StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Critics Poll winners in concert

The most recent issue of DownBeat contains the results of the magazine's annual Critics Poll, and while it's never a good idea to take any such poll too seriously, they at least can offer a snapshot of who's making news in a given year, and provide some food for thought and/or discussion.

Today's post offers a look at live performances from some of this year's winners, starting up above with Charles Lloyd, who was the top tenor saxophonist in this year's DB poll, and his band the Marvels, featuring guitarist Bill Frisell, who were voted top jazz group. They're seen here in a full set from January 2016 at Lincoln Center in NYC.

After the jump, you can see Rudresh Mahanthappa, this year's winner in the alto sax category, in a video from June 2020 with his Hero Trio, playing Charlie Parker's "Red Cross.".

Next up, it's the poll-winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom, improvising to the poetry of Emily Dickinson in an April 2018 gig at Yamaha Artist Services' studio in New York City.

That's followed by a set from Gary Smulyan, voted top baritone saxophonist and seen here with his trio in a full set from 2017.

Nicole Mitchell, this year's top vote-getter in the flute category, is next, with a set of music recorded in July 2019 in Orlando, FL backed by bassist Doug Matthews and drummer Anthony Cole.

The final video shows Michael Dease, this year's winning trombonist, in May 2018 at Smalls in New York City, fronting his sextet on a tune called "Dease's Blues."

Look for more of this year's poll winners next week in this space. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...