El Intruso 12th Annual International Critics Poll

The results for the Argentine "dedicated to other music" magazine El Intruso's 12th Annual International Critics Poll were posted this Monday. Link to the results and personal ballots here. I'll point you to the "musician of the year" category in particular, and happily note that 5 of the top 6 are female artists.

Posting my ballot below, although you can also find it via the results page linked to above.

Musician of the year: Gard Nilssen, Jaimie Branch, Eric Revis
Newcomer Musician: Georgia Wartel Collins, Nick Dunston, Claire Rousay
Group of the year: Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity, Emmeluth’s Amoeba, jaimie branch’s Fly or Die II
Newcomer group: Nature Work, Aki Takase Japanic, Aila Trio
Album of the year: James Brandon Lewis – An UnRuly Manifesto (Relative Pitch Records), Per “Texas” Johansson / Torbjörn Zetterberg / Konrad Agnas – Orakel (Moserobie Music Production), Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity – To Whom Who Buys a Record (ODIN)
Composer: James Brandon Lewis, Anna Webber, Taylor Ho Bynum
Drums: Gard Nilssen, Damion Reid, Christian Lillinger
Acoustic bass: Eric Revis, Luke Stewart, Petter Eldh
Electric bass: Luke Stewart, Brian Gibson, Ellen Brekken
Guitar: Anthony Pirog, Hedvig Mollestad, Mary Halvorson
Piano: Matt Mitchell, Craig Taborn, Kris Davis
Keyboards/Synthesizer/Organ: Craig Taborn, Jamie Saft, Anja Lauvdal
Tenor Saxophone: James Brandon Lewis, Andre Roligheten, Per “Texas” Johansson
Alto Saxophone: Signe Emmeluth, Steve Lehman, Mette Rasmussen
Baritone Saxophone: Eirik Hegdal, Julian Argüelles, Mats Gustafsson
Soprano Saxophone: Sam Newsome, Roscoe Mitchell, André Kassen
Trumpet / Cornet: Magnus Broo, Jaimie Branch, Steph Richards
Clarinet / Bass Clarinet: Ken Vandermark, Jason Stein, Patrick Holmes
Trombone: Mats Äleklint, Steve Swell, Jeb Bishop
Flute: Nicole Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, Anna Webber
Violin / Viola: Matt Manieri, Ola Kvernberg, Jean Cook
Cello: Tomeka Reid, Christopher Hoffman, Fredrick Lonberg-Holm
Vibrafone: Mattias Ståhl, Christopher Dell, Matt Moran
Electronics: Ikue Mori, Noel Meek, Tommi Keränen
Other Instruments: Theon Cross (tuba), Bill Lowe (tuba), Hild Sofie Tafjord (French horn)
Female Vocals: Sofia Jernberg, Moor Mother (Camae Ayewa), Fay Victor
Best Live Band: Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity, Moskus, Henry Threadgill Zooid
Record Label: Hubro, Records Astral Spirits, Pi Recordings

Pazz 'n' Jop 2011: notes

As you may know by now, The Village Voice's 2011 Pazz 'n' Jop Critics Poll results were announced last night. The albums winner is tUnE-yArDs' w h o k i l l, which surprised me a bit, albeit pleasantly so; even if it is some way down on my personal 2011 favorites list, I can hear why it is an affecting record, warts and all. The singles winner is Adele's Rolling in the Deep, which seemed like a safe bet beforehand.

My ballot can be found here. My top seven records have been pretty much nailed on for a long time. Those seven records stand out, for me, by being more consistent and more solid works than the rest, and I attempted to indicate that by the scores I handed out for my ballot. Below those seven, there has been some fluctuation -- compare my pazz 'n' jop ballot to the latest revision of my favorites list -- though have revisited Paul Simon numerous times lately, I'm tempted to put it in the same category as my top 7.

A couple of points:

• None of my top 10 albums finished in the poll's top 10, but two are in the top 20, Frank Ocean and Fucked Up. If we go to the top 25, there are three counting Pistol Annies.
• My number one pick, Wussy's Strawberry, landed at 109th place, getting ten mentions.
• I was the only one to vote for Avram Fefer's Eliyahu and Wadada Leo Smith's Heart's Reflections (misspelled in the poll). Both are jazz records, and Eliyahu got only two votes in Rhapsody's Jazz Critics' Poll, from Tom Hull and myself, so that's no surprise, really. Darius Jones Trio's Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) , the third jazz record I voted for, got two more votes, from Steve Dollar and Tad Hendrickson.
• Matana Roberts' Coin Coin Chapter One... was the highest placed jazz album at 78, unless you count Colin Stetson, which we probably should, at 42.
• My sole Norwegian pick, Razika's giddy ska tale about the pains of growing up in "Vondt i Hjertet", got one other vote, incidentally by current poll organizer Maura Johnston.

Hoping to post some non-list related writing here during next week. I have a piece on jazz drumming in the pipeline plus, hopefully, a 2011 catch-up of Listening Booth notes, and the return of The 1984 Box Set.

2009 Voice Jazz Critic's Poll + Happy New Year

My personal fave jazz records of 2009 with comments will be posted sometime over the weekend. My apologies for the delay. Until then, a happy new year to all readers & music fans (jazz and other), plus a few thoughts on the 2009 Voice Jazz Critics' Poll results that were posted on Tuesday (29th of Dec.).

The list turned out to be pretty interesting. The top two of Vijay Iyer's Historicity and Henry Threadgill's This Brings Us To, Vol. 1 are both great records and near the top of my list, too. Darcy James Argue's on 4th (winner in the debut category) and Steve Lehman's on 5th are also enjoyable releases. My fave of the year, Darius Jones Trio's Man'ish Boy made it into the top 20 (17th, 2nd best debut), while J.D. Allen Trio, David S. Ware and Tyshawn Sorey also made the list. Nice to see Allen Toussaint, Bill Frisell, Wadada Leo Smith and Ben Alison there, too. I've yet to hear the latest Bill Dixon as well as the FLY record.

Dissapointing, though, not to see personal favorites (and great records) such as Fully Celebrated's Drunk On the Holy Ones, Matthew Shipp's Harmonic Disorder, and Mike Reed's About Us anywhere. Perennial entries by Joe Lovano (ok-ish record) and Keith Jarret (yawn) makes me think too many Jazz critics have lazy ears, don't search hard enough for good music anymore, or are plainly just too conservative. Fair enough, I just wanted to have a pop there.

Happy New Ears

I've been on the road for much of the festive period, hence the lack of updates and Songs of the Week. Regular posting should resume by the end of the week, including my annual year in jazz thing-a-ma-jig. In the meantime, you can have a look at this year's Village Voice's jazz poll, won by none other than Sonny Rollins.

Happy New Year to all.