#^d 2015-08-05 #^h Downbeat Reader's Poll

Downbeat sent me a couple pieces of mail asking me to vote in their Readers Poll, but without clear instructions. Google shows the SurveyMonkey URI to be here. (By all means, follow it and vote. I think the deadline is August 12. FYI, Tim Niland also posted his ballot here.) I voted in their Critics Poll back in April. That's a more complex ballot -- main difference is that we were asked to identify Rising Stars in each category -- and I tried to think of that task as a critic. For the Readers Poll, I figure I just have to be a fan. I also figure there are more people voting, and it probably won't do any good to write names in. I also intend to go fast: to look nothing up, to write no comments. The only thing slow I'm doing is to keep the following list. The first one listed is the one I voted for. Others are possible choices I picked out in scanning the list (in alphabetical, not rank, order). "NOB" means not on ballot: I'm not trying to suggest names for the ballot, but sometimes a name occurs to me that I might have voted for but wasn't on the ballot. Since the ballots typically have 30-60 names, such omissions are especially egregious. The alternates fade out past percussion -- it was getting late, and I don't think much about categories like Composer or Arranger (or Blues Album).

Full album ballot breakdowns follow the fold.

Downbeat published their Critics Poll results in their August issue. Good year for the Indian-Americans with Vijay Iyer winning Jazz Artist and Jazz Group and Rudresh Mahanthappa on top of the album chart. (Iyer finished 4th at piano, behind Kenny Barron, Jason Moran, and Fred Hersch, but ahead of guys named Corea, Hancock, and Jarrett. Mahanthappa won at alto sax, ahead of Kenny Garrett and two Colemans.) I'm not a fan of Bird Calls, and voted for neither of them, but they've done a lot of outstanding work, some together and most separately.

Lee Konitz finally won the Hall of Fame vote. He's been in the top 3-4 spots as long as I can recall, but people keep dying and getting a sympathy (or consciousness) bounce ahead of him. I've voted for him every year so far I could. My runner up pick, the late George Russell, is down in 18th, so I despair of him ever getting in. The Veterans Committee added Muddy Waters, which gives you an idea of how poorly populated their blues wing is -- even having recently added Robert Johnson (VC-2013), Dinah Washington (VC-2014), and B.B. King (R-2014). (Among those still missing: Big Bill Broonzy, Tampa Red, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Minnie. T-Bone Walker got some VC votes but fell short, as did Eubie Blake and Herbie Nichols.)

The win I least fathom is Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), big margin over Dave Douglas and Wadada Leo Smith. There used to be a big edge in this poll for artists on major labels, especially Blue Note. You see hints of this elsewhere: Joe Lovano and Charles Lloyd finished 1-2 in tenor sax, but that doesn't raise any eyebrows. Nor does Jason Moran at 2nd in piano (1st was Kenny Barron, on Impulse, a duo album with number 2 bassist Dave Holland). On the other hand, Robert Glasper won keyboard (ok, a weak/wobbly category), Gregory Porter topped male vocalist (with José James 4th), and Brian Blade knocked off Jack DeJohnette in drums. Blue Note did lose top label to ECM (with Iyer, Lloyd until recently, Jarrett, DeJohnette, and a lot of Europeans that American critics never vote for). Given that Blue Note and ECM only send me links, I may not be as appreciative as other critics, but I also suspect there's more to it than the publicist schmoozing. Downbeat's critics do like to stay in a comfortable mainstream: for evidence, let me point to a couple former-Verve artists who have won many polls and still do well: Kenny Garrett (2 in alto saxophone), and Christian McBride (1 in bass).

Downbeat's Rising Star divisions are always problematical in that there's no hard/fast rules for who is eligible vs. who has risen (or established that they haven't). For instance, Khan Jamal came in 3rd as Rising Star in vibraphone: he's older than I am, cut his first album in 1972 (Sounds of Liberation, a terrific album Porter reissued in 2010), and hasn't had a record out since 2009 (on SteepleChase, a Danish label no one gets). I recall being impressed by him on a couple of Matthew Shipp's Blue Series records, but I've never heard any of his own records (Wikipedia lists 18). As I recall, Sam Most was listed as a Rising Star into his 80s, even though he literally invented bebop flute in the 1950s (i.e., before Herbie Mann, or any other jazz musician you've ever heard of playing flute).

Of course, those are categories where you're always scrambling for names. The major categories are more meaningful: Kirk Knuffke won trumpet (Peter Evans 3rd, Taylor Ho Bynum 5th, Amir ElSaffar 7th); Ryan Keberle trombone (Joe Fiedler 5th, Jacob Garchik 6th); Steve Lehman alto sax (Darius Jones 2nd, Matana Roberts 4th, Mike DiRubbo 9th, Dave Rempis 12th); Chris Speed clarinet (Oscar Noriega 2nd); David Virelles piano (Kris Davis 2nd); Tyshawn Sorey drums (Paal Nilssen-Love 10th). Lehman, by the way, also won artist, and his album, Mise En Abime, came in 2nd. On the other hand Concord topped two major categories with artists who haven't impressed me yet: Ben Williams (bass, beating Eric Revis) and Melissa Aldana (tenor sax, ahead of Marcus Strickland). As I've said, it's tough to fill out these ballots.

On the other hand, a few people won whose names have yet to register in my memory (assuming I've run across them at all: Erica von Kleist (flute), Giovanni Hidalgo (percussion), Allan Harris (male vocalist). That happens, especially in the minor categories. I might have added Michael Blum (guitar) to that list, but he sent me his first album (a low B+) with a personal cover letter asking me to vote for him. He's not the only one who ever did that, but somehow he won a 96-69 landslide -- with 5 points max he managed to get at least 20 out of 141 critics to vote for him. (That he bought a full-page ad to congratulate himself couldn't possibly have had any influence?)

The thing is, consider his competition: the top ten guitarists he beat were Lage Lund (5 albums + 2 as OWL Trio), Jakob Bro (10 albums, his latest on ECM), Joel Harrison (16 albums), Liberty Ellman (4 albums, important side credits), Jonathan Kreisberg (10 albums), Paul Bollenback (8 albums), Gilad Hekselman (4 albums), Matthew Stevens (3 albums, Christian Scott), Adam Rogers (8 albums, Chris Potter), Jeff Parker (5 albums, nearly every Chicago avant group since 1994 that needed a guitarist); the next nine include Will Bernard, Brandon Seabrook, Raoul Björkenheim, and Nguyên Lê -- I voted for Björkenheim and two guys who didn't place in the top 20: Samo Salamon and Anders Nilsson, and I noted as candidates: Scott DuBois, Nir Felder, Gordon Grdina, Ross Hammond, Eric Hofbauer, Luis Lopes, Jon Lundbom, Pete McCann, Terrence McManus, Michael Musillami, Miles Okazaki, Mark O'Leary, Kevin O'Neil, Jacob Young, and a bunch of older guys who weren't on either ballot (like Marc Ducret, Dom Minasi, Brad Shepik, Ulf Wakenius, and a dozen more).

Blum, by the way, has a second album out, which I like about as much as the first. I'd say he's roughly on a level with Andy Brown and Joe Cohn -- has some traits of each, and since he sings some on the second album, maybe he aspires to someone like John Pizzarelli (although he's nowhere near the singer). Those are all guys who make albums I rather like, so I don't mean to be insulting, but none of those names made it to the previous paragraph.


#^b

Jazz album ballot sorted by grade: Breakdown: A: 1; A-: 13; B+(***): 26; B+(**): 32; B+(*): 24; B: 8; B-: 4; C+: 0; C: 1; unheard/unrated: 90; total graded: 109 (54.7%). The high percentage of things I haven't heard (45.3%) is personally disturbing -- especially given that about two-thirds of those (58 by rough count) are on labels that I used to get regularly. (Almost by definition, in order to show up on Downbeat you have to be on a well-promoted label.) There's probably a slight positive correlation on the grade breakdown, but the intersection of their ballot and my list isn't much better than random.

A
  • Steve Lehman Octet, Mise En Abime (Pi)
A-
  • Bobby Avey, Authority Melts From Me (Whirlwind)
  • Michael Blake, Tiddy Boom (Sunnyside)
  • Farmers by Nature, Love and Ghosts (AUM Fidelity)
  • Fred Hersch Trio, Floating (Palmetto)
  • The Hot Sardines, The Hot Sardines (Decca)
  • Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth, Epicenter (Clean Feed)
  • Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas, Sound Prints: Live at Monterey Jazz Festival (Blue Note)
  • Charles McPherson, The Journey (Capri)
  • Sam Newsome, The Straight Horn of Africa: A Path to Liberation (self-released)
  • Wadada Leo Smith, The Great Lakes Suites (TUM)
  • Jim Snidero, Main Street (Savant)
  • Henry Threadgill's Zooid, In for a Penny, In for a Pound (Pi)
  • Ryan Truesdell Gil Evans Project, Lines of Color: Live at Jazz Standard (Blue Note/Artist Share)
B+(***)
  • Atomic, Lucidity (Jazzland)
  • Kenny Barron/Dave Holland, The Art of Conversation (Impulse!)
  • Tim Berne's Snakeoil, You've Been Watching Me (ECM)
  • Henry Butler, Steven Bernstein and the Hot 9, Viper's Drag (Impulse!)
  • Jimmy Cobb, The Original Mob (Smoke Sessions)
  • Anat Cohen, Luminosa (Anzic)
  • Steve Coleman & the Council of Balance, Synovial Joints (Pi)
  • Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy (Stretch/Concord)
  • Bill Frisell, Guitar in the Space Age! (OKeh)
  • Ben Goldberg, Orphic Machine (BAG Production)
  • David Hazeltine, I Remember Cedar (Sharp Nine)
  • Vijay Iyer Trio, Break Stuff (ECM)
  • Kirk Knuffke, Arms & Hands (Royal Potato Family)
  • Lee Konitz/Dan Tepfer/Michael Janisch/Jeff Williams, First Meeting: Live in London, Volume 1 (Whirlwind)
  • Joe Locke, Love Is a Pendulum (Motéma)
  • Delfeayo Marsalis, The Last Southern Gentlemen (Troubadour Jass)
  • Myra Melford, Snowy Egret (Enja/Yellowbird)
  • Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble, Intergalactic Beings (FPE)
  • Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit, Erta Ale (PNL)
  • Tineke Postma/Greg Osby, Sonic Halo (Challenge)
  • Rex Richardson & Steve Wilson, Blue Shift (Summit)
  • Alex Sipiagin, Balance 38-58 (Criss Cross)
  • Tyshawn Sorey, Alloy (Pi)
  • Dave Stryker, Messin' With Mister T (Strikezone)
  • Aki Takase/Alexander Von Schlippenbach, So Long, Eric!: Homage to Eric Dolphy (Intakt)
  • Wolff & Clark Expedition, Expedition 2 (Random Act)
B+(**)
  • The Bad Plus Joshua Redman, The Bad Plus Joshua Redman (Nonesuch)
  • Terence Blanchard, Breathless (Blue Note)
  • Jakob Bro, Gefion (ECM)
  • Bobby Broom, My Shining Hour (Origin)
  • Maureen Budway, Sweet Candor (MCG)
  • Joey Calderazzo, Going Home (Sunnyside)
  • The Cookers, Time and Time Again (Motema)
  • Isaac Darche, Team & Variations (Challenge)
  • Kris Davis Infrasound, Save Your Breath (Clean Feed)
  • Dave Douglas/Uri Caine, Present Joys (Greenleaf)
  • Orrin Evans, Liberation Blues (Smoke Sessions)
  • Mary Halvorson, Reverse Blue (Relative Pitch)
  • Eddie Henderson, Collective Portrait (Smoke Sessions)
  • ICP Orchestra, East of the Sun (ICP)
  • Justin Kauflin, Dedication (Jazz Village)
  • Oliver Lake Organ Quartet, What I Heard (Passin' Thru)
  • Azar Lawrence, The Seeker (Sunnyside)
  • Oded Lev-Ari, Threading (Anzic)
  • Charles Lloyd, Wild Man Dance (Blue Note)
  • Mike Longo Trio, Celebrates Oscar Peterson Live (Consolidated Artists Productions)
  • Brian Lynch/Emmet Cohen, Question/Answer (Holistic Musicworks)
  • Branford Marsalis, In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral (Marsalis Music/OKeh)
  • Chris Potter Underground Orchestra, Imaginary Cities (ECM)
  • Joshua Redman, Trios Live (Nonesuch)
  • Secret Keeper, Emerge (Intakt)
  • Rotem Sivan Trio, For Emotional Use Only (Fresh Sound New Talent)
  • Jacky Terrasson, Take This (Impluse)
  • Mark Turner, Lathe of Heaven (ECM)
  • Steve Turre, Spiritman (Smoke Sessions)
  • David Virelles, Mboko (ECM)
  • Kamasi Washington, The Epic (Brainfeeder)
  • Cassandra Wilson, Coming Forth by Day (Sony Legacy)
B+(*)
  • Rez Abbasi, Intents and Purposes (Enja)
  • Cyrille Aimée, It's a Good Day (Mack Avenue)
  • Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio, Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio (Concord Jazz)
  • Omer Avital, New Song (Motéma)
  • Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, Cheek to Cheek (Streamline/Interscope/Columbia)
  • Nels Cline/Julian Lage, Room (Mack Avenue)
  • Eliane Elias, Made in Brazil (Concord)
  • Aaron Goldberg, The Now (Sunnyside)
  • Jimmy Greene, Beautiful Life (Mack Avenue)
  • Vincent Herring, Night and Day (Smoke Sessions)
  • Bobby Hutcherson/David Sanborn/Joey DeFrancesco/Billy Hart, Enjoy the View (Blue Note)
  • José James, Yesterday I Had the Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday (Blue Note)
  • Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bird Calls (ACT)
  • Donny McCaslin, Fast Future (Greenleaf)
  • Chris McNulty, Eternal (Palmetto)
  • Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood, Juice (Indirecto)
  • Marcus Miller, Afrodeezia (Blue Note)
  • Jason Moran, All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller (Blue Note)
  • Reggie Quinerly, Invictus (Redefinition)
  • Matthew Shipp, I've Been to Many Places (Thirsty Ear)
  • Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Over Time: The Music of Bob Brookmeyer (Planet Arts)
  • Elio Villafranca and the Jass Syncopators, Caribbean Tinge (Motéma)
  • Joanna Wallfisch with Dan Tepfer, The Origin of Adjustable Things (Sunnyside)
  • Miguel Zenón, Identities Are Changeable (Miel)
B
  • Randy Brecker, Bobby Shew & Jan Hasenoehrl, Trumpet Summit Prague (Summit)
  • Otis Brown III, The Thought of You (Revive/Blue Note)
  • Jamie Cullum, Interlude (Blue Note)
  • Harold Mabern, Afro Blue (Smoke Sessions)
  • Michael Mantler, The Jazz Composer's Orchestra Update (ECM)
  • Jason Miles & Ingrid Jensen, Kind of New (Wallhall Eternity)
  • Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Blue (Hot Cup)
  • Walt Weiskopf, Overdrive (Posi-Tone)
B-
  • Billy Childs, Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro (Sony Masterworks)
  • Diana Krall, Wallflower (Verve)
  • Nicholas Payton, Numbers (Paytone)
  • Ben Williams, Coming of Age (Concord)
C
  • Dr. John, Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch (Concord)
U
  • Afro Bop Alliance, Angel Eyes (Zoho)
  • JD Allen, Graffiti (Savant)
  • Liam Bailey, Definitely Now (Flying Buddha/Sony Masterworks)
  • Ginger Baker, Why? (Motéma)
  • Peter Bernstein, Solo Guitar (Live at Smalls) (SmallsLive)
  • Andy Bey, Pages From an Imaginary Life (HighNote)
  • Chris Biesterfeldt, Phineas (Biest)
  • Stefano Bollani, Joy In Spite Of Everything (ECM)
  • Paul Bollenback, Portraits in Space and Time (Mayimba)
  • Anthony Braxton, Trio (New Haven) 2013 (New Braxton House)
  • Georg Breinschmid, Double Brein (Preiser)
  • Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Maqueque (Justin Time)
  • Uri Caine, Callithump (Winter & Winter)
  • Michael Carvin Experience, Flash Forward (Motema)
  • Marc Cary, Rhodes Ahead Vol. 2 (Motéma)
  • Sharel Cassity, Manhattan Romance (Venus)
  • Brian Charette, Good Tipper (Posi-Tone)
  • Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Inner Dialogue (Truth Revolution)
  • David Chesky Jazz in the New Harmonic, Primal Scream (Chesky)
  • Cyrus Chestnut, A Million Colors In Your Mind (HighNote)
  • Stanley Clarke Band, Up (Mack Avenue)
  • Jeff Coffin & The Mu'tet, Side Up (Ear Up Records)
  • Avishai Cohen's Trevini, Dark Nights (Anzic)
  • Larry Coryell, Heavy Feel (Wide Hive)
  • Matt Criscuolo, Heading Out (Jazzeria)
  • Joey DeFrancesco, Home for the Holidays (JD Music)
  • Jack DeJohnette, Made In Chicago (ECM)
  • Paquito D'Rivera, Jazz Meets the Classics (Paquito/Sunnyside)
  • Duchess, Duchess (Anzic)
  • Duane Eubanks Quintet, Things of That Particular Nature (Sunnyside)
  • Kevin Eubanks & Stanley Jordan, Duets (Mack Avenue)
  • Chris Foreman, Now Is the Time (The Sirens)
  • Steve Gadd Band, 70 Strong (BFM)
  • Hilary Gardner, The Great City (Anzic)
  • Mark Giuliana, My Life Starts Now (Beat Music Productions)
  • Tigran Hamasyan, Mockroot (Nonesuch)
  • Jeff Hamilton Trio, Great American Songs: Through the Years (Capri)
  • Darryl Harper, The Need's Got to Be So Deep (Hipnotic Records)
  • Tom Harrell, Trip (HighNote)
  • Allan Harris, Black Bar Jukebox (Love Production Records)
  • Albert "Tootie" Heath, Philadelphia Beat (Sunnyside)
  • Conrad Herwig, The Latin Side of Joe Henderson (Half Note)
  • Hiromi, Alive (Telarc/Concord)
  • Hush Point, Blues and Reds (Sunnyside)
  • Abdullah Ibrahim, The Song Is My Story (Sunnyside)
  • James Farm, City Folk (Nonesuch)
  • Keith Jarrett, Creation (ECM)
  • Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden, Last Dance (ECM)
  • Eric Johnson & Mike Stern, Eclectic (Heads Up)
  • Sean Jones Quartet, Im.Pro.Vise: Never Before Seen (Mack Avenue)
  • Keep On Keepin' On -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Universal)
  • Frank Kimbrough, Quartet (Palmetto)
  • Annie Lennox, Nostalgia (Blue Note)
  • Carmen Lundy, Soul to Soul (Afrasia)
  • Peter Madsen's CIA Trio, Elvis Never Left the Building (Playscape)
  • Russell Malone, Love Looks Good on You (HighNote)
  • Karen Mantler, Business Is Bad (Xtrawatt)
  • Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, The 21st Century Trad Band (Basin Street)
  • Rob Mazurek, Return the Tides (Cuneiform)
  • Ron Miles, Circuit Rider (Enja/Yellow Bird)
  • Roscoe Mitchell, Angel City (Rogue Art)
  • Johnny O'Neal, Live at Smalls (Smallsville)
  • John Patitucci Electric Guitar Quartet, Brooklyn (Three Faces)
  • Gary Peacock Trio, Now This (ECM)
  • Jeremy Pelt, Tales, Musings and Other Reveries (High Note)
  • Lenny Pickett with UMO Jazz Orchestra, The Prescription (Random Act)
  • Enrico Pieranunzi, Stories (CAMJazz)
  • Marcus Roberts and the Modern Jazz Generation, Romance, Swing, and the Blues (J-Master)
  • Pete Rodriguez, El Conde Negro (Destiny)
  • Kermit Ruffins, #imsoneworleans (Basin Street)
  • Jerome Sabbagh, The Turn (Sunnyside)
  • Dino Saluzzi Group, El Valle De La Infancia (ECM)
  • Joe Sample NDR Big Band, Children of the Sun (PRA)
  • David Sanborn, Time and the River (Okeh)
  • Antonio Sanchez, Three Times Three (Cam Jazz)
  • Walter Smith III, Still Casual (Self Release)
  • Omar Sosa, Ilé (Otá)
  • Dayna Stephens, Peace (Sunnyside)
  • Bob Stewart, Connections: Mind the Gap (Sunnyside)
  • E.J. Strickland Quintet, The Undying Spirit (Strick Muzik)
  • David Torn, Only Sky (ECM)
  • John Tropea, Gotcha Rhythm Right Here (STP)
  • Jeremy Udden & Nicolas Moreaux, Belleville Project (Sunnyside)
  • Manuel Valera Trio, Live at Firehouse 12 (Mavo)
  • Doug Webb, Triple Play (Posi-Tone)
  • Kenny Werner, Coalition (Half Note)
  • Kenny Wheeler, Songs for Quintet (ECM)
  • Whiplash -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
  • Steve Wilson & Wilsonian's Grain, Live in New York: The Vanguard Sessions (Random Act)
  • Denny Zeitlin, Stairway to the Stars (Sunnyside)

Historical jazz album ballot sorted by grade: Grade breakdown: A: 1; A-: 7; B+(***): 7; B+(**): 1; unheard/ungraded: 36; total graded: 16 (30.7%). Grade distribution correlates positively, even with the large number of unheard (69.3%, not exceptionally high in this category, although dropping the asterisks would increase it to 76.9%).

Note: * indicates grade based on previous edition. The Solar reissue of Sun Ra's Supersonic Jazz includes a second, unheard album, Fate in a Pleasant Mood. The Oscar Peterson and Wayne Shorter albums were graded B+. The Peterson box no doubt includes extra material.

A
  • Steve Lacy Four, Morning Joy . . . Paris Live (HatHut) *
A-
  • Red Garland Trio, Swingin' on the Korner: Live From Keystone Korner (Ingrooves)
  • Charlie Haden/Jim Hall, Charlie Haden -- Jim Hall (Impulse!)
  • Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian, Hamburg '72 (ECM)
  • Charles Lloyd, Manhattan Stories (Resonance)
  • Sun Ra, In the Orbit of Ra (Strut)
  • Sun Ra, Supersonic Jazz (Solar) *
  • Lennie Tristano, Chicago April 1951 (Uptown Records)
B+(***)
  • Jimmy Guiffre 3&4, New York Concerts (Elemental)
  • Chubby Jackson, Ooh, What an Outfit! NYC 1949 (Uptown Jazz)
  • Vivian "Yabby You" Jackson, Dread Prophecy: The Strange and Wonderful Story of Yabby You (Shanachie)
  • Oscar Peterson, Exclusively For My Friends [Box Set] (MPS) *
  • Don Pullen, Richard's Tune (Sackville)
  • Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil (Blue Note) *
  • Junior Wells, South Side Blues Jam (Delmark)
B+(**)
  • John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University (Resonance)
U
  • Cannonball Adderley Sextet, Complete Live In Tokyo (Solar)
  • Monty Alexander, Rass! (MPS)
  • Allman Brothers Band, 1971 Fillmore East Recordings (Mercury)
  • Louis Armstrong & the All Stars, Complete Newport 1956 & 1958 (Mosaic)
  • Tony Bennett/Bill Evans, The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings (Fantasy)
  • The Brecker Brothers, The Bottom Line Archive (BFD)
  • Jack Bruce, Rockpalast: The 50th Birthday Concerts (M.i.G)
  • Don Cherry, Eternal Rhythm (MPS)
  • Classic African American Songsters (Smithsonian Folkways)
  • Ornette Coleman/Howard Shore, Naked Lunch: The Complete Original Soundtrack Remastered (Howe Records)
  • John Coltrane, So Many Things: The European Tour 1961 (Acrobat)
  • The Complete Dial Modern Jazz Sessions (Mosaic)
  • Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, CSNY 1974 (Rhino)
  • Miles Davis, All of You: The Last Tour, 1960 (Acrobat)
  • Jerry De Villiers Jr., The Turning Point (Timeless Momentum)
  • Bob Dylan, The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 (Columbia/Legacy)
  • Duke Ellington, The Treasury Shows Volume 18 (Storyville)
  • Jan Garbarek/Terje Rypdal/Art Farmer/Benny Bailey, From Europe With Jazz (MPS)
  • Johnny Hodges/Billy Strayhorn, Hodges With Strayhorn and the Orchestra (Apo)
  • Jazz in Polish Cinema (Jazz on Film)
  • Charles Lloyd, Arrows Into Infinity (DVD) (ECM)
  • Henry Mancini, The Classic Soundtrack Collection (Sony Music)
  • Pat Martino/Jim Ridl, Nexus (HighNote)
  • Gary McFarland, This Is Gary McFarland (Century 67)
  • Joe McPhee, As Serious As Your Life (Hat Hut)
  • Thelonious Monk, The Complete 1966 Geneva Concert (Sonar)
  • Wes Montgomery, In the Beginning (Resonance)
  • Sal Mosca, The Talk of the Town (Sunnyside)
  • Mark Murphy, Shadows (TCB Music)
  • Joe Pass, Intercontinental (MPS)
  • Art Pepper, Neon Art Volume 2 (Omnivore)
  • Jean-Luc Ponty, Sunday Walk (MPS)
  • Elvis Presley, That's The Way It Is -- Deluxe Edition (Legacy)
  • Tony Scott, Lost Tapes: Tony Scott in Germany 1957 & Asia 1962 (Jazzhaus)
  • Horace Silver Quintet, June 1977 (Promising Music/HGBS)
  • Soft Machine, Switzerland 1974 (Cuneiform)

Blues album ballot sorted by grade: Grade breakdown: A-: 3; B+(***): 1; B+(**): 4; B+(*): 4; unheard/ungraded: 45; total graded: 12 (21.0%). Unheard rate (79.0%) is probably down from previous years, but nothing to brag about. I suspect that if I heard more, the grade breakdown would skew south. Note that all three A- records were by long-established rock stars, and that's probably the way to classify Benjamin Booker as well (and Elvin Bishop and Steve Earle, while Freddy Cole is a jazz singer).

A-
  • Dave Alvin + Phil Alvin, Common Ground: The Songs of Big Bill Broonzy (Yep Roc)
  • John Hiatt, Terms of My Surrender (New West)
  • Boz Scaggs, A Fool to Care (429 Records)
B+(***)
  • Benjamin Booker, Benjamin Booker (ATO)
B+(**)
  • Elvin Bishop, Can't Even Do Wrong Right (Alligator)
  • Freddy Cole, Singing the Blues (HighNote)
  • Davina and the Vagabonds, Sunshine (Roustabout)
  • Steve Earle & the Dukes, Terraplane (New West)
B+(*)
  • Marcia Ball, The Tattooed Lady And The Alligator Man (Alligator)
  • Eric Bibb, Blues People (Stony Plain)
  • Gary Clark Jr., Live! (Warner Bros.)
  • Roberta Donnay, Bathtub Gin (Motéma)
U
  • Altered Five Blues Band, Cryin' Mercy (Self Release)
  • Billy Boy Arnold, The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold (Stony Plain)
  • Big Harp George, Chromaticism (Self Release)
  • Selwyn Birchwood, Don't Call No Ambulance (Alligator)
  • Rory Block, Hard Luck Child: A Tribute to Skip James (Stony Plain)
  • Joe Bonamassa, Muddy Wolf At Red Rocks (Ingrooves)
  • Michael Jerome Brown, Sliding Delta (Borealis)
  • The Cash Box Kings, Holding Court (Blind Pig)
  • Eric Clapton & Friends, The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale (Bushbranch)
  • Otis Clay & Johnny Rawls, Soul Brothers (Catfood)
  • Sean Costello, In the Magic Shop (Vizz Tone)
  • Voo Davis, Midnight Mist (Butter & Bacon)
  • Delta Moon, Low Down (Jumping Jack)
  • Tinsley Ellis, Tough Love (HeartFixer Music)
  • Empress of the Blues: A Tribute to Bessie Smith (Reimagine Music)
  • Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, You Asked for It . . . Live! (Alligator)
  • Mary Flower, When My Bluebird Sings (Bluesette)
  • Ruthie Foster, Promise of a Brand New Day (Blue Corn Music)
  • Ramon Goose, Blues and Spirituals (Acoustic Music/Rough Trade)
  • Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers, Love Whip Blues (Juju/VizzTone)
  • Peter Herzog & Dennis Walker, Waiting for the Rain (Self Release)
  • Gregor Hilden, In Phase (Acoustic Music)
  • Markus James, Head For The Hills (Firenze)
  • Layla Zoe, Live at the Spirit of 66 (Cable Car)
  • Doug MacLeod, Exactly Like This (Reference)
  • Janiva Magness, Original (Fathead)
  • Mannish Boys, Wrapped Up And Ready (Delta Groove Productions)
  • Mud Morganfield & Kim Wilson, For Pops: A Tribute to Muddy Waters (Severn)
  • Greg Nagy, Stranded (Big O)
  • Andy T-Nick Nixon Band, Livin' It Up (Delta Groove)
  • Mike Osborn, In The Dog House (Je Gagne)
  • Charlie Parr, Stumpjumper (Red House)
  • Bobby Patterson, I Got More Soul! (Omnivore)
  • Lucky Peterson, The Son of a Bluesman (Jazz Village)
  • The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, So Delicious! (Shanachie/Yazzo)
  • Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Emergency Situation (Blind Pig)
  • John Primer & the Teardrops, Live: You Can Make It If You Try! (Wolf)
  • Royal Southern Brotherhood, Heartsoulblood (RUF)
  • Deb Ryder, Let It Rain (Bejeb Music)
  • Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, Living Tear to Tear (Severn)
  • The Texas Horns, Blues Gotta Holda Me (Vizz-Tone)
  • Vaneese Thomas, Blues For My Father (Segue)
  • Walter Trout, The Blues Came Callin' (Mascot Label Group)
  • Johnny Winter, Step Back (Megaforce)
  • Nancy Wright, Putting Down Roots (Direct Hit)

"Beyond" album ballot sorted by grade: Grade breakdown: A-: 12; B+(***): 11; B+(**): 12; B+(*): 5; B: 10; B-: 2; C+: 2; C: 2; unheard/ungraded: 27; total graded: 56 (67.4%). Too incoherent a category to draw conclusions.

A-
  • Aphex Twin, Syro (Warp)
  • BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah, Sour Soul (Lex)
  • Brian Eno and Karl Hyde, High Life (Warp)
  • Kouyate and Ngoni Ba, Ba Power (Glitterbeat)
  • Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (Mom and Pop)
  • Leonard Cohen, Popular Problems (Columbia)
  • D'Angelo, Black Messiah (RCA)
  • Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly (Top Dawg)
  • Miranda Lambert, Platinum (RCA Nashville)
  • Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint (Young Money)
  • Parquet Courts, Sunbathing Animal (What's Your Rupture)
  • Spoon, They Want My Soul (Loma Vista)
B+(***)
  • Joey Bada$$, B4.DA.$$ (Cinematic)
  • Azealia Banks, Broke With Expensive Taste (Prospect Park)
  • Mary J. Blige, The London Sessions (Capitol)
  • Action Bronson, Mr. Wonderful (Atlantic)
  • Lana Del Rey, Ultraviolence (Interscope)
  • Ex Hex, Rips (Merge)
  • Jenny Lewis, The Voyager (Warner Bros.)
  • Seattle Symphony/John Luther Adams, Become Ocean (Cantaloupe)
  • Shabazz Palaces, Lese Majesty (Sub Pop)
  • Tal National, Zoy Zoy (Fat Cat)
  • Jamie xx, In Colour (Young Turks)
B+(**)
  • Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues (Total Treble)
  • Tony Allen, Film of Life (Jazz Village)
  • Blur, The Magic Whip, (Parlophone)
  • Caribou, Our Love (Merge)
  • Lee Fields & the Expressions, Emma Jean (Truth & Soul)
  • Flying Lotus, You're Dead! (Warp)
  • Rhiannon Giddens, Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch)
  • Grouper, Ruins (Kranky)
  • Bob Mould, Beauty and Ruin (Merge)
  • Run the Jewels, Run The Jewels 2 (Mass Appeal)
  • Pops Staples, Don't Lose This (Anti-)
  • Tinashe, Aquarius (RCA)
B+(*)
  • Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color (ATO)
  • The New Pornographers, Brill Bruisers (Matador/Last Gang)
  • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Hypnotic Eye (Reprise)
  • Sleater-Kinney, No Cities To Love (Sub Pop)
  • Earl Sweatshirt, I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside (Tan Cressida)
B
  • Alt-J, This Is All Yours (Infectious)
  • Arca, Xen (Mute)
  • Rubén Blades, Tangos (Sunnyside)
  • Drake, If You're Reading This It's Too Late (Cash Money)
  • FKA Twigs, Lp1 (Young Turks)
  • Father John Misty, I Love You, Honeybear (Sub Pop)
  • Perfume Genius, Too Bright (Matador)
  • Sia, 1000 Forms Of Fear (RCA)
  • TV on the Radio, Seeds (Harvest)
  • U2, Songs of Innocence (Interscope/Island)
B-
  • Mr Twin Sister, Mr Twin Sister (Infinite Best/Twin Group)
  • Jack White, Lazaretto (Third Man/Columbia)
C+-
  • Little Big Town, Pain Killer (Liberty)
  • Ariel Pink, Pom Pom (4AD)
C
  • Bob Dylan, Shadows in the Night (Columbia)
  • Scott Walker + Sun O))), Soused (4AD)
U
  • Jason Aldean, Old Boots, New Dirt (Broken Bow)
  • A$AP Rocky, At. Long. Last. A$AP (A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds Music)
  • Birdman Soundtrack -- Original Drum Score by Antonio Sanchez (Milan)
  • Björk, Vulnicura (One Little Indian)
  • Black Bananas, Electric Brick Wall (Drag City)
  • Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn (Rounder)
  • Buena Vista Social Club, Lost and Found (World Circuit)
  • Joyce DiDonato, Stella Di Napoli (Erato)
  • Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways (Roswell/RCA)
  • Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Chasing Yesterday (Sour Mash)
  • Ghostpoet, Shedding Skin (Pias America)
  • Hot Chip, Why Make Sense? (Domino)
  • Hozier, Hozier (Rubyworks/Island)
  • Vijay Iyer & Prashant Bhargava, Radhe Radhe: Rites of Holi (DVD) (Universal)
  • Daniel Lanois, Flesh And Machine (Anti-)
  • Mumford & Sons, Wilder Mind (Glassnote)
  • My Morning Jacket, The Waterfall (ATO/Columbia)
  • Jim O'Rourke, Simple Songs (Drag City)
  • Pharmakon, Bestial Burden (Scared Bones)
  • Robert Plant, Lullaby and . . . the Ceaseless Roar (Nonesuch/Warner Bros.)
  • Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Voyaguers (Mamou Playboy)
  • Mark Ronson, Uptown Special (RCA)
  • Ty Segall, Manipulator (Drag City)
  • Songhoy Blues, Music In Exile (Atlantic)
  • Lucinda Williams, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone (Highway 20)
  • Weezer, Everything Will Be Alright In The End (Republic)
  • Brian Wilson, No Pier Pressure (Capitol)