ON THE COVER

75th ANNUAL READERS POLL

• p 24 : Sonny Rollins
  Sonny’s BIG Day Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
  By Jim Macnie
  For our portrait of the master at 80, we decided to chat it up with those involved in his highly anticipated, guest-laden birthday bash at the Beacon Theatre on Sept. 10 and a subsequent meet-and-greet session held at a New York bookstore a few nights later. We hear from numerous artists, associates and fans who were there to wish him well, while Rollins himself discusses the success of his big event.

• p 30 : Chick Corea
  Chick’s Grand Slam Hall of Fame, Jazz Artist, Electric Keyboardist, Beyond Album of the Year
  By John Ephland
• p 34 : Pat Metheny
  Maximum Metheny Jazz Album, Guitarist of the Year
  By Ken Micallef
• p 38 : Jack DeJohnette
  Music In The Key Of Jack Drummer of the Year
  By John Ephland
• p 40 : Dave Brubeck
  ’The Longest Intermission In My Career’ Jazz Group of the Year
  By John McDonough
• p 44 : Complete Poll Results
  • Beyond Album
    — 1. Chick Corea/John McLaughlin, Five Peace Band Live (Concord)

    
    — 2. Jeff Beck, Emotion & Commotion (Atco)

    
    — 3. Norah Jones, Fall (Blue Note)

    
    — 4. Béla Fleck, Throw Down Your Heart (Rounder)

    
    — 5. Allen Toussaint, Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)

    
    — 6. Tom Waits, Glitter And Doom Live (Anti-)

    
    — 7. Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Part One (Motown)

    
    — 8. Miguel Zenón, Esta Plena (Marsalis Music)

    
    — 9. Medeski Martin & Wood, Radiolarians (Indirecto)

    
    — 10. Leonard Cohen, Live In London (Sony)
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_muRzig5Swg0fidSSQuqLzRUSPwIe3o-Ag
    — 11. James Brown, Live At The Garden – Expanded Edition (Hip-O Select)
  • Blues Album
    — 1. B.B. King, Live In Africa ’74 (Shout Factory)
    — 2. Allen Toussaint, The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)

    
    — 3. Otis Taylor, Pentatonic (Telarc)

    
    — 4. Maria Muldaur, Garden Of Joy (Stony Plain)

    
    — 5. Tommy Castro, Hard Believer (Alligator)

    
    — 6. John Ellis & Double-Wide, Puppet Mischief (Obliqusound)

    
    — 7. Duke Robillard, Stomp ! The Blues Tonight (Stony Plain)

    
    — 8. Guitar Shorty, Bare Knuckles (Alligator)

    
    — 9. Eric Bibb, Booker’s Guitar (Telarc)

    
    — 10. Magic Slim, Raising The Bar (Blind Pig)

    
    — 11. Carolina Chocolate Drops, Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch)

FEATURES

• p 48 : Fred Hersch
  Don’t Turn Out The Stars
  By Michael Jackson

SPECIAL SECTION :

• p 54 : HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

DEPARTMENTS

• p 8 : First Take
• p 10 : Chords & Discords
• p 13 : The Beat
• p 17 : European Scene
• p 18 : Caught
• p 20 : Players
  – Warren Wolf
  – Francois Bourassa
  – Jason Roebke
  – Rebecca Martin
• p 63 : Reviews
• p 86 : Toolshed
• p 90 : Master Class : Harmonic Grounding : A New Perspective On Chromatic improvisation
  By Chase Baird
• p 92 : Transcription : Sonny Rollins’ Tenor Saxophone Solo On ’The Surrey With The Fringe On Top’
• p 94 : Jazz On Campus
• p 98 : Blindfold Test : Uri Caine (pianist)