: Warming Up a Riff — How It Happened, and Why It Matters