2013 DownBeat Readers Poll Results

The results of the 78th Annual DownBeat Readers Poll are in. Guitarist Pat Metheny was named as the readers’ choice for the DownBeat Hall of Fame, and he was voted the Guitarist of the Year. Saxophonist Wayne Shorter topped an unprecedented five categories, winning Jazz Artist of the Year, Jazz Album of the Year (for his quartet’s Blue Note disc Without A Net), Jazz Group of the Year (Wayne Shorter Quartet), Soprano Saxophonist of the Year and Composer of the Year.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra won the Big Band category, and its artistic director, Wynton Marsalis, topped the Trumpet category.

Anat Cohen won the Clarinet category, and Poncho Sanchez was named Percussionist of the Year. Diana Krall was voted the top Female Vocalist, and Kurt Elling was honored as top Male Vocalist.

The top Historical Album was the Miles Davis Quintet’sLive In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2(Columbia/Legacy). The readers’ choice for top Blues Album was Dr. John’s Locked Down (Nonesuch), while the Beyond Album of the Year honors went to Donald Fagen’s Sunken Condos (Reprise).

With 24,552 voters casting ballots, the 2013 DownBeat Readers Poll generated the largest voter turnout to date.

“DownBeat readers are some of the most sophisticated music listeners in the world, and they proved it again,” said Frank Alkyer, DownBeat Publisher. “It’s such a pleasure to welcome Pat Metheny into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. And Wayne Shorter’s year—with the release of Without A Net and his amazing 80th birthday tour—has been historic. It’s no wonder that the readers named him Jazz Artist of the Year and gave him four other wins in the poll.

“But the real beauty of the Readers Poll is the extensive list of names that we publish. There are more than 600 artists who are named in the complete poll results, and 91 great recordings made the list. It’s a real snapshot of the vitality, breadth and beauty of the improvised music scene. We’re proud to be part of it!”

The December issue of DownBeat—out now to subscribers and on iPad, and arriving on newsstands Nov. 19—includes in-depth features on Metheny, Shorter, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Elling, Fagen, Cohen and Sanchez.

The December issue of DownBeat also contains the complete results in all 34 Readers Poll categories. The poll results include 91 of the year’s top recordings in Jazz, Blues and Beyond.

The list of winners is below:

78th ANNUAL DOWNBEAT READERS POLL

Hall of Fame: Pat Metheny 
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: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Trumpet: Wynton Marsalis
Trombone: Trombone Shorty
Soprano Saxophone: Wayne Shorter
Alto Saxophone: Kenny Garrett
Tenor Saxophone: Sonny Rollins
Baritone Saxophone: Gary Smulyan
Clarinet: Anat Cohen
Flute: Hubert Laws
Piano: Keith Jarrett 
Keyboard: Herbie Hancock
Organ: Joey DeFrancesco
Guitar: Pat Metheny 
Bass: Christian McBride
Electric Bass: Stanley Clarke
Violin: Regina Carter
Drums: Jack DeJohnette
Vibes: Gary Burton
Percussion: Poncho Sanchez
Miscellaneous Instrument: Béla Fleck (banjo)
Female Vocalist: Diana Krall
Male Vocalist: Kurt Elling
Composer: Wayne Shorter
Arranger: Maria Schneider
Record Label: Blue Note
Blues Artist or Group: B.B. King
Blues Album: Dr. John, Locked Down (Nonesuch)
Beyond Artist or Group: Robert Glasper Experiment
Beyond Album: Donald Fagen, Sunken Condos(Reprise)

DownBeat Annual Critics Poll

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