CoPA Faculty, Alumni, and Students Make Waves in DownBeat’s Annual Critics’ Poll
One of the most influential publications on the jazz scene, DownBeat is a trusted source of information for musicians, fans, and others in the jazz community. The magazine’s annual critics’ poll highlights the best artists in their categories and their contributions to jazz. As in years past, faculty and alumni from the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and Mannes School of Music were well represented in the poll.
School of Jazz and Contemporary Music Faculty
Mary Halvorson won Guitar Artist of the Year and took second place for Jazz Artist of the Year. She also placed in the Composer of the Year category.
Allison Miller placed in the Jazz Artist of the Year, Jazz Album of the Year (for Science Fair and Glitter Wolf), and Jazz Group (for her group Boom Tic Boom) categories. She won in the Rising Star–Drums category and placed in the Rising Star–Composer and Rising Star–Arranger categories.
Dave Douglas placed in the Jazz Artist of the Year, Trumpet Artist of the Year, and Producer of the Year categories.
Anat Cohen won Clarinetist of the Year and placed in the Jazz Artist of the Year and Soprano Saxophonist of the Year categories. Her group Tentet won in the Rising Star–Big Band category.
Ralph Alessi’s album Imaginary Friends placed in the Jazz Album of the Year category; he also placed in the Trumpet category.
Ingrid Jensen’s album Invisible Sounds: For Kenny Wheeler placed in the Jazz Album of the Year category.
The Cookers, an ensemble including Billy Harper and George Cables, placed in the Jazz Group of the Year category.
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society came in second in the Big Band of the Year category. Argue also placed in the Composer, Arranger, and Rising Star–Jazz Artist categories.
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra placed in the Big Band of the Year category. O’Farrill also placed in the Arranger of the Year category.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the ensemble-in-residence at Jazz, placed in the Big Band of the Year category.
Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra placed in the Big Band of the Year category.
Bobby Sanabria’s Big Band placed in the Big Band of the Year category, while Sanabria also placed in the Percussion category.
John Clayton’s Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra placed in the Big Band of the Year category.
Jane Ira Bloom won Soprano Saxophonist of the Year.
Darius Jones won in the Rising Star Alto Saxophone category and placed in the Alto Saxophonist of the Year category.
Marc Ribot placed in the Guitarist of the Year category.
Linda May Han Oh placed in the Bassist of the Year and Electric Bassist of the Year categories.
Reggie Workman placed in the Bassist of the Year category.
Ben Allison placed in the Bassist of the Year and Rising Star–Producer categories.
Andrew Cyrille and Matt Wilson both placed in the Drummer of the Year category.
Grégoire Maret, a Jazz alumnus, placed in the Miscellaneous Instrument category for his work on the harmonica.
Peter Bernstein, a Jazz alumnis, placed in the Guitarist of the Year category.
Fay Victor placed in the Female Vocalist of the Year and Rising Star–Female Vocalist categories.
Diane Moser’s Composers Big Band placed in the Rising Star–Big Band category.
Roxy Coss placed in the Rising Star–Soprano Saxophone category.
Sara Serpa won in the Rising Star–Female Vocalist category.
Sarah Elizabeth Charles placed in the Rising Star–Female Vocalist category.
Marcus Strickland, a Jazz alumnus, placed in the Rising Star–Composer category.
Spike Wilner, a Jazz alumnus, placed in the Rising Star–Producer category.
School of Jazz and Contemporary Music Alumni
Cécile McLorin Salvant won Jazz Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Her album The Window came in second for Jazz Album of the Year.
Charlie Haden and Brad Mehldau’s album Long Ago and Far Away placed in the Historical Album of the Year category.
Brad Mehldau’s Trio placed in the Jazz Group of the Year; Mehldau also placed in the Pianist of the Year category, while his album Seymour Reads the Constitution placed in the Jazz Album of the Year category.
Robert Glasper won Keyboardist of the Year. He also placed in the Producer, Arranger, and Beyond Artist or Group categories.
Larry Goldings placed in the Keyboardist of the Year and Organist of the Year categories.
Gilad Hekselman placed in the Guitarist of the Year and Rising Star–Jazz Artist categories.
Avishai Cohen placed in the Bassist of the Year category.
Jazzmeia Horn placed in the Female Vocalist of the Year category.
José James placed in the categories for Male Vocalist of the Year and Beyond Album for Lean on Me.
Joel Ross won the Rising Star Vibes category and placed in the Rising Star–Jazz Artist category.
James Francies placed in the Rising Star–Jazz Artist and Rising Star–Piano categories.
Helen Sung’s Trio placed in the Rising Star–Jazz Group. Sung also placed in the Rising Star–Piano and Rising Star–Arranger categories.
Lucas Pin’s No Net Nonet placed in the Rising Star–Big Band category.
Takuya Kuroda placed in the Rising Star–Trumpet category.
Corey King placed in the Rising Star–Trombone category.
Steven Lugemer placed in the Rising Star–Soprano Saxophone category.
Logan Richardson, Sharel Cassity, and Lakecia Benjamin all placed in the Rising Star–Alto Saxophone category.
Jason Marshall and Andrew Hadro both placed in the Rising Star–Bari Saxophone category.
Aaron Goldberg placed in the Rising Star–Piano category.
Camila Meza placed in the Rising Star–Guitar and Rising Star–Female Vocalist categories.
Mike Moreno placed in the Rising Star–Guitar category.
Mannes School of Music Faculty
Amirtha Kidambi’s ensemble Elder Ones, which features Jazz student Nick Dunston on bass, placed in the Rising Star Jazz Group category. Kidambi also placed in the Rising Star–Female Vocalist and Rising Star–Composer categories.
Uri Caine placed in the Keyboardist of the Year category.