ON THE COVER

77th : ANNUAL READERS POLL

• p 30 : Diana Krall
  Casting For Chemistry
  By Michael Gallant
  One of jazz’s biggest contemporary stars has won the Female Vocalist category in the DownBeat Readers Poll for five consecutive years. Supported by a new team of ace collaborators, Krall has hit her mark and then some with Glad Rag Doll (Verve), her 12th album.

FEATURES

• p 24 : Ron Carter
  Pure Elegance - Hall Of Fame
  By Ted Panken
  The veteran bassist is inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame.
• p 36 : Esperanza Spalding
  Grace in the Spotlight - Jazz Artist of the Year, Jazz Album of the Year
  By Fred Bouchard
  The Grammy-winning bassist and vocalist wins Jazz Artist of the Year and Jazz Album of the the Year.
• p 40 : Top Jazz Albums of The Year
  — 1. Esperanza Spalding, Radio Music Society (Heads Up/Concord)

  
  — 2. Ahmad Jamal, Blue Moon (Jazz Village)

  
  — 3. Tony Bennett, Duets II (Columbia)

  
  — 4. Vijay Iyer Trio, Accelerando (ACT)

  
  — 5. Keith Jarrett, Rio (ECM)

  
  — 6. Brad Mehldau Trio, Ode (Nonesuch)

  
  — 7. Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 2 (Doxy/Emarcy)
  — 8. Arturo Sandoval, Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You) (Concord)

  
  — 9. Corea, Clarke & White, Forever (Concord)

  
  — 10. Trombone Shorty, For True (Verve Forecast)
• p 42 : Top Historical Albums
  — 1. Miles Davis Quintet, Live In Europe 1967 : The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1 (Columbia/Legacy)
  — 2. Wes Montgomery, Echoes Of Indiana Avenue (Resonance)
  — 3. The Dave Brubeck Quartet, The Columbia Studio Albums Collection : 1955–1966 (Columbia/Legacy)
  — 4. Freddie Hubbard, Pinnacle (Resonance)
  — 5. Stan Getz, Stan Getz Quintets : The Clef & Norgran Studio Albums (Hip-O Select)
  — 6. The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Their Last Time Out (Columbia/Legacy)
  — 7. The Quintet, Jazz At Massey Hall (Original Jazz Classics)
  — 8. Fela Kuti, Vinyl Box Set I (Knitting Factory/Label Maison)
  — 9. Howlin’ Wolf, Smokestack Lightning:The Complete Chess Masters, 1951–1960 (Hip-O Select/Geffen)
  — 10. Ray Charles, Singular Genius : The Complete ABC Singles (Concord)
• p 44 : Wynton Marsalis
  Profoundly Grateful - Trumpeter of the Year, Blues Album of the Year
  By Allen Morrison
  The master instrumentalist and Pulitzer-winning composer takes home Trumpeter of the Year and Blues Album of the Year honors.
• p 48 : Trombone Shorty
  Evolving Naturally - Trombonist of the Year
  By Jennifer Odell
  The New Orleans-based young brass sensation is voted Trombonist of the Year.
• p 50 : Stanley Clarke
  Awake Every Second - Electric Bassist of the Year
  By Ed Enright
  The Electric Bassist of the Year made a point of playing with as many different ensembles as possible in 2012.
• p 52 : Joey DeFrancesco
  Winning Streak - Organist of the Year
  By Geoffrey Himes
  DownBeat’s Organist of the Year has played a critical role in the once-marginalized instrument’s current resurgence.
• p 56 : Complete Readers Poll Result
  • Blues Album
    — 1. Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton, Play The Blues : Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center (Reprise)
    — 2. Dr. John, Locked Down (Nonesuch)

    
    — 3. Bonnie Raitt, Slipstream (Redwing)

    
    — 4. Tedeschi Trucks Band, Live : Everybody’s Talkin’ (Sony Masterworks)
    – 

    
    — 5. Otis Taylor, Otis Taylor’s Contraband (Telarc)

    
    — 6. Joe Bonamassa, Driving Towards The Daylight (J&R Adventures)

    
    — 7. Cornell Dupree, I’m Alright (Dialtone)
    — 8. Joe Louis Walker, Hellfire (Alligator)

    
    — 9. Samba Touré, Crocodile Blues (Riverboat)

    
    — 10. Gary Clark Jr., The Bright Lights EP (Warner Bros.)

SPECIAL SECTION :

• p 63 : HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

DEPARTMENTS

• p 8 : First take
• p 10 : Chords & Discords
• p 13 : The Beat
  • p 13 : Pi releases Sam Rivers/Barry Altschul/Dave Holland Reunion CD
  • p 14 : Neil Cowley
• p 14 : Riffs
• p 16 : The Insider
• p 17 : Caught
  – The Devil’s Music : The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith
  – John Irabagon
  – Trio da Paz
• p 20 : Players
  – Lou Marini
  – Sara Gazarek
  – Herbie Tsoaeli
  – Stian Westerhus
• p 77 : Reviews
• p 100 : Master Class : Tritone Substitutions and Dominant 7ths
  By Tony Monaco
• p 102 : Pro Session : Sittin’ In & Playin’ Standards
  By Lou Pallo
• p 104 : Transcription : Ted Nash’s Expertly Crafted Alto Sax Solo on ’Organized Crime’
• p 106 : Toolshed
• p 110 : Jazz On Campus
• p 114 : Blindfold Test : James Carter
  Saxophonist James Carter was tested on the following tracks for the “Blindfold Test” :
  Zoot Sims : “Too Close For Comfort” from Zoot Sims In Copenhagen (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab/Storyville)
  – Horace Silver Quintet : “The Kicker” from Song For My Father (Blue Note)
  – David Murray & Mal Waldron : “Free For C.T.” from Silence (Justin Time)
  – Branford Marsalis Quartet : “Brews” from Four MFs Playin’ Tunes (Marsalis Music)
  – Donald Harrison : “Treme Swagger” from This Is Jazz : Live At The Blue Note (Half Note)
  – Gerry Mulligan : “Capricious” from Jeru (Columbia Legacy)
  – Joe Lovano Us Five : “Birdyard” from Bird Songs (Blue Note)