Wayne Shorter Tops 61st Annual DownBeat Critics PollSaxophonist Wayne Shorter won in four categories of the 61st Annual DownBeat International Critics Poll, taking honors for Jazz Artist of the Year and top Jazz Album, for his quartet’s disc Without A Net (Blue Note). He also was voted the top Soprano Saxophonist, and the Wayne Shorter Quartet was named the top Jazz Group.“Let’s face it, we all want to be like Wayne Shorter when we grow up,” said Frank Alkyer, DownBeat publisher. “The man’s almost 80 and creating some of the best music in the world. Wayne and his group improvise with few, if any, rivals. He writes incredible compositions. He inspires generation after generation of improvisers, composers and fans. And Wayne Shorter returning to the Blue Note label is a match made in artistic heaven. No net. No boundaries. No problem. It’s only fitting that our critics gave him top honors in four categories of this year’s poll.“The DownBeat Critics Poll represents a dedication to the improvised music community that you will find nowhere else in print or online,” Alkyer added. “We have 165 critics taking considerable time and effort to vote in the poll, and we thank each and every one for those contributions. The results are not just about the
winners; they’re also about recognizing established and up-and-coming artists from all over the globe. We’re very proud to publish the names of more than 1,000 artists in this year’s poll results. It’s a list that offers a very comprehensive snapshot of what’s happening musically in 2013.”The Critics Poll is divided into categories for established acts and for Rising Stars. In addition to the categories for Jazz, the poll also includes categories for Blues and Beyond.Another big winner in the poll is Robert Glasper, who topped the Keyboard list and whose group the Robert Glasper Experiment won for Beyond Artist or Group of the Year. Glasper also topped two Rising Star categories: Rising Star–Composer and Rising Star–Producer.Darcy James Argue was voted top Arranger, and his Secret Society tied for first place in the Big Band category with the Maria Schneider Orchestra.Dr. John—who was voted the top Blues Artist or Group in the 2012 Critics Poll—topped that category again this year. Additionally, his CD Locked Down (Nonesuch) was voted Blues Album of the Year.The complete poll results will be published in the August issue of DownBeat, arriving on newsstands on July 16.The critics elected influential bassist and bandleader Charlie Haden into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. The DownBeat Veterans Committee elected blues singer and guitarist Robert Johnson (1911–’38) into the Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of inductees to 134.Among the established artists in the Critics Poll, the winners include Dave Douglas (Trumpet), Nicole Mitchell (Flute), Rudresh Mahanthappa (Alto Saxophone), Jason Moran (Piano), Christian McBride (Bass), Jack DeJohnette (Drums), Wadada Leo Smith (Composer), Kurt Elling (Male Vocalist) and Cassandra Wilson (Female Vocalist). No Beginning No End (Blue Note) by vocalist José James was named the top Beyond Album.The top Historical Album of the Year is the Miles Davis Quintet’s Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2 (Columbia/Legacy), a three-CD and one-DVD set that showcases the trumpeter in top form collaborating with Shorter (tenor and soprano saxophone), DeJohnette (drums), Chick Corea (piano and electric piano) and Dave Holland (bass).Among the Rising Star winners are Tia Fuller (Rising Star–Alto Saxophone, Rising Star–Flute), Gregory Porter (Rising Star–Jazz Artist, Rising Star–Male Vocalist), Karrin Allyson (Rising Star–Female Vocalist), Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet (Rising Star–Jazz Group), Jason Marsalis (Rising Star–Vibes) and Derrick Hodge (Rising Star–Electric Bass).The complete list of winners is below:61st ANNUAL DOWNBEAT CRITICS POLL WINNERSHall of Fame: Charlie Haden Veterans Committee Hall of Fame: Robert Johnson Jazz Artist: Wayne Shorter Jazz Album: Wayne Shorter Quartet, Without A Net (Blue Note)Historical Album: Miles Davis Quintet, Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2 (Columbia/Legacy)Jazz Group: Wayne Shorter Quartet Big Band (tie): Darcy James Argue’s Secrety Society and Maria Schneider OrchestraTrumpet: Dave Douglas Trombone: Wycliffe GordonSoprano Saxophone: Wayne Shorter Alto Saxophone: Rudresh MahanthappaTenor Saxophone: Joe Lovano Baritone Saxophone: Gary SmulyanClarinet: Anat CohenFlute: Nicole MitchellPiano: Jason Moran Keyboard: Robert Glasper Organ: Joey DeFrancescoGuitar: Bill FrisellBass: Christian McBrideElectric Bass: Stanley Clarke Violin: Regina CarterDrums: Jack DeJohnetteVibes: Stefon Harris Percussion: Cyro Baptista Miscellaneous Instrument: Béla Fleck (banjo)Male Vocalist: Kurt EllingFemale Vocalist: Cassandra WilsonComposer: Wadada Leo Smith Arranger: Darcy James Argue Record Label: ECMProducer: Manfred EicherBlues Artist or Group: Dr. JohnBlues Album: Dr. John, Locked Down (Nonesuch)Beyond Artist or Group: Robert Glasper ExperimentBeyond Album: José James, No Beginning No End (Blue Note)RISING STAR WINNERSRising Star Jazz Artist: Gregory Porter Rising Star Jazz Group: Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet Rising Star Big Band: Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band Rising Star Trumpet: Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah Rising Star Trombone: Trombone Shorty Rising Star Soprano Saxophone: Anat Cohen Rising Star Alto Saxophone: Tia Fuller Rising Star Tenor Saxophone: Jon Irabagon Rising Star Baritone Saxophone: Vinny Golia Rising Star Clarinet: Ben Goldberg Rising Star Flute: Tia Fuller Rising Star Piano: Gerald Clayton Rising Star Keyboard: Jason Lindner Rising Star Organ: Jared Gold Rising Star Guitar: Rez Abbasi Rising Star Bass: Ben Williams Rising Star Electric Bass: Derrick Hodge Rising Star Violin: Zach Brock Rising Star Drums: Gerald Cleaver Rising Star Vibes: Jason Marsalis Rising Star Percussion: Dan WeissRising Star Miscellaneous Instrument: Toumani Diabaté (kora) Rising Star Male Vocalist: Gregory Porter Rising Star Female Vocalist: Karrin Allyson Rising Star Composer: Robert Glasper Rising Star Arranger: John HollenbeckRising Star Producer: Robert GlasperFonte:
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