DownBeat (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois. It is named after the "downbeat" in music, also called "beat one", or the first beat of a musical measure.

Quick Facts Categories, Frequency ...
DownBeat
Thumb
CategoriesMusic magazine
FrequencyMonthly
Founded1934; 91 years ago (1934)[1]
CompanyMaher Publications
CountryUnited States
Based inChicago, Illinois, U.S.
LanguageEnglish
Websitedownbeat.com
ISSN0012-5768
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DownBeat publishes results of annual surveys of both its readers and critics in a variety of categories. The DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame includes winners from both the readers' and critics' poll. The results of the readers' poll are published in the December issue, those of the critics' poll in the August issue. Since 2008, the Hall of Fame also includes winners from the Veterans Committee.

Popular features of DownBeat magazine include its "Reviews" section where jazz critics, using a '1-Star to 5-Star' maximum rating system, rate the latest musical recordings, vintage recordings, and books; articles on individual musicians and music forms; and its famous "Blindfold Test" column, in which a musician listens to records by other artists, tries to guess who they are, and rates them using the 5-star maximum rating system.

History

DownBeat was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois.[2] In September 1939, the magazine announced that its circulation had increased from "a few hundred five years ago to more than 80,000 copies a month", and that it would change from monthly to fortnightly from the following month.[3] In Summer 1960 DownBeat launched the Japanese edition.[4] In 1972 the publisher of the magazine was Maher Publishers.[5] Starting in July 1979, DownBeat went to a monthly schedule for the first time since 1939.

DownBeat was named Jazz Publication of the Year in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 by the Jazz Journalists Association.[6]

DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame

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Perspective

The DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame's current membership, by year, is listed in the following table. The Readers' Poll began in 1952, the Critics' Poll in 1961, and the Veterans Committee Poll in 2008.[7]

More information Year, Readers Poll ...
Year Readers Poll Critics Poll Veterans Committee Poll
1952Louis Armstrong[8]
1953Glenn Miller[9]
1954Stan Kenton[10]
1955Charlie Parker[11]
1956Duke Ellington[12]
1957Benny Goodman[13]
1958Count Basie[14]
1959Lester Young[15]
1960Dizzy Gillespie[16]
1961Billie Holiday[17]Coleman Hawkins[18]
1962Miles Davis[19]Bix Beiderbecke[20]
1963Thelonious Monk[21]Jelly Roll Morton[22]
1964Eric Dolphy[23]Art Tatum[24]
1965John Coltrane[25]Earl Hines[26]
1966Bud Powell[27]Charlie Christian[28]
1967Billy Strayhorn[29]Bessie Smith[30]
1968Wes Montgomery[31]Sidney Bechet & Fats Waller[32]
1969Ornette Coleman[33]Pee Wee Russell & Jack Teagarden[34]
1970Jimi Hendrix[35]Johnny Hodges[36]
1971Charles Mingus[37]Roy Eldridge & Django Reinhardt[38]
1972Gene Krupa[39]Clifford Brown[40]
1973Sonny Rollins[41]Fletcher Henderson[42]
1974Buddy Rich[43]Ben Webster[44]
1975Cannonball Adderley[45]Cecil Taylor[46]
1976Woody HermanKing Oliver[47]
1977Paul DesmondBenny Carter[48]
1978Joe VenutiRahsaan Roland Kirk[49]
1979Ella FitzgeraldLennie Tristano[50]
1980Dexter GordonMax Roach[51]
1981Art BlakeyBill Evans[52]
1982Art PepperFats Navarro[53]
1983Stéphane GrappelliAlbert Ayler[54]
1984Oscar Peterson[55]Sun Ra[56]
1985Sarah VaughanZoot Sims[57]
1986Stan GetzGil Evans[58]
1987Lionel HamptonJohnny Dodds, Thad Jones, Teddy Wilson[59]
1988Jaco PastoriusKenny Clarke[60]
1989Woody ShawChet Baker[61]
1990Red RodneyMary Lou Williams[62]
1991Lee MorganJohn Carter[63]
1992Maynard FergusonJames P. Johnson[64]
1993Gerry MulliganEd Blackwell[65]
1994Dave BrubeckFrank Zappa[66]
1995J. J. JohnsonJulius Hemphill[67]
1996Horace SilverArtie Shaw[68]
1997Nat King ColeTony Williams[69]
1998Frank SinatraElvin Jones[70]
1999Milt Jackson[71]Betty Carter[72]
2000Clark TerryLester Bowie[73]
2001Joe HendersonMilt Hinton[74]
2002Antonio Carlos JobimJohn Lewis[75]
2003Ray BrownWayne Shorter[76]
2004McCoy TynerRoy Haynes
2005Herbie HancockSteve Lacy
2006Jimmy SmithJackie McLean[77]
2007Michael BreckerAndrew Hill[78]
2008Keith Jarrett[79]Joe ZawinulJo Jones, Jimmie Lunceford, Erroll Garner, Harry Carney, Jimmy Blanton
2009Freddie HubbardHank JonesOscar Pettiford, Tadd Dameron
2010Muhal Richard AbramsChick CoreaBaby Dodds, Chick Webb, Philly Joe Jones, Billy Eckstine
2011Ahmad JamalAbbey LincolnPaul Chambers
2012Ron CarterPaul MotianGene Ammons, Sonny Stitt
2013Pat MethenyCharlie HadenRobert Johnson
2014B.B. KingJim HallBing Crosby, Dinah Washington
2015Tony BennettLee KonitzMuddy Waters
2016Phil WoodsRandy WestonHoagy Carmichael
2017Wynton Marsalis[80]Don CherryEubie Blake, George Gershwin, Herbie Nichols
2018Ray CharlesBenny Golson[81]Marian McPartland
2019Hank MobleyNina SimoneScott LaFaro, Joe Williams
2020George BensonJimmy HeathMildred Bailey, Carmen McRae
2021Roy Hargrove[82]Carla Bley[83]Booker Little, Yusef Lateef
2022 Kenny Barron[84] Geri Allen[85]
2023 Pharoah Sanders[86]Alice Coltrane[87]Red Norvo, Mario Bauza
2024 John McLaughlin[88] Charles Lloyd[89]
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Awards

Album of the Year

Critics' Poll

More information Year, Title ...
YearTitleMusicianLabel
1965A Love SupremeJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1966At the Golden Circle, Vol. 1Ornette Coleman TrioBlue Note
1967The Popular Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonRCA
1968The Far East SuiteDuke EllingtonBluebird/RCA
1969...And His Mother Called Him BillDuke EllingtonBluebird/RCA
1970Bitches BrewMiles DavisColumbia
1971New Orleans SuiteDuke EllingtonAtlantic
1972The You and Me That Used to BeJimmy RushingRCA
1973
(tie)
ConstellationSonny StittCobblestone
SaharaMcCoy TynerMilestone
1974Solo ConcertsKeith JarrettECM
1975Silent TonguesCecil TaylorFreedom
1976Oscar Peterson and Dizzy GillespieOscar Peterson & Dizzy GillespiePablo
1977Creative Orchestra Music 1976Anthony BraxtonArista
1978
(tie)
InsightsToshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big BandRCA
Dancing in Your HeadOrnette ColemanHorizon
Sophisticated GiantDexter GordonColumbia
Homecoming: Live at the Village VanguardDexter GordonColumbia
NonaahRoscoe MitchellNessa
1979Cumbia & Jazz FusionCharles MingusAtlantic
1980Air LoreAirArista/Novus
1981Full ForceArt Ensemble of ChicagoECM
1982PlayingOld and New DreamsECM
1983Blues ForeverMuhal Richard AbramsBlack Saint
1984The Ballad of the FallenCharlie HadenECM
1985That's the Way I Feel NowVariousA&M
1986The African FlowerJames NewtonBlue Note
1987Song XPat Metheny & Ornette ColemanGeffen
1988In All LanguagesOrnette ColemanCaravan of Dreams
1989Audio-VisualscapesJack DeJohnetteImpulse!
1990In East BerlinCecil TaylorFMP
1991Dream KeeperCharlie HadenBlue Note
1992Lush LifeJoe HendersonVerve
1993So Near, So Far (Musings for Miles)Joe HendersonVerve
1994Always Say GoodbyeCharlie HadenVerve
1995Rush HourJoe Lovano & Gunther SchullerVerve
1996Keith Jarrett at the Blue NoteKeith Jarrett Standards TrioECM
1997Sound Museum: Hidden ManOrnette Coleman QuartetHarmolodic/Verve
1998NashvilleBill FrisellNonesuch
1999Gershwin's WorldHerbie HancockVerve
2000Soul on SoulDave DouglasRCA
2001DuskAndrew HillPalmetto
2002Not for Nothin' Dave HollandECM
2003Footprints Live!Wayne Shorter QuartetVerve
2004Extended Play: Live at BirdlandDave Holland QuintetECM
2005Concert in the GardenMaria SchneiderArtistShare
2006Time LinesAndrew HillBlue Note
2007Sound GrammarOrnette ColemanSound Grammar
2008Sky BlueMaria SchneiderArtistShare
2009Road Shows, Vol. 1Sonny RollinsDoxy/EmArcy
2010HistoricityVijay IyerACT
2011TenJason MoranBlue Note
2012AccelerandoVijay IyerACT
2013Without a NetWayne Shorter QuartetBlue Note
2014WomanChildCécile McLorin SalvantMack Avenue
2015Bird CallsRudresh MahanthappaACT
2016The EpicKamasi WashingtonBrainfeeder
2017America's National ParksWadada Leo SmithCuneiform
2018Dreams and DaggersCécile McLorin SalvantMack Avenue
2019EmanonWayne ShorterBlue Note
2020Waiting GameTerri Lyne CarringtonMotema Music
2021Data LordsMaria Schneider OrchestraArtistShare
2022Jesup WagonJames Brandon Lewis and the Red Lily QuintetTao Forms
2023Amaryllis & BelladonnaMary HalvorsonNonesuch
2024The Sky Will Still Be There TomorrowCharles LloydBlue Note
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Lifetime Achievement Award

See also

References

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