Source: The Arts Fuse. Once again, I was happy to participate in this poll, the results of which were released yesterday.
This is the 17th annual edition of the Francis Davis Jazz Poll, finally named for its founder and guiding light. The Poll collates top-10 lists from 151 jazz critics and journalists, and as such provides a wealth of insight into and data about this past year in jazz. From its founding in 2006 through 2021, Davis wrote an introduction and summary for each poll. This year Davis asked me to run the Poll, leaving some very big shoes for me to try to fill. I don’t have any great cosmic insights into the evolution of the music or how it fits into our changing world. When I asked voters for comments, they mostly affirmed that jazz remains a vigorous art form that makes our lives better. True that is, even if it seems too mundane to mention.