The 61st Annual Downbeat Critics Poll

In March, while writing my lukewarm review of Wayne Shorter's CD, Without a Net, it occurred to me that it might win both the Downbeat Critics' and Readers' Polls as Album of the Year, and I might feel like an ass. The first part of that prediction has come true; we will have to wait until December to hear from the readers. But Wayne Shorter was the big winner with the critics in this his 80^th year. In addition to his CD victory, he was named Jazz Artist of the Year, his quartet won in the jazz group category, and he was the winner on soprano sax.

The Downbeat Critics Poll is a vote among 165 international jazz critics. It should be noted that Downbeat's “year” does not coincide with the calendar year, but refers to the second half of 2012 and the first half of 2013.

Each year, the critics add one member to the Downbeat Hall of Fame. This year they have chosen veteran bassist Charlie Haden, who began his career as a member of Ornette Coleman's quartet, was the leader of the Liberation Music Orchestra and Charlie Haden's Quartet West, and has participated in an impressive variety of projects both as leader and sideman. Haden, who is 75, is struggling with health problems due to post-polio syndrome, but was able to participate in the Healdsburg (Cal.) Jazz Festival in June. I'm linking to this clip of the Liberation Music Orchestra from 1992 because it features an extended bass solo.  Unfortunately, the ending is cut.

A subset of the critics, the Veterans Committee, can elect pre-1950 artists to the Hall of Fame if the artist receives votes from at least 66% of them. This year, they selected Mississippi bluesman Robert Johnson.

Here are their top ten choices for Album of the Year:

1. Wayne Shorter Quartet, Without a Net
2. Wadada Leo Smith, Ten Freedom Summers
3. Sam Rivers/Dave Holland/Barry Altschul, Reunion: Live in New York
4. Joe Lovano/Us Five, Cross Culture
5. Charles Lloyd/Jason Moran, Hagar's Song
6. Ryan Truesdell, Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans
7. Branford Marsalis Quartet, Four MFs Playin' Tunes
8. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Star of Jupiter
9. Christian Scott, Christian aTunde Adjuah
10. (tie) Neneh Cherry/The Thing, The Cherry Thing; Kenny Garrett, Seeds From the Underground

The Historical Album of the Year is the Miles Davis Quintet, Live in Europe, 1969: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 2.

In addition to Artist of the Year, the critics choose a performer of the year and a rising star for each instrument, as well as a Rising Star of the Year. Here are some of the winners. A complete list can be found here.

• Artist of the Year: Wayne Shorter
• Jazz Group: Wayne Shorter Quartet
• Big Band (tie): Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Maria Schneider Orchestra
• Trumpet: Dave Douglas
• Trombone: Wycliffe Gordon
• Soprano Saxophone: Wayne Shorter
• Alto Saxophone: Rusresh Mahanthappa
• Tenor Saxophone: Joe Lovano
• Clarinet: Anat Cohen
• Piano: Jason Moran
• Organ: Joey DeFrancesco
• Guitar: Bill Frisell
• Bass: Christian McBride
• Drums: Jack DeJohnette
• Male Vocalist: Kurt Elling
• Female Vocalist: Cassandra Wilson
• Rising Star of the Year: Gregory Porter

The boundaries of when someone is considered a “rising star” are unclear. Karrin Allyson was the rising star among female vocalists even though she has been recording for 20 years, and Gregory Porter finished second to Kurt Elling among the presumably established male vocalists.

The jazz critics also flirt briefly with the Blues and Beyond genres. “Beyond” refers to popular music that is enjoyed by jazz critics. Dr. John was named Blues Artist of the Year and his CD, Locked Down, was Blues Album of the Year. The Beyond Artists were the Robert Glasper Experiment, and Jose James' No Beginning, No End was the Beyond Album of the Year. Both are artists who blend jazz with R&B.

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