This week, just a few jazz artists by whose name I put a check mark as I went through Downbeat Magazine’s 2019 Critics Poll.

As a followup from last week’s podcast on internationally recognized Canadian jazz musicians, I play a track by Vancouver cellist Peggy Lee and one by B.C. violinist Jesse Zubot.

I start the program with this year’s selection for the Jazz Hall of Fame—Nina Simone.

Then, staying with veterans, 93 year old ‘snap crackle’ drummer, Roy Haynes is still going strong.  I play a 1986 recording he made of Charlie Parker’s “Bigfoot”.

The number 1 trombonist—by a longshot—is Steve Turre, and here he plays with pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Jimmy Cobb plus Javon Jackson on tenor sax.

Robert Glasper has been a name that gets bandied about a lot, partly because of his foray into hip-hop and his role on Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a  Butterfly”.  Here he employs Bilal and Jasmine Sullivan as guests.

Ahmad Jamal—probably still my all time favourite jazz pianist—plays a fine rendition of a gospel tune from his latest album from 2016.  Another veteran still going strong.

This is followed (an interesting transition, don’t you think?) with the duo of Chris Thile on mandolin and pianist Brad Meldhau.

Bob Dorough’s last album (But for Now), even though he only died last year, made the Critics list for “Historical album”.  Weird.  But it was re-released, so I guess that counts.

I end with a British group with lots of percussion and great sax playing by Shabaka Hutchings—Sons of Kemet.