Francis Davis 8th Annual Jazz Critics Poll

Well, my status as a "critic" will be met with snickers and rightly so, but when one of the leading jazz writers asks for my input on a list for NPR Music, how can I say no? Just to be clear, I'm really terrible at these things, invariably forgetting albums, and the rankings here were part of the conditions of the poll, I'd rather have these LP's seen as some of the best records of the year in an unranked format. Davis also asked for best vocal and best Latin recordings, but since I rarely listen to either of those genres I had to take a pass. Here goes...

•Your choices for this year’s ten best New Releases (albums released between last Thanksgiving and this, give or take) listed in descending order one-through-ten.

1. John Zorn - Valentine’s Day
2. Audio One - The Midwest School
3. Steve Lehman - Mise en Abime
4. Lean Left - Live at the Area Sismica
5. Eric Revis - In Memory of Things Yet Unseen
6. Brandon Seabrook - Sylphid Vitalizers
7. Marc Ribot Trio - Live at the Village Vanguard
8. Nels Cline Singers - Macroscope
9. Chicago Underground Duo - Locus
10. Raoul Björkenheim - Ecstasy

•Your top-three Reissues or Historical albums, again listed in descending order

1. John Coltrane - Live at Temple University
2. Miles Davis - Miles at the Fillmore 1970
3. Sonny Simmons - Leaving Knowledge Wisdom and Brilliance

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